nac magazine: summer 2012

M A G A Z I N E

Su m m e r 2 0 1 2

CleriCus Cup

Champions!

EDITORIAL STAFF

EditorRev. Mr. Charles Samson ‘13Archdiocese of Saint Louis

Layout and Design ManagerJohn Mitchell ‘13

Archdiocese of Milwaukee

Assistant Layout and Design Managers

Kyle Digmann ‘14Diocese of Dubuque

&Christopher Kerzich ‘14Archdiocese of Chicago

Assistant EditorsJustin Blanc ‘14

Diocese of Wheeling- Charleston

&Sheldon Momaney ‘14Diocese of Burlington

PhotographersBrian Buettner ‘13

Archdiocese of Oklahoma City

&Christopher Brashears ‘14

Archdiocese of Oklahoma City

&Michael Conway ‘14

Diocese of Pittsburgh

The Pontifical North American College M A G A Z I N E Summer 2 0 1 2

C o n t e n t srector’S corner Rev. Msgr. James Checchio 3

FeaSt oF corpuS chriSti Richard Miserendino ‘15 4

early Diaconate orDinationS Rev. Mr. Thomas McNally ‘13 6

Farewell Banquet Matthew Niggemeyer ‘15 8

caSa cloSing Banquet Rev. Mr. Charles Samson ‘13 10

apoStolate FocuS: BamBino geSù Christian Irdi ‘14 11

rector’S Dinner John Gibson ‘14 12

liFe at the college 14

clericuS cup 2012 championS Mark Murphy ‘14 16

pallium maSS Michael Rubeling ‘15 18

claSS Fraternity weekenDS Kyle Sahd ‘14 20

oFFice For u.S. ViSitorS to the Vatican Patrick Broussard ‘14 21

economo’S corner Rev. Msgr. Michael Farmer 23

Save the Date: 2012 Umiltà Awards Back Cover

“Lo scudetto,” the Clericus Cup championship trophy, finally rests in the hands of the Pontifical North American College.

Brian Buettner ‘13 (Oklahoma City)

FRONT COVERAfter a dominating performance in

the Championship Match, the North American Martyrs pose with chaplain Rev. Gerald Vincke and Rector Rev. Msgr. James F. Checchio ‘92, C‘97.Photo Credit: Christopher Brashears ‘14

(Oklahoma City)

11Apostolate:

Bambino Gesù

12Rector’s Dinner

The Pontifical North American College M A G A Z I N E Summer 2 0 1 2

I n s I d e

20Fraternity Weekends

Early Ordinations

6


Christopher Brashears ‘14 (Oklahoma City)


Michael Conway‘14 (Pittsburgh)

21Visitors Office

Anthony Getting

BoarD oF goVernorSoF the pontiFical north american college

chairman

Most Rev. John J. Myers ‘67Archbishop of Newark

Vice chairman

Most Rev. John C. Nienstedt ‘73, C‘84Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis

treaSurer

Most Rev. Frank J. Dewane ‘88, C‘89Bishop of Venice

Secretary

Most Rev. Patrick J. Zurek ‘75Bishop of Amarillo

Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl ‘67 Archbishop of Washington

Most Rev. Frank Caggiano C‘96 Auxiliary Bishop of Brooklyn

Most Rev. Salvatore Cordileone ‘82, C‘89 Archbishop-designate of San Francisco

Most Rev. Thomas G. Doran ‘62, C‘78 Bishop Emeritus of Rockford

Most Rev. Walter J. Edyvean ‘65, C‘71 Auxiliary Bishop of Boston

Most Rev. Bernard A. Hebda ‘89 Bishop of Gaylord

Most Rev. John M. Kudrick Bishop of the Eparchy of Parma

Most Rev. Richard E. Pates ‘69 Bishop of Des Moines

Most Rev. Glen J. Provost ‘75 Bishop of Lake Charles

Most Rev. Michael J. Sheehan ‘65, C‘71 Archbishop of Santa Fe

Most Rev. John Vlazny ‘62 Archbishop of Portland

An insignia on the walls of the Casa Santa Maria commemorating the original Thirteen Colonies.

rector

Rev. Msgr. James F. Checchio ‘92, C‘97

Vice rector For aDminiStration

Rev. Msgr. Michael Farmer ‘95

Vice rector oF Seminary liFe

Rev. Timothy McKeown ‘97

Superior, caSa Santa maria

Rev. Msgr. Francis Kelly ‘64, C‘02

Michael Conway ‘14 (Pittsburgh)

Summer 2 0 1 2 3

Each year, the Church is renewed by the Holy Spirit as new priests are ordained for Her service. This summer, we rejoice in the ordination of forty-four new priests from this College. We are truly grateful for the ways in

which you have supported the formation of these new priests through your prayers and generous financial support. It is always a highlight of my year to attend some of these ordination liturgies each summer. At every ordination, we priests welcome the opportunity to reflect anew on the commitment each of us has made to be good shepherds as we strive to be worthy ministers of the Church’s altars, and ardent but gentle servants of the Gospel. Certainly, this renewal in priestly commitment leads to an even greater outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Church. History has shown that a most effective way to renewal in the Church is through the renewal of Her sacred ministers who serve as spiritual fathers to the flock entrusted to their care. We pray that this year’s renewal be abundant, and that it produce an increased vigor to preach the Gospel message with priestly love on behalf of all our priests. Please join us in prayer for our forty-four new priests, and also for all priests who serve our Church.

Also new this summer, the College has hired a new Director of Institutional Advancement. Mr. Mark Randall will move to Washington, D.C. and lead our development efforts so that we may continue to provide the best formation possible for our priests and seminarians for the service of our local Churches. Mark comes to the College with a deep love for the Church, the Eucharist and particularly Her priests. He has directed development efforts at a Catholic high school, at one of the most successful Newman Center’s in the country at the University of Illinois, and most of all as Vice President for Development at Wyoming Catholic College. We are grateful to him and his wife, Colleen, along with their three daughters, Maeve, Norah and Aileen, who will move to Washington, D.C. to head up our development efforts to con-tinue to ensure a strong future for our beloved College.

Enjoy this edition of the magazine as you learn more about life at the College. We are especially grateful to our many alumni, bishops, and other gracious friends of the Col-lege who so regularly and gener-ously assist us in meeting our in-creased needs. Thank you for your prayerful and sacrificial financial support, which ensure that we can continue to offer the unique priestly formation programs of the College. Please be assured of our prayers, and know that we count on yours.

RECTOR’S CORNERRev. Msgr. James Checchio ‘92, C‘97Diocese of CamdenRector

The Class of 2012 upon their graduation from the Pontifical North American College, with Rev. Msgr. James F. Checchio ‘92, C‘97, Rector, and Vice Rectors Rev. Msgr. Michael Farmer ‘95 and

Rev. Timothy McKeown ‘97.


4 The Pontifical North American College M A G A Z I N E4 The Pontifical North American College M A G A Z I N E

Each year, the Feast of Corpus Christi provides the Church with a solemn occasion to draw closer

to the Lord through Eucharistic devotion. It is an op-portunity to reflect upon the sacramental mystery that has nourished Her across the ages, and keeps Her ever ancient, ever new. This past June, in the midst of the stress and cramming of exam time, a busload of seminar-ians from the Pontifical North American College took a break from their academic pursuits to rest with the Lord and enjoy an opportunity for reflection in the ancient Italian cities of Orvieto and Bolsena.

There may be no more appropriate location in the world to celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi than in these two towns. Both are steeped in the rich and miraculous Eu-charistic history of the Church. Bolsena is the legendary locale in which a priest, doubtful of the Eucharistic Pres-ence, had all doubt erased when he was confronted with a bleeding Host as he held it high over the altar. Like-wise, Orvieto possesses the corporal cloth that caught the blood of that same miracle, and also holds the honor of being the place where Thomas Aquinas penned his

famous hymn, Pange Lingua. Consequently, each city cele-brates Corpus Christi as one of its most exalted holidays.

Invited as guests by the apostolic administrator of the Dio-cese of Orvieto, those fortunate enough to attend helped serve in various liturgical capacities throughout the solem-nity. Most notably, this included participating in the Masses and the grand Eucharistic Processions held in each city.

Our day began in Orvieto. As we arrived in the city center, the day’s festivities commenced with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Vested in cassock and surplice, we processed into the great basilica where, under the vaulted and striped gothic can-

Corpus Christi:Guests of a Bishop at the Feast of a King

by Richard Miserendino ‘15, Diocese of Arlington

Banner bearers dressed in medieval regalia lead the Eucharistic procession through the streets of Orvieto.

Daniel Ulishney ‘13 (Greensburg)

The altar stone that was stained by a miraculously bleeding Host in Bolsena in the 13th century is still kept there today inside this stunning

processional reliquary.


opy, we joined the local ordinary and his prelate guests in of-fering God the greatest prayer of Christendom: the Eucharist.

Mass was immediately followed by the Eucharistic proces-sion through the city. Wave after wave of medieval drum-

mers, banner carriers, buglers, knights in full armor, and seminarians preceded the Blessed Sacrament, enthroned in a gilded monstrance that also contained the miraculous corpo-ral. We processed through the main highways and byways of the town, twisting along streets thronged with pilgrims both local and from distant lands. Finally, we arrived again at the basilica, where before the gleaming, vividly iconic backdrop of the façade, four of our seminarians carried the massive monstrance to the center and readied it for benediction. A trumpet voluntary sounded, and all present joined in the fa-mous hymn Pange Lingua, and received the blessing, bringing the morning’s celebrations to a close in a fashion fit for a King. A short lunch followed and we were off to Bolsena.

The celebrations in Bolsena took the same form as the earlier ones in Orvieto: a Mass followed by a procession through the town. Though slightly less monumental than the morning’s counterpart, the procession through Bolsena had a unique and particularly beautiful element. The towns-people had prepared the Way of the Lord by creating vast mosaics and tapestries of flower petals on the ground, such that each street seemed to blossom into vibrant paths re-sembling stained-glass windows. In procession, we carefully avoided stepping on these intricate works of art, for only the celebrant with the Blessed Sacrament was permitted to set foot on the floral trail. Once again, the procession ended with benediction at the local cathedral, after which point we returned to Rome. Our rising fatigue was no match for the thankful and joyful spirit pervading the bus having spent the day “in cammino” with Christ.

Summer 2 0 1 2 5

The Orvieto Cathedral has overlooked the city since the 14th century. This spring it once again welcomed pilgrims on the Feast of Corpus Christi.

Daniel Ulishney ‘13 (Greensburg) Matthew Morelli ‘13 (Greensburg) (front left) and Daniel Ulishney ‘13 (Greensburg) (far right) assist in carrying the Corporal of Bolsena,

a relic of the Eucharistic miracle of 1263.

Michael Pierz ‘13 (Springfield)

A number of Pontifical North American College seminarians join the Eucharistic procession through the streets of Orvieto.


6 The Pontifical North American College M A G A Z I N E

For the majority of the class of 2013, several months still remain before that momentous day on which the

promises of prayer, celibacy, and obedience are made and the presiding bishop’s hands are laid upon the heads of the candidates for ordination to the diaconate. For sev-eral seminarians in this class, however, the time has already come. Four of the men of the class of 2013 were ordained this spring back in the United States and Australia, and ten more will have been ordained over the course of the summer.

Deacons Damian Jellett, Christopher Seiler, Charles Samson, and I were all ordained during this Easter sea-son in our respective dioceses and archdioceses. I was the first of our class, being ordained by Bishop Paul Bradley on April 9th along with two other men for the Diocese of Kalamazoo, Michigan. I found my ordination to be not only a moment of incredible grace for me, which one would certainly expect, but also a uniquely graced experience for my friends and family. It provided a blessed opportunity for

me to reconnect with distant relatives and friends, some of whom I had not seen in years, and to be able to share the faith with them. Our Lord’s grace was really present in how receptive to the faith they were. It was very humbling and inspiring to see the Lord already at work in me proclaiming His Gospel just minutes after ordination.

Shortly after my ordination, Deacon Damian Jellett, a seminarian for the Diocese of Wagga Wagga in Austra-lia, was ordained in his home diocese by the Most Rev. Francis Carroll, Archbishop Emeritus of Canberra-Goulburn. Deacon Jellett was grateful to God for the gift of peace throughout his ordination, which permit-ted him to prepare for, and make, his promises with joy. He, too, was thankful for the chance to share his diaconal ministry with his family and friends, recount-ing how he brought Holy Communion to his ailing grandmother and to another homebound parishioner who had been praying for his vocation since he was a small boy.

A Shared Grace: Early Diaconate Ordinations

by Rev. Mr. Thomas McNally ‘13, Diocese of Kalamazoo

Having just been ordained, Deacons Christopher Seiler and Charles Samson of the Archdiocese of Saint Louis (middle) receive their first

assignments along with their classmates.

Jeff Geerling

Rev. Mr. Thomas McNally ‘13 (Kalamazoo) and the other ordinandi of the Diocese of Kalamazoo prostrate themselves before the altar at

the beginning of the ordination ceremony—a sign of laying down their entire lives for the Church.

Anthony Getting

Summer 2 0 1 2 7

Deacon Christopher Seiler and Deacon Charles Samson were two of six men ordained for the Archdiocese of Saint Louis on May 5th by Archbishop Robert Carlson. Deacon Seiler recounted being filled with joy to see so many people present at his ordination; old friends drove

many hours just to make it for the ceremonies, and even people he did not know came to share in his joy. Observ-ing the many graces God poured out on those who came to show their support, Chris truly came to see: “that it is God who is primarily at work in bringing to term the great gift and mystery of my priestly vocation.”

We have all seen how God has worked through our or-dinations not merely for us but also for those who are near to us and, indeed, for all of His people. We thank the Lord for the great blessing of our ordinations, rejoice with our brothers who will be ordained this summer, and prayerfully look forward to being able to share in the ordination of the rest of our classmates at the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter’s in October.

Newly ordained, Rev. Mr. Damian Jellett ‘13 (Wagga Wagga) stands outside Saint Michael’s Cathedral in Wagga Wagga with his ordain-ing bishop, the Most Rev. Francis Carroll, Archbishop Emeritus of

Canberra-Goulburn, his mother, Mary, and father, Paul.

Dominic Byrne | Together

Rev. Mr. Thomas McNally ‘13 (Kalamazoo) receives the Book of the Gospels from the Most Rev. Paul J. Bradley, Bishop of Kalamazoo,

during his ordination as a deacon.

Anthony Getting

By the laying on of hands and the invocation of the Holy Spirit, Most Rev. Robert J. Carlson, Archbishop of Saint Louis, ordains Rev. Mr.

Christopher Seiler ‘13 (Saint Louis) to the diaconate.

Jeff Geerling


One of the most beautiful aspects of life at the Pontifical North American College is the deep

fraternity that develops amongst brother seminarians and faculty members. There comes a time, however, at the end of a seminarian’s formation in which he must bid farewell to the place, priests, and faculty members who were such an integral part of his life for the past few years. Recently, the College held its Farewell Ban-quet in order to say ‘farewell’ to those priests and tran-sitional deacons who will leave the seminary’s walls and go forth to preach the Gospel in their respective dioceses and archdioceses. As Reverend Mr. Ryan Connors ‘12 (Providence) pointed out in an equally

rousing and moving speech, these are the men who will make Jesus Christ present to his people by baptiz-ing new Catholics, calling down the Lord’s Body and Blood on the altar during the sacrifice of the Mass, and being an instrument of the love and mercy of God at the side of the dying. The fact is that these are the men who will begin their work in the Lord’s vineyard to bring about a fruitful and abundant harvest in to-day’s Church.

Two faculty members were also bade farewell at the banquet, after giving five years of their priesthoods to the formation of future priests: Reverend Msgr.

The Fruits of Priestly Fraternity: Farewell Banquet

by Matthew Niggemeyer ‘15, Archdiocese of Omaha

Rev. Msgr. Joseph Hanefeldt ‘84, outgoing Director of Spiritual Formation, presents a spirituality conference for the College.


Summer 2 0 1 2 9

Joseph Hanefeldt ‘84, and Rev. Joseph Betschart ‘99. Both of these men changed the lives of the College’s seminarians, especially through their priestly example of what it means to lay down one’s life and heart as a total self-offering. Truly, the College is a much better place because of their life and witness over the past five years.

During the course of the banquet, it is customary for a series of reflections on the year to be offered by some of the faculty and members of the ordination class. Of the reflections offered, one phrase stood out as a veritable theme: the “adventure” of the priesthood.

This adventure, as was noted, is not undertaken alone. Rather, it is done in union with Christ and in commu-nion with brother priests and seminarians. May these men, having been an integral part of the community life of the College during their time in Rome, and now embarking on the great adventure that is the Catholic priesthood, know the daily consolation of their broth-ers’ prayers, and know that they will always remain in the hearts of all those with whom they shared the pre-cious gift of fraternity at the Pontifical North Ameri-can College.

Michael Pawlowicz ‘13 (Joliet) and Rev. Kurt Belsole, O.S.B., enjoy a laugh at the closing banquet in May.


Rev. Joseph Betschart ‘97, outgoing Academic Dean, pauses in the sacristy before leading the College in Eucharistic exposition

and benediction.


Matthew Baldwin ‘14 (Melbourne) takes a closer look at one of the chalices of this year’s ordination class during the closing banquet.



On June 2nd, 2012, the community of the Casa Santa Maria celebrated their Closing Mass and Banquet

upon the conclusion of another academic term. This year, twenty-two priests completed their licentiate and doctoral studies, and are now preparing to enter full-time ministry back in their home dioceses and archdioceses.

As principal celebrant for the Mass of the Vigil of Trin-ity Sunday, His Eminence Raymond Cardinal Leo Burke ‘75, C‘84, Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apos-tolic Signatura, offered the Mass in thanksgiving to God “for the studies which our brothers have completed in order to enrich their service in the person of Christ on behalf of the eternal salvation of the souls entrusted to their care.” His Eminence expressed his hope that they, “as true shepherds of the flock, will help the souls in their priestly care to understand the relationship of faith

and reason in their lives, and to live in accord with the truth to which that relationship unfailingly directs them.”

After Mass, the entire community lined the courtyard por-ticos for the Closing Banquet. Serving as Master of Cer-emonies, Reverend Dennis Yurochko ‘02 (Pittsburgh) welcomed one and all to the evening’s celebrations, and thanked Reverend Msgr. Francis Kelly ‘64, C‘92, for the leadership and priestly example that he has provided the house during his time as Superior of the Casa. Enjoying the mild spring Roman weather, classmates shared laughs and stories as they reminisced on their time together in Rome.

The whole College joins Cardinal Burke in his prayer for these priests that “they may return to their home dioceses with re-newed fidelity and engagement, in accord with the grace of their priestly consecration for the salvation of all men.”

In Gratitude for Sacred Study: Casa Santa Maria Closing Banquet

by Rev. Mr. Charles Samson ‘13, Archdiocese of Saint Louis

Rev. Daniel Champoli ‘09, C‘12, delivers a farewell toast in the court-yard of the Casa Santa Maria during the Closing Banquet.

Rev. Mr. Charles Samson ‘13 (Saint Louis)

Priests of the Casa Santa Maria celebrate the conclusion of another academic year and the completion of some of their classmates’ studies in Rome.

Rev. Mr. Charles Samson ‘13 (Saint Louis)

Summer 2 0 1 2 11

One of the many opportunities for apostolic work at the Pontifical North American College is at

Bambino Gesù (The Child Jesus) Pediatric Hospital. The hospital was founded in 1869 thanks to the generosity of the Salviati family, and in 1924 was donated to the Holy See, under whose auspices it now functions.

Currently, there are six seminarians from the College who regularly volunteer at the hospital, serving in collaboration with the chaplains who are stationed there. As the coordi-nator of this apostolate for the past twelve months, I have found it to be an extremely beautiful and fruitful part of my continuing formation as a future priest.

The apostolate presents us with many challenges, but at the same time even more opportunities for growth. Our work essentially consists in visiting the cardiology and nephrology wards, where we spend time with patients and their families, chatting and praying with them.

It is often very challenging to be in the presence of chil-dren who are suffering, especially when they are suffer-ing from very serious illnesses. Nevertheless, we do our best to bring the joy and the presence of Christ into each hospital room that we enter. We can only do this with the grace and strength that Christ gives us in order to overcome our natural human fears and reservations, so that we may be docile instruments in the hands of God.

It can be a great challenge to find the right words to say in the most difficult moments, especially because we conduct our visits in Italian. Yet, this itself is an oppor-tunity for humility on our part as we realize that, above all, ours is a ministry of presence—much like Mary at the foot of the Cross. This is one of the fundamental lessons that our work at Bambino Gesù teaches us; namely, that

it is not our human strengths on which we rely to pro-duce results in ministry, but rather God’s grace acting in and through us.

In this apostolate we, following in the footsteps of Mary, continually learn how to recognize and encounter Jesus who is present in a special way in the sick and suffering. Experiences such as these contribute very powerfully to the formation of a priestly heart.

Humble Service: Bambino Gesù Hospital Apostolate

by Christian Irdi ‘14, Archdiocese of Perth

The seminarians in the Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital apostolate gather outside with the hospital’s head chaplain, Rev. Luigi Zucharo.

From left, Mark Paver ‘15 (New York), Donato Infante ‘15 (Worcester), Christian Irdi ‘14 (Perth), Paul Buchanan ‘14 (Char-

lotte), Rev. Luigi Zucharo, Christopher DeLeon ‘14 (Baltimore), and Juan Luxama ‘14 (Brooklyn).



On the evening of April 19th, the Pontifical North American College hosted its largest-ever annual

Rector’s Dinner. The event provided seminarians the opportunity to give back to the many benefactors and friends of the College who give so much to the work of forming well future priests. Whether as waiter or host, or in one of many other capacities, the seminarians an-swered the call of Christ “not to be served, but to serve.”

The evening was full of great company, delicious food, and joy-filled entertainment. A particular highlight in-cluded an assembled choir, headed by Christopher Gray ‘13 (Salt Lake City) and accentuated by the singing of Joseph Ferrell ‘15 (Arlington). The evening also featured

a tap dance performance by David Rider ‘14 (New York), an encore from last year’s Rector’s Dinner.

Each year, the College bestows the Rector’s Award on an outstanding prelate and layperson(s) for their service to the Church and their support of the College. This year, the College was privileged to grant the award to His Eminence Donald Cardinal Wuerl ‘67, Archbishop of Washington, and to Mr. and Mrs. John and JoEllen Stollenwerk of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Cardinal Wuerl, originally a priest of the Diocese of Pitts-burgh, has a long history of supporting the College, to which he has sent many men to be formed as priests of Jesus Christ. In his acceptance speech, Cardinal Wuerl

In Grateful Service: Rector’s Dinner 2012

by John Gibson ‘14, Archdiocese of Milwaukee

Rev. Msgr. James F. Checchio ‘92, C‘97, Rector of the College (standing left) and the Most Rev. John J. Myers ‘67, Archbishop of Newark and Chairman of the Board of Governors, present the

2012 Rector’s Award to Mr. and Mrs. John and JoEllen Stollenwerk of Milwaukee in recognition of their commitment to supporting the

Church and the College.


Standing center, Rev. Msgr. James F. Checchio ‘92, C‘97, Rector of the College, joins His Eminence Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke ‘75,

C‘84, Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, and other distinguished friends of the College during the Rector’s Dinner.


Summer 2 0 1 2 13

reminisced about his time at the College, highlighting the “patience, example, and instruction…the guidance, forma-tion, and the friendship…the care and support of brother seminarians” as key factors in his own priestly formation.

Mr. and Mrs. John and JoEllen Stollenwerk also re-ceived the Rector’s Award for their incredible service to the Church in their leadership and support of Catholic

schools in the United States, especially in Milwaukee. Speaking of the great need for priests to continue to sup-port and promote Catholic education in their respective dioceses, Mr. Stollenwerk shared his great hope for the future of the Church and Her seminarians, who will be the priests of our century and, in the words of Cardi-nal Wuerl, “agents of the Holy Spirit who will renew the Church in our country.”

The Rector’s Dinner also provides an opportunity for the College’s seminarians to gather together for an eve-ning of Christian fraternity and charity. The members of the College community are already looking forward to the preparations for next year’s Dinner.

John Connaughton ‘13 (Bridgeport), foreground, and Michael Casey ‘13 (Hartford) head-up a line of seminarians assembled in the corridor outside of the O’Toole Refectory waiting to welcome guests and provide

hospitality during the dinner.


Directed by seminarian Christopher Gray ‘13 (Salt Lake City), a seminarian choral group provides after-dinner entertainment for the guests.


His Eminence Donald Cardinal Wuerl ‘67, Archbishop of Washington, addresses the guests before receiving the 2012 Rector’s Award.


Life at the CollegeAbove Left: Choir mem-bers from the University of Mary in the Diocese of Bi-smarck sing for the College at Mass on the 7th Sunday of Ordinary Time. Above Right: Sporting their game shirts, the Ultimate Frisbee team prepares for a game out on the Kardos Family Campo Sportivo. Left: Jeffrey Dole ‘14 (Dubuque) and Martin Rodriguez ‘13 (Indianapolis) are all smiles as they prepare for the College’s an-nual International Day feast. Right: A portrait of the late Most Rev. Pietro Sambi, former Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, was donated by the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immacu-late Conception in Washington, D.C. Present for its presentation to the College were (from left) Rev. Msgr. Walter Rossi, Rector of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception; His Eminence

Donald Cardinal Wuerl ‘67, Archbishop of Washington and Chairman of the Board of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception; the Most Rev. John Myers ‘67, Archbishop of Newark and Chairman of the Board of Governors; and Rev. Msgr. James Checchio, ‘92, C‘97, Rec-tor of the College. Below Left: Paul Solomon ‘15 (Joliet) zeroes in for a home run. Below Right: Freshly pressed napkins line the seminarians’ “pigeon holes” on Sundays, re-ady to be used for another week.








Above Left: Rev. Msgr. Thomas Powers, Adjunct Spiritual Director, prays alongside the seminarians during the College’s daily celebration of Evening Prayer. Above Right: Nicholas Fleming ‘15 (Providence) makes his trumpet sing during a perfor-mance by the student-band “Red Room Rejects” in April. Left: James Hansen ‘15 (Rockville Centre) stays dry while watching the action on the Kardos Family Campo Sportivo. Right: Joseph Laracy ‘13 (Ne-wark) becomes chef for the day along with

many other talented seminarians to make the annual International Day meal a suc-cess. Middle Left: The College’s Eagle Scouts gather with the Most. Rev. Robert Guglielmone, Bishop of Charleston and USCCB Episcopal Liaison for the National Catholic Committee on Scouting. Bottom Left: Rev. Kurt Belsole, O.S.B., Director of Liturgical Formation, incenses the altar with the assistance of Rev. Mr. Aaron Johanneck ‘12 (New Ulm) du-ring a celebration of Eve-ning Prayer with the bishops of Region XV. Bottom Right: Eric Campbell ‘14 (Pittsburgh) entertains du-

ring an evening of camaraderie in the Gregory and

Linda Jewell Student Lounge.







Summer 2 0 1 2 15



Pope Benedict XVI has said that sports are one of the means that contribute to a person’s harmoni-

ous development and to his moral perfection: “prac-ticed ethically and with passion, sports become a train-ing ground for learning and developing human and Christian values, as well as for practicing a healthy spirit of competition.” The Holy Father’s words may be ap-plied to the value of sports in human formation for the priesthood. Throughout the year, many seminarians of the Pontifical North American College participate in various sporting activities, one of the biggest of which being the Clericus Cup.

Founded in 2007, the Clericus Cup is an annual soccer tournament between seminaries and pontifical univer-sities in Rome. All of the players are either priests or seminarians in what is truly an international league; in the 2012 Clericus Cup, three hundred fifty-one players from seventy-one countries competed on sixteen differ-ent teams.

After second place finishes in 2009 and 2010, the North American Martyrs were looking this year to improve on a fourth place finish from last year. Led by team cap-tain Nicholas Nelson ‘13 (Duluth), the Martyrs won their four-team round robin group play, notably defeat-ing rival and three-time champion Redemptoris Mater. The Martyrs later had two convincing wins to advance to the finals of the tournament, earning a matchup with the team that last year both eliminated them and then advanced to win the 2011 Clericus Cup—the Pontifical Gregorian University.

Competing with the passion of which Pope Benedict spoke, the Martyrs came out big on game-day, and won the North American College’s first ever Clericus Cup championship with a 3-0 victory over the Gregorian Uni-versity squad. John Gibson ‘14 (Milwaukee), the Clericus Cup’s third-leading scorer, paced the Martyrs with two goals off of his head, while Scott Gratton ‘15 (Burling-ton), the Clericus Cup’s second-leading scorer, added the Martyrs’ third goal. Defensively, goalkeeper and newly-ordained Reverend Mr. David Santos ‘12 (Newark) pre-

Passion and Victory: Clericus Cup 2012 Champions

by Mark Murphy ‘14, Archdiocese of Dubuque

The Martyrs huddle together for a few last words of strategy and en-couragement before taking the field in the championship game.


Lewi Barakat ‘15 (Sydney) fights off a tackle as Mark Paver ‘15 (New York) looks on.


Summer 2 0 1 2 17

vented the Gregorian from scoring a goal, a strong feat considering that the Gregorian scored a total of nine goals in their previous two playoff matches.

The players were not the only ones who participated in the Martyrs’ championship run. The famous Booster Club faithfully and loudly cheered them on at every match. Many Martyrs fans attended the games dressed as such iconic American figures as Batman, Spiderman, Captain America and Wolverine. In addition to the intimidating sight of such “Super-fans,” the Martyrs’ Booster Club chanted and sang the team to victory both on and off of the field.

The players and fans of the North American Martyrs are now able to enjoy their first ever Clericus Cup champi-onship. Team Coach Daniel Gallagher ‘14 (Pittsburgh) reflected on his three years with the team: “Each year the team has developed and improved thanks to the contributions of many men now serving their dioceses as priests, which is ultimately what we are all about.” Not only has the team developed into champions but, through healthy competition, they have also developed human and Christian values that will serve them and the people of God they encounter in their future ministries as virtuous priests of Jesus Christ.

Team Captain Nicholas Nelson ‘13 (Duluth) and the team hoist “lo scudetto,” the Clericus Cup trophy, as the Martyrs celebrate with their Rector, Rev. Msgr. James Checchio ‘92, C‘97. They were joined (left) by the Most Rev. Giovanni

Angelo Becciu, Substitute of the Secretariat of State.


The Martyrs “Super-fans” have become a staple of the Clericus Cup tournament, cheering on their team and entertaining the local commu-

nity with their comical costumes.

Christopher Brashears ‘14 (Oklahoma City) From left, Lewi Barakat ‘15 (Sydney), Nicholas Nelson ‘13 (Du-luth), Scott Gratton ‘15 (Burlington), and John Gibson ‘13 (Milwau-kee) celebrate after the final whistle declared the Martyrs champions of

the 2012 Clericus Cup.

Centro Sportivo Italiano


On June 29th, the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, Pope Benedict XVI presented a Pallium to each

new Metropolitan bishop in the world. I was privileged to accompany my new archbishop, the Most Reverend William Lori, Archbishop of Baltimore, on his pilgrim-age to Rome to receive a Pallium from the Holy Father.

In the midst of the holy splendor of this special occa-sion, I tried to search for the meaning behind this cer-emony, this symbol, the Pallium. In his homily at the North American College, Archbishop Lori explained: “The Pallium…is a circular band of wool, worn around the neck by the Pope and by the archbishops who head the archdioceses throughout the world. The Pallium is emblazoned with four crosses; it symbolizes the com-munion of faith and love between the archbishops of the world and the Holy Father, and as it rests on the shoul-ders of an archbishop, it evokes his mandate to imitate

the Good Shepherd in seeking out the lost sheep and carrying that sheep, on his shoulders, back to the fold, and back to abundant life.”

In the days leading up to the Pallium Mass with the Holy Father, my understanding of what this liturgical item sig-nified would become increasingly richer. Of the various churches we visited during the archbishop’s pilgrimage, the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere seemed to ex-emplify the connection I saw, or rather experienced, be-tween the new archbishops receiving the Pallium and the Apostolic succession which has come down to us from the time of St. Peter.

Santa Maria in Trastevere is said to be one of the first churches in Rome, and before a church was on this spot, the location was mostly likely the site of the preaching of the Apostles Peter and Paul. In his homily given at Santa Maria in Trastevere, Archbishop Lori spoke about the special connection this eighteen-century-old church has with Baltimore and the United States. Santa Maria in

Connected to Peter: Reception of the Pallium 2012

by Michael Rubeling ‘13, Archdiocese of Baltimore

The Most Rev. William Edward Lori, Archbishop of Baltimore, gathers in the College’s central cortile with his seminarians

Joshua Laws ‘14, Michael Rubeling ‘15, Joseph Langan ‘14, and Christopher De Leon ‘14.

Ann M. Augherton | Arlington Catholic Herald

The Most Rev. Charles Chaput, Archbishop of Philadelphia, receives the pallium from His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.


Summer 2 0 1 2 19

Trastevere was the titular church of James Cardinal Gib-bons, the ninth Archbishop of Baltimore from 1887 to 1921. Archbishop Lori spoke about Cardinal Gibbons’ praise of religious freedom in the United States of Amer-ica, expressing a particular part of the United States’ character. After reflecting upon visiting this church dur-ing that Pallium week, I am amazed by the unbroken connection between the apostles, the various bishops through the centuries, Cardinal Gibbons, the American bishops—all the way up to Archbishop Lori—and the other archbishops given the Pallium this year.

The day after the new archbishops received their Pallia from Pope Benedict XVI, after all the grand celebrations and receptions, the pilgrims from Baltimore gathered

early in the morning for an intimate Mass of Thanks-giving with Archbishop Lori at the tomb of Saint Peter the Apostle. How appropriate that this new archbishop return to the Prince of the Apostles—the beginning of the great apostolic lineage. I feel so blessed to have ex-perienced that wonderful celebration with my new arch-bishop, and I think I now appreciate more fully Pope Benedict’s words to the new Metropolitan Bishops: “The Pallium that I have conferred on you will always remind you that you have been constituted in and for the great mystery of communion that is the Church, the spiritual edifice built upon Christ as the cornerstone, which while in its earthly and historical dimension is built on the rock of Peter.”

The bishops receiving their new pallia are seated around the tomb of Saint Peter during the Mass.


The Most Rev. Samuel Aquila, Archbishop of Denver, receives his pallium from His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.


Cross bearer Michael Rubeling ‘15 (Baltimore) leads the closing procession of Archbishop Lori’s Mass of Thanksgiving at the College,

with candle bearers Joshua Laws ‘14 (Baltimore) and Christopher De Leon ‘14 (Baltimore) close in tow.



In his 2010 letter to seminarians, Pope Benedict XVI wrote that seminary is a period of time in which men

in formation to the priesthood develop friendships in which they “learn with one another and from one an-other,” so that they can best contribute their God-given abilities to the Church. According to the Program for Priestly Formation, seminarians are challenged “to develop and foster bonds of fraternity and cooperation” so that that they can become shepherds of souls, leading all to Christ.

At the Pontifical North American College, fraternity is expressed by our participation in daily Mass and com-munal prayer, in discussions of our theology classes, in the conversations that we share at meal-time, and in the sports we play together on the Kardos Family Campo Sportivo. The College also organizes “fraternity week-ends” for the Second and Third Year men as a way for us to spend more time together outside of the seminary itself, and to develop life-long friendships with faithful men.

During the weekend of May 11th, the Third Year Semi-narians traveled to the beach at Anzio, Italy, as they have for a number of years, so that they could be together as a class before diaconate ordinations begin. While at An-zio, they took a short trip to nearby Nettuno, where they visited the tomb of Saint Maria Goretti and even enjoyed an Italian professional baseball game.

Seeing the fruits that have come from the Third Year Fraternity Weekend, the College also organized this year a Second Year Fraternity Weekend, March 16th-18th, as a way for us to gather as a class before making the trip

Building Priestly Bonds: Class Fraternity Weekends

by Kyle Sahd ‘14, Diocese of Harrisburg

Juan Luxama ‘14 (Brooklyn) and Daniel Westermann ‘14 ( Lansing) take a walk around the periphery of Spoleto in March.

Andrew Vill ‘14 (Bridgeport)

Nearly a millennium old, the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta in Spoleto was a welcoming place of prayer for the men of 2nd Theology

during their fraternity weekend in March.

Christopher Kerzich ‘14 (Chicago)

(continued on page 22)

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“I am coming to Rome, is there any way to see the pope?” Having completed two years of theology here at the Pontifical North American College, I have received many emails with this common request. The good news is that the answer to this question is “yes!” and not just for a select few. It is actually quite simple for anyone coming from the United States to receive tickets to see the Holy Father.

The Bishops’ Office for U.S. Visitors to the Vatican, housed in the Casa Santa Maria in the heart of Rome, is a joint-effort of the United States Conference of Bishops and the Pontifical North American College. The office is run by the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, Michi-gan, who also staff the College’s Infirmary. The College is particularly grateful for all of the services these Sisters provide, and especially for the joyful and prayerful spirit they bring to the entire community.

Pilgrims coming to Rome can obtain tickets to such pa-pal events as the Wednesday General Audience, and even

special events like papal liturgies, by contacting the U.S. Visitor’s Office. In addition to doing the work needed to obtain tickets for the guests that request them (more than 50,000 requests per year), the Sisters also give a brief orientation about what to expect at the papal event. Pick-ing up the tickets gives one the chance to visit the Casa Santa Maria, the College’s original location. While at the Casa, guests are offered a brief tour of the grounds, and the chance to make a visit to the chapel with one of the seminarians.

As part of my apostolic assignment, I was privileged to help the Sisters welcome pilgrims at the Casa Santa Ma-ria on Tuesday evenings. Working with them has been a great blessing for me and has truly helped me to grow in my journey towards the priesthood. The love with which they receive every visitor that walks through the door has been for me such a great witness of Christian char-

Bringing Pilgrims to Christ: Office for U.S. Visitors to the Vatican

by Patrick Broussard ‘14, Diocese of Lafayette

His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI waves to pilgrims as he makes his way across Saint Peter’s Square before a Wednesday General Audience.


Sister Mary Christa Nutt, RSM, smiles as she prepares tickets for papal events for a group of pilgrims from the United States.

Rev. Nile Gross (New Orleans)

Summer 2 0 1 2 21

(continued on page 22)


ity. One Sister acknowledged that “part of the gift of the apostolate is watching pilgrims become excited about praying with the Holy Father and having an experience of the Universal Church here in Rome.”

In their joy, these Sisters constantly remind me that we are not just handing out tickets to tourists passing through the Eternal City. Rather, we are trying to help transform ordinary vacations into pilgrimages. Through the generosity of the Casa priests, pilgrims can receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation in order to complete one of the necessary conditions for receiving the Ple-nary Indulgence attached to the Holy Father’s Apostolic Blessing.

If you ever plan to travel to Rome, make sure to contact the Sisters at the U.S. Visitors Office to request tickets to a papal event. Contact information—along with other helpful tips for planning your pilgrimage—can be found under the “Pilgrim Information” tab on the College’s website (www.pnac.org), or simply by emailing the Sis-ters at [email protected]. Have a great pilgrimage!

Patrick Broussard ‘13 (Lafayette), stands in the courtyard of the Casa Santa Maria, where the Visitors Office is located.

Sr. Mary Christiana, RSM

back to the United States—the first time in two years for many of us. We traveled to Spoleto, in the province of Umbria. While there, we had the opportunity to worship in two medieval churches, take a cultural and religious tour of the city, and catch up with our classmates while winding through the city’s narrow streets and crossing the Ponte delle Torri, or the Tower Bridge, Spoleto’s most famous landmark.

It was a blessing to have the ability to spend time during our Fraternity Weekend talking a bit more with my class-mates about the joys and challenges we experience in fol-lowing Christ and our call to the priesthood. Healthy and enduring priestly fraternity will sustain us in our future priestly ministry so that we can bring all people closer to Christ and His Church.

Mark Bentz ‘13 (Portland), Peter Heasley ‘13 (New York), Joseph Laracy ‘13 (Newark), and Eric Scanlan ‘13 (Venice) enjoy a mo-

ment together at dusk during their fraternity weekend in Anzio, Italy.



Late spring is always a busy time at the Pontifical North American College as we bid farewell to the student priests and fourth year men who are returning home to serve their local Church. Of course, everyone is also preparing for exams at the varied pontifical universities. By late June, most seminarians will have departed the College for summer assignments back in the United States, Canada, and Australia, while many others remain in Europe for language studies and for travel to Asia and Africa in order to experience the Universal Church in an array of beneficial apostolates. Though it is a quieter campus in the summer months, the staff of the College will be preparing the campus to welcome proximally 63 new men, and will engage in projects best carried out when the majority of the community is away.

The staff will paint around 60 student rooms, wax corridors, and ensure that the campus is ready for the New Men. They will also help outside companies engage in summer projects that ensure that our seminarians and student priests have a campus conducive to prayer, studies, and hospitality, as well as maintain the integrity of the building and the future needs of the College. Some of the capital improvements are part of the annual budget, while others are carried out through the generosity of friends and benefactors of the College.

Therefore in mid-July when over 50 New Men arrive at the College for a brief one-week stay at their new home before departing to other parts of Italy for intensive Italian language programs, they will find a campus that offers them the hallmark experience of the North American College. By late August, the College facilities will be ready to welcome all the New Men, as well as the “Old Men” who will be returning from their summer assignments and travels. In reality, although summer is a time for vacations and travel, the College, though not being filled with over 250 seminarians and a variety of activities of priestly formation, is busy doing things necessary for the priestly formation and discernment that take place in the other 10 months of the year.

As the Universal Church embarks upon the “New Evangelization,” what takes place here at the College during the summer is necessary to ensure that the young men who come here for discernment and formation have an atmo-sphere and facilities conducive for prayer and study, so that they can proclaim and live the Gospel of Jesus Christ to and in a world that forever needs to be renewed in the message of hope and love.

ECONOmO’S CORNERRev. Msgr. Michael Farmer ‘95Archdiocese of MobileVice-Rector for Administration

“There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

Summer 2 0 1 2 23

The Pontifical North American College3211 Fourth Street, NE

Washington, D.C. 20017-1194

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For more information about the North American College, or to learn about opportunities for memorial gifts, contact Mark Randall, CFRE, at our Washington, D.C., Office of Institutional Advancement:

Tel: (202) 541-5411 / Fax: (202) 722-8804 Email: [email protected] or visit our website at www.pnac.org

Join us on Friday, November 9th, 2012,for the 11th annual Umiltà Awards honoring:The Most Reverend Carlo Maria Viganò,

Apostolic Nuncio to the United States,and Mr. and Mrs. Bill and Sue Cicherski.

The Willard – Washington, D.C.

For information, call our Office of Institutional Advancement202-541-5411

Robert Blanken | Blanken Photography Studio

nac magazine: summer 2012

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