“It’s time.”
That’s the reaction of Msgr. Joseph G. Prior, rector of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, about the beginning of another academic year at St. Charles.
“It is wonderful to have the seminarians back at St. Charles,” Msgr. Prior said. “The campus comes back to life with their arrival. The chapels, classrooms and playing fields are full with activity.
“It’s a great time of year ... for all of us here at the Seminary,” the rector added. “This is what we’re about — this is our mission — to prepare these men for ordination, to get them ready for the life of the priesthood.
Of the 156 men on the Seminary’s 2005-’06 roster, 43 are studying for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. That includes seven among 47 new entrants. [See side for listing of archdioceses, dioceses and religious orders currently sending men to St. Charles.]
To inaugurate the new academic year, Archbishop Emeritus Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua celebrated a Mass of the Holy Spirit Monday, Aug. 29, in the Seminary’s Chapel of St. Martin of Tours.
Msgr. Prior delivered the homily. “Today marks the 173rd opening of the academic year for St. Charles Borromeo Seminary,” he told the men at Mass. “The significance is tremendous, when we reflect on the number of seminarians who have prayed in our chapels, walked in our halls, learned in our classrooms, played on our fields, and studied in our halls and library.”
On Sept. 11, Cardinal Justin Rigali will bless and dedicate the newly renovated Ryan Memorial Library.
“It’s going to be a historical day for the seminary,” Msgr. Prior said. Now that the $6 million renovations are complete, the renovated complex has been named the Anthony Cardinal Bevilacqua Theological Research Center at the Ryan Memorial Library. The library complex is open to the public.
“I am honored and humbled … because St. Charles Borromeo Seminary has always had a special place in my heart,” said Cardinal Bevilacqua, who has been living in a suite in the faculty wing at the Seminary since his retirement in 2003.
“Our seminary is well recognized for its excellence in education and faithfulness to the Magisterium of the Church,” Cardinal Bevilacqua added. “I am confident that this newly renovated library will serve as a state-of-the-art resource center to the seminarians and to all who have an opportunity to use its services.”
There are other renovations that will benefit the seminarians and public this year, including numerous renovated classrooms in the theology division’s Vianney Hall. Those classrooms are also used by the Religious Studies Division and the Church Ministry Institute, both open to the laity.
In addition, public restrooms, which had been in a basement area adjacent to Vianney Hall, have been replaced by new bathrooms on the first floor of the hall; the hall’s air-handling and fire safety systems have also been replaced.
The classroom renovations and other changes in Vianney Hall, totaling $900,000, are funded through the Seminary’s capital budget.
In addition, the showers in the theology division’s dormitory have also been replaced, and the stonework on the front of the college division building has been cleaned.
Thus, St. Charles is all spruced up, both inside and out.
The public will have an opportunity to see the renovations and meet St. Charles’ administration, faculty, staff and seminarians at the Seminary’s annual open house on Sunday, Oct. 30.
This year, Msgr. Prior said, the Congregation for Catholic Education of the Holy See will also be sending a delegation to visit the Seminary.
The apostolic visitation to will be from Nov. 27 through Dec. 2. The last such apostolic visitation was in the late 1980s, the rector said.
“We do our own, internal evaluations, but it’s always good to get some extra eyes on the way things are done here,” Msgr. Prior added. “I’m very confident that it will be a positive report on the work that we do.”
For more information, call St. Charles Borromeo Seminary at (610) 667-3394 or check out the Web site www.scs.edu.
CS&T Staff Writer Christie L. Chicoine can be reached at (215) 587-2468 or cchicoin@adphila.org.
Archdioceses, dioceses and religious orders currently sending men to St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood:
* An asterisk indicates the diocese and orders sending seminarians to St. Charles for the first time.
Archdiocese of Philadelphia
Diocese of Allentown, Pa.
Diocese of Arlington, Va.
Archdiocese of Boston, Mass.
Diocese of Cajamarca, Peru
Diocese of Camden, N.J.
Diocese of Charlotte, N.C.
Diocese of Harrisburg, Pa.
Archdiocese of Hartford, Conn.
Diocese of Knoxville, Tenn.
Diocese of Lexington, Ky.
Diocese of Lincoln, Neb.
Archdiocese of Mobile, Ala.
Diocese of Ogdensburg, N.Y.
Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, Okla.
Diocese of Scranton, Pa.
Diocese of Trenton, N.J.
Diocese of Tyler, Tex.
*Diocese of Worcester, Mass.
Order of Friars Minor, Capuchin (Capuchin Franciscans)
*Order of Friars Minors, Conventional (Conventional Franciscans)
*The Cistercians of the Common Observance
Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy (Mercedarians)