The first week of August has become a week of rest, relaxation and fraternity for our diocesan seminarians. At this time each year all of our seminarians gather for a Convocation.

The daily schedule includes prayer and Mass, and – that’s it! Seminarians live a highly programmed life. When they are on campus their schedules are marked out for them day-in and day-out. When they are on summer assignments much of their day is planned for them according to the needs of the parish they are assigned to, and they need to be attentive to the needs set out for them by their supervising pastor. So, for one week we try to give them space and freedom to just … be.
This is not the way it always was. When I first planned Convocation back in 2020, it was highly programmed. But as the men gave me feedback, I realized that they didn’t need more scheduled formational events – their lives were full of that – they needed time together to enjoy one another’s company and decompress.
Thanks to generous parishioners from the Cathedral we go to a hunting camp in the middle of nowhere in Jefferson County and we pray together and eat together and play cards, ping-pong, swim, fish, watch movies, go play a round of golf, and just enjoy each other’s company.
As with all things in the priestly formation program, even this week of ‘not doing much’ has big implications for the life of our future priests. They are learning during this week the value of quality time together. As men discerning a life of celibacy, one of the deepest connections for the priest is his brothers in ministry. We need to plan for and create time for fraternity, and this week is a great example of the joy and recreation that comes forth when that is made a priority.

I am grateful for our ‘more seasoned’ seminarians who have been in the program for many years and give me feedback of what they feel will be most beneficial in our annual schedule. I think that this year’s Convocation really hit the mark of providing a space for our men to have a great time with one another and rest-up for another year of priestly preparation.
This year’s gathering was aided, I think, by the fact that our four new men had already spent a month living and working in a rectory and getting to know our returning guys. The Seminarian Launchpad, held in June at St. Peter’s in Jackson, helped our new men form bonds with one another before bonding with the older guys during Convocation. I am working with Father Tristan and Bishop Kopacz to build on those initial experiences and onboard our men as helpfully as possible.
It is beautiful and encouraging to see the Lord continuing to work in the lives of our seminarians and our week together in the middle of nowhere was a great reminder that the Lord is answering our prayers for a Homegrown Harvest.

(Father Nick Adam is Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Jackson. He can be contacted at nick.adam@jacksondiocese.org.)