News

The National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors held its Annual Convention in Boston from Sept. 30 - Oct. 7. As a component of the convention, on Wednesday, Oct 5th, the Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary community hosted a trolley tour of Boston that ended with a traditional New England Clambake at our Weston, MA campus, generously underwritten by the Seminary Board of Trustees.

Recently at Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary, Rev. Michael A.J. Alfano, Director of Pastoral Formation, welcomed field education supervisors for a 2016-2017 “kick-off” luncheon and meeting.  Father Alfano works with seminarians on their areas of interest and places them in pastoral assignments where they will learn, as well as put into practice, ministerial skills outside the classroom.  These experiences will train the seminarians for the types of ministries they will encounter in parishes and communities in their dioceses.

On Friday, September 2nd, the Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary community celebrated the opening day of classes with a Mass of the Holy Spirit.  We were blessed to have Archbishop of Boston, Seán Cardinal O’Malley, OFM Cap. presiding.  During his homily, Cardinal Seán reflected on the well-known sacrifice of St. Maximilian Kolbe, a prisoner at the Auschwitz Nazi prison camp during World War II, when he stepped forward to take the place of another camp prisoner who was chosen for execution. 

Seminarian Michael Goodreau, Class of 2020 from the Diocese of Springfield, was one of several Pope St. John XXIII seminarians who attended World Youth Day in Kraków, Poland this summer.   Read Michael’s reflection on his experience.

His Eminence, Seán Cardinal O'Malley, OFM Cap., Archbishop of Boston, announced a change in leadership at Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary today.  The Very Rev. Brian Kiely, S.T.L., Episcopal Vicar for the West Region of the Archdiocese of Boston, was appointed Rector of Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary effective August 24th. As has been the case numerous times during the course of his priesthood, Father Kiely has generously accepted the call to a new assignment.  We pray for God’s blessings as he assumes these new responsibilities in forming and educating our future priests.