November 4, 2009

Seminary housing project moving forward

By John Gleason

Construction of a new residence building for seminarians continues on schedule at the John Paul II Center.  The 16,500-square-foot building, which is called Spirituality Year House, is to be completed next spring.

The new facility will have 25 individual rooms and two priest rooms, a chapel with sacristy, living and dining rooms, kitchen and classrooms, laundry facilities and courtyard for reflection. 

The two-story structure was designed by Larson Incitti Architects, whose past designs for the archdiocese have included the parish center addition to the Shrine of St. Anne Church in Arvada, renovations at the John Paul II Center and a church addition to St. Thomas More Parish in Centennial.  Construction of the facility is being handled by Horizon West Builders.

The Spirituality Year is the first of a seven-year formation program that men studying for the priesthood go through at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary, which is located at the John Paul II Center, 1300 S. Steele St. in Denver. The campus is also home to Redemptoris Mater Archdiocesan Missionary Seminary and the administrative offices of the Denver Archdiocese.

Following the Spirituality Year, men at St. John Vianney continue their priesthood formation with two years of philosophy followed by four of theology.  During the Spirituality Year, formators seek to eliminate as many distractions as possible to aid them men in discerning God’s call.  Spirituality House will allow the space and time for contemplation and discernment. 

Deacon John Neal, vice president of finance and operations for St. John Vianney Theology Seminary, told the Denver Catholic Register that several people saw the need for the facility and responded to it with donations, which allowed the $4.3 million project to move forward. 

“The idea is to get these men separated so they can reflect deeply and spiritually inside themselves about whether or not the priesthood is the place for them,” he said.  “In the past they’ve been grouped together with the rest of the community, which makes it hard to separate yourself from things like newspapers and discussion about outside events.  What this structure will do is allow them to spend time focusing inward on what God is calling them to.”

Most of the exterior brickwork has been finished and builders are now working on the interior.  Target date for completion of Spirituality House is March 15, 2010.

Seminaries Appeal

  On the weekend of Nov. 7-8 seminarians of the Denver Archdiocese’s St. John Vianney Theological Seminary and Redemptoris Mater Archdiocesan Missionary Seminary will be visiting parishes asking for financial support for the two seminaries. Please be generous.