November
19, 2018
Dear
Seminary Community,
Grátias tibi, Deus,
grátias tibi. We
have much for which to give thanks and I give thanks for all of you and for the
grace that we all have to be here at the Mount.
Much has
been happening these past few week, especially last week. We had a beautiful
Byzantine Rite Liturgy celebrated by our own Fr. Lee Gross. The Byzantine
schola did a fantastic job in leading us in sacred music and chant. Indeed, to
echo the words of the delegates of Prince Vladimir of Kiev, “We knew not
whether we were in heaven or on earth.”
Despite the
early rise on Friday morning due to “wet steam” causing a steam valve to pour
out so much steam that it set the fire alarm off, we had a very prayerful Day
of Recollection. We were privileged to have the relic of the heart of St. John
Vianney with us for an entire day and we are grateful to the Knights of
Columbus, Deacon Andrew St. Hilaire, and Msgr. Cummings for organizing the
visit. It was a clear reminder to me of the famous phrase of the Cure d’Ars – “The
priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus.”
Friday was
also the faculty In-Service Day. We had an insightful presentation from Fr. Tad
Pacholczyk from the National Catholic Bioethics Center on Humanae Vitae and also on the topic of gender and the many moral
and cultural issues surrounding gender ideology which Pope Francis has called “the annihilation of man as the image of God.”
We give thanks to Bishop Mark Brennan,
Auxiliary Bishop of Baltimore, who conferred Candidacy on 45 of our
seminarians. Moving forward we will follow the practice of conferring Candidacy
on those beginning the Configuration Stage of priestly formation in first
theology.
This past Saturday the “Go Forth”
mission served a record number of households (138) and brought food for
Thanksgiving to a total of 369 people. With the help of 48 deliverers,
including undergraduates from the iLead program, and $2,250 of donations, many
of the local poor received the charity of Christ and sustenance for the
holiday. Many thanks to Robby Renner and his organizing team for their hard
work.
Msgr. Frontiero, Diane Favret, and I
had the privilege to attend the Archdiocese of Military Service Benefit Dinner
this past Saturday evening. It began with Mass celebrated by Archbishop Broglio
and served by some of our co-sponsored seminarians. Mass was followed by a
delicious dinner. Archbishop Broglio gave the Mount a “shout out” when he
announced to the attendees that the Mount was represented at the dinner and
that we have the largest number of co-sponsored seminarians of any seminary in
the country.
After Thanksgiving on the First Sunday
of Advent we will begin using the St. Michael Prayer at all Seminary Masses
after the dismissal. More
than 12 dioceses have instituted the regular praying of the Prayer to St.
Michael in order to beg his protection against the evil one and for the
protection of the Church. Other dioceses have done so for a specific period of
time.
Upcoming
events include the cookie baking party on December 1, the Open House and Office
of Vigils on December 2, the Christmas Dinner and entertainment on December 7,
and, of course, the celebration of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
on December 8. Unfortunately, I will not be able to join the community for the
Christmas Dinner because of a wedding rehearsal for a former parishioner of
mine, but I look forward to celebrating the Mass for the Immaculate Conception.
May the
Lord continue to bless each of you and your families this Thanksgiving. “The
secret of happiness is to live moment by moment and to thank God for what He is
sending us every day in His goodness” (St.
Gianna Beretta Molla).
In Christ,
Msgr. Andrew Baker
