Boston Theology community
By Father Denis J. Sweeney, C.Ss.R. |
1545 Tremont Street, Mission Church: Since 2009 this has been the address for the Theology House of Formation in our Baltimore Province. It is here on Mission Hill that our seminarians reside as they continue their studies and formation to become Redemptorist brothers and priests in the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer.
Here at the beautiful Basilica of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, where so many gather at her icon shrine, we also lift up our prayers to her. Here our seminarians on a daily basis call upon our Blessed Mother and her powerful intercession as they strive to be good and holy Redemptorists.
And what is life here for these seminarians striving to be good and holy Redemptorists?
[View a slideshow of life in the Boston Theology community here.]
At the start of the day our seminarians make their way to chapel between 6 and 6:30 a.m. for a period of quiet meditation. At 6:30 one of the seminarians will lead us in the recitation of the Angelus, followed by a morning hymn and Morning Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours.
At the conclusion of this prayer the chapel door is opened to invite parishioners to celebrate morning Mass with us at 7. Presiders for the Mass come from our permanent Redemptorist community here at Mission Church.
Breakfast follows (on your own) as our seminarians prepare for their classes at both Boston College School of Theology and St. John Seminary.
Both schools are in close proximity to each another. From the rectory our seminarians can carpool, ride a bicycle, walk, or take the Green Line trolley to the campus.
Depending on their class schedule, our seminarians will return for lunch or prepare lunch for themselves before taking off in the morning for classes.
Afternoons are set aside for classes on campus or study time.
Evenings vary here in our formation program. On Monday we gather at 5 for Evening Prayer. Social time follows each evening when possible in our Common Room until dinner at 6, at which time, following grace before meals, we read from our “Cherished Memories” in remembering our deceased confreres and the good works over the years of our Baltimore Province.
On Tuesday we gather in our Bishop’s Parlor for Gospel sharing from 5 to 5:30 p.m.). We look at the upcoming Sunday Scriptures and share aloud our faith.
On Wednesday we gather in the Basilica at 5:30 p.m. for our novena service to Our Mother of Perpetual Help.
On Thursday we gather in chapel at 4:50 p.m. for Alphonsian reading. The seminarians take turns reading to us from the writings of our founder, St. Alphonsus, or from one of our other saints or blesseds. Evening Prayer follows.
On Friday we gather at 5 p.m. for Evening Prayer. During this season of Lent our seminarians gather at 7 p.m. in the Basilica to lead parishioners in the Stations of the Cross as composed by our founder, St. Alphonsus.
Each Monday of the week is set aside for Student Forum. We gather at 7 p.m. to go over any house business or any information that needs to be shared. This school year our sessions have focused on studying the writings of Pope Francis, beginning with “Consecrated Life” and at present “The Face of Mercy” as we celebrate this Jubilee Year of Mercy.
The Student Forum allows us time to focus on our mission as Redemptorists and to share with one another our response to that call in each of our lives.
The second Saturday of each month is usually set aside as a seminarian retreat day. We try to bring in a Redemptorist from around our province.
Two talks are given to the men over the course of the morning. In the afternoon we have cxposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament (1 to 5:15 p.m.), followed by Evening Prayer and Benediction.
During the afternoon session the seminarians sign on for half-hour periods of meditation before the Blessed Sacrament.
During the first semester of the school year at the Friday 5 p.m. prayer time I have assigned each seminarian a Scripture reading and asked him to give a five- to seven-minute homily on a particular topic (Blessed Mother, forgiveness, Eucharist, etc.).
This gives them a small opportunity to stand before us, speak from their faith, and start the process of finding their voice “in the pulpit.”
I have been Director of Theology House since 2005. We were first located at Holy Redeemer College, Washington, D.C., until 2009, when we made our move here to Boston.
I believe I speak for all the seminarians here as well as for the permanent community in stating that a warm, trusting, caring, and loving atmosphere abides in this place as our seasoned, missioned, elderly confreres brush shoulders with these seminarians looking to embark on new roads that lie ahead for them.
Our seminarians learn much from the spirituality, wisdom, and brotherly love they witness on a daily basis. And our seminarians bring a renewed spirit of youthfulness and energy to new work to be done.
Also, not to be lost is their ability to be connected to a Redemptorist parish setting and witness to daily parish life as we here in Mission Church minister to a multi-cultural setting.
Our seminarians:
- Brother Ako Walker, C.Ss.R.
- Brother Michael Cunningham, C.Ss.R.
- Brother Garvey Blanc, C.Ss.R.
- Brother Huyen Nguyen, C.Ss.R.
- Brother Huan Le, C.Ss.R.
- Brother Guy Mier, C.Ss.R.
- Brother Miguel Moreno, C.Ss.R.
- Brother Romero Radix, C.Ss.R.
- Brother Kenneth Stigner, C.Ss.R.
Our seminarians hail from Trinidad and Tobago, New Jersey, New York, Dominica, Vietnam, California, and Granada.
Pray for them!
In Christ the Redeemer, Father Denis J. Sweeney, C.Ss.R.