Theological College’s orientation team began arriving on Friday, August 19th, joining the new rector, Fr. McBrearity, PSS, for a welcoming dinner to catch up on summer placements and adventures and to plan for the week ahead with the new men who were to come a few days later. Theological College–CUA orientation officially began when the 23 new seminarians arrived over the course of the day on August 23rd. Their schedule was packed with getting acclimated, from campus tours to academic information sessions. One of the highlights of this week was the cookout on Friday when all returning seminarians greeted and celebrated the new arrivals and connected with their house brothers as they regrouped after traveling from all four corners of the country. The final event of this exciting week was the opening Mass and reception on Sunday, the day before the start of classes. During his homily, Fr. McBrearity reminded all present, “Belief in God’s particular providential plan for each one of us should evoke a sense of awe and wonder. It should evoke confidence and courage. It should evoke above all a desire to cultivate in our own lives the virtue highlighted in this evening’s readings from Sirach and the Gospel of Luke: the virtue of humility.” And he added a few words from G.K. Chesterton which he hoped would inform the academic year ahead: “Nothing taken for granted; everything received with gratitude; everything passed on with grace.” The relaxing evening of shared fellowship certainly reflected the grace present and promised for the upcoming academic and formation year!
