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Special collection January 16-17, 2010.
Educating seminarians is an investment in the future of the Catholic Church in New Hampshire, but this goal cannot be fulfilled without the help of the faithful.
The cost to educate a seminarian is more than $100 for every day he is in formation. This expense includes tuition, room and board at a seminary.
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100% of every dollar collected for the seminarian fund goes toward supporting the education of men studying for the priesthood.
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This annual collection is the primary source of funding for seminarian formation.
A gift of $50 or more from every adult or family attending Mass would help educate our seminarians for another year. Mail your gift to the Office of Vocations, PO Box 310, Manchester, NH 03105. Each parish will be notified of gifts made by its parishioners. Please consider including the Seminarian Fund in your will or estate planning. Those interested in planned giving should contact Fr. Jason Jalbert at (603) 669-3100 or jjalbert@rcbm.org. |
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A Message from our Bishop Dear Friends in Christ,
I first would like to thank you for your past support of the Seminarian Fund. It is obvious from last year’s collection that supporting vocations to the priesthood is very dear to the Catholics of New Hampshire.
Grateful to God for your generosity, I am also grateful for the men who have taken God’s call to heart and are discerning their vocation in the seminary. Three new men entered the seminary this past fall which brings our number of seminarians to ten. Each time I hear the story of how a young man discovered his vocation I am reminded that it was given to him by God but it was shaped by individuals such as parents, priests, religious pastoral ministers or teachers and coaches. As you have read from their personal testimonies, a seminarian’s vocation doesn’t just happen; their vocation has been shaped by someone.
In the process of shaping vocations to the priesthood a young man may spend six to eight years in the seminary, which is a great but necessary expense. The gifts you make go directly to help pay for the seminarians’ education and formation. I pray that you continue to be generous.
Sincerely and gratefully,
Bishop of Manchester
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What More You Can Do to help
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Consider a commitment to fund one year of a seminarian’s education.
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Include the Seminarian Fund in your estate planning.
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Consider your own vocation and ask your pastor about the priesthood or consecrated life.
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Pray for vocations to the priesthood and to consecrated life.
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Encourage a young man to consider the priesthood.
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Welcome priests to your home, and learn more about their vocations.
Prayer for Vocations
We acknowledge the great need to pray for vocations to the priesthood. It is not surprising that, where people pray fervently, vocations blossom.
O Father, raise up among Christians numerous and holy vocations to the priesthood, to keep the faith alive and guard the gracious memory of your Son Jesus through the preaching of his word and the
administration of the Sacraments, with which you continually renew your faithful.
Give us holy ministers of your altar, who are careful and fervent guardians of the Eucharist,
the sacrament of the supreme gift of Christ for the redemption of the world,
Call ministers of your mercy. Who, through the sacrament of Reconciliation, spread the joy of your forgiveness. Grant, O Father, that the Church may welcome with joy numerous inspirations of the Spirit of your Son and, docile to His teachings, may she care for vocations to the ministerial priesthood and to the consecrated life.
Sustain the Bishops, priests and deacons, consecrated men and women, and all the baptized in Christ, so that they may faithfully fulfill their mission at the service of the Gospel. This we pray You through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Mary, Queen of Apostles, pray for us.
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