In the following interview, Archbishop Charles Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., talks about one of the archdiocese's two seminaries, Redemptoris Mater Archdiocesan Missionary Seminary, which will celebrate its first priestly ordinations June 7.

Q: The Archdiocese of Denver actually has two seminaries. The archdiocesan missionary seminary `Redemptoris Mater' is one of them. Could you talk about that a bit?

A: Redemptoris Mater is Latin for "Mother of the Redeemer." It's a special kind of diocesan seminary, one that's missionary by nature. It trains seminarians to be diocesan priests for the Church in Northern Colorado, just like any other diocesan priests. But they'll also be ready to go anywhere in Colorado, in the United States or in the world to help other local Churches, according to where I send them.

This idea goes back to the very beginning of the Church when every diocese had a missionary focus. The Diocese of Alexandria evangelized Sudan and Ethiopia. The Diocese of Antioch evangelized Persia, Constantinople, Russia, Rome and all of Western Europe.

Q: How and when was `Redemptoris Mater' created?

A: The first Redemptoris Mater seminary began in Rome in 1987-1988. Pope John Paul II supported Kiko Argüello and Carmen Hernández, the founders of the Neocatechumenal Way, in opening a diocesan missionary seminary geared especially toward the new evangelization. Other bishops, after visiting the seminary in Rome, thought it would be good for their dioceses. In Denver, Archbishop Stafford began to think about this possibility after World Youth Day 1993, and in 1995 decided to open a Redemptoris Mater seminary here locally. The first seminarians began to arrive in March 1996. The official decree was signed on March 25, 1996, for an experimental period. I signed the final approval on Dec. 11, 1998.

Q: Where do the students come from?

A: From Neocatechumenal communities. Since the Way is spread all over the world, the seminary is naturally international. When someone in a Neocatechumenal community feels a call from God, he's invited to join a vocational group in his city. After awhile, he may choose to go to a diocesan or religious seminary, or he may show an interest in joining a Redemptoris Mater seminary. In this case, when the director of that vocational group considers it right, the candidate is invited to attend an international gathering of candidates led by the founders of the Way. From there the candidates are sent to many different destinations. About 50 Redemptoris Mater seminaries now exist around the world.

Q: How many different nationalities are studying today in the Denver Redemptoris Mater?

A: We have seminarians from Denver but also students from nine different nationalities and three continents — Europe, North America and South America.

Q: How do they get along?

A: They're very happy, and it shows. I think the men share a genuine spirit of communion. Of course, when they first arrive, they always need a period when they study English and come to know this country and its culture. After a few months, though, they usually have the skills they need to begin their philosophical or theological studies. Q: Where do they study?

A: They share their academic formation with seminarians at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary, which is Denver's other archdiocesan seminary. Redemptoris Mater focuses more ad extra, toward the international Church. St. John Vianney focuses more ad intra, toward the diocese. But the academic formation is the same for both environments.

Q: What's different about their spirituality?

A: Redemptoris Mater seminarians all belong to communities where they rediscover their baptism through the Neocatechumenal Way, a path of Catholic formation that was recently approved by the Holy See. The Neocatechumenal Way will be one of the main instruments they use in their missionary work.

Since Redemptoris Mater is missionary by nature, the seminarians go for at least two years of itinerant evangelization, living in poverty and learning to lean daily on the providence of God. The seminarians are not allowed any money, and they always go two by two, as Jesus sent his disciples two by two to announce the kingdom, without any security.

Q: What exactly is the Neocatechumenal Way?

A: It's an itinerary of faith, or catechumenate. In the early days of the Church if someone wanted to be baptized he or she had to go through a catechumenate in order to renounce the "old man" and put on the new nature of Jesus Christ. Today some people who were baptized when they were children don't receive any other Christian formation after their last CCD classes. The Neocatechumenal Way fills in this gap. It provides Christian education and fosters the growth in faith of baptized adults or young adults. It can also be used for the Christian initiation of non-baptized people.

Q: How many priests have been ordained from Redemptoris Mater?

A: On June 7 this year, we'll have the first two priestly ordinations, and they'll be willing to go anywhere for missionary work, either within this archdiocese or elsewhere in the world. This new figure of the diocesan missionary priest is a fruit of the Second Vatican Council, and Redemptoris Mater is already renewing our missionary character. That's essential for any local Church. A Church that is not fully missionary is already in decline. For this reason we're very blessed to have this seminary in our archdiocese.

Q: Who decides their future assignments?

A: The archbishop of Denver. I can respond to direct requests of other bishops, or send them to be itinerant missionaries. This ministry is very important for the local Church since it's a way of evangelization and helps to foster new vocations.

Q: Are they already doing any pastoral work in our archdiocese?

A: Quite a lot. Part of their missionary formation is to help parishes during their summer assignments. It helps them to be open to different pastoral approaches and to work in parishes with different social realities.

Many of the Redemptoris Mater seminarians already speak Spanish, and they help in Spanish-language CCD classes during the weekends. They also actively participate in the liturgical life of the diocese, and all of this embeds them more deeply and fruitfully in the life of our Church in Northern Colorado.