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October 22, 2019A full harvest moon sinks slowly in the west this early morning behind the great chapel of St. Gregory the Great Seminary, just south of the Seward, Neb. city limits. While most in the area are just starting to stir from their beds, nearly 50 seminarians are already gathered for morning prayer and Mass before sunrise.
This is how each day begins at St. Gregory’s, where the Diocese of Fargo sends young men who have not yet completed college to earn their undergraduate degrees in Theology, and more importantly, to discern whether God is calling them to eventually become priests for the diocese.
“My experience at St. Gregory’s has been phenomenal,” said Brendon Schneibel of Manvel. “There is so much fraternity here and everybody cares so much for everybody else, and they are all trying to bring you up as a good man. There are all kinds of opportunities for spiritual growth, prayer, liturgy, Eucharistic adoration, and our spiritual and vocational advisors are always there to help us realize what God is trying to say to me.”
After morning Mass and breakfast, the instructional day begins. Seminarians cover the core classes as any liberal arts degree requires, but they also are immersed in classes on scripture and what it truly means. Lunchtime gives way to even more class time, but there are also opportunities to pursue private interests and goals. Seminarians are not allowed to have outside jobs while they are in formation, so they have more time than many college students have to get their daily tasks accomplished.
“Daily life here is really a good balance,” observes Taylor Ternes of Devils Lake. “You’re learning a lot, but also get to do what you really enjoy doing. We have opportunities for physical activity and getting outside, which I enjoy very much. We’re just a bunch of college guys striving for a different path, so it’s a college atmosphere where we love to have fun, but we also love to pray and love Jesus.”
Contrary to what some may think, seminarians are not cut off from the outside world. And with modern technology, the outside world is very accessible through the internet and social media. Leaders at St. Gregory’s realize this reality, but at a recent “Rector’s Call,” an evening gathering of the entire community, the dangers of being drawn into social media was discussed. Seminarians were encouraged to rely less on their devices and more on one-on-one relationship building, which is a crucial skill to have should they become parish priests. The idea of a weekly “technology fast” was encouraged and readily accepted by the seminarians.
Daily responsibilities are not just confined to school and prayer. Meals must be served and the dining area cleaned up afterwards, and common areas must be cleaned just like any college or university. However, unlike public and most private colleges, there’s not a large staff to do all of this work at St. Gregory’s, so the seminarians do it themselves. It’s all part of the growth and maturing process that is involved with discernment. Not everyone makes it through, but no one is a failure.
“Discernment can be a struggle for a lot of guys, but in so many ways it takes a lot of courage to discern,” said Schneibel. “It’s hard and feels really tough at first, but you at least come to know if this is right for you, and if one door is shut, it doesn’t mean God still doesn’t have a plan for you. But the time you spend here, no matter if you become a priest or maybe a husband and father, builds you up as a man that’s ready to go out and do God’s will.”
After dinner and time for study or other activities, the community gathers for evening prayer, which is a time to reflect, give thanks, and to worship before calling it a day. This is the life of a seminarian as they travel the road to ordination, a journey that can take up to eight years to complete. It could well be that someday one of these young men will be baptizing your children or grandchildren, providing comfort to you or family members in sickness or distress, and providing the leadership to keep your parish thriving in the years to come. Please pray for all of our seminarians, and support them financially if you’re able. They are, after all, the future of our diocese and of the Church.
