Seminarians post to 'Summer Quarantine' blog

Friday, Jul. 31, 2020

Fr. Joseph Delka

Diocese of Salt Lake City Vocations Director

SALT LAKE CITY — The original plan for our seminarians for this summer had been for these 10 young men to visit parishes throughout the diocese. 

Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Because of social distancing concerns, we had to cancel this plan, which was meant to give parishioners an opportunity to meet the seminarians they have been supporting so generously. 

However, we have found a way to give parishioners an opportunity to hear from the seminarians and get to know them a bit more. We have created the Summer Quarantine Seminarian blog. For this blog, the seminarians were asked to create posts on a topic of their choice.

The first post was released on July 27. It was written by André Sicard, who is in 2nd Theology at the Theological College in Washington, D.C.

In his post, titled “Can Reading a Book Actually Make Me a Better Christian?,” Sicard discusses the power the written word has to help readers understand other people.

Concluding his essay, Sicard writes, “As Christians, our baptismal call is to be missionary disciples, preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ through our witness of love. What better way to become a better Christian than by opening a book and getting to know a new friend, growing in compassion and understanding, and letting the Spirit open your heart to love and move you toward justice.”

The seminarians will post once or twice a week for the next five weeks. The posts are available in English and Spanish. View these posts and other information on the diocese’s vocations website: https://www.catholicsaltlakecity.com/vocations

– Summer assignment: St. Francis Xavier Parish, Kearns 

– Will be ordained a priest on August 14, 2020 and is assigned as parochial vicar of the Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City.

– Summer assignment: St. Joseph the Worker Parish, West Jordan 

– 3rd Theology at Mt. Angel Seminary in Oregon 

– Summer assignment: St. John the Baptist Parish, Draper

– 3rd Theology at Mt. Angel Seminary in Oregon

– Summer assignment: Cathedral of the Madeleine and Tribunal 

– 3rd Theology at the Pontifical North American College in Rome

– Summer assignment: Cathedral of the Madeleine

– 2nd Theology at Mt. Angel Seminary in Oregon

– Summer assignment: Summer classes with Catholic University of America; St. Therese of the Child Jesus Parish, Midvale 

– 2nd Theology at the Theological College in Washington, D.C. 

– Summer assignment: St. Francis Xavier Parish, Kearns

– 2nd Pre-Theology at Mt. Angel Seminary in Oregon

– Summer assignment: Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, Salt Lake City

– 2nd Pre-Theology at Mt. Angel Seminary in Oregon

- Summer assignment: Weber State Newman Center, Ogden

– 2nd Pre-Theology at Mt. Angel Seminary in Oregon 

– Summer assignment: Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, West Valley City

– 4th College at Mt. Angel Seminary in Oregon