With National Vocation Awareness Week (Nov. 6-12) underway, the Diocese of Cleveland seminaries welcomed visitors to the Center for Pastoral Leadership for the first Seminary Family Day on Nov. 6.
More than 160 people turned out to learn more about the seminary and to tour the facilities. The diocesan Vocation Office coordinated the event. Father Mike McCandless, vocation director, and Father Eric Garris, assistant director, welcomed visitors as they entered the CPL. Seminarians driving golf carts ferried visitors of all ages from the parking lot to the main entrance.
After registering, seminary faculty, staff and students acted as guides and showed visitors around the buildings.
(See photo gallery above.)
The first stop for many was the library where visitors saw some of the seminary’s extensive collection of books, manuscripts, paintings and other items. Next, guides led visitors down a long hallway lined with photos and graphics depicting the history and early days of the diocese. Busts of some of the early bishops and class photos of Borromeo (college seminary) and Saint Mary (graduate) seminary students drew the attention of visitors, with many pointing out familiar faces – including their parish pastors or parochial vicars.
Father Bill Bouhall, Borromeo Seminary spiritual director, served as one of the tour guides. He took the group into the residence halls where they could peek into the newly renovated student rooms, lounges and study areas. The extensive renovations were financed by the Heart of a Shepherd Campaign, the recently concluded and highly successful diocesanwide initiative. In addition to extensive improvements at the seminary, the campaign provided funds to help newly ordained priests with their student loans, to provide for retired priests and to assist parishes with pressing needs.
Seminarians are from the Cleveland and Youngstown dioceses as well as several who are in formation for the Franciscans (Capuchins) and some international students. The diocese has an agreement with the Archdiocese of Daegu, South Korea to educate some of its seminarians. A few Vietnamese seminarians also enrolled at Saint Mary Seminary.
Tour groups also saw a fitness room, classrooms and a small chapel available 24/7 to seminarians and priest faculty and staff members, many of whom live in the residence halls. Father Bouhall showed the group plans for Resurrection Chapel, which is undergoing a major renovation.
After the tour, visitors headed to Sacred Heart Chapel for evening prayer led by Father Mark Latcovich, seminary president/rector.
“You have come to Mount Zion (the seminary) where vocations begin,” he said. “We are glad you could be here today with the faculty and 65 men who stand among us and also are seeking Mount Zion.”
After prayer, everyone walked to the nearby Founder’s Room where a family-friendly dinner buffet was served. Children were invited to play games in the fieldhouse after dinner while adults heard a presentation from Deacon David Chojnacki and his parents, Jean and Pete, from St. Mary Parish in Hudson.
Deacon Chojnacki, who is on track – “God willing” – to be ordained next May, shared how he heard and answered the call to his priestly vocation. He said he first felt the call in eighth grade, the same year he had a personal encounter with Christ. His parish has a robust Lifeteen/youth ministry program and is rich with vocations. In fact, a priest has been ordained from St. Mary’s nearly every year for the past decade, including two brothers.
“I shared the idea (priesthood) with my parents and they encouraged me to pray about it,” he said. The idea became more real and he recalled how difficult it was to break up with his girlfriend senior year in high school shortly before he applied to Borromeo Seminary.
“I felt more fulfillment than I ever expected,” he said, adding the seminary has been “a fun, joyful community where I found a deeper relationship with Christ. I am so grateful for my parents and for them allowing me to experience this.”
His parents have been married 32 years and have four children. Pete Chojnacki said they both were cradle Catholics and knew priests, but considered them “mysterious and wonderful, but distant.” He had a great aunt who was a religious sister and recalled visiting her at her monastery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. “She gave me a big, embracing hug and was so happy,” he recalled.
The Chojnackis attended Mass regularly – even while on family vacations. Jean Chojnacki was involved in many parish activities. They described their family as typical. Their other children are at different places in their faith lives now, but all love and support Deacon David.
“They are supportive of his discernment,” Jean Chojnacki said.
She recalled the night her son announced that he wanted to apply to the seminary. “I cried for about 10 minutes,” she said. They encouraged him to go to college for a year first, but he wanted to enroll right after high school. “We told him if it (seminary) didn’t work out, it would be OK,” she said, adding, he told her “it would make me a better husband.”
Pete Chojnacki said it wasn’t a shock that their son wanted to enter the seminary. They said the experience has been joy-filled.
“He’s always happy when we see him,” Jean Chojnacki said.
Some people think priests sacrifice a wife and children, but the Chojnackis said they build a new relationship with Christ and his Church, with the faithful as their family. Because so many St. Mary parishioners entered the seminary, the Chojnackis said they often visited their house and they saw them as “normal, happy people.”
In fact, Deacon David still goes to Browns games and pursues other interests. His parents expressed their gratitude to the seminary faculty and staff for the education and spiritual direction he’s received, noting, “There’s a camaraderie in this building. They stick together.”
Father Garris said the hope was that by inviting people to see the seminary and meet those who live and work there, they could “normalize the building” and remove some of the mystery surrounding it.
“We’re always had a strong culture of vocations in this diocese,” he said. “If your child feels the call to the priesthood, we’re here to help. There are lots of resources available.”
Click here for more information on vocations.
Learn more about National Vocation Awareness Week here.