“I am filled with joy today as I look out over this gathering of God’s people,” said Bishop Edward Malesic as he surveyed the crowd of nearly 1,000 people who filled the grand ballroom at Landerhaven on March 20 for the 38th annual Bishop’s Seminary Brunch.
The event, begun by the late Bishop Anthony Pilla, was intended to be a gathering of many people to personally support and accompany men in formation so there would be a tangible sense of involvement of the entire local Church in the formation of future priests. A second goal was to secure the needed financial help to support the daily needs of seminarians, Bishop Malesic said.
Evelyn Allen, who has chaired the event the past four years, recalled how the 2020 brunch was canceled two weeks before the event as the coronavirus pandemic surged and the country locked down. Last year, amid continuing high COVID-19 transmission rates, the event was virtual. Despite that, Allen said she was grateful for the $140,000 raised through the 2021 event.
Funds raised from the Bishop’s Brunch are directed to the Rector’s Fund, which is overseen by Father Mark Latcovich, president-rector of both Borromeo Seminary and Saint Mary Seminary and Graduate School of Theology. He said 44% of the disbursements for the 2021-2022 academic year are for human formation. Twenty-one percent of the disbursements are for auto repairs, 20% for medical/dental/mental health expenses; 11% for student loans, deferments and fees and the remaining 4% of disbursements are for cultural development.
Bishop Malesic said the purchase of iPads, helping the cost of sending seminarians to the Institute for Priestly Formation and assisting seminarians with tuition (John Carroll University for undergraduates at Borromeo) and room and board are among some of the more specific uses for the money.
After arriving in the diocese, the bishop said one of his first visits was to the seminary. “I was so impressed by the faculty and the dedication of the seminarians who are answering God’s call ion their life,” he said. “As a local Church, we are all called to promote the call heard by new workers for the vineyard of the Lord to proclaim the Gospel of salvation in Christ and build up his Church on earth. We all have a part to play in sustaining the culture of vocations by encouraging our young people to respond the Lord’s unique call in their lives,” the bishop said, whether that is marriage in the Church, the single life religious life or the ordained life of sacramental priesthood.
“When it comes to hearing the call of the Lord, Pope Francis reminds us that – unlike a secular career – a vocation is a gift born from God’s own initiative. The pope said the Lord’s call isn’t an intrusion of God in our freedom. “On the contrary, it is the loving initiative whereby God encounters us and invites us to be a part of a great undertaking,” the pope said. We should make it easier for young people to hear and respond to God’s call, the bishop said.
In addition to comments by Allen, the bishop and Father Latcovich, three seminarians: Samuele Ceferatti, second-year Borromeo (college seminary), James Parisi, Saint Mary Theology II, and Christopher Stein, Saint Mary Theology IV, shared their stories, as did Father Mike McCandless, diocesan vocation director. He encouraged everyone to invite someone to consider the priesthood or religious life. The bishop and Father McCandless said an invitation like that could plant the seeds for a budding vocation.
The seminary choir, directed by Angieszka Bieniek, sang a few selections.
The crowd was moved by a video tribute to the late Bishop Pilla, during which seminarians, priests in attendance and seminary faculty sang the Latin hymn “In Paridisum.” Bishop Pilla, who died last September, was remembered fondly by Bishop Malesic and Allen.
“I know from others just how much he loved our seminaries,” the bishop said. “Among his many virtues was a visionary ability to do things that strengthened the Church in the diocese. He left a legacy on which to build and, in many ways, that’s why we are here today. I would like to borrow a familiar quote from Bishop Pilla. ‘You are all good people’ and ‘This is a wonderful diocese.’ He was so right,” the bishop added.
Fr. McCandless made a final appeal for vocations and the bishop offered a prayer and blessing as the event ended.
Seminarians formed two lines outside the ballroom and as guests left, they were invited to drop pledge envelopes in the large silver bowls held by some of the seminarians.
Upcoming important events are: ordination of transitional deacons, 10 a.m. April 2, Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist; ordination to the priesthood, 10 a.m. May 21, cathedral; annual Borromeo golf outing, Aug. 1, Silver Lake Country Club and March 26, 2023, 39th annual Bishop’s Seminary Brunch.