Catholic News

The Church asks all Christians to conform to the example of Christ, but deacons are called “to do so with great intentionality,” he explained, while encouraging the candidates with a passage from the Gospel reading (John 15:9-17), in which Jesus said that the disciples did not choose Him, but that He chose them and “appointed them to go and bear fruit that will last.”

In the process of this spiritual growth at seminary, however, the consolation of God’s love has been constant. “The best part about seminary is receiving the love of God the Father through all the difficult places in the journey. He has poured it out through the Sacraments. Also, His grace has been through the priests who have formed me and my wonderful brother seminarian brothers.”

The Idaho Catholic Appeal is more than an annual Lenten fundraiser. It is a shared mission that supports more than 20 life-giving ministries, each one an expression of Christ’s peace and light in action. Through the Appeal, seminarians are formed and prepared to answer God’s call to the priesthood, ensuring that the sacraments and pastoral care remain vibrant for generations to come. Deacons and lay leaders receive essential training, equipping them to serve faithfully . . .

On October 27, a meaningful celebration took place at the Saint Paul Seminary in Minnesota. During the celebration, seminarians from the Diocese of Boise received the Ministry of Acolyte from Bishop Gerard W. Battersby of the Diocese of La Crosse. This rite is an important step in their formation for the priesthood. Seminarians John Dyson, Ronald Onyekwelu, Nathan Ribb, and Guillermo Gutiérrez. (Photo Courtesy Bessie Geilenfeldt) Seventeen seminarians — four from the Diocese