Dear Friends of SJV,
Greetings to you as we welcome the fall season. The air is cool in the mornings, and the men are deep in the routines and study of the academic year.
We recently celebrated with ten of our seminarians who were installed as Lectors and Acolytes as they continue their journeys toward the priesthood. Denver Auxilliary Bishop Jorge Rodriguez was here for the installation, as were many parents and guests of the newly installed. The community was also blessed, just yesterday, to welcome Catholic Theologian and author Matthew Levering, Ph.D. as he presented a talk entitled John Henry Newman and the Magisterium.
In today’s newsletter, we will hear from Dana Frerich who edits this newsletter, and Michael Sparks who is one of our 4th year Theology seminarians and will soon be ordained to the transitional diaconate.
May you and yours be abundantly blessed.
In Christ,
Fr. Ángel Pérez-López
The newly installed Lectors and Acolytes with left to right Vice-Rector Father Daniel Eusterman, Bishop Jorge Rodriguez, and Rector Father Ángel Pérez-López.
Dana Frerich Introduction
I am happy to introduce myself to the readers of the Saint John Vianney Theological Seminary newsletter. My name is Dana Frerich, and I am the Administrative Assistant to the Vice Rector here at SJV. I am a cradle Catholic, a wife of 31 years, a proud mother of 3 young men, and a new grandmother as well.
I am so blessed to work at this seminary and witness the beautiful work that is being done here. I get to know the seminarians who are here to answer God’s call, and the holy priests who take on the task of forming them. My primary role here is to support Father Daniel Eusterman, the Vice Rector, but our office handles a variety of things. In addition to preparing this newsletter, we plan special events such as Parents Weekends, coordinate the fleet of vehicles that our seminarians use, manage the seminary’s many calendars, and keep the website up to date (be sure to check here Current Seminarians – Seminarian Division in the coming weeks for an updated list and photos of our 2026-27 seminarians!).
You may have noticed, in the last few months, a blue button at the bottom of this newsletter that says I have an idea! I would love for you to click that button and share with me what kinds of things you would like to see in this newsletter. We are currently working on an idea a reader submitted, and plan to bring you a series on the different stages of formation. I look forward to hearing from you!
Dana Frerich, second from the left, with her family.
Laboring to Create a Beautiful Thing
In my first year of seminary, six years ago, I consecrated myself to Jesus through St. Joseph. It was on May 1st, the feast of St. Joseph the Worker, a fellow seminarian and I visited St. Joseph parish on 6th Street. As we walked toward the tabernacle, the air was filled with the rhythmic sounds of craftsmanship as we passed a man and his son extremely focused on repairing broken pews. We prayed the consecration in front of Jesus and against that backdrop of workshop sounds. This left a lasting impression on me, and after years of contemplating Christ in St. Joseph’s workshop, I’ve come to see how God uses all the talents He gave us.
During my fifth year, I lived at that same St. Joseph seminary house. All of us who lived there envisioned transforming the private chapel into a beautiful place of worship. Although our plans were interrupted when the house was transitioned to a first-year residence for the 2025-2026 academic year, we remained determined to finish the project. While many of these new seminarians were right out of high school, this project became a providential opportunity to invite them to enter the spiritual life through integrating talents and acquiring skills that go beyond manual labor.
My consecration to St. Joseph has not only helped me see how I can use my skills and knowledge of construction for God but also to teach it to others like the earthly father of Jesus. Over the past year, these men learned to incorporate the work of their hands as a means of spiritual growth. Much like Jesus grew in obedience and wisdom in St. Joseph’s workshop, these new seminarians through this project, have had the opportunity to discover that laboring to create beautiful things can be a profound gateway to a deeper interior life, especially in obedience and wisdom. The photo you see is the fruit of our labor that incorporates many aspects of hard work and dedication to foster our God given talents and help future seminarians worship. The altar piece, also called a “reredos”, was crafted with a plywood frame with maple trim and cherry columns which we shaped and stained with much thought and work. While modern machinery and technology were used, there was much effort to work in the same manner as St. Joseph, using only our hands and chisels. Through the work of our hands, we have continued to grow in understanding how to make a gift of ourselves to God and to future generations.
Michael Sparks
Seminarian – Diocese of Pueblo
The Saint Joseph House reredos in progress.
