Witnessing to the Fruits of this Year at the Casa Santa Maria REV. JAMES J. CONN, S.J., SUPERIOR OF THE CASA SANTA MARIA A retrospective view of the
This more pervasive priestly fraternity can be attributed
academic year 2021-22
to a positive disposition on the part of the newly ordained
could easily look like any
and of the priests who have come to Rome for advanced
other year: many weeks
studies after some years of experience in parochial and
of regular daily order of
other ministries in their home dioceses. Further
prayer, study, meals, rest
contributing factors include an enhanced orientation
and fraternal community, all
program and more extensive and informal hospitality
punctuated by some special
between residents of the two PNAC campuses. The newly
events and activities: guests to welcome, exams, doctoral
ordained alumni feel more at home at the Casa after the
defenses, breaks for travel in Italy and beyond, and major
welcome they have received as seminarians, especially
vacations at Christmas, Easter, and between terms.
on lunch breaks or a brief respite during busy class days.
More interesting to me in my role as superior is the
Many Casa residents have commented on the deeper
longer view of the past three years. My appointment in
experience of fraternity that was occasioned by the
the spring of 2019 marked a major transition in my life
challenges imposed on them by the COVID-19 pandemic.
from full-time academic work and daily life in a religious
Restrictions on activity and travel in 2020-21 opened
community to what I have come to embrace as a largely
new occasions for home-bound student-priests to
pastoral role in a house of continuing formation of
enjoy one another’s company. More recent reductions
diocesan priests. My years as a student and professor of
of these restrictions have done much to brighten the
Canon Law in Rome and as a teacher/formator in three
lives of all of us.
stateside diocesan seminaries had already taught me much about the life and ministry of diocesan priests, and forged valued and lasting friendships with many of them. Service as the Casa’s superior and the privileged fraternal conversations I have had with Casa residents have taught this religious much more. The support of my colleagues, Msgr. James McNamara (Rockville Centre) and Fr. Shane
A final supplement to Casa life has been the initiation of two optional colloquia appealing to special academic and ministerial interests of residents. The Canon Law Colloquium has welcomed experts who have led discussions of practical dimensions of the discipline often left untreated in the curriculum. The CSM participants have
Kirby ‘04 (Scranton), have been invaluable.
included even non-canonists. The Formation Colloquium
A second long-term development that came to fuller
by seasoned formators on topics of special interest to
fruition this year has been a stronger bond between
those likely to be assigned to formation ministry.
the PNAC seminary and graduate divisions. The newly ordained priests who studied at the College’s Janiculum Campus have integrated themselves into the Casa community with greater satisfaction than in past years.
is designed to provide presentations and discussions led
In hindsight, it has been much more than just another year—we are very grateful for the year that has just passed and we look forward to the one that is to come.
ROMAN ECHOES 2022 • VOLUME 26: ISSUE 4
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