From the Students of St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary
Boynton Beach, FL
Issue xiv
Seminarian Profile - Connor Penn -
FALL 2015
“Viva Papa Francisco!”
Viva!
father begets father
- Rev. Mr. Thomas Kennell V -
FLORIDA-GEORGIA MartyrS
- Blake Britton -
Pope of the Garbage Men
- Eric Stelzer -
STAFF
Msgr. David Toups
Diocese of St. Petersburg / Rector
Fr. Remek Blaszkowski
Diocese of St. Augustine / Vice Rector /
Administrative Moderator
ms. Daniella Coy
Director of Development Office
Ms. Sharon Melançon
Development Office
Rev. Mr. Thomas Kennell V
Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee IV Theology
p.
Mr. Alexander Rivera
6 -7
Archdiocese of Miami - III Theology
Mr. Luis Pavon
Archdiocese of Miami – III Theology
Seminarians gathering at Papal visit
Mr. Anthony Astrab
Diocese of St. Petersburg – II Theology
W r i t e r s
Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee – IV
Theology
Rev. Mr. Thomas Kennell V
Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee – IV
Theology
Mr. Blake Britton
Diocese of Orlando – Pastoral Year
Mr. Eric Stelzer
Diocese of Saint Augustine – II Theology
Mr. John Guinan
Archdiocese of Boston – I Theology
Mr. Caleb Harkelroad
TheMantle of Christ inLa Florida
Fall 2015
Editorial
Reflections From The Rector / p. 5
Msgr. David L. Toups
Father Begets Father / p. 6-7
Rev. Mr. Thomas Kennell V
BOSTON TO BOYNTON / p. 8-9
the mantle of christ
Florida-Georgia Martyrs / p. 10-11
Blake Britton
the pope of garbage men / p. 12-13
Eric Stelzer
Personal encounter / p. 14-15
Drew Woodke
homegrown seminarian / p. 16-17
Caleb Harkelroad
Rev. Mr. Dustin Feddon
deacons who served at the Papal Mass
Issue XIV
John Guinan
E d i t o r s
John Sollee at Johns Hopkins hospital for summer assignment
CONTENTS
Diocese of Savannah – I Theology
seminarian profile / p. 18-19
Connor Penn
the common good / p. 20-21
Rev. Mr. Dustin Feddon
diaconate formation
and the Mirror of the Gospel / p. 22
Kenneth Vianale
development
“Together we have built it and indeed
they have come!” / p. 23
Daniella Coy
Mr. Connor Penn
Diocese of St. Petersburg – I Theology
among fellow pilgrims during papal visit
Mr. Drew Woodke
Diocese of St. Petersburg – I Theology
M a n a g i n g
E d i t o r
Mr. Connor Penn
Diocese of St. Petersburg – I Theology
E d i t o r - i n - C h i e f
p.
10-11
FALL 2015 | St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary
Mr. Jack Knight
12-13
The Pope of thE gARBAGE MEN p.
SEEDS OF HOPE
Archdiocese of Atlanta – II Theology
Judy Johnson
Graphic Designer
SEEDS OF HOPE
St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary | FALL 2015
EDITORIAL
REFLECTIONS
FROM THE RECTOR
Dear Friends of the Seminary,
Many of you will remember the 1989 movie Field of Dreams, in
which an Iowa famer builds a baseball field in the middle of his corn
fields. He did so in response to the words “If you build it, [they] will
come,” which kept being whispered in his heart. There was some definitive purpose to what he was doing, though he didn’t quite understand.
Imagine what people thought when Archbishop Joseph Hurley purchased
over 100 acres west of Boynton Beach in 1955 for a future seminary. Or
when the Vincentian Fathers began to build in the early sixties. Or when
Archbishop Coleman Carroll and the Archdiocese of Miami took over in
1971 with a skeleton crew of unprepared professors.
“If you build it, they will come.” Indeed, we have built it, and they
came! Building on our 50 plus year history, we are welcoming our largest class sizes in history. In the past decade the seminary has doubled
due a number of factors: the hard work of our parish priests and vocation directors, outreach to dioceses beyond our province, and the many
answered prayers of faithful Catholics. From 54 seminarians enrolled in
2008 to 110 seminarians today - this is nothing short of miraculous. The
renovation and expansion begun three years ago has been completed. The
seminarians are housed in dorms with sufficient space, technology, and
individual bathrooms - they are thrilled! The guest wing, named after the
Florida and Georgia Martyrs, is being used for the ongoing formation of
the permanent deacons and priests of our province and beyond through a
number of new initiatives, allowing the seminary to continue to be even
more place of renewal for our clergy. Together we have built it and indeed
they have come!
As Pope Francis continues to build up our Church, he follows the
mission of his patron St. Francis who received the words from the Lord
“Rebuild my Church!” The pope is building with living stones; each of
us! He has called us to greater responsibility within our own households
and families and to the poor and abandoned. On his recent apostolic jour-
ney to the United States, seventy-eight of us from the seminary journeyed
to Washington, DC, to listen to the “voice of St. Peter” from September
22-24 (accompanied by 85 of our “younger brothers” from St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami). What a gift this was for each of us as
we joined the hundreds of thousands who lined the streets of our nation’s
capital. We experienced the beautiful pastoral heart of Pope Francis as he
canonized St. Junípero Serra at the Mass on the lawn of Catholic University. He reminded us that “Jesus gives the answer. He said to his disciples
then and he says it to us now: Go forth! Proclaim! The joy of the Gospel
is something to be experienced, something to be known and lived only
through giving it away, through giving ourselves away” (9/23/15). The
seminarians even got an up-close and personal view of the Holy Father
in the upper Basilica of the Immaculate Conception as he prepared for
the Liturgy - let me just say that our 48 hours in DC became the trip of a
lifetime as you can see from then cover of the magazine!
Now it is up to us to build up the Kingdom here on earth by being the
hands and feet of Jesus Christ, by making His love present, which stems
from our own personal encounter with the Lord. We see our seminarians
encountering Jesus through a variety of ways that are unique to each individual and ministry in which they are involved; and through the once in a
life time pilgrimage to see Pope Francis when they likewise encountered
Christ in the person of the Pope.
Thank you for supporting our work at St. Vincent de Paul Regional
Seminary us as we educate and form men to be missionary disciples in the
world today. Together we are building up the Body of Christ and together
we pray “thy kingdom come!”
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Monsignor David L. Toups
Photo credit | Tom Tracy
FALL 2015 | St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary
SEEDS OF HOPE
SEEDS OF HOPE
St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary | FALL 2015
Photo taken by Tom Tracy
ever, would likely not have taken hold of me without the witness that my father
gave to them.
While a “man of the cloth” and a clergyman for our Church, my father was also
the consummate dad, holding down a job and providing for his family. The provisions he helped to distribute were not merely material but also spiritual. To be sure,
my father taught me how to pray. From the beginning, simple prayers were offered
at the bedside while tucking me in at night. When I was still rather young, the family began to pray the Rosary each evening. We would also take time to read through
the scripture readings from Mass each day. All of this caused a deepening in my
own grasp of the faith and my relationship with the Lord. Aside from being the
provider of so much spiritually and materially, I could also count on my dad as one
who would always be there for me. Whether it was attending any one of hundreds
of sporting events (many of my teams he even coached), or even coming to a rock
show that my band was playing in, I could count on my father’s support and care
through it all.
Reflecting on these qualities of my father has helped to shape my understanding of priestly paternity. The life of a parish priest can readily be compared to the
role of the father of a household. He has his home (the parish, the rectory) and
those he cares and provides for (parishioners, staff, etc). The priest teaches and
instructs, providing the faithful with the means to draw closer to the Lord through-
out their lives. At times, he has to correct, yet he always does so with love. Beyond
his normal “duties,” the parish priest also has the opportunity and freedom to “be
there” for his people, such as attending sporting events at the local high schools
or watching productions parishioners may participate in. The priest, like a father,
watches over and walks with his people as they come into life and grow up, and he
is there as they one day leave this world behind.
All of the characteristics mentioned above ultimately point to and have their
genesis in the one we all call Father. He is the one who has given us life. He is the
one who has provided for us all these years. He is the one who smiles upon us at all
times, in all circumstances – in love. He is also the one who, because he loves us,
gently rebukes us when necessary and challenges us to “grow up,” calling us more
and more forward on this journey of life until we one day see him face-to-face.
Each of these qualities has been shared with and given to me by my dad. Because I experienced them so readily through him, I have been able to recognize and
accept even more the same qualities from God as he has lavished them upon me
spiritually. As I have been shown the way of fatherhood from both of them, I am
able to incorporate each into my ministry. I know the earthly love and care a father
provides and I have experienced the love and care that only God can give. These
now will shape my priestly fatherhood. And the three are ever connected.
by Rev. Mr. Thomas Kennell V
(IV Theology, Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee)
The
priest
,
like a father,
watches over
and walks
with his people
as they come
into life and
grow up,
and he is
there as they
one day leave
this world
behind.
FALL 2015 | St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary
The call of the priest is to be a father. Of course, the man who becomes a priest
foregoes the natural fatherhood of a married man with biological children, but he
is nonetheless obliged to care for the faithful entrusted to him with the same familial tenderness. In reality, the priest is called to care for the people of God as His
representative; he is called to be a father like the Father.
As I have drawn closer to my own ordination as a priest, this reality of being a
father in a way similar to that of our God has caused me to reflect more and more on
who he is. How is it that God the Father loves me? How does he care and provide?
How does he view me? As I have sat, prayed, even at times wrestled with these questions, I found myself coming back to the relationship I have with my own earthly
father. Without a doubt, this human relationship has had a lasting impact on my
spiritual relationship with God and has helped to enflesh who and what can sometimes seem abstract and faint. My understanding of the spiritual fatherhood I am
about to embrace and the necessary qualities I must possess for its fruitfulness are
found in the ongoing relationship I have with the man I am blessed to call “Dad.”
That old saying, ‘Like father like son,’ seems to have played itself out in various ways in my life. I have the same name as my father (as well as a few others
in a direct line), and, of course, we share much of the same biological make-up,
complete with red hair – at least he had some at one time! But beyond the nominal and physical similarities, we now share the same state in the Church – that of
being deacons. My father was ordained to the diaconate in 1988, which was also
relatively early on in my life; so that for all I can remember, I have had a deacon as
a father. His calling and subsequent ordination were the early seeds of my own.
Witnessing his dedicated service at the altar while growing up bore in me a desire
to be up there too. As soon as I was able (after receiving First Holy Communion), I
began to assist at Mass as an altar server. From there, a love for the liturgy and the
mysterious presence of the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament arose. These loves, howSEEDS OF HOPE
Deacon Thomas with his nephew, Vincent, and father Deacon Tom Kennell
SEEDS OF HOPE
St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary | FALL 2015
Bostonto
Boynton
Fr. Christopher Hickey, Seminarian Christopher Boyle, Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston, Seminarian John Guinan
As is the case here in Florida, the growing number
Fr. d’Alzon lamented: “…the world needs to be penof Spanish-speaking Catholics in Boston has called
etrated through and through with a Christian idea,
for a greater need for Spanish-speaking priests. So,
otherwise it will fall apart…we need to teach the
while I was surprised at first, learning that Cardiworld and do so in words that can be understood.”
nal Séan O’Malley was sending me to a bilingual
These words grabbed hold of me and never let go.
seminary in Boynton Beach in order to learn SpanLike every other college student, however, I was
ish made sense. My first reaction to the news was:
looking toward my career ambitions to plan my fu“Where’s Boynton Beach?” My confusion quickly
ture. I was considering broadcast journalism, among
turned to excitement when I heard that I would be
other possibilities. I found myself living a normal
escaping the cold winters. And then I thought what a
college experience actively staying involved in
great opportunity both learning another language and
campus life, surrounding myself with great friends,
also expanding my understanding of the American
having a girlfriend, and being elected student body
Church would be. Aside from finding the language
vice president in my senior year. At the same time,
barrier a bit of a struggle, having to explain that I
though, I felt growing inside me a desire to be a priest,
by Mr. John Guinan
mean “here” when I say “heeah” and “car” when I (I Theology, Archdiocese of Boston) to bring the message I had come to see so clearly as
say “caaah,” and getting used to hearing “y’all” in
the Truth, namely Christ, to others around me.
real life, my transition has been a smooth one. This is in no small part
By senior year, I managed to write this off as merely a consequence
due to the welcoming and warm community that greeted me here in
of being surrounded by Catholicism my whole life (Mass every weekSouth Florida. I am extremely grateful for the kindness shown to me.
end, Catholic schools, etc.). When my senior year of college rolled
As is the case for many, my vocation story starts in the home. My
around, I had decided that I wanted to take a year off after graduation
parents made the Christian life attractive to me very early on simply by
and do a year of volunteer service with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps.
living it out consistently and authentically themselves. In addition to
I was accepted and assigned to teach in the Bronx, New York. Fr.
their witness, we were blessed to have such wonderful and holy priests
Franck an Assumptionist priest at my college, who guided me in spirin our parish. I can remember as an altar boy wanting to be just like
itual direction, convinced me to apply to the Assumptionists’ volunteer
these men when I grew up. But it was not until college that I began
program, which opened up the prospect of doing a year of service at
to feel a real serious pull to the priesthood after experiencing a sort
a site outside of the country. I cringed at the thought of leaving home
of “renewal of faith.” I studied politics and philosophy while minorfor a year but I applied to the program anyways, mostly to amuse Fr.
ing in theology at Assumption College. This serious engagement with
Franck, whom I respected a great deal.
my studies of the Church’s teachings and philosophical underpinnings
After being accepted and told by friends and family that I’d be “cradeeply convinced me of the truth of our faith. At the same time, I was
zy” to pass up this great opportunity, I decided to go. I was assigned
reading the writings of Fr. Emmanuel d’Alzon, the founder of the order
to Paris, France, where I would be helping to run a recently-opened
that instituted Assumption College. I was taken up by his claim that
Catholic Youth Hostel (the first of its kind in Europe) run by the Aswhat ails modernity is ignorance: ignorance of Christ and His Church.
sumptionist Fathers. Standing in the Charles de Gaulle Airport after
FALL 2015 | St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary
SEEDS OF HOPE
arriving in Paris while feeling disoriented from the effects of jet lag, I
waited for my luggage. In my hand, I held the address of the volunteer
site without a clue as to how I was going to find the place.
Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a man approached me and introduced himself as an American, a university professor from Iowa who
moved to France after marrying a French woman. He asked where I
was from and for how long I would be in Paris. I told him that I was
from Boston and in Paris for a year, and then turned my attention back
toward the baggage carousel. Then he said, “and afterward you are going to be a priest.” I looked back at him—shocked and speechless. Obviously embarrassed by my reaction, he quickly added “Oh, I’m sorry,
I’m not even Catholic.”
Frantically thinking of ways to change the subject, I pointed to the
address I was holding and asked if he could point me in the right direction. He lived right near where I was going and offered to catch a cab
with me. As I rode in the back of the cab, he pointed out the landmarks
as we passed them. I interrupted his tour and pressed him further on
what he had said back in the airport. As I come to find out, not only was
he not Catholic or even a fallen away Catholic, but he was an atheist!
When I asked him why he would even think to bring up the priesthood,
he explained: “Even though I’m not Catholic, and an atheist, I still recognize something special about that office---the priesthood.” Stunned,
and at the same time moved by his answer, I asked “Ok, but why me?
Why do you think I’m going to be a priest?” He looked at me and said,
“I don’t know, I just sensed something in you.” Then, he turned to
his window and enthusiastically pointed out the Eiffel Tower! I stared
out my window, hoping someone would pinch me, and in my mind
cried out: “My God! I travel all the way across the pond and you still
won’t leave me alone!” As my year of service drew to a close, I was
presented with the opportunity to stay in France for a second year, to
live with a French family, get a job at a restaurant, and study French
more intensely.
My two years in France of traveling, learning another language, and
meeting so many people from all walks of life were transformative. I
grew and matured more during those two years than I had at any other
point in my life up until then. But in spite of it all, I still felt something
missing. I yearned for something more. And I was continually reminded
what that “something more” was.
John spent a coup
le of years in Fran
ce before enterin
g seminary form
ation.
I could go on and on with stories of how God continued to show his
presence to me, times in which people would ask if I’ve ever thought
of priesthood, and others when I would find myself in discussions in
which others would would bring up the Church and God. Each time
I would have to explain or defend the Faith. I was over and over again
overwhelmed by this desire to be a priest and bring people to Christ.
Fr. d’Alzon’s sentiment that the “world needs to be penetrated with a
Christian view” played over and over in my head. This calling persisted,
even in a foreign country as I interacted with ordinary people amidst a
culture growing more and more secular, seemingly by the minute.
This time, the pull I felt was hard to write off easily. As the end
of my second year in France approached, I walked into Notre Dame
Cathedral one day, knelt down, and begged God to tell me what he
wanted of me. Immediately, a question popped in my head: “John, if
you were to get married right now, would you be able to live in peace
knowing that you never pursued priesthood?” The response was a
resounding “No.” As much as I hated to admit it, the choice was made
clear right then.
As I prepared to head home to Boston, destined for seminary in the
Fall, I sent one last e-mail to my best friend, letting
him know of my decision, as well as my hesitations
and angst. His only response was a passage from
scripture, John 21:18: “Very truly I tell you, when
you were younger you dressed yourself and went
where you wanted; but when you are old you will
stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress
you and lead you where you do not want to go.”
If I knew then the peace and joy that I would come
to experience since entering seminary, I certainly
wouldn’t have had such a hard time making the
jump! Each day, I come to understand more fully
the meaning of that sentiment expressed to me three
years ago in the back of that cab in Paris: that the
priesthood is “something special.” I give humble thanks to God each day for that grace. I look
forward to my time of formation here in Boynton
Beach so that, after returning to Boston -- God willing -- as a priest, I may be able to “teach the world
in words that can be understood.”
John (right) enjoying lunch with fellow seminarian Michael Scaramuzzo II in Boynton Beach, Florida.
SEEDS OF HOPE
St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary | FALL 2015
TheMantle of Christ inLa Florida
A Reflection on the Florida-Georgia Martyrs
ke Britton and Native Americ
rian Bla
Dr. Mary Soha, with semina
an flautist Vince Redhouse.
by Mr. Blake Britton (Pastoral Year, Diocese of Orlando)
Beaches, alligators, oranges, Disney. These are some of the first
words that come to mind when someone says, “Florida.” For most
of us, our knowledge of the Sunshine State’s history is pretty shabby before the year 1970 when air-conditioning and Mickey Mouse
made living conditions a little more attractive. What few realize,
however, is that this land has been baptized in the blood of martyrs
and before theme parks were built or hotels erected, there stood the
cross of Christ on the shores of this state; a cross that would herald
the coming sacrifice of its peoples for the sake of the Gospel in our
country.
I first heard the name Antonio Cuipa while having dinner with
a friend in the Diocese of St. Augustine. Immediately, I was entranced by the story of this young and vibrant Native American of
the Apalachee nation who joyously proclaimed the Gospel to his
fellow Indians throughout the Florida panhandle. A talented musician, Antonio would sing or play his guitar to share the beauty of
song with neighboring tribes while catechizing them on the teachings of the Church.
One day, while working on the Mission grounds of San Luis located in modern-day Tallahassee, Antonio heard that a nearby settlement was being attacked. Without hesitation, he set out to aid the
village hoping to protect its inhabitants. Upon his arrival, Antonio
was captured by British-led forces along with his companions.
As punishment for their attempt to defend the mission, the Catholic Indians were tied to crosses outside the front of the Church and
tortured horrendously. Throughout his execution, Antonio cried out
10
FALL 2015 | St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary
from the cross comforting his brother and sister martyrs assuring
them that they were not alone; for the Blessed Virgin Mary would
soon take them safely to her Son in Heaven where they would live
with Him forever. After hours of agony, their bodies racked and disfigured, these fearless Christians breathed their last, thus becoming
the first of over 45 martyrs who would be killed for their faith in the
year 1704.
Most would think that such a heroic tale of sacrifice, especially
one that took place so close to home, would be well-known throughout the state. Yet, for some 300 years, the story of these martyrs has
lain dormant, occasionally surfacing but never truly taking hold in
the hearts of the faithful overall. It was as if the Holy Spirit was waiting for the right time and it seems that the time has finally come.
This past October, on Columbus Day, I joined more than 200
men and women in Tallahassee, Florida to witness Bishop Gregory
Parkes of the Pensacola-Tallahassee Diocese officially open the
Cause for Canonization of the Martyrs of La Florida. In an event
that has been 309 years in the making, people from around the state
joined together to honor the blood of these Christians who, like the
apostles, “rejoiced because they were considered worthy to suffer
for the sake of the name of Jesus Christ”(Acts 5:41).
I listened in tears as the biographies of 82 men, women and children who died between the years 1549 and 1706 were read aloud
to the congregation. We heard about the courageous missionary
zeal of the Franciscan, Dominican, Jesuit and diocesan priests and
brothers who evangelized the La Florida territory-which included
SEEDS OF HOPE
Georgia- without fear of scalping or torture.
sought their demise? What could be more
We recalled the Native American chiefs
encouraging than to be given a unique anand leaders who forfeited their lives before
amnesis (recollection of the past), that we as
abandoning their faith; the tale of a 14 yeara Church have walked this path before and
old Apalachee boy who was murdered after
yet, “the gates of hell have not prevailed”
having his arms cut-off while praying to
against us? (Matt. 16:18)
God in front of a church that had been set
As Floridians and Georgians, we are
on fire by the combined forces of the British
the beneficiaries of a rich history of Chrisarmy and Creek Indians. Even the unborn
tianity which is needed now more than ever.
were not spared in these massacres, as baAt a time when the hearts of so many are bebies were torn from their mother’s wombs
ing poorly nourished by the lukewarm blood
in acts of vicious hatred.
of superficiality, materialism and immoral
license, it is the fresh and zealous blood of
In the face of these inspiring and moving stories, one must beg the question: Why
the martyrs that seeks to once again set our
now? What significance lies in the fact that
souls ablaze in the fires of Christ’s salvation
after hundreds of years of waiting and many
“taking away our hearts of stone and giving
other opportunities to recognize these marhearts of flesh” (Ezk. 36:26).
tyrs, it is in our own lifetime that this cause
It is providential that when Juan Ponce
for canonization has taken course? What is
de Leon first laid eyes on our territory he
Father Lopez celebrating first mass on the shores of
the Lord inviting us to reflect on and do?
named it after La Pascua Florida; for truly
Saint Augustine, Florida.
this is a land of “Paschal Flowers.” Strewn
I find it no coincidence that a vitalization
of the Florida-Georgia Church is accompanied by a revitalization throughout our states are the white lilies of martyrdom, each of
of the story of the Florida-Georgia Martyrs. The number of semi- them a personal embodiment and memoriam of that premier Pasch
narians in the dioceses across our states is increasing exponen- of Christ on Calvary.
tially. This surge of vocations is just one of the many heralds which In the end, it edifies my soul to know that before Washington
point to a “new-springtime” in the life our Church. In the face of crossed the Delaware or Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Indeodds that seek to undermine the very fabric of our faith - abortion, pendence; before Lincoln spoke at Gettysburg or Lee surrendered
euthanasia, redefinition of marriage, w67pseudo-atheistic educa- in Virginia; before Martin Luther King Jr. marched in Selma or
tional systems, etc… - our Catholic communities continue to speak Neil Armstrong landed on the moon, there was a Catholic people
truth to those who would warp our consciences as we strive to live in our land speaking the name of Jesus and sealing it in the soil of
the hope of Christ amidst a world losing itself to despair.
our nation with their own blood. How proud I am to take up their
What could be more appropriate than to be made aware of our mantle: a mantle of faith, a mantle of zeal, a mantle of courage, the
forbearers in the faith who also suffered against a society that mantle of Christ in La Florida.
SEEDS OF HOPE
The martyr
dom of the
Servant of
God, Anton
io Cuipa.
St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary | FALL 2015 11
The Pope
of the
Garbage
Men
“A Christian finds joy in mission: Go out to people of every nation!
A Christian experiences joy in following a command:
Go forth and proclaim the good news! A Christian finds ever
new joy in answering a call: Go forth and anoint!”
- POPE FRANCIS by Mr. Eric Stelzer
(II Theology, Diocese of St. Augustine)
Pope Francis is a man who truly practices what he preaches. His great love reserve the spots that would be closest to where Francis was supposedly gofor the poor and marginalized can be seen in his countless acts of mercy for ing to process. As I waited for several hours inside the Basilica, I started to
them: on Holy Thursday he washed the feet of inmates, on his birthday he grow more and more anxious, for I knew that the Pope would process no
gave away over 400 sleeping bags to the homeless, and during Mass pro- more than a dozen feet away from where I was standing. Although I had
cessions he eagerly embraces the sick and ailing. Rooted in the self-giving gotten there as soon as the Basilica had opened, I could rapidly see the surlove of Christ, he is constantly seeking to build relationships with all walks rounding seats around me begin to fill in and eventually overflow with the
of life in an amiable and non-judgmental manner. So when I heard that our faithful. I was incredibly astonished to see our diverse and large Catholic
seminary was given the opportunity to go on
family come together to be with Pope Francis.
It was an immense beauty to see seminarians,
pilgrimage to see him in Washington D.C., I was
incredibly eager to go.
nuns, religious brothers, priests, bishops, and
Although it wasn’t the first time I had seen a
families from all around the United States filled
pope, I certainly saw Francis’ coming as unique.
the pews in and around the Basilica. From our
I knew he would be addressing a divided nation,
own group alone we had over 75 seminarians
which earnestly strives to seek “the Good” but is
and faculty members from St. Vincent de Paul
often steeped in worldliness, self-gratification,
Regional Seminary and over 90 of our brothers
and an ever-greater desire to silence the voice
from the minor seminary, St. John Vianney. As a
whole, well over 25,000 people had come from
of religion. Therefore, I not only hoped to see
him (as one might hope to see a celebrity) but
across the U.S. to celebrate Mass with the Holy
to be able to listen and learn from his message
Father.
to our country. Along with these personal goals,
At about 3:30 pm, my excitement really began
to swell when the ushers came around to rope
I sought to be open to the voice of the Holy Spirit
off our individual sections. With my seminarwherever he would lead me. After all, I was not
going on a “vacation” but on a “pilgrimage.” I have
ian brothers, we eagerly awaited the coming of
often found that the greatest part of any pilgrimthe Holy Father; we wanted to see and listen to
age does come from the spectacular event I had
the man who truly lives out the Gospel message
originally intended to see but rather from the
of loving others more than oneself. And finally
many small graces received from the journey itat 4:00 pm the doors began opened. Everyone
jumped from their seats and turned around to
self. Upon arriving in D.C., I very quickly realized
that this pilgrimage would be no different.
see Pope Francis. He began to walk down the
On the morning of the Mass for the pilgrims, I
main aisle and every arm within reach strained
got up early and began to walk with my 00classitself to simply touch the Pope. Every man and
Eric outside of the Basilica
woman in the building was jostling to get the
mate Jack Knight over to the Basilica of the Imof the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
best possible angle and some even tried to snap
maculate Conception where the liturgy was
going to be celebrated. Dressed in clerics, we seemed to be the center of at- a “selfie” with him. As he passed by my section, he turned and gazed totention for many who were walking on the streets. Whenever we happened ward my row. We were all filled with high enthusiasm, to such an extent that
to get into a conversation with someone, they seemed enthralled that the one of our seminarian brothers even leaned into the aisle and shouted “Papa!
Pope was coming to visit. Regardless of their religious beliefs or denomina- Un abrazo!”, “A hug please!”
tional differences, I noticed that there was an overall sense that the Pope was When Francis turned to us, his face was alit with great joy. In that mopersonally in D.C. for them. Even the garbage men we passed didn’t hesitate ment, I even thought to myself, “Wow, isn’t this incredible just to be able to
to let us know with great joy that Francis is the “Pope of the garbage men.” It be so close to Christ’s Vicar on earth?” If this is how excited we are all to see
is no surprise to me that he is often referred to by many as the “People’s Pope” just a simple and sinful man, where we are almost crawling over ourselves
and the “Pope of the Poor.” His great love for those on the margins of society and jumping on the pews just to catch a glimpse at him, then I can only just
is abundantly evident by the way he lives his life.
imagine how much greater our excitement will be when we come face to
Upon our arrival to the Basilica, we quickly walked inside so that we could face with Christ our Lord in heaven.” After having this thought, the moment
12
FALL 2015 | St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary
SEEDS OF HOPE
Jack Knight, Brad Reed, John Guinan, Eric Stelzer, and Deacon Michael Hartley waiting for the Pope’s arrival.
quickly came to an end and Francis turned to greet the next section. He then
proceeded up the remainder of the aisle and into the sanctuary at which point
he turned to greet us and gave us his blessing. Filled with joy and excitement,
the crowd shouted enthusiastically shouted, “Viva Papa Francisco!”“Viva!”
Shortly afterwards, Mass began. When it came time for the homily, his
message was of no surprise to me: “A Christian finds joy in mission: Go out to
people of every nation! A Christian experiences joy in following a command:
Go forth and proclaim the Good News! A Christian finds ever new joy in answering a call: Go forth and anoint!” Francis called us to go forth out of our
comfort zones and proclaim the Good News of Christ to all whom we encounter. His message to the pilgrims in D.C. was clear: we cannot idly stand behind
our Church doors and wait for others to come to us. We must go to them.
St. Junípero Serra, who was canonized at the Mass, radically testified to
this truth. As a missionary priest, he left his home in Spain and became a missionary in California. After landing, he blazed trails in search of those to whom
he could share the Good News. By the grace of God, he was able to build up
and nurture a community in California, which gave itself completely to Christ.
Inspired with heavenly zeal, Serra constantly sought to bring hearts to Christ.
He had a true “never quit” attitude, as he would often say, “Forward!” Let’s
keep moving forward.”
Francis’s message caused me to reflect more deeply on my own call as a
seminarian. I realize that I am not just called to stand in the background, hoping that great leaders like Francis and Junípero Serra will be the ones who
proclaim the Gospel; I too am asked to enter into the role of the evangelizer.
Christ has given me the mission of sharing the Good News with all those
whom I encounter: with my brothers in the seminary, with families in the
parish, and even with passersby in the streets. I recognize, though, that it is a
daunting call which requires that I break out of my own personal trepidation,
SEEDS OF HOPE
fear of rejection, and desire to be always comfortable.
However, upon seeing the joy of the garbage men in our conversation
about Pope Francis, I was reminded of the great fruits that can come from
“going forth” and sharing the Gospel. For those who accept it, the message
of Christ fills its hearers with faith, charity, peace, and joy. Likewise, I am reminded that I am not alone in this mission. Christ has given me the loving
examples of Pope Francis and the saints; He has given me the endless support
of my family, the Church; most importantly, He has given me Himself as the
Good Shepherd who always leads me. Encouraged and strengthened by these
great gifts, I strongly pray that I will have the courage to follow Him unreservedly, to whomever He wishes me to go.
Eric with his classmate Jack in the security line with some religious sisters.
St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary | FALL 2015 13
One of the meditations during this retreat had a particular impact on me. From the Gospel of Mark:
Mr. Drew Woodke
(I Theology, Diocese of St. Petersburg)
by Mr. Drew Woodke
(I Theology, Diocese of St. Petersburg)
And he said, “Go forth,
and stand upon the mount before the LORD” And behold, the
LORD passed by, and a great
and strong wind rent the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks
before the LORD, but the LORD
was not in the wind; and after
the wind an earthquake, but the
LORD was not in the earthquake;
and after the earthquake a fire, but
the LORD was not in the fire; and
after the fire a still small voice.
(1 Kgs 19:11-12 RSVCE2)
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FALL 2015 | St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary
There is a place of encounter with the risen Lord inside my
heart. He is there within waiting for me. St. Augustine before his
conversion says, “you [God] were within, and I was without.” Oh
how often I feel the same. I know he is there patiently waiting to
speak to me, but sometimes I just don’t make time.
I think it’s safe to assume that I’m not the only one who struggles with silence. However, I have been blessed to go on many
retreats where silence is emphasized, and I can’t begin to express
how deeply enriching it is to turn off the noise around you, and to
enter into a dialogue with the Lord, through the Holy Scriptures.
Too often, I fill my life with noise. When I’m in the car I always
turn on the radio. When I’m in my room I sometimes have the TV
playing in the background or stream music on my computer. I find
it easy to get drawn into article after article about DYI life hacks,
or any number of things buzzfeed writes about. Why? It’s hard to
sit in silence.
I’d like to share with you the fruits of a meditation I experienced
while in a prolonged period of silence. But before I get into it, a
brief explanation is in order. In the Ignatian tradition of prayer, the
imagination is highly utilized. Through the reading of the Holy
Scriptures, Ignatius asks that one create the biblical scene in their
heads. What does the scene look like? How does it feel? What are
the expressions of the people in the scene? Who are you in relation
to the scene? Are you an outsider viewing the scene or are you a
part of the scene? The key is being attentive to the thoughts, feelings, and desires that come up as you go through the meditation.
While I was at IPF (Institute for Priestly Formation) two years ago,
I had the opportunity to enter into silence for 8 days. The structure
is pretty straightforward: meet with a director once a day, and pray
4 hours a day using the guidelines from above. For nothing else,
these retreats are great because they allow you to unplug for a few
days, to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, but
even more it allowed me to hear the small still voice of God.
SEEDS OF HOPE
Later on, towards the end of the retreat, I was praying, not with
Mark, but the first creation account in Genesis. This in itself was a
beautiful reflection, but I’ll skip to the pertinent part. As I came to
As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Sithe part where God makes man in His image and likeness, I began
mon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake,
to wonder if priesthood was where God was calling me. I can’t
for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said,
explain it, but my vocation has never been as clear as it was in this
“and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they
moment. A feeling of peacefulness rushed through me. Obviously I
left their nets and followed him (Mk 1:16-18).
had felt this in my heart, after all this retreat happened four years af Entering the scene was easy. Being that my name is Drew, I was
ter I had decided to enter seminary, but the feeling was as if I knew
able to imagine myself as Simon’s brother. Maybe this is why this
clearly for the first time where I was called to serve. I can’t begin to
meditation stuck out to me so much, or maybe because the invitadescribe the emotions and consolations I gained during this prayer.
tion of Jesus intrigued me. Throughout most of this meditation, the
Now I’m in my third year of seminary, and I cannot say that I
big question I had for Jesus was the end goal. I would ask, “Where
have perfected entering into silence, but I have grown in it. I’ve
are we going?” He would smile and say, “Come and see.” The
learned a lot about myself by taking time for silence. The temptaidea of not knowing left me uneasy. Why couldn’t I get a straight
tion to flood my life with noise is there, and every once in a while,
answer? It took me back to
I realize that I haven’t truly
the moment when I had reslowed down for reflective
solved to respond positively
silence. When I’m in the car I
to the call to go to seminary.
still turn on the radio. When
I’m here now, but what’s next?
I’m in my room I sometimes
At this point in my life I had
have the TV playing in the
been in seminary for a year. I
background or stream music
had seen men come and go. I
on my computer. From time
had seen men, through prayerto time I’m drawn into artiful discernment, either finding
cle after article about DYI
that this is where they were
life hacks, or any number
meant to be, or that they, in
of things Buzzfeed writes
fact, didn’t have a vocation to
about. Even though I go to
the priesthood, which is also a
the chapel every day, if I
great discernment. But where
don’t seriously commit, my
was I going? The fear of the
mind can wonder between
Drew taking a plunge while working for Life Teen
unknown can be crippling.
the activities I’ve just completed and the activities I have yet to start. It’s hard to sit in si The next day on the retreat, after praying with some other scripture, I came back to this meditation late in the day. I couldn’t let go
lence, but it’s in the still small voice that God has spoken to me,
of this meditation. Something about it seemed unresolved. Repetiand if I don’t quiet my heart I may miss what He is telling me.
tion is encouraged in Ignatian Spirituality. Not merely as a way to
It is in the silence that Jesus has spoken to me, it is in the silence
re-live past meditations, but as a way to examine them, and live
that Jesus has made my vocation clear. Though silence at times
them anew. Towards the end of the prayer, I asked again because
has been hard, it has been one of the most important aspects of
of my stubbornness, “Jesus, where are we going?” With his warm
my life. The fear of the unknown can be crippling, but from what
smile he responded, “Do you love me?” I said, “Yes but that’s not
I learned on this retreat, when I can quiet my heart Jesus is there
what I asked you.” The meditation ended and I remember thinking
waiting for me at that place of encounter to journey with me into
that his response was a cop out answer.
the unknown.
Drew sharing his faith with teens in his home diocese.
SEEDS OF HOPE
St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary | FALL 2015 15
Homegrown Seminarian
by Mr. Caleb Harkelroad
Diocese of Savannah – I Theology
Caleb with his grandmother, Earline Poole.
16
Growing up in Savannah, Georgia is a blessing. Anyone lucky enough to be born in this historically rich pearl of the South knows this firsthand. To grow up Catholic in Savannah is a different kind
of blessing altogether. The Savannah Catholic community is one of the most beautiful communities
of which I have ever been a part. It has shaped who I am, the seminarian and, God-willing, the priest
I will become. Allow me to take you for a walk down the Spanish Moss and Azalea-lined roads of
Savannah, the town that shaped my vocation.
When I was growing up, my family lived in an area of Savannah called Kensington Park. It was
located in midtown, close to our family jewelry store which my dad began when he was only twentyone years old, and to my parish and school, Blessed Sacrament. My mom was originally from Texas;
my dad, Savannah. My dad’s side of the family were Catholic; my mother’s side Protestant. Although I attended Blessed Sacrament, I was not baptized until the summer before I entered second
grade. Being baptized as I was going into second grade meant I was able to receive the Sacraments of
Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. As time went on and I got older, I went the way of most
guys in Catholic school: I became an altar boy. I loved being an altar boy; I remember chomping at
the bit for my turn in the rotation to come. I remember liking it more than most, which I paid no attention to at the time, but as I look back, it was the beginning stages of a vocation. Two years after I
became an altar server, Blessed Sacrament hosted a “Vocation Day.” A Sister of Mercy talked to the
girls in our class, and a priest came to speak to the boys. Our religion teacher of happy memory, Mrs.
Jerry Horne, corralled the boys into the church and sat us in the front three pews on the left-hand side.
FALL 2015 | St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary
SEEDS OF HOPE
Caleb lectoring at Saint John the Baptist Cathedral, Savannah, Georgia.
I was in the second row, right in the middle. Mrs.
Horne taught my dad, my aunt, my great uncles,
and most of my cousins; this was typical of Savannah. She let all of us know often that she taught
our parents and family members. Once we were in
our seats, as settled for 11 and 12 year olds can be,
Mrs. Horne introduced the then-Vocation Director
for Savannah, Father Brett Brannen. Father Brett
greeted us all with a smile and we began the talk
with a Hail Mary. I will never forget his lead-off
line, “Men, who here has ever thought of becoming
a priest?” At this point as an eleven year old, I had
really only briefly thought about becoming a priest.
I liked serving Mass; I liked being in church and
praying, but that was all I knew. I certainly was not
going to embarrass myself in front of the guys and
raise my hand. The Holy Spirit, I suppose, had a different idea. Immediately following Father’s question, Mrs. Horne pointed at me and said without
hesitation, “He has.”
Needless to say I was mortified and embarrassed.
Above all else I was incredibly freaked out that Mrs.
Horne knew this. I knew she had eyes in the back of
her head, but I did not know at that point in my life
SEEDS OF HOPE
that she could read souls! From that moment on it seemed as though Father Brett spoke
right to me. This talk could not end quickly enough. After the talk, my classmates began
asking, “You want to be a priest?”, ‘Why do you want to do that?”, “You’re not old; you
can’t become a priest.” The cat was out of the bag, and now I really began to think about becoming a priest. From that day until the day of her death, Mrs. Horne told me often, “Caleb,
if you get ordained you will be the third Savannah boy I taught that became a priest.”
Eighth grade year was my tenth year at Blessed Sacrament. I was serving every funeral Mass and special event that the Church held. I loved it. In Savannah, it is not odd
for there to be four to six concelebrants at one funeral Mass. So “naturally” I got to see
a lot of priests, most of them Irish. I cannot express enough the magnitude of the impact
that the Irish priests of Savannah had on my vocation. These men were true missionaries;
they left home and everything familiar to serve people they did not know, in a land that
was not their own, and I thought they were the coolest guys around. I remember one particular old Irish Monsignor who sat next to me during a funeral Mass. He kept laughing
under his breath. When I looked at him and inquired as to what was so funny, he very
subtly pointed and I then noticed a man in the congregation whose toupée was noticeably
crooked. I remember them joking and laughing in the sacristy and speaking to each other
in Gaelic, talking about the last golf game or the last dinner they had or the buzz in the
Diocese. I remember thinking to myself, “I want to be like them.”
I left Blessed Sacrament and was one of two guys that did not go on to the Catholic
Military High School, Benedictine, which most “if not all” the men in my family attended. Instead, I went to Savannah Arts Academy, a performing arts school which I attended for theatre. During my first year at Savannah Arts, I had another defining moment
in my vocation. I attended the funeral of a priest. It was for a priest I had gotten to know
closely, he had died very suddenly one Sunday night. It was here that I experienced the
deep-rooted fraternity of the priesthood. The Cathedral doors opened and in with the
casket processed two lines of visibly affected priests. This was something that I was not
used to seeing; I had only seen priests at the funerals of lay people, and they seemed to
always have their emotions in control. The funeral was really not too different from a lay
person’s funeral, until we arrived at the cemetery. Present were easily 50 priests there,
and next to the casket there was a stand with Holy Water on it. After some prayers at the
graveside, the priests began to sing what I now know to be the Salve Regina. As they continued to chant, each priest walked up in line and sprinkled the casket with Holy Water. It
occurred to me that these men had not merely lost a friend or a coworker – but a brother,
a brother they loved. Again I found myself thinking, “I want to be a part of this.”
Throughout high school I dated, some girls I dated seriously. At the end of the day, I
still wanted to become a priest. I applied to the Diocese of Savannah and was accepted as
a candidate. I went to school for two years at Armstrong State University in Savannah and
helped out frequently at my home parish of Saint Peter the Apostle on Wilmington Island.
I was associated with the Diocese for two years and they were ready to send me into PreTheology to begin seminary formation. At that point, after much discernment, I decided not
to go I was not mature enough to make the leap. Although I knew I wanted to be a priest, I
needed to spend more time learning and praying as to what that required of me. So with the
approval of the Vocation Director, I left. I was out for two years, during which I continued
to work at the family jewelry store and to date. I assumed that since I left, the Lord would
just quit calling, but this was not the case. The Lord was more persistent than ever. I was
missing the Diocese, being with priests and seminarians, serving Mass, and visiting the
hospital. It was crystal clear over that two year period what I needed to do. I had lunch
with the Vocation Director and discussed returning and he was incredibly supportive. In
the summer of 2013, I left Savannah for the first time and drove with a packed truck to
Emmitsburg, Maryland, to Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary. I loved my time in Maryland and
greatly enjoyed my time and formation at “the Mount.” In the summer of 2015, I received
a call from my Bishop asking me if I would consider moving seminaries to Saint Vincent
de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach, Florida. After meeting with him and speaking with him, I decided to take his offer and in August I packed my truck again and came
to my new home in Boynton Beach. It has been a blessed adventure with the Lord these
three years in formation. I have learned that the days may go by slowly, but the years go
quickly! I look forward to the rest of my seminary journey, not knowing what it will hold,
but knowing that the Lord will accompany me the entire way. I have learned in my short
three years of seminary simply to trust that, no matter how difficult things may seem, He is
in charge and will never bring me anything other than joy and peace.
St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary | FALL 2015 17
by Mr. Connor Penn
(I Theology, Diocese of St. Petersburg)
Seminarian
Profile
On the elementary school
playground, just a few weeks
prior to Florida’s feeble attempt at conjuring up “winter,” freshly
fallen acorns would dot the ground. These provided an entirely new dynamic to recess for those at Corpus Christi Catholic
School in Tampa, Florida. Male members of the student body
would amass small arsenals of these acorns to use as projectiles
thrown at unsuspecting students. One day, however, a handful
of friends and I decided to embark upon a new adventure: if
we planted enough acorns together in one spot, a gigantic tree
would surely soon grow there. We quickly dedicated ourselves
to the task; when the recess bell rang and summoned us back
to our classroom, we left in joyful hope, expecting to return the
following day and seek shade under our new tree.
On the elementary school playground, just a few weeks prior to Florida’s feeble attempt at conjuring up “winter,” freshly fallen acorns would dot the ground. These
provided an entirely new dynamic to recess for those at Corpus Christi Catholic
School in Tampa, Florida. Male members of the
student body would amass small arsenals of these
acorns to use as projectiles thrown at unsuspecting
students. One day, however, a handful of friends
and I decided to embark upon a new adventure:
if we planted enough acorns together in one spot,
a gigantic tree would surely soon grow there. We
quickly dedicated ourselves to the task; when the
recess bell rang and summoned us back to our
classroom, we left in joyful hope, expecting to
return the following day and seek shade under
our new tree.
Of course, this did not happen! No tree ever
grew out of those interned acorns because, no
matter how many acorns we may have forced into
the ground, the elementary school playground is
no place for an oak tree to grow and be cultivated. It simply lacks the environment necessary for
the seeds to reach their true potential.
In my own life, the “seeds” of a priestly vocation existed long before I ever entertained
the thought of ministry. As a young child, I remember on occasion not completely loathing
our Sunday visit to Church to hear the Word of
God; in fact, some weekends I actually looked forward to gathering with the local
community and receiving the message that our pastor wished to give us—those
seeds of the Gospel that he wished to instill within us.
Likewise, I have always enjoyed talking. Ask anyone who has known me for
a reasonable amount of time and he or she will certainly nod in approval to this
statement. Therefore, entering the sanctuary and proclaiming the Word of God as
contained in the Scriptures has always brought me excitement and joy, even from
an early age.
I continued participating in this ministry through high school. Attending Jesuit
High School brought daily interaction with Jesuit priests on campus that, in subtle
ways, continued to grow and cultivate this seed of a priestly vocation within me.
Specifically, witnessing these priests assume a fatherly role in the upbringing of the
students there stirred a desire within me to serve others in the same way—they
truly cared for and looked after their well-being. The seed of a priestly vocation still
remained beneath the soil for me, however.
In the midst of all of this, I had grown up with a passion for sports. I could respectively hold my own in pick-up games around the neighborhood, but before long
I found a home somewhere else: behind the microphone. A love for conversation
coupled with an interest in sports naturally led me to sports broadcasting. I became
the announcer for several sports on campus and, in addition, began writing for the
school newspaper while also anchoring the weekly closed-circuit television show.
Despite periodically considering entrance into the Jesuit order while in high
school, I furthered my education at Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama. There,
I began to pursue a degree in journalism. I soon became ardently involved in the
program there just as I had while in high school. In this new chapter of my life,
discernment to the priesthood took a major back seat. In fact, it might have even
resided somewhere in the trunk!
In late November, however, a Jesuit
mentor called me, inquiring if another
discernment retreat with the Jesuits
would interest me. I had already made
one before at the Jesuit Novitiate of St.
Stanislaus Kostka in Grand Coteau, Louisiana. “Why not,” I replied, looking forward
to time of silent rest and prayer.
Ironically, approaching these three
days of silence without much expectation, I realized that I had always treated
priestly discernment with an “all-or-nothing” attitude: either I would become a Jesuit priest or I wouldn’t become a priest at
all. When I reflected upon this, I began to
consider all the varied charisms of priestly
ministry—specifically that of the diocesan
priest. These moments of prayer aided me
in discovering how this seed of a priestly
calling wanted to bear the most fruit in
the world. The thought of journeying with
a certain community of believers over an
Connor with fellow semina
extended
period—baptizing children, marrian Mac Hill.
rying those children, and then baptizing the
children of those children—gave me immense joy. Even more so, I would daydream
of preaching to my parishioners each Sunday, gradually guiding them in their own
relationships with Jesus Christ. I rested in this image of walking with people on their
spiritual journeys.
However, at the same time I also greatly enjoyed studying journalism. Eventually,
these conflicting potential pathways of life came to a point in which I could no longer continue through life day-dreaming of being both behind the microphone up in
the press box and behind the ambo on Sunday morning. The thought of “making it
big” as a talking head on ESPN would initially give me great happiness, but this joy
would never last. Somehow, the message I would communicate as a play-by-play
Building fraternity with Fr. Art Proulx before Mass.
18
FALL 2015 | St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary
announcer (casually commentating upon the mundane minutiae of a sporting
event) paled in comparison to the message I would communicate as a preacher
of the Gospel.
With further prayer, I contacted my diocesan vocation director and began the
application process in earnest. During this time, I remember recalling moments
throughout my life when this “seed” of a vocation had manifested itself without
my prior recognition! In the summer of 2012, the Diocese of St. Petersburg officially accepted me as a seminarian for the Roman Catholic priesthood. My acceptance meant that I would then begin studies at the seminary—which, after
all, comes from the Latin word seminarium, meaning “seed-bed.”
Transferring to college seminary as a sophomore, this process of formation for
me will take 8 years total. I began at St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami
and, upon graduation last Spring, have continued studies here at St. Vincent de
Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach.
Often times, when I speak of the formation process’ length to the faithful,
some of them will react in amazement. Some will say: “That’s so long!” Others
will reply that such a long journey towards holy orders must certainly discourage men from ever reaching priestly service. I need these years, however! I have
grown immensely in the past four years, from maturity and diligence to proper
leadership and a much richer understanding of the faith.
Above all, however, these years of seminary thus far have greatly enriched my
prayer life. I enter moments of prayer now not as an opportunity to hog all of the
“air time” in my communication with God but try, as best as possible, to listen to
the signs and small ways that he continually tries to communicate his love and
truth to me through everyday experience with the Scriptures as a guide.
When we encounter God in this way, prayer becomes a conversation. And
I hope to one day, through preaching, bring others further along to their own
conversations with God. In his apostolic exhortation “Evangelii Gaudium,” Pope
Francis tells us that the faithful, in the homily, “want someone to serve as an instrument and to express their feelings in such a way that afterward, each one
may choose how he or she will continue the conversation.”
As I continue in formation to the Roman Catholic priesthood, St. Vincent de
Paul Regional Seminary provides me with the ability to articulate the seeds of
a desire for priestly service that had remained dormant within me for so many
years: to preach the Good News. I understand now how God wishes to use me
to preach his Kingdom to the people of my diocese and, indeed, the Church of
Florida. Echoing the words of St. Paul in his First Letter to the Corinthians, “woe
to me if I do not preach the Gospel!”
Dedication of the new Stations of the Cross and mediation path.
SEEDS OF HOPE
SEEDS OF HOPE
St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary | FALL 2015 19
by Rev. Mr. Dustin Feddon
The
Common Good
(IV Theology, Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee)
I watched Pope Francis’s address to the United States Congress while in an airport challenges and hopefulness that common ground can be shared between peoples
terminal at Reagan International in DC as a large group of us seminarians and faculty of great diversity. Many had thought that religious influence in our public conversawere trekking back to Boynton Beach after attending the Papal Canonization Mass tions would wane in our secular age much like it has in parts of Western Europe. It
at our nation’s Basilica. That viewing left me with a distinct impression that some- has not. That day, and for the brief few autumn days to follow, Pope Francis would
thing new - or perhaps I should say something renewed - was taking place in our enter into our nation’s public conversation with civility and goodwill.
midst as Francis spoke to us Americans of our shared history of faith and the com- As one who was both a student and teacher of religious studies at a secular unimon good. I say something renewed in that we Americans have in the past readily versity, I have come to appreciate the value that a liberal arts education can afford
entered the political and public realm with religious rhetoric and beliefs. Whether it us in terms of thoughtful conversations on ethics, belief, and culture. To foster inwas the abolitionists who largely emerged from the Second Great Awakening or the tellectual reflection and conversation on shared texts with a variety of individucivil rights movement which
als representing different
was forged by ministers
faith traditions or no faith
across multiple denominatradition says something
tions, our nation’s sense of
about our shared humanjustice emerged from proity and shared history. Too
found religious sentiments
often I hear believers bein spite of its conviction of
moan the secular sphere.
separation between church
This is unfortunate. To
start from different founand state. Unlike some
dations or even religious
of our Western European
convictions in a pluralistic
counterparts, most Americans cherish the religious
society and yet arrive at
voice in our public conversasimilar conclusions concerning human dignity is
tions. The overwhelmingly
an experience that reafpositive reception of Francis
was a reminder not only of
firms our shared vision of
this tradition but also of our
the common good. I recall
responsibility and mission
rigorous debates in class
in building up the common
seminars that valued critigood for all.
cal thought and yet typically not at the expense of
I believe Pope Francis
Deacon Dustin prepares to teach a course on Laudato Si in the Spring semester.
jumpstarted this dialogue
loosing mutual respect. It
into our shared public square so that the rest of us may continue the conversation is remarkable actually to experience the back and forth exchange of critical thought
in our workplaces, at out dinner tables, in our seminaries, and in our places of wor- among a varied group of individuals knowing that at the end of it all mutual respect
ship. He initiated this dialogue not in the spirit of the culture wars that typically is not contingent upon us sharing the same beliefs. This you might say is a unique
engages in self-interested partisan sound bites which always denigrates reason and attribute of American life. If respected, our shared secular space can allow for an
the common good. Rather, Pope Francis expressed genuine curiosity concerning our encounter between varieties of traditions seeking the common good without one
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FALL 2015 | St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary
SEEDS OF HOPE
tradition dominating the other.
Often engaging the public square, Pope Benedict XVI had this polite, professorial way about him while he preached on the political, social and cultural necessity
for granting religious discourse a privileged place in the public square. Speaking at
Westminster Hall before British Royalty and Parliament, Benedict challenged the
secular sphere to be more accommodating to faith perspectives when he said the
following: “This is why I would suggest that the world of reason and the world of
faith - the world of secular rationality and the world of religious belief - need one
another and should not be afraid to enter into a profound and ongoing dialogue, for
the good of our civilization.” Note his use of “our.” This task of dialogue that both Pope
Benedict and Pope Francis have encouraged requires all of us in our different spheres
of influence to participate in dialogue for the good of our civilization. Whether we
are laity or clergy, all are called to evangelize our culture with faith-formed responses to the politics of our day.
Pope Benedict also spoke to the lay faithful in Glasgow, Scotland about their mission on that same visit: “Yet religion is in fact a guarantee of authentic liberty and
respect, leading us to look upon every person as a brother or sister. For this reason I
appeal in particular to you, the lay faithful, in accordance with your baptismal calling
and mission, not only to be examples of faith in public, but also to put the case for
the promotion of faith’s wisdom and vision in the public forum.” Compare what Benedict said to those in Glasgow with what Pope Francis said to us at the outset of his
address before Congress: “Each son or daughter of a given country has a mission, a
personal and social responsibility.” It was from this same tradition that Francis spoke
to us Americans, encouraging us to initiate dialogue and view our citizenship as a
social responsibility. Framing our political participation in terms of social responsibility is to say that our politics should not ultimately be only about our self-interest
– a notion counterintuitive to so many.
Watching the warm reception Pope Francis received at the U.S. Capitol that day
shows how receptive others are to us when we speak from kindness and respect.
Pope Francis spoke at times with much conviction whether it was on immigration,
the abolishment of the death penalty, the importance of marriage and family life,
or the evils of the arms trade, and did so from within Catholic Social Doctrine. And
yet it was his pastoral demeanor and the absence of any condemnatory rhetoric that
caught the attention of this divided legislative body. For but a brief hour this polarized body of our national government were in rapt attention listening to Saint Peter’s successor; not lecturing from above as though more superior than his audience,
but rather encouraging them to renew their own sense of the common good and to
probe for new horizons upon which we as a nation can further respect the rights and
dignity of all peoples. To do this work and fulfill this mission requires resisting the
polarizing tendencies in today’s partisan environment. Speaking to this tendency,
Pope Francis warned us of a reductionist politics: “But there is another temptation
which we must especially guard against: the simplistic reductionism which sees only
good or evil; or, if you will, the righteous and sinners. The contemporary world, with
its open wounds which affect so many of our brothers and sisters, demands that we
confront every form of polarization which would divide it into these two camps.”
Seeking the common good requires avoiding the simplistic and shallow “conservative versus liberal” or “Republican versus Democrat” dynamic that our popular political culture is beholden to these days.
It was inspiring to watch our Holy Father enter into conversation with our nation
that autumn morning as a future priest called to serve the Church and the common good of all people. He has provided us with a model for our future work in this
country as people of faith; a model that exhibits generosity, openness and Catholic
goodwill for all people. What small but essential part may we play in building up the
good of all?
Pope Francis was received on the front lawn of the White House.
SEEDS OF HOPE
St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary | FALL 2015 21
“Together we have built it
and indeed they have come!”
Save the Date
Joseph &
t.
S
f
o
s
st
ea
F
e
th
te
Celebra
6
, 201
These words from Msgr. Toups
could not be more apropos today as
we delight in the expansion of our
campus and the growth in our student body. The seeds being planted
and cultivated here at St. Vincent’s
are attributed to the support from
the Bishops, and hard working clergy. But the support of our faith community has created a fertile ground
for the planting.
In a speech, soon after his installation, our Holy Father said, “Today
amid so much darkness, we need
to see the light of hope and to be
by Daniella Coy
men and women who bring hope to
(Director of Development
and Public Relations)
others.” You share in this mission of
bringing hope to our world through your prayers and support of the
seminary which enables us to form men who have come to St. Vincent’s with a desire to be that light in our world.
On Friday, October 16, donors came out in record numbers to support
this mission of hope at our Annual Friends of the Seminary Gala. We
extend our gratitude to all who participated from around the state to
make this the most successful fundraising event in St. Vincent’s history.
At this time of great transition and need, we are honored to be entrusted with the formation of good, holy men to build up our Church
and bring light to our world. Moreover, we are humbled by your support which allows us to do so.
With
sincere gratitude,
St. Patrick
Thursday, March 10
Event
An Outdoor, Casual
y
aul Regional Seminar
P
de
nt
ce
in
V
t.
S
of
on the campus
Food & Drinks
t,
n
e
m
in
a
rt
te
n
E
h
is
Ir
Italian &
Live & Silent Auctions
Generally, men can apply to enter formation to the per But my pastor’s question confounded me. Down deep, I
manent diaconate between the ages of 35 and 55. I was
knew then and there I was being called, even as I conjured
accepted back in 2011. I won’t mention my age at the time,
up ways to dodge this pickle. My quagmire was shortlived, however. Upon reflection, I was certain it would be
but let me put it this way: if the diaconate were a stage
a big mistake to run from the call. After all, Jonah’s tailplay, I’d be the cameo actor making his first appearance just
before the show ended. But that’s fine with me. The key is
turning had gotten him swallowed whole by a great fish!
The ensuing years brought big changes for me, though
to be up on the stage before the curtain drops.
outwardly my life remained uniform. Seminary formation
Before formation, I’d spent a good chunk of adult life
as a lawyer in the raucous boxing ring of civil and criminal
worked slowly, but surely. I began to think of myself more
litigation. There, a good pair of brass knuckles can be your
and more as a minister. Theological instruction, chapel
best friend. Fortunately for me, that arena’s howling didn’t
prayer, fellowship, the care of formation leaders like Deacon Dennis Demes and Deacon Victor Pimentel, my wife’s
drown out the call of service. I was comforted to learn that
my formation brothers – Rodney Brimlow, Dave Licata, Edthoughtful and loving encouragement, and the moving exwin Lopez, and Mike Miller – had pretty much heard the
ample of the young men in priestly formation had worked
same call I did.
a change in me. I can’t pinpoint when I made the pivot. I
After we are called to service, we each experience our
just know my willingness to serve matured and a desire to
spiritual pilgrimage a little differently. And yet, our spirpreach took hold of me.
itual evolution reveals common traits too: the initial call to
The biggest help for me perhaps was looking into the
mirror of the Gospel. If we’re open, it can help us to see
deeper commitment, our ongoing battle with selfishness,
ourselves more clearly. And that creates the possibility of
the seesaw of conversion and backsliding, and the final
Kenneth Vianale
willing embrace of service to the faithful.
change, of transformation. I think that’s why James dubbed
As a husband, a father of two teens, and co-manager with my wife of our law the Gospel “the perfect law of liberty” (James 1:25).
business, I thought I had little room for more in my life. But then, my pastor at St. I eventually reached the point where there was no turning back. Not actually,
John the Evangelist in Boca Raton asked me one morning in his light, off-hand not legally, of course – but spiritually. As one of my brothers, now a deacon, once
way: “Did you ever think about becoming a deacon?” No. In fact, I never had. Not told me in the wee hours of a Saturday night over a seminary weekend: “You can’t
even once.
turn back. Where would you go?”
22
FALL 2015 | St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary
SEEDS OF HOPE
Photo as seen at http://www.cbc.ca
“Today amid so much darkness,
we need to see the light of hope
and to be men and women who
bring hope to others.”
SEEDS OF HOPE
St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary | FALL 2015 23
St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary
10701 S. Military Trail
Boynton Beach, FL 33436
honoring
a friend, loved one,
or one of the
faithful departed.
If you are interested in
honoring a friend or loved
one with a gift of prayer,
St. Vincent’s Seminary
has a mass card program.
Your intention will be prayed
for at one of the daily
masses at the Seminary.
St. Vincent’s Mass Card
P r o g r a m
To order a mass card online go to www.svdp.edu
(ways to support SVdP) or call Barbara at (561) 732-4424
The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few!
Can’t stop thinking maybe you are being called to be a priest?
Do you feel the Lord tugging at your heart to serve the people of God through the ministerial priesthood of Jesus Christ?
Archdiocese
of Atlanta
Vocations Director:
Vocation Director:
Fr. Tim Hepburn
[email protected]
404-920-7460
Fr. Brian Lenhert
[email protected]
(561) 775-9552
Archdiocese
of Miami
Diocese of
Pensacola-Tallahassee
Vocation Director:
Vocation Director:
Fr. Elvis Gonzalez
[email protected]
(305) 762-1136
Fr. John Cayer
[email protected]
(850) 435-3552
Diocese of Orlando
Diocese of
St. Petersburg
Vocation Director:
Fr. Jorge Torres
jtorres@
orlandodiocese.org
(407) 246-4875
24
Diocese
of Palm Beach
FALL 2015 | St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary
Vocation Director:
Fr. Carl Melchior
[email protected]
(727) 345-3452
Diocese of Venice
Vocation Director:
Fr. Eric Scalan
[email protected]
(941) 484-9543
Diocese of
St. Augustine
Vocation Director:
Fr. David Ruchinski
[email protected]
(904) 262-3200, ext. 101
Diocese of
Savannah
Vocation Director:
Fr. Pablo Migone
[email protected]
(912) 201-4113
SEEDS OF HOPE