Roman Echoes 2024 - Volume 28, Issue 3

From the Editor

Ut unum sint – that they may all be one – is the prayer of our Lord in the Gospel of John (17:21) before his passion. He prays for the unity of his people just before he goes to give his life for their salvation. The unity of mankind with God and with each other is at the heart of Christ’s priestly prayer, so it should be a priority for us who seek to follow him in our everyday lives. Yet, unity can be hard to achieve. By turning on the news, we are inundated with stories of discord, war, and tragedy. It can seem as if unity is a long-lost dream. It is up to each of us to work to build upon communion with one another, and living and studying in Rome is an incredible example of that communion in our world.

The men that make up the Pontifical North American College come from every part of the United States – and even Australia – with their diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives to be formed into priests and to resonate Christ with a Roman heart. Mixed up among the various residential corridors, fraternity begins to blossom among men from different parts of the country. A true union of the states is exemplified in the men living at the College in the way they bring the quirks of their home state to the melting pot on the Janiculum hill. This sign of unity goes beyond our walls, however. The opportunity to celebrate the Sacred Liturgy with people

from all over the world at various events in Rome and in Europe teaches the seminarian the true universality of the Church. Studying at the various universities with men and women from every continent is a true sign of unity in faith.

The Lord’s prayer for unity can be seen as a mission for the Christian faithful. We should strive to make the unity he prayed for a reality in our world. There are few places where this unity is more clearly experienced than the halls of the College and the streets of Rome. Studying at the College provides a one-of-a-kind opportunity to experience the universality and unity of the Church firsthand. Though not the center of unity, the Pontifical North American College is situated just next door to the Successor of St. Peter –the point of unity in the Church – and does its part in the mission for all to be one.

Editor-in-Chief

Will Robbins ’25, Diocese of Beaumont

Contributors

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Will Robbins '25, Diocese of Beaumont

ASSISTANT

EDITOR

Kyle Lang '26, Diocese of La Crosse

Brian Schumacher '26, Diocese of Salt Lake City

PHOTO EDITOR & PHOTOGRAPHER

Chukwuma Odigwe '25, Archdiocese of Washington

ASSISTANT PHOTOGRAPHER

Steven Lang '26, Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis

Administration

of The Pontifical North American College

RECTOR

Rev. Msgr. Thomas W. Powers '97

VICE RECTOR

Rev. Michael Pratt ‘11

CARL J. PETER CHAIR OF HOMILETICS

ROMAN ECHOES FACULTY LIAISON

Rev. Peter John Cameron, OP

SUPERIOR, CASA SANTA MARIA

Rev. James J. Conn, SJ

DIRECTOR, INSTITUTE FOR CONTINUING THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION

Rev. Edward Linton, OSB

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT

Mark Randall, CFRE

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

Rev. Msgr. Luke M. Sweeney ‘01

For more information about The Pontifical North American College, subscription questions, or to learn about ways you can financially support “America’s Seminary in Rome,” please contact Mark Randall, CFRE, Executive Director, Institutional Advancement.

Tel: (202) 541-5411 Fax: (202) 470-6211

Email: pnacdc@pnac.org Website: www.pnac.org

This publication is written, edited, and photographed by the seminarians of The Pontifical North American College.

COVER: Seminarians and a student priest from the Archdiocese of Baltimore enjoy fraternity after the Lenten station church Mass at the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere.

THIS PAGE: The seminary community gathers for a Lenten Station Church Mass at the Basilica of Saint Clement in Rome. The vines in the Basilica's mosaic represent the Church's unity in Christ.

BACK COVER: Spring flowers and the statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Peter adorn the College's campus.

RECTOR’S CORNER

The community of the Pontifical North American College is like a living, dynamic mosaic: while each member is unique, each one fits into the larger, unified mission of forming holy, joyful, generous priests for the Church in the United States and Australia.

Dear Friend of The Pontifical North American College,

Some of you may have had the opportunity to visit the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter here in Rome. When pilgrims and tourists enter and walk around, they are amazed at what appear to be beautiful 15-by-10-foot paintings over each of the 24 side altars throughout the basilica. In fact, I have heard countless visitors to Saint Peter’s tell me that, along with Michelangelo’s Pietà and Bernini’s Baldacchino, the paintings were their favorite part of the church.

But I will let you in on a little-known secret: there are only four paintings in Saint Peter’s Basilica. Of those, only one is clearly displayed: the painting of the Most Holy Trinity in the draped-off Blessed Sacrament Chapel, which only a small handful of people ever visit. The other images above the altars look like paintings, but they are not paintings at all. They are mosaics – mosaics made up of thousands and thousands of little pieces of colored tiles the size of small pebbles that, when carefully placed together, form one, unified image. When you look at the mosaics, you barely notice each little piece; all you see is the larger, beautiful image. Yet, at the same time, each little piece counts; each little piece has its unique purpose.

Each Sunday, we profess our faith in a Church that is not only holy, catholic, and apostolic but also one. Jesus, in his prayer at the Last Supper, said, “I pray not only for them (i.e., the Apostles), but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me.” We can be certain, therefore, that the Lord desires an absolute unity for his Church, which he likens to the perfect unity he has with the Father.

Our seminarians and the formation team come from many diverse backgrounds and from every corner of the United States. Some had successful careers before entering the seminary, and some have come right out of college; some were altar servers and never missed Sunday Mass, and some are converts or reverts to the Faith. However, while each member of our seminary community has his unique story, this community is united in the same goal: to become the saints we are called to be.

In that sense, the community of the Pontifical North American College is like a living, dynamic mosaic: while each member is unique, each one fits into the larger, unified mission of forming holy, joyful, generous priests for the Church in the United States and Australia.

If you visit Rome, I hope you can see the mosaics in the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter; and I hope you can also come and see the inspiring mosaic that is this seminary community.

Be sure of my prayers and the prayers of the entire community of the Pontifical North American College.

Rev. Msgr. Thomas W. Powers ‘97 Rector

Formed to be Sent

MICHAEL NORIEGA ‘25, DIOCESE OF AUSTIN

Anew initiative this year at the College has been the Post-Pranzo Speaker Series, arranged by the College’s Coordinator of Intellectual Formation, Fr. Jim Baron '11. Each month, the College hosts a different speaker from a variety of backgrounds in the Church and society to speak on a relevant topic in the Church today. One of the many blessings of studying in Rome is the opportunity to hear from these individuals who come to Rome as part of their service to the universal Church. Some speakers this year have included: Msgr. James Shea, President of the University of Mary, who spoke on their university’s collection of essays casting a vision for the Church’s mission today; Professor James Arthur of the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues at the University of Birmingham (UK) who spoke on the important role that virtue plays in the formation of university students; Sarkis Boghjalian of the organization Aid to the Church

in Need who highlighted the plight of persecuted Christians throughout the world; and Fr. Jesse Maingot, O.P. who spoke on St. Manuel González Garcia – the subject of the book The Bishop of the Abandoned Tabernacle – and the power of Eucharistic Adoration. While the topics in themselves have been fascinating and informative, I have been impacted by recognizing the tremendous blessing I am receiving from the privilege to hear from such speakers simply in virtue of studying in Rome at the College. What I am receiving from these talks is not solely for my own formation, but is to be used to further the mission of the Universal Church and to be shared with brother seminarians, priests, and the laity in my local diocese in a spirit of service. The words of Luke 12:48 ring true: “Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the per-

left to right:

Professor Myroslav Marynovych speaks on the presence of the Catholic Faith in prisons; Fr. Jesse Maingot, O.P. speaks about the importance of the Eucharist; Charles Berner ‘27 (Denver) asks a question during a conference on Virtues in Catholic Education.

son entrusted with more.” As with all that I have received during my time in Rome, I seek to give what I have received from these talks to further the mission of Christ and his Church n

Fanning into Flame the Gift of God

REV. MSGR. SHANE KIRBY ’04, DIOCESE OF SCRANTON

Fan into flame the gift of God that you possess” (2 Timothy 1:6).

These words of Saint Paul served as the inspiration for the International Conference for the Ongoing Formation of Priests, held from February 6-10, 2024, in the Auditorium Conciliazione near the Vatican. The event was sponsored jointly by the Dicasteries for the Clergy, Evangelization, and the Eastern Churches, and gathered nearly 1,000 priests and faithful to reflect on the current status of ongoing priestly formation throughout the world.

In addition to the scheduled interventions on themes of Communitarian, Missionary and Integral ongoing formation, there were breakout sessions of four-to-six participants that held ‘conversations in the Spirit’ about each topic.

Beyond the work in the Auditorium, the Conference included a screening of the French film Priest by Damien Boyer and a concert in the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran. The group was so large that it was only possible to gather for Holy Mass in the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter twice, at the beginning on February 6th, presided over by His Eminence Pietro Cardinal Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, and, at the end on February 10th, celebrated by His Eminence Lazzaro Cardinal

You Heung-Sik, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy. The high point, of course, was an audience with the Holy Father, in which Pope Francis shared his own insights and vision for priestly life and ministry with all the participants. As an active participant and facilitator I can say firsthand that I saw the effect this event had on the priest participants who left invigorated and with renewed love for their ministry. The gift of God within them had indeed been fanned into flame n

Congratulations, Msgr. Oliver!

BRIAN SCHUMACHER ‘26, DIOCESE OF SALT LAKE CITY

Iwas humbled and surprised by this recognition,” said now-Monsignor Jim Oliver C'99 (Philadelphia). Having served as an adjunct spiritual director at the Pontifical North American College, Msgr. Oliver was recently named a member of the Papal Household with the title of Chaplain to His Holiness. The honor is given by the pope in honor of a priest’s service to the Church. But according to Msgr. Oliver, the honor isn’t his – no, he says “it honors the parishioners where I have served as parochial vicar, pastor and weekend assistant under the guidance of the Archbishop of Philadelphia.” n

top to bottom: His Eminence Pietro Cardinal Parolin with seminarians Matthew Kehoe ‘ 27 (Milwaukee), Will Robbins ‘25 (Beaumont), and Andrew Messer ‘26 (Toledo) (back row, from left to right)after Mass at the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter; Newly-honored Msgr. James Oliver C'99 (Philadelphia).

Gregory the Great Visits the College

KYLE LANG ‘26, DIOCESE OF LA CROSSE

In 590 AD, a 49-year-old monk was called out of his Benedictine monastery to sit in the Chair of Saint Peter and lead the Universal Church. Inclined to the contemplative life, Pope Saint Gregory the Great admitted the burden of the active office he had assumed. Nevertheless, he led with fervor, promoting missions to England and writing a still-well-known work on pastoral care. This past February, the Pontifical North American College was visited by someone with a remarkably similar story. The Most Reverend Erik Varden, O.C.S.O., Bishop of Trondheim, Norway, was 46 years old in 2020 when called out of his Trappist monastery. Now he pastors a mission territory just northeast of where Gregory sent his missionaries. Recently, the young bishop preached a Lenten Day of Recollection for the College community in Rome, where he spoke on the ‘lot’ of the priest. Some time later, I had the opportunity to speak at length with Bishop Varden, in a conversation which revealed that he was accustomed to giving of himself with Gregorian fervor. We spoke of many things: his reaction to the episcopal appointment; his writings, particularly on loneliness, memory, and chastity; his hope and vision for the Church in Norway; pressing questions of our day; Norwegian literature; and more. Bishop Varden’s apostolic zeal was apparent throughout the discussion, and I found three qualities of this zeal especially memorable and worthy of imitation.

First, the apostle is honest and humble. “My first reaction [to being named Bishop] was one of great sorrow,” Bishop Varden admitted, noting the difficulty of “leaving a place and a people who were viscerally a part of my life and where I was happy. But once I arrived,” he continued, “I was very warmly received in the Diocese, and I ascertained the truth of the statement that even though sometimes we weep as we sow, we rejoice as we reap.”

Second, the apostle knows the age in which he lives. Bishop Varden’s writings cover an abundance of themes, and he draws from both secular and Christian sources to touch on questions we are all asking. For him, “the crucial question is the question of man. What is it to be a human being? The huge task for the Church in our times is to restate the dignity, finality, and sense of human nature, its sublime potential but also its limitations.” In the North, he continued insightfully, “we’re no longer in a state of secularization; to a certain extent that has already been accomplished. But that doesn’t mean that society remains in that state. Human nature being what it is, there is a craving for sense and answers. These post-secular societies provide a fruitful soil in which to sow the good seed. So we must make sure we have lots of it, chuck it out as liberally as we can, and then be ready for the harvest.” The Norwegian bishop has scattered the seed widely, from posting regular homilies and reflections on his website to the production of a new dark ale according to the monastic tradition, which he says has prompted many conversations about the faith.

Finally, the apostle is firmly rooted in Scripture and hope. When I asked about perseverance, the Bishop's face receded into a pensive smile. “I often consider how we’re all faced with that conundrum of the Twelve as they take leave of the Lord,” he said. “They’re feeling like ribbed chickens with absolutely no resources, and the Lord says, ‘Now go out to the ends of the earth and make of all peoples my disciples.” Rather than despair, this ought to lead us to humbly and simply “try to do what we are supposed to be doing, making sure that the sacraments are celebrated, the Gospel is preached, and the sick and sorrowing are consoled. For Christ does not ascend before having given the decisive promise, ‘And I shall be with you until the end of time.’ That’s the Word we need to hold on to.”

Crossing the Tiber

REV. ANTHONY F. LIGATO, ASSISTANT VICE RECTOR

On a starry, crisp evening in early February, a unique event took place on the sixth floor terrace of the Pontifical North American College. The EWTN production, Roman Nights, was hosted by the College. The EWTN series brings together a cross-section of people throughout Rome and beyond to share experiences of faith and how the rich encounter with the faith and culture of Rome impacts their lives.

The latest production of Roman Nights on February 8, 2024, was titled, “Crossing the Tiber: Today’s Conversion Stories.” It brought together more than 70 participants with the studio audience, three panelists, and ETWN’s Vatican Bureau Chief, Andreas Thonhauser, the evening’s moderator. The three guest panelists represented diverse backgrounds of faith and life and shared their own stories of conversion which led them to cross the Tiber. First on the panel was Fr. Michael Baggot, Professor Aggregato of Bioethics at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum in Rome. He currently teaches at the Catholic Worldview Fellowship and is a research scholar

at UNESCO’S Bioethics Chair. Next was William Robbins ‘25, a seminarian of the Diocese of Beaumont, Texas, who is in his third year of priestly formation at the College. The panel was completed with the participation of Anna Raisa Favale, an Italian director and screenwriter of religious-themed documentaries and stage productions. Each of the panelists shared their stories of conversion and how they came to encounter the Church as Sacrament. Through Scripture and Tradition, each of the panelists were invited by the Lord to cross the Tiber. Their stories of conversion called each of them to witness to their faith through the proclamation of the Kerygma of the Church and the celebration of the Sacraments of Jesus Christ.

Ultimately, this crisp Roman night showed us that we are each called to conversion throughout our life and should not be afraid to share these experiences.

You can view Roman Nights “Crossing the Tiber: Today’s Conversion Stories” by scanning the QR code.

inset left to right Will Robbins ‘25 (Beaumont) shares his journey to the seminary on EWTN's Roman Nights; Andreas Thornhauser moderates Roman Nights - recorded on the seminary's campus.; Will Robbins was joined by Fr. Baggot and Sig.na Favale to share their conversion stories.

THE CAUCUSES

THOMAS KOLLASCH ‘26, DIOCESE OF SIOUX CITY

Jagged as the zags on lizard. Snow scales the dales like diamonds. Daunting is the peak: Ripping through cloud and sky, Shrouded in greywhite then emboldened in shattering blue.

The wind unphases me here. The cold holds nothing to beauty. Healing air fills lung and soul, Flows back out with a new energy: It wants to return shouting life.

I want to hear the echo of my voice. I want to be heard. I want to be here 4000 years ago, to know the legends of this place. I want to be known by them. I want to speak their tongues.

Dark now is the land of our birth, the north land.

Its mother tongue is muted by a red-haired queen, Westmouth spoken now only by strangers.

The sounds my mother sang down to me Found their tune not far from here, Enchanted by a land not unlike this one, Where green grass like this grew And mountains like these loomed And humans like this desired everything.

Making a Difference, and Not Knowing It

GERARD GAYOU '25, ARCHDIOCESE OF WASHINGTON

When the Space Shuttle Challenger disintegrated 73 seconds after take-off on live television in 1986, a young speech writer named Peggy Noonan received a near-impossible task: President Ronald Reagan wanted to address America that evening on the deadly tragedy. The four-minute speech she produced is praised as one of President Reagan’s best. Though at the time, Ms. Noonan thought she had failed.

“Nothing could be good enough to meet the trauma of that day,” she explained at the 25th Carl J. Peter Lecture in a packed Corso Auditorium at the Pontifical North American College in March. Only the following morning did she learn the speech's impact. “You’re going to do some homilies,” Ms. Noonan told us, “that will make a difference, and you may not know it.”

She couldn’t predict the speech’s reception, but she could discipline its content: basic words and simple concepts: “[Reagan’s] career was about clarity.” Ms. Noonan repeatedly offered clarity and simplicity as principles for preaching.

Few writers in America are more distinguished than the winner of the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary, but Ms. Noonan spoke to us with the humility, sincerity, and earnestness of a Catholic hungry for truth. Shelve the abstract jargon, she encouraged us, and focus on the sacraments and the concrete lives of the saints. “[Catholics] need to be reminded why they are there on the seventh row on the right…they need you to tell them, ‘what does it mean that God loves you?’” She implored us to speak on the Eucharist: “They are certain that the Eucharist is the Real Presence of Jesus Christ.” That reality, she insisted, is “why they’re there.”

All of us seminarians will, sooner or later, face Challenger moments among our flocks. How do we speak to tragedy? Ms. Noonan emphasizes truth more than eloquence; if we speak first to the mind, the heart will follow. “Be straight as a bullet,” she said. “The thought carries itself if the thought itself is clear.” n

top to bottom Ms. Peggy Noonan delivers the 2024 Carl J. Peter Leture on priestly homilies; Seminarians erupted in applause at the conclusion of the Lecture; Rev. Peter John Cameron, O.P. (left) looks on while Ms. Noonan responds to seminarians' questions.

It is Our hope that [the College] will flourish with an abundant number of students. May it also grow resplendent with ever more glorious adornment of virtue and learning. The students who aspire to the priesthood within its walls should frequently reflect on how much they owe to God for His goodness and grace in granting them the opportunity of absorbing divine and human learning in Rome.

–Pope Pius XII

LIVING IN ROME

Simona Verbigrazia, a local restarant owner, teaches seminarians (from left to right) Steven Lang ‘26 (St. Paul-Minneapolis), Connor Lynch ‘27 (Des Moines), and Gerard Gayou ‘25 (Washington) how to make traditional Roman pasta.

THE JOY OF BROTHERHOOD AND PASTA!

Last semester, my hallway in the seminary got together to learn how to make three different traditional pasta dishes: Carbonara, Cacio e Pepe, and Amatriciana. This event was made possible by Fr. Dave Hulshof '81, Coordinator of Pastoral Formation, who lives on our hall and knows a local restaurant owner who offered her talents. Our fraternal unity and goal of growing in brotherhood made the lesson a wonderful experience. Even when mistakes were made, laughter was shared because it was all taking place within the wider context of the unity of brothers who were growing together. Our work in the kitchen had the reward of a great meal enjoyed together, reaping the fruits of our labors. Unity always bears great fruits! Although a simple event, it highlights how the unity of the men at this seminary leads to a spirit of freedom and joy! n

John Anderson ‘27, Archdiocese of Baltimore

J.R.R. TOLKIEN IN ROME

Recently I had the privilege of visiting a temporary exhibition called Tolkien. Uomo, Professore, Autore (Tolkein. Man, Professor, Author) at Rome’s Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea. The exhibit's execution illustrated what modern art can bring to the table, including its emphasis on the experiential unity found in the right combination of sound and visuals. This is the same unity that occurs in our minds when we read texts with a descriptive richness like those Tolkien masterfully employed. Having recently finished The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, I can attest to the impact of an encounter with such a vivid world, so strange and yet so familiar. The exhibition, like these texts, was impactful, for by their literary and imaginative richness they help us aspire to higher ideals beautifully- and naturally- conveyed within. n

Christian Hamrick ‘25, Diocese of Nashville

Christian Hamrick ‘25 (Nashville) experiences beauty through literature at the J.R.R. Tolkien exhibit in Rome's Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea.

ISTANBUL: A Crossroads of Perspectives

NICHOLAS WALDRON ‘26, ROCKVILLE CENTRE

This past February, I travelled to Istanbul with a fellow seminarian at the College and two Scottish classmates from the Pontifical Gregorian University. A trip to Istanbul is a trip to a place where perspectives meet. The city stands on a crossroads between continents, religions, and empires. First, Istanbul is a place where the Christian and Muslim religions have coexisted for hundreds of years. In of the large mosques of Istanbul, the ornate glasswork that illuminates the space reveals the lasting effect of the craftsmanship brought by the Christian Venetian occupation of the city. Though Islam is currently the predominant religion of the city, the impact of Christianity is hard to miss. The city is home to many Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches, many of which reveal an architecture with a noticeably Arabic influence. While walking the streets, the smells of Turk ish cuisine was hard to miss with its blend of eastern and west ern flavors. Ultimately, I found Istanbul to be a

place where the true value of the Gospel message becomes clearer as it is put into contact with other global faith traditions from near and far. This reality was often the subject of our many conversations as a group during the trip. Additionally I found that traveling with seminarians from another country was a great opportunity to share experiences and perspectives on our varied impressions of the city of Istanbul. I will not soon forget it.

Nicholas Waldron ‘26 (Rockville Centre) and a Scottish seminarian take in a seaside view in Istanbul.

Will Robbins ‘25 (Beaumont)(center left) and Nicholas Waldron ‘26 (Rockville Centre) (cen- ter right) before the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey, with fellow seminarians from Scotland.

Dwelling Together in Unity!

REV. MR. STEPHEN JONES ‘24, ARCHDIOCESE OF OKLAHOMA CITY

When I arrived in Rome in August 2020, little did I expect that my four best friends at the seminary would end up being the four classmates randomly assigned with me on my corridor. Other than being American seminarians studying in Rome, we did not have much in common. Raised in five different states and studying for five different dioceses, there was no apparent reason why we would ever have become close friends. But that’s the beauty about studying in Rome: you meet and befriend men from all over the United States that you never would have met unless you were together in the Eternal City.

I’ve often found that guys become friends quickly with the men on their corridors. Regardless of what diocese you’re from, or how old you are, the hall that you’re assigned to usually ends up enhancing your time in Rome. Almost anything makes for good community time together: travel weekends, Mass in the city on Saturday mornings, Sunday night movies, and on and on. In my own time here, the men on my hall were always there for me. Often, they become the backbone of your time at the North American College.

For me, one of the most formative examples of this unique fraternity at the College consists simply of the walk to school in the morning. In my group of five close friends, three of us went to the Pontifical Gregorian University for the first three years, and two went to the Angelicum. Every day for three years, we walked to school together. On some days, the walk was rainy; on others, it would be chilly and just barely light; still others would already be 80° F and humid. Some walks were light-hearted, others were deeper and more serious. We talked about family, summer parish experiences, what we were learning in school recently, hopes for the Church, and countless other things. Through something as simple as the walk to school, we became very close friends.

At the end of It’s a Wonderful Life, the angel Clarence wrote George Bailey a note that said, “No man is a failure who has friends.” I am a better man, Christian, and Deacon because of the friends that the Lord placed in my life here in Rome. May God continue to bless the Church in the United States by bringing about good priestly fraternity through the deep friendships made in the halls at this seminary. n

Seminarians on the "Trailer Park" corridor enjoy a meal during the Oktoberfest dinner; inset left to right The 3rd Convent hallway enjoys fraternity on Thanksgiving morning; 1st Central hallway celebrates during the seminary Christmas party; The "4th NASA" corridor enjoys a laugh before Tuesday evening Hall Prayer.

Brothers Praying in Unison

REV. JOSEPH FERME ‘22, ARCHDIOCESE OF BOSTON

The Pontifical North American College brings together men from all across the United States, each with his own personality and origin. We study at various universities throughout the city and engage in different apostolic works. We have our own hobbies and interests, talents and quirks. Yes, it’s an eclectic group but a united one.

“How good and how pleasant it is when brothers live in unity!” Thus begins the 133rd Psalm. Whence comes this unity? Ultimately, we are united in Christ – sons in the Son. This is strengthened each day as we celebrate Mass as a community, but this unity is also highlighted on two other occasions.

Twice a day, we gather in the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception for the celebration of the Liturgy of the

Hours, praying both Morning and Evening Prayer as a community. We begin our day together in prayer, and after the long day which has scattered us throughout the Eternal City for study and work, we come together once again to be united in prayer.

Morning and Evening Prayer are made up mostly of the Psalms. Though each man is wonderfully unique, when we gather for these times of prayer we take up not our own words, but the inspired Word of God and are united in voice and heart. No matter how unique each man might be, when we come together for the Liturgy of the Hours, we pray as one. It’s a daily reminder for each man that he is not alone, that God unites us to each other and to Himself. And this reminder is a good and pleasant thing.

Eóin Moore, O. Carm leads the seminary community in Evening Prayer.

Men of One Voice and Heart

THOMAS CROWLEY ’27, DIOCESE OF LANSING

On most Thursday mornings here at the Pontifical North American College, there is a group which meets to vocally praise the Lord before our communal time for silent adoration in the main chapel. During this time we pray spontaneously, often guided by song, and we pour out our hearts to Him. Yet why do we sacrifice 20 minutes of sleep on a Thursday morning to praise the Lord?

The fundamental answer to this question is that we are made to praise and worship! This is what we will do for all eternity in Heaven! This time of praise is an emptying out of oneself to the Lord, a pouring of oneself into the Heart of Jesus.

Seminarians gather for song and prayer before entering into a silent Holy Hour in the North American Martyrs Chapel.

It is in this pouring out of oneself that we receive, that we become open to the Lord pouring into us.

It is in the Lord Jesus that we are made one. In praising him together there is a profound unity that develops between each of us men. Why? Because the body of Jesus Christ is the place where we can truly be unified. When brothers pray together, we may say different words and carry different sorrows, yet we are all united into the One Body of Christ as we pour ourselves into him through our praise. At the end we go forth united as men of one voice and heart in Jesus Christ, having received the peace and strength to live another day for him and in him together as brothers.

Seminarians enjoy fraternity, grilled cheese, and french fries each Friday in Lent.

A group of seminarians gathers in the Student Lounge for great food and fraternity.

Fraternity, Cheese, and Fries

REED ROBINSON ’26, DIOCESE OF NASHVILLE

Members of the seminary staff (personale) join the seminarians for the weekly grilled-cheese gathering.

As it turns out, melted cheese brings together more than just two pieces of bread. Each Friday during Lent, one of the most anticipated events of the year (for myself at least) happens at the College. Instead of going to the typical Friday meal, we are able to go to our own Student Lounge, where drinks and snacks are normally available to buy. On these Fridays, however, we sell grilled cheese and fries. It’s sort of like opening a small food truck inside the seminary. You may think, ‘It’s just a grilled cheese, what’s so great about that?’ Fair question. These aren’t just any grilled cheeses. We spice up the sandwiches a bit with some special garlic-herb butter and a couple extra ingredients like grilled onions and jalapeños, all made to order. But really, the event is about the guy next to you. Since many of us go to different universities, it’s a perfect opportunity to spend time with guys that we don’t see as much throughout the week. Just like Jesus who came not only for the Jews, but also for the Gentiles, so too grilled cheese crosses the boundaries of our different Roman universities and brings the seminarians of the College together through cheesy goodness.

Nicholas Waldron ‘26 (Rockville Centre) lines grills with grilled-cheese sandwiches for the seminary community.

Nicholas Stellpflug ‘25 (Green Bay) serves grilled cheese orders to brother seminarians.

WHAT WE’RE READING Dostoevsky’s The Idiot

NATHAN LEDOUX '26, DIOCESE OF PROVIDENCE

“You know, in my opinion it's sometimes even good to be ridiculous, if not better: we can the sooner forgive each other, the sooner humble ourselves; we can't understand everything at once, we can’t start right out with perfection! To achieve perfection, one must first begin by not understanding many things! And if we understand too quickly, we may not understand well.”

Dostoevsky’s great literary works highlight the interplay of good and evil, the desire for perfection, atheism, and faith—summarizing desires of the human heart and experience through broken and challenged characters. Dostoevsky’s brilliant literary skill articulates a gradual metanoia, a gradual conversion, treating the complexities of navigating a world that is seemingly unfair and cynical alongside the likes of one with child-like innocence. Over time, Prince Myshkin’s purity points to an essential truth that harkens to Jesus’ message to His apostles: “In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

A Brief Primer on Prayer

Prince Myshkin, Dostoevsky’s “idiot,” is cast back into Russian society after several years in a Swiss sanatorium to treat for his epilepsy. The young prince’s good-natured altruism and empathy accentuates the antithesis of his personality from the selfish malevolence of the people around him.

Engaging human emotions, experiences, and aspirations in this novel, I find renewed meaning in what it means to live as a Christian in a world wrought with division, envy, and individualism. Prince Myshkin stands as a kind of model for the priest: a man who suffers from his imperfections, but who nonetheless enters the lives of God’s people to bring hope to the despairing, resources to the needy, truth to the manipulated, and knowledge of eternal life to those who do not yet realize the saving power of Christ’s resurrection. Perhaps we’ll be called idiots, but God’s idiots we will be! n

In this new compilation of forty short essays, Rev. Peter John Cameron, O.P., presents powerful insights into the life of prayer. Drawing upon the riches of the saints and other spiritual writers, Fr. Cameron gives us profound meditations to grow in the spiritual life and enrich our prayer.

Fr. Cameron is a Dominican priest of the Province of Saint Joseph. He was the Founding Editor-in-Chief of Magnificat and currently serves as a spiritual director and the Carl J. Peter Chair of Homiletics at the Pontifical North American College. n

ALREADY AND

JOSEPH RICHTER ‘27, DIOCESE OF BISMARCK

The origins of Rome's station churches date back as far as the fifth century. These liturgies consisted in the Pope and his court meeting at a particular church each day during Lent to celebrate Mass. Pilgrims would join the Pope in this pilgrimage, making incredible sacrifices just to participate. Although this tradition has evolved over the last fifteen centuries, the powerful effects have gone un changed.

On the morning of Ash Wednesday, a small group of seminarians left from the College before dawn to walk to the Basilica of Santa Sabina. The morning was cold, but the air was still and the sky clear. As we started our walk along the Tiber in silent prayer, it was completely dark. But as we neared the church, we began to see the beautiful sunrise that was awaiting us. With each successive morning, the sunrise was more and more prevalent as we made our way to that day's station church. This is one stunning reminder for us pilgrims that as we make our way through this season of Lent, we are not the only ones awaiting the redemption wrought in Christ’s Paschal Mystery. The entire universe is awaiting the same redemption and is united in prayer with us as we enter the depths of this season.

are united through participation in the Mass. Following Mass, we can meet those who have joined us at the station church and hear about their own experiences.

At its core, the station churches were a way for the pilgrims in the city to draw into a greater union with the Holy Father by participating in the Mass. This unity continues as dozens of pilgrims are welcomed at each Station Mass. Among these pilgrims are students from our apostolates, fellow classmates at different universities, priests working in the Vatican, and even some that have flown across the globe to participate in this tradition. Seeing the different people at these churches allows one to see the universality of the church and how we

The station churches were chosen because of their age, most of them reaching back to the beginnings of the station church tradition, but more importantly because of the reason for their construction. Most of the churches are built over the burial or martyrdom sites of the early Roman martyrs listed in the Roman Canon. In each of these churches, we can pray to saints like Peter, Paul, Philip, James, and countless others. At most of the churches, the high altar is filled with relics of different saints. This is a sight unfamiliar to me and probably most Americans, but there is a greater purpose of this than just for show. When approaching the altar to receive the Eucharist, we visibly see the communion of saints, in this instance through their mortal remains kept as relics, welcoming us into the embrace and reception of God, truly present in the Eucharist. While all the angels and saints are present at each Mass, I found the station churches to help us to receive this reality to an ever-greater degree.

The beautiful tradition helps to immerse us ever deeper into the great season of Lent and to awaken or reignite our desire for the redemption that is wrought for us in Christ Jesus. It shakes us out of our disordered individualism and enlightens us to see that indeed the entire world is groaning, awaiting redemption.

above: The Seminary community gathers for a station Church Mass at the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Damaso in Rome.

AND NOT YET

top to bottom Lenten Station Church Masses at various churches across the city of Rome: the Basilica of San Pietro in Vincoli; the Basilica of Santi Quattro Coronati; the San Lorenzo in Lucina; the Basilica of Santa Pudenziana; the Basilica of San Bartolomeo all'Isola; the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major; the San Marcello al Corso.

APOSTOLIC GRACES

Apostolate Graces are short stories of special grace-filled encounters shared by seminarians while serving in their apostolates. Every few months, Fr. Dave Hulshof '81, Coordinator of Apostolic Formation, sends a few of these stories to the College body to invite further reflection on God’s blessings in our ministries.

"Though this experience is not limited to one specific encounter, it happens regularly that, while serving pasta or rice on the lunch line at Centro Astalli, the person I am serving will ask for more on top of the initial serving. I will typically give them a little extra, but at a certain point I cannot serve any more out of consideration for the rest of the people who come for a meal. Sometimes this has provoked reactions of frustration, impatience, and even anger from the other person…I gained the insight that I am prone to react to others in the way they react to me. God was at work in me by prompting a more generous response in my person, even if I could not give the material food to those who were asking for it. He calls me to greater humility and joy in the face of sometimes negative reactions.” n

Lucas Folan ’26, Diocese of Paterson

“One of the visitors on a Scavi tour was a woman who had recently been through a divorce. Towards the end of my tours, in the Clementine chapel, I usually give a brief reflection on perseverance in the Christian life. There is a ceiling panel in the chapel which shows Peter’s denial of Christ. I point this out and talk about how the key to living sanctity in the Chrisitan life is not about doing things perfectly but about always turning back to Jesus even when we fail. At this moment in the tour the woman broke down and started crying. After the tour, she explained to me her situation and how grateful she was for the hope I had given her…I saw God at work in the story of St. Peter, which revealed to this woman the mercy of God and the Church.” n

Charles DeReuil ’26, Archdiocese of St. Paul and

Minneapolis

back Jacob Tschida ‘25

welcomes

(Duluth)

seminarians as the enter for their scavi tour under the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter.

Andrew Chase '27 (Baltimore), Lucas Folan '26 (Paterson), and Thomas Crowley '27 (Lansing) stop outside the doors to the Centro Astalli Refugee Center.

VOICES OF NAC

What is your favorite community event at the College?

The College’s yearly Thanksgiving Day celebrations have always been a joy. On this rather American day in Rome, when we join in prayer and friendship with other Americans as something of a family, our house feels like a home under God’s blessings.

Rev. Mr. James Muscatella ‘24, Diocese of Rochester

The pilgrimage to assist in the Corpus Christi procession at Orvieto is a highlight of the year. It is a long and life-giving day of praising the Lord and growing in friendship with him and each other.

Peter Fairbanks ‘25, Archdiocese of Washington

I enjoy the joyful and lively events of Oktoberfest and St. Patrick’s Day which facilitate an environment for socialization and camaraderie, along with an appreciation of the gifts and talents of the class that prepared the food, created the atmosphere, and provided entertainment for the evening. The past two years, I was a part of the cooking team; there you really see guys coming together as they prepare an incredible meal for over 100 men.

Charles Warner ‘26, Diocese of Saginaw

Cycling to the Lenten station churches must be one of the best community events at the College! It is such a good way to start the day with exercise and Mass at a beautiful basilica here in Rome alongside many pilgrims.

Brett Rotz ‘27, Diocese of Helena

HOLY WEEK ABROAD

A FILIPINO TRIDUUM

JACOB TSCHIDA ‘25, DIOCESE OF DULUTH

Three years ago, if you would have told me I would spend the Triduum doing vigils, processions, and Masses in the Philippines, I would not have believed you. Nevertheless, this past Easter three of us from the Pontifical North American College did just that. With the help of a University professor, we stayed at a parish outside Manila and got to experience all of the colorful and rich Filipino Triduum traditions. Along the unfamiliar streets we processed down or familial floats we carried, I was amazed at how, upon entering the age-old liturgies, I felt right at home. The Church is truly united around the world as She celebrates the Paschal Mystery with one voice.

Feeling

to home,

A Holy Thursday altar of repose in the city of Manila, Philippines.

close

Dillon Johnson ‘27 (Rapid City) (far right) and brother seminarians serve at the Easter Vigil Mass at the Church of Saint Sulpice in Paris.

Seminarians serve at the Easter Vigil Mass at the Church of Saint Sulpice in Paris, France. Photo credit: Paroisse Saint-Sulpice.

NOT FAR FROM HOME

DILLON JOHNSON ‘27, DIOCESE OF RAPID CITY

As the organ sounded, the trumpet blared, and the bells tolled, the stained-glass window above the altar of the Risen Christ was slowly illuminated. While these sounds filled the church and traces of familiar smells of incense and fresh flowers lingered in the air, I was reminded of home and celebrating the Easter Vigil in years past. Though there were many similarities, one difference remained. The celebration was not at home in Rapid City, but in Paris, at the parish of Saint Sulpice. Though no one has ever compared Rapid City, SD, to Paris, spending the Triduum there with other seminarians afforded me a unique opportunity, since Paris felt not thousands of miles away but quite close to home. Even a great physical distance cannot separate the unity of our faith and the feeling of being at home in the Universal Church.

Thomas Johnson ‘26 (Great Falls-Billings) (second from right) returns to his summer parish in Chesterfied, England, to serve Triduum liturgies.

THINE BE THE GLORY

THOMAS JOHNSON ‘26, DIOCESE OF GREAT FALLS - BILLINGS

For the Triduum this year, I returned with three friends to Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish in Chesterfield, England, where I spent last summer. It was wonderful to see all of the people I had previously met, as well as to celebrate Holy Week in English! I enjoyed being in a parish setting and assisting Fathers Adrian and Chris in the liturgies because it feels like it did when I was growing up and more like it will when I go back home and serve my diocese. But being in England, we were able to experience some things unique to the Church there. For example, we chanted the Easter Sequence in an English adaptation of a setting from Notre Dame in Paris and sang an abundance of properly English hymns. It was a true glimpse of the Universal Church.

A Holy Hour Sermon For the Institution of Lectors

REV. MR. MATTHEW POHLMAN ‘24, ARCHDIOCESE OF OMAHA

In the beginning, the Word was silent. All things were then created through Him. Then the Word spoke in many and varied ways through the prophets. As we celebrated just weeks ago, the Word was at last made flesh and dwelt among us. And now, the Word of God sits enthroned in glory.

With this great history already accomplished, Christ now commissions men and women to give new voice to His word, and the Lector is one who, in a special way, gives voice to the word of the Lord.

When we were baptized, we all became participants in the three offices of Christ: priest, prophet, and king. The ministry of Lector is a particular expression of our prophetic office. As ministers of the Word, at the end of the First or Second Reading, you will announce that what was just heard is indeed “the Word of the Lord,” and what other response could the gathered assembly make than “thanks be to God!” The Word of the Lord, which you will be trusted to proclaim, has great power. We know that it is “sharper than any two-edged sword.” We know that it “pierces the division of soul and spirit,” it “discerns the thoughts and intentions of the heart,” and it also builds up the Body of Christ.

Let us recall that right before St. Paul was arrested a final time, he invoked

the Word of the Lord as the reason why his followers should demonstrate charity to their brothers and sisters. He reminded everyone how Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” St. Paul helped build up charity in his disciples at Ephesus by appealing to the Word.

Let us also recall that when God brought the prophet Ezekiel to the field of dry bones, the bones rattled and rose up, giving Israel the hope that their nation would soon be brought back to its former glory. It was through the prophet’s crying out, “Dry bones, hear the Word of the Lord,” that the great army that rose from the dry bones built up a new hope in the people Israel.

Finally, let us recall that faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes by the preaching of Christ. We know that this preaching has gone out to all the earth, and his word to the ends of the world. It is by the Word of the Lord that our faith in the Word made flesh is strengthened.

So our prophetic office, lived out in the special way through the ministry of Lector, builds up faith, hope, and charity in the Body of Christ.

We have already experienced this ourselves through listening attentively to the Lord. When our eyes are opened to some Gospel truth,

be it in the classroom, at the sacred liturgy, or through a friendly conversation, have we not also experienced our hearts burning within us? That is what happens when the word of God, rich as it is, dwells in us. It builds us up and spurs us on in our life of virtue. What a privilege it is to have received the Great Commission at our Baptism – to be an instrument of God’s word – to proclaim the words of the One who has the words of everlasting life!

In these last days, while God speaks to us through His Son, He calls us to let His Word continue to dwell among us. Of course the most privileged form this takes is the Eucharist, as the priest lends his own voice to God. The Lector too, in a unique way, also lends his or her voice to God, giving expression to the Word of the Lord.

God has spoken His Word, full of grace and truth, so the Word is no longer silent. Thanks to our Baptism, we are those prophets through whom the Son now speaks. It is the Word of the Lord that builds up faith, hope, and charity in His Body. So let the Word of God find us worthy of our prophetic vocation, grateful for our commission to give voice to – to proclaim – the Word of the Lord n

Rev. Mr. Matthew Pohlman ‘24 (Omaha) preaches in the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception.

The Institution of an Acolyte A Foretaste of the Beatific Vision

MARTIN UMEATUEGBU ‘26, ARCHDIOCESE OF SANTA FE

In my second year of formation, I have experienced God’s fulfilment of His promise of mercy to me in the peace which I have enjoyed here. This is an action of God, a sign of his fidelity. He is present here. The veracity of God’s fidelity was manifest on March 3, 2024, as I was received into the Ministry of Acolyte alongside my classmates. As we continue our journey to become priests after Christ's heart, we have the honor of participating in this ancient ministry.

An acolyte's service revolves around the Eucharist where he assists priests and deacons in preparing the altar for the celebration of the Eucharist, giving communion to the people of God, including the sick. Reflecting upon this office, it is clear that God has invited me to a greater echelon of love— a love which reassures me of His fidelity.

Serving at the Lord's sacred altar requires an awareness that one who is

here on earth is in touch with those in Heaven. The seminary has thus prepared me to live out my daily life in a Eucharistic manner, that of gratitude to God. From the day of institution till now I feel a renewed joy of serving God who we will one day see face to face. This is indeed a foretaste of the Beatific Vision. At the acolyte institution, I better understood Saint John Chrysostom’s teaching: while the Eucharistic celebration is performed on earth, it should be counted among the things of heaven. n

The NAC Class of 2026 celebrates with Most Rev. Joseph Augustine Di Noia, O.P. ministy of Acolyte. and His Eminence James Cardinal Harvey after receiving the Ministry of Acolyte.

AN EVENING OF GRATITUDE:

WILL ROBBINS ‘25, DIOCESE

OF BEAUMONT

As the sun set on a crisp spring evening, 460 guests began congregating in the Cortile degli Aranci of the Pontifical North American College for the 30th Rector’s Dinner. The guests were a varied group of cardinals and bishops, Americans and Italians, retired generals and lay parishioners. They came from all walks of life, but they gathered on this evening for a common purpose of supporting the mission of the College and to honor His Eminence Wilton Cardinal Gregory and Mrs. Lory Mondaini. This varied group of guests gave a sense of excitement to the evening,

and the sweet smell of the orange blossoms in the cortile elevated the jovial nature at the beginning of the celebration.

The evening continued upstairs in the O’Toole Refectory where the seminarians and formation team waited tables, prepared plates, and provided entertainment for the evening. Through this carefully orchestrated evening, the College exemplified the excellent formation provided in its walls and relished the opportunity

THE 30TH RECTOR’S DINNER

to welcome and host so many faithful friends of the College from home and across Europe.

After having served as the Secretary to the Rector, Mrs. Lory Mondaini retired from the College this past September. In her remarks accepting the fitting honor of receiving the 2024 Rector’s Award, Mrs. Mondaini commented that she often felt like a mother to the seminarians and referred them as “her boys.” Met with thunderous applause, her boys were more than excited to

celebrate her dedicated years of service to the College and to thank Cardinal Gregory for his unwavering support.

Though the 30th Rector’s Dinner has come and gone with the orange blossoms in the Cortile, the spirit of gratitude and hospitality that permeated the College that week remains. The seminarians, student priests, and formation team were overjoyed to welcome so many faithful friends and supporters to the Janiculum Hill and look forward to doing so for 30 more years to come. n

"Question: What is the sign that a man has attained purity of heart, and when does a man know that his heart has entered into purity?"

Answer: When he sees all men as good and none appears to him to be unclean and defiled, then in very truth his heart is pure."

-Saint Isaac the Syrian, Homily 37

ART BY: MATEUSZ PUZANOWSKI ’26, DIOCESE OF PROVIDENCE

What Kind of Mindfulness?

REV. DAVID FOSTER, O.S.B., PONTIFICIO ATENEO SANT’ANSELMO

MIn prayer, I am given back to myself, changed and enlivened by the Other.

indfulness is all the rage. It is a kind of spirituality without metaphysics, but also a mental calisthenics. It seems to be a spirituality of consumerism. I want to argue that it nonetheless plays an important part in spiritual education, but that it needs to be understood correctly: that is, as the mindfulness implicit in the monastic practice of lectio divina and which over time began to be considered separately as simple contemplative prayer.

An early example of this shift is in the anonymous texts, Cloud of Unknowing and Privy Counseling. The Cloud author deals the practical problem of when thinking about the reading gets in the way of loving the divine author. The radical answer is to stop the thinking! Even with the best motives, we spend too much time absorbed in ourselves. We should want God by desire, not by thinking.

Privy Counselling enlarges on the consequent experience of prayer; the process of ‘unknowing’ is described more existentially as “a naked knowledge and feeling of one’s own existence,” or “a naked purpose reaching out to God, not cloaked in any specific thought about God… but only that He is as He is.” It is an appreciation that we are gifted with life, stretched out towards that which is beyond thought and perception, a stretching out which can only be owned affectively by being grasped in love.

Contemplative prayer quickly becomes a disorientating experience because it explores the sense of God’s presence in his absence. Consciousness usually finds itself between the polarities of subject and object, and mindfulness cultivates awareness of subjectivity beyond the bipolarity. But I find myself as person in relation to other subjects who are there for me objectively as persons; thus, the oddity of God’s presence (in absence) leaves me existentially compromised, but also aware of my being founded in such an ineffable relationship. In prayer, I am given back to myself, changed and enlivened by the Other. Prayer is a slow process of mindfulness which offers hope of healing and transformation, of justification and grace. n

EUCHARISTIC REFLECTIONS

AB+

REV. MR. JAMES FANGMEYER ‘24,

ARCHDIOCESE OF WASHINGTON

"Now in Christ Jesus you who were once far off have been brought near in the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall,” said St. Paul to Ephesian gentiles who had become his brothers in Christ. Jesus, Paul, and gentiles in Jerusalem knew about the dividing wall between the court of gentiles and the court of Israel ites in the Temple. On this wall a strict prohibition against gentile access was written in every known language. Jews and gentiles both upheld a metaphorical wall that prevented their relationships from co-mingling. Jesus broke down this dividing wall. In his blood we are part of him and therefore part of one another. His blood type, concluded from testing of Eucharistic miracles, is theologically fitting: AB+, the universally receiving and rarest blood type. It is through his body and blood that those of us far off are brought near.

The Tabernacle

REV. MR. MIKE MAHONEY ‘24, DIOCESE OF DES MOINES

Praying in front of a tabernacle can be a very moving experience. By placing yourself in the presence of the Lord in the Eucharist, you start to feel a deeper connection to the Lord and a peace enters into your heart. My experience here at the Pontifical North American College has largely been that experience. When praying in our Immaculate Conception Chapel and having my eyes fixed on the tabernacle or the beautiful image of Our Lady above it, I am always drawn into a deeper love of our Lord and His true presence in the Eucharist. As believers in the Eucharist, having the understanding that the Lord’s presence remains even after the Mass ends helps us to rest and pray. It is essential because this type of understanding allows us to grow deeper in union with God. I am so happy to live in a place close to a tabernacle, where I may go often to pray in the presence of our Lord.

from top to bottom: Bearing the Eucharistic Miracle of Orvieto, Seminarians lead the Corpus Christi procession; Rev. David Hulshof '81 (Springfield-Cape Giradeau) imparts the Eucharistic Benediction; A mosiac of Our Lady adorns the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception; Rev. Mr. Mike Mahoney ‘25 prays before the Tabernacle.

The Eucharist, Our Home Around the World

REV. MR. MICHAEL MALONEY ‘24, ARCHDIOCESE OF ST. PAUL AND MINNEAPOLIS

I recently helped lead a Confirmation retreat in Assisi, and one of the churches we visited was Santa Maria Maggiore. Buried in the church is Blessed Carlo Acutis, an Italian who died in 2006 at a the young age of 15. What struck all of us pilgrims, along with the people who knew him, was his deep love of the Eucharist. Even at his young age, the Eucharist was where Blessed Carlo found his identity, and when he was dying from leukemia, it was where he found peace. He was even known to say that he had no desire to go to the Holy Land because he had the Eucharist nearby.

The Lord desires to be the source of our identity and peace, and He gave us the gift of Himself in the Eucharist to be with us wherever we are. Whenever we enter a church and see the sanctuary lamp lit, that is where our home is.

Corpus Christi in Orvieto

REV. MR. ANDREW WESTERMAN ‘24, PERSONAL ORDINARIATE OF THE CHAIR OF ST. PETER

On Corpus Christi we contemplate the great gift of Christ’s own body and blood truly and really present to us in the Blessed Sacrament. Italy’s history of Eucharistic devotion runs parallel to a rich history of Eucharistic miracles over the centuries. Learning and praying with these miracles is one grace from my time studying here. Near Rome in the town of Orvieto, there is a grand Eucharistic procession each year on Corpus Christi that celebrates not only Christ’s body and blood on account of the feast day, but it also recalls the 13th century miracle of a host which began to bleed after the consecration. Seeing and joining the great number of believers who process there each year is a great gift and is a wonderful image of the spiritual unity that Christ’s body and blood causes between us and the Lord, as well as the unity it brings to all Catholics.

Upcoming Ordinations

TO THE DIACONATE:

May 18, 2024

Mr. Andrew Scott Fyall – Diocese of Austin

Mr. Thomas Patrick O’Donnell – Archdiocese of Baltimore

Mr. Samuel Gray Hill – Diocese of Richmond

Mr. Michael Lawrence Noriega – Diocese of Austin

Mr. Michael Jeffrey Rhodes – Diocese of Austin

June 8, 2024

Mr. Javier Ebertowski – Diocese of Corpus Christi

October 3, 2024, at the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter

Mr. Marco Antonio Cerritelli – Archdiocese of Washington

Mr. Christian Alexander Corona – Diocese of Tyler

Mr. Joseph Corboy Doherty – Diocese of Venice-in-Florida

Mr. Peter Cullen Fairbanks – Archdiocese of Washington

Mr. Donald Gerard Gayou – Archdiocese of Washington

Mr. Christian Fredrick Hamrick – Diocese of Nashville

Mr. Nicholas Andrew Monnin – Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend

Mr. Kevin Akanna Obiesie – Archdiocese of Santa Fe

Mr. Chukwuma Collins Anthony Odigwe – Archdiocese of Washington

Mr. William Boyd Robbins – Diocese of Beaumont

Mr. Paulo Emilio-Antonio Salazar – Diocese of Brooklyn

Mr. Tristan Brady Schubert – Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon

Mr. Nicholas John Stellpflug – Diocese of Green Bay

Mr. Jacob Joseph Tschida – Diocese of Duluth

Mr. Maxwell Joseph Vetch – Diocese of Rapid City

Mr. Robert Thomas Williams – Diocese of Tulsa

December 14, 2024

Mr. Mauricio Romero – Diocese of San Angelo

TO THE PRIESTHOOD:

May 18, 2024

Rev. Mr. Ryan Joseph Asher – Archdiocese of Detroit

Rev. Mr. Zachary Allen Galante - Archdiocese of Milwaukee

May 25, 2024

Rev. Mr. Viktor Gjergji – Archdiocese of New York

Rev. Mr. David Thomas Lee – Diocese of Nashville

Rev. Mr. Troy Phillip Niemerg – Diocese of Springfield, Illinois

Rev. Mr. Michael Thomas Maloney – Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis

Rev. Mr. Joseph Nathaniel Wappes – Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis

June 1, 2024

Rev. Mr. Matthew Louis Pohlman – Archdiocese of Omaha

June 15, 2024

Rev. Mr. Benjamin Richard Bralove - Archdiocese of Washington

Rev. Mr. James Andrew Fangmeyer - Archdiocese of Washington

June 21, 2024

Rev. Mr. Michael Patrick Mahoney – Diocese of Des Moines

June 22, 2024

Rev. Mr. Brent Douglas Durschmidt - Archdiocese of Portland-in-Oregon

Rev. Mr. Justin Richard Echevarria - Archdiocese of Portland-in-Oregon

Rev. Mr. Jacob Francis Livecchi – Diocese of Toledo

Rev. Mr. David James Nowicki – Diocese of La Crosse

Rev. Mr. Tyler Eugene Underhill – Diocese of Evansville

June 28, 2024

Rev. Mr. Andrew James Westerman – Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter

June 29, 2024

Rev. Mr. Stephen Austin Jones – Archdiocese of Oklahoma City

Rev. Mr. Joseph Michael Brodeur – Diocese of Providence

Rev. Mr. James Phillip Muscatella – Diocese of Rochester

Returning to the Lord Together

REV. AARON KELLY ‘22, C‘24, DIOCESE OF ROCHESTER

At the heart of the season of Lent is the invitation to return to the Lord, particularly through the disciplines of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. The first reading that we heard on Ash Wednesday began with the exhortation: “Even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; Rend your hearts, not your garments,and return to the LORD, your God” (Joel 2:12–13). This invitation is first and foremost a personal one, which requires a response of the individual. However, this invitation is also a communal one to which the community of the Church, like the Israelites, respond to together. At the heart of the season of Lent is the choice of the individual, united with the entire Church, to return to the Lord.

One concrete example of this reality is the annual station church pilgrimage that is organized by the Pontifical North American College. Each morning of

Lent, seminarians and priests from both the College and the Casa Santa Maria leave early in the morning to pilgrimage to a different Church in the city for Mass in English. The seminarians and priests are joined by other members of the faithful from near and far. Together, in a visible way, each person returns to the Lord with the entire community offers their collective prayer to the Lord. In that moment, each individual comes with their unique experience and journey of faith and joins in a collective act of returning to the Lord, united in the one Eucharistic sacrifice. The community, then, becomes a means of support to each person as they make their Lenten journey, returning to the Lord.

Following the celebration of Mass, many of the seminarians and priests go to the Casa Santa Maria for breakfast before going to their respective universities for class. The experience of eating and sharing conversation unites the two campuses in a spirit of fraternity. This experience is particularly unique to Lent and illustrates further the unity in mission of seeking to draw ever closer to the Lord. n

How Good and How Pleasant It Is

REV. KEVIN MCBRIEN ’86, ICTE S'24, DIOCESE OF BROOKLYN

“How Good and How Pleasant It Is

When Brothers Dwell Together as One” (Psalm 133:1).

From ancient Wisdom literature we learn how fulfilling it is to live in unity with one another. When we are joined together as family members, friends, acquaintances and neighbors, we find the source of all happiness and joy in communion with God Who first loved us.

At the Pontifical North American College, the sense of unity and brotherhood is manifested for both seminarians and priests who live and study at the seminary on the Hill, the graduate house at the Casa Santa Maria or in the sabbatical program called the Institute of Continuing Theological Education (ICTE) at the Casa O’Toole.

During my study, discernment and formation in the seminary community in the 1980s, there were many happy experiences of being together with fellow seminarians: attending the University, sharing meals in the refectory, joining in apostolate work, playing sports, praying at daily Mass and singing “Ad Multos Annos” in harmony on special occasions.

More recently, in Spring 2024, as a priest participating in the sabbatical program (ICTE) under the capable direction of Father Edward Linton, OSB, the same bonds of fraternity were made evident with other priests who serve faithfully in ministries across the country: Chicago, Atlanta,

San Francisco, Joliet, New York, Boston and Rockford, as well as around the world: Canada, New Zealand and Australia. Together we learned and prayed, traveled and laughed, enlightened and encouraged each other in a spirit of genuine concern for each other and love as priests. The ICTE sabbatical program is worthwhile for any priest who seeks renewal in Christ’s priesthood and ongoing pastoral ministry.

The call to unity is essential. In solidarity with others, we discover the divine communion of the Lord, and we come to know “how good and pleasant it is.” n

A Unified Investment

MARK RANDALL, CFRE • EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT

Iwas recently in Rome to help host and produce the 30th Rector’s Dinner – what some call our “Superbowl” of annual events. As you can see from the photos on pages 30 and 31, it was a marvelous evening for the record-breaking 460 guests who attended this year. Over 100 other non-attending benefactors purchased congratulatory greetings in the Rector’s Album and/or made donations to support the event.

The Dinner is a night of joy among our guests and the College community. It has the feel of a family reunion where – despite having not seen each other in a while – old friendships are renewed and new ones made. There is most definitely a sense of unity in the air throughout the evening.

As I have commented before in these pages, the vast majority of our benefactors will never come to Rome, let alone the grounds of the North American College. One of the great blessings of my work is to speak with these friends across the country to learn why they choose to invest in our extraordinary mission.

Many first mention that they know an alumnus of the College. “Fr. Joe is a great priest and whatever you are doing over there in Rome, I want to make sure you keep making great priests like him!”

Others understand the unique nature of Roman formation, and the value of ensuring that US Bishops have this option as a house of formation. As the late Cardinal Szoka once said, “If the North American College did not exist, surely we would have to build one, so important is its work for the Church.”

Some benefactors simply want to support priestly formation in general, and likely give to several of our brother USbased seminaries (thank you!).

And of course, our generous alumni want to give back to the institution that played such a critical role in their formation journey and to “give it forward” to the next generation of seminarians.

But nothing compares to a few hours on the Janiculum Hill with a few hundred benefactors who are in the very midst of their investment. They might say it’s the ultimate “return on investment” to be with our faithful seminarians who are literally the future priesthood of the Church in the US. More than once I have witnessed friends meeting unexpectedly at the Rector’s Dinner say, “I had no idea you were a benefactor of the College – me, too!”

So, what is your reason for investing in our mission? What elements of our work would you like to learn more about? How can we better share with you and others the story of what we do? Send me your thoughts at mrandall@pnac.org

With gratitude for your participation in our unified mission of forming priests for Jesus Christ in the heart of his Church! n

For more information about The Pontifical North American College, subscription questions, or to learn about ways you can financially support “America’s Seminary in Rome,” please contact Mark Randall, CFRE, Executive Director, Institutional Advancement.

Tel: (202) 541-5411 I Fax: (202) 470-6211 I Email: pnacdc@pnac.org I Website: www.pnac.org

2024 AUTUMN MODULES DATES AND COSTS

MODULE 1:

MODULE 2:

MODULE 3:

UNDERSTANDING CHRIST THROUGH THE CREED September 9 - October 4 I $7,400 includes 6 day Italian pilgrimage

UNDERSTANDING CHRIST THROUGH THE PREACHING OF THE NICAEAN FATHERS October 7-25 I $5,200

UNDERSTANDING THE CREED THROUGH ART October 28 - November 22 I $7,400 includes 6 day pilgrimage to Turkey

LOOKING AHEAD TO THE FUTURE:

2025 SPRING SESSION DATES AND COSTS

PROGRAM DATES

January 13 - April 14, 2025

COST: $16,500

RETREAT IN ASSISI March 30 - April 4, 2025 (included in the tuition’s price)

OPTIONAL PILGRIMAGE MARCH 6 - 14, 2025

2025 AUTUMN MODULES DATES AND COSTS

MODULE 1: September 1 - 26, 2025

MODULE 2: September 29 - October 24, 2025

MODULE 3: October 27 - November 21, 2025

THE PONTIFICAL NORTH AMERICAN

COLLEGE “NOVA ET VETERA” alumni newsletter

SPRING 2024

An undated class photo found amongst belongings of Rev. Msgr. Augustine Hickey 1906 (Boston) in the Lower Church of St. Paul's Parish in Cambridge, MA, by Rev. William T. Kelly, STD '88, C'95 (Boston).

My fellow Alumni,

Hoping that your Easter Season is grace-filled!

Nova et Vetera is included in every issue of this Roman Echoes, and for those of you who are receiving it for the first time, this is the Alumni section with updates from those who were formed at the College, Casa and/or Institute of the Pontifical North American College. It is the hope that this section joins the experiences and memories with the life now of NAC Alumni. There is a practical side to this decision, as second printing runs for just alumni are cost prohibitive, but the silver lining in this move will be the encouragement parents and family members of seminarians and priest graduate students may receive when they read about those who have gone before their sons and brothers. Also, benefactors to PNAC may appreciate ever more the impact their generosity does have and will have on the life of the Church.

Plans are underway for our January 2025 Jubilee Year PNAC Alumni Reunion in Rome!

Following the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday we will gather on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, January 21-23, 2025. We are excited that our presenters will be the Papal Theologian, Fr. Wojciech Giertych, OP, Dr. Elizabeth Lev, US art historian with over 20 years of experience as a guide in Rome, and Fr. Scott Brodeur, SJ, of the Pontifical Gregorian University's Biblical Theology Department!

It is our intention to offer a welcome Monday afternoon/evening and a trip "bum run" on Friday of the week. Dr. Peter Bahu of Peter's Way Tours is handling the details and the hotel accommodations. We will be issuing a brochure once final details, costs and schedule have been solidified.

Plan to join us, gather your classmates and friends among the alumni and come early or stay later and enjoy time in Italy or Europe with them.

Let us know if you are interested in joining the Rome Reunion by replying to the attached form or by emailing (admin@ pnacalumni.org).

As grateful Alumni of the family we entered into when we studied at the College, a word of deep appreciation goes to Signora Elena Panti, who served as Administrative Assistant to the Vice-Rectors for Student Life for almost 40 years! May she enjoy a special milestone birthday this year 2024! Greetings may be sent to Elena at happybirthdaysignoraelena@gmail.com

If you have not yet paid your Alumni Dues for 2023 or 2024, please do so. Payment can be made online at pnacalumni. org or by check payable to the PNAC Alumni Association and mailed to 8 Carman Rd, Scarsdale, NY 10583. The attached form may be of assistance.

We rely on the dues to publish these Nova et Vetera pages, the annual Christmas gifts to show our support to our priest faculty at the College and Casa Santa Maria, to have Masses offered at the College for deceased alumni, to provide secure access to an online Alumni Directory, and the dues are needed now as we plan the next Alumni Reunion! Donations over and above the annual dues of $35 are greatly appreciated.

The Alumni Association always welcomes news from alumni, pictures with captions (please name alumni) and updates, and we hope to include them in the next Nova et Vetera. If I can be of any assistance along with Rita McCabe, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.

A blessed Easter Season to you!

In Christ,

Msgr. Luke M. Sweeney '01 (New York), Former Adjunct Faculty Executive Secretary

alumni member update

NAC Class of 2019 reunion, which took place November 6-10, 2023 at the Bethany Center in the Diocese of St. Petersburg, Florida. The reunion was organized by Rev. Ralph F. d’Elia, III, '99, STL '09 (St. Petersburg), currently priest-secretary to Most Rev. Gregory Parkes '99 and Chaplain at St. Petersburg Catholic High School.

REV. JOSEPH MATTERN '60

(Diocese of Green Bay), who was the director of the NAC Band in 1957 and 1958, now continues to perform with two jazz big bands. He is also the founder of the Casa Esther Catholic Worker House, the only C.W. house in our Green Bay Diocese.

REV. MSGR. DALE ROBERT RUPERT '77

(Diocese of Scranton) was appointed Diocese of Scranton Director of Worship on September 25, 2023.

REV. MSGR. MICHAEL G. CLAY '79

(Diocese of Raleigh) is a member of the International Commission for Dia-

logue between the Catholic Church and the Disciples of Christ Church and was among commission members received into audience with Pope Francis during the June 2023 meeting in Rome.

REV. TIMOTHY MICHAEL HAYES '85, C'93

(Diocese of Columbus) was appointed as Pastor of Saint Edward the Confessor Church in Granville, Ohio by Most Rev. Earl K. Fernandes C'06. This is a transfer from three parishes and two counties in the southern part of the Diocese of Columbus to one parish in Licking County east of Columbus. An increase in population in the area is expected due to the building of a new Intel plant in the area.

REV. MSGR. TIMOTHY J. SHUGRUE F '90 ICTE

(Diocese of Newark) celebrated the 50th anniversary of his ordination in May 2023 and retired as Pastor of St. Michael Church, Cranford, NJ, effective July 1, 2023. He is staying active, assisting as needed in local parishes.

REV. MSGR. CHARLES G. KOSANKE C'92

(Diocese of Detroit) has been serving as Episcopal Vicar for the Central Region of the Archdiocese of Detroit.

REV. JOHN P. CUSH STD '98 C'15 FORMER NAC ACADEMIC DEAN

(Diocese of Brooklyn) has his new book, Nothing but You, Lord: Reflections on the Priesthood and Priestly Formation through the lens of Bishop Robert Barron, being released by Word on Fire on July 15, 2024. The forward of the book is written by Bishop John O. Barres C'98, Bishop of the Diocese of Rockville Centre. Fr. Cush serves as a full-time professor of fundamental and dogmatic theology at Saint Joseph’s Seminary and College (Dunwoodie), New York, and as the Editor-in-Chief of Ignatius Press’ Homiletic and Pastoral Review.

In addition to the 24 members of the class who attended the gathering, Rev. Peter C. Harman, STD '99 (Springfield) joined for the week; Fr. Harman celebrated and preached most of their Masses together. The reunion included day trips to downtown St. Petersburg and to the Ybor City neighborhood of Tampa; the "bum run" of sorts was a tour of the J.C. Newman Cigar Company. On Wednesday evening, local benefactors of the College joined for Mass and dinner with Bishop Parkes. The photos were shared by Rev. Ryan Austin Muldoon, STL '19 (New York)

REV. MICHAEL T. MCCLANE '06

(Diocese of Trenton) was installed on September 10, 2023 as Pastor of Holy Eucharist in Tabernacle, New Jersey, in the heart of the New Jersey Pine Barrens.

REV. MSGR. THOMAS G. SCHLUEP '14

(Diocese of Pittsburgh) Capo Officio of the Office of Information Technology at the Dicastery for Evangelization, was named Chaplain of His Holiness by Pope Francis on March 8, 2024.

REV. MICHAEL NIEMCZAK '16

(Diocese of Sante Fe) reports that while he is still a priest of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, this summer his archbishop assigned him to serve at Mount Angel Seminary as a formation director and the Coordinator of the Propaedeutic Stage of Formation for the next few years.

REV. JAMES E. O'NEAL S'08 ICTE (Diocese of St. Augustine) is continuing to enjoy retirement by helping out in in the Diocese of St. Augustine, Fla., and the Diocese of Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada. He reports that traveling and continuing to learn are a few of his priorities, along with more time for prayer and reflection.

REV. GRANT A. DVORAK '22 (Diocese of Bismark) is the chaplain of Trinity Junior High & High School and the Parochial Vicar at Queen of Peace Parish in Dickinson, North Dakota. Rev. Msgr. Thomas J. Richter '96 is his pastor.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

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Submit news items for the next Nova et Vetera

Please continue your support of the Association by paying your yearly alumni dues of $35

ONLINE at pnacalumni.org BY CHECK Mail a check to the Alumni Association at PNAC Alumni Association

c/o Msgr. Luke Sweeney 8 Carman Road Scarsdale, NY 10583

Are you interested in attending the reunion in Rome in January 2025?