FALL 2014
A Saint Francis de Sales Seminary Communication for Alumni and FriendsA Saint Francis de Sales Seminary Communication for Alumni and Friends
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A Seminarian’s Reflection 3 6 Seminary
Celebrations4 Images from the Pilgrimage
Our theologians and formation faculty visit the sacred sites in the Holy Land.
A SpiritualJourney
Dear Friends,
An important part of the formation program at Saint Francis de Sales Seminary is that our theologians (men in the last four years of study) experience two pilgrimages – one to the Holy Land and the other to Rome – before they are ordained. So, over Christmas break, our theologians and faculty were blessed to travel to Israel on a journey of faith.
A pilgrimage is much different than a sightseeing trip. It entails preparing spiritually and travelling with the hope of receiving divine graces. We visited the holy sites not as tourists, but as people of faith. We took time for prayer; we read Sacred Scriptures pertaining to each location; we celebrated Mass; and we sang songs in praise of God. One particularly moving moment was when the men sang “Silent Night” in the Church of the Nativity, where speaking is not allowed, but singing is!
The pilgrimage was like a retreat in many ways, intensifying the men’s faith as they walked in the
actual footsteps of Christ. Imagine the impact upon a seminarian to walk along the Sea of Galilee where Jesus called his apostles, or to pray the Stations of the Cross along the Via Dolorosa. These are experiences that bring the Gospel to life in a powerful way. We are still marveling at all that we were privileged to see and do.
Please be assured that we remembered the benefactors of Saint Francis de Sales Seminary at all of the sacred sites. The first thing we did upon our return to the Seminary – even before taking our luggage up to our rooms – was to go directly to Christ King Chapel and offer a Mass of thanksgiving for your intentions. May God bless you for supporting our mission to form the hearts, minds and souls of men called by Jesus Christ to serve God’s people as priests in the Roman Catholic Church.
Father John Hemsing, Rector
Pilgrimage with a Purpose
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The 11th annual Lecture in Christian Ethics will be held at the Seminary on Thursday, March 19. Rev. Justin J. Kizewski will present “Human Being Fully Alive: Being and Act[ing] in Moral and Spiritual Theology.”
His talk will explore the metaphysical grounding of certain principles in moral and spiritual theology. Through a consideration of the contributions of St. Thomas Aquinas in the areas of metaphysics and morals, he will seek
to draw conclusions from the fullness of being found in God about the goodness of human acts and growth in the spiritual life.
Fr. Kizewski is a priest of the Diocese of La Crosse. He earned his doctorate in sacred theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome in 2016.
The evening begins with vespers in Christ King Chapel at 6 p.m., followed by a reception in the Outer Commons. The lecture will begin at 7 p.m. in the Inner Commons.
Please RSVP to [email protected] or call 414-747-6463.
The Lecture in Christian Ethics is supported by the Father Andrew Nelson Ethics Fund.
Lecture in Christian Ethics
Lecture in Christian Ethics, March 19
Open House, April 19
Milwaukee Ordination to the Transitional Diaconate, April 25
La Crosse Ordination to the Transitional Diaconate, May 2
Milwaukee Ordination to the Priesthood, May 16
Superior Ordination to the Priesthood, June 7
Madison Ordination to the Priesthood, June 26
La Crosse Ordination to the Priesthood, June 27
Pallium Scholarship Benefit, July 27
Annual Seminary Dinner, September 25
Fr. John celebrates Mass in the tomb where Jesus was laid – the site of the Resurrection.
Fr. Justin Kizewski
Special Occasions in 2020
by Dan Tracy (Superior)
Church of the Primacy of St. PeterWhile in Galilee, we traveled to several key locations in the ministerial life of Jesus. A boat ride across the Sea of Galilee, visits to the Mount of Beatitudes, the site of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, and Capernaum filled the schedule.
Our stop for Mass that day was the Church of the Primacy of St. Peter, along the shore of the Sea of Galilee. We celebrated Mass outdoors in a chapel dedicated to St. Pope John Paul the Great. The location commemorates the post-Resurrection encounter where St. Peter made his three-fold profession of love for the Lord. As this Gospel passage was proclaimed at Mass, a nearby rooster crowed, reminding us of Peter’s denial on Holy Thursday.
Praying in this place helped us call to mind our devotion to John Paul II. This was especially true for our priests who were seminarians themselves during his papacy. Deacon Edward Sanchez reminded us in his homily that this place where Peter was reconciled to Jesus could help us reflect on our own reconciliation to Christ.
Church of the VisitationSigns at most of the churches we visited informed pilgrims to be silent within the church buildings. However, there was one exception: singing. The hundreds of hours that we have spent singing together in Christ King Chapel paid off for our group as we were able to chant several hymns that were related to the location.
Schola members past and present chanted the Magnificat, a hymn we sang at the 2017 Annual Dinner, during our visit to the Church of the Visitation where Mary responded to her kinswoman Elizabeth with the words of that hymn.
Church of the Holy SepulchreA 4:00 a.m. wake-up call on our final day in Jerusalem seemed quite daunting for many
of us who were sleep deprived. The hour may have been early, but the destination was worthy. A 4:30 a.m. departure from the hotel meant a 5:00 a.m. arrival at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre where we would wait for the green light to celebrate Mass inside the tomb of Jesus Christ at 5:30.
Fr. John Hemsing presided at the altar that lies above the stone where the body of Christ was laid on Good Friday. Directly outside the small tomb, the seminarians stood shoulder-to-shoulder, listened quietly, and prayed silently in anticipation
of holy Communion and a moment to kneel inside the tomb in groups of five when Mass concluded.
Celebrating Easter Sunday Mass in the very spot where the body of our Lord was laid and rose marked a fitting conclusion to our journey with Jesus Christ through his life, death, and resurrection. As many of us will offer the holy Mass as priests, we will carry with us this and many other powerful memories from our pilgrimage that will shape our own participation in the saving work of Christ in his Church.
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Reflections on the Holy Land
Dan Tracy (Superior) and others pray in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
uThe men sing a hymn at the last site of the trip, the Church of St. Anne.
Images from the Pilgrimage
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The men gather on a Sea of Galilee boat ride after reciting morning prayer on the water upon which Jesus walked.
Michael Courchaine prays on the shore of the Sea of Galilee where Jesus called the first apostles.
Fr. Brad Krawczyk presides at a moving Mass at the St. John Paul II Chapel outside the Church of the Primacy of St. Peter.
tThe seminarians pray the Stations of the Cross through Jerusalem’s Old City.
More photographs and videos
from the trip can be found on the Seminary’s Facebook page.
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The cave under the Chapel of the Shepherd’s Field provides a dramatic setting for Mass and contemplation of the angels’ announcement of the birth of Christ.
The men crowd into the small space near the Lord’s tomb in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Tour guide Raouf explains the history of the Western (Wailing) Wall before the men approach it to pray.
Ryan Ackmann (Milwaukee) and Steven Weller (La Crosse) stand in awe of the ruins of the synagogue in Capernaum where Jesus taught.
tTim Schumaker (Milwaukee) touches the Stone of Anointing where Christ’s body was prepared for burial after the Crucifixion.
Scenes from the Salesianum
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tThe priests are good sports after being handily defeated by the Shoremen in a fun game played in front of an enthusiastic crowd of young adults.
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Ariel Orozco (Milw), Tonny Kizza (Milw), Matthew Bowe (La Crosse), Kevin Harmon (Milw), Pedro Ruiz (Milw), Matthew Kirk (Milw), Matthew Ferch (Milw) and Michael Uchytil (Green Bay) celebrate their institution into the Ministry of Acolyte with Fr. John Hemsing and Bishop Donald Hying of the Diocese of Madison.
Seminarians appreciate the opportunity to thank benefactors Hansine and Bill Sweeney for their support at the Patronal Feast Day celebration.
Over one hundred bishops, priests and seminarians gather on the feast day of St. Francis de Sales to honor our patron saint.
tWorkmen undertake a significant rebuilding of our front porches. After 130 years of weather and thousands of seminarians, the structures were in need of major restoration.
SPRING 2020
Vocation Office News
Please invite young men who may be called to the priesthood to these events:
Cor Jesu Wednesdays | St. Robert Parish in Shorewood: Adoration and Confession, 7pm | Mass, 8pm.
High School Duc in Altum Silent Retreat April 3-5, Mt Tabor Center in Menasha
Camp De Sales 2020 High School Seminary Camp Sunday, June 21 at 6 p.m. – Wednesday, June 24 at Noon
Middle School Day Camps Saturday, June 20 | 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Thursday, July 23 | 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Tuesday, August 4 | 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
For more information or to register your son for an event, contact the Vocation Office at [email protected], 414-747-6437, or visit www.thinkpriest.org/events.
Support Vocations to the Priesthood
St. Andrew Dinner 2020 Save the Date!
Tuesday, December 29, 2020This hugely popular event is for young men who are invited by their parish priest to learn more about priestly vocations.
qFr. John Burns addresses the 65 young men, 27 seminarians and 29 priests in attendance at the 2019 St. Andrew Dinner.
Fr. Luke Strand presides at the 2019 St. Andrew Dinner Mass.
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Non-Profit OrganizationU.S. Postage
PAIDMilwaukee, Wis.Permit No. 338
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Saint Francis de Sales Seminary, Inc.3257 South Lake DriveSt. Francis, WI 53235
Open HouseThe Seminary will open its doors to all on Divine Mercy Sunday, April 19. Join us for Mass in Christ King Chapel, followed by seminarian-led tours of our historic building. This annual spring tradition is your chance to experience the sacred beauty of Mass at the Seminary.
Sunday, April 1911 a.m. Mass
Noon – 2 p.m. Tours of the Seminary
Saint Francis de Sales Seminary 3257 South Lake Drive, St. Francis
Open House is your once-a-year opportunity to meet our seminarians and tour the iconic Salesianum.
tAaron Siehr (Milwaukee) and Matthew Kirk (Milwaukee) sky high to block an incoming hit at the Conception Abbey volleyball tournament. The team’s strong performance included three wins.
Winning Ways
A determined Kevin Durand (Milwaukee) drives the lane in the Mundelein Seminary basketball tournament. Kevin scored a three-point basket with 1.7 seconds left to help the Shoremen beat Moreau Seminary 29-28. The team also notched victories against St. Gregory the Great and Mundelein.
