Thirty-five new vocations

On October 2nd the Seminary welcomed thirty new seminarians and five new brother postulants for the inception of the academic year.  This almost unprecedented accession brought the total number of seminarians to eighty-three, and that of the Brothers to thirteen.  With the ten seminary professors, this entails a community of over one hundred members—which is more than the Seminary building can even accommodate.

To cope with the copious increase, a brave group of six seminarians and two brothers was dispatched to found a new colony in the “Farm House,” which is located on Seminary property several hundred yards from the main building.  The encroaching winter will test the mettle of the settlers, as they will have to fight their way through sleet and snow several times a day to be present for prayer, classes, and other community activities.

In past years the refectory had five to six tables vacant. Now all of its nineteen tables are filled save for one.  A new row of mailboxes has been installed underneath others which, in past years, had been considered extra.  The “Music Room,” which had served as the primary classroom for the Humanities students, has been reassigned to other purposes, because it is too small to fit the new class of thirty.  In a word, the reinforcements have made sure that their presence is felt.  Even the parishioners have an interest in the matter, since the burgeoning Seminary community has found it necessary to claim more of the scanty pew-space reserved for the faithful.

The inconveniences entailed by this increase are, of course, far outweighed by the joy of seeing so many who aspire to work in the Lord’s vineyard.  Let us thank the Lord of the harvest, who is providing more laborers for the great work of the salvation of souls.  Adveniat regnum tuum.