Seminarian Education Fund

Seminiarian Fund 2009Seminarian Fund Collection
January 16-17, 2010

A vocation is more than a job, more than a career or a hobby. The word vocation means “a calling.” It is a calling from God to serve. The men of New Hampshire who have heard God’s call to the priesthood did not come to their decisions suddenly. They discovered they had a vocation through many years of formation in parish and family life. But even after one gets the call, the journey has just begun. Please remember our seminarians in your prayers, and offer your support to the Seminarian Fund.
 

How You Can Help On January 16-17, 2010

Educating seminarians is an investment in the future of the Catholic Church in New Hampshire, but this goal cannot be fulfilled without the help of the faithful.

  • The cost to educate a seminarian is more than $100 for every day he is in formation.
  • This expense includes tuition, room and board at seminary. 100% of every dollar collected for the seminarian fund goes toward supporting the education of men studying for the priesthood.
  • The annual collection is the primary source of funding for seminarian education.

A gift of $50 or more from every adult or family attending Mass would help educate our seminarians for another year. Mail your gift to the Office of Vocations, PO Box 310, Manchester, NH 03105. Each parish will be notified of gifts made by its parishioners. Please consider including the Seminarian Fund in your will or estate planning. Those interested in planned giving should contact Fr. Jason Jalbert at (603) 669-3100 or jjalbert@rcbm.org.

What More You Can Do.

  • Consider a commitment to fund one year of a seminarian’s education.
  • Include the Seminarian Fund in your estate planning.
  • Consider your own vocation and ask your pastor about the priesthood or consecrated life.
  • Pray for vocations to the priesthood and to consecrated life.
  • Encourage a young man to consider the priesthood.
  • Welcome priests to your home, and learn more about their vocations.
  • Visit the diocese’s vocations Web site www.liveinblackandwhite.com

Support Vocations

Prayer for Vocations

We acknowledge the great need to pray for vocations to the priesthood. It is not surprising that, where people pray fervently, vocations blossom.
O Father, raise up among Christians numerous and holy vocations to the priesthood, to keep the faith alive and guard the gracious memory of your Son Jesus through the preaching of his word and the
administration of the Sacraments, with which you continually renew your faithful.
 
Give us holy ministers of your altar, who are careful and fervent guardians of the Eucharist,
the sacrament of the supreme gift of Christ for the redemption of the world,
Call ministers of your mercy.
Who, through the sacrament of Reconciliation, spread the joy of your forgiveness. Grant, O Father, that the
Church may welcome with joy numerous inspirations of the Spirit of your Son and, docile to His teachings, may she care for vocations to the ministerial priesthood and to the consecrated life.
Sustain the Bishops, priests and deacons, consecrated men and women, and all the baptized in Christ, so that they may faithfully fulfill their mission at the service of the Gospel. This we pray You through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Mary, Queen of Apostles, pray for us.

 

A Priest Committed to Vocations

Fr. Gary Belliveau’s love for the priesthood has inspired many young men to follow his example – and it shows! Three of our current seminarians come from his parish, St. Kathryn Parish in Hudson. We spoke to Fr. Gary about vocations.

How do you encourage young men to consider the priesthood?

Most importantly, I try to make it obvious that I love this vocation and I urge them to have the courage to come before the Lord in the Eucharist with the question “What do YOU want me to be?” I offer them opportunities to share a meal, and, if they wish, to set up a regular schedule to get together for discernment. I think it’s key to express all the joys, but also God’s grace at work when we face the challenges of this life, inviting any and all questions.

What inspires men to seek the priesthood?

First, the Lord’s nudging. Secondly, the witness of joyful enthusiastic priests. I also believe a key element is an atmosphere in the parish and home that is supportive of exploration of this call. We had a man enter seminary from here and then, 10 days later return and say it was not yet the
time. He’s now in his second year of formation. Another, who was discerning, said that what gave him the courage to start talking about it and taking steps of application, was how the parish warmly supported the vocations of others in the parish No judgement, no conditions. He said he knew this was a ‘safe place’ to explore his vocation. (He entered seminary this Fall!)

What encourages you in your life as a priest?

The faithfulness of the Lord, as I trust Him to transform the hearts of people and open them to His touch in my ministry, particularly in hearing confessions and the celebration of the Holy Mass. And, in recent years, the blessing of having some courageous, gifted and zealous young men in formation as part of my life and ministry. Their ‘fire’ has rekindled mine and, I believe, almost 25 years later, has renewed the enthusiasm I had as a newly ordained priest.

What are some steps family members can take to support young men discerning a vocation?

Families need to encourage their children to ask God what ‘He wants’ and not simply ask them ‘what do you want to be’. The support and care they show priests and those in formation goes a long way to manifest the esteem they hold this vocation in, just as the authentic living out of their vows teaches us all what makes a happy married life.

Seminarians of New Hampshire 2010

When a young man realizes he may be called to the priesthood, he embarks on a long and life-changing path to serve as Christ did. The discernment of a vocation is often a result of the example of family and parish life. Please remember our seminarians in your prayers and encourage their desire to answer God’s call.

Seminarians 2009
To contact the seminarians, please use their respective addresses from the following list:

  • Mundelein Seminary, 1000 East Maple Avenue, Mundelein, IL 60060
  • St. John’s Seminary, 127 Lake Street, Brighton, MA 02135
  • Blessed John XXIII National Seminary, 558 South Avenue, Weston, MA 02493-2618
  • St. Mary’s Seminary, 5400 Roland Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21210
  • Franciscan University, 1235 University Boulevard, Steubenville, OH 43952

Support Vocations

masonMy four years at St. John’s Seminary in Brighton, MA helped prepare me well to serve as a priest in New Hampshire. During my time in formation I learned how essential a strong relationship with Jesus Christ, an openness to learning from other priests and lay people, and a daily prayer life are to this vocation. A great source of encouragement to me during that time were the many people who would pull out a copy of the seminarian collection brochure from their purse or glove compartment, point to my picture, and tell me that they prayed for me every day. I knew that I would never be able to make it to ordination without the prayers and support of many good people in New Hampshire. Now that I am serving as a priest in Laconia, I hope that many people will continue to support and pray for the seminarians of the Diocese of Manchester who feel called to serve as priests of Jesus Christ.

~ Father Matt Mason