Archbishop's web site Denver Catholic Register Parishes Catholic Pastoral Center
May 22, 2002
Archdiocesan seminarians reflect on seminary life at halfway mark
Recent grads from college seminary to enter St. John Vianney this fall
By Alwen Bledsoe
Two seminarians for the Archdiocese of Denver graduated from Immaculate Heart of Mary College Seminary in Winona, Minn., May 11. Tony St. Louis and Chris Haywood will continue with seminary studies this fall when they enter the Spirituality Year at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver. The two spoke with the Register last week about their vocational call, their last four years and the future.
Tony St. Louis
Tony St. Louis, 22, has already spent four years in seminary, and soon he will embark on another five to become a priest for the Archdiocese of Denver. But nine years of schooling is more than worth it to the recent graduate from Immaculate Heart of Mary College Seminary in Winona, Minn.
"It really doesn't seem like that big of a sacrifice to go through nine years of school or training," St. Louis said. "I wouldn't want it to be any shorter than that."
St. Louis graduated May 11 from the college seminary where he earned his bachelor's degree in philosophy and participated in a spiritual formation program, with other priesthood-hopefuls. He'll enter St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in the fall.
Though he was interested in studying at the seminary while he was still at Pomona High School in Arvada, he's glad he attended Immaculate Heart of Mary, or IHM, first.
"I gained so much," he said. "I gained a greater understanding of who I am. I gained a greater love for Christ and for the Church. I feel like I have been affirmed in my vocation. I feel like I've really gained a deeper understanding of what it means to be pursuing a vocation to the priesthood. And after four years, I feel called much more strongly than I did right out of high school."
St. Louis said he first felt called to the priesthood at the end of his junior year in high school. It was the influence and example of two priests that urged him forward — Father Ken Leone, V.F., and Father Bob Kinkel, both at Spirit of Christ, Arvada, when St. Louis attended the church in high school.
Archbishop Charles Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., encouraged St. Louis to pursue studies at IHM before entering his spirituality year, a year of spiritual formation, at St. John Vianney, St. Louis said. Now with a liberal arts education and the necessary background in philosophy to his name, St. Louis looks forward to a deepening of the journey he began four years ago.
"The big focus of the year is really on spiritual growth," he explained.
"Your whole day is really structured around prayer," he said. "They try to remove you from the world and from distractions so you can really dedicate your time to prayer and discernment."
The last four years went by faster than he ever expected and St. Louis said he expects more of the same joys and challenges in his next five. He looks forward to next year with obvious excitement.
"I just hope I will gain a greater love for Christ and for the Church and a greater sense of being called to the priesthood," he said. "I hope to gain a greater openness to God's will in my life."
Chris Haywood
For Chris Haywood the call to the priesthood began with only a vague desire to do God's will, but after four years at Immaculate Heart of Mary College Seminary in Winona, Minn., his vocation has solidified and he'll enter St. John Vianney Theological Seminary this fall. And Archbishop Charles Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., is largely to thank for this vocation in the making.
Haywood graduated May 11 from the college seminary where he was sent by the archbishop to complete his undergraduate work and earn a degree in philosophy before entering St. John Vianney, he said.
"Archbishop Chaput made himself very available to the seminarians," Haywood said.
He met the archbishop when he was 16 and involved with a group called Insight, led by Father Michael Glenn, for those interested in the priesthood. One night's topic, "the life of a bishop," took the group into the archbishop's home.
"He told us, `If you need help with discernment or have any questions, give me a call,'" Haywood remembered.
It was through conversations with the archbishop that Haywood learned he could easily decide to join an order even if he pursued the diocesan priesthood. He decided to enter Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Father John Hilton, pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul in Wheat Ridge when Haywood was a highschooler there, was also a tremendous role model, Haywood added.
"He's been very supportive and a real inspiration for me," he said.
This fall Haywood will enter his spirituality year at St. John Vianney to focus on prayer and discernment. Service, several silent retreats ranging from three to 30 days, and days structured around prayer help to foster first year students' faiths and discernment.
"I think it will be really challenging for me," he said, noting that spirituality year students are removed from CD's, radio, movies and other distractions for the year.
"But I think it will be a real opportunity for spiritual growth, to develop my prayer life and to really enter into discernment more deeply."
Though Haywood has already had four years in seminary, the next five don't worry him.
"It seems like a lot — nine years total — but it really goes by fast," he explained. "It's hard to believe I've been in seminary four years already. Sometimes I wonder if it's enough. Sometimes I wonder if I'll be ready after nine years."
But he already sees the years at IHM as great preparation for the final leg of this journey that he expects to end in the priesthood.
"I really feel that I have grown tremendously," Haywood said.
Contact Us
