Father Jonathan Kelly remembers the day not long ago when he received three messages to call Archbishop Bernard Hebda. That’s the day he learned he was offered the position of rector at the St. John Vianney College Seminary in St. Paul. He had interviewed for the position about three weeks prior.
“I was grateful and delighted to accept the role,” Father Kelly said on the March 5 “Practicing Catholic” radio show. He succeeds Father Michael Becker, who has served as rector for 10 years.
Father Jonathan Kelly
Now in his seventh year at SJV, Father Kelly said he has been a formator and spiritual director.
In his new position, Father Kelly said he will serve several roles, including pastor of the house, the spiritual father of the college seminary. He will help develop an environment in which the priest staff can flourish and do well. “If they’re growing and flourishing and living in relationship with God, that blesses the whole house,” he said.
With the seminarians, he will communicate with their bishop and vocations director about how they’ve grown and which formation areas need attention, and complete end-of-year evaluations. He also will represent the seminary at public events.
The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis includes a minor and a major seminary. St. John Vianney is a college seminary where young men study at the University of St. Thomas to receive a philosophy degree and often, Father Kelly said, a major in a second field of study.
The college seminary is a discipleship stage, Father Kelly said. “… and if they’re still sensing a call to the priesthood … then that’s the transition after their graduation into the major seminary … the St. Paul Seminary” where the men study graduate theology.
When show host Patrick Conley asked Father Kelly what he was most looking forward to, one response was “making sure we have a program that’s addressing the men’s needs of today.”
When young men join the seminary and are surrounded by 100 other young men, Father Kelly said they realize they’re not just one of a handful who might have been trying to live their faith in their parish youth group. “But there’s something that our rector has mentioned before about the incoming tide raises all the boats in the harbor. …The fears that might have accompanied this call when they’re in isolation are brought to light and (they) realize … they don’t have to be afraid of this, that other people have walked through this before, and they are not alone.”
To hear more of what Father Kelly said he was most looking forward to in his new role, tune in to this episode of the “Practicing Catholic” radio show at 9 p.m. March 5, 1 p.m. March 6 or 2 p.m. March 7 on Relevant Radio 1330 AM. “Practicing Catholic” is produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
Other guest interviews on the March 5 “Practicing Catholic” show are School Sister of Notre Dame Mary Anne Schaenzer, who describes the March 13 Catholic Charismatic Renewal Office Winter Conference, and Father Daniel Griffith, who discusses his class on restorative justice at the University of St. Thomas School of Law.
Listen to their interviews after they have aired:
soundcloud.com/practicingcatholic
Practicing Catholic on Spotify
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