Hope For The Journey
What does the Lord need from us?
“You have been told, O mortal, what is good, and what the Lord requires of you; only to do justice and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).
The way we live should connect with the deeper sense of God’s purpose for our lives. If we make an effort to live this way, we will be alive with joy – not merely existing. Saint Teresa of Avila said, “You pay God a compliment by asking great things of Him.” Why do we hesitate to ask God to help us understand where He is calling us in life? It can be liberating to let go of all the control we think we have in the world and trust God, who created us to be holy people.
Throughout salvation history, we are told of one path to the mercy of God – Jesus and his Paschal Mystery. This unlimited gift of mercy needs a reckoning of one’s self before God. Jesus bared his wounds, precisely so we would not be afraid to uncover our own offenses. Our call to holiness requires that we be very intentional about how we spend our days on earth. Every vocation is important, and every life is sacred. The gift of the priesthood, instituted by Christ at the Last Supper, is a blessing beyond measure. The graces in the Sacraments would not be available to us if not for the discernment of young men in seminary preparing for ordination in Holy Orders.
In Indiana, the formation of seminarians began in 1834. Bishop Simon Bruté, the first bishop of the 13th diocese established in the United States, the Diocese of Vincennes, began educating young men for the priesthood; and the work of Providence continues today. Archbishop Daniel Buechlein, O.S.B., established Bishop Simon Bruté Seminary in August 2004 on the campus of Marian University in Indianapolis. In 2008, the Archdiocese of Indianapolis purchased the buildings of a Carmelite Monastery occupied by the nuns of the Carmel of the Resurrection. This would become the new home of Bishop Bruté College Seminary. The seminarians continue their education on the campus of Marian University but are housed a mile down the road at the beautiful monastery built in 1932. The purpose of a minor seminary like Bruté is to prepare candidates for major seminaries, such as St Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology.
Guidance for the young men in formation at Brute is under the direction of Father Joseph Moriarty, who is the current Rector, Father Justin Duvall, OSB, the Vice Rector, and Father Tom Widner, SJ, who is the Director of Spiritual Formation. The 2017-2018 school year begins with a total enrollment of 49 students from 10 different dioceses and one student from the Glenmary Missions. There are seven seminarians from the Diocese of Evansville, 13 from the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, and students from the Dioceses of Fort Wayne-South Bend, and Gary, in Indiana; Springfield, Ill.; Louisville and Lexington in Kentucky; and Knoxville, Tenn.
The dedication from the Vocation Directors in each diocese and the impressive seminary enrollment give great hope to our Church! The continued accomplishments of these men rely on our prayers and support. You can visit their website and track their progress at https://bishopsimonbrute.org.
As you walk humbly with God and find your own purpose in life, please be grateful for the gift of the priesthood. Thank your priest for providing the Sacraments and the graces you receive as they act in Persona Christi. The last words of Bishop Bruté were those spoken by Christ on the cross, “Sitio” “I Thirst.” Our world is thirsting for God, pray for vocations to the priesthood. Amen!
