Tag: seminarians

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Margie Schels, For the Catholic Herald

Seminarians visit students in Jefferson

JEFFERSON — Seminarians Vincent Racanelli and Phil Klaas visited the eighth graders at St. John the Baptist School in Jefferson on October 16.

The students have “adopted” Racanelli as their prayer partner and “parish son” who has embarked on the road to the priesthood.

The students in Margie Schels’ seventh and eighth grade classes have been praying for all seminarians, especially for Racanelli, since last year. He has visited the students several times to share about his vocational journey and his life as a student at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit.

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Bill Van Wagner, For the Catholic Herald

Pope visits Pontifical North American College

ROME, Italy — Seminarians studying in the city of Rome have the special grace of being in close proximity to the Holy Father.

This closeness is manifested not only in the spiritual sense of being under the guidance and care of the shepherd of the whole universal Church, but in a particular way by being present with His Holiness during Wednesday audiences, Sunday Angelus addresses, and various liturgical celebrations throughout the year.

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Brent King, For the Catholic Herald

Priests for Our Future capital campaign seeks $30 million to endow education and formation of future priests

There are now 33 seminarians in the Diocese of Madison, up from six in 2003. Six were missing for this photo, taken at the seminarian gathering in Madison in August. Also pictured are Bishop Robert C. Morlino and Fr. Greg Ihm, director of vocations. A capital campaign seeks to raise $30 million for the education and formation of priests. (Catholic Herald photo/Pam Payne)

MADISON — Both by lay people and priests alike, it’s been talked about, studied, and identified as the top concern facing the Diocese of Madison for several years now: the vocations crisis.

With a continuous line of faithful senior priests reaching retirement and a decidedly thinner lineup of priests ordained in the 1980s and ’90s, it would be hard to deny a crisis brewing.

Number one priority

In fact, so serious was the concern in the mind of Bishop Robert C. Morlino, and so clear was the message that he received from around the diocese, that he made the fostering of vocations to the priesthood his number one priority upon arriving in Madison in August of 2003.

The bishop, priests, and faithful of the diocese together initiated a program of fostering a “culture of vocations,” of inviting young men to consider the call God might be making to them, and to prayer — especially in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament — asking that more and more might answer the call of Jesus Christ.

Increasing numbers

And increasingly, men have been answering this need and God’s call with a profound “yes.” From six seminarians in 2003, the diocese has seen a near six-fold increase.

This year, the diocese is blessed to have 33 men studying for the priesthood, and the good news is that hopes remain high that (with continued prayers) growth in seminarian numbers will continue.

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Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Ten years of praying bears many fruits

MADISON — It was 10 years ago that three diocesan seminarians began a Holy Hour for Vocations in the chapel of the Bishop O’Connor Catholic Pastoral Center in the summer of 2004.

Knowing that the seminarians would be returning to their studies in fall, members of the Serra Club of Madison — along with then Fr. Jim Bartylla, the club’s chaplain and director of vocations for the Diocese of Madison — decided to institute daily Eucharistic Adoration for Vocations weekdays in the chapel from 9 to 11:45 a.m.

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Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Seminary basketball team with Madison players wins tournaments

Players on the Sacred Heart Major Seminary basketball team in Detroit, Mich., include Clint Olson (#16) and four other seminarians from the Diocese of Madison. (Contributed photo)

DETROIT, Mich. — While Wisconsin fans look forward to the Badger basketball team competing in the Final Four in the NCAA’s March Madness, a basketball team from Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit with five players from the Diocese of Madison has already won two tournament championships.

Playing on the Sacred Heart team from the Diocese of Madison are: Stephen Brunner, first year pre-theology; Jared Holzhuter, first year theology; Deacon Scott Jablonski, fourth year theology; and Drew Olson and Clint Olson, both in second year pre-theology.

The Sacred Heart basketball team competed from October through February. They played against a variety of teams, including Catholic high schools, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Sacred Heart security guards.

In competition against other seminary teams, they won a tournament held at Mundelein Seminary in Mundelein, Ill., in January and won another tournament held at the

Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio, in February.

At the tournament in Mundelein, Jared Holzhuter made the game-winning free throw in the championship game.

Clint Olson was named the Most Valuable Player in the Josephinum tournament.

Deacon Scott Jablonski also won a three-point shooting contest.

Besides the basketball players, Madison seminarian Andy Teeter, who is in his first year of theology studies, plays in the pep band at Sacred Hearts.

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