‘A tremendous sign of hope’: St. Joseph College Seminary welcomes new men
CHARLOTTE — St. Joseph College Seminary welcomed its latest class of seminarians earlier this week – bringing the total enrollment in the Diocese of Charlotte’s vocations program to a record number of 49 men in various stages of formation for the priesthood.
The newest men in the program were officially welcomed Aug. 7 during a Mass offered by the college seminary’s rector, Father Matthew Kauth, at St. Ann Church in Charlotte.
Mark Becker, Elijah Buerkle, Jordan Haag, Matthew Hennessy, Jonathan Hernandez, Theodore Holthe and Jeremy Smith – members of the incoming “Golf class” – join 14 other men living at the college seminary in Mount Holly and taking classes at nearby Belmont Abbey College in Belmont.
“I’m always rather interested to see what Our Lord ‘tees up’ on the day the new class enters the seminary,” Father Kauth said in his homily. “Every year it seems to be the case that somewhere in the Scriptures, for seven years in a row now, there’s a line in one of the readings or in the Gospel that says something about not being afraid.
“The opening of the Gospel today (Luke 12:32) is actually quite simple: ‘Do not be afraid any longer.’ There He serves it up to us again on the day of the new entrance of, in this case, the ‘Golf class.’ Eight of you have stepped up and said, ‘I am going to do this.’”
The college seminarians come from five parishes from the Charlotte area as well as western North Carolina: Buerkle, Hernandez and Smith are from St. Mark Parish in Huntersville; Holthe is from St. Ann Parish in Charlotte; Haag is from St. Frances of Rome Parish in Sparta; Hennessy is from St. Gabriel Parish in Charlotte; and Becker is from St. Matthew Parish in Charlotte.
Christ the King Catholic High School graduate Jonathan Hernandez, 18, says his discernment was about just choosing to take a leap of faith.
“It was more like a decision (for me). I was at a crossroads. I had a feeling in my head. There was a point where I just had to decide ‘I’m gonna do it,’” he said.
His parents, Wilder and Lina Hernandez, are pleased their son is acting on the promptings he has felt to explore a priestly vocation close to home at St. Joseph College Seminary.
“It is a blessing because he made his decision. It’s a blessing because he can stay close. I am so happy and grateful. I can’t ask for more. I’m so proud,” Lina Hernandez said.
After Mass, the new college seminarians moved in to their new rooms, attended orientation at the college seminary, and met the other 14 seminarians.
Besides the 21 college seminarians in Mount Holly, the diocese has 28 men studying for the priesthood at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio – a total of 49 men who hail from 22 parishes across western North Carolina.
“The fact that this continues is a beautiful sign of God’s continuing providence in the Diocese of Charlotte, in the Church and in the lives of these men,” said Father Matthew Buettner, the college seminary’s spiritual director. “It is a tremendous sign of hope. Above all, that’s what It gives all of us – hope for the future of the Church. When you meet these men, they leave you with hope.”
— SueAnn Howell. Photos by SueAnn Howell, Catholic News Herald and provided by Fredrik Akerblom, St. Joseph College Seminary
Learn more
Established in 2016, St. Joseph College Seminary is for undergraduate men discerning a possible religious vocation, before taking the step of enrolling in a major seminary for specific formation to the priesthood for the Diocese of Charlotte. Students work toward a bachelor’s degree at nearby Belmont Abbey College while experiencing a Benedictine-style communal life on their path of discernment.Check out the college seminary website at www.stjcs.org.
