Seminary of the Immaculate Conception: Preparing Others to Answer Their Calling

By Brian Maher-Contributing Editor

The Seminary of the Immaculate Conception began its mission of preparing men for priesthood in 1930.  Since that time more than 1,500 priests have been ordained.
Anyone visiting the Seminary, which is located in Lloyd Harbor, would find a very busy complex.  In addition to educating seminarians, the site also serves men and women, lay and religious, by preparing them to assume ministerial roles within the Church, as well as those individuals who desire to deepen their knowledge of the Christian tradition. Funds from the Catholic Ministries Appeal are well used to ensure that these Formation activities can continue. 

“It is our mission to prepare men to become happy, holy, and hardworking priests,” Msgr. McDonald says.  “At the seminary, these men are prepared to be creative and innovative leaders who are grounded in the teachings of the Catholic Church.”  With three seminarians being ordained in the Rockville Centre Diocese in June and nine more next year, Msgr. McDonald has good reason to be hopeful.

With its primary focus of preparing men for the priesthood, the faculty of the Seminary is well aware of the many challenges that face their students and has crafted curricula that address the areas of spiritual, pastoral, human, and intellectual formations.  In the first two years of the five-year program, seminarians are mostly involved in academics.  First year student Dennis Suglia left a comfortable career in corporate sales to finally answer the call of the Lord that he had been hearing for a long time.  “The staff here makes sure that we get our priorities right from the beginning.  The academic part of the priesthood is very important, and we learn to take it seriously.  Our involvement with the more hands-on parts of our ministry will come later.” 

Joe Fitzgerald, who will be ordained in June, also credits the staff with maintaining the proper structure.  “There are many aspects of the priesthood that we must be able to display at different times, and we have to be properly prepared to do so.  Here we have the freedom to let others know what we have in mind, but we also benefit from the counsel of the faculty, our advisors, and our Rector to make sure we are doing the best for everyone involved.”

The Seminary is the largest school of Catholic theology in New York State, and its staff works very hard at keeping courses relevant, yet faithful to Church teachings.  Part of the appeal for the students is the willingness of the faculty to really get to know them.  “Our faculty understand what the Church needs to do to be responsive in today’s world,” Msgr. McDonald offers.  “We even learn Spanish and Sign Language,” Fitzgerald added.  A former high school teacher himself, Joe reflects the overall sentiment of the Seminary that those to be ordained will be prepared to face the challenges that lie ahead.  “There is much more freedom that people enjoy today and that may cause problems for some individuals.  It will be the priest’s role to add the Light of Christ into that freedom so they are able to see that things really have not changed that much…Christ loves as He has always loved.”

Like Dennis Suglia, Msgr. McDonald is seeing more men entering the Seminary after exploring other careers.  “There are many men whom God is calling; some deny, some delay, and some say yes to the Lord.  I do what I can to work on those who deny and delay,” Msgr. McDonald says with a confident smile.  Joe was one of those who denied and delayed.  “I was an altar server until I graduated from high school, but I never gave it any thought.  Years later, a seminarian who was doing his pastoral year in my parish asked me what I was waiting for—he could see my vocation so clearly.  In June, he will be the one to vest me at my ordination.”

In addition, the diaconate program comes under the guidance of the Seminary, as well as retreats, days of recollection, workshops, meetings, and community gatherings.  “Because so many involved Catholics come to the Seminary,” says Suglia, “I have made contacts and have been asked to speak to a variety of groups.  This is also great preparation for the priesthood.”  Adds Msgr. McDonald, “We are here to train parish priests to respond in a changing pastoral ministry.  With the continued help of the Holy Spirit, we will continue to help our Diocese address the needs of those we serve.”

Archive: February 2007 | March 2007