There’s a couple official diocesan seminarian posters floating around facebook that caught my eye. Here’s one of them:
Long time readers of Cleansing Fire may recall a certain contest conducted 2 years ago (it seems like it was an eternity ago). Unfortunately the contest was conducted during the server transition and some of the files seem to be lost. I also don’t see the original poster that we were trying to improve upon, but rest assured that the poster above is a big improvement. Things seem to be improving for the better around here. You can download a pdf copy of the above poster here.
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Ben, thanks for sharing this…it’s nice to see good news in the diocese once in awhile!
…..And God bless Father Tim Horan, a priest’s priest.
I am confident that Fr. Horan is a blessing to the seminarians.
I know two of the men on that poster and I have NEVER been more impressed with a seminarian than I am with the two I know. I will keep their names under my hat for the time being but these two candidates are beyond rock solid. BEYOND ROCK SOLID (just so you can hear me). They understand their priestly identity on a deep and profound level and will, should they persevere and it be the will of God; be fabulous priests. In many ways, and this is one of them; the renewal of the DoR has begun!
I must agree with DanielKane. I know quite a few of these men, some better than others,
and we are blessed to have so many men who are following “the call”
May God bless, protect & guide them all! 🙂
At least seven of the seminarians are solid. Only a couple concern me.
Our future is in good hands!
Does this mean that Bishop Clark did something right?
From what I have been able to find out, Syracuse has 13 seminarians.
And Buffalo seems to have 22.
Albany has 10.
Ogdensburg has 5.
y2kscotty,
I suppose the best way to answer that question is to ask these seminarians, “What has motivated you to answer the call? Would you attribute it to the person of Bishop Clark, his policies, or his theology? What do you think of Pope Benedict and the direction he is leading the Church?” I think you’ll find the answer you’re looking for if you ask those types of questions.
He stopped rejecting good candidates. That’s what he finally did right and should’ve done throughout his tenure.
IMO there is also something to be said about the renewal of the Presence of the Spirit after many years of prayers for more vocations and that there was a holding back like a floodgate until obedience would be vowed to a new bishop.
I think Bishop Clark deserves credit for putting Father Horan in charge of priest vocations. As others have said here, Father Horan is a man’s man and a priest’s priest.
My opinion differs, but to each his or her own.
This is great to see so many seminarians. What is disturbing is to see where the majority of them are conducting their studies, especially Theological College… It’s was well documented a few years back for its lack of orthodoxy and prominent gay culture. Hopefully this has changed. Hopefully there are folks here who have more updated and upbeat view of this institution.
Wasn’t that the mantra of Bishop Clark. Accept only those candadates who were ideologically similar to his beliefs and then, to form them, send them to the most liberal seminary or seminaries available.
I must concur with Dr. K regarding Horan.
Hopefully, the new bishop will begin a throughly housecleaning of Vocation Awareness & demand a new team that embraces Orthodoxy.
One of these young men lived next door to us from age 2 until he was almost 10 years old. Because his family moved only a short distance, we sometimes ran into his parents who kept us apprised of his, and his siblings, doings.
When I first heard he had entered the seminary, I was only mildly surprised.
He was always a ‘people person’; the first to greet new families to our little street, filling them in on who everyone was and where they lived. His friendly spirit and giving nature seem a fine fit for the priesthood. He’s a pretty fair singer, as well.
We remember him in our prayers and wish him well in his vocation.