St. Charles Day

By: Jason Stokes, Seminarian
Third Theology

The seminary sports season has hit full stride as the seminarians are gearing up for the annual St. Charles Borromeo Upper Side - Lower Side Football Game to be held on November 4, the feast of St. Charles Borromeo. This gridiron contest pits the men in the College Division (Lower Side) against the older and wiser men of the Theology Division (Upper Side). Though not officially tackle, this game of flag football can be pretty rough. Many seminarians from the diocese of Allentown participate in the annual football game. From the Upper Side alone we have Deacon Brian Miller (IV Theology), Mr. Jason Stokes (III Theology), and Mr. Orlando Aso (II Theology). This year’s game is shaping up to be an instant classic, though I doubt it will make Sports Center. Keep posted for the results.

The Upper Side – Lower Side Football game is just one of the many great activities at St. Charles on our patron’s feast day. The day begins, as will all of our days, with Morning Prayer. Cardinal Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia, will then be with us to celebrate the Mass for the Feast of St. Charles. Many of the men in the Theology Division will receive Admission to Candidacy for Holy Orders. The game will take place after lunch and then after everyone has cleaned up from the game we will have solemn vespers and the St. Charles Feast – a great meal to say the least!

Cassock Day

By: Mark Searles, Seminarian
Pre-Theology II

Every year at St. Charles, the whole seminary community looks forward to the exciting fall weekend when the New Men first wear their cassocks. Cassock Day includes some great traditions passed on for many years beginning with Friday night festivities and extending throughout the day on Saturday.

On Friday evening the entire college division puts on “The Old Man / New Man Show” where we perform skits with some good-hearted humor about life as a new man at the seminary and maybe the occasional joke about classes, professors, and even ourselves. The show also includes original songs that each group must write and the end result is always a surprise and without a doubt funny. I had tears in my eyes from laughing so hard last year! Following the show a few more traditions take place, but these are kept secret until you get to experience them first hand! Nothing to worry about though, the whole weekend is aimed at welcoming the New Men and growing together in our formation towards the priesthood.

On Saturday, the official Cassock Day, we begin in the morning with the usual Morning Prayer and as the New Men prepare to wear their cassocks for the first time, a few more surprises take place which I won’t give away, but we all celebrate a beautiful Mass together. Here, for the first time, every seminarian has their cassock on and the New Men no longer have to worry about wearing their coat and tie every day! My experience last year was a very memorable one as it almost feels like I became a new man all over again, but in a different and good sense with your cassock on for the first time.

The afternoon is also an enjoyable time as family and friends are welcomed to the seminary to see you in your cassock. This is a nice opportunity to give the grand tour of the seminary, introduce your new friends, and most likely take some pictures. Finally everyone gathers for a solemn Evening Prayer with the rector. It was a great experience to pray with both my new seminary family and all of my visiting family and friends in thanksgiving and celebration for this special day. Afterwards my whole group of visitors and I went out for a delicious Italian dinner. Overall it was a tiring day with so much excitement, but definitely worth waiting for and one of my favorite experiences at St. Charles so far!