Go and Make Disciples of All Nations
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AUGUST 2, 2013 VOLUME 45, NUMBER 15 INSIDE: Pages 2-4: Farm program cultivates seminarian formation Page 21: Cardinal Dolan Celebrates Mass in Gettysburg Page 22: St. Katharine Drexel Parish Marks 25th Anniversary Page 23: Mary Gate of Heaven Parish Dedicates Chapel Go and Make Disciples of All Nations EMILY M. ALBERT, THE CATHOLIC WITNESS The sun rises over the Atlantic Ocean on the Brazilian coast July 28 after World Youth Day pilgrims slept on Copacabana Beach following an evening vigil with Pope Francis. Thirty-seven pilgrims from the Diocese of Harrisburg participated in World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro, and experiences from their journey are chronicled on pages 9-17. 2 - THE CATHOLIC WITNESS, AUGUST 2, 2013 EMILY M. ALBERT, THE CATHOLIC WITNESS Dan O’Leary crawls along rows of planted corn, pulling weeds and rocks from the dirt. Farming Program Cultivates Seminarians’ Human Formation By Jen Reed The Catholic Witness ily and the other seminarians, budgeting for grocery store purchases, cooking meals and tending to the In the rolling hills and fertile fields nestled just farmhouse property. south of Arendtsville in Adams County, Oyler’s Or- These duties, above and beyond the daily labors in ganic Farms is preparing for an extraordinary har- the fields, afforded Father LaVoie and priest mentors vest. an opportunity to see the seminarians’ willingness to Here in the heart of apple country, the Oyler fam- work hard and cooperate with one another. ily grows organic apples and peaches, and raises Sitting in the farmhouse living room – noticeably grass-fed cattle and free-range chickens. empty of televisions, video games and other elec- Five generations of the family have farmed this tronics – Sean Warfield reflected on the ways in land, which is yielding a very different kind of crop which the program helped him develop characteris- this summer. tics he especially wanted to address. Six seminarians from the Diocese of Harrisburg “Determination is an area I want to grow in, and lived and worked on the farm in June and July as I also want to try to be more assertive,” said Sean, part of the innovative St. Joseph Program, designed a native of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Hanover to address the seminarians’ human formation. who will enter his first year of theology at Mount St. Making their home in a three-bedroom farmhouse CHRIS HEISEY, THE CATHOLIC WITNESS Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md., this fall. that pre-dates the Civil War, seminarians Matthew Father Raymond LaVoie, Diocesan Vocations Direc- “I can tend to take the passive role…so I want Cannon, Andrew Hartung, Stephen Logue, Dan tor, pulls weeds. He joined the seminarians in their to put myself out there, to take a better stance as a O’Leary, Bennett Smith and Sean Warfield labored farm work this summer as part of a program to exam- leader,” he said. in the fields by day and returned to care for the needs ine their human formation. “This program is the perfect environment to work of their house at night. These attributes include dependability, self-sac- out those things. There is always a job that you are Father Raymond LaVoie, the diocesan Vocations rificial love, and the ability to deal with stress and in charge of here,” he said. Director, worked side-by-side with the seminarians conflict, and they came to the forefront With the many and varied challenges and respon- this summer, observing their strengths and helping during the summer program as the sibilities laid at the seminarians’ feet, the St. Joseph to address areas for growth. seminarians were given weekly, in- Program allows for goals and strategies to be tai- The focus of the program – named for St. Joseph, dividual responsibilities in addi- lored to each man for his own growth and develop- the model of workers – is to examine the seminar- tion to their farm work. ment. ians’ human for- Assignments included acting And the seminarians were not only ac- mation – their as liaison between the Oyler fam- countable to Father LaVoie, but to ability, as future each other as well. priests, to be a “The Church says that an es- bridge for oth- sential agent of a seminarian’s ers to meet Jesus formation is his brothers,” Father Christ. LaVoie said. “Often, someone “Human for- else’s eyes can see areas where mation looks at we can grow and be challenged. the talents and Through confidential, honest and attributes that sincere meetings, the men chal- would contribute lenged one another more than I to a man being ever could. a healthy, holy “They have a vested interest in and effective each other,” he continued. “They spiritual father,” have an obligation to make sure Father LaVoie that the men to their left and the explained. CHRIS HEISEY, THE CATHOLIC WITNESS Andrew Hartung observes the grass-fed cattle raised by Oyler’s Organic Farms. More FARMING, page 3 AUGUST 2, 2013, THE CATHOLIC WITNESS - 3 EMILY M. ALBERT, THE CATHOLIC WITNESS Tools and water jugs in hand, Andrew Hartung, Dan O’Leary, Matthew Cannon, Stephen Logue and Sean Warfield make their way along rows of newly-sprouted corn in the heat of July. A native of St. Leo the Great Parish Labor of Love wanted it to illustrate the seminar- Farming in Rohrerstown, Matthew will enter The St. Joseph Program takes a ians’ willingness to work hard for the Continued from 2 his fourth year of college at St. Charles hands-on approach in developing the Church and her people. Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, seminarians’ human formation. “Bishop McFadden would ask me men to their right become the best men Pa., this fall. The seminarians in this year’s pilot time and again of candidates, ‘Are they they can be because, God willing, one As the seminarians geared up in program were not selected because of men who will work hard every day for day they will be priests who are serv- T-shirts, jeans, old baseball caps and deficiencies, Father LaVoie pointed the people of God, even when there is no ing the same people of God that they sunscreen, the physical demands of the out. They just happened to be the first glory behind it?’” Father LaVoie said. love.” farm work quickly became evident. group selected to participate in what “Our seminarians have seen that A House of Formation With temperatures pushing 100 de- he expects will be an ongoing program connection in the work on the farm,” At first glance, the two-story farm- grees, they walked through rows of for all seminarians. he said. “What impressed me most house resembles many of the others newly-sprouted corn, tilling the land Father LaVoie explained that Bishop was their fidelity and zeal. Their char- that dot the rolling hills surrounding with hoes as they chopped and pulled McFadden, in support of the program, More FARMING, page 4 Arendtsville, where crowds gather weeds and rocks from the ground. each October for the National Apple Their progress was Harvest Festival. slow and steady, and But beyond the gravel driveway, evident by the symmet- longstanding outbuildings, storm cel- rical rows that resulted lar doors and a front porch lined with from the previous days’ rocking chairs stands a house of for- work. mation where seminarians focus on Earlier in the summer, the aspects that make a man and the the seminarians weeded characteristics that make a priest. apple trees and planted Religious icons hang on the walls corn by hand – working in the living room and dining room, on their hands and knees which are cooled by air conditioners for several weeks. in the windows. A small room serves Running his forearm as a chapel – with an altar and ambo across his face to wipe from a chapel that the Oyler family set sweat from his brow, up when their father was ill – and is Dan O’Leary consid- filled with books from the collection ered how the farm ex- of the late Bishop Joseph McFadden. perience provided a Every morning, the seminarians gath- glimpse into what it ered there for a Holy Hour and Mass. means to work for a liv- In the evenings, after dinner, the ing. seminarians played cards or board “I went shopping to- games, and chatted with each other as day to get food, and the EMILY M. ALBERT, THE CATHOLIC WITNESS they strengthened their bonds. The six bill was $130. It made The farmhouse chapel where the seminarians gathered for a Holy Hour and Mass every morn- me stop and think about ing. Father Raymond LaVoie, Diocesan Vocations Director, and visiting priests celebrated litur- young men shared two bedrooms – a gies for the seminarians. third was Father LaVoie’s – one bath- what people have to do to get by,” he said. room, and house chores like laundry, The three-bedroom farmhouse on the washing dishes and mowing the lawn. “I think about the Oy- ler family. They make Olyer farm, where six diocesan “You leave here with a different seminarians lived this summer as part of identity. You’re not the same person little money off this the diocese’s innovative St. Joseph you were when you first came here,” farm for working from Program to focus on their seminarian Matthew Cannon said as he sun-up to sun-down,” human formation. pulled his work boots and gloves from said Dan, a member of EMILY M. ALBERT, THE CATHOLIC WITNESS a set of shelves on the front porch. Good Shepherd Parish It was early afternoon. The dining in Camp Hill who will room table was cleared from lunch, begin his third year of and the dishes were washed.