ACADEMIC YEAR 2007-2008 KICKED OFF WITH MASS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

As part of the long tradition of Mount Angel Seminary, the academic year began with the Mass of the Holy Spirit on August 27, 2007. The whole seminary community gathered at the Abbey Church to invoke the Holy Spirit as they began another year of priestly formation. Abbot Nathan Zodrow, OSB, Abbot of Mount Angel Abbey and Chancellor of Mount Angel Seminary presided the liturgy while Very Rev. Richard Paperini, President-Rector of Mount Angel Seminary gave an inspiring homily. The priest-formators concelebrated in the solemn celebration.

The Mass of the Holy Spirit was not just an occasion to invoke the guidance of the Holy Spirit for this school year but also a thanksgiving for the thriving seminary community at Mount Angel Seminary. It has become a beacon of hope and light of Church especially in the Northwest.

After the Mass, the seminary community gathered at the Aquinas Dining Hall for a short refreshment.

MOUNT ANGEL SEMINARY WELCOMES FIFTY SIX NEW STUDENTS!!!

The academic year 2007-2008 welcomes fifty six new seminarians from various archdioceses, dioceses and religious congregations. The new seminarians arrived a week earlier than the returning students for a four day orientation. The orientation started on 20th of August until 24th. This gave them a wonderful introduction to the seminary life here in the Mount Angel. Talks and conferences were given on various aspects of seminary formation, introducing them to the rhythm of seminary life. The orientation also provided the new students to get to know each other and to start building rapport among themselves.

The orientation was not purely devoted to conferences. It was a good balance of conference and fun. During the evenings, there were recreational activities scheduled like games and movie showing. As part of the tradition of the orientation, the activity culminated in a picnic at the scenic Silver Falls in Silverton, Oregon.

Kudos to the Orientation Team for this school year headed by Rev. Mr. Jeff Mollner of the Archdiocese of Omaha. They really did a wonderful job!

FRESHMEN THEOLOGIANS STARTED OFF THE SCHOOL YEAR WITH ISP

Incoming first year theologians began the school year with an Intensive Spirituality Program (ISP) for three weeks from July 30 to August 18, 2007. It’s main objective is to prepare and initiate them into a new level of priestly formation, the theological studies. As what the Seminary catalog states “ The Intensive Spirituaity Program began in 1998 as a response to the desire of the Regents of Mount Angel Seminary for their seminarians to have a lengthier period of time to devote themselves to spiritual formation in preparation for the scientific study of theology” (Academic Catalog and Rule of Life, 144). It’s a period of spiritual reflection through conferences, silence and sharing in groups. It is also a wonderful opportunity to get to know each other as they begin their journey in their theological studies. Before immersing themselves into the atmosphere of silence, the retreants went to the coast for a three-day fellowship.

The conferences during the course of the retreat included topics on: Obedience, Simplicity of Life, Liturgy of the Hours, Sacrament of Penance, Chastity, Eucharist, The Interior Life, Priest: Pastor and Mission, Theological Dimensions of Priestly Spirituality, and Lectio Divina. The speakers for the above topics were: Fr. Jerome Young, OSB, Very Rev. Richard Paperini, Fr. Paschal Cheline, OSB, Fr. John Cihak, STD, Fr. Paul Peri, Ed.D., Fr. Martin Grassel, OSB, and Dr. Elaine Park. The ISP concluded with the “Desert Time”, a day of silence in the Trappist Abbey and an evaluation with Fr. Paperini, the President-Rector.

WELCOME!!!

Welcome to the Academic Commission blog!

This blog aims to chronicle the various events in the seminary. The idea is to have an online newsletter, which would allow students to post or publish articles on topics on philosophy, theology, arts, politics or any hot issues of the day.

It should be noted though that this is not an official blog of the seminary or the abbey. This is an initiative of the Academic Commission to invite students to express their thoughts and ideas as they journey towards the priesthood. It is the hope of this blog that this will become an avenue where students can freely express their ideas with utmost responsibility, decency and respect to the institution where they belong, the Church.

Thanks.