PNAC Magazine: Winter 2004

The Pontifical

North American CollegeM A G A Z I N E

Inside- Diaconate Ordination 2004

- “New Men” Arrive at the College

- A Day at the Greg, Then and Now

Winter 2004-05

EVER ANCIENT, EVER NEW

Australia Comes to the NAC 4New Students come from “Down Under.”

by Joseph Redfern ‘06

Welcome New Faculty 5Rev. Richard Tomasek, SJ, & Rev. Msgr. David Bohr

by Aaron Killips ‘07

A Spiritual Reflection on Priesthood 11by Rev.Carter Griffin ‘04

Summer Travels 12by Andrew Roza ‘07’

Rev. Paul Murray, OP 17A spiritual education with an “Ange” Professor

by Joshua Guillory ‘07

Pastoral Formation Workshop 25Seminarians learn to become “Ministers of Empathy”

by Harold Reeves ‘08

A Pilgrimage to Rome in Honor of Our Lady 30by Rev. Peter Mitchell

MAGAZINE STAFFEditor

Michael McClane

Diocese of Trenton

Class of 2006

Assistant Editor

Andrew Roza

Archdiocese of Omaha

Class of 2007

Layout and Design

John McDonald

Diocese of Birmingham

Class of 2007

Photographer

Seamus Griesbach

Diocese of Portland

Class of 2007

D E P A R T M E N T S

I N B R I E F

For more information about the

North American College, or to

learn about opportunities

for memorial gifts, contact Tricia

Lloyd at our Washington, DC

Office of Development:

Tel: (202) 541-5411

Fax: (202) 722-8804

Email: [email protected]

or

visit our website at www.pnac.org

The Rector’s Corner 3by Rev. Msgr. Kevin McCoy ‘81, C’86

College Traditions 24House Cassocks

by Rev. Mr. Brian Dellaert ’05

Vocation Stories 26“Come and See”

by Joshua Waltz ‘07

The Development Office 31by Tricia Lloyd

The Economo’s Corner 32by Rev. Msgr. James Checchio ‘92, C’97

On the cover:

First Class at the College,

1859 (top);

Diaconate Class of 2005 (bottom)

New Men, Old CallNew Student Orientation

by Kim Shreck ’07

F E A T U R E S

28

22Antonio’s Barber Shop

A Cut Aboveby Rev. Mr. Steve Doktorczyk ’05

18

Ever Ancient, Ever NewA Day at the Greg,Then and Now

by Christopher Roberts ’07

6

14

Stirring Up the Spirit Students Cook Up

Recipes from Homeby Jay Mello ’07

Diaconate Ordination 2004Sent Out to Live the Mission

by Rev. Mr. Adam Park ’05

ChairmanMost Rev. Edwin F. O’Brien C’76Archbishop of the Military Services, USA

Vice ChairmanMost Rev. Richard E. Pates ’69

Auxiliary Bishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis

SecretaryMost Rev. Patrick J. Zurek ’75

Auxiliary Bishop of San Antonio

TreasurerMost Rev. John J. Myers ’67

Archbishop of Newark

Most Rev. Leonard P. Blair ’75, C’78Bishop of Toledo

Most Rev. Thomas G. Doran ’62, C’78Bishop of Rockford

His Eminence Edward Cardinal Egan ’58, C’63Archbishop of New York

Most Rev. Victor B. Galeone ’61Bishop of St. Augustine

Most Rev. John R. Gaydos ’69Bishop of Jefferson City

Most Rev. Joseph E. KurtzBishop of Knoxville

Most Rev. William J. Levada ’62, ’69Archbishop of San Francisco

Most Rev. Henry J. Mansell ’63Archbishop of Hartford

Most Rev. Anthony M. Milone ’58Bishop of Great Falls-Billings

Most Rev. Michael J. Sheridan C’77Bishop of Colorado Springs

Administration

RectorRev. Msgr. Kevin C. McCoy ’81, C’86

Vice Rector for AdministrationRev. Msgr. James Checchio ’92, C’97

Vice Rector for Student LifeRev. Peter McGuine ’90

Superior, Casa Santa MariaRev. Msgr. Steven Raica ’95

Director of DevelopmentMrs. Tricia Lloyd

Board of GovernorsIn Memoriam

James Cardinal Hickey

1920-2004

The North American College community remembers in

prayer our beloved former Rector, James Cardinal

Hickey, who died on October 24, 2004. Cardinal Hickey

was rector of our College from 1969 to 1974 and later

was Archbishop of Washington from 1980 to 2000. Our

next issue of this magazine will be dedicated in his honor.

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his issue of the North American College magazine

will have you looking backward and forward as

the men take a glimpse at the experience of their

predecessors compared to their lives today. I’m certain you

will enjoy the view through their “looking glass.”

For me personally, however, the looking backward and

forward has collapsed from fifty years ago to a short five or

six-year time span. What I mean is this – just this past June,

two alumni (both ordained priests in 2002) brought to

Rome a pilgrimage group of some forty high school

seniors, newly graduated. These young men and women

came to Italy not only to experience Italian culture, but also

to experience their Catholic faith.

The College’s two recent graduates were men who

arrived at the seminary in 1998, which is the same year

I joined the College’s faculty. Now these two priests

were leading a group of faith-filled young Catholics who

enthusiastically participated in daily Mass. What is more,

they celebrated the Sacrament of Reconciliation one

afternoon at the seminary. Wholesome, reverent young

men and women striving to live lives of holiness. And, dare

I say, they are striving for holiness because they have been

well-formed by the example of many teachers and family

members, but what pleases me is that I know their lives

have been touched by the positive influence of priests

whose formation occurred in part within the walls of this

Pontifical North American College.

I am hopeful that two or three of those young pilgrims

may respond to Our Lord’s invitation to the priesthood or

the religious life. And looking backward and forward, this

is one thing that no one of us can ignore – namely, that we

must always beg the harvest master to send workers to the

harvest. Please join me and all at the College in praying for

vocations. Encourage young people to consider this most

worthy call.

God bless you for supporting our ongoing efforts of

priestly formation. And, once you have had an oppor-

tunity to read this issue of the North American College

magazine, pass it along to a friend of yours who may not

even know who we are and what we do!

A blessed Christmas to you and yours . . .

“...the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (Jn 10:11)

T H E R E C T O R ’ S C O R N E R

Rev. Msgr. Kevin C. McCoy ’81, C’86

Diocese of Sioux City

Rector

“...looking backward and forward, this is one

thing that no one of us can ignore – namely,

that we must always beg the harvest master to

send workers to the harvest.”

T

his year marks the beginning of a new era at the

Pontifical North American College. While it is

not uncommon to hear seminarians at the

College speaking a bit of Italian, Spanish or even

Latin, now it is more than likely that on your next visit

you will hear such expressions as “G’day mate,” “How’r

ya goin?” or “fair-dinkum.” For the first time in the

College’s history, there are students studying here for

Australian dioceses. Our new Australian seminarians

this year are Andrew Keswick (Archdiocese of

Melbourne), Nicolas Maurice (Diocese of Lismore) and

James McCarthy (Archdiocese of Sydney).

How did this happy occurrence come about? In view

of the fact that Australia has no college in Rome, George

Cardinal Pell, the Archbishop of Sydney, approached

Msgr. Kevin McCoy about the possibility of sending

seminarians to the North

American College. Msgr.

McCoy presented this

proposal to the Board

of Governors, and they

welcomed the idea.

When I asked Andrew,

Nicholas and James about

their initial reaction to the

possibility of completing

their seminary formation at the College, they were very

optimistic. “The NAC has a great deal to offer,” they

said. They are very impressed with the students’ and for-

mation team’s fraternal spirit and deep love and com-

mitment toward the Church. The challenges the Church

faces in the United States are similar to those faced in

Australia, they said. While they could learn a great deal

from the challenges that the Church in America faces,

they added that perhaps the

new Australian element will

“offer a glimpse at the life of

the Church in another part of

the world.” This new devel-

opment would be enriching

for the Church. Moreover,

they were hopeful that good

friendships formed here at the

College would continue well

into future ministry.

When asked if they had any major challenges in set-

tling into the College, they said that while they some-

times had to translate colloquial expressions into other

forms so as to be understood by their American com-

panions, for the most part there were none. They said

that formation they had received in Australia prior to

their arrival resonated well with what they had experi-

enced so far at the College. Moreover, they were quick

to identify the common ties between the American spir-

it and that of their homeland. They look forward to the

years ahead as they journey together with their

American brothers.

As the students at the North American College con-

tinue to reflect on the many gifts they have been given

and the great tradition they have inherited, they do so

with great hope, now alongside the newest members of

our community from Australia, who bring with them

many gifts of their own.

Joseph Redfern

Diocese of La Crosse

Class of 2006

4 Pontifical North American College M A G A Z I N E

Stones known as the “TwelveApostles” off the coast ofAustralia.

The Sydney Opera House,an internationally recognizedlandmark.

Left to right: Andrew Keswick (Archdiocese of

Melbourne, ’07), James McCarthy (Archdiocese of Sydney,

’08), and Nicholas Maurice (Diocese of Lismore, ’08).

T

WELCOME MATES! Three Australian students come to the NAC

his year the North American College welcomes two new faculty members along with all of the New Men.

Rev. Msgr. David Bohr and Rev. Richard Tomasek, S.J., come to us with differing backgrounds and a

wealth of experience.

For Msgr. Bohr, coming here is a bit of a homecoming.

He is no stranger to Rome or the North American College; a graduate of

the College as a member of the Class of 1972, Msgr. Bohr returned to

graduate from the Casa Santa Maria in1977, receiving his S.T.D. in

moral theology from the Accademia Alfonsiana. Msgr. Bohr was also here

in Rome for his philosophy studies, which he completed at the Roman

College. He is a priest from the Diocese of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and

has been helping in the formation of priests for 16 years – the last 14 as

rector of St. Pius X Seminary in Dalton, Pennsylvania. He comes back to

the North American College as the new Academic Dean. Msgr. Bohr has

been involved in priestly formation continuously since 1978, when he

was named Director of Continuing Education for Priests in the Scranton

diocese. He did that until he joined the faculty of St. Pius X Seminary.

He stated upon his arrival at the North American College, “My appoint-

ment to the faculty here allows me to continue a ministry I have grown

to love, in a place I also love. I really enjoy being with seminarians. Their

energy and commitment constantly renew my own priestly ministry.”

Fr. Tomasek comes to the College as the new Director of Spiritual

Formation. He is a priest from the Wisconsin Province of The Society of

Jesus, although Msgr. McCoy is quick to point out that Fr. Tomasek,

like himself, was born in Iowa. Fr. Tomasek has previously served in a

parish, worked as a teacher and retreat master, and for the last eight

years has served as the Director of Spiritual Formation at the Pontifical

College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio. Fr. Tomasek said upon

beginning his time here, “I am impressed by how well things are done

here at the NAC. All is done with professionalism, prayer and genuine

human care. The faculty, staff and student body have made it a joy to

become part of this community and ministry.”

We look forward to having Msgr. Bohr and Fr. Tomasek serve

integral roles in the formation of future priests of Jesus Christ. May the

Lord abundantly bless both of them and their ministry here in Rome.

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Benvenuti Tutti!The College Welcomes New Faculty Members

T

Rev. Richard Tomasek, S.J.

Rev. Msgr. David Bohr

Aaron Killips

Diocese of Savannah

Class of 2007

have often associated my time in seminary formation

with the temptation of Jesus in the desert. This might

seem like a strange analogy, but as one reads how “Jesus

was led by the Spirit into the desert” (Lk 4,1), it becomes

apparent that we seminarians can relate to his desire to be in

solitude with God the Father before venturing forth on his

mission. The same Spirit

drove us into our own

“desert,” in which we desired

to seek the face of God and

explored the depths of this

vocation to priesthood.

While in the desert Jesus

experienced temptations. We

similarly had plenty of

moments of temptation

during our time in the desert.

Whether these were the

thoughts of inadequacy,

doubt, or even fear, every

6

DiaconateOrdination 2004

Sent Out to Live the Mission

I

Above: New deacons bring up the gifts for the EucharisticSacrifice.

Above right: The assembly gathers In St. Peter’s Basilicabefore the ordination.

Right: Bishop Sartain of Little Rock ordains Adam Park(Washington, ’05).

seminarian was tempted at some point to leave the desert

prematurely. However, as Jesus rebuked the devil by the

truth and goodness of God, we too found courage and

perseverance from the grace of God’s call.

Jesus was also in the desert for forty days. For a

length of time lasting anywhere from four to seven years,

each of us spent our own “forty days” in the desert. The

difference in years does not suggest that one was more

qualified or refined than the other, but it was rather the

precise amount of time that God desired for each one of

us to be in the seminary, in order for us to be ready for

the mission.

When his time in the desert was over, Jesus returned

to Galilee to preach the Gospel. Jesus was not sent into

the world to remain in the desert, but ultimately to

proclaim the love and mercy of God. We too were not

called to remain in seminary formation indefinitely. We

now find ourselves moving out of the desert to venture

forth into the world to live out God’s mission.

On the seventh of October, twelve men were

ordained to the Order of the Diaconate. Having received

this tremendous sacrament, we have been radically

transformed to be Christ to this world. We are now

responsible to manifest all that we learned in the desert,

in an integrated way, through lives that mirror Christ the

Servant, who came not to be served but to serve.

One can even say that our very lives are nurtured and

motivated by this service.

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Clockwise from top: Bishop Sartain offers the consecratory prayer over the dea-cons; The deacon candidates listen attentively to the bishop as he questions the electabout their responsibilities and obligations as deacons; Brian Dellaert (Dubuque,’05) makes his promise of obedience with his hands inside those of the bishop; Msgr.McCoy gives testimony that these men have been found worthy of Holy Orders.

8

As we move out of the desert into a life of complete service, we need

to make adjustments. As newly ordained deacons, we are beginning to see

what it means to live totally in service to God and His people, to preach

the Word of God effectively and sincerely, both in our words and by the

conduct of our lives, and to serve at the altar with utter reverence before

the Holy Sacrifice. Despite the slight trepidation in this new lifestyle, we

are all zealously eager to go forth in this mission to proclaim the love and

mercy of God.

There is great excitement and eagerness to return to the world and

serve God and His people, but at the same time, we are fully aware that

there will be difficulties and temptations along the way. It will be in those

moments that we will find strength by remembering our experience in the

desert, when we recall God’s love and His continual grace that sustained

us. My brother deacons and I will always be grateful for the abundant gifts

that God has given us during our time in seminary, and we excitedly await

the many blessings He will bring along our way as we begin our mission.

Rev. Mr. Adam Park

Archdiocese of Washington

Class of 2005

The Class of 2005 together with His HolinessJohn Paul II the day before their diaconate ordination.

Msgr. McCoy and the newly ordained deaconsdistribute Holy Communion.

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Rev. Mr. Daniel Hanley (Arlington, ’05) surrounded by family after theOrdination.

Pontifical North American College M A G A Z I N E

Rev. Mr. Jason Tyler (Little Rock ’05) distributesthe Precious Blood during Holy Communion.

Rev. Mr. Steven Doktorzyk (Orange in California,’05) distributes the Precious Blood.

Rev. Mr. Joseph Freeman, (San Diego,’05) distributes the Precious Blood.


Karl Bissinger Diocese of Fall River

David Carter Diocese of Knoxville

Brian Dellaert Diocese of Dubuque

Stephen Doktorczyk Diocese of Orange in California

Justin Fish Diocese of Duluth

Joseph Freeman Diocese of San Diego

Randy Fronek Diocese of Rockford

John Gallas Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis

Gerald Goodrum Diocese of Galveston-Houston

Daniel Hanley Diocese of Arlington

Eric Hastings Diocese of Duluth

Donald Libby Diocese of Gaylord

Anthony Lonzo Diocese of Columbus

Jason Makos Archdiocese of Boston

Adam Park Archdiocese of Washington

Robert Poitras Archdiocese of Boston

Mark Reburiano Archdiocese of San Francisco

Mark Steffl Diocese of New Ulm

Craig Timmerman Diocese of New Ulm

Jason Tyler Diocese of Little Rock

William Vit Diocese of Sioux City

Michael Vuky Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon

Left: Bishop Sartainordains Steven Doktorzyk.

Right and below: Fr.Pierre Paul, OMV, Directorof Liturgical Music, leadsthe College Choir, providingmagnificent music for theordination.

Below right: The newdeacons process out of theBasilica.

Congratulations to the Class of 2005

s I left for my ordination in Washington, DC, one of

the spiritual directors at the North American College

reminded me that I was not preparing for a day, but for

a lifetime as a priest. It was good advice. Certainly, there is tremen-

dous personal satisfaction in achieving the aim of six years of study

and prayer. In that sense, ordination to the priesthood is the end

and culmination of a journey. In a deeper sense, however, it is a

new beginning. On May 29, with seven other men from my

Archdiocese, I finally began my new life as a priest.

In the weeks and months leading up to ordination, it was

difficult to remain focused. There were many details involved in

preparing, organizing, and anticipating the arrival of family and

friends. When the day of ordination finally arrived, though, I felt

ready and at peace. The ceremony in the Shrine of the Immaculate

Conception in Washington, DC, was splendid; the Mass of

Thanksgiving the following day – though I was nervous – was

profoundly humbling and moving; and the receptions and lun-

cheons with family and friends were most enjoyable. It truly was a

weekend of graces and blessings.

The greatest blessing of all, however, was the reality of what

had just happened to me. Celebrating Mass on Pentecost Sunday,

hearing confessions for the first time, and beginning to assume my

new role as a spiritual father and guide, were unforgettable

moments in my life. When I

stop and reflect on what I am

doing, I am overwhelmed by a

sense of gratitude and unwor-

thiness, and I remind myself

that it is the Lord’s work and

the Lord’s will for my life, that

He alone will be my strength

and my support in the priest-

hood.

As the ordination weekend

drew to a close, I was eager to

begin my new duties as

associate pastor at St.

Anthony’s church in

Northeast Washington. After

a brief time of rest, I arrived

and began my routine of

celebrating daily Mass,

visiting the sick, teaching

children, and hearing

confessions at the nearby Basilica. There is a great desire today

for good and faithful preaching, reverent Masses, and gentle

confessors. With an earnest desire to sustain my interior life of

prayer, I beg God that I may be a good priest.

Too often, I think, there is a tendency to focus on the

challenges that priests face today; and to be sure, there are plenty.

But if my first months are any indication at all, there is also

tremendous joy in the priesthood, and great hope for the future.

My friend’s advice was right: I was preparing not for a day, but for

a lifetime. Now more than ever, and despite all those challenges, it

is a life that I would not trade for the world.

Rev. Carter Griffin


Class of 2004

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REFLECTIONS OF A NEW PRIEST

Fr. Griffin celebrates his first Mass.

Fr. Griffin imparts hispriestly blessing.

Fr. Griffin preaches at his first Mass.

A


ome experiences are truly beyond words; my

summer was undoubtedly one of them.

My summer included a two-week pilgrimage

to the Holy Land and Ignatius’ 30 day Spiritual

Exercises. I was fortunate enough to make these

Exercises at a place called St. Beuno’s, a beautiful house

overlooking the valley of Clwyd in northern Wales.

It is safe to say that visiting the very places where

Jesus himself trod was an unforgettable experience.

Whether walking through the cramped and hectic streets

of the Old City of Jerusalem, or sitting peacefully on the

shores of the rather small lake known as the Sea of

Galilee, one is intensely aware that God Himself chose to

inhabit this place.

It is unfortunate that there have been so many

difficulties in the Holy Land. Nevertheless nearly all of

the holy sites remain open, safe, well maintained, and,

somewhat eerily, empty. We found ourselves practically

alone at some of the most sacred places in the world,

such as the Garden of Gethsemane, and Capernaum,

where Peter and Andrew made their living as fishermen.

While it was sad that more pilgrims were not visiting

these places, the quiet which was present at many of

these sites provided us with a special opportunity to

immerse ourselves in the mystery of God making

Himself present to us in a particular time and place.

While certainly all these experiences were special in

and of themselves, they became doubly important for me

as I embarked upon the Spiritual Exercises the next

month. St. Ignatius himself spent a great deal of time in

the Holy Land; this is evident in the way he composes

his Spiritual Exercises. Ignatius asks the retreatant to

“compose the place,” to imagine it and to place oneself

in it, using all the senses in the process. Having seen so

many of the locations cited in Scripture, placing myself

inside of the Gospel accounts felt almost natural.

The demands that Ignatius places upon one who

makes the Spiritual Exercises are many. The retreatant is

S

W ith My Lord Where He W alked

“It forced me to face

up to what I really

am, a person whose

every action, good or

bad, is in relation to

Christ.”

Andy Roza stands under

an olive tree in the Garden

of Gethsemane.

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A traditional view of the holy city ofJerusalem as seen from outside thewalls.

expected to pray five hours a day, remaining in silence throughout, with the

exception of some time spent speaking with a director. The silence, while

at times difficult, was also very instructive. It forced me to face up to what

I really am, a person whose every action, good or bad, is in relation to

Christ. There is, after all, only one thing in our lives that is guaranteed

neither to end nor to be interrupted, and that is our relationship with our

Creator. In those 30 days, stripped from televisions, computers, and all else

that normally serves to entertain me, I was better able to see what

God wants for my life: the joy and peace that can come only through self-

offering to Him, and self-sacrifice for others.

The experiences of this summer will have an impact upon the rest of

my life, and on the lives of all those I will serve in the future. There is only

one adequate response to such lavish generosity, and that is gratitude.

I look forward to living the Gospel in a renewed way, both in my time of

formation here at the College, and in the future when I am back home in

the United States.

Andrew Roza

Class of 2007

Archdiocese of Omaha

Sunset overlooking the Clwyd Valley and St. Beuno’s Ignatian Spirituality Center.

ince the founding of the Gregorian, the currents of

Catholic theology have remained the same, and thuse

the university today closely resembles its 16th century

ancestor.

The above was the observation of a North

American College student a little under fifty years ago

when writing for the predecessor to this magazine,

Roman Echoes. In those halcyon days of the fifties

when tradition was not often challenged, it was

natural to have great respect for the centuries-old

pedagogy of the Gregorian University.

The language of instruction, as it had always been,

was Latin – the mother tongue of the Church in the

West. This was the language of the sacred liturgy and

the great masters Augustine and Thomas Aquinas.

Examinations were oral and likewise in Latin. Just as

the Church had come of age speaking Latin, so the

seminarian was expected to mature in theological study

using the Latin language. Today’s student attends his

lectures in Italian, and is able to take oral exams in any


Top Left: The “Aula Magna” at the Gregorian, ca. 1959.Above Left: Fr.Timothy Zapelena, S.J., teaches at the Gregorian in1959.Above Right: Fr. Scott Brodeur, S.J., uses “power point technology” inthe ancient aula of the Gregorian University.

S

A DAY AT THE GREGORIAN,

THEN AND NOW

Thinking Back, Looking Forward:

Theologians in Training

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Right: Students at the Gregorian from all over the world await thestart of class.

Above: Students scratch out notes in Latin during a lecture ca.1910.Above Right: Today, students use efficient laptops in the samelecture hall, which is now equipped with wireless Internet.

of the six official languages of the Gregorian – English,

Spanish, Italian, German, French, or Portuguese.

Each morning, the Roman seminarians of decades past

descended on the Gregorian from their respective colleges.

Due to the distance from the Janiculum Hill to the

Gregorian, men of the North American College came

together by a special bus. Upon arrival, the American

seminarians joined others from all over the Catholic world.

Despite their diverse countries of origin, there was a strik-

ing uniformity of appearance among the seminarians.

Each wore a cassock and black shoes. Every one of them

seemed to go to the same barber. One by one they marched

to their assigned sections in the aula for class and sat down

at attention with notepad and pen in hand.

Today, men of the College who study at the “Greg” are

on their own getting to and from class. Some elect to walk,

others take a municipal bus, and the more adventurous buy

A class at the Gregorian ca. 1890.


Above: Between classes, students discuss some of the finer points of thelecture.

a motorino and try to navigate the Roman traffic. A

clerical shirt and black pants have replaced the cas-

sock as class attire. While there are seminarians who

still use a notepad and pen to take notes, more and

more use laptop computers and Palm Pilots.

Students with laptops can even check their email

during breaks between lectures!

Then, just as today, academic work did not end

after pranzo. Today the men may have a theology

seminar or will spend time in private study. Fifty

years ago, in the afternoons, a member of the facul-

ty who attended the lectures would summarize the

lectures in English so that the men could be sure

that they understood each professor’s particular way

of speaking and pronouncing Latin. Students spent

private study time either reading Latin sources or

textbooks, reviewing their class notes, or practicing

Latin with a classmate in order to prepare for oral

exams. Seminarians did the first two in their own

sparsely decorated rooms; the last had to be done in

a public space because the men were forbidden to

enter one another’s rooms.

Such an academic environment had the

advantage of hundreds of years of mystique behind

it. Hundreds of popes, bishops and saints were

products of this very Gregorian system. One can

only imagine the chills that went up and down the

spines of the young men as they sat down for their

first class after having been told of those who had

gone before them. And today this is much the same,

as the men, now studying in Italian, reflect on the

hard work and accomplishments undertaken by

their predecessors. Without a doubt, knowing this

helps the men today, as it did for their forebears, to

see their daily struggles as the light burden of the

sweet yoke of Christ. While the pedagogy at the

Gregorian has changed somewhat in the last fifty

years, students today still cannot help but feel that

they stand on the sure foundation of the men who

went before them.

Christopher Roberts

Diocese of Lafayette in Indiana

Class of 2007 Above: Alejandro del Toro, (’07, Rockford) chats with his classmates,including religious women, who in previous years, were not present intheology classes at the Gregorian.

Above: After class, students gather to ask Fr. Pie-Ninotquestions and clarifications.

is class on spiritual theology is more like a series

of spiritual conferences, according to many of

the students who have taken Fr. Paul Murray’s

classes. A priest for over 30 years, this Irish

Dominican has been teaching at the Angelicum for the

past 11 years. Here are some of the thoughts of this

priest, poet, and pastor of souls, on the priesthood and

on the spiritual treasures of the Church.

Q: Father, what shape do you think

priesthood will take in the future?

A: At present, priests are asked to be

almost too many things: counselors,

social workers, psychologists,

administrators. But what will matter

most, in the future, is a recovery of

the sacred role of the priest and of his

role as preacher. Of course, priests

must remain good counselors and

administrators. But what the people

need most from us is that we have

living knowledge of God. They need

for us to be able to speak of God and

of God’s nature.

Q: What about the great spiritual

authors and saints in the Church?

A: At core, they are wonderful preach-

ers of the Gospel who have found

words to tell us what God is like. Their

lives bear witness not only to the beau-

ty and goodness of God, but also to the

beauty and mystery of the Church.

Thus, despite all St. Teresa of Avila suf-

fered in the Church, with her last

breath she exclaimed: “Thank God I

am dying a daughter of the Church!”

The saints help us understand that, for

living faith, we need both hard-headed

thinking and a profound and simple

faith. They also have much to teach us

about what Von Balthasar called the greatest disaster in

the history of the Church: the split between theology

and devotion. In their lives, there is no divide between

theology and devotion, between spirituality and faith.

We can look back to the Church’s spiritual tradition to

learn how to bridge this gap.

Q: Any saints in particular come to mind?

A: Catherine of Siena, who is almost

my favorite saint, says that God allows

the humiliations that priests some-

times endure to help them be compas-

sionate and not cruel toward the weak

and suffering. She well understood

what Cardinal Newman meant when

he said that the priest who has not suf-

fered will be inclined, when preaching,

to speak only about himself. I also

admire St. Thomas Aquinas. In his

work he shows how we can stay close

to the fundamentals of our faith with-

out becoming fundamentalist. I am

also attracted by the little saints,

especially Bernadette. It was at

Lourdes, incidentally, that I found my

vocation to priesthood.

Q: How does being a poet help you to

see the sacred nature of things?

A: Beauty is the most ordinary way that

God draws us to himself. Compunction

is that moment wherein God touches

and wakens us to his presence. We need

to name this moment for our people, to

give them a vocabulary to help them

believe in the reality of God’s grace in

their lives. The preacher does this in one

way, the poet in another. Of course, you

don’t have to be a poet to be pierced

through by the beauty of God.

17WINTER 2 0 0 4 - 0 5

Priest and PoetA Chat with Fr. Paul Murray, O.P.

H

Joshua Guillory

Diocese of Lafayette

Class of 2007

O Hidden God!

Not the slow drum beating

In the heart, the music

In the blood. Not step by step

Led forward through the dark

Palpable medium of the senses.

And yet, at the beginning notes

Of truth, when at last the tired

Dislocated strings of the spirit

Have been wound back into place,

A new stroke of rhythm, a new music

Begins to quicken in my pulse,

Begins to waken out of sloth

To a lover’s discipline

Both my disjointed sense and thought

Until, with no other guide,

No other plan except that inner throb

And cadence in my blood, I am drawn

Out into the darkness towards You.

Fr. Paul Murray, O.P.

Fr. Paul Murray, O.P

his fall the North American College community

welcomed 44 New Men to their new home here

in Rome. These new brothers arrive from over

30 dioceses across the United States and, for the

first time, Australia. While the transition for the New

Men to the College may be daunting, the hospitality

offered to them by the residents of the College, and the

tremendous opportunities available to them in the

spiritual and historic surroundings of Rome, make them

feel very welcome.

While these men leave family, friends, and

familiarity to cleave to Christ and His Church in her

city, they do so on her terms. Rome holds a new culture,

people, language, and a way of doing and not doing

things. Through the transition of these first days, the

words of the prophet Jeremiah are particularly consoling:

“For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says

the Lord, plans for your welfare, not for woe! Plans to

give you a future full of hope.” For these new brothers,

life at the College and in Rome challenges them to

experience Christ’s plan of love and hope.

During the two week period of orientation, the men

had the opportunity to hope and pray with the Church

in all of her splendor and simplicity. Their first

opportunity was Mass with Peter, at his Basilica beside

his bones, followed shortly thereafter by a visit to Peter’s


The usual confusion ensues as new seminarians waitfor their bags at the airport.

Orientation 2004A New Journey Guided by Those of the Past

T

The New Men are welcomed as they enter theImmaculate Conception Chapel for the first time.

The Class of 2008 outside of St. Peter’s Basilica.

successor, John Paul II, at Castel Gandolfo for the

Sunday Angelus. This rooted the brothers in the Roman

soil nourished by the blood of the Prince of the Apostles,

and reminded them that shepherding is a sacrifice.

Later the men were able to spend a weekend in

Assisi, in the dust of Francis and Clare, breathing in the

air of peace which instilled in them the need to recognize

their poverty before Christ. To honor our American

roots, and to keep them united to those whom they

desire to serve, they marked September 11 by celebrating

Mass at the World War II military cemetery in Nettuno.

Orientation concluded with a pilgrimage of prayer to the

founder of the College, Blessed Pope Pius IX, and for

one of the College’s seminarians, Servant of God Frank

Parater. These men of the past reminded those of the

present that they are not alone in this new stage of their

discernment.

Under her title of Our Lady of Humility, Mary

extends her mantle of protection over these new

brothers, not just during the days of orientation, but

throughout their time in Rome. As patroness of the

College, she stands as a reminder to them of that

humility which is central to Christ’s plan of hope for

them.

These men have boldly responded to the invitation

of Christ’s plan for their lives. They ask for your prayers

and love as they continue to embrace His plan, and as

they pray for you whose support has made this time of

transition such a tremendous gift.

Kim J. Schreck, Diocese of Pittsburgh

& Daniel Waldeck, Archdiocese of Denver

Class of 2007

19WINTER 2 0 0 4 - 0 5

Left: New seminarians celebrate Mass at theCasa Santa Maria.

Above and Right: New Men and the

Orientation Team celebrate Mass and offer

prayers at the American military cemetery at

Nettuno on September 11.

Left to Right: His Holiness John Paul II at Castel Gandolfo; The Rector and seminarians praythe Angelus with the Holy Father; Seminarians listen to the greeting of the Holy Father for theNew Men.


John Peck, III (Greensburg),Andrew Keswick (Melbourne),Robert Lampitt (Peoria),Brandon Allison (Springfield, IL),Jesse Zyskowski (Scranton),Nicholas Maurice (Lismore)

Mark Glover (Springfield),Albert Marcello, III (Providence),Ryan Moravitz (Duluth),Thomas Niehaus (Winona),Mark Milbocker (Altoona-Johnstown),Michael Vanek, (Omaha)

The CollegeWelcomes the

New Men

Justin Kizewski (La Crosse),Jonathan Reardon (Springfield),David Stecher (Kansas City, KS),Nicholas Argentieri (Pittsburgh),Paul Fasano (Rockford),Gabriel Acuña (Chicago),Dylan Corbett (Providence)

New seminarians gather to pray in the Church of San Lorenzo Fuori leMure, where Blessed Pope Pius IX, founder of the College, is buried.

21WINTER 2 0 0 4 - 0 5

David Thurber (Providence),Samuel Kachuba (Bridgeport),Benjamin Sember (Green Bay),Jason Parzynski (Lansing),Michael Brummond (Green Bay),Ernest Cibelli (Baltimore),Gregory Loughney (Scranton)

Joshua Ehli (Bismarck),Theodore Lange (Portland, OR),Franz Klein (La Crosse),Kevin Regan (Washington),Vincent DeRosa (Washington),Jeremy Rodrigues (Providence)

Shane Deman (Sioux City),John Gordon, III (Madison),David Brown (Arlington),Joel Sember (Green Bay),Patrick Riffle (Washington),Nicholas Dudo (Camden)

Joseph Previtali (San Francisco),James McCarthy (Sydney),Joseph Freedy (Pittsburgh),Ronnie Floyd (Fall River),Steven Titus (Cheyenne),Liam O’Mara (Omaha)


he year was 1958. Antonio Fulciniti, havingrecently arrived in Rome from Calabria, beganworking at a barbershop just west of PiazzaNavona in Rome. At first he worked as a

barber’s helper and was responsible for the upkeep ofthe shop. When the owner retired a few years later, the“first Antonio” began cutting hair.

“Antonio Number 2,” as he has come to be known,had worked a few years as a barber in Naples. Afterserving in the military, he moved to Rome in 1970.Antonio Palmieri then began cutting hair with the firstAntonio, in this barbershop along the Greg Route.Since his arrival, businesses would come and go, butthe Antonii and their barbershop, known simply asAntonio’s, hung in there, keeping a steady stream ofclients.

Being in business together for over thirty yearsmay not be that uncommon. But for priests, religiousand seminarians, frequenting Antonio’s is a traditionin itself. Since the average seminarian spends four tofive years studying in Rome, it is a good thing for thetwo Antonio’s that word of mouth advertising goes along way. To this day, new priests and seminarianscontinue the tradition of patronizing Antonio’s.

Antonio Palmieri has fond memories of his rela-tionship with seminarians from the North AmericanCollege. He joyfully reminisces about the banteringthat has taken place between them and the seminari-ans. Once a videocassette of the New Man vs. OldMan football game was brought to the shop for every-one’s enjoyment. The elder Antonio rooted for the OldMen while the junior rooted for the New Men.

They will also cut your hair any way you like it.One popular way is con macchina or with an electricrazor. They are pretty talented with the scissors as

well. The barbers are very patient, knowing that ourItalian is limited.

Antonio Number 2 is very satisfied as a barber. Heenjoys socializing, hearing what is going in people’slives (“like a priest does”), saying hello to the peoplewho walk by and listening to the radio. He points outthat while seminarians, priests and religious make up afair amount of their business, artists, mechanics andpoets are also regular clients.

Stefano Fulciniti, son of the first Antonio, joinedthe business about two years ago. For many years, hecut women’s hair at another shop. He came on boardwhen an area was added on to accommodate thestyling needs of women, but he is qualified to serve thefashion needs of all.

Like all good things that must come to an end, theAntonios are no exception. On February 22, 2004 thefirst Antonio passed away. It was a sad time for all ofus. Some priests here offered Masses for the repose ofhis soul. Now his son Stefano will try to carry on thetradition. As long as Antonio’s is in business, they cancount on loyal patronage from priests and seminariansof our College.

Stephen Doktorczyk

Diocese of Orange

Class of 2005

Steve Doktorzyk gets a cut from Antonio Palmieriand Stefano Fulciniti.

ANTONIO’S BARBER SHOP

A Cut Above

The two “Antonii” enjoy a little break together

T

ollowing my ordination, the first “priestly” act Idid was to gather with my family and give my

mother the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.She would die three weeks later.

One may wonder why I wouldchoose to begin an article about thejoys of being a priest with that memory, but for me it was not a tragic event. My mom’s passing washeartbreaking, but because I was a priest, I was notpowerless in the face of her cancer. It is true that Icould not cure her, but I could bring the presence ofGod to her during that time of trial and help prepareher and my family for her passing from this life to the

next.More than anything

else, that is what my priesthood has been like,bringing and finding God’spresence in everyday life – inthat of the people I serve aswell as in my own. It is a lifefull of laughs and jokes, accidents and errors, accom-plishments and failures. Howcan you describe to anyone the

sheer awe you experience when you witness the trans-formations that take place in the lives of the faithful?There is the elation of standing at the altar, pronounc-ing the words of consecration and knowing that God ispresent. There is also the laughing until it hurts, whenyou get together with your classmates and relive boththe colorful events we enjoyed while living at theCollege and the bumblings, gaffes and blunders wehave committed since then.

My priesthood has been at times everything that Ihoped it would be and, at other times, everything Ifeared. When I worked in the restaurant business priorto my entrance into the seminary, I would tell people

that the best part of my job was “the people that I gotto work with” and the worst part was “the people thatI had to work with.” That still holds true in the priestly ministry, but there is a greater depth and

richness now. It is a richness that wasalways there, but is much enhancednow that I am able to share with oth-ers the things that are closest to me –Christ in the sacraments.

Recently, a parishioner asked me if I thought that Iwould still be so conservative if I had gone to a seminary other than the North American College.“Going to Rome,” I explained, “has had nothing to dowith me being conservative, liberal, orthodox or anything else.” Yes, being able to visit the ancientchurches, where so many heroically holy people haveworshiped, did affect me. Yes, being able to study withand under some of the most brilliant people I have everknown has influenced me. Yes, personally witnessingthe Holy Father and how he has led the Church hasinspired me, but that has not had the effect of slanting my ministry in a particular political direction. Rather, it underscoresfor me how my priesthood standsupon the shoulders of the giantswho have passed the faith on to us,how fortunate I have been, andhow staggeringly much God lovesus. W ith a heritage like that, thefuture will be nothing less thanwonderful. It is a future full ofhope and rich with promise.

Rev. Bradley C. Pelzel

Diocese of Sioux City

Class of 2002

23

AN ALUMNUS SPEAKS...

Everyday Joys

FI am able to share the things

which are closest to me –

Christ in the sacraments.

WINTER 2 0 0 4 - 2 0 0 5

Fr. Pelzel’s mother at his

ordination.

Fr. Pelzel distributes

Communion in his home

parish.

hen people today flip through the class pho-

tographs of alumni outside the Red Room, they

notice hundreds of seminarians in years past

wearing the distinctive house cassocks of the College.

These house cassocks are as old as the College itself.

Their colors were selected to look patriotic with the red,

white, and blue. Furthermore, as Robert McNamara

notes in his book on the history of the College, the col-

ors also had religious significance; the black cassock rep-

resented humility, the blue trim and buttons recalled

devotion to the Immaculate Virgin, and the red sash

stood for redemption.

While some speculate that the design of the cassock

came from Bernini himself, it is more certain that the

design comes from the house cassock of the College of

the Propaganda Fide, attended by seminarians from mis-

sionary countries. Some American seminarians studied

there before our own College was founded and probably

adopted the design of their house cassock. Because each

national college in Rome had its own unique seminarian

cassock, the cassock became an important source of

identity for seminarians studying here.

Over the last forty years the use of house cassocks in

Rome decreased and, in some cases, disappeared

altogether. Only a dozen of the North American

College’s original house cassocks remained, and they

were not in very good condition. For several years only

the Masters of Ceremonies were able to wear them

during solemn feasts. Last

year at one of the College’s

liturgical celebrations,

Archbishop Daniel Cronin

noticed one of the Masters of

Ceremonies wearing the old house cassock. After speak-

ing to the Rector, he made a very generous personal gift

to have new house cassocks made, ensuring their use for

years to come.

The College arranged for a tailor to make thirty new

house cassocks to be used more frequently in the

ceremonial and liturgical life of the College. Already we

have been able to use our uniform for special events,

such as Cardinal Edmund Szoka’s 50th Anniversary of

priestly ordination and the Pallium celebrations on the

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. Many of those in

attendance shared their delight that the seminarians were

once again wearing these cassocks.

The first twelve seminarians of the North American

College wore their brand new house cassocks on the day

of the Inauguration of the college in 1859. Now, nearly

150 years later, the current seminarians of the College

gratefully acknowledge that, through the generosity of

Archbishop Cronin, they will be able to make this tradi-

tion a part of the life of the College once again. With this

gift our identity will no longer be memorialized only in

photographs, but will also have a place in our living

memories for many years to come.

Rev. Mr. Brian Dellaert

Archdiocese of Dubuque

Class of 2005


C O L L E G E T R A D I T I O N S

“I received from the Lord what I handed down to you...” (1 Cor 11:23)

House Cassocks

W

Compare the house cassock circa1959 (left) to today’s house cassock, as worn by RyanBredemeyer (Peoria, ’07).

Seminarians in house cassocks buy chocolateand Vatican stamps andexchange money at thestudent lounge in 1959.

25WINTER 2 0 0 4 - 0 5

n older man has lost his wife of 45 years, and is

finding it hard to go on living. A middle aged

parishioner cannot understand why his wife of 6

years has suddenly decided to walk out on him. The son

of two of the parish’s extraordinary ministers has

developed a problem with alcoholism.

The seminarian knows that these are situations he

is almost certain to encounter in ministry. People come

to their priests with problems that are often deeply

personal and intensely painful. They come expecting

understanding. They come expecting explanations. They

come hoping to hear the voice of Jesus speaking to their

lives. The prospect can be daunting. For while the

academic formation the seminarian receives has given

him knowledge of the Faith, these situations call for

something more – the ability to

understand the things that

people are not necessarily saying,

to reach out to people who are

hurting, and to comfort and

guide them through their darkest times.

To meet the needs of the future priests currently

in formation, the North American College offers an

annual pastoral counseling workshop each fall. The

workshop, which meets for six hours a day over

the course of a week, aims to foster empathetic

communication skills and to introduce the seminarian to

the unique counseling difficulties that are presented by

the elderly, the young, the bereaved, and many other

categories of persons. The workshop also teaches the

seminarian the importance of defining and respecting

appropriate personal boundaries with parishioners and

parish employees.

This year, the responsibility of introducing the 39

men of the class of 2006 to the art of pastoral counseling

fell to Father Ross Shecterle. A priest of the Archdiocese

of Milwaukee since 1986, Father Ross holds an M.A.

and a Ph.D. in Pastoral Counseling and Psychology from

Loyola College in Baltimore, as well as an S.T.L. from

the University of Louvain. He began teaching pastoral

counseling in 1998 at St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore,

where he was an adjunct in residence. Before coming to

the North American College, Father Ross was on faculty

at St. Francis de Sales Seminary in his home diocese six

years, the last two years spent as vice-rector.

Father Ross began each day with a series of lectures,

introducing the men to the topic of the day. These

lectures reviewed the variety of pastoral counseling

models that have been proposed by Catholic psycholo-

gists. They reviewed the wrong and right ways to ask

probing questions of those who come for counseling,

introduced the topics of counseling the victims of sexual

abuse, and explained the right

and wrong ways to reach out to a

person contemplating suicide.

The heart of the workshop,

however, was to be found in the

opportunity for role playing. The men took the parts

of both parishioners and priests. Father Ross provided

some scenarios, but in the majority of cases, the

seminarians were allowed to play the parts of people

whom they had encountered during their summer parish

assignments or before entering the seminary. The result

was an opportunity to reflect on real life experience,

while at the same time sharing that experience and the

lessons learned therefrom with the entire class.

As a result of the workshop, the seminarians of the

North American College now stand better prepared to

meet the challenges of parish ministries and to serve the

needs of their communities in the 21st century.

Harold Reeves


Class of 2006

Ministers of EmpathyThe Daunting Yet Rewarding Task Facing Future Priests

A

They come hoping to hear the voiceof Jesus speaking to their lives.


“...come after me and I will make you fishers of men.” (Mt 5:19)

V O C A T I O N S T O R I E S

“Come and See”

“What do you want?”

“To know what will bring me happiness, Lord.”

“Come and see!” (Jn 1:38-39).

knew the Lord would show me the happiness I was

seeking, but I was afraid of what that happiness

entailed. As in all things, He took the initiative.

At the beginning of my senior year of high school, two

determined priests were brought on staff to teach

religion. I had always dreaded religion class until that

year, when these two priests laid the rock foundation of

my vocation. They saw something in me that I had never

seen, and day after day they would remind me of what

they saw. “You decided to join the ranks yet Waltzy?”

they would ask. Day after day I would respond, “Yeah,

that’s pretty funny, Father!” and would laugh as I walked

away. Whether I wanted to admit it or not, a great

schism in my heart had begun.

The two priests decided to organize a trip to Rome

after our graduation that year. My mother, who has

never ceased praying for my vocation to the priesthood,

thought this would be a wonderful chance for me to

experience the Faith. I decided to go, first because I loved

to travel, second because a couple of my friends would

be on the trip, and third, because the drinking age in

Italy was sixteen! Little did I know what awaited me

across the ocean!

As I walked into St. Peter’s Basilica for the first time,

I nearly fell over. I had never seen anything so amazing.

Being from small-town North Dakota, where the biggest

building we have is the state capitol and art is centered

around who can build the biggest life-like model of a

cow, this was pretty spectacular. My faith grew exponen-

tially during my nine-day pilgrimage, as we visited the

holy sites of the Eternal City. The vision of priesthood

did not seem so strange anymore.

After supper one night it was announced that two

students from our group of 33 would meet the Holy

Father the next morning, because our Bishop was in

Rome for his ad limina visit. All of our names were

placed in a hat, and two were picked. Before the first

name came out, I said a little prayer in my heart: “Lord,

if You will that I should be a priest, pick my name.” I

breathed a sigh of relief as the first name was

picked…only to choke on that sigh as my name was

drawn next.

Upon returning home I decided that in the little

prayer I had uttered that night before meeting the Holy

Father, I had never asked “when” I should be a priest,

only “if ” I should be a priest. God fortunately does not

give up as easily as we do.

My college years slipped away quickly as did my faith.

On summer break of my junior year, I visited my old reli-

gion teacher. We talked at length about my life and what

was to become of it. His only remark was, “Say three Hail

Marys every day and Our Lady will do the rest.”

I

Above: Joshua Waltz meets the Holy Father after his graduationfrom high school.

As I knelt in silence and tears, I heard in my

heart, “Do not be afraid...come and see!”

Over the last year of college, I moved into a house with three of

my best friends, and started dating a wonderful girl. It seemed as

though the three roses I gave to Mary each night were weaving a

beautiful crown of the married life, but Our Blessed Lady had

something else in mind.

I was ready to graduate, yet I had found no peace in my soul.

With everything going right in my life, why was everything wrong?

All of this unrest finally knocked me off my horse, bringing me to

my knees before Our Lord at St. Paul’s Newman Center in Fargo. I

realized that I could run no longer from such a wonderful invita-

tion. As I knelt in silence and tears, I heard in my heart, “Do not be

afraid…come and see!”

I thank Jesus as often as I can for such a wonderful calling. Do

I miss the days of my past? Sometimes, but Jesus has given me so

much more as he promised he would (Lk 18:28-30). I continue to

follow our Blessed Mother, for she has gotten me this far, back to

the place where it all began…Rome sweet home!!!

Joshua Waltz

Class of 2007

Diocese of Bismarck

27WINTER 2 0 0 4 - 0 5

Clockwise from top: Joshua and his brother (also a seminarian) enjoy sweets withKenyan seminarians.

Joshua (r) and his brother with villagers during their summer apostolic work in Kenya.

Joshua (r) and his brother stand at the edge of the Sea of Galilee during a recent tripto the Holy Land.

Joshua (l) chats with Fr. Gonzalez, professor of Christology at the Angelicum.

Joshua (middle) at the Angelicum with friends and classmates Sr. Shenaz Bhatti, andSr. Zarina Hadyat, Sisters of Charity of St. Jeanne Antide Thouret from Pakistan.


Surrounded by hungry seminarians, Jay Mello (Fall River, ’07), and Aaron Killips (Savannah, ’07), grill up some chicken.

Basta with the Pasta!American Seminarians Whip Up Comfort Food from Home

t is not that the men of the North American College do not like or appreciate the wonderful Italian cuisine that

is prepared for them daily, for who would complain about the Spaghetti Carbonara or Amatriciana? But I think

there comes a point in every man’s time at the College when he says, “Basta with the pasta! Where’s the beef?”

This sentiment is usually followed by a group of men heading to the Hard Rock Café, or for others, up to the

fifth floor student kitchen. A few years ago the fifth floor roof on the convent wing of the college was renovated to

provide students with a fully operational kitchen where they can enjoy fellowship as well as the culinary talents of

fellow students.

The kitchen is large enough for a class dinner, yet also provides a smaller setting for groups of only four or five.

In the warmer months the adjacent rooftop allows for an American style cookout.The grill and charcoal are rolled

out, the chicken marinated, the steaks seasoned and the sweet corn shucked, providing all with the sweet memories

of their American homeland.

The unique dynamic of the North American College is that, unlike most American seminaries, we have men from

all over the United States, Central America, Canada, and, starting this year, Australia as well. This cultural dynamic

not only allows for the sharing of ecclesial experiences but also different culinary trends. As a New Englander, I can

prepare one heck of a clam chowder or lobster, but I cannot begin to compare my cooking to John McDonald’s

southern fried chicken, Zack Weber’s Cincinnati Skyline chili or Joe Shimek’s Midwest mashed potatoes.

I

29WINTER 2 0 0 4 - 0 5

Clockwise from top: Edison Tayag (Rochester, ’07), JesseZyskowski (Scranton, ’07), and Joseph Shimek (Milwaukee,’07) keep things in order as the cooking starts.

John McDonald, (Birmingham, ’07) “stirs the pot” after sea-soning up his red beans.

Joseph Shimek performs a taste test to make sure everythingis “fit to eat,” while Josh Waltz (Bismarck, ’07) gets a jumpstart on the cleanup.

Finally, the entire Second Theology Class sits down to enjoy ameal together in fraternity and community.

It is certainly a great joy to share the fruits of

another’s culinary talents, but perhaps the greatest

joy that comes from the fifth floor kitchen is the

brotherhood that is created in working together. It is as

the Psalmist says, “How good it is when brothers dwell

in unity, it is like oil on the head, running down upon

the beard of Aaron, upon the collar of his robe”

(Ps 133). How pleasurable it must be in the eyes of our

Lord, when he looks upon his sons taking a break from

their busy schedules of formation, academics and

prayer to share a meal together and give thanks to God

for all the many blessings in their life.

While all are not given a talent in the area of

cooking or baking, there is work for everyone at a class

or hall dinner. Whether it be setting up tables or

silverware, chopping onions or garlic, or even washing

dishes, everyone plays a part in the fellowship we

experience in the fifth floor kitchen.

Jay Mello

Diocese of Fall River

Class of 2007


n December 8 the North American College, as well

as the entire Catholic world, celebrated the 150th

anniversary of the proclamation of the Dogma of

the Immaculate Conception, in which Blessed Pope Pius IX,

the founder of our College, declared infallibly that the

Blessed Virgin Mary was “from the first moment of her

conception ... preserved immune from all stain of original

sin.” Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception is the

patroness of this College, which officially opened on the fifth

anniversary of Pius IX’s declaration: December 8, 1859. We

here at the College celebrated this grand anniversary with joy,

through beautiful liturgies, prayer, and talks about our

Blessed Mother delivered by faculty.

Fr. Peter Mitchell invites us to see this great event of

1854, through the eyes of the fourth bishop of Philadelphia,

Saint John Neumann, one of the founding American

bishops of the North American College.

Bishop Neumann was invited by Blessed Pius IX to

come to Rome in 1854 for the proclamation of the

Dogma of the Immaculate Conception. Upon receiving

this invitation, Neumann was greatly excited, not only

because he would be visiting the Vicar of Christ and the

tombs of the Apostles, but also because his trip across the

Atlantic would give him the opportunity of visiting his

family and homeland as well. His eighty-year-old father

was still living in Prachatitz, Bohemia (the present Czech

Republic). He had not been home since he had left to

come to America twenty years earlier.

First arriving in Rome, he stayed at the house of his

fellow Redemptorists for two months. While in Rome,

Bishop Neumann wore only his plain Redemptorist

habit. He frequently visited the four major basilicas as

well as the other shrines of Rome, blending into the

crowd of simple pilgrims. It was only at the four-day

consistory in December that he wore his full episcopal

regalia, attending the solemn definition of the

Immaculate Conception in St. Peter’s Basilica with 53

cardinals and numerous other bishops. On December 8,

1854, he wrote to a friend, “I thank God He allowed me

to see this day in Rome.”

From Rome, Bishop Neumann made his way

home to his beloved Prachatitz. Despite Neumann’s

objections, the bishop of Budweis insisted that Neumann

ride home in his episcopal sleigh (it was January), and so

the town’s famous son arrived home amidst fanfare and

acclamation. He was joyfully reunited with family and

friends. The highlights of his visit were the daily Masses

he celebrated each day in the parish church where he was

baptized. With thanksgiving to God, knowing he would

never return home again, Bishop Neumann received

these days with his family as a beautiful and unrepeatable

grace.

Bishop Neumann returned to the United States on

March 27, 1855. Wherever he travelled in Europe, he

begged people for their prayers for the mission in

America, and told them of the desperate need for priests

in the United States.

May we follow Saint John Neumann’s example by

praying for priests, invoking the aid of Our Lady of the

Immaculate Conception, and visiting the tombs of the

apostles here in Rome as often and as devoutly as we can.

Rev. Peter Mitchell

Diocese of Lincoln

Casa Santa Maria

St. John Neumann

A PILGRIMAGE TO ROME IN HONOR OF OUR LADY

OO

31WINTER 2 0 0 4 - 0 5

T H E D E V E L O P M E N T O F F I C E

“He is like a man building a house...upon rock” (Lk 6:48)

Bringing a Bit of Rome to the Nation’s Capital

The Third Annual Umilta Awards were held on

Saturday, November 13th at the Pope John Paul II

Cultural Center in Washington, D.C. This year’s

honorees were Rev. Msgr. Roger Roensch ’58, Director

of the Bishops’ Office for U.S. Visitors to the Vatican,

and H.E. Ambassador James Nicholson, United States

Ambassador to the Holy See, and his wife, Suzanne.

Supporters throughout the United States joined

Archbishop Edwin O’Brien, Chairman of the Board of

Governors, and Msgr. Kevin McCoy, Rector, and our

alumni priests. This event was on the eve of the annual

meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops so

that our alumni bishops could share in the festivities.

Msgr. Roensch is fond of pointing out to the many

people he has assisted in Rome at the Visitor’s Office that

“Catholics should see a visit to the Holy See not as

tourists, but as pilgrims.” He was ordained in 1958 and,

after thirteen years of ministry, traveled back to Rome to

assist the College’s administration in promoting the

College’s mission through financial development.

Eleven years later, he was transferred to the Basilica of

the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, in

Washington, D.C., where

he has helped countless pil-

grims over the years.

The College is proud to

honor this beloved alum-

nus and avid supporter of

his alma mater and knows

that there is much work

ahead for him to do in

Rome.

Ambassador Nicholson,

a native of Iowa born

during the Great Depression, is a graduate of West Point,

serving eight years as an Army Ranger and paratrooper,

22 years in the Army Reserve, as well as being awarded

the Bronze Star Medal and several other awards as a

Ranger in Vietnam.

Suzanne, his wife, a talented artist, has always been

an important part of her husband’s career. This career

has included practicing law, founding Nicholson

Enterprises, Inc. (a developer of master-planned

residential communities), and serving as Chairman of

the Republican National Committee.

Since then he has

organized an international

conference to combat

human trafficking and

has become a forceful

advocate for human rights

and American humani-

tarian concerns world-

wide. In November 2002,

he published The United

States and the Holy See –

The Long Road, his first

book. It is a history of the

diplomatic relationship between the United States and the

Vatican from 1788 to the present. Suzanne has prepared

her own book, which showcases the artwork in the

Embassy of the United States to the Holy See.

Both Ambassador and Mrs. Nicholson have been

good friends of the College since their arrival in Rome,

helping it to celebrate many special occasions. For the

past three years, Ambassador Nicholson has faithfully

joined our seminarians and priests every morning for

7:10 am Mass during Lent at the forty Station Churches.

The College is grateful for the friendship of

Ambassador and Mrs. Nicholson. Msgr. McCoy hopes

that they think of the College as their second home. He

is proud to honor them with this award.

Everyone enjoyed an incredible Italian feast and felt

as though a bit of Rome was brought to the nation’s cap-

ital for the night. Please let the Development Office

know if you would like an invitation to join in next

year’s U.S. celebration.

Tricia Lloyd

Director of Development

202-541-5411

Rev. Msgr. McCoy with Ambassadorand Mrs. Nicholson

Rev. Msgr. Roger Roensch and Rev.Msgr Kevin McCoy

ne of the priests I used to work with was fond

of telling his staff and other priests, with

regard to communicating with one another in

a parish or the diocese, “When you think you

are communicating enough, you probably have to

double your efforts.” The Pontifical North American

College has these words in mind, too. Not only are we

striving to communicate well with one another, but we

are also constantly trying to share with others the good

news about our College.

This magazine itself has developed beautifully over

the years and is certainly now a first rate publication.

There are many who are grateful to the students who

contribute articles regularly and who work so hard to

ready it for printing and mailing. We often receive notes

and letters from readers who send along words of

support along with their donations to cover the

magazine’s expense. It is always encouraging to hear such

positive feedback and, of course, to receive a financial

contribution, too! The readers and supporters of the

College back in the United States seem particularly to

enjoy the articles which detail the daily life of seminari-

ans here in Rome.

On another communications front, a few years ago,

a couple of our students decided that the Pontifical

North American College should have a web site to call its

own. They started one on their own, along with what

support the College could give at the time. What a great

service the web site is to the College, the students, and

other people who want to share in our life in an interac-

tive manner. Now the time has come to make it even

better. One of our second year men, Seamus Griesbach

of the Diocese of Portland in Maine, has taken it upon

himself to update the

web site with new, user-

friendly features and an

improved on-screen

look. He told me that

his goal was “to try to give an accurate portrayal of the

College online, so that what we are is conveyed online.”

This is not an easy task, but one that he is striving hard

to attain. The faculty and staff of the College have even

begun using the web-site for in-house tasks, as well.

Beginning in November, the web site can be viewed at

www.pnac.org

Another updated area of communications is our

telephone system. Our IT director told me that the

College’s telephone system truly needed a new “brain”

but that we could keep the same external body. The new

system, which was installed over the summer and into

the fall, provides digital equipment, as well as a less

expensive provider for making telephone calls and a

much reduced expense for yearly maintenance. Within a

couple of years, the new system will have paid for itself.

Of course, a kind benefactor is also being sought out to

help us along and to allow us to use those saved funds

elsewhere! While the old system was an improvement

over the previous one, the new one is even better and

allows both our campuses to be linked together. It

eliminates the necessity of an outside line to telephone

between the Casa Santa Maria and the seminary.

Communications is always a challenge, but here at

the Pontifical North American College we are striving to

use modern communications technology to stay in touch

and to further our mission in today’s time and place!

by Rev. Msgr. James Checchio ’92, C’97

Diocese of Camden

Vice Rector for Administration


“Cleverly done! You too are an industrious and reliable servant” (Mt 25:23)

T H E E C O N O M O ’ S C O R N E R

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The Pontifical

North American College3211 Fourth Street, Northeast

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Seminarians take a stroll along the Via Appia Antica, an ancient Roman road connecting Naples with the Eternal City.

Save the date! The next North American College Alumni Reunion will be held June 21–23, 2005 in Milwaukee,WI.

Documents

PNAC Magazine: Winter 2004