The new academic year began at St. Philip Neri International Seminary at the start of September with a spiritual retreat on the theme of the Most Blessed Sacrament as a sign of God's love preached by His Excellency, the Most Reverend Athanasius Schneider, auxiliary bishop in Astana, Kazakhstan. This week of prayer and reflection for the returning seminarians prepare them for the intense year of prayer, study and work as they develop priestly knowledge, along with fraternal charity and other important virtues. His Excellency also offered Pontifical Mass daily in the seminary chapel of the Immaculate Conception, exhorting the seminarians grow in their love and appreciation of the holy Liturgy so that they can teach and form the minds and hearts of the faithful in their future apostolates.

For the 18 men who are entering the seminary, the Institute’s Prior General, Monsignor Gilles Wach, preached their opening retreat at the House of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus in the rural region of Switzerland between the city of Basel and the French border. This large house is the home of the Sisters Adorers, who graciously offered the hospitality of its guest wing for these important days of spiritual introduction to priestly formation for the 18 new seminarians. They come from a variety of countries including the United States, Portugal, Slovenia, Poland, Brazil, France, and Spain. Upon concluding the retreat, the first year seminarians traveled back to Gricigliano to join their older confreres in seminary life.

In your charity, please remember these 84 men in your prayers each day. May the Blessed Virgin Mary guide their steps during these years of formation for the priesthood!