Lynch Foundation Awards $1 Million Grant

The Lynch Foundation Board of Trustees just awarded a $1 Million Grant to the Seminary, the largest grant received in the seminary’s forty year history. The monies will be used to endow the Chair of the Field Education Director and to partially fund expanded pastoral studies workshops and meeting room refurbishments. Field Education provides an opportunity for each seminarian to apply his academic and spiritual formation, as well as human skills in pastoral situations found within a parish, hospital, or prison setting.

 

In awarding the grant, the Foundation Trustees cited that they are “impressed by the number and quality of seminarians being served at Blessed John XXIII National Seminary.  The Trustees are proud to be involved with such a dynamic organization.”

 

The seminary currently enrolls sixty-five seminarians from 33 dioceses, one religious order and a religious mission.  Blessed John XXIII is the only seminary in the United States administered by diocesan priests preparing the older, second-career candidate for the priesthood.  

 

Reverend Peter J. Uglietto, Rector/President of Blessed John XXIII, thanked Carolyn and Peter Lynch, and the Foundation, for their confidence in the seminary’s priestly formation program, which has led to this generous award.  Reverend James M. DiPerri, the incumbent Field Education Director, is the first faculty member appointed to the newly created Carolyn and Peter Lynch Chair of Pastoral Formation. 

 

 

Priestly formation at Blessed John XXIII National Seminary relies on the combined efforts of many people. Your prayers and financial contributions are vital to fostering today's vocations to the priesthood. Here are some of the ways you may help through your support of:

 

 

 

 

 

To learn more about ways that you can help support the training of priests, please telephone/e-mail either Vincent Shea or Kate Folan's in the Development Office. Vin Shea can be reached at 781.899.4910 and Kate Folan's telephone is 781.899.5500 ext 110. Their e-mail addresses are vshea@blessedjohnxxiii.edu and kfolan@blessedjohnxxiii.edu, respectively.  You can download and print a donation form by clicking here.

 

 

 

Answering the Call...The McNiece/Shaughnessy Challenge for Excellence in Seminary Education

 

This is a significant year in the history of Blessed John XXIII. The community is celebrating the fortieth anniversary of the seminary's first entering class of thirty-four men. In honor of this milestone, two friends of the seminary, John McNiece and Jack Shaughnessy, have combined resources to offer the seminary a challenge grant of $1 Million, which is to be matched, dollar for dollar, by contributions from other donors. The seminary rector, Msgr. Francis D. Kelly, praised "the extraordinary generosity of these two exceptional Catholic gentlemen who recognize this seminary as a special beacon of hope for the Church during these troubled times."

 

Once the challenge is met, Blessed John seminarians will benefit from a windfall Two Million dollars in new funding! The seminary receives no direct support from the dioceses it serves and, for this reason alone, this financial base is essential for the seminary to build upon its forty year record of providing holy and well-qualified parish priests.

 

A committee has been formed to work with Monsignor Kelly.  In the days ahead, they will be at work cultivating matching gifts to successfully meet the challenge.

 

Quoting Saint Paul that "…God loves the cheerful giver," Jack Shaughnessy said that it was "the right and natural decision for him to make this gift to the seminary."

 

Describing the seminarians, Jack added "these are men who have enjoyed a measure of professional achievement; many have married, raised families and endured the loss of a spouse. They clearly have tasted abundantly of all that life has to offer and yet, in spite of life's successes and sorrows, they still seek to serve Christ." 

 

Jack Shaughnessy concludes that "our Church needs more of the candidates that Blessed John XXIII attracts to ministry-experienced, capable and holy men. This seminary exists to provide parish priests who will lead us by their strong faith and example and, as such, I am doing my part to advance the work of Blessed John XXIII and hope that others will do so, too."

 

John McNiece is confident that the challenge grant will be successfully met once donors are made aware of the quality of the seminarians that are attracted to this seminary. "Blessed Johns' graduates have much to offer as parish priests," says John McNiece and "they are of an age where life experience has led them to an understanding of their own personal strengths and shortcomings. He has observed the Blessed John seminarians say, "I wish only to serve." These men are genuinely grateful and enthusiastic that, at this stage of their lives, the Lord has led them to this realization and opportunity. 

 

Msgr. Kelly shares the seminary community's excitement over the benefits to accrue from the McNiece/Shaughnessy Challenge Grant for Excellence in Seminary Education. The rector looks forward to strengthening the priestly formation program through increased faculty development, enhanced course offerings and expanded pastoral field work and training. Continuing the technology upgrades to the classrooms, dormitories, library and offices is also envisioned. Monsignor also looks forward to increasing the pace of refurbishments to the forty year old building and adding to the funds already earmarked towards the costs of constructing an auditorium.

 

To learn more about the McNiece/Shaughnessy Challenge Grant for Excellence in Seminary Education, please contact seminary Development Director, Vincent Shea, at 781-894-4910 or email him at vshea@blessedjohnxxiii.edu.

 

Library Book Inscriptions

 

You may give a new library book in memory of the deceased or in honor of the living. The person you designate will have his/her name placed on a distinctive bookplate which will be attached to the inside cover of the book.
At attractive certificate will be sent by us to whomever you wish notified of your benefaction. You and those whom you enroll will be remembered in a special prayer offered each day in our chapel.
New Books range from fifteen dollars and up. An appropriate book will be selected according to the extent of your donation.
Please contact Kate Folan in our Development Office by calling 781.810.1923 or emailing kfolan@blessedjohnxxiii.edu