continue at Arch MilOn Sunday evening, September 9th, during a vesper service in Christ the King Chapel, I installed Rev. John Hemsing as the nineteenth rector of St. Francis de Sales Seminary. Father Hemsing is a man who has a pastor’s heart and loves the Church. Faculty, staff and seminarians were present, along with board members, family, and distinguished visitors, representing the fact that the seminary is an integral part of the whole character of the archdiocese.
Photo via Anne Bender
As I traveled throughout the archdiocese at the beginning of my tenure as Archbishop of Milwaukee, many would tell me of their admiration for our newly ordained priests and seminarians. There was something special about these men that captured the religious imagination of our communities. Perhaps it was the witness of their vocation, or the hope that many envisioned in their willingness to serve, but in a real sense, I believe it was the formation of their spiritual life.
The Archdiocese of Milwaukee is privileged to have a seminary in order to form and fashion future priests to serve the needs of the faithful. St. Francis de Sales Seminary is the oldest seminary in the Midwest and one of the oldest seminaries in the entire country.
There is a bond which is created among those who discern a vocation to the priesthood. For years they pray, study and socialize together. I’m always amazed at the affection our priests have for the seminary. This is a tribute to those who assisted them in their formation as priests. The Archdiocese of Chicago was the beneficiary of the formation of one of the former priests and rectors of St. Francis de Sales Seminary, Albert Cardinal Meyer, former Archbishop of Chicago.
The Seminary is on Facebook too.
Did you know the rector and staff takes an Oath of Fidelity?
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| Fr. John Hemsing was officially installed as the 19th rector of Saint Francis de Sales Seminary on Sunday! Here, he and the formation faculty profess the Oath of Fidelity. |
4 comments:
St. Francis Seminary has been getting much better over the years. Archbishop Dolan, himself the former NAC Rector really did a lot to start cleaning house (starting with naming Fr. and now Bishop Hying as rector).
However, there is an interesting dynamic with the school, as it doesn't handle the academic coursework anymore. Much in the model that Abp. Dolan was familiar with in Rome where students were formed spiritually and in the community of the North American College yet took academic classes at one of the Pontifical Schools, the academic classes for the seminarians at St. Francis actually occur at Sacred Heart Seminary in nearby Hales Corners.
St. Francis' formation program and its community have fostered several wonderful priests over the last 5-8 years, and continues to do so. Pretty much every single one from the transitional deacons to the 18-yr-old college seminarians are top-notch.
Sacred Heart has a little ways to go still, but the addition of Msgr. Schectrle as rector will go a long way to clean it up. Msgr. is a tremendously solid priest and academic, and very supportive of traditional liturgy and prayer.
Thank you for the info Josh! Great stuff!
Fr. Glen Powers is completely awesome. We miss him in Sheboygan, where we are suffering destruction of the Northside Catholic Community.
As the mother of an 18-year-old college seminarian, I love your comment Josh!!!
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