By Fr. Matthew Clark, O.S.B.
President/Rector of Saint Joseph Seminary College

As we approach the end of summer vacation season, I pray that our alumni, benefactors, and Friends of St. Ben's have had an opportunity for rest and leisure. The summer here has been, as always, a combination of prayer, celebration, hard work, and time for rest as we prepare for the upcoming school year.  

After our 133rd graduation and the monastic retreat in May, I attended the National Association of College Seminaries (NACS) annual conference in Washington, D.C. There were more than 30 administrators from college seminaries across the country in attendance, and we heard presentations on and shared our experiences with implementing the Propaedeutic Year in our communities. Our meetings were most helpful as we made adjustments and confirmed that we are on the right track in this new endeavor for Catholic priestly formation.  

In June I took a long drive East to continue building and strengthening our relationships with the dioceses we serve, a critical task for both our current strength and our future. I met with the bishops and vocation directors of the (arch)dioceses of Atlanta and Savannah in Georgia, along with those of our newest “client diocese,” Charleston, S.C.  It was heartening to hear such strong affirmation of our approach to priestly formation and our high reputation, all the results of the leadership of Abbot Gregory during his long tenure as Rector. At the same time, there was an expression of support for the current way we are implementing the PPF ed. 6.  St. Ben’s is a highly regarded seminary, and we continue to receive inquiries from interested dioceses in our region.

Our efforts at upgrading the seminary’s physical plant continued this summer as well. I am sure you recall the Saint Joseph Appeal in March, which was dedicated to refurbishing Borromeo Hall, a key in our residential plan as we negotiate the implementation of the Propaedeutic Stage of seminary formation and the requirements for it outlined in the PPF. The contractor is making progress with the work, and it will be finished in a matter of a few weeks. I want to again thank all of the donors who have made this important project possible.

With the repair and refurbishment of Vianney Hall and the complete renovation of Savio Hall resulting from the March 2016 flood, the western section of the main campus is now restored to its original design as a “residential quad” with buildings that will bring us into the future.

Our faculty, staff, and formation team are now preparing in earnest for the arrival of 97 seminarians for the 2024 – 2025 school year, which holds great promise for the future of our Church in the Gulf South region and beyond. I ask your prayers for these young men from the 20+ Catholic dioceses and four religious communities we serve.