Dear Friends of SJV:
Greetings in Christ from the seminary! As the men continue on their summer assignments, the staff here are beginning our preparations for the upcoming semester in August. We just finished interviewing 21 new men who have been accepted to our formation program in the fall. I am thrilled to introduce and invite these great men into our life. Keep praying for vocations! They are coming, and they are a true inspiration.
This month you’ll hear more from our newly ordained. I have heard it said by older priests that your first assignment is always the most special; there is a freshness that a new priest brings to the parish, a new zeal and enthusiasm. But do write to me and let me know if they are preaching too long!
We also have a beautiful reflection on the Eucharistic procession that took place in downtown Denver last month by one of the seminarians who served the diocese that day.
July is the time when the seminary priests get away for our annual retreats and some time of rest. As always, I will be heading to our beloved Rocky Mountains to hide away, bike and get back on the trail. Know of my prayers for all of you, in deep gratitude for your love and support of our seminary community.
Fr. John Nepil
Ordination Gratitude
Dear SJV Community,
I write to you with much gratitude and joy.
This past June 1st, I received the greatest gift of my life, I was ordained a Priest. The ordination mass was truly special. As I processed in with my mother by my side, I was moved to tears when I saw the priestly vestment laid out in the pew in front of me. During the ordination, the laying on of hands, being vested, the hug of peace, and giving communion to the faithful for the first time as a Priest felt the most special.
The following morning, I celebrated my first mass at my home parish, St. Augustine, on the solemnity of Corpus Christi. Words can’t describe the emotions present in my heart as I was saying the words of consecration for the first time. I continue to marvel at how Jesus, the son of God, the living God, makes himself present at the altar through me.
I would like to thank all of the benefactors who through their contributions have made my formation possible these past seven years. Thank you for your generosity. I would also like to extend my gratitude to the faculty and staff, as well as the formators and the professors at SJV. Thank you for your service to our Lord and to the Church. May the Lord continue to bless you and reward your generosity.
In Christ,
Rev. Jesus Martinez
Diocese of Phoenix
Drop Everything and Follow Him
“Jesus came home with his disciples. Again, the crowd gathered, making it impossible for them even to eat.” These were the beginning words of the Sunday’s Gospel, and they couldn’t be more fitting considering this Eucharistic Procession was the most packed I had ever seen the Cathedral be.
As a seminarian, I’ve had the privilege of serving many times at this great site, but for some reason, this Sunday outdid them all. I think a great reason this event drew such a tremendous crowd is not only because of the great faith of the people of Denver, but deep down, they and all of society have a profound yearning for peace, and for Christ, the Prince of Peace, to reign in our world.
As we made our way out of the Cathedral and into the streets of downtown Denver, many reactions took place, from the devout mother praying her rosary, to the curious onlooking tourist, to the oblivious homeless, the one thing that unites us all is our redemption in Christ. All of society is broken, and walking out in the midst of it reminds us of our brokenness as well. But the beauty of this Eucharistic Procession lies precisely in this, that our Holy and Incarnate Lord has chosen to walk among us, in our broken systems of power, our messy family lives, and with our selfish selves. Yet, in all this, like the early disciples, we too can become like him if we drop everything and follow him.
Daniel Rivas
Seminarian for the Archdiocese of Denver
