First Year Apostolate Assignment

By: Brendon Laroche
Seminarian, Pre-Theology I

Every seminarian at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary is assigned an apostolate as part of our seminary formation. Thursdays throughout the year are reserved for apostolic work. We have no classes on apostolate days; rather, we get “on the job training” that prepares us for the various assignments we may have as diocesan priests.

My apostolate for the current year is the John Paul II Center for Special Learning, located in Berks County. Since this is my first year in the Seminary, it is my first apostolate. It is also the first time I have worked with children and young adults who have special needs.

I was initially nervous about this assignment. Most of the volunteer work I did at my parish before entering seminary was in adult education and faith formation. I did some work with children and young adults, but not much. And, as I said, I had never before worked with those who have intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Our apostolic work is intended to help us grow into the kind of men who will be good pastors, dedicated shepherds of souls. Reflecting back on this first semester of apostolic work, I realize that my time at the John Paul II Center has helped me to grow in a number of ways. I would like to share with you some of these ways.

My apostolate has made readily apparent our shared humanity. The students here are like all other children and young adults. They want to learn and discover new things. They want to play and have fun. They want to grow, make friends, and test their boundaries and limits. They have all the characteristics that make people their age both easily lovable and occasionally troublesome.

The various intellectual and developmental disabilities of the students can make communication more difficult, but this can be worked through with patience and love. And it can never obscure the truth: these are human persons who possess human dignity. They deserve to love and be loved, and to be treated with respect. I have long known this intellectually. Now I also know it from experience.

I have also been challenged to grow in how I communicate the faith. Before entering the seminary, I studied philosophy. This has left me prone to drawing fine distinctions and elaborating technical points. I am now being challenged to express the truth in a way that the students can understand. I am learning to be “all things to all men.”

Finally, the most important thing that my apostolate at the John Paul II Center has done for me is drive home the fact that the truth must be lived in love. These students may not remember what I say, but they will remember what I do. They will remember that I ate lunch with them and played with them at recess. They will remember that I helped them with their art projects and read them stories. They will remember that I cared enough to listen to their stories and their problems. They will remember that I tried to be reverent in the chapel and both dedicated and focused in my prayer. They will remember that I loved God and that I loved them. If I can do nothing else for them, I can try to do that.

I am looking forward to continuing my apostolic work at the John Paul II Center next semester. Please pray for me, that God grant me the grace I need to share the love of Christ to everyone I interact with on my days there. And please pray for the faculty, students, and staff of the John Paul II Center for Special Learning.

Immaculate Conception Celebration

By: Daniel Kravatz
Seminarian, PreTheology II

On December 8, the seminary community gathered together to celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. This is also the patronal feast of the chapel in the Theologate. We began the celebration of Our Blessed Mother’s conception with Evening Prayer on the vigil in the Immaculate Conception Chapel. Later in the evening, we gathered together in order to pray the Office of Readings. After this, many of our seminarians made the consecration of St. Louis de Monfort to Our Lord through Our Blessed Mother.

It has been somewhat of a tradition for the past few years to celebrate mass at midnight on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. We processed in candlelight into the chapel at the beginning of mass. It was extremely peaceful and prayerful as the entire Penitential Rite was prayed in the soft glow of candlelight. Fr. Frank Guiffre gave an excellent homily on the importance Mary holds in the life of a priest and in the lives of, God-willing, future priests.

Following the mass, we had our annual Christmas party. It was a great way to unwind, especially after the unofficial close of paper-writing season. All the seminarians gathered in the basement of the Theologate, listened to some Christmas carols, and ate the traditional menu of tomato pie and meatballs. At the conclusion of the party, we all went back to our rooms, where we were finally able to sleep in, for nothing was scheduled the next morning.

The feast day ended with Solemn Evening Prayer and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament on the Solemnity itself. Once again, the entire seminary gathered in the Immaculate Conception Chapel for prayer. After the close of Evening Prayer, many of us were able to go out and grab a bite to eat off campus. All of our festivities were a great way to mark and honor the Immaculate Conception of Our Blessed Mother.

Christmas Concert at St. Charles Seminary

By: Rick James
Seminarian, Second Theology

On December 6 the Seminarians of St. Charles Borromeo seminary preformed the annual “Concert Before Christmas” on the seminary campus in the Chapel of St. Martin of Tours. In the Seminary’s nearly 180 years of existence, the Christmas concert as it is today is a relatively recent tradition. This year marks the 22nd occurrence of the event.

Each year a unique theme is chosen to focus us on a particular aspect of the seasons of Advent and Christmas. The theme chosen for this year was “Show us Thy face!” These words echo the prayer of Moses in Exodus 33:18 “Do let me see your Glory” and St. Philip the Apostle, “Show us the Father” in John 14:8. Our plea to God for the sending of the fullness of His Revelation captures well the prayer of the Universal Church during the season of Advent, which expresses the coming of our Blessed Lord, Jesus Christ. The music selected for the occasion highlighted well this season of preparation. The first piece of music sung by the seminary Schola Cantorum was Luigi Cherubini’s Veni, Jesu, amor mi. This beautifully simple prayer: ‘Come, Jesus my love’ set a wonderful tone for the rest of the concert which followed.

As the concert progressed, readings from Sacred Scripture and other spiritual writers were read in between the musical performances. These readings made the experience of the concert not only aesthetically pleasing, but a prayerful experience as well. The strong voices of the seminary choir, the brass instruments, violin, bass, and the magnificent chapel pipe organ all joined together in raising their voices in prayer and praise to our Lord and Savior. As always it was a powerful and sobering moment, one which really leaves those present with a sense that “we are ready for Christmas now!”

In keeping with the tradition of charity naturally associated with the Christmas season, the seminary always takes up a collection on behalf of a particular charity. This year the proceeds from the collection are being donated to the Discalced Carmelite Monastery of Philadelphia, which in a unique way embraces so well their apostolate to pray for seminarians and priests. As we so often benefit from their prayer and spiritual aid, this year’s charity was particularly meaningful way to give some help to the Carmelite Nuns of Philadelphia.

Having directed the seminary’s house choirs over the past three years, I can personally attest to the great musical talent that pervades the seminarians of St. Charles Seminary. So many talented and devoted singers, instrumentalists/organist have come together for these special events and worked hard to accomplish great things. It has been such an honor to work with these men over the years! It is so edifying to see how for all of our liturgies and events at St. Charles the choir members and instrumentals are willing to offer back their God given talents back to Him. We sing at least three times a day at the seminary (Morning Prayer, Mass, and Evening Prayer); which would not be possible without the work and dedication of these men.

This year the concert “Show us Thy Face” moved the seminary community together in a prayerful recollection of the meaning of Advent. This same desire to see the Lord when He comes expressed the prayer of the entire Church during this time of the year. At mass, we are struck by this daily in the readings and prayers and even by the color of the priest’s vestments during the season. The wearing of a royal purple calls to mind its traditional meanings of expectation, penance, and hopefulness, but also waves the regal banner before us. We are in expectation of that Great King, at whose very name His enemies flee in terror and the heavenly hosts sing forever in a majestic hymn! What an honor it has been to join in this singing.