Year of the Priest: Mundelein Semianry

When I finish my degree at St. Joseph College Seminary at Loyola University this coming May, I will move from the collegiate level seminary to the major seminary, Mundelein. It is there ultimately, after four years of graduate studies and formation, that my dream and vocation to the priesthood, like many before me and hopefully many after me, becomes a reality when I am ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago.

The primary mission of the University of St. Mary of the Lake / Mundelein Seminary is to prepare candidates to be priests of Jesus Christ, priest, teacher and shepherd. It educates men for pastoral ministry as diocesan priests to be co-workers with their bishops in the service of the Catholic Church. Currently the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary has 209 students studying for the diocesan priesthood. Seminarians come from 44 dioceses in the United States, as well as many international dioceses. Mundelein Seminary is the largest priesthood preparation program in the United States.

I can tell you personally that there is a certain sense of anxiousness and excitement when I think of beginning to study Theology at Mundelein in the fall of 2010. This is not to say that I have not loved every single minute of study and formation at St. Joseph College Seminary, nor that I dislike my studies in Philosophy, because Philosophy and Theology really walk hand in hand when studying them. However, the idea of Theology and the idea of priesthood being that much closer is something which is exciting. I know, by no means, that I am ready to be a priest tomorrow. That is the truth! But further formation, further apostolate work, further parish ministry through the seminary will only further my growth as I prepare for the Sacrament of Holy Orders.

For the last three weeks I have introduced you to the three main programs of the Archdiocese of Chicago: Quigley Scholars- for high school age men, St. Joseph College Seminary- for undergraduate studies, and now, Mundelein Seminary- the Major Theologate. It is my hope, now having read and learned of these programs, that you begin, especially in this Year of the Priest, to encourage men to consider a vocation to the Priesthood. It is so important that we continue to promote this vocation in life, because WE NEED PRIESTS! We need good and holy men to come forward and consider this vocation, and that can only be done if we, as a Catholic Parish Family, begin to encourage vocations to the Priesthood. More importantly, however, we need to pray for vocations, and we need to pray for the men who have answered that call and are studying to be priests, and we need to pray for those who are already priests, those prayers only show us your love and support!