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News & Events
October 12 -- The Mass and Installation ceremony to formalize Father Phillip Brown's installation as the 15th rector of Theological College was held in the Crypt Church at the Basilica of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington and Chancellor of Catholic University, officiated at the service. A private reception and dinner followed. October 11 -- Theological College mourns the recent death of TC seminarian, Michael Fallon, a 1st year theologian studying for the Archdiocese of Washington. A wake service and Mass of the Resurrection was held at the Church of the Resurrection in Ellicott City, MD, on Friday, October 15. The Mass was celebrated by Baltimore Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien. The friends and family of Michael along with the seminary communities of the Archdiocese of Washington and TC, along with many priests who knew Michael and faculty representatives from the School of Theology and Religious Studies at Catholic University, were in attendance. In making the announcement about Michael's death, TC rector Father Phillip Brown remarked at how easily Michael had come to know so many at the seminary in just a few short weeks of the new academic year. "His openness and special call to ministry and holiness were apparent to all who met him," said Father Brown. "We are saddened at this tragic loss, but know that he is at rest with our Savior, Jesus Christ. He will be greatly missed." In his honor, a scholarship fund will be established in his name at TC. October 4-5 -- The seminary welcomed more than 50 alumni who returned to TC for Alumni Days earlier this month. As part of Alumni Days, a day-long symposium was held at Catholic University on the topic of the diocesan priesthood. Speakers included: Msgr. Stephen Rossetti, Ph.D., '84 and Associate Dean in the School of Theology and Religious Studies at Catholic University, Atlanta Archbishop Wilton Gregory, Dr. John White, church historian and CUA faculty, and Msgr. Robert Panke, new rector of the Blessed John Paul II Seminary in Washington, D.C. The symposium which was sponsored by Catholic University, St. Luke's Institute in Silver Spring, MD, the Society of St. Sulpice, and TC drew more than 300 participants. As part of Alumni Days, this year TC's Alumnus Lifetime Service Award was presented to Father Eugene Konkel, S.S. '57 at the annual award dinner held on Wednesday evening, October 5. The reunion Mass was celebrated by Bishop Frank Rodimer '55, Emeritus Bishop of Paterson. August 28 -- TC welcomed 31 new first year seminarians to the formation program at our Opening Day Mass, Sunday, August 28. Another 55 seminarians returned to TC to continue their formation. Five seminarians in formation at TC are currently away on pastoral-year assignments in their home arch/dioceses. July 1 -- The seminary officially welcomed Father Phillip J. Brown, S.S. '89, J.D., J.C.D., as the new rector of Theological College. His appointment has the 15th rector of Theological College was first announced in March by the Society of St. Sulpice with the approval of Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington and Chancellor of Catholic University, and university President, John Garvey. Father Brown completed his formation at Theological College and is a member of the Class of 1989. Before entering the seminary, Father Brown served as a civil attorney in North Dakota for five years. Following his ordination in 1989, he earned a doctorate in canon law from the Pontificial Gregorian University in Rome and served as a judge in the diocesan Marriage Tribunal from 1999-2001. He is a former member and senior consultor of the Board of Governors of the Canon Law Society and has charied several committees for the Society. He also serves as treasurer for the Society of St. Sulpice in Paris. (A more complete resume appears under About Us/Formation Faculty.) April 29 -- TC said 'good bye' to the seminarians on Friday evening, April 29, at the annual Year-end Mass and dinner. The occasion marked Father Melvin Blanchette's last formal function as rector at TC, as he begins a sabbatical year in July. In his dinner remarks, he thanked the seminarians and acknowledged the Class of 2011 who leave TC to be ordained in their home arch/dioceses in May and June. They include: Rev. Mr. Jared Brogan (Paterson), Rev. Mr. Jeff Core (Spokane), Rev. Mr. Jack Dickinson (Portland, ME), Rev. Mr. Iain Highet (Hartford), Rev. Mr. Michael Lee (Paterson), Rev. Mr. Jeffrey Lewis (Spokane), Rev. Mr. Hugo Londono (Milwaukee), Rev. Mr. Nick Reid (Jefferson City), Rev. Mr. Michael Roche (Pittsburgh) and Rev. Mr. Tyler Smedley (Spokane). The evening ended with a formal presentation of gifts to Father Blanchette which included a new silver ciborium for use in the seminary's newly remodeled Chapel of the Three Teresa's which was given as a gift from the Class of 2011. Father Dan Moore, S.S., vice-rector, was also presented with a gift from the community. He departs from TC effective July 1 to take a new position at the Sulpician Provincial House in Baltimore, MD. March 16 -- Father Melvin C. Blanchette, S.S., rector of Theological College, will step down as rector of Theological College effective July 1. Father Blanchette has served as rector since July 2007. November 19-21 -- Two outstanding alumni of Theological College -- Cardinal Donald Wuerl B '63, Archbishop of Washington, and Cardinal Raymond L. Burke '71, prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura at the Vatican, were elevated to the College of Cardinals during a November Consistory in Rome with thousands of archdiocesan pilgrims from around the country, friends and family members in attendance. Cardinal Burke served as Archbishop of Saint Louis from 2004 to 2008 before being appointed to the Apostolic Signatura. Cardinal Wuerl was named Archbishop of Washington in 2006 and served previously for 18 years as Bishop of Pittsburgh. Cardinal Wuerl is chancellor of Catholic University and is a member of the University Seminary Committee. He was a Basselin scholar at TC and received his graduate degree in philosophy from Catholic University in 1963. He is known nationally for his catechetical and teaching ministry and for his efforts on behalf of Catholic education. Cardinal Raymond Burke studied theology at Theological College as a seminarian and is a member of the Class of 1971. More than 30 graduates of Theological College have been named to the position of bishop and archbishop since the seminary's founding in 1917. With these two new appointments, TC now has six graduates who have been elevated to the position of 'cardinal' in the American Church. These include: Humberto Cardinal Mederios (Boston), Joseph Cardinal Bernardin (Chicago), James Cardinal Hickey (Washington), Daniel Cardinal DiNardo (Galveton-Houston), Raymond L. Cardinal Burke (Saint Louis), and Donald Cardinal Wuerl (Washington).  May 15 -- Congratulations to TC's Class of 2011 (pictured at right), 10 ordained deacons who will be ordained to priesthood in their home arch/dioceses in May and June. They are, pictured front row, l-r: Rev. Mr. Iain Highet (Hartford), Rev. Mr. Jack Dickinson (Portland, ME), Rev. Mr. Jeff Lewis (Spokane), and Rev. Mr. Jared Brogan (Paterson). Back row, l-r: Rev. Mr. Hugo Londono (Milwaukee), Rev. Mr. Michael Roche (Pittsburgh), Rev. Mr. Nick Reid (Jefferson City), Rev. Mr. Michael Lee (Paterson), Rev. Mr. Tyler Smedley (Spokane), and Rev. Mr. Jeff Core (Spokane). |
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