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St. Mary's Seminary & University

Reflections from the Park, #2 (February 2024)

St. Mary’s President-Rector, Fr. Phillip J. Brown, P.S.S., presents his next Reflections from the Park–a “pastoral letter” sharing thoughts for the St. Mary’s Community. This reflection focuses on fostering discernment in the formation of seminarians, thoughts arising from a visit to the tomb of St. Charles Borromeo, patron saint of seminarians.

Fr. Brown writes:

“The idea of “formation” has deep roots in Sacred Scripture. In Genesis 2:7 we read “… the LORD God formed the man out of the dust of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” The essential insight regarding formation for the priesthood is that it is God’s work, not our own…It is God who “forms” priests. “Formators” must be open to God acting in them, just as any priest is a conduit of God’s grace, not some work of his own: God’s will accomplished through the promptings of the Holy Spirit.”

View/Download the complete reflection as PDF.

Or, read the full text below:


Reflections from the Park

#2
February 27, 2024
Baltimore, Roland Park Neighborhood

Formation 1: Discernment

I spent a couple of days in Milan during my trip to Italy in December, just before returning to Baltimore. I went to Milan for three reasons: to visit a good friend; to visit the Basilica of St. Ambrose; and to visit the Cathedral (Duomo) to spend some time praying at the tomb of St. Charles Borromeo, the Patron Saint of Seminarians. I’ll write about St. Ambrose, for whom I have a special devotion, in a future reflection, but today I’d like to reflect on what seminary formation is really about, inspired by my visit to the tomb of St. Charles Borromeo.

Charles was born in 1538 to an ancient and noble Lombard family. His mother Margaret was from the Medici family of Florence. Her brother was elected Pope in 1559 and he called Charles to Rome to work in the Curia. Made a cardinal in 1560, he organized the final session of the Council of Trent in 1562-63, then returned to Milan as Archbishop in 1565. He diligently implemented the decrees of the Council, especially those which called for the establishment of seminaries for the training of priests and was eventually declared the Patron Saint of Seminarians and seminaries. Our small chapel at St. Mary’s is named after St. Charles Borromeo for that reason.

Milan had not had an archbishop for 80 years and clergy and laity had drifted from the teachings of the Church. St. Charles labored to reform Italy’s largest archdiocese. The selling of indulgences and Church offices, a major cause of the Protestant Reformation, was prevalent; monasteries were “full of disorder” and many religious were “lazy, ignorant, and debauched” (Susan Swetnam in My Best Teachers Were Saints).

The tomb of St. Charles Borromeo, patron saint of seminarians, at the Cathedral of Milan.
The tomb of St. Charles Borromeo, patron saint of seminarians, at the Cathedral of Milan.

St. Charles believed the failings that led to the Protestant Reformation were due to ignorant clergy. He emphasized sound education in Catholic doctrine, beliefs, and practices in his seminaries, which greatly improved men’s readiness for the priesthood. He founded a lay fraternity, the Oblates of St. Ambrose, a “Third Order” and early opening for lay people to serve the mission of the Church.

He was a leading figure in the Church’s response to the Protestant Reformation, along with St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. Philip Neri, which included the founding of seminaries. He is directly linked therefore to the mission of Jean-Jacques Olier who founded the Society of St. Sulpice.

The idea of “formation” has deep roots in Sacred Scripture. In Genesis 2:7 we read “… the LORD God formed the man out of the dust of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” The essential insight regarding formation for the priesthood is that it is God’s work, not our own. God works through seminary “formators”, but it is God’s work not our own. It is God who “forms” priests. “Formators” must be open to God acting in them, just as any priest is a conduit of God’s grace, not some work of his own: God’s will accomplished through the promptings of the Holy Spirit. One of the first principles of Fr. Olier was, “Abandon yourself to the Holy Spirit” (se laisser à l’Esprit Saint)! That is what we encourage seminarians to do here at St. Mary’s: Abandon yourself to the Holy Spirit; allow yourself to be led by the Holy Spirit; listen for the voice of the Holy Spirit; allow your thoughts, feelings and actions to be prompted by the Holy Spirit, not your own will, and God will lead you where He wishes you to be; God will form you into the person He wants you to be. When your desires become what God desires for you, when you acquire the dispositions of Christ and see the world as Christ saw the world, you will find what you are looking for; you will find your happiness; you will be the vessel of grace you long to be and God wants you to be. You will flourish humanly and spiritually, and you will be configured to Christ, which will make you an effective and beloved minister of the Gospel and you will find your happiness and fulfillment.

Seminary formation is a great adventure, a great quest to discover oneself and be “formed” according to God’s plan. As said in Jeremiah 1:4-5: “The word of the LORD came to me: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.” God knew us even before we were formed in our mothers’ wombs! We are created by God to be who God created us to be. This understanding is distinctly counter-cultural today, but it is the authentic Christian view of who and what we are, a foundational insight that underlies seminary formation. It is the work of seminary formators to help each seminarian clear away the underbrush (distractions and obstacles to discovering his true identity and calling). Formation for the priesthood is all about coming to understand what I was called to be even before I was formed in my mother’s womb; understanding this as the pathway to fulfillment, flourishing, and happiness for those who are called, and a lifetime of profound service to God, the Church, and the people of God.

God does not call priests alone as individuals. He calls communities of people with a particular identity whom priests are called to serve; whom priests call together, form, and minister to as individuals and as a whole. The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us:

62 … God formed Israel as his people by freeing them from slavery in Egypt. He established with them the covenant of Mount Sinai and, through Moses, gave them his law so that they would recognize him and serve him as the one living and true God, the provident Father and just judge, and so that they would look for the promised Saviour.

63 Israel is the priestly people of God, “called by the name of the LORD,” and “the first to hear the word of God,” the people of “elder brethren” in the faith of Abraham.

64 Through the prophets, God forms his people in the hope of salvation, in the expectation of a new and everlasting Covenant intended for all, to be written on their hearts.

We as Christians are the people of God of the New Covenant, the new priestly people of God which the Church tells us “subsists” in the Catholic Church. The divisions among Christians are unfortunate, and something of a mystery, but it is no mystery that the pastoral ministry of Catholic priests occurs mainly in the parishes of the Catholic Church. The essential thing to remember is that the call to priesthood comes from God, and that formation for this ministry is the work of God. It involves first and foremost discernment: listening for the voice of God and the promptings of the Holy Spirit and responding to that call and God’s plan for our lives and for His Church. This succeeds to the extent that we abandon ourselves to the Holy Spirit, allowing God to act in us and through us. Seminary formation is about disposing seminarians toward an openness to that call, and a willingness to follow wherever it may lead. These principles, inspired by the writings and spirit of Jean-Jacques Olier and St. Charles Borromeo, continue to guide our work of seminary formation at St. Mary’s.

Fr. Brown prays at the tomb of St. Charles Borromeo, patron saint of seminarians, during his visit to the Duomo (Cathedral) of Milan.
Fr. Brown prays at the tomb of St. Charles Borromeo, patron saint of seminarians, during his visit to the Duomo (Cathedral) of Milan.

We, too, live in a time of reform following a great Church Council. We live in times when many have drifted from the teachings of the Church, and many have been scandalized by disordered and even debauched behavior on the part of ministers of the Church, including priests and religious. But perhaps we are on the cusp of a great renewal of the faith and the Church’s ministry, just as Olier and St. Charles were. May we live in that hope. St. Charles Borromeo, patron saint of seminarians, and Jean-Jacques Olier founder of the Society of St. Sulpice, pray for us that this will be the case. Through your intercession may we be filled with energy so our efforts will flower in a new generation of faithful and holy priests whose abandonment to the Holy Spirit will lead to a great flowering of Christian faith and the Catholic Church in the years ahead.

In the next Reflections from the Park, I will write about the human dimension of formation, the foundation for all the other dimensions of priestly formation, and how our outlook on human formation continues to be influenced by Olier, St. Charles Borromeo and St. Ambrose.

 

Fr. Phillip J. Brown, P.S.S.
President-Rector

View/Download the complete reflection as PDF.

St. Mary’s showed Unity in Diversity with a Lunar New Year celebration on February 8, 2024. The seminary hosted Vietnamese Catholics in the DC and Baltimore Areas for an evening of events. Rev. Hy Nguyen, P.S.S., Associate Professor of Systematic Theology, presided at Mass. The Vovinam Potomac Martial Arts in Silver Spring MD entertained the community with the Lion Dance and some Tai Chi Martial Arts performance. A traditional dinner followed.

Date: March 21, 2024
Time: 7:00 pm
Location: Laubacher Hall, St. Mary’s Seminary & University

Dr. Brad Wilcox will give the Annual Carroll Lecture on March 21. The lecture is titled “In God We Trust: The Relationship Between Faith and Family Today.”

Dr. Brad Willcox
Dr. Brad Willcox

Brad Wilcox is Professor of Sociology and Director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia, the Future of Freedom Fellow at the Institute for Family Studies, and a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. The author of Get Married: Why Americans Should Defy the Elites, Forge Strong Families and Save Civilization (Harper Collins, 2024), Wilcox studies marital quality, marital stability, and the impact of strong and stable marriages upon men, women, and children.

The author and editor of six books, Wilcox has written for scientific journals such as The American Sociological Review and The Journal of Marriage and Family, as well as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, and National Review. A Connecticut native, he now lives in Charlottesville, Virginia with his wife and family.

This event is free and open to the public, but registration is requested.
Register at: https://CarrollLecture2024.eventbrite.com

View/download a one-sheet flyer for this event.


Cover Image:
Get Married, Dr. Wilcox’s latest book, will be available for purchase. He will sign copies.

In Get Married: Why Americans Must Defy the Elites, Forge Strong Families, and Save Civilization University of Virginia sociologist Brad Wilcox explains how our ruling class publicly disparages marriage—the institution most likely to deliver prosperity and happiness to ordinary Americans—while privately embracing it.

This book will be available for purchase. Dr. Wilcox will sign copies.


The annual Carroll Lecture is given in honor of John Carroll, first bishop in the United States, who called upon the Society of Saint Sulpice to come to Baltimore and open the first Roman Catholic seminary in the new nation in 1791.

St. Mary’s President-Rector, Fr. Phillip J. Brown, P.S.S., presents the first in a series of Reflections from the Park—a “pastoral letter” sharing thoughts for the St. Mary’s Community. This reflection is prompted by both the feast of Epiphany and a Christmas trip to Rome, especially a visit to the Basilica of St. Mary Major.

As Fr. Brown writes:

“I travelled in Italy during the Christmas vacation, which gave me some food for thought for beginning again some reflections as pastor of the seminary community, drawing on my life as a pastor and Rector, and in the context of St. Mary’s mission of forming priests after the heart of Jesus who are confident, skillful, sensitive, and effective as ministers of the Gospel and leaders of Catholic Christian communities.”

View/Download the complete reflection as PDF.

Or, read the full text below:


Reflections from the Park

#1
January 7, 2024
Baltimore, Roland Park Neighborhood

Epiphany

During the Covid Pandemic I wrote a series of letters we called Letters from the Park as a way of keeping in touch after our seminarians were sent home, and throughout the “lockdown” period. I have wanted to resume something like that ever since, to share some theological and pastoral reflections on matters of current interest. I travelled in Italy during the Christmas vacation, which gave me some food for thought for beginning again some reflections as pastor of the seminary community, drawing on my life as a pastor and Rector, and in the context of St. Mary’s mission of forming priests after the heart of Jesus who are confident, skillful, sensitive, and effective as ministers of the Gospel and leaders of Catholic Christian communities.

Our seminarians return for the spring semester on Sunday, January 7, the Feast of the Epiphany. This Feast celebrates the Magi’s arrival at the manger of Jesus to see what the star and their studies led them to want to see: the Birth of a great King, whom we recognize as the Savior of the World foretold by prophets of old. As we reflect on Epiphany, Christmas 2023 has already started receding into the past as we enter Ordinary Time. There is a progression in the liturgical year, beginning with anticipation of the Birth of Jesus during Advent, arriving at our celebration of his Birth, then moving into our walk through his life and ministry during Ordinary Time, punctuated by our celebration of his Passion, Death and Resurrection during Lent, Holy Week, and Easter.

As I reflect on this progression, a common theme occurs to me that first appears at Epiphany. The Magi came to see what they had been anticipating, what the people of Israel have been waiting for throughout their history: the Birth of a great King, the Birth of a Messiah who would be the Savior of the World, Who would save the human race from the debacle resulting from the sin of our first parents. Christians, followers of Christ, still live in anticipation of His Second Coming, the final and complete fulfillment of the Salvation of the World. The common theme I discern is not what we anticipate as a result of religious formation, study and belief, but rather what we see when we arrive at the manger with the Magi and open our eyes, our minds, and our hearts to what is right there in front of us.

According to the Gospel of John, the day after Jesus’ baptism two of his disciples heard John declare “Look! There is the Lamb of God!” They followed Jesus and when he noticed them, he asked “What are you looking for?” They said “Rabbi (which means Teacher), where do you stay?” He said to them, “Come and see,” and they went and stayed with him. The next day he came upon Philip and said, “Follow me”. Philip then sought out Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses spoke of in the law—the prophets too—Jesus, son of Joseph from Nazareth.” Nathanael asked, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Philip replied, “Come, see for yourself.”

We all have a natural curiosity, a yearning to see for ourselves what’s “out there”, especially whatever might help us understand our lives better and the point of it all. In response to that natural curiosity, our yearning to “know what it’s all about”, God attracts us by various means to come and see for ourselves. Jesus, God come to earth as a human being, says “Come and see.” Philip says to those who are curious, “Come, see for yourself.” The mark of disciples and of those called to be ministers of his Gospel, it seems to me, is saying to others: “Come and see; come and see for yourself.” It’s not about elaborate argumentation, or efforts to convert others, or eliciting an explicit “act of faith”. It’s simply about encouraging others to “Come and see; come and see for yourself.” That’s what evangelization is all about: a call to “Come and see; come and see for yourself.”

Seminary formation is about forming men to say to others, “Come and see; come and see
for yourself”. Then about their making available what is there to be seen: Jesus Christ present in the Eucharist and the other sacraments; present in the Word of God proclaimed; Jesus Christ present in others, especially the poor, for those who will simply open their eyes, their minds and their hearts to see.

Fr. Brown visits the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome and views the chapel dedicated to the relic of the manger in which Jesus lay.
Fr. Brown visits the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome and views the chapel dedicated to the relic of the manger in which Jesus lay.

I visited the Basilica of Mary Major in Rome during my trip, where Pope Sixtus III constructed a “cave of the Nativity” shortly after the basilica was completed in 432 A.D. Pilgrims began to bring fragments of what was reputed to be the crib of Jesus in Nazareth to Rome, which were incorporated in the shrine at Mary Major. Were the fragments really from the manger in which Jesus lay? Who can say? We know that the crib in Nazareth had long been an object of veneration and pilgrimage. Whether or not it was actually the crib in which our Savior lay seems to me beyond the point, to succumb to a modern worldview preoccupied with history and science and authenticating objects as “the real deal”. What’s important, it seems to me, is not the object but the veneration; the sense of the sacred that believers invest in these objects used as a focal point for reflection and prayer, for veneration and worship. What is venerated and worshipped is not the object but what it represents. As though if the crib preserved at St. Mary Major were not the actual crib in which Jesus lay it would call into question whether he ever lay in a crib; if he ever was born; if he was actually the Son of God, born into our world as a human being in order to save us. What we worship, what we venerate, what we give thanks for, what we rejoice in, what we wonder at, is Salvation accomplished through saving events. Coming and seeing these objects of veneration helps us to reflect on those events and, aided by hearing and studying the Word of God, helps us call to mind the meaning of those events. Coming to see and to understand, to perceive in our hearts the meaning of these sacred events fills us with hope, a hope that leads to perseverance, whatever the challenges faced in living out our lives on earth.

Fr. Brown prays at the relic of the manger in the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome.
Fr. Brown prays at the relic of the manger in the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome.”

Visiting these places considered holy, and focusing attention on the objects they preserve for us that help us call to mind and reflect on the mysteries of our faith, is worthwhile and edifying. It cultivates a lively faith and sustaining hope, whatever is going on in our lives. I recommend visiting places considered holy, and reflecting on the mysteries of faith they inspire us to call to mind. In a very human way, they strengthen and help to sustain our faith and hope in the promises of our faith. They reinforce our sense of the reality of what our faith tells us life is all about. With all the others who have heard the call of God, the call of Jesus to “come and follow me”, I say as his first disciples said, as so many have said throughout the ages and continue to say: “Come and see; come and see for yourself.” As Christmas and Epiphany pass, come and see, come and see for yourself in the events of Jesus’ life, in his teaching, and in his call to us during Ordinary time the saving mystery of our Salvation.

Fr. Phillip J. Brown, P.S.S.
President-Rector

View/Download the complete reflection as PDF.

On November 27, 2023, at the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington, DC, a reception was held to mark the elevation by Pope Francis to the College of Cardinals of His Eminence Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States of America. Invited attendees from St. Mary’s Seminary & University included (from left to right) Rev. Fredrik Hansen, P.S.S. (cand.), Dean of Seminarians, Rev. Lawrence B. Terrien, P.S.S., Associate Professor of Systematic Theology (and former Superior General of the Society of Saint Sulpice), and Rev. Phillip J. Brown, P.S.S., President-Rector of St. Mary’s.

With the closure of the seminary department of the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) in 2014, the publication of Seminary Journal ended. Recently, En Route Books and Media, LLC, in partnership with WCAT Radio, assumed stewardship of Seminary Journal under the leadership of General Editor, Dr. Sebastian Mahfood, OP.

Fr. Dennis Billy, C.Ss.R.
Fr. Dennis Billy, C.Ss.R.

Working with St. Mary’s faculty member, Rev. Dennis Billy, C.Ss.R., plans for the reintroduction of the journal were put in place. Fr. Billy coordinated the efforts of multiple St. Mary’s faculty members to produce all the content for the Spring 2023 issue of Seminary Journal, the first in over seven years. Over 10 faculty authored 8 articles. In a brief introduction to the issue, Fr. Billy describes the two-year process of faculty collaboration in the renewed journal.

The journal is available as a free PDF download from seminaryjournal.com and print copies are available through amazon.com.

As part of the re-launch, WCAT internet radio’s “The Catholic Bookworm” podcast series produced 8 episodes with individual St. Mary’s faculty members to discuss their respective articles in the issue. All segments are available on the podcast webpage at https://wcatradio.com/thecatholicbookworm/.

The faculty interview subjects/article authors on the podcast are:

  • Dr. Peter Paul Seaton, Jr.
  • Dr. James Starke
  • Fr. Paul Maillet, P.S.S.
  • Fr. Phillip J. Brown, P.S.S.
  • Fr. Dennis Billy, C.Ss.R.
  • Fr. Lawrence Terrien, P.S.S.
  • Ms. Emily Hicks
  • Fr. Robert Leavitt, P.S.S.

National Vocation Awareness Week is celebrated annually by the U.S. Catholic Church. It is dedicated to promoting vocations to the priesthood, diaconate, and consecrated religious life through prayer and education. This year’s celebration is November 5-11, 2023.

Find a prayer for vocations and links to a number of resources on the USCCB website at: https://www.usccb.org/committees/clergy-consecrated-life-vocations/national-vocation-awareness-week.

Diocese of Syracuse Priest Honored by his Alma Mater with Annual Alumni Award

Father Richard P. Prior received the Robert F. Leavitt Award for Leadership in Pastoral Excellence from his alma mater, St. Mary’s Seminary & University in Baltimore, Maryland. Fr. Prior graduated from St. Mary’s in 2001 and was ordained in June, 2001. The award is named for Fr. Robert Leavitt, former President Rector of St. Mary’s from 1980 -2007. Fr. Prior received the award at St. Mary’s annual Alumni Day celebration from Fr. Phillip J. Brown, P.S.S., President Rector, on October 19th, 2023.

Fr. Brown noted that the special award was established in honor of Fr. Leavitt and his outstanding leadership, particularly in pastoral leadership and excellence. The programs established under Fr. Leavitt’s long-time leadership are a true hallmark of St. Mary’s Seminary & University. Fr. Prior is the sixth recipient of this special honor and Fr. Leavitt was in attendance to congratulate his former student!

Fr. Prior is currently the Pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel (Endicott, NY) and Our Lady of Sorrows (Vestal, NY). Previously he was the Pastor of Sacred Heart in Cicero (2015-2022) and Holy Family in Syracuse (2003-2015). Fr. Prior also served as Parochial Vicar for the Diocese of Syracuse from 2001 – 2003.

Bishop Douglas J. Lucia remarked “ I am most grateful for the generous ministry that Rev. Richard Prior has provided the people of God in his role as pastor in the Diocese of Syracuse. He is a gifted shepherd with a heart for sharing the Good News.”

In accepting the honor Fr. Prior remarked on the three most important things he learned while at St. Mary’s: (1) that learning never ends, (2) how to foster a living relationship with Jesus Christ, and (3) the importance of human formation, enabling a priest to “accept the brokenness” (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:27).

St. Mary’s Seminary & University is very proud to honor Fr. Prior as an outstanding alumnus.

Below: (Left) Fr. Prior with Fr. Leavitt, his former teacher for whom the award is named; (Right) Fr. Prior expresses his thanks at the alumni luncheon.

(Left) Fr. Prior with Fr. Leavitt, his former teacher for whom the award is named; (Right) Fr. Prior expresses his thanks at the alumni luncheon.

Sulpician Seminary Sports: St. Mary’s Seminary & University played a rematch with Theological College (Washington, DC) on Saturday, October 28, 2023 and redeemed* their 2022 loss with an 8-2 victory. The game was played on the St. Mary’s front lawn under clear, unseasonably warm skies. 

* in a sports-context; not speaking theologically.

St. Mary’s campus was bathed in “Orioles Orange” to commemorate the life of Brooks Robinson: Orioles third baseman, Catholic convert, and Baltimore icon. Robinson died September 26 at the age of 86. Raised Methodist, he converted to Catholicism in the late 1960s.

Read more about this legendary figure in the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Catholic Review at https://catholicreview.org/baltimores-beloved-brooks-robinson-catholic-convert-dies-at-86/

As Baltimore celebrates the life, generosity, and faith of “Number 5” it has double the reason to celebrate: on Thursday, September 28 the Orioles clinched the AL East championship, their first division title since 2014.

St Mary’s joins in commemoration and celebration for a remarkable man and a talented team.