Annual Seminary Appeal

My Dear Parishioners,

Our 2021 calendars are available at the Church exits, please take one home with you.  The beautiful calendars are gifts from the Louis Swift Plunkett Funeral home in Hatboro.  Thank you to Mr. Jeff Plunkett for this annual gift.  If you know someone who would like a calendar, but is not coming to Mass yet, please feel free to take them one.

This weekend the Archdiocese of Philadelphia is kicking off their annual Seminary Appeal.  This is an important effort as it looks to the future of our church by supporting the education of future priests, deacons, Religious Sisters, Liturgical Ministers, Directors of Religious Education, and more.  You can see the 2020 Seminary Appeal video on our parish website,  www.saintjosephchurch.us. I present to you the Case for Support, found on the St. Charles website.

St. Charles Borromeo Seminary remains the region’s most outstanding institute of sacred theology. St. Charles Borromeo Seminary embraces a dual role: a hub of priestly formation and a center of intellectual life for all. It accomplishes this mission through its four divisions:

COLLEGE SEMINARY

The College Seminary is a 4-year undergraduate program offering a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy. Students can complete a full baccalaureate program while also discerning a vocation to the Roman Catholic priesthood. The goal of the College Seminary is to provide students with the emotional, intellectual, and spiritual maturity necessary to follow the vocation to which they are called.

THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

The Theological Seminary prepares students for ordination to the Roman Catholic priesthood. The 4-year graduate-level program offers completion of a Master of Divinity degree and a Master of Arts degree. Students come to a deeper understanding of themselves and their role in the world as a teacher, servant, and representative of Christ. Theological Seminarians are given the proper tools in preparation for their priestly life: prayer and spirituality, emotional understanding, proclamation of the word of God, and most importantly, the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.

SCHOOL OF THEOLOGICAL STUDIES

The School of Theological Studies provides an opportunity for laity to earn a Master of Arts degree in Theology and other certifications. It does so in a manner that is both authentic to the teachings of the Church and flexible for the modern world. Evening and weekend classes allow teachers, catechists, youth ministers, lectors, Church employees, and all Catholics to grow in their knowledge of the faith, so as to be more effective in their careers and vocations.

The Seminary also hosts public lectures which highlight important topics in theology, philosophy, and public life.

SCHOOL OF DIACONAL FORMATION

The School of Diaconal Formation provides an opportunity for mature men to train for ministry as a permanent deacon. These men receive intellectual formation leading, in most cases, to a Master of Arts degree in Theology. This training provides a foundation for the three primary charisms of a deacon: word, altar, and charity.

God Bless you,
Fr. Bordonaro