September 26, 2011
September 15, 2011
Cardinal Wuerl and John Marous to be honored at Seminary Alumni Day
Saint Vincent Seminary will honor two outstanding members of its Board of Regents at its forthcoming Alumni Day Mass and Banquet, scheduled for Monday September 19, 2011. Tribute will be paid to His Eminence Donald Cardinal Wuerl, a member of the Board of Regents for 24 years, and Dr. John C. Marous, Jr., retired chairman of the Seminary's Board of Regents and a member for 20 years. The Alumni Day Mass will begin at 4 p.m. in the Archabbey Basilica, with Cardinal Wuerl serving as Principal Celebrant and Homilist. The Mass is open to the general public.
September 8, 2011
Br. Thomas Colucci's 9/11 Experience
From: cny.org
At about midnight on Sept. 12, 2001, an exhausted Lieutenant Thomas Colucci, FDNY Engine 3, found himself sitting on top of a colossal pile of smoldering rubble that had been, until about 14 hours earlier, one of the two twin towers of the World Trade Center.
Click here to read more: http://cny.org/stories/911-Experiences-Pointed-Three-Men-to-Priestly-Vocation-,6040
September 3, 2011
Saint Gregory the Great!
On September 3 we celebrated the feast of St. Gregory the Great, one of the greatest Fathers in the history of the Church, one of the four Doctors of the West who was an Benedictine monk and later Bishop of Rome from 590 to 604 and who earned the traditional title Magnus (the Great!).
St. Gregory was born in Rome around 540 into a wealthy family known for their adherence to the Christian faith. Gregory entered early into an administrative career which reached its climax in 572, when, during chaotic times, he became Prefect of the city. Yet this life could not satisfy him. He decided to leave every civil assignment in order to withdraw into monastic life and spend his time in dialogue with the Lord and listening to his Word.
Cloistered withdrawal did not last long, however. Gregory was universally respected for his civil administration, and his good reputation induced Pope Pelagius to ordain him and send him to Constantinople in order to help bring about a solution to the Lombard invasions. When the plague took the life of Pope Pelagius in 590, Gregory was the unanimous selection as his successor. He tried to resist, even attempting to flee, but to no avail. Recognizing the will of God, the new Pope immediately set to work, especially in regards to the Lombard invaders, dedicating all his energy to peaceful resolution. He saw the Lombard people with the eyes of a good pastor and was concerned with proclaiming the Word of salvation to them and establishing fraternal relationships based on mutual respect and peaceful coexistence.
St. Gregory’s desire for God was always alive in the depths of his soul, and precisely because of this he was always close to his neighbor, to the needy people of his time. Indeed, during a desperate period of havoc, he was able to create peace and give hope. This man of God shows us the true source of peace from which true hope comes. Thus, he becomes a guide also for us today.
From: Pope Benedict XVI General Audience on Wednesday, 28 May 2008
August 15, 2011
Fresh Campus Minister
Fr. Killian Loch, O.S.B. has been named director of campus ministry at Saint Vincent College, according to an announcement by Br. Norman W. Hipps, O.S.B., president.
Fr. Killian joins the Saint Vincent staff after making his first vows as a Benedictine monk of Saint Vincent Archabbey. A native of Wilkes-Barre, he previously served in the Diocese of Scranton.
“I look forward to this assignment since a significant part of my background has been involvement in Catholic schools,” Fr. Killian said. “My assignments involved full and part time teaching and administration in diocesan high schools, and my parish assignments included parish elementary schools. I was also involved in several diocesan commissions and studies of the Catholic school system. I look forward to interacting with the students as campus minister. Saint Vincent has an outstanding campus ministry program of spiritual activities, service opportunities and social and educational activities. These already involve a large number of the students so I don’t anticipate making any immediate changes. As I become more familiar with the spiritual needs of the students, I may explore new programs and activities in the future.”
“Relationships are very important to college students,” Fr. Killian said. “I want them to have a good relationship with God, in which they will view him not as a distant deity, but as someone who desires a close relationship with them.”
Fr. Killian is very interested in the various lay ecclesial movements in the Church today, one form of associations of the faithful of the Catholic church. “The late Blessed John Paul II recognized the importance of ecclesial activity in the new millennium and encouraged the development of various ecclesial movements including Catholic Charismatic Renewal, Cursillo Movement, L’Arche, Worldwide Marriage Encounter, and others. He believed that the new evangelization will come through these movements. I will look for opportunities to connect our students with these on campus. After students graduate, I think it is important for them to be ready to be active in the broader Church.”
Fr. Killian joins current campus ministry staff including assistant directors Fr. Anthony Grossi, O.S.B., Fr. Jean-Luc Zadroga, and Dr. John Aupperle, secretary Jody Marsh, and music coordinator Mary Ellen Lang.
“I am very happy to be part of the Saint Vincent Benedictine Community,” Fr. Killian concluded. “For me, the community aspect is very important,” Fr. Killian noted. “The monks have a wonderful sense of community and it’s impressive to see this diverse group of men gather for prayer, meals and other interaction. It’s part of the broader Saint Vincent community which includes the Parish, Seminary and College, all of which have a great commitment to Saint Vincent. I have been so impressed with what people are willing to do for Saint Vincent.”
Fr. Killian earned a bachelor of arts degree in English from the University of Scranton before completing a master of divinity degree at St. John School of Theology and a master of education degree at Boston College. He served in various pastoral assignments including director of religious formation and procurator at Bishop Neumann High School in Williamsport and later acting principal and principal of Bishop Hafey High School, Hazleton.
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