Archbishop's Column
The Catholic Transcript - October Issue, 2003

Sometimes in life when one assumes the responsibility of trying to serve someone else, the exercise of that commitment turns out to be likewise a favor to oneself. That is the experience I have had just recently. At the invitation of the Rector, Father Kevin Rhoades, I willingly agreed to give a Weekend of Reflection to the seminarians at Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Father John Dietrich, a priest of our Archdiocese, is the Spiritual Director of the seminary and was instrumental in my receiving the invitation. I knew in advance that this was a weighty commitment but I had no idea that the number of conferences and homilies would actually be a source of encouragement for me personally.

The experience of standing before almost one hundred and fifty men who are preparing themselves by their studies and formation for ordination to the priesthood brought me back to the time over fifty years ago when I myself was preparing for the priesthood. It was a different time. The Second World War had ended and society was trying to rebuild itself. This was particularly true in the spiritual realm. There was a renaissance of interest in things spiritual. The Church, which had already seen a revived interest in prayer and devotion during the war, now was faced with a need to provide for new parishes and schools as the returning veterans married and began families. The suburbs began to grow. There was energy and enthusiasm as the economy prospered.

One aspect of this vitality was the increased interest on the part of young men in entering the seminaries to prepare for priesthood. I found myself as one of those young men.

Now over fifty years later, I was addressing future priests, present day seminarians undertaking academic and spiritual preparation as I had so many years ago. What a privilege this was. The enthusiasm and energetic look on the faces of those men contributed to my own enthusiasm and excitement in speaking to them. The commitment of undertaking a Weekend of Reflection was not a chore but an uplifting occasion rich with rewarding reactions from the seminarians.

Mount St. Mary's Seminary is a very old institution that was founded in 1808 as a College. It served those who needed college preparation prior to beginning theological studies. Over these many years numerous seminarians have studied there because early on Mount St. Mary's Seminary in addition to being just a college began to provide theological formation. It is an historic institution and one of which the Church in the United States can be proud. The Archdiocese of Hartford has at the moment five seminarians at Mount St. Mary's. They were among the young men to whom I addressed my words during the Weekend of Reflection.

In speaking with the seminarians, I had occasion to bring to their attention the latest Encyclical of our Holy Father entitled "Ecclesia de Eucharistia" - the Church of the Eucharist. Against that background we meditated on Jesus Christ as both Priest and Victim in His sacrifice on Calvary. This theological truth provides ample material for reflection not only on the Lord Jesus but also on the role which priests assume when they offer Mass in persona Christi, in the person of Christ. It was Jesus Christ alone who as Priest offered Himself as Victim in that unique sacrifice at Calvary. Each time a priest offers Mass he makes the sacrifice of Calvary real on the altar again as he acts in the person of Christ.

Such a meditation is very meaningful not only for all Christians but especially for Catholic seminarians who feel called to the priesthood and are preparing to exercise the role of priest as they offer Mass. It is also important that they reflect on the necessity of being victim likewise in their lives.

The seminarians are eagerly looking forward to their ordination to priesthood. It was profitable for them to meditate on what their participation in the priesthood of Christ means for them. They are to imitate the Lord so closely that they take on the mind of Christ Himself and to live in such a way that their very lives reflect not only Christ the Priest but also Christ the Victim.

I considered it a privilege to conduct this Weekend of Reflection for the seminarians at Mount St. Mary's Seminary. I hope it was profitable for them. I know it was for me. I am particularly grateful to Father Rhoades for his hospitality. It was a delight to be with him and the faculty as well as the seminarians at Mount St. Mary's.

During my return trip to Hartford, I visited St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania. It is the seminary for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. We have three seminarians from Hartford who have entered the college division at St. Charles. It was a privilege to visit our seminarians but it was also a very pleasant honor to be received so cordially by the Rector, Bishop Michael Burbidge and the priest faculty members. I offered the Community Mass on the Feast of the Birth of Mary and once again I had the pleasure of addressing the faculty and students during the homily on that occasion.

All in all the visits to these two seminaries gave me much hope and satisfaction with the knowledge that so much good work is being done for the training of seminarians for future work as priests in the pastoral care of souls.