During this Advent season as we prepare to receive Our Lord, let us remember with gratitude the many blessings we have received from Him throughout this year. St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary would like to thank all of our friends and benefactors for the immense generosity and countless prayers that have made it possible for us to continue our mission. Please be assured of our continued prayers for you at the altar. May God bless you.
Dear Friends and Benefactors,
In this holy season of Advent, as we prepare to welcome the Christ Child into our hearts and homes, it is good to remember with gratitude the blessings He has bestowed upon us in the last year. At St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary we are especially grateful for the blessing of our friends and benefactors, who provide the means for us to continue our mission of forming priests for Holy Mother Church. It is thanks to God’s grace, your faithful prayers, and continued generosity, that we can move forward each day in this holy work.
Your continued donations to the New Seminary Project and Operation 5000 allow us to make daily progress in the arduous task of completing the seminary. Our carpenters are hard at work enhancing and finishing the interior. The priests’ offices have been completed with wardrobes and bookshelves; the seminarians’ rooms have likewise been adorned with wardrobes. The wardrobes include a dresser, closet, and bookshelves…. no more cardboard boxes! Our refectory is now furnished with wooden tables and chairs which offer a greater sense of permanence and suitability as we enjoy our communal meals. Presently, the vast fireplace in the recreation room is being completed and we look forward to winter evenings around a warm, crackling fire after a day of prayer, work, and studies.
While it is easy to see and appreciate the fruits of these donations for the seminary building, your donations to the general fund and the scholarship program are vital to the ongoing operations and formation of these men who are following the call to the priesthood. We currently have 85 seminarians, 5 Brothers, and 9 priests which make up our community here – not forgetting the 5 SSPX sisters who, by their selfless service, assist our community in so many ways to keep things running smoothly. Thus, even providing meals every day is a challenge and we are happy to now make use of our extensive property to raise cattle, pigs, chickens, and turkeys. We have hired a farmer and are working on plans to further expand our farm! We have likewise hired a full-time chef, who coordinates with the farm to provide hearty meals for the whole community.
The location of our new home also allows for the occasional excursion for recreational or spiritual benefit. We particularly enjoy monthly hikes in the mountains and hills of Virginia. This week we had the great joy of traveling to the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Washington DC to venerate the heart of the Curé of Ars, asking his intercession and blessings on our every endeavor. May Our Dear Lord also bless you, your family, and each of your endeavors in His service.
I am ever grateful for the good that you do and for your contributions of prayer, service, and gifts to continue this mission of our venerated Founder, Archbishop Lefebvre. Know that you remain always in the prayers of the priests, seminarians, and brothers of St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary. Be assured, also, that your intentions will be remembered in the Christmas Novena of Masses that the Seminary offers for all its friends and benefactors.
As together we rejoice in the birth of Our Lord and Savior, let us not forget to thank Him for becoming Incarnate and entering our world as a little babe. With a heart full of joy and thanks, I sincerely wish that you will enjoy a most Merry Christmas. And may the blessings of the Christ Child be upon you and your loved ones this season and throughout the New Year.
In Christo Sacerdote et Maria.
Fr. Yves le Roux