President-Rector’s Welcome

“The Holy Spirit, whom Christ the head pours out on his members, builds, animates, and sanctifies the Church”

– Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 747

Welcome!

Through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the lives and work of our leaders, faculty, staff, and students, St. Patrick’s Seminary continues to provide priestly formation at the highest level. On May 8 our community celebrated the conferment of the Master of Divinity degree to the men of the Class of 2024:

Br. Victor Raul Espinoza, OSJ

Fr. Christopher Girolo (Santa Rosa)

Fr. Joseph Klinge (Fresno)

Fr. David Mees (San Francisco)

Fr. Kurt Keali’i Meyer (Honolulu)

Fr. Hai Thanh Pham (Honolulu)

Fr. John Paul Rabago (Oakland)

Fr. Juan Carlos Ponce (Oakland)

Fr. Mauricio Rodriguez Durán (Santa Rosa)

Dcn. Álvaro Santamaría (Oakland)

Fr. Anthony Huy-Cuong Tran (Honolulu)

Dcn. Chi-Nhan Matthew Vo (Portland)

Our efforts to provide superior formation have occasioned many new initiatives that will enrich the broader community. These initiatives by our faculty members contribute to the emergence of St. Patrick’s not only as one of the nation’s preeminent seminaries but also as a “cathedral school” of sorts. On this historical model, the Church’s work to educate her own clergy spills over into educational opportunities for the laity. It is precisely in conceiving new ways to share their wisdom and expertise with our seminarians that the priests and professors of St. Patrick’s are also expanding the reach of their ministry to those beyond the seminary walls.

One example is the new Institute for Philosophy, Technology, and Politics under the direction of Dr. Mark Shiffman. In the fall of 2023, the Institute began hosting events to promote dialogue between the St. Patrick’s community and leaders in areas such as politics, academia, and commerce.

We are also excited to announce the Initiative for Priestly Renewal, a collaboration between the Avila Foundation and St. Patrick’s Seminary professors Anthony Lilles and Fr. Dennis McManus. Confronting challenges such as overuse of technology and lack of fraternal support, the initiative promotes priests’ formation as spiritual fathers through retreats and pilgrimages. It also includes the St. John Vianney Confessor’s Institute, a national conference for the recovery of the sacrament of penance. We aim through such work to restore to priests the joy of being friends of Christ and fathers to God’s people.

The Catholic Institute of Sacred Music, directed by Dr. Jennifer Donelson-Nowicka, continues to thrive. Over four hundred guests came in December 2023 to listen to the seminary’s Schola Cantorum perform its first Advent and Christmas concert. The CISM has also offered many public lectures and concerts, including: a talk by Fr. Joshua Neu, Director of Liturgy and Assistant Professor of Sacred Scripture; and the world premiere of composer Frank La Rocca’s “Stanzas for the Chinese Martyrs” commissioned by the Benedict XVI Institute and based on a text by poet James Matthew Wilson. Read more about the event and Dr. La Rocca’s piece in this article in National Catholic Register.

The St. Patrick’s community is flourishing. Moving forward as both a contemplative house of prayer and a growing center for the important conversations of our time, we express our immense gratitude to the benefactors, alumni, students, faculty, and staff who collaborate in forming holy priests for the Church and the world.

Join us at Gala 2024 on September 21 to celebrate and support St. Patrick’s tradition and mission.

Sincerely in Christ,

Very Rev. Mark Doherty
President-Rector
St. Patrick’s Seminary