St. John Vianney minor seminary
A Day in the Life of... a Seminarian at St. John Vianney
by Spencer Howe
With praise let us awake the dawn! (Ps 57)
Awake just after 5 am to another day; I constantly need to remember that it is a gift from God, and a new opportunity to grow in holiness. After a rushed cup of coffee I gather with the whole community for the 6 am Angelus around the beautiful icon of the Madonna and Child in the Seminary lobby. All 150 of us file into place for an hour before our Eucharistic Lord, really present on the altar. We chant the Psalms and Canticles of Morning Prayer from our breviaries, and have time for silent prayer and adoration. Then, at the heart of every day is the Mass, where I can receive the Eucharist to sustain me through the labors, joys, and sorrows of the day ahead. Before the day’s classes, I catch a simple breakfast (usually a couple bowls of cereal and a banana), and then the challenge of living the day in the light of being a Christian man continues.
Grant, O Merciful God, that I may ardently desire, prudently examine,truthfully acknowledge and perfectly accomplish what is pleasing to you,
for the praise and glory of your name!
(Prayer before study, St. Thomas Aquinas)
Our minds need to be converted to the Truth. Class and discussion with professors and classmates is the essence of life at a University. In the span of a few hours, I translate selections from Plato’s Apology, from the original Greek; I grapple with understanding the arguments of Descartes, Hume and Kant in Modern Philosophy; I discuss great Catholic literature; and study the Minor Prophets in my class on the Old Testament. It is impossible to go through a day without noticing a million points of overlap and interconnection between all of the various disciplines that my majors in Philosophy, Catholic Studies, and Classical Languages lead me to encounter. The intellectual life is wildly exciting, even if it is arduous at times. Daily work, reading, papers and exams can be a lot to juggle, but it is a true joy at the same time.
How good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity. (Ps 133)
In between classes I catch up with friends, disappear into the library to study, pray Daytime Prayer, and take a break for lunch at the Cafeteria. By early afternoon I am well ready to take a nap and head to the athletic building for racquetball with a friend. I drive to a local area Parish School, where I have some time to teach Kindergarteners and 6th Graders about the Catholic Faith. We return to the Chapel before dinner to offer praise and thanks to the God in Evening Prayer. After a leisurely evening meal, I return to my room for a couple hours of study. Life in the Seminary is fraternal; we understand that we are a Band of Brothers pursuing virtue together, and seeking to witness to Jesus Christ in the midst of a bustling college campus. Life here is not lived in isolation, but in the richness of community life which provides a multitude of opportunities to serve and grow in humility. These past two and a half years have been the best ones of my life.
Accept, Lord, the prayers and work of this day, and give us the rest that will strengthen us to render more faithful service to you.
(Prayer from Wednesday Night Prayer)
By 9:30 or 10 pm, the floors quiet down and I am well ready for a good night’s sleep. It’s nice to spend a few minutes at the end of the day in the quiet stillness of the Chapel to be recollected in the Lord’s Presence, thanking Him for His never-failing goodness. It’s a full life, and there certainly is never a dull moment, but the demanding weekly schedule prepares one to celebrate Sunday as the Sabbath, a day of true rest and recreation. I have come to see that the structure of our daily life, which is punctuated by the recitation of the Psalms and the Rosary, give me the means to live my Faith in the midst of daily life.
The lot marked out for me is my delight: welcome indeed
the heritage that falls to me! (Ps 16)
I’ve been called by God to Saint John Vianney College Seminary, to be with so many other young men from across the United States, as we consider the Lord’s calling in our lives. I constantly pray that I will be open to whatever God’s Will has in store for me, but the greatest relief is that I do not have to sort it out on my own—we have holy Priests around us as spiritual fathers to mentor and guide us, and excellent professors at the University to form our minds. The College Seminary is the Church’s great gift to young men like myself, it is a place to discern the Priesthood, and to be formed according to our three-fold Pledge and Prayer, that we may be Men in Christ, Men of the Church, and Men for Others.
Spencer Howe, back - far right, and friends in the Eternal City.
