Seminarians urge support for Burse Fund

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MIAMI | The Burse Fund collection will be taken up in all South Florida parishes the weekend of Aug. 5 and 6, 2023.

Father Matthew Gomez, archdiocesan director of Vocations, has written an introduction to the testimonies of three archdiocesan seminarians regarding their vocations and urging support for the Burse Fund, an endowment that underwrites the cost of their studies in the seminary.

Click on this link to read and download Archbishop Thomas Wenski’s letter in English and Spanish announcing the collection. 

You can also follow this link to make a donation.

Father Matthew Gomez

Just a few months ago, Archbishop Thomas Wenski urged the newly ordained priests in the ordination homily: “as priests you will offer the Holy Sacrifice every day, therefore, sacrifice must also be the condition of your lives.”

As the Church in the United States continues on the journey of Eucharistic Revival, we focus on the encounter with Jesus in the Mass. It is there that the 62 men in seminary formation for the Archdiocese of Miami first felt the tug of Jesus calling them to something more: to enter into the sacrificial banquet of Jesus at Calvary that occurs at every Mass.

Through the Seminary Burse Fund collection, we participate in the formation of our future priests. On behalf of Archbishop Wenski, the priests, and the seminarians, thank you for your generosity and please continue to pray for us.

 

Deacon John Buonocore

I want to be a priest for the salvation of souls and for my own salvation. It is in response to the great love that God has for me and in response to the countless witnesses of that love throughout my time in seminary and throughout my life that I desire priesthood.

The dignity of the priesthood is not something that one takes upon oneself, rather it is a vocation that one is called to and responds to in freedom. For me, it was after experiencing the love of God through the sacraments, especially the Holy Mass and confession, that I discovered God’s unique calling in my life and the way that I am to share in Christ’s love.

Through my time of discernment and formation, I have come to discover that the words of St. Augustine ring true: “To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek Him the greatest adventure; to find Him, the greatest human achievement.”

I want to take this opportunity to thank all the men and women who have contributed in a special way to the Seminary Burse Fund. It is only through your humble generosity that we, as seminarians, are able to respond to the Lord’s call in our lives and to one day serve you as your priests!. Thank you for your generosity and prayers and may God bless you!

 

 

Saint-Clos Papouloute

God chooses me to be his instrument.

I was born in a Catholic family where I was taught that “prayer is the key that opens all doors, and that Sunday is a day of rest and prayer.” Every Sunday I had to go to church, and my mother was very active in the church, leading a group, etc. I grew up with this Christian value and consider my spiritual life as a flower that needs water every moment to stay fresh and grow. When I was eight years old, I had to walk about  miles every Sunday to go to catechism class for first Communion.

Two years after my first Communion, I joined the groups M.E.J. (Mouvement Eucharistiques des Jeunes), the youth ministry and vocations ministry for young people, and later I became the leader of this group. At that time, I became a very active member in my home parish, going to Mass every day and becoming a lector at weekly and Sunday Masses. Through serving in the Church, I discovered that God had called me to be a priest.

My experiences as a seminarian confirmed this and helped me discover that there is nothing greater than giving myself to God and letting Him walk with me.

I thank all of you who have contributed to the seminary's Burse Fund. Your support helps me to continue to respond to God's call to the priesthood and to show me how much you love the Church and me. Thank you for continuing to pray for my vocation.

Creole version

Bondye chwazi m pou m vin enstriman li.

Mwen fèt nan yon fanmi Katolik kote yo te anseye mwen ke "lapriyè se kle ki ouvri tout pòt, e ke Dimanch se yon jou repo ak lapriyè". Chak dimanch mwen te oblije ale legliz, e manman m te trè aktif nan legliz la, li te dirijan gwoup, elatriye. Mwen te grandi ak valè kretyen sa a epi konsidere lavi espirityèl mwen kòm yon flè ki bezwen dlo chak moman pou li rete fre ak grandi. Lè m te gen uit ane, mwen te oblije mache anviwon douz kilomèt chak dimanch pou m te ale nan klas katechism pou premye kominyon.

Dezan aprè premye kominyon mwen, mwen te antre nan gwoup M.E.J. (Mouvement Eucharistiques des Jeunes), Pastoral des jeunes ak recherche voccationel des jeunes, epi aprè mwen te vin lidè gwoup sa yo. Lè sa a, mwen te vin yon manm trè aktif nan pawas lakay mwen, mwen te toujou ale nan mès chak jou epi mwen te vin ap fè lekti nan mès  lasemèn ak dimanch. Se nan sèvi Legliz la, mwen dekouvri ke Bondye rele m pou m vin yon pè. Eksperyans mwen antanke seminaris konfime se Bondye ki chwazi mwen e li ede m dekouvri  tou pa gen anyen ki pi gran ke bay tèt mwen pou sèvis Granmèt la epi kite l mache avèk mwen. Mwen remèsye nou tout ki fè yon don nan Burse Fund seminè a. Sipò w ede m kontinye reponn a apèl Bondye fèm poum vin yon pè sa montre mwen jan nou renmen Legliz la ak jan nou remen mwen menm tou. Kontinye lapriyè pou vokasyon mwen. 

 

  

Jonathan A. Sánchez

Our vocation, God's calling us to himself and missioning us to cooperate with him in creation for love and him and others, is just as wonderful as his bringing us into existence. Our vocation is what gives our life its meaning, primarily in embracing a life of holiness in imitation of Jesus Christ, a life of total submission to God the Father and perfect communion with him. From there flow the particular states of life and occupations that God desires of us. In my case, the Lord has called me to the fullness of life in the diocesan priesthood.

I am a man in debt, in ever-growing debt, to the People of God of the Archdiocese of Miami. Without their spiritual and material generosity, priestly formation is not possible. I am eager to attempt to repay this generosity in a life of prayer, service, and accompaniment in priestly ministry, beginning now in the human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral work of priestly formation.

I cannot wait to be a priest of Jesus Christ and to give in the manner in which I have received.

Spanish version:

Nuestra vocación, el llamado de Dios hacia sí mismo y la misión de cooperar con él en la creación por amor a él y los demás, es igual de maravilloso al ser llamados a la existencia. Nuestra vocación es lo que da sentido a nuestra vida, primeramente, en abrazar una vida de santidad imitando a Jesús, una vida de sumisión total a Dios Padre y de comunión perfecta con él. De allí fluyen los estados de vida particulares y los trabajos que Dios desea de nosotros. En mí caso, el Señor me ha llamado a la plenitud de la vida en el sacerdocio diocesano.

Soy un hombre en deuda, en deuda cada vez mayor, con el Pueblo de Dios de la Arquidiócesis de Miami. Sin su generosidad espiritual y material, la formación sacerdotal no es posible. Estoy ansioso por intentar retribuir esta generosidad en una vida de oración, servicio y acompañamiento en el ministerio sacerdotal, comenzando ahora en el trabajo humano, espiritual, intelectual y pastoral de la formación sacerdotal.

No puedo esperar para ser un sacerdote de Jesucristo y dar de la manera en que he recibido.