Discernment and Seminary from a Parent Point-of-View: Jeff and Mary Gardner Parents of Tom Gardner

March 18, 2010

“The Church has always been a big part of our life,” said Mary Gardner. “Jesus is at the center of our marriage, and in the last few years, we have experienced more deepening of our Catholic Christian faith.”

Jeff Gardner said he had an inkling of God‟s plan for his son Tom even at his birth. “The day he was born, here was this little red-haired boy, our first son, and there was a little revelation in me that he would be a priest someday,” said Jeff.

Read More of Tom's Story

The Power and Beauty of Eucharistic Processions

February 18, 2010

The First Eucharistic Procession
Pope Benedict XVI recently called the visitation of Mary to Elizabeth the first Eucharistic procession since Mary carried Christ within her womb as she traveled from Galilee.

The True Presence
Eucharistic processions have always been centered on recognizing the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist and sharing this divine revelation with the entire world.

The tradition developed out of other processional aspects of the liturgy, such as the entrance of the Mass and the processing of the Gospel before its reading.

The Feast of Corpus Christi
The feast of Corpus Christi (the body of Christ) was instituted in 1246 and has traditionally been accompanied by a Eucharistic procession.

Pope John Paul II said, "The devout participation of the faithful in the Eucharistic procession on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ is a grace from the Lord which yearly brings joy to those who take part in it."

The practice of Eucharistic Procession is not limited to the feast of Corpus Christi. Eucharistic Congresses, seminaries, and parishes hold these processions on other feast days.

Processing with the Eucharist
Typically the Eucharist is processed from one holy place to another, often around the Church and then back to the Tabernacle.

The participants are led by the clergy, and usually recite prayers and sing hymns to accompany the procession. The tradition can be likened to the processing of the Ark of the Covenant in the Old Testament in which the Israelites would carry with them into battle.
 
Processions at Seminary
Seminarians from all over the world held a Eucharistic procession on this past feast of Christ the King, October 25th, 2009. Photos are included from the Pontifical College Josephinum Seminary in Columbus, Ohio.

What do a Modern College Student, a Roman Catholic Priest, and a Roman Citizen have in Common?

February 18, 2010

The Cassock … A student graduating from college would have no idea that their graduation gown was inspired by the Cassock—the traditional clerical clothing of Roman Catholic priests. The origin of the Cassock is traced back to classical antiquity where it was worn underneath the toga of Romans citizens. It was the typical Roman dress at the time.

Who Wears It Now?
The Cassock, an ankle-length, black, close-fitting garment worn by Roman Catholic priests (and other religious denominations such as the Anglicans) is an important part of the liturgy and the daily life of the priest who chooses to wear it.

A Traditional Garment
Although the cassock was formerly the universal everyday clothing of the clergy, it is not as commonly worn as conventional clerics. For priests in public ministry, the use of the cassock remains at their personal discretion and it is most often worn in liturgical services.

The Fascia
The Cassock is tied at the waist with a banded fascia. It is worn by the Pope, Cardinals, Bishops, Priests, Deacons and seminarians. Fascia colors are based on the position of the clergy.

Symbolism of the Buttons
The thirty three buttons down the center of the vestment represent the thirty three earthly years of Christ’s life. The five buttons on each of the sleeves represent the five wounds of Christ.

“It is an instrument of prayer,” said Billy Duraney, a seminarian for the diocese of Columbus at the Pontifical College Josephinum. He plans to wear a Cassock when he is ordained a priest.

Fr. Stash Dailey, Associate Pastor at St. Michael in Worthington, Columbus Diocese, said he wears one because “it offers a great witness to the priesthood.”

Welcome to seekholiness.com

October 1, 2009

"The priest, man of the divine Word and of sacred things, must be today, more than ever, a man of joy and hope," the Holy Father affirmed. "To men who can no longer conceive that God is pure Love, he will always affirm that life is worth living, and that Christ gives it all its meaning because he loves men, all men."

Benedict XVi said that it is an awareness of the priest's own weakness that opens him to intimacy with God. And it is God who "gives us strength and joy. "The priest is no longer for himself, but for all."