The following comes from a Feb. 19 release from the San Francisco archdiocese.
Most Rev. Salvatore Cordileone, archbishop of San Francisco, announced on Wednesday, February 19, 2014 the appointment of Rev. Gladstone Stevens, S.S., new permanent president-rector of St. Patrick’s Seminary & University in Menlo Park.
Until recently associate professor of theology and vice rector at St. Patrick’s Seminary, Father Stevens is best known as someone who combines theological knowledge with religious counsel and encouragement. At St. Patrick’s he is regarded as an articulate and engaging professor of dogmatic theology. In California and beyond he is a regular retreat master, guides days of recollection and gives talks to priests especially, but also to laypeople seeking to deepen their faith.
Archbishop Cordileone noted, “Father Stevens is highly esteemed by many groups in California. Bishops, seminarians and laypeople all respect his preaching and spiritual insights. He’s faithful, clear, eloquent, humorous and friendly. What more could a seminarian ask for in the rector of the seminary?”
For his part, Father Stevens is delighted both for himself and for the Sulpicians who have led St. Patrick’s Seminary since its founding in 1898. “I definitely want St. Patrick’s to be perceived as a premier seminary in the West, a place where seminarians receive theological, practical and spiritual training to be effective priests” said Father Stevens.
Father Stevens is taking his new appointment as leader and administrator very seriously. Acknowledging that his background is more theological than administrative, he plans to burnish his managerial skills by participating in a special management seminar this summer at the University of Notre Dame. The seminar is specifically designed for senior administrators in Catholic institutions of higher education.
Born in Connecticut and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, Father Stevens graduated from Quincy College in Quincy, Illinois in 1989. After graduate Biblical Studies at Vanderbilt University, he obtained his Ph.D. in theology from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1997. Ordained a priest for the archdiocese of Louisville in 2000, and after serving in parish work for a few years, Father Stevens started teaching theology at St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore. Even while teaching at St. Mary’s Seminary, he obtained his licentiate in sacred theology in 2007.
As a member of the Society of Saint Sulpice, a community of diocesan priests dedicated to educating and guiding future and fellow priests, Father Stevens arrived at St. Patrick’s Seminary in 2008 assuming the position of vice rector and academic dean, a position he has held for the past six years. Asked about his many activities in the Bay Area, Father Stevens says.“I have enjoyed working with the seminarians, but with many other groups as well. I am gratified that others find my presentations helpful. For my part, associations with communities such as the Poor Clares, the Order of Malta and Legatus stimulate my faith.”
Well, Rector Stevens, how about plans to teach (1) Latin and Greek; and (2) the TLM, and all Traditional sacraments? Doing so is consistent with directions from, at least, Popes John XXIII and Benedict XVI. A “leading” seminary does nothing if all it teaches is the “pastoral” method of being a priest. Lots of hand-wringing, lots of sympathetic weeping, lots of feminized liturgy — let’s have religious, Catholic Men produced from St. Patrick’s. Men who do not shirk gladly arguing the position of the Catholic Church on all of its theological requirements, particularly on the need for repentence, the reality of Hell for many, and the promise of Salvation (and the primacy of the Catholic Church in getting there). And, make no mistake, such Catholic Men Priests need to stand fast against the wink-wink mentality of many bishops who say, well, we fought that battle (i.e., contraception, pre-marital sex, abortion, homosexual sexual practices and rights) and lost, so “let’s move on.” These bishops are craven, lusting only for the spotlight, the big meal, the party, the retreat, and the very fancy retirement home. Teach them, Dear Rector, that it is better to be laughted at, scorned, and even attacked, than to lose the Faith. The news is full, every day, of bishops, and priests, giving way to the modern, to the pagan (and even joining with them), and to the lost. Christ saved the penitent thief on the cross, but likely not the other one. Good luck, Father Stevens.
I attended one of his retreats. It was very well done and in conversation at the break my impression of him was that he seemed quite orthodox, even if not combative. God bless him in this difficult assignment!
That’s good news, Fr. Michael. We need solid orthodox formation in seminaries. Thanks for your post.
Bravo – Well Said:
” Teach them, Dear Rector, that it is better to be laughted at, scorned, and even attacked, than to lose the Faith.
The news is full, every day, of bishops, and priests, giving way to the modern, to the pagan (and even joining with them), and to the lost. Christ saved the penitent thief on the cross, but likely not the other one.
Good luck, Father Stevens.
I sure do hope and pray Fr. Stevens brings a true understanding and appreciation of the salvific nature of the Sacraments, Eucharistic piety and adoration, Marian and saint Devotion, orthodox and faithful adherence to all Church teaching (theological and moral), a respect for the Holy Office of the Papacy, a return to an understanding of the reverence and sacrificial nature of the Mass, a return to grounded theology (Scholastic and Thomistic) and away from the more modernist, Rahnerian approach, a true appreciation of Apostolic Tradition and Patristic teachings, grounded, tried and true Catholic spirituality (not the trendy “new-age” types), traditional patristic scripture scholarship (with less emphasis on the 19th century liberal, German Protestant historical/critical method), a TRUE understanding of Vatican II, an appreciation for the TRUE history of the Catholic Church (not the more trendy historic teachings from the secular, anti-Catholic/protestant views), a disciplined atmosphere for the seminarians based on MANDATORY daily Mass, adoration and monthly confession/examination of conscience, an appreciation and understanding for true eschatology (the devil exists, there is a hell, people – even Catholics can and do go there – lose their souls if not careful), a movement away from pop psychology masking as spirituality, and most importantly – in light of the homosexual abuse scandals that have plagued the Church since VII – a return to a true masculine spirituality grounded in the divine man of Christ and an admittance of men to the seminary who would otherwise be good husbands and fathers and are willing to sacrifice that calling for the sake of the Kingdom of God rather than men who struggle with their sexual identity and are emotionally/sexually needy and immature.
Oh I forgot to add, an absolute must – seminarians are REQUIRED to be trained in Latin as per Canon Law 249, something that is not happening in many U.S. seminaries today.
Teaching Latin in the Seminary seems the most important thing to do to keep the Faith. Priests should be better educated than the laity. This used to be the case, but now many people receive a reasonable education so the differences become blurred. We all aspire to priests that are our betters, not our equals. Latin will do it.
The second thing in Seminary should be to cull homosexuals. Although now called Gays even by Pope Francis, it was through the infiltration of Seminaries that Gays almost brought down the Church. Good seminaries will make a big difference.
Best wishes to the San Francisco Seminary.
Pray that he does not get infected at Notre Shame!
May God have mercy on an amoral Amerika!
Viva Cristo Rey!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher