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To: Priests
From: Monsignor James Schillinger, director, Ongoing Formation of Priests
Mount St. Mary’s Seminary and School of Theology is pleased to offer summer conferences for the on-going formation of both priests and laity.
The conferences offered in June for priests are intended to help ‘deepen their awareness that their ministry is ultimately aimed at gathering together the family of God as a brotherhood inspired by charity and to lead it to the Father through Christ in the Holy Spirit.’ (Pastores Dabo Vobis 74). Each conference is tailored to a specific group of priests.
- The first week takes its inspiration from Luke 22:31-32 when Our Lord said to Peter, “Strengthen Your Brethren.” This week is for recently ordained priests (ordained between 2017-2021) and is intended to assist in building good habits of living and praying, meeting the challenges of priestly ministry, and preparing priests to be pastors. The theme for this year is: ‘Priests as Practitioner of Reform.’ There are three presenters and their talks are structured along the lines of the three ‘M’s that shape a priest’s life: Mission/Man/Methods.
- Dates – Monday, June 6 – Thursday, June 9
- “The Challenges of Growing as a Pastor” is the second week and is specifically for those priests in their early years of pastoring. The talks are organized, again, around the three ‘M’s, Mission/Man/Methods, but with the very concrete reality of the Office of Pastor and today’s parish reality – often multiple parishes – in mind. This conference is intended for men in their first or second pastorate.
- Dates – Monday, June 13 – Thursday, June 16
- The final conference in June is Ongoing Intellectual Formation. The 2022 focus is the Liturgy of the Hours – “Sacrificium Laudis: Christ, The Priest & Time”. The conference provides a series of lectures and conversations led by experts in the field to continue the intellectual formation begun in seminary.
- Dates – Monday, June 20 – Thursday, June 23
All the conferences provide opportunities for the priests to have time away from the parish, to pray, relax and have camaraderie with other priests. Accommodations will be available at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary and School of Theology.
Attached is a flyer with information about the three conferences. There is a link that will connect to the website for more specific information about each conference as well as registration details. Should you have any specific questions, please contact the Events Coordinator at events@athenaeum.edu.
Finally, in July (Wednesday, July 20 – Friday, July 23) there is a sacred music conference presented by the MTSM Sacred Music Institute. The 2022 Theme is Sung Worship: The Work of our Baptism. This conference is open to pastors, priests, parish music directors and musicians. Information for this conference is also available at the same website with the June conferences.
Ongoing formation funds are available for this opportunity. The application for ongoing formation funding can be found on the ongoing formation web page.
