To prepare for the season of Lent, the priests and seminarians celebrated the 40 Hours Devotion this weekend. Beginning at the end of Vespers on Sunday, seminarians kept vigil before the Blessed Sacrament until Tuesday morning. At the close of the devotion, the community chanted the Litany of the Saints and had a procession with the Blessed Sacrament. This was followed by a votive Mass of the Blessed Sacrament.
We give thanks to God for the ordination of nine men to the Subdiaconate on Saturday, February 9, 2019. His Excellency, Robert Finn, Bishop Emeritus of the diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, came to Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary to ordain the men in a Solemn Pontifical Mass.
Seven men were ordained subdeacons for the Fraternity of St. Peter and two for the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, from Papa Stronsay, Scotland.
Please pray for these men as they continue in their formation for the Holy Priesthood of Our Lord and in particular as they prepare to be ordained deacons on March 30, 2019.
Every year for the Feast of Our Lady’s Purification, OLGS keeps the tradition of the blessing of candles before the Mass. The celebrant, Fr. Lillard, blessed the candles to be used throughout the year, and then distributed small candles to be held by the seminarians in a brief procession around the chapel and during certain parts of the Mass. Among other things, the lit candles are a reminder of the Canticle that Simeon proclaimed in the feast’s Gospel, saying that Our Lord is a “light to the revelation of the Gentiles and the glory of Israel.”
After spending much time in practice with coaches Fr. Lee and Fr. Uy, the OLGS basketball team traveled out to Mundelein Seminary near Chicago over the last weekend in January to take part in their annual basketball tournament. Sixteen teams from seminaries across the United States took part. The OLGS team’s hard work paid off well, and they won both their group stage games to progress into the semi-final against St. John’s Seminary. They won their semi-final comfortably, and then prepared to play Mundelein Seminary itself in the final game. OLGS played strong throughout the final game and ended up beating Mundelein 54-34, and winning the tournament for the first time.
Priests and seminarians of Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary, after finishing the academic semester, celebrated Christmas with great solemnity. They held Christmas Matins at night on Christmas Eve after which Fr. Bisig, the seminary’s rector, celebrated the Christmas Midnight Mass.
The next day was filled with festivities itself with a Sung Mass for the Dawn Mass, followed by a Solemn Mass for the third of the Christmas Masses. After an early Christmas dinner, priests and seminarians gathered for Solemn Vespers with Six Coped Assistants. Christmas break started the next day, and seminarians were able to leave to get some rest before coming back for the spring semester.
Priests and seminarians would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Priests and seminarians, as is their annual custom, celebrated their patroness’s feast day with great ceremony. Our Lady of Guadalupe’s altar was decorated with hundreds of flowers acquired through the generous donations of benefactors. Seminarians finished decorating the altar before 1st Vespers of the feast day after which the priests and seminarians held a procession to the altar and finished by reconsecrating themselves to Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Later that evening, the seminarians continued an old Mexican tradition of singing to Our Lady’s image through the open chapel side loft. Different groups of seminarians took turns singing various pieces dedicated to our Lady. The next day, the seminary was happy to welcome His Excellency, Robert Finn, Bishop Emeritus of the diocese of St. Joseph-Kansas City, to offer a Pontifical Mass. That evening after 2nd Vespers, the priests and seminarians held a wonderful dinner to celebrate the day, which began with a display of fireworks. We thank the benefactors whose contributions made this feast’s festivities possible.
