“To build up the person of Christ in each man who comes here is the mission of this house; to clarify in his mind and in the mind of the Church whether the Lord is calling him to be a priest,” says Father Paul Check, rector of St. John Fisher Seminary in Stamford.
“Above all, this is a house of prayer, of interior and constant conversation with the Christ, which each man will take with him wherever he goes.”
This May, five men have achieved Candidacy for the Diocese of Bridgeport. At this point, they know where their conversation with the Lord is leading them. The five will be confirmed as Candidates for the priesthood in a ceremony at St. Augustine Cathedral on Saturday, May 20, at 5:30 pm.
“At this ceremony, the men become official candidates for preparation for the sacrament of Holy Orders,” explains Father John Connaughton, director of vocations for the Diocese of Bridgeport. “It’s a confirmation by the diocese that their discernment has proved them ready to begin formal studies for the priesthood.”
Four of the men, Juan Colon and Guy Dormevil from St. Joseph Parish in Norwalk, AndréEscaleira from St. Peter Parish in Bridgeport, and Guillermo Jimenez from St. Mary Parish in Stamford have completed their pre-seminary formation at St. John Fisher.
David Klein, former star forward with Trumbull High School’s Golden Eagles basketball team and a member of St. Margaret’s Shrine in Bridgeport, finished his formation at Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Stamford, which operates under the auspices of the Neocatechumenal Way.
“Our family was very active in the Church, being members of the Neocatechumenal Way,” David says, explaining his choice. “This community opened my eyes to the universality of Catholicism, showing me that the barriers placed in our society between race, class, and cultures disintegrate with the Catholic Church.”
All five men will be going on to major seminaries this fall. The discernment process was different for every man, as was the way they heard God’s call to the priesthood and the amount of time they spent in formation. They range in age from 54 to 21, and their backgrounds include a widower with grown children, a young man breaking off a long-term romance and a casual Catholic unexpectedly finding himself called to serve the Lord.
For each man the call came from a personal encounter, whether it was the Franciscan priests working with the poor that
Guillermo knew during his childhood in El Salvador or the direct suggestion of a parish priest.
“When I was little my grandparents babysat for me and took me to Mass every morning,” recalls Juan, describing how as a small child he would practice celebrating Mass for them. The thought of a priestly vocation stayed with him for several years. “Then high school hit. Our culture doesn’t really promote that.”
A star baseball player at Norwalk High, he went on to college and began a serious, long-term relationship with a girl in his class. A visit to his grandparents and a bolt-from-the-blue experience changed his trajectory. “I had to take my grandmother to early morning Mass,” he recalls. Only half awake at that early hour, he was astounded when the sacristan beckoned him to help serve at Mass.
“Something happened at that Mass,” Juan says with a shake of his head, unable to put the astonishing, stunning experience of faith into words. He came home, attended a discernment retreat at St. John Fisher, and faced the difficult prospect of explaining God’s call to his girlfriend.
Once entering formation, whether coming straight out of high school or bringing decades of life experience, the men begin a community life rooted in prayer and study. Some will pursue an undergraduate degree; others will complete studies of theology and philosophy in preparation for major seminary. Their rule of life includes daily Mass, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, regular conferences with the rector and spiritual director and days of recollection, as well as time for study, jobs around the house and recreation.
“To move into this house requires courage and humility,” says Father Check. “The men give up a measure of freedom, other good plans and perhaps even some friends. As they gain a sense of the rhythm of priestly life, what they discover warms their hearts, challenges their intellects, deepens their appreciation for the richness of the Gospel and fosters charity and zeal. Yes, they close a chapter when they arrive, but they begin a new adventure in faith.”
“With our pastoral work in parishes and on mission trips, we have a chance to see Christ in other people,” says André. “It’s a way to take the classroom, what we’re learning, and apply that in real time.”
Their sense of community strengthens as they go out for pizza together or head for a game at Harbor Yard. Sometimes their shared enthusiasm is so contagious that people stop and ask where they’re from.
“One of the charms of Fisher is that we’re from this diocese and we’ll be working in this diocese after we’re ordained,” says André. The friendships begun at Fisher may last a lifetime. “I pray that their time at Fisher has been a gift of grace,” says Father Check. “Above all, I hope that they know and love Christ with greater trust and confidence and greater intensity than when they came.”
(St. John Fisher is located at 894 Newfield Ave., Stamford. To make an appointment for a visit, call 203.322.5331.)
