RECENT NEWS

On August 23rd, Theological College opened its doors to 23 new seminarians who were enthusiastically greeted by two dozen orientation facilitators and, a few days later, by the returning theologians, bringing TC to a house complement of 75 seminarians and 5 student priests in house, with 9 seminarians on pastoral year. It was an exciting week in which “God’s providential plan” was more clearly revealed to all present.

On July 27, 2016,Theological College hosted its McCormick Pavilion tenants for a generous outdoor picnic with chef Sunder Michael manning the grill loaded with chicken, burgers, veggie burgers, hotdogs, and corn on the cob — served with all the sides and fixings. This summer gathering gives TC an opportunity to thank the tenants and to allow them to get to know each other and the TC staff during the quieter summer months.

On May 14, 2016, ten Theological College theologians graduated and all will be ordained by the end of June. In addition, four students received their master’s (or Ph.L) degrees in Philosophy and two Basselin fellows received their Ph.B. degrees in Philosophy.

On April 16, 2016, three Theological College seminarians were ordained to the Sacred Order of Deacon, in the company of other TC seminarians who attended to support and celebrate this milestone in the lives of the ordinands. Please join us in prayerful congratulations for Deacons Michael Baynham, Mark Kowalski, and Miguel Melendez!

The Provincial Council of the U.S. Province of the Society of St. Sulpice has appointed Sulpician Father Phillip J. Brown, P.S.S., J.D., J.C.D., as President-Rector of St. Mary’s Seminary & University in Baltimore, Maryland, effective July 1, 2016. This appointment has been made by the Sulpician Council with the approval of Most Reverend William Lori, Archbishop of Baltimore and Chancellor of St. Mary’s, and the Holy See. Father Brown has been rector of Theological College since 2011.

In solidarity with the homeless of Washington, D.C., 50 seminarians fasted for their evening meal on March 11, 2016, an offering which Sodexo kitchen staff converted to 120 bagged meals delivered by a dozen seminarians to the New York Avenue Emergency Shelter.

The Iron Seminarian annual tournament is comprised of brackets in darts, pool, and ping pong. This year, 41 seminarians competed in the event, with most participating in all three events. This heated competition, which ramps up over two weeks leading up to the final evening, warms hearts and keeps academic minds spry during these cold days of winter in D.C.

Rector Brown, a classical pianist, customarily rings in the spring semester with an invitation to all faculty, staff, and TC guests to stop by for a musical open house in his own rooms. This year his revolving door hosted seminarians and faculty for hours of tuneful camaraderie.

Before the onset of second semester, Theological College’s Basselin Scholars in their final year of studies in the program annually journey to upstate New York to visit the hometown and final resting place of Theodore Basile Basselin, the timber magnate who, 100 years ago, bequeathed part of his fortune to Catholic University and the “Sulpician Seminary” for the purpose of forming Catholic seminarians prepared to face the challenges of bringing the Word of God to the people of their times.

On December 13, Gaudete Sunday, the TC seminary and staff community gathered to celebrate the close of the semester and the upcoming Christmas observance. The mood was a joyful one, reflecting the spirit of the responsorial psalm from Isaiah, in the Mass at the beginning of the evening: “Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel!”