The summer is quickly approaching, and this is the time when our seminarians get to take a break from the books and get out into our parishes. I’m excited to announce that all of our seminarians will have great assignments this summer; and I’m grateful to the pastors and lay leaders who are helping me to give them important experiences as they continue to discern whether or not the Lord is calling them to be priests in the Diocese of Jackson.

But first I want to remind you of the ordination date for Deacon Tristan Stovall. On May 18 at 10:30 a.m. he’ll be ordained at the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle in Jackson. At that point, he will not be a seminarian anymore, and therefore I have no say in his assignment (although people have asked me where he’ll be assigned, it is to be announced!) Please make plans to come to the ordination Mass and celebrate with all of us. Deacon Tristan has been a wonderful seminarian and I’ve had him with me for various assignments during his time in formation. In fact, when he began his formation, I was a seminarian with him!

Okay, onto the summer assignments. With Deacon Tristan being ordained, Will Foggo will be our ‘senior-most’ seminarian. It is time for Will to have his summer of hospital ministry. We have had a great partnership with St. Dominic Hospital and their pastoral care team since 2016. After second year Theology, our seminarians have worked with the pastoral care team at St. Dominic. They begin by shadowing each member of the staff and getting a lay of the land, and then they spend the whole summer visiting patients – bringing them communion, praying with them, and collaborating with the medical and pastoral care staff at the hospital. A great thanks to Jill Hisaw, director of the pastoral care department, and the whole staff for their wonderful work and support of our seminarians.
Grayson Foley and EJ Martin will be traveling to Omaha, Nebraska to take part in the Institute for Priestly Formation (IPF). This is an 8-week program that we’ve been sending seminarians to since 2015. It is designed to help diocesan seminarians understand the spiritual life of the diocesan priesthood and gives them tools to make sure that they pray well during their priesthood and that they teach their people how to pray as well. My time at IPF was very formative, and most of the techniques for personal prayer that I teach in the parish were taught to me during my summer in Omaha.

Our first-year seminarians, Wilson Locke, Francisco Maldonado and Joe Pearson, will all be in parishes this summer here in the diocese. Wilson will be at Our Lady of Victories in Cleveland; Francisco will be at St. Joseph in Greenville; and Joe will be at St. Mary Basilica in Natchez. A great thanks to Fathers Kent, Jose and Aaron for walking with these men and being great examples of priestly ministry to them.

Father Nick Adam, vocation director

(Father Nick Adam can be contacted at nick.adam@jacksondiocese.org.)