STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION

The Student Government Association  is dedicated to the overall flourishing of the seminary community. It assists the formation faculty on an advisory basis in the formation of the seminary as a Christian community and acts as an appropriate vehicle to carry general student concerns to the faculty and administration. Likewise, the Student Government listens to the concerns of the student body, advocates policies and programs for its benefit, and provides it with opportunities to contribute to and experience the life of the community. The Student Government works principally through its four standing committees, namely the Community Life Committee, the Prayer and Worship Committee, the Social Justice Committee, and the Hispanic Affairs Committee, as well as through the monthly class forums.

Membership in the Student Government consists of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Class Representatives, and the Chairmen of the standing committees. The President of the Student Government and the Committee Chairmen are elected annually by the members of the student body, whereas the Class Representatives are elected by the members of their respective classes. The Secretary and Treasurer are appointed by the President, and the Vice President is elected by the Student Government from among its members.

Members of the Student Government meet every month during the academic year, in the presence of the Rector or his delegate, in order to address outstanding concerns, to discuss budgetary issues, to report on community happenings, and to brainstorm how the community might better engage in the activities of formation.

 

President
Elias Hazkial (4-T Maronite Eparchy OLL of LA)

Secretary
Dcn. Dylan Prentice (4-T, Washington)

Treasurer
Deacon William Mobley (4-T, Dallas)

Chairmen
Prayer and Worship Committee:
Michael Villavicencio (3-T, Santa Fe),
Community Life Committee:
Joseph McHenry (4-T, Washington)
Social Justice Committee:
Patrick Sweeney (3-B, Albany)
Hispanic Affairs Committee:
Br. Johnni Do Bonfim Silva, C.O. (3-T, Rock Hill Oratory)

  • Class Representatives
    4th Theology: Dcn David Birkdale (New York)
    3rd Theology: Isaac McCracken (Ft. Worth)
  • 2nd Theology: Stephen Parker (St. Augustine)
  • 1st Pre-Theology and Theology: Cuong Le (Louisville)
  • Basselin College: Samel Ray (Little Rock)

Learn more about the committees

Select a committee below to expand the section.

Community Life Committee

The Community Life Committee is composed of seminarians interested in creating and fostering fraternity and fellowship through recreational activities to improve the quality of student life. This committee is usually the largest subset of the Student Government Association and as such is responsible for a wide variety of events throughout the academic year including the Fall and Spring house parties, the Super Bowl party, the Iron Seminarian Tournament, and Friday Night Movie Night. Community Life is also responsible for coordinating intramural sports activities and the Vianney Cup Soccer Tournament competition with three other mid-Atlantic seminaries.

Working closely with the formation faculty, Community Life supports the human formation program to help seminarians gain a holistic and communal understanding of the priesthood. Community Life is committed to implementing activities which allow seminarians to cultivate social and interpersonal skills as they constructively enjoy leisure time and grow in appreciation of their interests, talents, and gifts to be shared.

Prayer and Worship Committee

The Prayer and Worship Committee “aids the Student Government and the student community as a whole in the spiritual formation of Theological College as a Christian community in the Roman Catholic tradition” (House Governance Manual, 6).  Throughout the year, the Committee promotes and oversees various events both at Theological College and The Catholic University of America such as Thursday Holy Hour at Caldwell Hall, Eucharistic Adoration for the March for Life event, Tenebrae, and the annual ecumenical “Prayer for Christian Unity” service.  The Committee also organizes fraternal groups to help deepen the spiritual and intellectual lives of TC seminarians. Our seminarians are invited to take part in Jesu Caritas and ongoing spiritual reading and discussion groups. Other initiatives include the hosting of guest speakers on topics relevant to the healthy formation of priests and pilgrimages in the Washington, D.C., and Maryland areas.  

Social Justice Committee

The mission of the Social Justice Committee is “to promote an awareness of the Church’s social justice principles as well as its structures for achieving those principles on a communal and individual level, and to provide opportunities for applying this knowledge.” The Committee “focuses on the seven key themes of Catholic social teaching as identified by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: Life and Dignity of the Human Person; Call to Family, Community, and Participation; Rights and Responsibilities; Option for the Poor and Vulnerable; the Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers; Solidarity; and the Care for God’s Creation” (Theological College Social Justice Committee, Mission Statement and Scope). The focus, planning and action of the Committee are guided by the Church Universal, the USCCB, the Sulpician Committee on Social Justice, and the Archdiocese of Washington.

The Sulpician guidelines for the  academic year are as follows: “It is important to remember the breadth of the Church’s social teaching.  The consistent ethic of life and preferential option for the poor are important considerations as people engage in the political process.  It is contact with the poor and vulnerable that shapes attitudes and forms the conviction that these considerations are essential for making ethical decisions in the public realm on matters that affect life at the micro and macro levels.”

The Social Justice Committee seeks to educate the seminary community on faithful citizenship and human rights and dignity concerns; to facilitate community advocacy in response to policy initiatives that directly impact the poor and the most vulnerable; and to collaborate with area non-profit and educational organizations and neighboring parishes to work for justice in the local DC community. ​

Hispanic Affairs Committee

“Christ gives us the method: ‘Come and see’ (Jn 1:26), ‘Follow me’ (Mt 9:9), ‘Remain in me’ (Jn 15:4), and ‘Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations’ (Mt 28:19).  The method includes encounter, accompany, community, and send.”

(From Living as Missionary Disciples by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops)

Theological College is committed to forming seminarians prepared to meet the needs of the increasingly diverse cultural environment of the USA, with particular attention given to ministering to the Hispanic population, which comprises more than 35 percent of the Catholic Church in America.

The Hispanic Affairs Committee, part of the Student Government Association, organizes Mass and evening prayer in Spanish, Spanish film nights, Hispanic food and fellowship gatherings, and tutoring for those who wish to improve their language skills.