Everyone can do something to support vocations--through prayer, encouraging our current
seminarians, inviting people (including one's own children) to consider a vocation, or praying for vocations, both
as individuals and as parish communities. (Find out if yours has a "Parish Vocation Committee"; if not, ask
about starting one.)
There
is a great financial need for support for vocations, and many ways to give, including the Monsignor Michael
J. Glynn Seminarian Education Trust, recently established within the Diocese’s Catholic Foundation, in the hope
that others will also contribute to this Trust--the interest from which will support the formation of future priests for our
diocese. It is a way of remembering and honoring the late Msgr. Glynn while supporting a cause that was very dear to his heart,
as evidenced by the way he often inquired about and enjoyed meeting the seminarians.
It costs over $20,000 per year to educate each seminarian; the Jackson Diocese
covers the cost of tuition, room, board, books, fees, etc., along with providing each seminarian with a small monthly stipend
to cover their miscellaneous expenses. Various Knights of Columbus Councils throughout the Diocese have also been generous
by "adopting" individual seminarians to support them spiritually and financially.
The great news is that God has blessed us with a good number of seminarians, including new prospective students
from Mexico and Guatemala. The tremendous challenge is the greatly increased financial cost.
Ways to save and raise money will have to be found. Already it is obvious that we will have to alter the manner in which we
support our undergraduate college seminarians, who spend up to four years in preparation for the four year graduate theology
program. Instead of totally covering all of the cost of their college education, for example, we could cover half, asking
the college seminarians to make up the other half through family support, grants, and loans, as is done in most other dioceses.
For graduate theology students we would continue to cover the entire cost. In any case at no time would any potential seminarian
be denied an opportunity because of his lack of funds.
Each
year the Vocations budget is funded by an Extension Society Grant, the Knights of Columbus Annual Fund-raiser, the Catholic
Service Appeal, the annual Easter Vocations Special Collection, interest from the Catholic Foundation, and interest from the
diocesan reserve account. The shortfall is made up by money from diocesan reserves, a source which has been steadily depleted
by the increased Vocations need.
The future stability of
the Vocations budget will come from funds such as the Msgr. Glynn Seminarian Education Trust. Within the Catholic Foundation
there are about 20 such funds (named in memory of various laity and clergy), the interest from which is earmarked for Vocations.
Some Dioceses have millions of dollars in in similar vocations trusts, which creates a tremendous amount of interest
income each year. We are taking baby steps in that direction, but have a long way to go to reach that amount of capital.
If you would like to find out more about the Msgr. Glynn Trust (or any of the
other named Vocations trusts), or if you would like information about any other way for you or your parish to contribute,
please contact me at the address, phone number, or email address given below. To give directly to the Msgr. Glynn
Seminarian Education Trust, make the check payable to The Catholic Foundation, Diocese of Jackson, PO Box 2248, Jackson MS
39225-2248.
Thank you for your prayers and support for the
future shepherds of our Diocese. May God continue to call and conform men to the image of Christ the Good Shepherd.
-Fr. Kent Bowlds