Download - PNAC Magazine: Winter 2004
The Pontifical
North American CollegeM A G A Z I N E
Inside- Diaconate Ordination 2004
- “New Men” Arrive at the College
- A Day at the Greg, Then and Now
Winter 2004-05
EVER ANCIENT, EVER NEW
Australia Comes to the NAC 4New Students come from “Down Under.”
by Joseph Redfern ‘06
Welcome New Faculty 5Rev. Richard Tomasek, SJ, & Rev. Msgr. David Bohr
by Aaron Killips ‘07
A Spiritual Reflection on Priesthood 11by Rev.Carter Griffin ‘04
Summer Travels 12by Andrew Roza ‘07’
Rev. Paul Murray, OP 17A spiritual education with an “Ange” Professor
by Joshua Guillory ‘07
Pastoral Formation Workshop 25Seminarians learn to become “Ministers of Empathy”
by Harold Reeves ‘08
A Pilgrimage to Rome in Honor of Our Lady 30by Rev. Peter Mitchell
MAGAZINE STAFFEditor
Michael McClane
Diocese of Trenton
Class of 2006
Assistant Editor
Andrew Roza
Archdiocese of Omaha
Class of 2007
Layout and Design
John McDonald
Diocese of Birmingham
Class of 2007
Photographer
Seamus Griesbach
Diocese of Portland
Class of 2007
D E P A R T M E N T S
I N B R I E F
For more information about the
North American College, or to
learn about opportunities
for memorial gifts, contact Tricia
Lloyd at our Washington, DC
Office of Development:
Tel: (202) 541-5411
Fax: (202) 722-8804
Email: [email protected]
or
visit our website at www.pnac.org
The Rector’s Corner 3by Rev. Msgr. Kevin McCoy ‘81, C’86
College Traditions 24House Cassocks
by Rev. Mr. Brian Dellaert ’05
Vocation Stories 26“Come and See”
by Joshua Waltz ‘07
The Development Office 31by Tricia Lloyd
The Economo’s Corner 32by Rev. Msgr. James Checchio ‘92, C’97
On the cover:
First Class at the College,
1859 (top);
Diaconate Class of 2005 (bottom)
New Men, Old CallNew Student Orientation
by Kim Shreck ’07
F E A T U R E S
28
22Antonio’s Barber Shop
A Cut Aboveby Rev. Mr. Steve Doktorczyk ’05
18
Ever Ancient, Ever NewA Day at the Greg,Then and Now
by Christopher Roberts ’07
6
14
Stirring Up the Spirit Students Cook Up
Recipes from Homeby Jay Mello ’07
Diaconate Ordination 2004Sent Out to Live the Mission
by Rev. Mr. Adam Park ’05
ChairmanMost Rev. Edwin F. O’Brien C’76Archbishop of the Military Services, USA
Vice ChairmanMost Rev. Richard E. Pates ’69
Auxiliary Bishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis
SecretaryMost Rev. Patrick J. Zurek ’75
Auxiliary Bishop of San Antonio
TreasurerMost Rev. John J. Myers ’67
Archbishop of Newark
Most Rev. Leonard P. Blair ’75, C’78Bishop of Toledo
Most Rev. Thomas G. Doran ’62, C’78Bishop of Rockford
His Eminence Edward Cardinal Egan ’58, C’63Archbishop of New York
Most Rev. Victor B. Galeone ’61Bishop of St. Augustine
Most Rev. John R. Gaydos ’69Bishop of Jefferson City
Most Rev. Joseph E. KurtzBishop of Knoxville
Most Rev. William J. Levada ’62, ’69Archbishop of San Francisco
Most Rev. Henry J. Mansell ’63Archbishop of Hartford
Most Rev. Anthony M. Milone ’58Bishop of Great Falls-Billings
Most Rev. Michael J. Sheridan C’77Bishop of Colorado Springs
Administration
RectorRev. Msgr. Kevin C. McCoy ’81, C’86
Vice Rector for AdministrationRev. Msgr. James Checchio ’92, C’97
Vice Rector for Student LifeRev. Peter McGuine ’90
Superior, Casa Santa MariaRev. Msgr. Steven Raica ’95
Director of DevelopmentMrs. Tricia Lloyd
Board of GovernorsIn Memoriam
James Cardinal Hickey
1920-2004
The North American College community remembers in
prayer our beloved former Rector, James Cardinal
Hickey, who died on October 24, 2004. Cardinal Hickey
was rector of our College from 1969 to 1974 and later
was Archbishop of Washington from 1980 to 2000. Our
next issue of this magazine will be dedicated in his honor.
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his issue of the North American College magazine
will have you looking backward and forward as
the men take a glimpse at the experience of their
predecessors compared to their lives today. I’m certain you
will enjoy the view through their “looking glass.”
For me personally, however, the looking backward and
forward has collapsed from fifty years ago to a short five or
six-year time span. What I mean is this – just this past June,
two alumni (both ordained priests in 2002) brought to
Rome a pilgrimage group of some forty high school
seniors, newly graduated. These young men and women
came to Italy not only to experience Italian culture, but also
to experience their Catholic faith.
The College’s two recent graduates were men who
arrived at the seminary in 1998, which is the same year
I joined the College’s faculty. Now these two priests
were leading a group of faith-filled young Catholics who
enthusiastically participated in daily Mass. What is more,
they celebrated the Sacrament of Reconciliation one
afternoon at the seminary. Wholesome, reverent young
men and women striving to live lives of holiness. And, dare
I say, they are striving for holiness because they have been
well-formed by the example of many teachers and family
members, but what pleases me is that I know their lives
have been touched by the positive influence of priests
whose formation occurred in part within the walls of this
Pontifical North American College.
I am hopeful that two or three of those young pilgrims
may respond to Our Lord’s invitation to the priesthood or
the religious life. And looking backward and forward, this
is one thing that no one of us can ignore – namely, that we
must always beg the harvest master to send workers to the
harvest. Please join me and all at the College in praying for
vocations. Encourage young people to consider this most
worthy call.
God bless you for supporting our ongoing efforts of
priestly formation. And, once you have had an oppor-
tunity to read this issue of the North American College
magazine, pass it along to a friend of yours who may not
even know who we are and what we do!
A blessed Christmas to you and yours . . .
“...the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (Jn 10:11)
T H E R E C T O R ’ S C O R N E R
Rev. Msgr. Kevin C. McCoy ’81, C’86
Diocese of Sioux City
Rector
“...looking backward and forward, this is one
thing that no one of us can ignore – namely,
that we must always beg the harvest master to
send workers to the harvest.”
T
his year marks the beginning of a new era at the
Pontifical North American College. While it is
not uncommon to hear seminarians at the
College speaking a bit of Italian, Spanish or even
Latin, now it is more than likely that on your next visit
you will hear such expressions as “G’day mate,” “How’r
ya goin?” or “fair-dinkum.” For the first time in the
College’s history, there are students studying here for
Australian dioceses. Our new Australian seminarians
this year are Andrew Keswick (Archdiocese of
Melbourne), Nicolas Maurice (Diocese of Lismore) and
James McCarthy (Archdiocese of Sydney).
How did this happy occurrence come about? In view
of the fact that Australia has no college in Rome, George
Cardinal Pell, the Archbishop of Sydney, approached
Msgr. Kevin McCoy about the possibility of sending
seminarians to the North
American College. Msgr.
McCoy presented this
proposal to the Board
of Governors, and they
welcomed the idea.
When I asked Andrew,
Nicholas and James about
their initial reaction to the
possibility of completing
their seminary formation at the College, they were very
optimistic. “The NAC has a great deal to offer,” they
said. They are very impressed with the students’ and for-
mation team’s fraternal spirit and deep love and com-
mitment toward the Church. The challenges the Church
faces in the United States are similar to those faced in
Australia, they said. While they could learn a great deal
from the challenges that the Church in America faces,
they added that perhaps the
new Australian element will
“offer a glimpse at the life of
the Church in another part of
the world.” This new devel-
opment would be enriching
for the Church. Moreover,
they were hopeful that good
friendships formed here at the
College would continue well
into future ministry.
When asked if they had any major challenges in set-
tling into the College, they said that while they some-
times had to translate colloquial expressions into other
forms so as to be understood by their American com-
panions, for the most part there were none. They said
that formation they had received in Australia prior to
their arrival resonated well with what they had experi-
enced so far at the College. Moreover, they were quick
to identify the common ties between the American spir-
it and that of their homeland. They look forward to the
years ahead as they journey together with their
American brothers.
As the students at the North American College con-
tinue to reflect on the many gifts they have been given
and the great tradition they have inherited, they do so
with great hope, now alongside the newest members of
our community from Australia, who bring with them
many gifts of their own.
Joseph Redfern
Diocese of La Crosse
Class of 2006
4 Pontifical North American College M A G A Z I N E
Stones known as the “TwelveApostles” off the coast ofAustralia.
The Sydney Opera House,an internationally recognizedlandmark.
Left to right: Andrew Keswick (Archdiocese of
Melbourne, ’07), James McCarthy (Archdiocese of Sydney,
’08), and Nicholas Maurice (Diocese of Lismore, ’08).
T
WELCOME MATES! Three Australian students come to the NAC
his year the North American College welcomes two new faculty members along with all of the New Men.
Rev. Msgr. David Bohr and Rev. Richard Tomasek, S.J., come to us with differing backgrounds and a
wealth of experience.
For Msgr. Bohr, coming here is a bit of a homecoming.
He is no stranger to Rome or the North American College; a graduate of
the College as a member of the Class of 1972, Msgr. Bohr returned to
graduate from the Casa Santa Maria in1977, receiving his S.T.D. in
moral theology from the Accademia Alfonsiana. Msgr. Bohr was also here
in Rome for his philosophy studies, which he completed at the Roman
College. He is a priest from the Diocese of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and
has been helping in the formation of priests for 16 years – the last 14 as
rector of St. Pius X Seminary in Dalton, Pennsylvania. He comes back to
the North American College as the new Academic Dean. Msgr. Bohr has
been involved in priestly formation continuously since 1978, when he
was named Director of Continuing Education for Priests in the Scranton
diocese. He did that until he joined the faculty of St. Pius X Seminary.
He stated upon his arrival at the North American College, “My appoint-
ment to the faculty here allows me to continue a ministry I have grown
to love, in a place I also love. I really enjoy being with seminarians. Their
energy and commitment constantly renew my own priestly ministry.”
Fr. Tomasek comes to the College as the new Director of Spiritual
Formation. He is a priest from the Wisconsin Province of The Society of
Jesus, although Msgr. McCoy is quick to point out that Fr. Tomasek,
like himself, was born in Iowa. Fr. Tomasek has previously served in a
parish, worked as a teacher and retreat master, and for the last eight
years has served as the Director of Spiritual Formation at the Pontifical
College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio. Fr. Tomasek said upon
beginning his time here, “I am impressed by how well things are done
here at the NAC. All is done with professionalism, prayer and genuine
human care. The faculty, staff and student body have made it a joy to
become part of this community and ministry.”
We look forward to having Msgr. Bohr and Fr. Tomasek serve
integral roles in the formation of future priests of Jesus Christ. May the
Lord abundantly bless both of them and their ministry here in Rome.
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Benvenuti Tutti!The College Welcomes New Faculty Members
T
Rev. Richard Tomasek, S.J.
Rev. Msgr. David Bohr
Aaron Killips
Diocese of Savannah
Class of 2007
have often associated my time in seminary formation
with the temptation of Jesus in the desert. This might
seem like a strange analogy, but as one reads how “Jesus
was led by the Spirit into the desert” (Lk 4,1), it becomes
apparent that we seminarians can relate to his desire to be in
solitude with God the Father before venturing forth on his
mission. The same Spirit
drove us into our own
“desert,” in which we desired
to seek the face of God and
explored the depths of this
vocation to priesthood.
While in the desert Jesus
experienced temptations. We
similarly had plenty of
moments of temptation
during our time in the desert.
Whether these were the
thoughts of inadequacy,
doubt, or even fear, every
6
DiaconateOrdination 2004
Sent Out to Live the Mission
I
Above: New deacons bring up the gifts for the EucharisticSacrifice.
Above right: The assembly gathers In St. Peter’s Basilicabefore the ordination.
Right: Bishop Sartain of Little Rock ordains Adam Park(Washington, ’05).
seminarian was tempted at some point to leave the desert
prematurely. However, as Jesus rebuked the devil by the
truth and goodness of God, we too found courage and
perseverance from the grace of God’s call.
Jesus was also in the desert for forty days. For a
length of time lasting anywhere from four to seven years,
each of us spent our own “forty days” in the desert. The
difference in years does not suggest that one was more
qualified or refined than the other, but it was rather the
precise amount of time that God desired for each one of
us to be in the seminary, in order for us to be ready for
the mission.
When his time in the desert was over, Jesus returned
to Galilee to preach the Gospel. Jesus was not sent into
the world to remain in the desert, but ultimately to
proclaim the love and mercy of God. We too were not
called to remain in seminary formation indefinitely. We
now find ourselves moving out of the desert to venture
forth into the world to live out God’s mission.
On the seventh of October, twelve men were
ordained to the Order of the Diaconate. Having received
this tremendous sacrament, we have been radically
transformed to be Christ to this world. We are now
responsible to manifest all that we learned in the desert,
in an integrated way, through lives that mirror Christ the
Servant, who came not to be served but to serve.
One can even say that our very lives are nurtured and
motivated by this service.
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Clockwise from top: Bishop Sartain offers the consecratory prayer over the dea-cons; The deacon candidates listen attentively to the bishop as he questions the electabout their responsibilities and obligations as deacons; Brian Dellaert (Dubuque,’05) makes his promise of obedience with his hands inside those of the bishop; Msgr.McCoy gives testimony that these men have been found worthy of Holy Orders.
8
As we move out of the desert into a life of complete service, we need
to make adjustments. As newly ordained deacons, we are beginning to see
what it means to live totally in service to God and His people, to preach
the Word of God effectively and sincerely, both in our words and by the
conduct of our lives, and to serve at the altar with utter reverence before
the Holy Sacrifice. Despite the slight trepidation in this new lifestyle, we
are all zealously eager to go forth in this mission to proclaim the love and
mercy of God.
There is great excitement and eagerness to return to the world and
serve God and His people, but at the same time, we are fully aware that
there will be difficulties and temptations along the way. It will be in those
moments that we will find strength by remembering our experience in the
desert, when we recall God’s love and His continual grace that sustained
us. My brother deacons and I will always be grateful for the abundant gifts
that God has given us during our time in seminary, and we excitedly await
the many blessings He will bring along our way as we begin our mission.
Rev. Mr. Adam Park
Archdiocese of Washington
Class of 2005
The Class of 2005 together with His HolinessJohn Paul II the day before their diaconate ordination.
Msgr. McCoy and the newly ordained deaconsdistribute Holy Communion.
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Rev. Mr. Daniel Hanley (Arlington, ’05) surrounded by family after theOrdination.
Pontifical North American College M A G A Z I N E
Rev. Mr. Jason Tyler (Little Rock ’05) distributesthe Precious Blood during Holy Communion.
Rev. Mr. Steven Doktorzyk (Orange in California,’05) distributes the Precious Blood.
Rev. Mr. Joseph Freeman, (San Diego,’05) distributes the Precious Blood.
10 Pontifical North American College M A G A Z I N E
Karl Bissinger Diocese of Fall River
David Carter Diocese of Knoxville
Brian Dellaert Diocese of Dubuque
Stephen Doktorczyk Diocese of Orange in California
Justin Fish Diocese of Duluth
Joseph Freeman Diocese of San Diego
Randy Fronek Diocese of Rockford
John Gallas Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis
Gerald Goodrum Diocese of Galveston-Houston
Daniel Hanley Diocese of Arlington
Eric Hastings Diocese of Duluth
Donald Libby Diocese of Gaylord
Anthony Lonzo Diocese of Columbus
Jason Makos Archdiocese of Boston
Adam Park Archdiocese of Washington
Robert Poitras Archdiocese of Boston
Mark Reburiano Archdiocese of San Francisco
Mark Steffl Diocese of New Ulm
Craig Timmerman Diocese of New Ulm
Jason Tyler Diocese of Little Rock
William Vit Diocese of Sioux City
Michael Vuky Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
Left: Bishop Sartainordains Steven Doktorzyk.
Right and below: Fr.Pierre Paul, OMV, Directorof Liturgical Music, leadsthe College Choir, providingmagnificent music for theordination.
Below right: The newdeacons process out of theBasilica.
Congratulations to the Class of 2005
s I left for my ordination in Washington, DC, one of
the spiritual directors at the North American College
reminded me that I was not preparing for a day, but for
a lifetime as a priest. It was good advice. Certainly, there is tremen-
dous personal satisfaction in achieving the aim of six years of study
and prayer. In that sense, ordination to the priesthood is the end
and culmination of a journey. In a deeper sense, however, it is a
new beginning. On May 29, with seven other men from my
Archdiocese, I finally began my new life as a priest.
In the weeks and months leading up to ordination, it was
difficult to remain focused. There were many details involved in
preparing, organizing, and anticipating the arrival of family and
friends. When the day of ordination finally arrived, though, I felt
ready and at peace. The ceremony in the Shrine of the Immaculate
Conception in Washington, DC, was splendid; the Mass of
Thanksgiving the following day – though I was nervous – was
profoundly humbling and moving; and the receptions and lun-
cheons with family and friends were most enjoyable. It truly was a
weekend of graces and blessings.
The greatest blessing of all, however, was the reality of what
had just happened to me. Celebrating Mass on Pentecost Sunday,
hearing confessions for the first time, and beginning to assume my
new role as a spiritual father and guide, were unforgettable
moments in my life. When I
stop and reflect on what I am
doing, I am overwhelmed by a
sense of gratitude and unwor-
thiness, and I remind myself
that it is the Lord’s work and
the Lord’s will for my life, that
He alone will be my strength
and my support in the priest-
hood.
As the ordination weekend
drew to a close, I was eager to
begin my new duties as
associate pastor at St.
Anthony’s church in
Northeast Washington. After
a brief time of rest, I arrived
and began my routine of
celebrating daily Mass,
visiting the sick, teaching
children, and hearing
confessions at the nearby Basilica. There is a great desire today
for good and faithful preaching, reverent Masses, and gentle
confessors. With an earnest desire to sustain my interior life of
prayer, I beg God that I may be a good priest.
Too often, I think, there is a tendency to focus on the
challenges that priests face today; and to be sure, there are plenty.
But if my first months are any indication at all, there is also
tremendous joy in the priesthood, and great hope for the future.
My friend’s advice was right: I was preparing not for a day, but for
a lifetime. Now more than ever, and despite all those challenges, it
is a life that I would not trade for the world.
Rev. Carter Griffin
Archdiocese of Washington
Class of 2004
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REFLECTIONS OF A NEW PRIEST
Fr. Griffin celebrates his first Mass.
Fr. Griffin imparts hispriestly blessing.
Fr. Griffin preaches at his first Mass.
A
12 Pontifical North American College M A G A Z I N E
ome experiences are truly beyond words; my
summer was undoubtedly one of them.
My summer included a two-week pilgrimage
to the Holy Land and Ignatius’ 30 day Spiritual
Exercises. I was fortunate enough to make these
Exercises at a place called St. Beuno’s, a beautiful house
overlooking the valley of Clwyd in northern Wales.
It is safe to say that visiting the very places where
Jesus himself trod was an unforgettable experience.
Whether walking through the cramped and hectic streets
of the Old City of Jerusalem, or sitting peacefully on the
shores of the rather small lake known as the Sea of
Galilee, one is intensely aware that God Himself chose to
inhabit this place.
It is unfortunate that there have been so many
difficulties in the Holy Land. Nevertheless nearly all of
the holy sites remain open, safe, well maintained, and,
somewhat eerily, empty. We found ourselves practically
alone at some of the most sacred places in the world,
such as the Garden of Gethsemane, and Capernaum,
where Peter and Andrew made their living as fishermen.
While it was sad that more pilgrims were not visiting
these places, the quiet which was present at many of
these sites provided us with a special opportunity to
immerse ourselves in the mystery of God making
Himself present to us in a particular time and place.
While certainly all these experiences were special in
and of themselves, they became doubly important for me
as I embarked upon the Spiritual Exercises the next
month. St. Ignatius himself spent a great deal of time in
the Holy Land; this is evident in the way he composes
his Spiritual Exercises. Ignatius asks the retreatant to
“compose the place,” to imagine it and to place oneself
in it, using all the senses in the process. Having seen so
many of the locations cited in Scripture, placing myself
inside of the Gospel accounts felt almost natural.
The demands that Ignatius places upon one who
makes the Spiritual Exercises are many. The retreatant is
S
W ith My Lord Where He W alked
“It forced me to face
up to what I really
am, a person whose
every action, good or
bad, is in relation to
Christ.”
Andy Roza stands under
an olive tree in the Garden
of Gethsemane.
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A traditional view of the holy city ofJerusalem as seen from outside thewalls.
expected to pray five hours a day, remaining in silence throughout, with the
exception of some time spent speaking with a director. The silence, while
at times difficult, was also very instructive. It forced me to face up to what
I really am, a person whose every action, good or bad, is in relation to
Christ. There is, after all, only one thing in our lives that is guaranteed
neither to end nor to be interrupted, and that is our relationship with our
Creator. In those 30 days, stripped from televisions, computers, and all else
that normally serves to entertain me, I was better able to see what
God wants for my life: the joy and peace that can come only through self-
offering to Him, and self-sacrifice for others.
The experiences of this summer will have an impact upon the rest of
my life, and on the lives of all those I will serve in the future. There is only
one adequate response to such lavish generosity, and that is gratitude.
I look forward to living the Gospel in a renewed way, both in my time of
formation here at the College, and in the future when I am back home in
the United States.
Andrew Roza
Class of 2007
Archdiocese of Omaha
Sunset overlooking the Clwyd Valley and St. Beuno’s Ignatian Spirituality Center.
ince the founding of the Gregorian, the currents of
Catholic theology have remained the same, and thuse
the university today closely resembles its 16th century
ancestor.
The above was the observation of a North
American College student a little under fifty years ago
when writing for the predecessor to this magazine,
Roman Echoes. In those halcyon days of the fifties
when tradition was not often challenged, it was
natural to have great respect for the centuries-old
pedagogy of the Gregorian University.
The language of instruction, as it had always been,
was Latin – the mother tongue of the Church in the
West. This was the language of the sacred liturgy and
the great masters Augustine and Thomas Aquinas.
Examinations were oral and likewise in Latin. Just as
the Church had come of age speaking Latin, so the
seminarian was expected to mature in theological study
using the Latin language. Today’s student attends his
lectures in Italian, and is able to take oral exams in any
14 Pontifical North American College M A G A Z I N E
Top Left: The “Aula Magna” at the Gregorian, ca. 1959.Above Left: Fr.Timothy Zapelena, S.J., teaches at the Gregorian in1959.Above Right: Fr. Scott Brodeur, S.J., uses “power point technology” inthe ancient aula of the Gregorian University.
S
A DAY AT THE GREGORIAN,
THEN AND NOW
Thinking Back, Looking Forward:
Theologians in Training
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Right: Students at the Gregorian from all over the world await thestart of class.
Above: Students scratch out notes in Latin during a lecture ca.1910.Above Right: Today, students use efficient laptops in the samelecture hall, which is now equipped with wireless Internet.
of the six official languages of the Gregorian – English,
Spanish, Italian, German, French, or Portuguese.
Each morning, the Roman seminarians of decades past
descended on the Gregorian from their respective colleges.
Due to the distance from the Janiculum Hill to the
Gregorian, men of the North American College came
together by a special bus. Upon arrival, the American
seminarians joined others from all over the Catholic world.
Despite their diverse countries of origin, there was a strik-
ing uniformity of appearance among the seminarians.
Each wore a cassock and black shoes. Every one of them
seemed to go to the same barber. One by one they marched
to their assigned sections in the aula for class and sat down
at attention with notepad and pen in hand.
Today, men of the College who study at the “Greg” are
on their own getting to and from class. Some elect to walk,
others take a municipal bus, and the more adventurous buy
A class at the Gregorian ca. 1890.
16 Pontifical North American College M A G A Z I N E
Above: Between classes, students discuss some of the finer points of thelecture.
a motorino and try to navigate the Roman traffic. A
clerical shirt and black pants have replaced the cas-
sock as class attire. While there are seminarians who
still use a notepad and pen to take notes, more and
more use laptop computers and Palm Pilots.
Students with laptops can even check their email
during breaks between lectures!
Then, just as today, academic work did not end
after pranzo. Today the men may have a theology
seminar or will spend time in private study. Fifty
years ago, in the afternoons, a member of the facul-
ty who attended the lectures would summarize the
lectures in English so that the men could be sure
that they understood each professor’s particular way
of speaking and pronouncing Latin. Students spent
private study time either reading Latin sources or
textbooks, reviewing their class notes, or practicing
Latin with a classmate in order to prepare for oral
exams. Seminarians did the first two in their own
sparsely decorated rooms; the last had to be done in
a public space because the men were forbidden to
enter one another’s rooms.
Such an academic environment had the
advantage of hundreds of years of mystique behind
it. Hundreds of popes, bishops and saints were
products of this very Gregorian system. One can
only imagine the chills that went up and down the
spines of the young men as they sat down for their
first class after having been told of those who had
gone before them. And today this is much the same,
as the men, now studying in Italian, reflect on the
hard work and accomplishments undertaken by
their predecessors. Without a doubt, knowing this
helps the men today, as it did for their forebears, to
see their daily struggles as the light burden of the
sweet yoke of Christ. While the pedagogy at the
Gregorian has changed somewhat in the last fifty
years, students today still cannot help but feel that
they stand on the sure foundation of the men who
went before them.
Christopher Roberts
Diocese of Lafayette in Indiana
Class of 2007 Above: Alejandro del Toro, (’07, Rockford) chats with his classmates,including religious women, who in previous years, were not present intheology classes at the Gregorian.
Above: After class, students gather to ask Fr. Pie-Ninotquestions and clarifications.
is class on spiritual theology is more like a series
of spiritual conferences, according to many of
the students who have taken Fr. Paul Murray’s
classes. A priest for over 30 years, this Irish
Dominican has been teaching at the Angelicum for the
past 11 years. Here are some of the thoughts of this
priest, poet, and pastor of souls, on the priesthood and
on the spiritual treasures of the Church.
Q: Father, what shape do you think
priesthood will take in the future?
A: At present, priests are asked to be
almost too many things: counselors,
social workers, psychologists,
administrators. But what will matter
most, in the future, is a recovery of
the sacred role of the priest and of his
role as preacher. Of course, priests
must remain good counselors and
administrators. But what the people
need most from us is that we have
living knowledge of God. They need
for us to be able to speak of God and
of God’s nature.
Q: What about the great spiritual
authors and saints in the Church?
A: At core, they are wonderful preach-
ers of the Gospel who have found
words to tell us what God is like. Their
lives bear witness not only to the beau-
ty and goodness of God, but also to the
beauty and mystery of the Church.
Thus, despite all St. Teresa of Avila suf-
fered in the Church, with her last
breath she exclaimed: “Thank God I
am dying a daughter of the Church!”
The saints help us understand that, for
living faith, we need both hard-headed
thinking and a profound and simple
faith. They also have much to teach us
about what Von Balthasar called the greatest disaster in
the history of the Church: the split between theology
and devotion. In their lives, there is no divide between
theology and devotion, between spirituality and faith.
We can look back to the Church’s spiritual tradition to
learn how to bridge this gap.
Q: Any saints in particular come to mind?
A: Catherine of Siena, who is almost
my favorite saint, says that God allows
the humiliations that priests some-
times endure to help them be compas-
sionate and not cruel toward the weak
and suffering. She well understood
what Cardinal Newman meant when
he said that the priest who has not suf-
fered will be inclined, when preaching,
to speak only about himself. I also
admire St. Thomas Aquinas. In his
work he shows how we can stay close
to the fundamentals of our faith with-
out becoming fundamentalist. I am
also attracted by the little saints,
especially Bernadette. It was at
Lourdes, incidentally, that I found my
vocation to priesthood.
Q: How does being a poet help you to
see the sacred nature of things?
A: Beauty is the most ordinary way that
God draws us to himself. Compunction
is that moment wherein God touches
and wakens us to his presence. We need
to name this moment for our people, to
give them a vocabulary to help them
believe in the reality of God’s grace in
their lives. The preacher does this in one
way, the poet in another. Of course, you
don’t have to be a poet to be pierced
through by the beauty of God.
17WINTER 2 0 0 4 - 0 5
Priest and PoetA Chat with Fr. Paul Murray, O.P.
H
Joshua Guillory
Diocese of Lafayette
Class of 2007
O Hidden God!
Not the slow drum beating
In the heart, the music
In the blood. Not step by step
Led forward through the dark
Palpable medium of the senses.
And yet, at the beginning notes
Of truth, when at last the tired
Dislocated strings of the spirit
Have been wound back into place,
A new stroke of rhythm, a new music
Begins to quicken in my pulse,
Begins to waken out of sloth
To a lover’s discipline
Both my disjointed sense and thought
Until, with no other guide,
No other plan except that inner throb
And cadence in my blood, I am drawn
Out into the darkness towards You.
Fr. Paul Murray, O.P.
Fr. Paul Murray, O.P
his fall the North American College community
welcomed 44 New Men to their new home here
in Rome. These new brothers arrive from over
30 dioceses across the United States and, for the
first time, Australia. While the transition for the New
Men to the College may be daunting, the hospitality
offered to them by the residents of the College, and the
tremendous opportunities available to them in the
spiritual and historic surroundings of Rome, make them
feel very welcome.
While these men leave family, friends, and
familiarity to cleave to Christ and His Church in her
city, they do so on her terms. Rome holds a new culture,
people, language, and a way of doing and not doing
things. Through the transition of these first days, the
words of the prophet Jeremiah are particularly consoling:
“For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says
the Lord, plans for your welfare, not for woe! Plans to
give you a future full of hope.” For these new brothers,
life at the College and in Rome challenges them to
experience Christ’s plan of love and hope.
During the two week period of orientation, the men
had the opportunity to hope and pray with the Church
in all of her splendor and simplicity. Their first
opportunity was Mass with Peter, at his Basilica beside
his bones, followed shortly thereafter by a visit to Peter’s
18 Pontifical North American College M A G A Z I N E
The usual confusion ensues as new seminarians waitfor their bags at the airport.
Orientation 2004A New Journey Guided by Those of the Past
T
The New Men are welcomed as they enter theImmaculate Conception Chapel for the first time.
The Class of 2008 outside of St. Peter’s Basilica.
successor, John Paul II, at Castel Gandolfo for the
Sunday Angelus. This rooted the brothers in the Roman
soil nourished by the blood of the Prince of the Apostles,
and reminded them that shepherding is a sacrifice.
Later the men were able to spend a weekend in
Assisi, in the dust of Francis and Clare, breathing in the
air of peace which instilled in them the need to recognize
their poverty before Christ. To honor our American
roots, and to keep them united to those whom they
desire to serve, they marked September 11 by celebrating
Mass at the World War II military cemetery in Nettuno.
Orientation concluded with a pilgrimage of prayer to the
founder of the College, Blessed Pope Pius IX, and for
one of the College’s seminarians, Servant of God Frank
Parater. These men of the past reminded those of the
present that they are not alone in this new stage of their
discernment.
Under her title of Our Lady of Humility, Mary
extends her mantle of protection over these new
brothers, not just during the days of orientation, but
throughout their time in Rome. As patroness of the
College, she stands as a reminder to them of that
humility which is central to Christ’s plan of hope for
them.
These men have boldly responded to the invitation
of Christ’s plan for their lives. They ask for your prayers
and love as they continue to embrace His plan, and as
they pray for you whose support has made this time of
transition such a tremendous gift.
Kim J. Schreck, Diocese of Pittsburgh
& Daniel Waldeck, Archdiocese of Denver
Class of 2007
19WINTER 2 0 0 4 - 0 5
Left: New seminarians celebrate Mass at theCasa Santa Maria.
Above and Right: New Men and the
Orientation Team celebrate Mass and offer
prayers at the American military cemetery at
Nettuno on September 11.
Left to Right: His Holiness John Paul II at Castel Gandolfo; The Rector and seminarians praythe Angelus with the Holy Father; Seminarians listen to the greeting of the Holy Father for theNew Men.
20 Pontifical North American College M A G A Z I N E
John Peck, III (Greensburg),Andrew Keswick (Melbourne),Robert Lampitt (Peoria),Brandon Allison (Springfield, IL),Jesse Zyskowski (Scranton),Nicholas Maurice (Lismore)
Mark Glover (Springfield),Albert Marcello, III (Providence),Ryan Moravitz (Duluth),Thomas Niehaus (Winona),Mark Milbocker (Altoona-Johnstown),Michael Vanek, (Omaha)
The CollegeWelcomes the
New Men
Justin Kizewski (La Crosse),Jonathan Reardon (Springfield),David Stecher (Kansas City, KS),Nicholas Argentieri (Pittsburgh),Paul Fasano (Rockford),Gabriel Acuña (Chicago),Dylan Corbett (Providence)
New seminarians gather to pray in the Church of San Lorenzo Fuori leMure, where Blessed Pope Pius IX, founder of the College, is buried.
21WINTER 2 0 0 4 - 0 5
David Thurber (Providence),Samuel Kachuba (Bridgeport),Benjamin Sember (Green Bay),Jason Parzynski (Lansing),Michael Brummond (Green Bay),Ernest Cibelli (Baltimore),Gregory Loughney (Scranton)
Joshua Ehli (Bismarck),Theodore Lange (Portland, OR),Franz Klein (La Crosse),Kevin Regan (Washington),Vincent DeRosa (Washington),Jeremy Rodrigues (Providence)
Shane Deman (Sioux City),John Gordon, III (Madison),David Brown (Arlington),Joel Sember (Green Bay),Patrick Riffle (Washington),Nicholas Dudo (Camden)
Joseph Previtali (San Francisco),James McCarthy (Sydney),Joseph Freedy (Pittsburgh),Ronnie Floyd (Fall River),Steven Titus (Cheyenne),Liam O’Mara (Omaha)
22 Pontifical North American College M A G A Z I N E
he year was 1958. Antonio Fulciniti, havingrecently arrived in Rome from Calabria, beganworking at a barbershop just west of PiazzaNavona in Rome. At first he worked as a
barber’s helper and was responsible for the upkeep ofthe shop. When the owner retired a few years later, the“first Antonio” began cutting hair.
“Antonio Number 2,” as he has come to be known,had worked a few years as a barber in Naples. Afterserving in the military, he moved to Rome in 1970.Antonio Palmieri then began cutting hair with the firstAntonio, in this barbershop along the Greg Route.Since his arrival, businesses would come and go, butthe Antonii and their barbershop, known simply asAntonio’s, hung in there, keeping a steady stream ofclients.
Being in business together for over thirty yearsmay not be that uncommon. But for priests, religiousand seminarians, frequenting Antonio’s is a traditionin itself. Since the average seminarian spends four tofive years studying in Rome, it is a good thing for thetwo Antonio’s that word of mouth advertising goes along way. To this day, new priests and seminarianscontinue the tradition of patronizing Antonio’s.
Antonio Palmieri has fond memories of his rela-tionship with seminarians from the North AmericanCollege. He joyfully reminisces about the banteringthat has taken place between them and the seminari-ans. Once a videocassette of the New Man vs. OldMan football game was brought to the shop for every-one’s enjoyment. The elder Antonio rooted for the OldMen while the junior rooted for the New Men.
They will also cut your hair any way you like it.One popular way is con macchina or with an electricrazor. They are pretty talented with the scissors as
well. The barbers are very patient, knowing that ourItalian is limited.
Antonio Number 2 is very satisfied as a barber. Heenjoys socializing, hearing what is going in people’slives (“like a priest does”), saying hello to the peoplewho walk by and listening to the radio. He points outthat while seminarians, priests and religious make up afair amount of their business, artists, mechanics andpoets are also regular clients.
Stefano Fulciniti, son of the first Antonio, joinedthe business about two years ago. For many years, hecut women’s hair at another shop. He came on boardwhen an area was added on to accommodate thestyling needs of women, but he is qualified to serve thefashion needs of all.
Like all good things that must come to an end, theAntonios are no exception. On February 22, 2004 thefirst Antonio passed away. It was a sad time for all ofus. Some priests here offered Masses for the repose ofhis soul. Now his son Stefano will try to carry on thetradition. As long as Antonio’s is in business, they cancount on loyal patronage from priests and seminariansof our College.
Stephen Doktorczyk
Diocese of Orange
Class of 2005
Steve Doktorzyk gets a cut from Antonio Palmieriand Stefano Fulciniti.
ANTONIO’S BARBER SHOP
A Cut Above
The two “Antonii” enjoy a little break together
T
ollowing my ordination, the first “priestly” act Idid was to gather with my family and give my
mother the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.She would die three weeks later.
One may wonder why I wouldchoose to begin an article about thejoys of being a priest with that memory, but for me it was not a tragic event. My mom’s passing washeartbreaking, but because I was a priest, I was notpowerless in the face of her cancer. It is true that Icould not cure her, but I could bring the presence ofGod to her during that time of trial and help prepareher and my family for her passing from this life to the
next.More than anything
else, that is what my priesthood has been like,bringing and finding God’spresence in everyday life – inthat of the people I serve aswell as in my own. It is a lifefull of laughs and jokes, accidents and errors, accom-plishments and failures. Howcan you describe to anyone the
sheer awe you experience when you witness the trans-formations that take place in the lives of the faithful?There is the elation of standing at the altar, pronounc-ing the words of consecration and knowing that God ispresent. There is also the laughing until it hurts, whenyou get together with your classmates and relive boththe colorful events we enjoyed while living at theCollege and the bumblings, gaffes and blunders wehave committed since then.
My priesthood has been at times everything that Ihoped it would be and, at other times, everything Ifeared. When I worked in the restaurant business priorto my entrance into the seminary, I would tell people
that the best part of my job was “the people that I gotto work with” and the worst part was “the people thatI had to work with.” That still holds true in the priestly ministry, but there is a greater depth and
richness now. It is a richness that wasalways there, but is much enhancednow that I am able to share with oth-ers the things that are closest to me –Christ in the sacraments.
Recently, a parishioner asked me if I thought that Iwould still be so conservative if I had gone to a seminary other than the North American College.“Going to Rome,” I explained, “has had nothing to dowith me being conservative, liberal, orthodox or anything else.” Yes, being able to visit the ancientchurches, where so many heroically holy people haveworshiped, did affect me. Yes, being able to study withand under some of the most brilliant people I have everknown has influenced me. Yes, personally witnessingthe Holy Father and how he has led the Church hasinspired me, but that has not had the effect of slanting my ministry in a particular political direction. Rather, it underscoresfor me how my priesthood standsupon the shoulders of the giantswho have passed the faith on to us,how fortunate I have been, andhow staggeringly much God lovesus. W ith a heritage like that, thefuture will be nothing less thanwonderful. It is a future full ofhope and rich with promise.
Rev. Bradley C. Pelzel
Diocese of Sioux City
Class of 2002
23
AN ALUMNUS SPEAKS...
Everyday Joys
FI am able to share the things
which are closest to me –
Christ in the sacraments.
WINTER 2 0 0 4 - 2 0 0 5
Fr. Pelzel’s mother at his
ordination.
Fr. Pelzel distributes
Communion in his home
parish.
hen people today flip through the class pho-
tographs of alumni outside the Red Room, they
notice hundreds of seminarians in years past
wearing the distinctive house cassocks of the College.
These house cassocks are as old as the College itself.
Their colors were selected to look patriotic with the red,
white, and blue. Furthermore, as Robert McNamara
notes in his book on the history of the College, the col-
ors also had religious significance; the black cassock rep-
resented humility, the blue trim and buttons recalled
devotion to the Immaculate Virgin, and the red sash
stood for redemption.
While some speculate that the design of the cassock
came from Bernini himself, it is more certain that the
design comes from the house cassock of the College of
the Propaganda Fide, attended by seminarians from mis-
sionary countries. Some American seminarians studied
there before our own College was founded and probably
adopted the design of their house cassock. Because each
national college in Rome had its own unique seminarian
cassock, the cassock became an important source of
identity for seminarians studying here.
Over the last forty years the use of house cassocks in
Rome decreased and, in some cases, disappeared
altogether. Only a dozen of the North American
College’s original house cassocks remained, and they
were not in very good condition. For several years only
the Masters of Ceremonies were able to wear them
during solemn feasts. Last
year at one of the College’s
liturgical celebrations,
Archbishop Daniel Cronin
noticed one of the Masters of
Ceremonies wearing the old house cassock. After speak-
ing to the Rector, he made a very generous personal gift
to have new house cassocks made, ensuring their use for
years to come.
The College arranged for a tailor to make thirty new
house cassocks to be used more frequently in the
ceremonial and liturgical life of the College. Already we
have been able to use our uniform for special events,
such as Cardinal Edmund Szoka’s 50th Anniversary of
priestly ordination and the Pallium celebrations on the
Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. Many of those in
attendance shared their delight that the seminarians were
once again wearing these cassocks.
The first twelve seminarians of the North American
College wore their brand new house cassocks on the day
of the Inauguration of the college in 1859. Now, nearly
150 years later, the current seminarians of the College
gratefully acknowledge that, through the generosity of
Archbishop Cronin, they will be able to make this tradi-
tion a part of the life of the College once again. With this
gift our identity will no longer be memorialized only in
photographs, but will also have a place in our living
memories for many years to come.
Rev. Mr. Brian Dellaert
Archdiocese of Dubuque
Class of 2005
24 Pontifical North American College M A G A Z I N E
C O L L E G E T R A D I T I O N S
“I received from the Lord what I handed down to you...” (1 Cor 11:23)
House Cassocks
W
Compare the house cassock circa1959 (left) to today’s house cassock, as worn by RyanBredemeyer (Peoria, ’07).
Seminarians in house cassocks buy chocolateand Vatican stamps andexchange money at thestudent lounge in 1959.
25WINTER 2 0 0 4 - 0 5
n older man has lost his wife of 45 years, and is
finding it hard to go on living. A middle aged
parishioner cannot understand why his wife of 6
years has suddenly decided to walk out on him. The son
of two of the parish’s extraordinary ministers has
developed a problem with alcoholism.
The seminarian knows that these are situations he
is almost certain to encounter in ministry. People come
to their priests with problems that are often deeply
personal and intensely painful. They come expecting
understanding. They come expecting explanations. They
come hoping to hear the voice of Jesus speaking to their
lives. The prospect can be daunting. For while the
academic formation the seminarian receives has given
him knowledge of the Faith, these situations call for
something more – the ability to
understand the things that
people are not necessarily saying,
to reach out to people who are
hurting, and to comfort and
guide them through their darkest times.
To meet the needs of the future priests currently
in formation, the North American College offers an
annual pastoral counseling workshop each fall. The
workshop, which meets for six hours a day over
the course of a week, aims to foster empathetic
communication skills and to introduce the seminarian to
the unique counseling difficulties that are presented by
the elderly, the young, the bereaved, and many other
categories of persons. The workshop also teaches the
seminarian the importance of defining and respecting
appropriate personal boundaries with parishioners and
parish employees.
This year, the responsibility of introducing the 39
men of the class of 2006 to the art of pastoral counseling
fell to Father Ross Shecterle. A priest of the Archdiocese
of Milwaukee since 1986, Father Ross holds an M.A.
and a Ph.D. in Pastoral Counseling and Psychology from
Loyola College in Baltimore, as well as an S.T.L. from
the University of Louvain. He began teaching pastoral
counseling in 1998 at St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore,
where he was an adjunct in residence. Before coming to
the North American College, Father Ross was on faculty
at St. Francis de Sales Seminary in his home diocese six
years, the last two years spent as vice-rector.
Father Ross began each day with a series of lectures,
introducing the men to the topic of the day. These
lectures reviewed the variety of pastoral counseling
models that have been proposed by Catholic psycholo-
gists. They reviewed the wrong and right ways to ask
probing questions of those who come for counseling,
introduced the topics of counseling the victims of sexual
abuse, and explained the right
and wrong ways to reach out to a
person contemplating suicide.
The heart of the workshop,
however, was to be found in the
opportunity for role playing. The men took the parts
of both parishioners and priests. Father Ross provided
some scenarios, but in the majority of cases, the
seminarians were allowed to play the parts of people
whom they had encountered during their summer parish
assignments or before entering the seminary. The result
was an opportunity to reflect on real life experience,
while at the same time sharing that experience and the
lessons learned therefrom with the entire class.
As a result of the workshop, the seminarians of the
North American College now stand better prepared to
meet the challenges of parish ministries and to serve the
needs of their communities in the 21st century.
Harold Reeves
Archdiocese of Washington
Class of 2006
Ministers of EmpathyThe Daunting Yet Rewarding Task Facing Future Priests
A
They come hoping to hear the voiceof Jesus speaking to their lives.
26 Pontifical North American College M A G A Z I N E
“...come after me and I will make you fishers of men.” (Mt 5:19)
V O C A T I O N S T O R I E S
“Come and See”
“What do you want?”
“To know what will bring me happiness, Lord.”
“Come and see!” (Jn 1:38-39).
knew the Lord would show me the happiness I was
seeking, but I was afraid of what that happiness
entailed. As in all things, He took the initiative.
At the beginning of my senior year of high school, two
determined priests were brought on staff to teach
religion. I had always dreaded religion class until that
year, when these two priests laid the rock foundation of
my vocation. They saw something in me that I had never
seen, and day after day they would remind me of what
they saw. “You decided to join the ranks yet Waltzy?”
they would ask. Day after day I would respond, “Yeah,
that’s pretty funny, Father!” and would laugh as I walked
away. Whether I wanted to admit it or not, a great
schism in my heart had begun.
The two priests decided to organize a trip to Rome
after our graduation that year. My mother, who has
never ceased praying for my vocation to the priesthood,
thought this would be a wonderful chance for me to
experience the Faith. I decided to go, first because I loved
to travel, second because a couple of my friends would
be on the trip, and third, because the drinking age in
Italy was sixteen! Little did I know what awaited me
across the ocean!
As I walked into St. Peter’s Basilica for the first time,
I nearly fell over. I had never seen anything so amazing.
Being from small-town North Dakota, where the biggest
building we have is the state capitol and art is centered
around who can build the biggest life-like model of a
cow, this was pretty spectacular. My faith grew exponen-
tially during my nine-day pilgrimage, as we visited the
holy sites of the Eternal City. The vision of priesthood
did not seem so strange anymore.
After supper one night it was announced that two
students from our group of 33 would meet the Holy
Father the next morning, because our Bishop was in
Rome for his ad limina visit. All of our names were
placed in a hat, and two were picked. Before the first
name came out, I said a little prayer in my heart: “Lord,
if You will that I should be a priest, pick my name.” I
breathed a sigh of relief as the first name was
picked…only to choke on that sigh as my name was
drawn next.
Upon returning home I decided that in the little
prayer I had uttered that night before meeting the Holy
Father, I had never asked “when” I should be a priest,
only “if ” I should be a priest. God fortunately does not
give up as easily as we do.
My college years slipped away quickly as did my faith.
On summer break of my junior year, I visited my old reli-
gion teacher. We talked at length about my life and what
was to become of it. His only remark was, “Say three Hail
Marys every day and Our Lady will do the rest.”
I
Above: Joshua Waltz meets the Holy Father after his graduationfrom high school.
As I knelt in silence and tears, I heard in my
heart, “Do not be afraid...come and see!”
Over the last year of college, I moved into a house with three of
my best friends, and started dating a wonderful girl. It seemed as
though the three roses I gave to Mary each night were weaving a
beautiful crown of the married life, but Our Blessed Lady had
something else in mind.
I was ready to graduate, yet I had found no peace in my soul.
With everything going right in my life, why was everything wrong?
All of this unrest finally knocked me off my horse, bringing me to
my knees before Our Lord at St. Paul’s Newman Center in Fargo. I
realized that I could run no longer from such a wonderful invita-
tion. As I knelt in silence and tears, I heard in my heart, “Do not be
afraid…come and see!”
I thank Jesus as often as I can for such a wonderful calling. Do
I miss the days of my past? Sometimes, but Jesus has given me so
much more as he promised he would (Lk 18:28-30). I continue to
follow our Blessed Mother, for she has gotten me this far, back to
the place where it all began…Rome sweet home!!!
Joshua Waltz
Class of 2007
Diocese of Bismarck
27WINTER 2 0 0 4 - 0 5
Clockwise from top: Joshua and his brother (also a seminarian) enjoy sweets withKenyan seminarians.
Joshua (r) and his brother with villagers during their summer apostolic work in Kenya.
Joshua (r) and his brother stand at the edge of the Sea of Galilee during a recent tripto the Holy Land.
Joshua (l) chats with Fr. Gonzalez, professor of Christology at the Angelicum.
Joshua (middle) at the Angelicum with friends and classmates Sr. Shenaz Bhatti, andSr. Zarina Hadyat, Sisters of Charity of St. Jeanne Antide Thouret from Pakistan.
28 Pontifical North American College M A G A Z I N E
Surrounded by hungry seminarians, Jay Mello (Fall River, ’07), and Aaron Killips (Savannah, ’07), grill up some chicken.
Basta with the Pasta!American Seminarians Whip Up Comfort Food from Home
t is not that the men of the North American College do not like or appreciate the wonderful Italian cuisine that
is prepared for them daily, for who would complain about the Spaghetti Carbonara or Amatriciana? But I think
there comes a point in every man’s time at the College when he says, “Basta with the pasta! Where’s the beef?”
This sentiment is usually followed by a group of men heading to the Hard Rock Café, or for others, up to the
fifth floor student kitchen. A few years ago the fifth floor roof on the convent wing of the college was renovated to
provide students with a fully operational kitchen where they can enjoy fellowship as well as the culinary talents of
fellow students.
The kitchen is large enough for a class dinner, yet also provides a smaller setting for groups of only four or five.
In the warmer months the adjacent rooftop allows for an American style cookout.The grill and charcoal are rolled
out, the chicken marinated, the steaks seasoned and the sweet corn shucked, providing all with the sweet memories
of their American homeland.
The unique dynamic of the North American College is that, unlike most American seminaries, we have men from
all over the United States, Central America, Canada, and, starting this year, Australia as well. This cultural dynamic
not only allows for the sharing of ecclesial experiences but also different culinary trends. As a New Englander, I can
prepare one heck of a clam chowder or lobster, but I cannot begin to compare my cooking to John McDonald’s
southern fried chicken, Zack Weber’s Cincinnati Skyline chili or Joe Shimek’s Midwest mashed potatoes.
I
29WINTER 2 0 0 4 - 0 5
Clockwise from top: Edison Tayag (Rochester, ’07), JesseZyskowski (Scranton, ’07), and Joseph Shimek (Milwaukee,’07) keep things in order as the cooking starts.
John McDonald, (Birmingham, ’07) “stirs the pot” after sea-soning up his red beans.
Joseph Shimek performs a taste test to make sure everythingis “fit to eat,” while Josh Waltz (Bismarck, ’07) gets a jumpstart on the cleanup.
Finally, the entire Second Theology Class sits down to enjoy ameal together in fraternity and community.
It is certainly a great joy to share the fruits of
another’s culinary talents, but perhaps the greatest
joy that comes from the fifth floor kitchen is the
brotherhood that is created in working together. It is as
the Psalmist says, “How good it is when brothers dwell
in unity, it is like oil on the head, running down upon
the beard of Aaron, upon the collar of his robe”
(Ps 133). How pleasurable it must be in the eyes of our
Lord, when he looks upon his sons taking a break from
their busy schedules of formation, academics and
prayer to share a meal together and give thanks to God
for all the many blessings in their life.
While all are not given a talent in the area of
cooking or baking, there is work for everyone at a class
or hall dinner. Whether it be setting up tables or
silverware, chopping onions or garlic, or even washing
dishes, everyone plays a part in the fellowship we
experience in the fifth floor kitchen.
Jay Mello
Diocese of Fall River
Class of 2007
30 Pontifical North American College M A G A Z I N E
n December 8 the North American College, as well
as the entire Catholic world, celebrated the 150th
anniversary of the proclamation of the Dogma of
the Immaculate Conception, in which Blessed Pope Pius IX,
the founder of our College, declared infallibly that the
Blessed Virgin Mary was “from the first moment of her
conception ... preserved immune from all stain of original
sin.” Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception is the
patroness of this College, which officially opened on the fifth
anniversary of Pius IX’s declaration: December 8, 1859. We
here at the College celebrated this grand anniversary with joy,
through beautiful liturgies, prayer, and talks about our
Blessed Mother delivered by faculty.
Fr. Peter Mitchell invites us to see this great event of
1854, through the eyes of the fourth bishop of Philadelphia,
Saint John Neumann, one of the founding American
bishops of the North American College.
Bishop Neumann was invited by Blessed Pius IX to
come to Rome in 1854 for the proclamation of the
Dogma of the Immaculate Conception. Upon receiving
this invitation, Neumann was greatly excited, not only
because he would be visiting the Vicar of Christ and the
tombs of the Apostles, but also because his trip across the
Atlantic would give him the opportunity of visiting his
family and homeland as well. His eighty-year-old father
was still living in Prachatitz, Bohemia (the present Czech
Republic). He had not been home since he had left to
come to America twenty years earlier.
First arriving in Rome, he stayed at the house of his
fellow Redemptorists for two months. While in Rome,
Bishop Neumann wore only his plain Redemptorist
habit. He frequently visited the four major basilicas as
well as the other shrines of Rome, blending into the
crowd of simple pilgrims. It was only at the four-day
consistory in December that he wore his full episcopal
regalia, attending the solemn definition of the
Immaculate Conception in St. Peter’s Basilica with 53
cardinals and numerous other bishops. On December 8,
1854, he wrote to a friend, “I thank God He allowed me
to see this day in Rome.”
From Rome, Bishop Neumann made his way
home to his beloved Prachatitz. Despite Neumann’s
objections, the bishop of Budweis insisted that Neumann
ride home in his episcopal sleigh (it was January), and so
the town’s famous son arrived home amidst fanfare and
acclamation. He was joyfully reunited with family and
friends. The highlights of his visit were the daily Masses
he celebrated each day in the parish church where he was
baptized. With thanksgiving to God, knowing he would
never return home again, Bishop Neumann received
these days with his family as a beautiful and unrepeatable
grace.
Bishop Neumann returned to the United States on
March 27, 1855. Wherever he travelled in Europe, he
begged people for their prayers for the mission in
America, and told them of the desperate need for priests
in the United States.
May we follow Saint John Neumann’s example by
praying for priests, invoking the aid of Our Lady of the
Immaculate Conception, and visiting the tombs of the
apostles here in Rome as often and as devoutly as we can.
Rev. Peter Mitchell
Diocese of Lincoln
Casa Santa Maria
St. John Neumann
A PILGRIMAGE TO ROME IN HONOR OF OUR LADY
OO
31WINTER 2 0 0 4 - 0 5
T H E D E V E L O P M E N T O F F I C E
“He is like a man building a house...upon rock” (Lk 6:48)
Bringing a Bit of Rome to the Nation’s Capital
The Third Annual Umilta Awards were held on
Saturday, November 13th at the Pope John Paul II
Cultural Center in Washington, D.C. This year’s
honorees were Rev. Msgr. Roger Roensch ’58, Director
of the Bishops’ Office for U.S. Visitors to the Vatican,
and H.E. Ambassador James Nicholson, United States
Ambassador to the Holy See, and his wife, Suzanne.
Supporters throughout the United States joined
Archbishop Edwin O’Brien, Chairman of the Board of
Governors, and Msgr. Kevin McCoy, Rector, and our
alumni priests. This event was on the eve of the annual
meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops so
that our alumni bishops could share in the festivities.
Msgr. Roensch is fond of pointing out to the many
people he has assisted in Rome at the Visitor’s Office that
“Catholics should see a visit to the Holy See not as
tourists, but as pilgrims.” He was ordained in 1958 and,
after thirteen years of ministry, traveled back to Rome to
assist the College’s administration in promoting the
College’s mission through financial development.
Eleven years later, he was transferred to the Basilica of
the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, in
Washington, D.C., where
he has helped countless pil-
grims over the years.
The College is proud to
honor this beloved alum-
nus and avid supporter of
his alma mater and knows
that there is much work
ahead for him to do in
Rome.
Ambassador Nicholson,
a native of Iowa born
during the Great Depression, is a graduate of West Point,
serving eight years as an Army Ranger and paratrooper,
22 years in the Army Reserve, as well as being awarded
the Bronze Star Medal and several other awards as a
Ranger in Vietnam.
Suzanne, his wife, a talented artist, has always been
an important part of her husband’s career. This career
has included practicing law, founding Nicholson
Enterprises, Inc. (a developer of master-planned
residential communities), and serving as Chairman of
the Republican National Committee.
Since then he has
organized an international
conference to combat
human trafficking and
has become a forceful
advocate for human rights
and American humani-
tarian concerns world-
wide. In November 2002,
he published The United
States and the Holy See –
The Long Road, his first
book. It is a history of the
diplomatic relationship between the United States and the
Vatican from 1788 to the present. Suzanne has prepared
her own book, which showcases the artwork in the
Embassy of the United States to the Holy See.
Both Ambassador and Mrs. Nicholson have been
good friends of the College since their arrival in Rome,
helping it to celebrate many special occasions. For the
past three years, Ambassador Nicholson has faithfully
joined our seminarians and priests every morning for
7:10 am Mass during Lent at the forty Station Churches.
The College is grateful for the friendship of
Ambassador and Mrs. Nicholson. Msgr. McCoy hopes
that they think of the College as their second home. He
is proud to honor them with this award.
Everyone enjoyed an incredible Italian feast and felt
as though a bit of Rome was brought to the nation’s cap-
ital for the night. Please let the Development Office
know if you would like an invitation to join in next
year’s U.S. celebration.
Tricia Lloyd
Director of Development
202-541-5411
Rev. Msgr. McCoy with Ambassadorand Mrs. Nicholson
Rev. Msgr. Roger Roensch and Rev.Msgr Kevin McCoy
ne of the priests I used to work with was fond
of telling his staff and other priests, with
regard to communicating with one another in
a parish or the diocese, “When you think you
are communicating enough, you probably have to
double your efforts.” The Pontifical North American
College has these words in mind, too. Not only are we
striving to communicate well with one another, but we
are also constantly trying to share with others the good
news about our College.
This magazine itself has developed beautifully over
the years and is certainly now a first rate publication.
There are many who are grateful to the students who
contribute articles regularly and who work so hard to
ready it for printing and mailing. We often receive notes
and letters from readers who send along words of
support along with their donations to cover the
magazine’s expense. It is always encouraging to hear such
positive feedback and, of course, to receive a financial
contribution, too! The readers and supporters of the
College back in the United States seem particularly to
enjoy the articles which detail the daily life of seminari-
ans here in Rome.
On another communications front, a few years ago,
a couple of our students decided that the Pontifical
North American College should have a web site to call its
own. They started one on their own, along with what
support the College could give at the time. What a great
service the web site is to the College, the students, and
other people who want to share in our life in an interac-
tive manner. Now the time has come to make it even
better. One of our second year men, Seamus Griesbach
of the Diocese of Portland in Maine, has taken it upon
himself to update the
web site with new, user-
friendly features and an
improved on-screen
look. He told me that
his goal was “to try to give an accurate portrayal of the
College online, so that what we are is conveyed online.”
This is not an easy task, but one that he is striving hard
to attain. The faculty and staff of the College have even
begun using the web-site for in-house tasks, as well.
Beginning in November, the web site can be viewed at
www.pnac.org
Another updated area of communications is our
telephone system. Our IT director told me that the
College’s telephone system truly needed a new “brain”
but that we could keep the same external body. The new
system, which was installed over the summer and into
the fall, provides digital equipment, as well as a less
expensive provider for making telephone calls and a
much reduced expense for yearly maintenance. Within a
couple of years, the new system will have paid for itself.
Of course, a kind benefactor is also being sought out to
help us along and to allow us to use those saved funds
elsewhere! While the old system was an improvement
over the previous one, the new one is even better and
allows both our campuses to be linked together. It
eliminates the necessity of an outside line to telephone
between the Casa Santa Maria and the seminary.
Communications is always a challenge, but here at
the Pontifical North American College we are striving to
use modern communications technology to stay in touch
and to further our mission in today’s time and place!
by Rev. Msgr. James Checchio ’92, C’97
Diocese of Camden
Vice Rector for Administration
32 Pontifical North American College M A G A Z I N E
“Cleverly done! You too are an industrious and reliable servant” (Mt 25:23)
T H E E C O N O M O ’ S C O R N E R
O
...we are constantly trying to share with others the
good news about our College.
Meeting the Challenge of Communication
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...Please Pray for Vocations!
The Pontifical
North American College3211 Fourth Street, Northeast
Washington DC 20017-1194
Tel: (202) 541-5411 | Fax: (202) 722-8804Email: [email protected] visit our website at www.pnac.org
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Seminarians take a stroll along the Via Appia Antica, an ancient Roman road connecting Naples with the Eternal City.
Save the date! The next North American College Alumni Reunion will be held June 21–23, 2005 in Milwaukee,WI.