Thanks Be to God for a New Year of Seminary Formation

Rev. Jason Kern, director of vocations | jkern@dowr.org

In thanksgiving to God for so many blessings and graces, we are back to a new year of seminary formation. It is with joy that I let you know that this year many of our seminarians will be attending theology studies and formation programs at St. Paul School of Divinity (St. Paul Seminary) located at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. Over the last number of years, many of our men have attended seminary at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, and this year most of them will transfer to St. Paul Seminary. We are grateful to have them closer to home and they will engage in a Teaching Parish Program that allows them to come back to a parish in the diocese once a month to experience parish life locally before they are ordained priests. There will be six seminarians in theology school in St. Paul and three more attending a formation program there this fall as well.

In total, we are blessed to have 20 seminarians studying for the priesthood for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester. Look for our diocesan poster and prayer cards coming out in the next month or two!

Before the seminarians scattered to their respective seminaries and programs for the year, we had a gathering with all 20 of the men. It was graciously hosted by the parishes of Jackson, Sherburn, and Lakefield at the Religious Sisters of Mercy Convent property. Parishioners from the parishes generously supplied more than we could eat! We had a great time of fraternity and fellowship, which included reflection and conversations on authentic fellowship and sharing of graces from the summer months. We also played our annual baseball game with one of our seminarians hitting a bottom-of-the-ninth walkoff double. One family hosted us for an afternoon lake day at their cabin on Spirit Lake. We are beyond grateful for our time together and are ready to engage the formation year with hope and trust in God.