http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/seminary/ en-us Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:50:15 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2082976/posts The Rome seminary considered the West Point for U.S. priests has its largest incoming class in 40 years. The Pontifical North American College is welcoming 61 seminarians in its fall classes beginning in mid-October, according to Catholic News Service. The school, on a hill overlooking the Vatican, opened in 1954 with room for more than 200 students, but has not been full in recent years. Monsignor Robert Gruss, vice rector for student life, told CNS that the college, which is sponsored by the U.S. bishops, will have 208 seminarians total this year. Curt Jester http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2082976/posts#comment Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:50:15 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2053677/posts The Rockford, Illinois diocese will not send seminarians to St. Mary of the Lake, Mundelein for training. Two upperclassmen propositioned a Rockford youth for homosexual favors. So much for the change that has been promised in archdiocesan public relations pronouncements. Thus the Rockford diocese has decided it is finished with Mundelein.... Kicanas. The man who ran St. Mary of the Lake Seminary, Mundelein when it was a hot-house of homosexual excess…and who was quoted in the “Sun-Times” as saying he does not regret ordaining Fr. Dan McCormack, who is now serving time for child abuse…is second in command of the... TomRoser.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2053677/posts#comment Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:41:52 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2050743/posts Castelgandolfo, Jul 23, 2008 / 08:15 pm (CNA).- Having returned from his visit to Australia for World Youth Day, Pope Benedict XVI has moved to his summer residence at Castel Gandolfo. After three days of rest, he will meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki on Friday and travel to the northern Italian town of Bressanone the following day.In Bressanone, a German-speaking town near the Italian border with Germany, the Pope will stay with his brother Father Georg Ratzinger in a medieval seminary from July 28 to August 11. According to ANSA news agency, a grand piano has been... CNA http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2050743/posts#comment Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:18:25 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2035828/posts Cardinal Marc Ouellet faced a daunting task when he became archbishop of Quebec, Canada, in 2003.The province of Quebec, once thoroughly Catholic, with roots in the rich history of French missionaries, had become thoroughly secularized. The 49th International Eucharistic Congress was held in his city June 15-22, coinciding with the 400th anniversary of Quebec’s founding, with hopes that it would provide a way to rekindle the spark of faith there. The cardinal, who is also primate of Canada and was once a missionary in Colombia, took advantage of the opportunity. He set out on a program of pastoral renewal centered... NCR http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2035828/posts#comment Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:01:34 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2018259/posts Vatican City, May 19, 2008 / 09:21 am (CNA).- Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, has sent a letter to the bishops of the world with the approval of Pope Benedict XVI reaffirming the norms established by the Congregation for Catholic Education in the 2005 document, “Instruction Concerning the Criteria for the Discernment of Vocation with regard to Persons with Homosexual Tendencies in view of their Admission to the Seminary and to Holy Orders,” as universal and without exceptions.  In the brief “Rescriptum ex audientia” –a written response to various queries—Cardinal Bertone said the norms establishing the selection... CNA http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2018259/posts#comment Mon, 19 May 2008 20:19:35 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2017474/posts Episcopal Seminaries Struggle With Costs Long-Held Training Model Faces an Uncertain Future By G. Jeffrey MacDonald Religion News Service Saturday, May 17, 2008; B09 In the cloistered world of Episcopal seminaries, time sometimes seems to stand still as clergy-in-training gather in stone chapels to pray in ways familiar to their forebears centuries earlier. But the semblance of timelessness can be deceiving. Some of the 11 seminaries affiliated with the Episcopal Church are slashing core programs, while others report rapid growth in enrollment. Still others are reexamining conventional wisdom about what it takes -- and how much it costs -- to... The Washington Post http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2017474/posts#comment Sat, 17 May 2008 22:37:53 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2007287/posts Yonkers, NY, Apr 26, 2008 / 03:45 am (CNA).- St. Joseph Seminary in Yonkers, New York, has received dozens of applications following Pope Benedict’s visit, the New York Daily News reports."It's been like a tsunami, a good tsunami of interest," said Father Luke Sweeney, the Archdiocese of New York's vocations director.  “I've been meeting people all week and have a lot of e-mails I haven't had the chance yet to respond to. It has been incredible.”For the first time in 108 years, the seminary had been preparing for a year with no students.  Only 23 seminarians are expected to... CNA http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2007287/posts#comment Sat, 26 Apr 2008 13:10:24 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2004734/posts This sent to me last night by an overjoyed Megan B., of Hyde Park, New York: "Hello! I’m a long time reader of your blog and I wanted to give you some more details on the papal youth rally, which I was able to attend today. First of all, it was absolutely amazing. It was like a giant 4th of July fireworks event, or county fair (including long lines for food!) One of the things they didn’t show on TV (I don’t know if they mentioned it) was that there was also a prayer chapel and confessions available. The... American Papist http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2004734/posts#comment Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:05:15 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2004099/posts Pope Benedict XVI has arrived on the stage at the youth rally at St. Joseph's Seminary at Yonkers, NY. EWTN http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2004099/posts#comment Sat, 19 Apr 2008 21:27:27 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2004131/posts Your Eminence, Dear Brother Bishops, Dear Young Friends,"Proclaim the Lord Christ … and always have your answer ready for people who ask the reason for the hope that is within you" (1 Pet 3:15). With these words from the First Letter of Peter I greet each of you with heartfelt affection. I thank Cardinal Egan for his kind words of welcome and I also thank the representatives chosen from among you for their gestures of welcome. To Bishop Walsh, Rector of Saint Joseph Seminary, staff and seminarians, I offer my special greetings and gratitude. Young friends, I am very... EWTN http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2004131/posts#comment Sat, 19 Apr 2008 23:36:17 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1992658/posts Most people agree that the wildly popular Harry Potter series has a religious following. But to what extent are the stories about the fictional boy wizard a religious allegory? Danielle Tumminio, a Yale Divinity School graduate student who instructs a course called "Christian Theology and Harry Potter" at Yale would say, "Yes." Her course uses all seven Potter books to examine Christian themes such as sin, evil and resurrection, reports CNN. Christian Today http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1992658/posts#comment Thu, 27 Mar 2008 19:23:53 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1981492/posts JERUSALEM - Two gunmen infiltrated a rabbinical seminary and opened fire after nightfall Thursday. At least seven people were killed, police and local media said, including at least one of the terrorists. Israeli media said about 35 people were wounded. Ambulances raced to the scene from around the city. The terrorists entered a dining hall where about 80 people were gathered, witnesses said, and opened fire. "There are at least seven killed," said Eli Dein, director of Israel's rescue service. MSNBC http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1981492/posts#comment Thu, 6 Mar 2008 19:47:10 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1967628/posts On December 21, 2007 Ergun Caner sent me an announcement about the name change of Liberty Theological Seminary to Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. I gave it only passing notice. From all that I know, Liberty may be the finest Fundamentalist seminary around and I don't care how many times they extract and reinsert the name "Baptist" on their letterhead. When Caner became dean of the seminary in 2004 he took the name "Baptist" out. The rationale given for reinserting it I found mildly amusing, but again, not worth much more than a raised eyebrow. He wrote, [S]ince 2004, much... Founders Ministries Blog http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1967628/posts#comment Sat, 9 Feb 2008 15:02:31 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1907581/posts John Michels, right, prays during Mass at St. John Vianney College Seminary in St. Paul. Joining him are Scott Carter and Gachuhi Kamunge. Michels and Carter are seminarians at SJV; Kamunge was a guest at Mass. - Photo by Dave Hrbacek / The Catholic Spirit Number of men attending St. John Vianney seminary by state location of their diocese. They've increased their housing; they've increased their staff; they've increased the rigor.And the men keep coming. St. John Vianney Seminary's enrollment is at an all-time high, with 154 men from 28 dioceses, which currently gives it the largest college seminary... Catholic Spirit http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1907581/posts#comment Sat, 6 Oct 2007 22:25:17 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1905875/posts Readers may recall my coverage of various goings-on in the Miami archdiocese over the past couple of years. Lo and behold, there is something new to report... St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary recently sent out two vocation-recruiting catalogs to prospective seminarians. One version — which contained only articles and no advertisements — targeted straight men. The other version — which did contain advertisements, including the one pictured below, with two bare-chested men standing next to each other in a hot tub — targeted homosexual men. I have, in my possession, a copy of the latter. (This is addressed to... RenewAmerica http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1905875/posts#comment Wed, 3 Oct 2007 14:36:26 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1875402/posts RALEIGH, N.C. -- A powerful sense of devotion overtook Michael Burbeck in a medieval church in the small Czech town of Cesky Krumlov. The way he describes it, he was praying in the lofty, 125-foot-high sanctuary of St. Vitus Roman Catholic Church, when he looked up at a life-size crucifix and was overwhelmed by a sense of peace and belonging. He realized he would commit the rest of his life to Jesus. "It was like the classic movie scene: Guy sees girl across the room, knows she's the one," Burbeck said. "I had this moment when I realized that (Jesus)... NorthJersey.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1875402/posts#comment Thu, 2 Aug 2007 20:40:58 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1879702/posts Metro Atlanta's Roman Catholic churches are keeping their pulpits filled better than many regions of the country.Across the nation there is a shortage of priests, but the Archdiocese of Atlanta's 95 churches and missions have 262 priests and more than 50 seminarians in training. RELATED: • More Atlanta news "We have one of the strongest vocational programs in the country," said Father Luke Ballman, the director of vocations.About 600 Serrans, lay Catholics dedicated to supporting and educating those choosing church vocations, are in Atlanta this weekend for a national conference.Serra clubs across the country raise money for scholarships, organize prayer... AJC http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1879702/posts#comment Sat, 11 Aug 2007 13:09:42 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1834123/posts The Rev. Jerry Falwell will be remembered very differently on the religious and political right and on the religious and political left. The current polarization of American religion and society is a product of the mixing of religion and politics that Jerry Falwell advocated. That is his legacy. If you like that polarization, you will remember Rev. Falwell as a pioneer; if you decry that polarization, you will hope that the country repudiates the mixing of religion and politics that he so typified and that he orchestrated so effectively. [snip] The Moral Majority in some ways redefined the word “moral,”... On Faith (Newsweek/WA Post) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1834123/posts#comment Tue, 15 May 2007 22:01:38 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1828527/posts The nation's first openly gay governor has become an Episcopalian and been accepted into a seminary, according to a published report. Former Gov. James E. McGreevey, who was raised as a Roman Catholic, was officially received into the Episcopal religion on Sunday at St. Bartholomew's Church in New York, said the Rev. Kevin Bean, vicar at the church. McGreevey has been accepted to study at the General Theological Seminary in New York, the oldest in the Episcopal Church, school spokesman Bruce Parker said Wednesday. Parker did not know whether the former governor wants to become a priest. ''Mr. McGreevey has... New York Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1828527/posts#comment Fri, 4 May 2007 19:26:52 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1826617/posts A. M. D. G. Father Joseph Carola, S.J.Sermon on Diaconal Ministry at the AltarFor the Third-Year Students of the Pontifical North American CollegeVatican City24 April 2007 John 19: 38-42 Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus were members of the Sanhedrin which had ruthlessly sought Jesus’ death. But Joseph “was a virtuous and righteous man…who, though he was a member of the council, had not consented to their plan of action” ( Luke 23:50-51). Indeed, he “was himself a disciple of Jesus” (Matthew 27:57)—although “secretly…for fear of the Jews” (John 19:38). It was he, “a distinguished member of the council who…courageously went... Roaming Roman http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1826617/posts#comment Tue, 1 May 2007 16:34:01 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1806694/posts How mainline seminary education undermines orthodox perspectives by Ryan Travis As I approach the end of my first year of study at what most would regard a typical mainline Protestant seminary, I am increasingly concerned about the future well-being of the church. Many courses designed for the theological and spiritual formation of future pastors employ texts and resources that articulate views that significantly deviate from the historically confessed faith. Below are three different ways some courses I have taken undermine orthodox perspectives. I. They exclude or marginalize orthodox voices. Perhaps the easiest way to undermine orthodox perspectives simply is to... WordAlone Network http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1806694/posts#comment Mon, 26 Mar 2007 01:15:48 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1794331/posts VATICAN CITY, MARCH 2, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Here is the Vatican translation of the answers Benedict XVI gave to questions posed by seminarians of the Roman Major Seminary, during the Pope's visit there Feb. 17. Part 1 of the questions and answers was published Thursday. * * * Koicio Dimov, Diocese of Nicopolis, Bulgaria (Second-Year Theology): Most Blessed Father, commenting on the Way of the Cross in 2005, you spoke of the dirt in the Church; and in the Homily for the ordination of the Roman priests last year, you warned us of the risk "of careerism, the attempt to get... Zenit News Agency http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1794331/posts#comment Sat, 3 Mar 2007 01:54:44 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1794330/posts VATICAN CITY, MARCH 1, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Here is the Vatican translation of the answers Benedict XVI gave to questions posed by seminarians of the Roman Major Seminary, during the Popes visit there Feb. 17. Part 2 of the questions and answers will be published on Friday. * * * VISIT TO THE COMMUNITY OF THE ROMAN MAJOR SEMINARY ON OCCASION OF THE FEAST OF OUR LADY OF TRUST ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI Saturday, 17 February 2007 Gregorpaolo Stano, Diocese of Oria (First-Year Philosophy): Your Holiness, ours is the first of two years dedicated to discernment, during which we... Zenit News Agency http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1794330/posts#comment Sat, 3 Mar 2007 01:50:43 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1793016/posts Pallottine priest Fr. Greg Serwa is Stripes the Clown. And Stripes the Clown provides the cover-story for the Milwaukee Catholic Herald's special Vocations Supplement. "It's interesting being a clown because people don't know who you are necessarily," said Fr. Serwa, who continues to clown at parish festivals. "The same can be said in some ways for priests. You wear a uniform and people identify with that uniform. It can keep people away or invite people in. As a priest, you're always dealing with things that are important to people's lives. You have to be real gentle with people. The... Off the Record http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1793016/posts#comment Thu, 1 Mar 2007 01:17:57 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1788797/posts ROME (CNS) -- Students at Pontifical North American College are among those competing in the first Clericus Cup, a soccer championship exclusively for priests and seminarians in Rome. Seminaries and pontifical universities have fielded 16 teams for the championship series, with 311 players coming from approximately 50 countries. The series is to open Feb. 24 when Pontifical Gregorian University plays Pontifical International College Maria Mater Ecclesiae. The championship game will be in June. North American College, the U.S. seminary in Rome, plays its first game March 3 against Pontifical Urbanian University, an institution for seminarians from mission countries. North American... CNS http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1788797/posts#comment Wed, 21 Feb 2007 22:21:16 GMT