Each spring, it is the custom of Arlington Bishop Paul S.
Loverde to visit the seminaries responsible for the priestly
formation of diocesan seminarians. Bishop Loverde finished up
this year’s seminary visits with a trip to the Pontifical
College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio, home to 12 men in
different stages of priestly formation, two of whom will be
ordained into the diaconate this June.
“I enjoy being with them. I get to know them in a more full
way,” said Bishop Loverde. “I am able to talk with them about
their progress, encourage them and pray with them, but also
to have some social time with them. It is a good moment for
all of us.”
After the bishop arrived April 5, he held individual meetings
with the men who also met with Vocations Director Father Joel
D. Jaffe to discuss their formation.
“It is a wonderful thing that Bishop Loverde takes the time
to visit the men studying for the Arlington Diocese,” said
Father Jaffe. “He really knows them and they have a chance to
really get to know him. This is very beneficial to their
formation as priests.”
The Josephinum is one of the few seminaries that have a
full college program in addition to programs in theology and
pre-theology. This enables men who enter the seminary out of
high school or transfer from college to earn a bachelor’s
degree with areas of concentration in philosophy or
humanities. The diocese has more men in formation at the
Josephinum than any other seminary.
“Here, there is a good spirit among the men. It has a very
fine faculty, and I think that the whole program of formation
here serves us well,” said Bishop Loverde. “They are
certainly formed according to the four basic pillars of
priestly formation outlined first of all by St. John Paul II,
but also very much amplified by their own priestly formation
program that we bishops authorize.”
Seminarian Jordan Willard said the bishop’s visit was a great
honor and gift to him and fellow seminarians.
“He has a way of cherishing each and every one of us. On
several occasions he has told me ‘I don’t want you to be Joe
Schmo. If God wanted you to be Joe Schmo he would have made
you Joe Schmo,'” said Willard.
Bishop Loverde was able to socialize with the seminarians off
campus on Wednesday for dinner, which Willard described as a
special privilege.
“It was like sitting down together with family,” said
Willard. “It did not feel overly formal. There was serious
talk, but also laughing, love and joy we shared in the
moment.”
Bishop Loverde joined the entire Josephinum community
Thursday morning to celebrate Mass before classes. During his
homily, he referenced Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not
Taken,” saying that instead of the seminarians having a road
before them, they actually face the person of Jesus Christ,
and it is He who makes all the difference.
The bishop enjoyed the prayerful simplicity of that early
morning Mass with the community.
“It was really prayerful … and it was a good moment of
spirituality. It was encouraging and uplifting for me,” he
said.
The trip came to a close Friday with Mass in the St. Rose of
Lima Chapel with the seminarians.
“It is a beautiful way to conclude his visitation,
celebrating the holy sacrifice of the Mass together as a
diocese,” said Father Jaffe. “They may be (an eight- hour
drive) from the diocese, but on Friday the bishop brought the
whole diocese to them.”
