2008 Woodie Awards
Inside Bishop White Seminary
The day-to-day life of a seminarian at the 50-year-old institution
Curt Seidel
Issue date: 11/1/06 Section: Faith
It's 6:58 a.m. and 12 young, sleep-deprived men crawl from their beds, motivated by the blare of their alarm clocks, the urging of the Holy Spirit and the threat of the their Rector. They enter the dim chapel half awake. But there they are, all the same, to pray for the Church and to be formed into men of God.
So begins another day at Bishop White Seminary.
After Morning Prayer, the seminarians enter the refectory (eatery) looking slightly less zombie-ish, but desperate for food. Coffee will flow as honey in the Promised Land, and all will slowly awaken.
After breakfast the seminarians drag their feet across Sharp Avenue and into Gonzaga University where another day of classes begins. And while the classes may change, the goal is the same: a philosophy degree. Why philosophy? Our vocation directors tell us that philosophy will enable us to work through the complicated theology of great saints such as Thomas Aquinas. But after witnessing a two hour conversation on the nature of racquetball that cited at least four obscure philosophers, I sometimes wonder if this our graduate work is our sole reason for studying philosophy
At noon, we all gather again to pray the Angelus, bless the food and, finally, consume the sweet goodness that comes from the kitchen of our wonderful cook, Shelly. As a former COG patron, I must say that entering the seminary was like passing from purgatory into the Beatific Vision, only instead of seeing God face to face, I now enjoy a blissfully wonderful meal. During lunch we are often visited by priests from around Gonzaga University and Spokane. The only complaint that arises from lunch is that the seminarians doing dishes have to wait forever while people sit around talking, making jabs, discussing the Church, theology, movies or whatever else might come up, and so don't get around to leaving. It is not all unusual for me to pass through the refectory at 1:30 or 2:00 in the afternoon and see people still talking.
So begins another day at Bishop White Seminary.
After Morning Prayer, the seminarians enter the refectory (eatery) looking slightly less zombie-ish, but desperate for food. Coffee will flow as honey in the Promised Land, and all will slowly awaken.
After breakfast the seminarians drag their feet across Sharp Avenue and into Gonzaga University where another day of classes begins. And while the classes may change, the goal is the same: a philosophy degree. Why philosophy? Our vocation directors tell us that philosophy will enable us to work through the complicated theology of great saints such as Thomas Aquinas. But after witnessing a two hour conversation on the nature of racquetball that cited at least four obscure philosophers, I sometimes wonder if this our graduate work is our sole reason for studying philosophy
At noon, we all gather again to pray the Angelus, bless the food and, finally, consume the sweet goodness that comes from the kitchen of our wonderful cook, Shelly. As a former COG patron, I must say that entering the seminary was like passing from purgatory into the Beatific Vision, only instead of seeing God face to face, I now enjoy a blissfully wonderful meal. During lunch we are often visited by priests from around Gonzaga University and Spokane. The only complaint that arises from lunch is that the seminarians doing dishes have to wait forever while people sit around talking, making jabs, discussing the Church, theology, movies or whatever else might come up, and so don't get around to leaving. It is not all unusual for me to pass through the refectory at 1:30 or 2:00 in the afternoon and see people still talking.
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