Pope St. John Paul II reminds us that, “To live in the seminary, which is a school of the Gospel, means to follow Christ as the apostles did. You are led by Christ into the service of God the Father and of all people, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Thus you become more like Christ the good shepherd in order better to serve the Church and the world as a priest.”
(Pastores Dabo Vobis, 42)
As the new year begins and we return from the Christmas recess, we hear the Gospel of Mark proclaim Jesus’ announcement of the Kingdom of God and his call to conversion and discipleship. A new year begins with another opportunity to let God’s Word call out to us, instruct us, and form us. The seminarians, faculty and staff at Saint John’s Seminary strive to respond, like those first disciples, with ready hearts and joyful zeal. With a sense of joy and collaboration, we work towards fulfilling our primary mission of forming good and holy priests.
We are a community whose seminarians hail from Boston and Worcester, Springfield and Fall River, Burlington and Manchester, Portland and Providence, Rochester and Oakland, as well as Hanoi, Thanh Hoa, and Dalat in in Vietnam and Kumbakonam in India – and also seminarians who study at Saint John’s from Redemptoris Mater Seminary, the Capuchins, The Order of Saint Benedict, the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, the Franciscans of the Primitive Observance, and the Augustinians of the Assumption. In our Theological Institute for the New Evangelization, we also have lay men and women, permanent deacons, and religious preparing for service to the Church and evangelizing the culture throughout New England.
Please pray for us that we will continue to be faithful to our call to be loyal disciples of Christ and worthy instruments to spread the Gospel throughout the world.
-Rev. Stephen E. Salocks ’80
Interim Rector, Saint John’s Seminary