Dear Friends of SJV:
Greetings in Christ, wishing you a blessed Easter Season. We are in the final days of the semester and the men are ready to be done! This Friday is our closing mass of the semester, which will be followed by a week of exams. On May 11th, please pray for the six men being ordained to the priesthood for Denver, as well as one man ordained later in the month for Phoenix.
This last weekend I had the joy of taking 10 of our men to Oregon for the Eugene Marathon. Growing up a hockey player, I’m more comfortable on skates and have never been a runner. So I drove the team 12 passenger van as the boys got after it. They all finished and did exceptionally well, which brought me a lot of pride and joy after so many months of training and preparation. We plan to have a marathon trip each year for the guys, which helps build up a culture of masculine sacrifice and authentic fraternity. More on this from seminarian John Cooney below.
We are in the final push to raise money for our new recreation center before the excavation begins in just a few weeks. It has been amazing to see such extraordinary generosity so far, as David DiNapoli from Mission Advancement of the Archdiocese will share. Many thanks to all of you reading this who have supported us!
As the semester comes to a close, know of our continued prayers for your families and intentions.
Fr. John
Marathon Time!
On Sunday, April 28th, nine men from SJV joined thousands of runners from around the United States to compete in the annual Eugene Marathon. To many, the endeavor of traveling to Oregon to run 26.2 miles seems, on its face, to exist somewhere between frivolous and psychotic, being liable to derision on account of its simplicity.
Running is, after all, only a series of voluntary imbalances, as Fr. John described it in a homily.
Yet, of all the sports, it is running that St. Paul deems worthy of comparison to the Christian spiritual journey—perhaps precisely on account of such simplicity. Running is at once one of most natural activities and also “a work of art that people can look at and be affected in as many ways as they’re capable of understanding,” as a track legend from Eugene once put it. So is it with our faith. What appears at first glance to be natural and mundane proves to be an incomprehensible source of beauty and grace: bread and wine become flesh; water washes away sin; a first-century Jewish carpenter proves Himself God.
Whatever Paul’s intention, it was a privilege to witness the discipline, perseverance, and brotherhood that this most pedestrian of activities forged among these seminarians. God-willing, it will not be our last marathon, and by the grace of God, we will continue to learn from this very ordinary sport the extraordinary ability to suffer and sacrifice together for the sake of the imperishable crown that lies ahead.
-John Cooney
Seminarian, Diocese of Helena
Monsignor Michael Glenn Recreation Center
We are thrilled to share, as of today, we have raised just over $8M of our $9.5M goal to build the Monsignor Michael Glenn Recreation Center. It will be a space dedicated to fostering community, physical fitness, and overall growth in our seminarians. Named in honor of the beloved Rector, Monsignor Michael Glenn, whose dedication to the priesthood and love for Christ have inspired us all, this center embodies his love of physical activity and desire to form solid men to be priests in the new millennium.
The Monsignor Michael Glenn Recreation Center will be more than just a building; it will be a hub of activity and connection for seminarians and even priests of all ages. From communal workout times to forging deeper relationships, leatherworking and even beer making, this recreation center will be incredibly valuable in completing the formation these young men need to meet the challenges of priestly life.
Your support is vital in bringing this project to completion.
Every donation, no matter the size, makes a difference. Whether you contribute $1 or $1M, you will be a part of this historic project and leave lasting impact on the lives of the men who are being formed here now, and the men who will be formed here for the next 100 years.
To support this incredibly important project, please visit: Glenn Rec Center – Give Link. Together, let’s honor Monsignor Michael Glenn’s legacy by building a center that will continue forming young men to be strong shepherds of our church. If you would like assistance making your gift, please reach out to David DiNapoli at 720-476-7469.
