More than 1,000 people filled the large ballroom at Executive Caterers at Landerhaven on March 24 for the 35th annual Bishop’s Seminary Brunch. Once again, the event was sold out.
Evelyn Allen, a longtime supporter of the brunch who served as event chairperson, said last year’s brunch raised $130,000. Event organizers hope to surpass that amount this year.
Father Mark Latcovich, president-rector of Borromeo Seminary and Saint Mary Seminary and Graduate School of Theology, said the funds raised are used to support seminarians collectively and individually. The money is used for things like help with room and board and tuition at John Carroll University for Borromeo seminarians; assistance with medical expenses; cultural events; assistance with car repairs; human formation, intellection formation, seminary technology and more.
Bishop Nelson Perez welcomed all to the event and thanked attendees for their support of the seminaries – both financially and prayerfully. He also acknowledged the ordained priests in attendance, transitional and permanent deacons, as well as the seminarians in the crowd. In addition, he congratulated Sister Fabian Quigley, SIW -- who was celebrating her birthday that day -- for her 70 years in religious life and he led the group in singing Happy Birthday to her. He also congratulated a couple who was celebrating 60 years of marriage and thanked all who minister in various ways for their contributions to the Church of Cleveland.
“We are blessed to have nine transitional deacons who will be ordained as priests in May – God willing,” the bishop said, as well as four permanent deacons who will be ordained in May, “God willing,” he added, and two men who will be ordained as transitional deacons next month – “God willing.”
Bishop Perez said priests have a special place in the Church. “One of the most sacred ministries a local church does is preparing men to be priests and deacons and you make that possible. I give you my thanks for your generosity and prayer. We couldn’t do what we do without you.” He also acknowledged the vocations of marriage and singles as well as those in religious life and the ordained, explaining each has a role in the Church.
Luke McNeill from St. Francis de Sales Parish in Akron and a senior at Borromeo, shared thoughts on the benefits of attending a college seminary.
“It’s done a lot for me. I can’t imagine not going there,” he said. McNeill said his experience at Borromeo taught him to learn how to become a man. “You have to learn to be a real man before you learn to be a priest,” he said. In a college seminary, McNeill said young men learn “to die to self like a seed that must die and split open before growing. I have seen and come to know a love in Christ who gives himself for the people. I have even seen the gift of celibate living. Borromeo has taught me to sacrifice some of the things of this world in exchange for a deeper relationship with the Lord, and that is an exchange I would never take back,” he said.
Also sharing thoughts on his time in the seminary was Father Eric Garris, who grew up as a parishioner of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Wickliffe. He is a Lake Catholic High School graduate and a member of the Borromeo class of 2012 and Saint Mary’s class of 2017. Father Garris, who was ordained in May 2017, is a parochial vicar at St. Raphael Parish in Bay Village.
Although he lived near Borromeo, he knew little about the seminary. During high school, when he was beginning to think about what he might do with his life, he got involved with his parish youth group and was invited to play basketball with the seminarians. “They were happy,” he said. He also began to feel pulled to the seminary, so he enrolled at Borromeo where he said he began to fall in love with Christ and with the Church.
“Borromeo Seminary serves the purpose of allowing a young man to ask very profound questions regarding his life and path of discipleship. It places a man in the context and human community where his questions are answered, seeing not only if I may be called to further formation towards the priesthood, but how to look at my path of ‘sonship’ and ‘discipleship,’ community, service, fulfillment, joy, masculinity, awareness of my brothers and sisters – a college seminarian explores all of these and more within his human formation and this is a great benefit,” he said.
“Choosing college seminary, therefore, shows a priority of discerning – deliberately and intentionally – my particular vocation,” Father Garris added.
Father Latcovich said the seminary administration has never let finances be an obstacle to a man who wants to enroll in the seminary. He thanked those in the Diocese of Cleveland who have supported the seminaries financially. Funds have been used for many purposes over the years, including purchasing new mattresses for the residence halls, rewiring to provide internet access and providing new technology for research, study and the proclamation of the Gospel.
He noted that Saint Mary’s is celebrating its 170th anniversary this year as the major seminary of the diocese.
“The Lord has blessed us this year with nine men being called to ordination to the priesthood – God willing. Borromeo, our college seminary, accepted 23 new men who began their journey of formation this academic year. All of the men who enter here allow the Holy Spirit to lead and guide them to respond to the Lord’s call. One day – God willing – they will preach the Gospel and bring the sacraments to the people of God in this diocese and beyond. This is not possible without the support and generosity of the people of this diocese,” he added.
“Thank you for your contributions to the seminaries. We are blessed with good priests and discernment because of your prayers and contributions,” said Father Michael McCandless, diocesan vocation director.
In addition to the remarks by the bishop, Father Latcovich, Father McCandless, Father Garris and McNeill, the seminary choir sang and attendees saw a brief video produced by the vocation office.
As the ballroom emptied, guests were invited to drop their pledge cards into glass bowls in the lobby where seminarians thanked them for attending. They also could take the name of a seminarian for whom they will pray until next year’s brunch.
Two transitional deacons will be ordained by Bishop Perez at 10 a.m. April 6 in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist and the nine current transitional deacons will be ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Perez at 10 a.m. May 18 in the cathedral. Four men will be ordained by Bishop Perez as permanent deacons at 10 am. May 4 in the cathedral.
Next year’s Bishop’s Brunch is scheduled for March 22.
For more information on vocations, visit clepriesthood.org or CLEpriesthood on Facebook, Instagram and @CLEpriesthood on Twitter or the CLEVocations YouTube channel.
