HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
Tomorrow our entering college seminarians are expected to arrive at St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami for several weeks of orientation, testing and introduction to the spiritual life. Last night I celebrated the Eucharist with all of our seminarians save two (Ryan Boyle, a first theologian has already arrived in Rome to begin an intensive study of Italian prior to beginning the seminary at the North American College in Rome in October and Daniel Angel continues for one more week with Catholic Relief Services in Liberia, Africa). I am happy to report to you that we will have thirty-four seminarians beginning or resuming their studies this month in four seminaries. Additionally, three men studying for the diocese last year, all at St. John Vianney in Miami have asked for and received permission to take a year off their studies and continue to discern their vocations. Great praise is due to the Lord of the Harvest for planting the seed of a call to priesthood in the hearts and minds of these courageous young men and all of us should join in thanking our Vocation Team of Fathers John Blum and Carl Melchior for their hard work this past year.
Our seminarians are impressive in many ways. They genuuinely like each other and are supportive of each other, sharing their individual talents and gifts with the larger community and with their colleagues. In the midst of all the scandals which have claimed so much attention, they still feel called to serve and have, precisely because of recent history, endured more psychological testings and analysis than ever in modern history. They understand perhaps better than most that the sins and failings of a very few, horrible as that is, does not define for them the priesthood which they feel called to serve.
At our meeting in Orlando earlier this week the bishops of the state all said that the number of young men entering the seminary this year for all seven dioceses is up over previous years and we know that our college seminary is “over-booked” and filled to the gills, the theologate has its highest enrollment in recent years (about 90 seminarians), the North American College in Rome is expecting somewhere in the neighborhood of 240 seminarians in their program this Fall and Blessed John XXIII in Weston, Massachusetts where we will have two men will also have in excess of seventy students and is either running out of room or is full also.
Our men all said they had good summer experiences and were now looking forward to moving on in their journey and returning to the seminary. Here is a list of our seminarians who will be studying for priestly ministry in our diocese this Fall, their home parishes, and the date when they will likely complete their formation and studies. Everyone should understand that all of these men are in discernment as well as preparation for ministry and while some may decide on marriage or the single life outside of religious ministry, we can and should pray for all these men that they will persevere in their hope and dream.
Rev. Mr. Timothy Corcoran, Sacred Heary Parish, Tampa (2012)
Rev. Mr. Victor Amorose, Light of Christ Parish, Clearwater (2012)
Justin Paskert, St. Anne’s Parish, Ruskin (2013)
Viet Nguyen, Epiphany of Our Lord Parish, Tampa (2013)
Jonathan Emery, St. Clement Parish, Plant City (2014)
Brian Fabiszewski, St. Catherine of Siena Parish, Largo (2014)
William Santhouse, St. Ignatius of Antioch Parish, Tarpon Springs (2014)
Kyle Smith, Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Land of Lakes (2014)
Steven Dornquast, St. Joseph Parish, Zephyr Hills (2015)
Curtis Carro, St. Jerome Parish, Indian Rocks Beach (2015)
Bradley Reed, Cathedral of St. Jude Parish, St. Petersburg (2015)
Anthony Ustick, St. Matthew Parish, Largo (2015)
Ryan Boyle, Nativity Parish, Brandon (2015)
Robert Angel, St. Raphael Parish, St. Petersburg (2016)
Elbert Ballado, St. Stephen Parish, Valrico (2016)
Felipe Gonzalez, St. Paul Parish, Tampa (2016)
Joseph Plesko, Nativity Parish, Brandon (2016)
Jason Priela, St. Lawrence Parish, Tampa (2016)
Jonathan Stephanz, St. Stephen Parish, Valrico (2016)
Gregory Visca, Nativity Parish Brandon (2016)
Kevin Yarnell, Incarnation Parish, Tampa (2016)
Daniel Angel, St. Raphael Parish, St. Petersburg (2017)
Alexander Padilla II, St. Theresa Parish, Spring Hill (2017)
Jackson Reeves, Most Holy Name of Jesus Parish, Gulfport (2017)
Elixavier Castro, St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Seffner (2017)
Daniel Darmanin, St. Frances Cabrini Parish, Spring Hill (2017)
Kyle Bell, Christ the King Parish, Tampa (2018)
Maximilian Hart, Espiritu Santo Parish, Safety Harbor (2018)
Lou Turcotte, Light of Christ Parish, Clearwater (2018)
Tim Williford, Light of Christ Parish, Clearwater (2018)
Alec DeDios, Cathedral of St. Jude Parish, St. Petersburg, (2019)
Sergio Fernandez, Incarnation Parish, Tampa (2019)
Joshua Hare, St. Anthony the Abbott Parish, Brooksville (2019)
Dylan Holmes, Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Inverness (2020)
+RNL
Tags: Father Carl Melchior, Father John Blum, Photo, Seminarians, St. John Vianney in Miami