ORACLEThe Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity summer 2016 2016 Ordiio Issue ORACLE | 1 fro the rector a new springtime As we enjoy these summer days, the great feeling that we have begun a new springtime for the local church brings joy and hope to our hearts. As a community, we recently celebrated the installation of our new chief shepherd Archbishop Bernard Hebda; we welcomed nine newly ordained men for service among us in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, as well as eight good men who were ordained for other dioceses; we continued the good work of the Institute for Diaconate Formation; and we launched the work of the new Institute for Ongoing Clergy Formation. We are grateful for each of these accomplishments that are a promise of many blessings and graces for the pastoral care of God’s people. e mission of the newly established Institute for Ongoing Clergy Formation is founded upon the profound truth that every priest is called to continued rebirth into the fullness of life in Christ. Indeed, continuing formation is, in reality, the very living out of the priestly vocation; it is the way in which a priest will live the fullness of his union with Christ. e priest’s continuing formation is not simply a matter of professional technique; rather, as Pastores Dabo Vobis explains: “its ... aim must be that of promoting a grounded and integral process of constant growth, deepening Monsignor each of the aspects of formation – human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral Aloysius R. Callaghan – as well as ensuring their active and harmonious integration based on pastoral charity and in reference to it.” ere is a very specic and well-focused goal: “ongoing formation presents itself as a necessary means to the priest of today in order to achieve the aim of his vocation: the service of God and His people.” (Directory for the Life and Ministry of Priests) Our prayer now is that the Lord who has called us to this work will bring it to completion with an abundance of blessings and grace. May God bless you, Monsignor Aloysius R. Callaghan Rector and Vice President ON THE COVER Newly ordained priests for the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis are pictured (left to right): Fr. Matthew Northenscold, Fr. Kyle Kowalczyk, Fr. Michael Daly, Fr. Mark Pavlak, Fr. Joseph Zabinski, Fr. Neil Bakker, Fr. Adam Tokashiki (PES), and Fr. Michael McClellan. 2 | SUMMER 2016 Not pictured: Fr. Paul Haverstock. Photo Credit: Dave Hrbacek. sr. katarina honored with seminry news distinguished service award Sr. Katarina Schuth, O.S.F., Ph.D., Endowed Chair for the Social Scientic Study of Religion, received the 2016 Distinguished Service Award presented by the Association of eological Schools (ATS). e award was presented at the association’s biennial meeting on June 28 in St. Louis, Missouri. Sr. Katarina is the fteenth recipient of the award. ATS Executive Director Daniel Aleshire cited Sr. Katarina’s numerous contributions to Catholic theological education, including: serving as Chair of the Commission on Accrediting, a task force that redeveloped accrediting standards in 1996; participating in the Henry Luce III Fellows in eology program; and helping the ATS Ecology group better understand Roman Catholic theological education. Aleshire also noted Sr. Katarina’s service on several boards, for the John Jay College Study on Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests, and in her research on priests serving multiple parishes: “Together these accomplishments comprise an impressive and unparalleled ATS Executive Director Daniel Aleshire (left) and Board President contribution to Roman Catholic Jim Hudnut-Beumler (right) present Sr. Katarina Schuth with the theological education.” Distinguished Service Award at the association’s biennial meeting in St. Louis. Photo courtesy of ATS. ATS is a membership organization of more than 270 graduate schools that conduct post baccalaureate professional and academic degree programs to educate persons for the practice of ministry and for teaching and research in the theological disciplines. Membership is open to schools in the Christian and Jewish faiths. e Commission on Accrediting of ATS accredits the schools and approves the degree programs they oer, including e Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity. ORACLE | 3 seminriaanother step news closer On May 14, Archbishop Bernard Hebda ordained nine men to the transitional diaconate for the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis at the Basilica of Saint Mary. is formal rite dates back to the early Church allowing these men to instruct in holy doctrine (Ministry of the Word); preside at public prayer, administer baptism, assist at and bless holy marriages, bring Viaticum to the dying, and conduct funeral rites (Ministry to the Altar); and care for the poor, the sick, the stranger, and the marginalized (Ministry of Charity). Please pray for our Transitional Deacons as they serve in parishes throughout the summer and begin their nal year of T D A seminary formation. S P M Paul Baker Matthew Shireman Bryce Evans Brandon eisen Nicholas Froehle Chad VanHoose Matthew Quail Benjamin Wittnebel Timothy Sandquist “When I put my hands in Archbishop Hebda’s and promised respect and obedience to him, I remember thinking it is an honor to make a promise to someone with a .” shepherd’s heart – Deacon Timothy Sandquist 4 | SUMMER 2016 seminria news “I being a . I’ve preached Sunday Mass at my home love deacon parish, teaching parish, and now summer assignment parish. I get to speak about the most important realities: Christ crucied and risen. I get to tell people that God wants a relationship with us and was willing to go to extravagant lengths to make that a reality. ” – Deacon Ben Wittnebel e following men were ordained Transitional Deacons for their home dioceses this spring: D R A Jeremy Bock Robert Gonella Robert Whitney Beau Braun F S. C S F Jayson Miller Derek Wiechmann Brian Eckrich S C Tyler Mattson Samuel Schneider Brother Elijah Schwab Timothy Smith D Andrew uringer Christopher Weber On June 4, Derek Wiechmann was ordained a Transitional Deacon for the Diocese of St. Cloud by Bishop Donald Kettler. He is accompanied by his parents Michael and Brenda Wiechmann (left) in the Cathedral of Saint Mary. Photo credit: Paul Middlestaedt. ORACLE | 5 seminria news “I a a Catholic Priest ” n his homily during the Ordination Mass on May 28, Archbishop Bernard Hebda echoed the words of ISt. Maximilian Kolbe: “I am a Catholic priest.” is profound statement, proclaimed without hesitation 75 years ago by the holy Polish priest and martyr, underscored the joy-lled day during which nine men were ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Family, friends and the faithful lled the Cathedral of Saint Paul to witness and celebrate the continuation of the sacred order to which these men now belong. anks be to God! e men join a group of more than 500 brother seminarians ordained this year throughout the United States. See page 9 for more information on the ordination Class of 2016 provided by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate. According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, ordination is the sacramental ceremony in which a man becomes a priest and is enabled to minister in Christ’s name and that of the Church. e ordination ceremony includes various rituals, rich in meaning and history. Only a bishop can ordain a priest because he shares in the ministry of Jesus passed down through the apostles. Fr. Mark Pavlak, Fr. Adam Tokashiki and Fr. Joseph Zabinski listen to the 6 | SUMMER 2016 Archbishop’s homily. seminria news L H During the laying on of hands, the ordaining bishop invokes the Holy Spirit to come down upon the one to be ordained, giving him a sacred character and setting him apart for the designated ministry. P Lying prostrate before the altar symbolizes a man’s unworthiness for the oce to be assumed and his dependence upon God and the prayers of the Christian community. R S C ese vestments pertain to a priest’s oce Archbishop Hebda lays his hands and have symbolic meaning. e stole upon Fr. Kyle Kowalczyk symbolizes the authority and responsibility to serve in imitation of Christ. It re ects Fr. Joseph Zabinski prays while Fr. Adam the line from Scripture: “For my yoke is easy and my burden light.” Tokashiki receives the stole and chasuble. (Matthew 11:30) e chasuble is the principle garment of the priest celebrating the Eucharist and is the outermost vestment. A H Anointing the hands with oil stems from the Old Testament and indicates that someone or something is being set apart for a sacred task or duty. e anointing signi es that the hands of the newly ordained priest are being prepared for the sacred duties and vessels which will be part of his priestly ministry. R C P e Eucharist is at the heart of the priesthood and this ritual highlights the importance of celebrating the Eucharist in the life of the priest and its meaning, as seen in the words which are spoken by the bishop: “Accept from the holy people of God the gifts to be oered to Him. Know what you are doing, and imitate the mystery you celebrate; model your life on the mystery of the Fr. Neil Bakker receives the chalice Lord’s cross.” and paten from the Archbishop. ORACLE | 7 seminriathe saint paulnews seminary school of divinity Clas of 2016 Front row (left to right): Fr. Michael McClellan, Fr. Michael Daly, Fr. Charles Fitzpatrick (Rockford), Fr. Charles Mugabi (Uganda), Msgr. Aloysius Callaghan, Fr. Joseph Zabinski, Fr. Adam Tokashiki (PES), Fr. Steven Wirth (Fargo). Back row (left to right): Fr.