The propaedeutic seminarians began formation in June with the New Seminarian Orientation Week at Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center. This was a great way to begin our formation, giving us a clear direction of where we are headed. We had conferences on various topics ranging from our identity as sons of the Father, the history of Catholicism in the diocese and the spirituality of a diocesan priest. We visited various parishes, the Pastoral Center and St. Mary Cathedral in Austin to better know the diocese. This time together allowed us to build community with our fellow new seminarians.

We then moved to St. Mary Seminary in Houston for four weeks. This consisted of a typical scheduled life in a seminary (daily Masses, Liturgy of the Hours, Holy Hours, classes, communal meals, etc.) with a new class each week. The first class was on prayer taught by Father John Kim, pastor of St. Mary Parish in Taylor. We learned prayer involves opening oneself to the Lord, as well as the many methods of prayer. This week was extremely helpful and gave us a necessary foundation to pray with greater trust.

Our second week focused on the virtues (taught by Father Doug Jeffers, the diocesan Judicial Vicar). This class discussed why we ought to pursue the beatific vision and how theological and cardinal virtues allow us to pursue our goal of heaven. Our second week had a major disruption: Hurricane Beryl. On Monday, the seminary lost power, and we were forced to head home for the remainder of the week and take classes online.

Though this displacement threw off our daily schedule, we persevered and returned to Houston for a weeklong silent retreat led by Father Jonathan Raia, rector of the University Catholic Center in Austin. This retreat was a new experience for many of us, and it proved very fruitful as we brought what we learned in our classes into our prayer. The retreat gave us the exterior and interior space to have a greater encounter with our Lord, which greatly benefited us all.

Our final week was focused on liturgy. Father Enrique Sada Coeto, associate pastor of St. William Parish in Round Rock, explained that liturgy is how the church enters into the life of the Holy Trinity and how we can better pray and enter into the liturgical life of the church by which God and man are united.

This time of summer formation was a truly formative and consoling experience. These five weeks gave us the basis and tools to go into our first semester of seminary with a renewed confidence in God’s will. All our prayers and classes and the friendships we built throughout this time have already borne fruit in our lives and will continue to do so as we enter seminary this fall. Please keep those studying for the priesthood in your prayers.

For more information about vocations in the Diocese of Austin, visit www.austinvocations.com.