On the evening of Saturday, September 19, more than 550 people gathered on the outdoor grounds of St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park. The occasion was St. Patrick’s Eighth ‘Four Pillars’ Gala, the seminary’s annual fundraiser in support of their mission: forming men for the priesthood of God.
Founded in 1898, St. Patrick’s is currently forming 72 men from the dioceses of Fresno (3), Honolulu (5), Monterey (3), Oakland (11), Orange (6), Reno (2), Salt Lake City (2), Sacramento (9), San Francisco (16), San Jose (10), Santa Rosa (1), and Stockton (4).
The ‘four pillars’ of the seminary are human formation, spiritual formation, intellectual formation, and pastoral formation. The evening’s program describes each pillar as necessary to the final mission “Through human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral development (the seminary) enables Christ-centered men to grow and excel as collaborative, culturally-aware pastoral leaders committed to Jesus and His Church.”
The highlights of the evening, affirming both the mission of the seminary and the impressive quality of the young men being formed, were two addresses to the crowd, the first by the recently ordained Father Pat Summerhays, and the second by transitional Deacon Andrew J. Pacheco.
Father Summerhays described how each of the ‘four pillars’ contributed to his formation as a priest. His description of spiritual formation was especially powerful: “Spiritual formation, of course, begins by St. Patrick’s Seminary being a Eucharistic community. Each day begins with Morning Prayer that leads the seminarians right into the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It is there that we contemplate Jesus the High Priest who emptied himself completely, laying down his life for all of humanity, allowing us to receive him body, blood, soul and divinity. It is in this spirit or sacrifice and communion that we are later meant to rise each day in rectories, ready to lay down our lives in service for humanity. The daily Eucharist Adoration, Days of Recollection, Annual Retreats, and Spiritual Direction allow seminarians to learn how to rest in Christ, learning how to say along with St. Paul: ‘[I]n any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and want. I can do all things in him who strengthens me.’”
Deacon Pacheco eloquently described a new project certain to enrich the formation experience of the future priests: the construction of large-scale outdoor Stations of the Cross on the seminary grounds. The seminary hopes to raise at least $10,000 for each Station, and each Station will be accompanied by a bench that will bear the name of the donor. A portion of the cost was pledged at the dinner.
The evening closed with the all seminarians gathering on the broad steps of the school, where they led the guest in singing the Salve Regina. The voices of the seminarians, rising to heaven in praise of Our Blessed Mother, could not help but remind one of Jesus’ promise that the gates of hell would not prevail against His Church.
To help St. Patrick’s Seminary form men for the priesthood, go here and select the “Donate” tab.
To see a video of seminarians walking the proposed route of the outdoor Stations of the Cross, click here. The password to open the video is SPSU.
Outstanding! Awesome. Wish I was young enough to sign up
Latin, Latin, Latin is the key to forming priests.
Yes, learning Latin will solve all our problems.
….precision is a good beginning, Anonymous. That is why having first hand understanding of the Latin language, the language of the Church, is critical. One cannot transmit what one doesn’t know. And not having first hand experience with the language of the Church leaves one open to all manner of misfires for mistaken interpretation is what will be passed down.
That’s one reason why children are also taught how to do math without a calculator first. So they will understand how numbers work – not just rely on machines to interpret/solve problems for them.
God bless.
No one needs to study Latin.
We have things called “translations” now which make it possible for the whole world to read the Bible, the Catechism of the Catholic Church (originally in French), the YouCat (written first in German), etc.
….you keep going with those translations, Anonymous. And the “YouCat” – right.
We also have things called brains, friend, which should be employed, not left to rot so others can do our thinking and translating for us. That’s how muscles go weak. The saying, use it or lose it, is a saying for good reason.
And while you may choose to lose what God gave you, others, especially priests, should not.
So no one “needs” to study Latin. But should they? Yes, absolutely, if they want to be a priest who is responsible for transmitting the word of God – not just the translation of the translation of the translation – to souls for the purpose of salvation.
That way the “whole world” won’t be misled by pride of life into the…
…fiery pit. And all because – well – the word “had” to be dumbed down so that everyone could say they could read and understand it.
By that logic, should we translate the words of the Constitution into kiddie speak so that preschoolers won’t take offense at not being able to understand the document? Good grief.
Latin is one of the languages the Bible is translated into.
Latin is the language of the Church.
Are ALL Seminaries in California using the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition” (aka CCC, of 1997, dark green cover in USA)
as a REQUIRED student text?
Or are many Seminarians getting their Doctrine of the Faith from the opinions of others – rather than from the Magisterium ?
And the CCC ?
“ The Catechism of the Catholic Church, which I approved … and the publication of which I today order by virtue of my Apostolic Authority, is a statement of the Church’s faith and of catholic doctrine,
attested to or illumined by Sacred Scripture, the Apostolic Tradition and the Church’s Magisterium. ” – Pope John Paul II, CCC pg 5.
For quotes from Popes JP II, Benedict XVI, and Francis about the CCC go to:
“What Catholics REALLY Believe SOURCE”
https://whatcatholicsreallybelieve.com/
Will all California Seminaries teach both the OF (aka Ordinary Form, Novus Ordo)
and also the EF (aka Extraordinary Form, Traditional Latin Mass)
to serve ALL the people of God ?
(The FSSP will teach all Priests who are willing to learn. They could send a Priest to teach for a few weeks to each Seminary upon request.)
But what is your future role as a priest, under this dogma-changing pontiff? Are you against abortion, or should you be silent about abortion? Are you for traditional marriage, as Gaudium et Spes articulates, yes, of V2 (# 47 to 52), or are you for a change in permanency of marriage? Are you for heaven or hell, death and judgement, or are these outmoded medieval concepts?
What dogma has this Pope changed?
Never mind, I’ll answer my own question: He has changed ZERO dogmas.
This pontiff has not changed dogma.
ChristineW, I’m many years removed from St. Pat’s, but even then the CCC (first edition back then) was a standard text in the systematic and moral theology classes. I have to say that SPS seems to be progressed mightily in the realm of orthodoxy since my days. The new rector is the most orthodox rector in decades.
If Priests are trained with both the Bible AND the CCC, why are their homilies so lousy ?
They rarely (if ever) mention Mortal Sin, requirement for Repentance, requirements to receive Holy Communion,
Adultery, Fornication, Homosexual Acts, Contraception, or Pornography.
These are all in the Bible & in the CCC.
I think you meant “in the Bible OR the CCC”?
I have a son currently on Pastoral Year, and have completed Theolgy 1 and 2 at St. Patrick’s. He would say that the Seminary is now Orthodox or primarily. He has been influenced by very good priests and Bishops.
May God bless your son, Julie. I am thankful he has answered the Lord’s call to His Priesthood.
Thank you, Clinton R.! Keep praying for our Seminarians!
God bless your son and his vocation, Julie.
I just hope he doesn’t get discouraged by people who think they have ALL THE ANSWERS and therefore pester him about his orthodoxy.
When my son got ordained, people interrogated him about being a Charismatic (he wasn’t), a homosexual (he wasn’t), and so on.
I doubt, in the old days, people who have had the chutzpah to get in the face of newly ordained priests and put them through the inquisition like this. Luckily, he’s a strong young man with a good sense of humor, and lots of faith.
So…we get a nice, uplifting article about our future priests, and some folks use this as a chance to attack the seminary system without knowing anything about it.
Do they use the CCC?
Do they conduct their studies in Latin?
Gee, whiz!
The present doctrine-changing pontiff has effectively changed his role as Defender of the Bond of marriage to streamlined Catholic divorce; advancing his theory of abolition of the death-penalty, which contradicts both the CCC (“should be rare, if not nearly non-existent”) and traditional Catholic doctrine from Aquinas and Suarez on; and has tried to effect a moral doctrine to global-warming, er, now Simon Says climate-change. So what shall a future priest teach?
Well maybe he should be teaching that slavery is still ok, like the Church taught for centuries.
You are badly misinterpreting things. He has changed no doctrine. There is no such thing as Catholic divorce. The death penalty teaching is settled. (Not “should be rare”…The cases in which the death penalty is absolutely necessary (which is the only time it should be used) are rare or non-existent.) The moral doctrine is on care of the earth not the specific of climate change.
There was an AWESOME documentary last night on CNN after the Papal coverage had ended that highlighted a town with a vacations boom, focusing on a family with twins who became priests and their younger brother who is in seminary. It was so well done, truly inspirational. I think it should be shown in every Catholic parish and school in the US. Here is a 2 minute preview: https://www.cnn.com/videos/bestoftv/2014/11/13/this-is-life-lisa-ling-priest-collar-clip-2.cnn/video/playlists/this-is-life-with-lisa-ling/
The chapel was butchered, and because of this, most seminarians will consider the Mass a meal, and not a sacrifice. A few years ago I went to Saginaw, Michigan, and saw the building that was St. Paul’s Minor Seminary. It is now a Catholic High School. Bishop Kenneth E. Untener, was the rector, and he showed pornographic films to the seminarians there. I wonder how many young men lost their vocations as well as their souls because of this tragedy.
A priestly candidate under this doctrine-changing pope would face a Future Church of the unknown. Ex: PF’s new rules on annulments allow the marriage bond to be presumed invalid, “the Catholic version of no-fault divorce” (Dr. Kurt Martens, canon law, Cath U.) Ex.: PF imposes his opinion on the death penalty as doctrine, in conflict with established doctrine from Aquinas and Suarez through Pius XII: when punishment is not carried out, the evil are strengthened in their intentions (Eccl. 8:11). Ex.: With no validity at all, P Francis attempts to dogmatize “climate-change”. What “church” is this?
A very good article on P Francis’ decision to proceed to Catholic divorce:
https://www.catholicherald.co.uk/issues/september-18th-2015/were-heading-for-catholic-divorces/
I doubt many of the P Francis-Amen corner-types have read up on Mitis Judex.
And in the end, it all doesn’t matter, because there is no hell or judgment (2 of the “4 Last Things” of Catholic doctrine): as P Francis told the atheist journalist Scalfari, “we will all meet in heaven.”
Catholics are obliged to have filial love for and obedience to our Holy Father. …
Criticism of the Pope can become a mortal sin if one’s criticism is filled with a hatred and vitriol that shows a lack of respect or filial love for Our Sovereign Pontiff. One must also consider to whom you show that lack of respect. If by your words and actions you harm his reputation with others unjustly, you do him and them a grave wrong. You also may be committing the sin of sacrilege.
The Pope is Christ’s Vicar, and deserves all the respect of that office.
Father Z’s blog
“…If by your words and actions you harm his reputation with others unjustly…”
Unjustly is the key here, Anonymous. For it is the Holy Father’s public statements that are effecting his reputation. Nobody is making that which should be private public or making up material to disparage the Holy Father. Catholics on this forum are merely juxtaposing Catholic faith and morals against what is being promoted by Pope Francis.
And curiouser and curiouser it becomes.
What is really curious, (or should I say obvious) is the reality that the visiting anonymous trolls (who are always afraid to be identified), never once write those same passionate words when it comes to speaking up for obedience and respect for *all* Church teaching. Yes, usurpers want zero identity when it boils down to upholding certain teachings. Ann Malley, you have often spoken up about how you are praying for the Holy Father. The selective vitriol is only coming from those who do not want to obey any law that impedes their ability to sanctify certain sins. Their compromising duplicity is what harms the reputation of Christ’s True Church on earth.
The Holy Father needs the prayers and support of his children, Catherine, as you well know. For the temptation to give into the non-stop unruly demands of the selfsame children is what brings a good man down. Much like the father of any household who caves instead of doing his duty.
Would that all Catholics were faithful children of the Holy Father, helping him to do his job and not what will make things seemingly easier. The big ouch at the other end is rushing up like a freight train.
Ann Malley, we are not children of the Holy Father, we are children of God. Please learn the Faith.
….too cute as usual, Anonymous. Be careful that your sun-sized sucker doesn’t stick to the frilly bonnet.
“…too cute as usual, Anonymous. Be careful that your sun-sized sucker doesn’t stick to the frilly bonnet.” – Ann Malley, Sept 30, ’15 908am.
Too funny for words: I just read this post for the first time, and truly am “LOL”. I don’t know where you come up with some of these well-placed retorts, Ann M: and the Anonymous crowd are not pleased. For the rest of us, we must remain: LOL.*
* Laughing-Out-Loud, for the sake of clarity.
Pope Francis has never taught against faith or morals, Ann Malley. It is supremely sinful for you to write that he has.
Catherine, I obey, respect, promote, love, ALL Church teaching. I do not as you in your calumny say want to sanctify sins. That was evil of you to say that.
It is not trolling to advise a person that they are sinning or could be sinning. The post was not directed at either of you, but I have to assume in some way you felt that the shoe fit.
It is evil of you to translate my words that the Pope’s actions/inaction speak for themselves to mean that he has taught against faith/morals. Those are your words, Anonymous, ones that you will be held accountable for in addition to your willful negation to do your duty before God Almighty.
Perhaps if you looked at reality instead of what you think reality is you wouldn’t be so prone to label that which isn’t sinful as sin.
Ann Malley, thou doth protest too much, as usual. You seem so offended that Anon called you out on your attempts to slander the Pope. It is you who said, yesterday at 8:50 am “Unjustly is the key here, Anonymous. For it is the Holy Father’s public statements that are effecting his reputation. Nobody is making that which should be private public or making up material to disparage the Holy Father. Catholics on this forum are merely juxtaposing Catholic faith and morals against what is being promoted by Pope Francis.”
Ann Malley, you said ” Catholics on this forum are merely juxtaposing Catholic faith and morals against what is being promoted by Pope Francis.” The OBVIOUS conclusion one would take from that is that you think the Pope is saying something contrary to Catholic faith and morals.
Actually Ann Malley – people on this site make up things to castigate the Pope about. How many times, in these very comment boxes, do people make up the idea that Pope Francis calls for One World Government? There is nothing remotely like that present in his sayings and writings, yet people come on here like clockwork castigating the Pope unjustly for just that very thing.
Our Oxymoronically-Named Fellow One, while stalking Ann Malley as usual, reveals once again his ignorance about Pope Francis’ call for world government:
In #173-175 of Laudato Si, PF calls for “enforceable international agreements”, “global regulatory norms”, with the appointing of powerful “functionaries” to “manage world economies” and “empowered to impose sanctions” upon nations. He uses the word “transnational” to describe this autocratic, undemocratic body, which will have power over all of us, with however no say-so from any of us. These words are chilling to any sane person, not however to Our Fellow Uninformed Catholic-types.
I thoroughly refuted with facts the false notion that he is calling for One World Government in at least 2 posts yesterday even before you posted your personal diatribe against me.
The reference in 175 is a direct quote from Pope Emeritus Benedict which itself was a paraphrase of Pope St. John XXIII. 176-177 does not even refer to anything international at all but rather to matters internal to national governments.
The attempt to fluster readers with a pseudo-researched position, which is almost always taken out of context so as to change its meaning, is really deceitful. Someday readers who are care enough about our church will read the sources you cite in their entirety, along with other sources, and conclude that I am correct.
….I may have attributed it as ignorance at one time, Steve, but the consistency of YFC’s statements lead me to believe he is officially part of the spin committee. You know, confuse, distract, and calumniate until all the chicks can be herded out of the hen house.
Where Pope Benedict and John23rd spoke of international advisory organizations, there were careful qualifications as to their powers (especially in the case of Pope Benedict); however, as we see, no sane person would approve of this pope’s recommendation of a powerful international organization to ” impose sanctions” etc.
I find it high comedy that one who mercilessly stalks other traditional posters, especially Ann Malley, portrays himself as a ” victim of a diatribe”.. What drama!
Our Oxymoronically-named Fellow Catholic laments that the very words that populate Laudato Si are utilized to show how shockingly political and secular the present pontificate has shown itself: a clear hazard for future priestly candidates (Our Fellow One couldn’t even get the paragraphs cited correct however: namely #173-175, which starts with “Enforceable international agreements are urgently needed, since local authorities are not always capable of effective intervention.” )
So? The solution is obvious: bypass local authorities (nations) with a super-national power organization which can “impose sanctions” (penalties, fines, punishments). An Argentine has gotta love the Peronist feel of all this.
This (#173-175, Laudato Si) is where our political pope sets off to unilaterally “devise stronger and more efficiently organized international institutions” and,trying to make it bullet-proof, opportunistically uses BXVI & John XXIII calling for “a true world political authority.=” (Caritas in Veritate, 2009,# 67; Pacem in Terris 1963, #293.)—hardly conceiving of such an authority in terms of the unqualified absolute power that PF calls for, certainly way off from the way the other two popes carefully qualified the matter.
Our Progressive Fellow Self-Identified Catholic-types always get nervous when the actual words of PF are quoted and juxtaposed with critical interpretation: because then you can see where this is all going. Anyone can read the docs for themselves: I always provide citations. You do have to look up the right paragraphs, though.
So why are the Progressive Self-Identified Catholics quaking with fear, and simultaneously hurt that they are the “victims” of a “diatribe” [Don’t you just weep with pity for them? I certainly do.] ?
Because the PF Future Church is also a brazen call for world political authority, no matter how you try to dress this gorilla in silk. This future church is almost entirely politifcal and has…
“..There is an urgent need for a world political authority…” #175, Laudato Si.
P Francis and his obsequious accolytes needs to just own this statement, this is P Francis now speaking, this is P Francis now demanding, this is P Francis now a Vicar of the Future World Political Authority, telling us the way it will be.
But just don’t mix Jesus Christ up in this, because He has absolutely nothing to do with the Kingdom of this World: he already said so.(John 18:36)
High drama is right, YFC. Complete with face paint and wigs.
Thank you for posting rational thought and common sense backed up by facts, quotes, and that which is truly Catholic. Not a side show as others prefer. God bless!
Again, YFC, there is no need to make anything up. The Pope speaks for himself and quite often. Just because you refuse to listen to what he actually says is nobody’s fault but your own.
I have now shown – using the precise text of the encyclical – that Pope Francis encyclical makes none of the claims that you all say it makes. It would be kind of me to say that you and others have simply and innocently misunderstood his words, though I fear your motivation is far more sinister. People on this thread have literally put words into the mouth of Francis that simply don’t even appear in the encyclical, and whole paragraphs that supposedly talk about “One World Government” clearly talk about dealing with domestic issues within borders by national governments. THAT, my friend, is calumny.
Kindness from you, in the temporal sense, YFC, would be for you to admit your agenda, that of undermining the Faith. Your playing your part as you do, however, goes far in making saints of those who would resist you.
So THANK YOU, YFC. You never fail to deliver. Keep it up :)
”[Laudato Si 175-177] does not even refer to anything international at all but rather to matters internal to national governments,” says Our Fellow Uninformed One.
Let’s just read LS #173-175. “Enforceable international agreements are urgently needed, since local authorities are not always capable of effective intervention.” (173) “Global regulatory norms are needed to impose obligations and prevent unacceptable actions..” (173) “It is essential to devise stronger and more efficiently organized international institutions, with functionaries who are appointed fairly by agreement among national governments, and empowered to impose sanctions.”(175) (There is that word “international” again. And “impose sanctions?” That means…
And “impose sanctions?” That means punishments to be meted out.)
So the conclusion based on an analysis of the very words of Laudato Si? PF: “To guarantee the protection of the environment and to regulate migration: for all this, there is urgent need of a true world political authority.” (175) Sounds like a world governmental authority—that would be international by the way—is EXACTLY what PF is calling for. The words say so.
And by the way, the Future World and its World Authority that PF is in favor of will not have free-markets. Read # 32, 55-56, 82, 109, 123–each of which shows a recurring anti-capitalist mindset: opposition to the only economic system that has actually worked to lift the underclasses out of poverty.
Pope Francis in Laudato Si even praises the utterly discredited idea of land redistribution (#94, a proposal of the Paraguayan bishops):
Yet every land re-distribution system has caused famine, economic collapse, and death, from Lenin in 1921, Stalin 1924-1954, Mao in China 1949-1972, Pol Pot in Cambodia (1975), up through — oh yes, the Greatest Living Murderer, Fidel Castro, 1959-present, who got a big kiss and hug from PF last week or so.
So it is all a matter of reading carefully Laudato Si. Someday Our Fellow Fawning Catholic(s) may do so.
The truth cannot be the enemy of obedience to Catholic teaching, and obedience to Catholic teaching cannot be the enemy of the truth. So too the Pope must serve Catholic teaching which is why he is called The Vicar of Christ—although he refrained even from mentioning Jesus Christ when before Congress.
None of the facts advanced as usual were addressed: typical of the Amen Corner Catholic. I am beginning to think the key virtue of being a Catholic today is to be a coward.
“Catholics are obliged to have filial love. etc.” is a classic dodge of the unassailable facts mentioned above—a dodge instead, to make smarmy intimations against the observers and their “loyyy-alty”.
I serve Christ and his True Church that the present Vicar of Christ cannot bring himself to mention, esp. when he had the historic opportunity to do so before Congress. “Whomever is ashamed of Me and my words in this evil and adulterous age, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in glory before the Father. “. (Mk.8:38) You can trust that doing so will bring you a fair amount of trouble, but that is the cost of the cross.
Better yet, go serve your Vicar of Global Warming, because that seems to be this Pope’s principal gospel. Or, go serve your Vicar of Socialist Redistribution, because most of Laudato Si’s 240 paragraphs was all about that as well as the UN’S various agendas to do so (agendas of that godless organization mentioned for the 1st time in a papal encyclical). Or, yet again, go serve your Vicar of Easy and Alternative Marriage, because that too emerges clearly as his message.
But don’t mix up Jesus Christ in any of this, because He clearly has nothing to do with this, as all the popes and their teaching up until Bergoglio have constantly taught. You can also fashion a Golden Calf as a liturgical aid.
You should read the Gospels.
Pope Francis was asked about his decision to streamline the process for declaring the nullity of marriages.
He insisted the change was strictly juridical and not doctrinal. It is not “Catholic divorce,” he said. The annulment process needed reform because with automatic appeals “there were processes that lasted 10-15 years.”
The annulment process does not dissolve a marriage, but rather investigates whether or not a valid sacramental marriage was present from the beginning, he said.
The decision to issue the new rules for the process responds to a request made by the majority of bishops at the extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family last year, he said.
Catholic News Service
Your distinction between the Church’s “annulling” a marriage (that is, DOINGp something to a marriage to cancel it out) and a finding, after examination of objective factors, that a MARRIAGE was never validly entered into, is essential for a correct understanding of what the Church is doing.
I cannot be commanded to love anyone.
I have been.
Romano Amerio, expert and eye-witness at V2, eerily accurate in his forecasts, predicted such a future church for a future priesthood (Iota Unum, p. 757): “The process of the dissolving of the Catholic religion into the substance of this world would continue, and that the human race will move towards a complete levelling down of all political structures, religious beliefs, economic systems,.. This would happen under the sway of a technology directed towards the advancement of mankind as an end in itself,..the establishment of a kingdom of man..”
Amerio: “The second conjecture about the future of the church is the one that Montini began as a bishop and completed as pope: The Church will continue to open itself to the world and to conform itself to that world; that is, it will continue to undo its own nature: its supernatural life will survive, restricted to a faithful remnant..” (p. 759)
We know what the future of a Protestant-Catholic church will be: look at the dying liberal Protestant churches. So, a priest of the future must choose to be part of that atrophying order, or part of a faithful remnant.
“..There is an urgent need for a world political authority…” #175, Laudato Si.
P Francis and his obsequious accolytes needs to just own this statement, this is P Francis now speaking, this is P Francis now demanding, this is P Francis now a Vicar of the Future World Political Authority, telling us the way it will be.
But just don’t mix Jesus Christ up in this, because He has absolutely nothing to do with the Kingdom of this World: He already said so.(John 18:36)
It is Pope Benecdict XVI speaking. And it was controversial when he said it.
It is from his 2009 Encyclical Caritas in Veritate paragraph 67
“To manage the global economy; to revive economies hit by the crisis; to avoid any deterioration of the present crisis and the greater imbalances that would result; to bring about integral and timely disarmament, food security and peace; to guarantee the protection of the environment and to regulate migration: for all this, there is urgent need of a true world political authority, as my predecessor Blessed John XXIII indicated some years ago”
There is much more in the paragraph.
Then, regardless, there is a call for a world governmental authority. I am glad that we agree on this matter and Pope Francis is a leader In calling got it. this is an entirely political and economic subject matter and has nothing to do with faith and morals. Ithas to do with world global rule