Forming Catholic Priests for a Changing World

'Our goal should be to ensure that all the priests ordained from our seminaries will possess the flexibility and affective maturity to live and thrive as holy shepherds and spiritual guides.'

Fr. John Kartje at Public Discourse. Among his observations,

"Unfortunately, contemporary American culture does not generally encourage young adults to become self-reflective and aware of the impact that their emotions have on their decisions and relationships. Our society seeks instant gratification and rejects anything that is perceived as critical or challenging. The effects of this atmosphere present new challenges for today’s seminaries. So, too, does the high degree of broken family structure in our society. Many young men who are beginning to discern a priestly vocation are dealing (or not dealing) with the impact of parental divorce. Others have never had a healthy paternal role model in their life."

Fr. Kartje, a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago, has since 2015 served as Rector of Mundelein Seminary, where he also teaches sacred scripture.

Chicago Archdiocese announces closing of St. Joseph Seminary

Seven years after dedicating the new St. Joseph College Seminary on the campus of Loyola University Chicago, the archdiocese has announced that it will close at the end of the 2019 academic year.

The college seminary has 20 students this year, 13 of whom are from the Archdiocese of Chicago, and was expecting a small enrollment class next year, according to the Jan. 14 press release announcing the closure.

All of the students will be welcomed at St. John Vianney College Seminary at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, if they choose to attend there, said Father John Kartje, rector-president of the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary.

Many of the roughly 200 seminarians at Mundelein, the largest major seminary in the United States, come from St. John Vianney College Seminary, Kartje said. He believes that college seminarians from the Archdiocese of Chicago will fit in well there, as will the five St. Joseph seminarians from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and the two from the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church.

continue at Chicago Catholic

Amid sex abuse crisis, Pope Francis calls on bishops to gather for retreat hosted by Blase Cupich

Pope Francis has called on Catholic bishops nationwide to gather for a historic seven-day spiritual retreat at Mundelein Seminary in suburban Chicago in January as church hierarchy grapple with the ongoing clergy sex abuse scandal.

As chancellor of the seminary, Cardinal Blase Cupich — an Omaha native and leader of the Chicago archdiocese — will serve as host of the gathering, which could include some 300 bishops from around the country. Cupich is now in Rome for a monthlong meeting of global church leaders.

Loyola University Chicago theology professor Miguel Diaz called the retreat “historically significant for American Catholics.” The concept of the gathering reflects the pope’s leadership style — his Jesuit background in particular — to address church challenges “within the context of collaborative and prayerful discernment,” said Diaz, a former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican.

continue at Omaha.com

Cardinal Cupich on scandal: ‘We have a bigger agenda than to be distracted by all of this’

The young man studying at Mundelein Seminary to become a Catholic priest seemed anguished as he vented to Cardinal Blase Cupich about the clergy sex-abuse scandal that threatens to topple Pope Francis and drive more people away from the faith.

“I’m hurting, I can’t sleep, I’m sick,” the seminarian told Cupich during an Aug. 29 gathering at which the cardinal spoke to about 200 future priests enrolled at the seminary, according to another person who was there and spoke with the Chicago Sun-Times but asked not to be identified.

The seminarian told Cupich he was a young boy during the last scandal, in the early 2000s — amid a renewed wave of child-rape allegations against priests and cover-ups by their bishop bosses — and “thought this was over,” that the bishops had done their jobs.

continue at Chicago Sun Times

CDF Prefect Cardinal Müller at Mundelein on Friday

I know this is really short notice as I just learned about it myself and unfortunately cannot attend, but for anyone interested it sounds like it will be a wonderful experience.

The Archdiocese of Chicago Office for Evangelization and Missionary Discipleship and University of Saint
Mary of the Lake/ Mundelein Seminary invite you to join us for a lecture and Mass with Gerhard Cardinal Müller, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
Friday, October 28, 2016

Chapel of the Immaculate Conception
Mundelein Seminary
1000 East Maple Avenue
Mundelein, IL

10:00 a.m. Lecture: The Theology of Freedom: Encountering Christ at the Margins of Society

11:15 a.m. Mass

Please RVSP below by Tuesday, October 25
For more information, please contact Elizabeth White at (312) 534-8037 or ewhite@archchicago.org or Pam Devitt at (847) 970-4830 or pdevitt@usml.edu.


Please note that the request for RSVPs if you can go is tomorrow October 25th.  I am not sure if that is a "hard" deadline or not.  You can contact Mundelein if you need more information.  They are usually very good and getting back quickly.

https://usml.edu/event/muller/

Pope Francis appoints Father Robert Barron as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles

ROME – This morning, Pope Francis formally announced Father Robert Barron's appointment as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Bishop-Elect Barron is the founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries, host of the award-winning CATHOLICISM film series, and since 2012 has served as the Rector/President of the University of Saint Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary outside of Chicago, IL.

His website, WordOnFire.org, reaches millions of people each year. His regular YouTube videos have been viewed over 13 million times. Next to Pope Francis, he is the most-followed Catholic leader on social media.

Bishop-Elect Barron's statement is below:

It was with enormous surprise that I received word of my appointment as auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles, but it is with a humble and joyful heart that I accept it. The Church of Los Angeles—the most populous in the United States—is energetic, diverse, and creative. Over the years, I’ve visited many times, including multiple trips to the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress in Anaheim; most recently, I was in the Archdiocese for a lecture at Thomas Aquinas College. So though I can’t claim to know it well, I have been able to taste and see some of its richness.

continue at Word On Fire

What that means for Mundelein - of whom Abp. Cupich will appoint a new president - will be very telling.

Update: Pope Francis named three auxiliaries to Los Angeles

Caught Between Pope Francis and Ayn Rand: Our Struggle with the Pontiff

In the wake of the fading honeymoon between the media and Pope Francis, excitement is more universally giving way to a sense of uneasiness. In the beginning, it seemed they not only found an ideological Pope, but one whose ideologies were identical with their own; an answered prayer for the left-leaning news industry. This was so comically seen on the cover of The Advocate, a pro-homosexual marriage publication, with a bright profile of Pope Francis next to his infamous “who am I to judge” quote. But like the pervading familial breakdown that Francis decries, the marriage between him and the MSM was bound to end in divorce.

For example, the popular perception that Pope Francis is bent on pulling the rug out from under the Catholic hierarchy doesn’t quite gel with his excommunication of the Australian priest who advocated for women’s ordination and homosexual marriage. His alleged sympathies for homosexual marriage doesn’t fit with his call for every child to have a mother and father. He denounced abortion, euthanasia, and embryonic stem cell research as “sins against God.” Yet, his harsh criticisms of capitalism are no secret. It would seem he is playing both conservative and liberal, Republican and Democrat; and Americans find it a very foolish strategy.

But the evidence for something neither conservative nor liberal at the root of the Pontiff’s thought is abundant because it centers on a theme which consistently appears in his public discourse. In the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelium Gaudium, His Holiness remarks “Our world is being torn apart by wars and violence, and wounded by a widespread individualism which divides human beings, setting them against one another as they pursue their own well-being.”[1] He later added this individualism creates economic inequality. This January, he claimed the love of a mother is an antidote to individualism and war. Similarly, without brothers and sisters “freedom and equality can be filled with individualism and conformity,” he said this February.

continue at Mundelein Seminary

Cardinal Burke at Mundelein Seminary last weekend for Institute on Religious Life conference

via supertradmum

The Institute on Religious Life is hosting its 2015 National Meeting at Mundelein this weekend. Cardinal Burke will be...
Posted by Mundelein Seminary on Friday, April 10, 2015

Abp. Cupich celebrated the closing Mass on Sunday.

Bishops from WI, IL, IN gather at Mundelein for retreat

Abp. Listecki's weekly email:

There are certain moments in Sacred Scripture when Jesus separates Himself from the disciples and prays. This is a great example set by the Son of God, reminding us that everyone needs that special time with God in order to listen to what He wants from him or her in this life. Jesus was listening to the Father as the obedient Son.

The Church, in her wisdom, demands that all priests and bishops attend a yearly retreat – it’s a requirement of office. It’s meant to make sure that the individual doesn’t get so caught up in the doing of things that they forget the person (Jesus) for whom they are doing these things. A retreat sounds somewhat like surrender, but in the real sense, it’s a regrouping, marshalling the forces and regenerating energies so that all resources might be maximized for the best and most effective use possible.

Prayer is power. It acknowledges our relationship with God. It affirms His love for us and witnesses our love for Him. During the most difficult situations that we encounter, we are not alone. God is with us.

More than 25 bishops are gathering this week at the Cardinal Stritch retreat house in Mundelein, Ill. on retreat. We will be led by Milwaukeean Father James Kubicki, S.J., of the Apostleship of Prayer. Dedicated to promoting devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Father Kubicki will challenge the hearts of the Bishops from Region VII (Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana). Scripture tells us: “If today you hear his voice harden not your hearts.” We will pray that God inspire us to do His will as leaders of His local Church.

I will be offering my prayers in particular for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and for you, the generous readers of this “Love One Another” (LOA). Please pray for me. May our prayers strengthen us in our resolve to LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

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Dr. Scott Hahn to teach at Mundelein Seminary

via Creative Minority Report

Francis Cardinal George appointed Dr. Scott Hahn as the first McEssy Distinguished Visiting Professor of Biblical Theology at Mundelein Seminary of the University of Saint Mary of the Lake. In this position, Dr. Hahn will conduct research, teach and offer occasional public lectures. “Dr. Hahn is one of the theologians at the forefront of evangelization in the United States,” Cardinal George said. “His presence at Mundelein will bring his unique experience and his great skill at teaching to the future priests of the Archdiocese of Chicago and the more than thirty dioceses served by the seminary.”

Fr. Robert Barron, Rector and President praised Bill and Lois McEssy for their generosity in establishing the McEssy Professorship. “An endowed professorship brings a permanent benefit to the seminary. It insures that we can attract new scholars of national and international stature to Chicago’s major seminary. Dr. Hahn will help us achieve my goal of making Mundelein a powerhouse of the New Evangelization.”

Source

Fr. Barron posts several videos over at his place of a sit down interview with Hahn.


You may know that Dr. Hahn received his doctorate from Marquette University... I've never seen any comment from him on the experience but if you know of one send it to me and I'll post it.

ICKSP host young adults Sursum Corda weekend at Mundelein July 25-28

Many people have asked the Canons of the Institute when they would be offering a program of solid spiritual, doctrinal and moral formation geared specifically to young adults. When young people leave home for the first time and begin to study or work with those who do not know Christ, their faith is quickly put to the test. To them especially apply the words of Scripture: Always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who calls you to account for the hope that is in you (1 Pt 3:15).

The day has arrived! The Institute of Christ the King now presents Sursum Corda, a nationwide initiative to foster the spiritual lives of the young adults in our apostolates. For the fourth year in a row, Sursum Corda is offering a social and spiritual weekend for young people ages 18 and up, July 25-28, 2014. The event will be held on the beautiful grounds of Mundelein Seminary in Illinois (see map below). Canon Aaron Huberfeld, Rector of St. Mary's Oratory in Wausau, will be the chaplain for the camp, and several other canons are sure to be there as well.

The program includes daily Mass, prayer in common and opportunity for confession, faith formation classes and discussions, and other social activities for the young men and women. The weekend begins with check-in at 3:00 PM on Friday, July 25 at Mundelein and will end on Monday, July 28 at 12:00 PM.

See pictures from last year's Sursum Corda weekend, which was a tremendous success.

Registration at Institute of Christ the King

Abp. Listecki: Mundelein Seminary

Last weekend, I fulfilled a promise to the members of the Archbishop’s Circle, namely, a trip to Saint Mary of the Lake University, Mundelein Seminary. Last year when we planned the trip, it unfortunately had to be cancelled when I experienced an unforeseen heart event that landed me as an emergency patient at one of our excellent Catholic hospitals, Columbia St. Mary’s.

On Saturday, we boarded a bus at the Cousins Center at 8:30 a.m., traveling the Wisconsin and Illinois highways. During our trip, we prayed the rosary for our archdiocese. God provided spectacular 75 degree weather with sunshine, blue skies and billowy white clouds, which made Mundelein all the more glorious. I spent 25 years of my life on that campus, and I am well aware of the treasures that exist there.

The staff at the seminary could not have been more welcoming. We were greeted by Father Robert Barron (of the Catholicism series) who is the rector, Father Tom Franzman and Mr. Mark Teresi. We began our tour at the center of the complex, the chapel dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. It seats over 800 and is a copy of the First Congregational Church in New England. Cardinal Mundelein was the first Cardinal of the West and he left his mark on the Church by combining his love of Rome and his dedication to the United States of America.

On display in the seminary library were some of the great works usually kept locked away in vaults. We examined the complete set of signatories of the Declaration of Independence; Letters of Mary Todd Lincoln; early books when printing was just beginning; and many handwritten letters of the saints. One letter in particular was from Saint Francis De Sales, who is the patron of our seminary. Also on display were various chalices used by Popes and a vestment made from the gown of Maria Teresa of Austria, to name just a few. We celebrated Mass in the deacons’ chapel and were treated to lunch. The group then walked to the seminary mall, which overlooks the lake. Being a gorgeous day, everyone drank in nature’s beauty.

continue at ArchMil 

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Institute of Christ the King offers young adults conference at Mundelein Seminary June 21-24

Many people have asked the Canons of the Institute when they would be offering a program of solid spiritual, doctrinal and moral formation geared specifically to young adults. When young people leave home for the first time and begin to study or work with those who do not know Christ, their faith is quickly put to the test. To them especially apply the words of Scripture: Always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who calls you to account for the hope that is in you (1 Pt 3:15).

The day has arrived! The Institute of Christ the King now presents Sursum Corda, a nationwide initiative to foster the spiritual lives of the young adults in our apostolates. For the third year in a row, Sursum Corda is offering a social and spiritual weekend for young people ages 18 and up, June 21-24, 2013. The event will be held on the beautiful grounds of Mundelein Seminary in Illinois (see map below)[Bravo to Mundelein and Fr. Barron for hosting!]. Canon Aaron Huberfeld, Rector of St. Mary's Oratory in Wausau, will be the chaplain for the camp, and several other canons are sure to be there as well.

The program includes daily Mass, prayer in common and opportunity for confession, faith formation classes and discussions, and other social activities for the young men and women. The weekend begins with check-in at 3:00 PM on Friday, June 21 at Mundelein and will end on Monday, June 24 at 12:00 PM.

The cost is $250 per person with a $100 deposit required at registration. The number of participants is limited, soregister today!

See pictures from last year's Sursum Corda weekend, which was a tremendous success.

Details at the Institute's website

Awesome!

There's also a Facebook event.

HT PS

Fr. Robert Barron named rector of Mundelein Seminary

On May 10, Father Robert Barron, director of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries and creator of the Catholicism Project, was named rector-president of Mundelein Seminary/University of St. Mary of the Lake by Cardinal Francis George, Archbishop of Chicago.

Father Barron received a master’s degree in philosophy from The Catholic University of America in 1982 and a doctorate in sacred theology from the Institut Catholique in Paris in 1992. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1986 and had been a professor of systematic theology at the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary since 1992. Father Barron was visiting professor at the University of Notre Dame in 2002 and at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in 2007. He was also twice scholar in residence at the Pontifical North American College in Rome.

The Francis Cardinal George Professor of Faith and Culture at Mundelein, Father Barron will assume his new role on July 1. He spoke with Register senior writer Tim Drake about the appointment.

Read more: http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/father-robert-barron-named-rector-of-mundelein-seminary/#ixzz1v2Zml3lw

Bp. Hying gives award to Fr. Cassian Folsom at Institute on Religious Life

On Saturday, April 14, 2012, Fr. Cassian Folsom, O.S.B. received the Pro Fidelitate et Virtute Award presented by the Institute on Religious Life. This video contains his acceptance speech entitled: “The Inseparable Link Between Holiness and Worship”.

It's long but totally worth a listen. Fr. Folsom talks about sacred liturgy.




The Monks of Norcia

HT LC