In the summer of 2011, Father Damian Ference began work to establish the Tolle Lege Summer Institute at Borromeo Seminary, the Diocese of Cleveland’s college seminary. Tolle Lege is a Latin term that means take up and read.
A philosophy professor at Borromeo, Father Ference wanted to provide teenagers with a Catholic, intellectual foundation for their faith before they began college. His idea of empowering high school seniors to live out their faith in high school and beyond was supported by both the seminary and the diocese.
With help from the seminary faculty, staff and students, Father Ference launched Tolle Lege in the summer of 2012 on the seminary campus at the Center for Pastoral Leadership in Wickliffe. That first year, 24 rising high school seniors – both boys and girls -- from across the diocese participated in a weeklong camp. There were two sessions of about a dozen students each in late June, a model that continues.
Fast forward to 2022 and Tolle Lege still is helping to form teens.
After studying in Rome for a few years, Father Ference returned to the diocese last summer and is back at the Tolle Lege helm. He continues to teach a class at the seminary, serves as the diocesan vicar for evangelization and is secretary of Parish Life and Special Ministries. Seminarians working as institute administrators this year are Arthur Bodenschatz, who just graduated from Borromeo and will begin studies in August at Saint Mary Seminary and Graduate School of Theology; Josh Stecz, who is entering his senior year at Borromeo; and Andrew Bendahan, who just completed his first year at Borromeo.
About 19 high school seniors will participate in each of the two sessions this summer, Bodenschatz said. The pandemic caused a slight hiccup in the Tolle Lege schedule. Due to health and safety concerns, there was a one-day outdoor session that year hosted by St. Mary of the Falls Parish in Olmsted Falls. Last summer, Tolle Lege was back in full force with a third session to help accommodate those unable to attend the previous year.
“We’re back on the normal schedule this year,” he said.
To date, there are about 300 Tolle Lege alumni, including nearly a dozen who are discerning priesthood or religious life and at least one couple who married.
Bishop Edward Malesic continued the tradition of the diocesan shepherd visiting institute participants. Father Ference and Father Eric Garris, the recently named assistant coordinator of vocations for diocesan priesthood and recruiter for Borromeo and Saint Mary seminaries, also were there, as well as Brittney Buchanan, female chaperone and a 2017 Tolle Lege alumna.
They bishop spent time with the group on June 21, enjoying “Taco Tuesday” dinner fare and casual conversation. After dinner, they spent about an hour talking and posing for photos. He offered a blessing before leaving.
The teens came from several parishes including St. Columbkille in Parma, St. Basil the Great in Breckville, St. Luke in Lakewood, SS. Robert and William in Euclid and St. Francis de Sales in Akron. They attend both public and Catholic high schools. One participant traveled from North Carolina to attend. Her brother, who is in formation for the Capuchin Franciscans, spent time studying at Borromeo and told her about the program. He has since advanced to formation at the Capuchin seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but she wanted to attend Tolle Lege.
Attendees told the bishop what they were learning and doing. The first day, they visited the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist and St. Michael the Archangel Church in Cleveland before watching the Sunset at Edgewater Park. The second day, Bodenschatz said the group visited the Greater Cleveland Food Bank. The rest of the week included hearing a vocation talk from Sister Juana Mendez, attending an XLT Holy Hour, lunch at The Harp, stops at St. Ann Church at Communion of Saints Parish in Cleveland Heights and Holy Redeemer Church in Cleveland’s Little Italy neighborhood, lunch at a Little Italy eatery and closing Mass on June 24.
Each morning the participants attended philosophy and theology classes taught by seminary professors Beth Rath and Joel Johnson (philosophy) and Father Joe Koopman and Father Kevin Klonowski (theology). There also were times for prayer, daily Mass and relaxation.
Tolle Lege attendees form friendships that often last beyond their summer experiences. Bodenschatz said there are reunions planned and an alumni list is maintained.
Bishop Malesic said he thought he program was worthwhile because it offered the young people a chance to go more deeply into themselves and their faith lives. None of us is perfect, he said, but we should be humble.
He shared a bit of his vocation story, talking about how his plan was to become a medical technologist and to work in a hospital laboratory, but God had another plan. He answered the call to the priesthood. Once ordained, he spent time in campus ministry and later was sent to study canon law. “I wanted to be a pastor,” he said. He had that opportunity for a short time until he was called to the bishop of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and a few years later, the bishop of Cleveland.
“If you do what the Lord wants you to do, you’ll find blessings,” he told the group.
They also chatted about music, Cleveland, the Browns, favorite foods, social media and other topics.
There is so much potential in your generation,” the bishop said, adding the student need to figure out who they are. “But every generation has had to do that,” he added.
“This is a gift,” he said of Tolle Lege. “And you are a gift. You are loved by God. “
For more information on Tolle Lege, click here. More information about vocations is available here.