Notre Dame Seminary expanding its enrollment

    Father James Wehner, one year into his assignment as rector-president of Notre Dame Seminary, understands that quality is much more important than quantity when it comes to evaluating the effectiveness of a seminary formation program.
    But when you have both, that’s even better.
    When Father Wehner assumed his new ministry as head of Notre Dame Seminary last July, the seminary had an enrollment of 88 seminarians.
    When he greets the 2013-14 student body later this month for the seminary’s 90th year, he will have responsibility for the formation of 99 men studying for the priesthood for 16 dioceses and religious congregations across the country.
    “There is an increase,” Father Wehner said. “Clearly, it’s never about the numbers; it’s always about quality. Nevertheless, the increase speaks to the fact that not only are there more young men open to the vocation of priestly ministry but also that there is confidence among bishops of dioceses to send their seminarians to us.”
    Father Wehner said many positive developments – including a multimillion-dollar renovation of Shaw Hall, the main seminary building, financed by Gayle and Tom Benson – are fueling the optimistic outlook for the seminary. The seminary faculty assembled by Archbishop Gregory Aymond, he said, is “top notch” and can hold its own among seminary faculties across the country.
    “I was so pleased to inherit such a first-rate faculty,” Father Wehner said.
New vice rector appointed
    Newly appointed as vice rector and director of human formation is Father Deogratias Ekisa, a priest of the Diocese of Tororo, Uganda, who graduated from Notre Dame Seminary with a degree in dogmatic theology. He will continue to teach sacramental theology.
    “Father Deogratias has the opportunity to be very hands-on in implementing our formation handbook and the rule of life (for seminarians),” Father Wehner said. “That will give very clear direction to individual seminarians about how they should be going about the daily practice of the  discipline required of priestly formation. We hope this will strengthen the human formation component of our priestly formation.”
    Other new faculty appointments include:
    ➤ Father Minh C. Phan, the former academic dean, who has become the new director of the pre-theology program, with oversight of the men who come to the seminary with college degrees but need some initial priestly formation. “That will be a tremendous support to me,” Father Wehner said.
    ➤ Dr. Thomas J. Neal, who will assume the role of academic dean and director of intellectual formation. “His background is in spirituality, and he will be able to link the intellectual formation with pastoral formation through the spiritual pillar,” Father Wehner said.
    ➤ Father Nile C. Gross, who will serve as the director of sacred liturgy. Father Gross recently returned from Rome where he received a licentiate in liturgy. He also will teach liturgical theology.
    ➤ Dominican Father Philip Powell, who is the new director of homiletics. “He has a Ph.D. in literature and a licentiate in philosophy, and he wants to design the homiletics course in a way where the men preaching reflect the needs of culture, not just indicating the negative but the positive ways in which the lay faithful are living their faith in the culture of America,” Father Wehner said.
    Other members of the seminary administration are Dr. James M. Jacobs, assistant academic dean; Father Joseph S. Palermo, director of spiritual formation and spiritual director; Father Joseph M. Krafft, director of pastoral formation and field education; Father Michael J. Flynn, director of music;  Dr. Christopher Baglow, director of the master of arts program; Dr. Rebecca S. Maloney, director of institutional effectiveness; and Susan C. Veters, director of the new Co-Workers Leadership Institute.
Received warm welcome
    Father Wehner said the seminarians themselves also have displayed an “enthusiasm and loyalty” that made the Pittsburgh native feel right at home after coming to New Orleans following his three-year tenure as the rector of the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio. He also received a warm welcome from priests of the Archdiocese of New Orleans.
    Father Wehner arrived in the final stages of major renovations to Shaw Hall.
    “We are very grateful for the outstanding generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Benson,” Father Wehner said. “The seminary was practically transformed overnight from a situation that required great attention to an outstanding facility to welcome and prepare our seminarians.”
    Ninety bedrooms for seminarians and priest-faculty members were completely refurbished during the project, and the entire building was sealed to allow for a state-of-the-art heating and air conditioning system. The renovation also included new commercial kitchen equipment and a refurbished dining room.
Seminaries’ campaign
    Additional painting and other work is ongoing. The Bensons also are chairing a joint fund-raising campaign targeted for upgrades at St. Joseph Seminary and Notre Dame, including a remake of St. Joseph Hall, the building situated on the left side of the campus. There also are additional mechanical upgrades planned.
    In addition to preparing men for the priesthood, Notre Dame offers a master of arts program for religious and laypersons. About 60 students are enrolled in that program, Father Wehner said. Also new to the seminary is the Co-Workers Leadership Institute, a two-year program designed to offer training to religious or laypersons who are “being prepared to take on significant leadership positions at the parish or diocesan level,” Father Wehner said. It has both theological and leadership components.    One of Father Wehner’s goals is to spread the word to more vocation directors and bishops around the country to show them “the outstanding formation program.” He will host a summit of current vocation directors during which they can get to know each other better and see firsthand the advancements being made at Notre Dame Seminary.
    “We also want to know what their needs are,” Father Wehner said.
    As for priestly formation, Father Wehner said there is renewed emphasis on the “missionary priest,” but that title does not mean sending priests to foreign countries to do their ministry.
    “Pope Francis and Pope Benedict have reminded us of the secular humanism that is really becoming the primary challenge for the Western culture,” Father Wehner said. “The priest of the 21st century has to know how to go deep into the waters of his own culture, considering the brokenness around us.
    “Notre Dame Seminary is forming missionary priests for the new evangelization within the local culture of the United States. We’re providing valuable training for and understanding of what it means to penetrate the secular culture of America and bring the Gospel to people wherever they are found – in prison, a drug house or a nursing home or if they’re in a broken marriage. A priest needs to be able to leave the sacristy and the rectory and know how to respond to those ever-changing situations. The language and the theology of the new evangelization is being integrated into all courses.”
    Father Wehner said he sees a great “continuity” between Pope Benedict and Pope Francis in promoting the new evangelization, and Pope Francis has given many practical examples recently of how that evangelization is to take place. He has stressed the priest becoming a true shepherd by leaving the rectory to be with his people.
    “He’s been very bold in giving us a description of how priestly ministry is to be lived out,” Father Wehner said. “The priest is really the spiritual father to the people, so much so that their concerns become the concerns of the priest. He is not aloof or remote. I use the word sacristy priest or rectory priest as an example. Our ministry brings us to the heart of the people, right in the midst of their concerns.”
    Peter Finney Jr. can be reached at [email protected].