October 2021

Members of the Saint Mary’s community have an impact far beyond our Baltimore location. Recent examples include:

Dr. Michael Gorman at Northern Seminary

St. Mary’s Raymond E. Brown Professor of Biblical Studies and Theology, Dr. Michael J. Gorman, was selected by Northern Seminary to give the 2021 Brady Theology and Mission Lectures on September 23 and 24 at the seminary in Lisle, IL (Chicago). The event was livestreamed. More on the Northern Seminary website…

Fr. Dennis Billy Records Upcoming Broadcast

On October 4, St. Mary’s Robert F. Leavitt Distinguished Service Professor of Theology, Rev. Dennis J. Billy, C.Ss.R., traveled to Long Island, NY to record two upcoming programs for the Catholic Faith Network. The programs will discuss the relationship between Catholic Spirituality and Catholic Moral Teaching. They are part of the series, Encounter, featuring Bishop John Barres of the Diocese of Rockville Centre.

Dr. Matthew Dugandzic Lectures at Rutgers University

On Thursday, October 14 the Thomistic Institute at Rutgers University presented a lecture by Prof. Matthew Dugandzic on “The Thomistic Understanding of the Soul.” The lecture was given on the campus of Rutgers in New Brunswick, NJ.

St. Mary’s Attends the Saint Luke Institute Annual Benefit

On October 18, St. Mary’s President Rector, Rev. Phillip J. Brown, P.S.S., and four seminarians attended the Annual Saint Luke Institute Benefit at the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington D.C.

In the photo: [from left to right] Mr. Andrew McCarroll (Diocese of Scranton, 2nd year), Mr. Michael Boris (Diocese of Scranton, 3rd year), Archbishop Christophe Pierre (Apostolic Nuncio), Rev. David Songy, O.F.M. Cap., S.T.D., Psy.D. (President and CEO, Saint Luke Institute), Rev. Phillip J. Brown, P.S.S., J.D., J.C.L. (President Rector, St. Mary’s), Rev. Mr. Brian Norris (Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, 4th year), Rev. Msgr. John J. Enzler (President and CEO, Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of Washington and Recipient of the 2021 Saint Luke Award), Mr. C.J. Wild (Diocese of Buffalo, 1st year), and Wilton Cardinal Gregory (Archbishop of Washington).

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On September 1, 2021 St. Mary’s opened its academic year with a “Mass of the Holy Spirit” (sometimes called a “Red Mass” after the liturgical color for the Holy Spirit and the vestments worn). The Most Rev. William E. Lori, Archbishop of Baltimore, was the presider and homilist. The principal concelebrants were Rev. Phillip Brown, P.S.S., President-Rector of St. Mary’s Seminary & University, Rev. Paul Maillet, P.S.S., Vice-Rector of St. Mary’s, and Rev. Gladstone Stevens, P.S.S., St. Mary’s Academic Dean. Deacons for the liturgy were Rev. Mr. Kenneth Lukong, Archdiocese of Baltimore, and Rev. Mr. Brian Norris, Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown.

Included in the celebration was a special rite after Communion in which new members of the St. Mary’s community–seventeen new seminarians, four priests from Cameroon studying for the Licentiate in Sacred Theology (STL), and two new faculty members–inscribed their names in the St. Mary’s Covenant Book. After the inscriptions, al faculty and students recited “The St. Mary’s Covenant” dedicating themselves to their studies and a life of community in formation as practiced in the tradition of the Society of Saint Sulpice.

Following the conclusion of the Mass, all faculty, students, and seminarians gathered with Archbishop Lori for the annual community photo.

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The final phase of renovations to the living areas of the seminary have been completed, bringing to an end the two-year construction project and an even lengthier period of planning and organization. The project reimagined a 1929 dormitory-style collection of small rooms built for hundreds of seminarians–along with communal bathrooms and showers, and fitness and recreation areas–in need of updating. These were converted into modern, welcoming–yet far from luxurious–residential floors with over 100 small suites (created by combining two former small dormitory rooms) plus lounges, small kitchens, and prayer rooms.

Each suite contains space for a bed, a study area, a reading chair, and a private bath. The fitness room has been completely renovated with modern equipment to promote healthy physical development and care. Scattered among the seminarian rooms are suites for the Sulpician faculty members as well. Sulpician faculty live among the students as a “formational community” or communauté éducatrice in the words of Jean-Jacque Olier, founder of “The Society of the Priests of the Seminary of St. Sulpice” in Paris, France in the 1600s.

The project is much more than a the renovation of a building. It is actually a part of the wider re-commitment and revitalization of the entire process of human formation at the seminary. Human Formation is considered one of the four “pillars,” or dimensions, of Roman Catholic priestly formation (along with spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral formation). At St. Mary’s, human formation is a cornerstone to priestly formation. “We are forming men to be healthy, happy, holy, and mature priests–the kind of priests the people of God deserve,” says Fr. Phillip J. Brown, President-Rector of St. Mary’s Seminary & University.

Providing living spaces for adult, mature young men (and older, as well) is a key aspect to this formational goal.

The last of the renovated rooms was blessed on Monday, August 30. A Mass of Gratitude and reception for the contractors and companies involved in the renovation was held on September 10 (picture below).

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Rev. Innocent Smith, O.P. and Dr. James Starke Join the Faculty

St. Mary’s welcomes two new members of the Seminary/School of Theology faculty: Rev. Innocent Smith, O.P. and Dr. James Starke.

Dominican Father Innocent Smith, who is also a Missionary of Mercy appointed by Pope Francis, has ministry, teaching, and research specialties in homiletics, liturgy, sacramental theology, ecclesiology, and sacred music. He joins the faculty as Assistant Professor of Homiletics. He will also serve as the Director of Spiritual Life Programs. See his full faculty description and C.V….

Dr. James Starke most recently served as Director of the Office of Divine Worship for the Catholic Diocese of Arlington. Dr. Starke and his family live in Arlington, VA and enjoy spending time in nature parks, visiting museums, and playing sports. He joins the faculty as Assistant Professor of Systematics. He will also serve as Director of Liturgy. See his full faculty description and C.V….

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Welcome to our New Food Service Provider—SAGE!

Over the summer St. Mary’s has done a complete renovation of the servery with beautiful new flooring, lighting, and technical upgrades. SAGE, our new food service provider, has done a complete revision of the menu to provide new offerings, healthy choices and always-available information. Digital communications have been deployed with the SAGE dining services app for easy access to menus, nutritional information and recipes as well as opportunities to give feedback and view events.

Get started with the “Touch of SAGE” mobile app for both Android and iOS:

1. Download and install from your respective app store.
2. Register your profile by completing the forms (when you put in the 21210 zip code, you’ll see “St. Mary’s Seminary & University” as an option).
3. Make sure you verify your email when you setup your profile (check your spam/junk folder if you didn’t see it come in).
4. Wait for the start of the academic year for the menus and goodies to begin!

See you in the refectory!

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Catch Up on the Complete Profiles in Ministry Series

In February-March 2021, St. Mary’s debuted a new video series to introduce members of the St. Mary’s community to followers of social media channels and the SMSU website. The first five videos, no more than three minutes each, allowed the subjects to “tell their own stories” in words and images.

The first videos drew an overwhelmingly positive reaction, including showings on the CatholicTV cable network. In Summer 2021, six more videos premiered—three seminarians and three alumni. The series will continue in 2021-2022 with more stories that make up the community of St. Mary’s Seminary & University.

The collection of videos in the Profiles in Ministry series can be accessed through an entire showcase on the St. Mary’s Vimeo channel. Or view each individual video below.

 

           

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