February î ì í9 Increasing the seminary s exposure

February 2019

Increasing the seminary’s exposure by Fr. Joe Moriarty

Rector

When I first joined the staff of

Bishop Simon Bruté College

Seminary as vice rector back in

2013, it was not uncommon for

folks to say “Bruté who?” to me

when I would tell them where I

was assigned.

When I was named rector in 2016,

one of the priorities we set was increasing

the exposure of the seminary’s name and

mission. One of the ways in which we have

set out to accomplish this goal has been

through what I would consider a “grass-

roots” approach in our parishes. Through the

generosity of my brother priests, we have been

invited to speak during Mass at churches

throughout the Archdiocese sharing the mission

of our seminary and the need to increase voca-

tions. We call these visits “Bruté Weekends.” Continued on page 3

Fr. Joe Moriarty, Bruté rector, greets parishioners at St. Jude Church during a Bruté Weekend visit last year.

This concept was initiated by my prede-cessor, Fr. Bob Robeson, but with limited staff resources at the time, we were only able to visit a small amount of parishes each year. As we continue to grow, we have identified the need for this important out-

2

Pruning to provide healthy formation process, stronger Church

by Dr. John Cadwallader Staff Psychologist

It is a great privilege to serve as the staff psychologist at Bishop Simon Bruté; particularly, during these difficult times of suffering in the Church. I believe that the Church is in a time of pruning. Pruning is a process of removing areas that are dead or diseased which allows the opportunity for growth and proliferation. As a member of the formation staff, I am seeing this growth flourish in our semi-nary.

Part of this pruning and growth includes a place for mental health professionals in seminarian selection and formation. Recent scandal in the Church underscores the need to identi-fy good candidates for priesthood. Our applicants undergo a rigorous psychological examination that includes intelligence and personality assessments to assess the goodness of fit of their ability for candida-cy. These comprehensive evaluations may take anywhere between five-eight hours to complete. Imagine the most difficult test you have ever taken in school, and make that test last for several hours! Intense, “yes,” but necessary, and here are some reasons why.

The Bishop Bruté formation staff views these assessments as being helpful on a number of levels. The first is that there is a component to the assess-ment which functions in some way as a personnel evaluation. The formation staff wants to utilize any tools we can to identify young men that have the requisite abilities to engage in spiritual, intellectual, pastoral, and human formation. Secondly, we use these evaluations to help guide seminarian formation. I have spoken with many of the psycholo-gists who provide psychological assessments for our seminary and share with them that the evaluation is more than just a “hoop.” The formation staff uses the assessment as one way to guide how we can encourage and support seminarian growth and our approaches to formation. Lastly, the formation staff recognizes that we have an obligation to the Church to do our best providing good formation to help seminarians become the men God wants them to be.

St. Thomas Aquinas said, “Grace builds on

nature.” One of my roles as the staff psychologist is to help our seminarians understand more about their nature. Nature in that we are in a fallen state begin-ning with original sin, and all of have degrees of weakness and vulnerability. This weakness does not make us bad. Indeed, it provides opportunities for God to love us more deeply and intimately.

Acknowledging our weaknesses can be challeng-ing as there can be stigma of working with a psy-chologist. This bias can be even more challenging for men as they resist making their emotional needs known. I remind seminarians that the only weakness is denying their struggles and their need for help. Working with a psychologist is not about their illness, but rather about levels of health. God can use our work to help seminarians with their physical, mental, and spiritual growth. I offer to meet with seminarians through individual counseling, facilitating a process group, and occasionally giving talks to all of the semi-narians. Talks have focused on healthy human formation, self-awareness, sexual integration, and working through family struggles.

I am grateful to serve our seminarians to support their health and formation during their vocational discernment. Our seminarians are encouraged and hopeful for the direction of the Church during this time of pruning. Perhaps you may have a potential seminarian in your family or community. Why not invite them to consider being a part of our seminary during this exciting time of growth!

Dr. John Cadwallader meets with a Bruté seminarian during an individual counseling session.

BRUTÉ POLICY BOARD Rev. Msgr. William Stumpf Vicar General

Rev. Msgr. Paul Koetter, VF Pastor, Holy Spirit Parish Rev. Eric Augenstein Director of Vocations Rev. Msgr. Mark Svarczkopf Pastor, Our Lady of the Greenwood Rev. Joseph Moriarty Rector

3

BRUTÉ ADVISORY BOARD John Duffy President

Carl McClelland Vice President Kevin O’Brien Secretary Art Berkemeier Ed Charbonneau Sr. Jean Marie Cleveland, OSF Tom Hirschauer Mary Horn Jerry Jones Marianne Price Deacon Juan Carlos Ramirez Daniel Ross Anne Wessel Anne Wilmes SEMINARY STAFF Very Rev. Joseph Moriarty Rector

Rev. Justin DuVall, OSB Vice Rector

Rev. Andy Syberg Seminary Formation Dean

Dr. John Cadwallader Staff Psychologist

Kimberly Pohovey Director of Mission Advancement Sr. Sharon Kuhn, OSB Administrative Coordinator

Archdiocesan Support Jolinda Moore Executive Director , Office of Stewardship and Development

Brian Burkert Chief Financial Officer

Seminary’s exposure: reach. Fr. Justin DuVall, OSB, Fr. Andy Syberg and myself now prioritize a rigorous schedule of parish visits throughout the year. Last fiscal year, we visited 25 parishes and we are on pace to do the same this year, attempting to rotate around the seven dean-eries in the Archdiocese and reach as many people as possible with the message that it is everyone’s responsibility to encourage vocations in order to build a strong and healthy Church for our future.

During a typical Bruté Weekend parish visit, I celebrate all the Masses for the week-end, thus giving the pastor an opportunity for a weekend away. During my homily, I share a snapshot of the mission of Bruté Seminary explaining the four pillars of for-mation; oftentimes interjecting humorous anecdotes of living with college-age young men. I ask the faithful to pray for our semi-narians and I ask for financial support, but only if an individual will not be diverting his or her support away from the parish which I encourage is their primary charitable

responsibility. I am always humbled by the response I

receive when I visit parishes. First, people are so gracious. I am so warmly welcomed wherever I go. And I will tell you that, by and large, folks are hungry to support vocations. They are genuinely interested in the Bruté story—whether learning about the seminary for the first time or hearing an update.

Due to a combination of increased mar-keting efforts and our Bruté Weekends schedule, we have successfully increased our newsletter database from 350 to more than 2,300 in less than two years’ time. Last year, we saw an increase of 400% in Annual Fund donations. I am gratified by the overwhelming support we are experiencing for this important minis-try, but we must press on. Only when every parish and ministry has ample priests to serve God’s people will our work be accomplished. Please pray for our efforts and share our mission.

continued from page 1

4

The following is the first in a series of articles delving into the rich history of Bishop Simon Bruté Seminary. by David Langford Senior seminarian

“By the grace God has given me, I laid a founda-

tion as a wise builder, and someone else is building

on it.” (1 Cor 3:10) This verse often comes to my

mind as I walk the halls of our seminary. Every day I

am reminded that I stand on foundations others

have built. This does not just apply in the classroom,

where we learn, as Bernard of Chartres remarked,

from “standing on the shoulders of giants,” especial-

ly in our philosophy and theology classes, but also to

the very floor on which we stand.

Our building is a former cloistered Carmelite

monastery, and was in the not-so-distant-past home

to a very different way of life than we seminarians

live today. The Carmelite order traces its history

back to a group of men who, following the example

of Elijah the prophet, lived in prayer and contempla-

tion on the slopes of Mt. Carmel in the Holy Land.

The fall of the crusader kingdoms drove them back

to Europe, where they gained a women’s branch

and eventually came to the United States. The

sisters here would have lived a life of intense prayer.

As vowed religious and according to the rule of the

order, the sisters would

have daily recited the

Liturgy of the Hours and

assisted at daily Mass, but

above and beyond this,

they were also urged by

their rule to “ponder the

Lord’s law day and

night” (Carmelite Rule)

and so through this

contemplation to come

ever closer in relationship

with God.

After entrance, the

entire lives of these

women would have been

contained within these

walls. As a cloistered

convent, they locked the

world out so that they

might be free for God

alone. Even at death,

sisters would remain

within the bounds of the

cloister, buried within a

cemetery within the enclosure. While the cemetery

moved with the Carmelites when they moved out of

our building, the spot is still clearly visible. Today,

however, we seminarian inhabitants of the building

live a different life, albeit one still centered on imita-

tion of Christ and service to the Church. Additions

have been added to the building, interior remodel-

ing done, and the necessary adaptions have been

made to take a building designed for 25 women to

accommodate nearly 50 young men.

Still, the building holds daily reminders of our past.

My daily walk to the chapel from my room takes me

past a beautiful image of the two great reformers of

the Carmelite order, St. Teresa of Avila and St. John

A photo of the Carmelite sisters is displayed just outside the Bruté Seminary Chapel.

Tracing the seminary’s history ...

A relief of St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross is locat-ed in a seminary hallway.

Echoes of Carmel Bishop Bruté Days Do you know a young man in your parish, school or family who you could invite to discern whether God is calling them to a vocation? Consider inviting him to attend Bishop Bruté Days , June 25-27, 2019. This program is a great way for high school-aged young men to experience life at the seminary first-hand and meet Bruté seminarians who will be on-hand to help facilitate the program. This year's program coincides with the anniversary of Bishop Simon Bruté’s death (June 26, 1839), and so to mark the occasion, we will take a day trip to the Basilica of St. Francis Xavier Old Cathedral in Vincennes to pray at his tomb. We will also offer a one-day Bishop Bruté Days, Jr., for junior high boys on Thursday, June 27. Space is limited. For more information or reg-istration, visit: https://heargodscall.com/bishop-brute-days

5

and our own baptism. Finally, the little

round brown doors to each room within

the seminary are, with their 5’10’’ clear-

ance, a constant reminder of the building’s

original inhabitants, (short) Carmelites.

Though our building serves a different

purpose now than when it was first built,

(I doubt the sisters had NERF wars!) we

treasure the mementoes of its past. By

honoring and remembering those who laid

the first cornerstone here, we in turn honor

Christ who is the true cornerstone.

of the Cross. Our prayer times begin, as they

did for the sisters before us, with the tolling

of the bells from our bell

tower. Visitors to our build-

ing are greeted at the

entrance with the inscription

of the Carmelite motto, Zelo

Zelatus pro Domino Deus

Exercitum (“With zeal I have

been zealous for the Lord

God of hosts”). In years past,

visitors would have gone on

to visit the sisters behind the

“grille,” an iron fence keep-

ing physically separate the

cloistered sisters and visitors

from the outside world. This

would have been the sisters’

only contact with the

outside world apart from a

specially designated sister

(called the “extern”) who

would handle any task

requiring going out of the

convent. Going to and from

class each day I pass through

the “enclosure,” a space of

around 4-5 acres bounded by a high wall.

Here the sisters would have taken recreation,

prayed, and gardened. On rare occasions,

perhaps, a delivery would be made or the

chaplain would come in or out of the gate-

house. Today, however, I type in a passcode

to the gatehouse door and return to my room

and the seminary’s Wi-Fi.

A more common architectural

feature is the countless holy water

fonts found throughout the building,

carved into the very wall. Though typi-

cally empty today, they are a constant

reminder of both the building’s past

A relief of St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross is locat-

The Carmelite motto is

inscribed above the

front entrance to

the seminary.

An example of the holy water fonts that are

built into the walls

throughout the seminary

and in the dorm rooms.

6

Learning from a seasoned priest A conversation with Fr. Lambert Reilley

This article continues our series in which a seminarian interviews a veteran priest in the Archdiocese. by Michael Schultz Junior Seminarian

“Be who you are and be that well.” These words of St. Francis DeSales summarize the life and ethic of Fr. Lambert Reilley, O.S.B., former Archabbot of St. Meinrad Archabbey in Southern Indiana. In my pastoral ministry, I have had the privilege being mentored by Fr. Lambert through his presence at the Little Sisters of the Poor, St. Augustine Home.

Growing up in Pennsylvania to a large family, Fr. Lambert quickly learned the reality of adversity when his own father died while he was still a young man. The idea of a priestly vocation, then, was one filled with both joy and excitement, as well as an in-evitable confrontation with sacrifice. Leaving his mother and siblings, he knew it was God's will to enter seminary. What he didn't know was at what cost. His bishop didn't send him to the local seminary in Philadelphia, but to a seminary run by Benedictine monks in the rural Midwest of Southern Indiana. Submitting to the will of his Ordinary, and ultimately to God’s providence, he attended St. Meinrad Seminary. It was there that he fell in love with the monastic life, joined the monastery as a novice, later professed vows as a monk, and would eventually be elect-ed as the monastery's spiritual head: the Archabbot. It was through holy obedience, Fr. Lambert told me, that all of this was possible.

In our recent conversation, Fr. Lambert reiterated to me the need to trust in Jesus Christ and to be one’s true self. In his 59 years of priesthood, Fr. Lambert explained how even in the midst of adversity, Jesus Christ gives peace and joy to those who persevere in trust and humility for His sake. Perhaps one of his most poignant stories was one of his early assignments—preaching retreats. Profess-ing vows in 1956, he has preached countless retreats, but this didn’t come easy at first. He began uneasy with the whole idea, throwing up three times during an early attempt. Determined to call it quits, he approached the abbot saying that he was being asked to do the impossi-ble, a clear violation of the Rule of St. Benedict (cf. Chap-ter 68). The abbot wittingly responded that there was nothing impossible about the situation, and only if the retreatants began throwing up would the situation be-come impossible. Out of obedience, Fr. Lambert com-plied, unaware of his future impact on bishops, priests,

religious and seminarians throughout the world. It was in the wisdom of that abbot that Fr. Lambert’s gifts and tal-ents were acknowledged. But it was through his faithful-ness to Jesus, that these gifts were strengthened and re-fined for the service of the faithful.

Eventually his keen sense as a retreat-master led him to a relationship with St. Teresa of Calcutta. Offering her community several retreats, it was her words that offered him consolation during a painful bout of colon cancer. He told me of one time when he was in correspondence with her during his illness, receiving the saint’s own spiritual advice. He told her that the pain and sickness was nearly too much to bear. She replied that his suffering was as if Jesus were kissing him from the cross. She pressed on fur-ther, asking if he wanted her to pray for the Lord to stop! He told me he asked her to pray on, but only to ask that Jesus would make it sweet every once in a while. This beautiful dialogue serves as a profound keyhole into the depths of the heart of a saint and her understanding of the overarching love in all things which Jesus has for his disciples.

It is this love which Christ offers to us that Fr. Lambert has expressed to be his sole strength. According to him: this love must be the strength of any man discerning the Lord's call to priesthood. In order to be a good priest, seminarian, or simply Christian, Fr. Lambert emphasized, we must be that which He made us to be, utilizing our unique personalities, talents, and gifts. He warned that we should not fear whether we are liked, or judge the Lord's approval by surface-level success. We must only be confi-dent that the Lord loves us, has a unique plan for each of us, and will permit anything necessary to afford us the grace necessary to that end.

Junior seminarian Michael Schultz is pictured at left with Fr. Lambert Reilley, OSB, and Deacon Tony Cecil at a special Mass at a youth conference in Louisville, KY.

7

by Mark Vojas

Senior seminarian

“We see Him come, and know Him ours,

Who with his sunshine and his showers

Turns all the patient ground to flowers.”

These lines from Robert Herrick’s “A Christmas Carol” put our winter retreat at St. Meinrad Archabbey into an interesting perspective. Br. John Mark Falkenhain, OSB, of St. Meinrad, led us into deeper thought about the pillar of human formation, one of the primary focuses of seminary formation at Bishop Bruté. This poem gave us an image to meditate on during the whole retreat.

What is a seminarian? A seminarian is a “seed bed;” a place for things to be planted. Soil. Dirt. The word “seminarian” comes from the same root as the word “seed.” A seminarian is sup-posed to be a seed bed where the word of God can be planted and nurtured so that it may flower and bear fruit. But as we know from the parable of the sower and the seed in Matthew 13, not all soil bears fruit. Likewise, any garden-er will tell you that no matter how well-nurtured the ground may be, some plants just will not grow in certain types soil. So, part of being patient ground is accepting what the Lord wants to plant in us and what He does not.

Human formation is a three-fold process that Br. John Mark reminded us of frequently during our retreat: self-knowledge, self-acceptance, and self-gift. The ultimate goal of any vocation is to give of oneself to the people that we are called to give to. However, as the saying goes, “you can’t give what you don’t have,” or per-haps for us, “you can’t give what you don’t know you have.” We are told often at Bishop Bruté that we are not supposed to come out of

Cultivating the ground Retreat teaches valuable formation lessons

the seminary like cookie-cutter-perfect copies of the “ideal seminarian.” The actual process of seminary formation is to look closely at ourselves and learn intimately who we are and how God made us uniquely so that we can best utilize our strengths and build up the areas in our lives that are lacking, particularly if that is due to habits of vice.

Knowing myself and accepting what God has given me and what God has not given me will allow me to better give of myself to the people of God in ministry and in life. Knowing

what inspires me, what triggers me, what gives me life, and what deeply upsets me is part of this three-fold process and it cannot be copied and pasted from one person to another. In order to be the most receptive seed bed for the word of God, we have to know how to cultivate openness to God in our own ways based on our own experiences. None of this happens without the grace of God. The process is unique for each, but the Author is the same. Pray for us that we would be “patient ground,” willing to be cultivated and ready to receive God’s word.

Fr. Joe Moriarity speaks with retreat leader Br. John Mark Falkenhain, OSB

Charitable IRA rollover gifts

If you are 70-1/2 or

older, you can give up

to $100,000 tax-free

directly from your

IRA. A husband and

wife can each give up

to $100,000. As of

2015, this provision

became perma-

nent. Your rollover gift

must be made directly

to the Catholic Commu-

nity Foundation (CCF)

from your IRA but can

be designated to

benefit the seminary.

For more information

on how you can take

advantage of this tax

savings benefit and

impact the educational

future of our seminari-

ans, contact Jolinda

Moore, at

317-236-1462 or

[email protected].

CHECK OUT OUR NEW WEBSITE!

VISIT THE BRUTĖ WEBSITE:

Visit: www.bishop simonbrute.org

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK

For the latest news and photos, follow us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/BruteSeminary/ CONTACT US 317-924-4100 [email protected] INTERESTED IN ADMISSIONS INFORMATION OR A BRUTÉ TOUR? Contact Sr. Sharon Kuhn, Bruté Administrative Coordinator, at: [email protected] Newsletter photo credit: Mark Vojas Seminarian Marketing Committee

2500 Cold Spring Road Indianapolis, IN 46222

Scenes from a snowy seminary