One Mission.

Today is the feast of:

St. Jerome Emiliani.

     It may be good for us to remember on this day that many different persons are indeed called to the same mission. In our case, the mission is to bring God's Providence to the poor and the youth.
St. Jerome may not have been associated with:

St. John Bosco.

He may not have studied with the:

Salesian Seminarians and Formation Staff.

     But this does not mean that he did not love and serve God through his ministry with the poor and the youth! For many are called to similar missions in many different ways. For instance, under the Salesian name, there are many different works: Lay missionaries, Salesian Cooperators, religious sisters, religious brothers, religious priests and bishops and cardinals, teachers, youth ministers, and many other works. There are many ways of giving oneself to a particular mission.

     St. Jerome Emiliani is a wonderful example of how one does not need to be a Salesian to serve the youth. Yet he shares in a very similar ministry.

     We, ourselves, choose the mission of Don Bosco to serve the poor and the youth. This is not necessarily what we always desired, but Our Lady--Mary, Help of Christians--has a way of bringing those she loves to the places she desires them the most. And for us, it is here that she desires us to be. So, in giving our lives completely to the Blessed Virgin Mary, we give our lives completely to the youth and the poor we serve.

     Today, let us follow Mary's example and ponder these things in our hearts.

Seminary Stereotypes

A lot of people tend to equate seminaries with libraries. Y’know, quiet, studious, erudite. Everyone’s always studying. Otherwise, they’re in the chapel always praying. That one guy probably on the roof, enjoying the breeze, finding God in the clouds.

Well, for those of you who are waiting for me to dispel your false impressions, I am sorry to disappoint you, but that is exactly what goes on in our seminary.

The image you have of us in your head right now

SURPRISE! All of that is true! We study a lot. We pray a lot. We reflect a lot. That’s what you do when you try to become men of God. I mean, come on. What were you expecting?

Something like this?

Because if you were, SURPRISE (PART 2)! Not of all of us are horribly strict, stern, and somber. And if we are, we’re not like that all of the time... usually. While we specialize in the arts of the divine, we don’t neglect the arts of our humanity either. For instance,

We like to shuffle

We rock out when we please

We're a little prankish [Don't do this]

We're hip

And we do a lot of cool things that you’ve never seen before:

Find Mary in Advent.

    Today, Saturday, Mary's Day, may we look to Our Mother for Her beautiful example of love through Her own "YES." In our vocations, not only are we nothing if we do not give our own 'yes.' We are nothing without Mary. Let us cling to Her mantle today that She might pick us up and take us into Her arms that we might learn to be Her children. 


Take a look at another seminarian video! Keep the joy!

Mary, Help of Christians, pray for us.