Perhaps readers of this article have encountered the same question as mine, and I think the same as many others: does it still make sense to celebrate Seminary Day given its current condition? A vast structure inhabited by a seminarian and four priests, or rather, by a seminarian who, left alone, lives in the interdiocesan community of Lodi and returns on Friday afternoons to live his pastoral experience in a city parish on Saturdays and Sundays. I can't give a comprehensive answer to this question, but I'll try to suggest a few avenues for reflection. First, I believe the Seminary remains and always will be a place of remembrance. A place where many, though not all, priests still living here have trained for their priestly ministry and express their gratitude for the time spent within these walls. Consequently, the Seminary continues to offer priests spaces for some of their spiritual and formative encounters. Secondly, the Seminary remains a point of reference for the entire diocese, as it offers theological and pastoral formation through the work of the "S. Agostino" Institute of Religious Studies. The Seminary also offers spaces for reflection and prayer for parishes and groups.
Furthermore, there is hope that the environment can be repopulated with candidates for the priestly ministry and thus be enlivened by their presence again. It is true that the Italian Church is rethinking the formation of future priests. It is true that the interdiocesan seminary experience we are currently experiencing needs to be more precise and shared, but within the local church, our seminary must truly embody the identity and mission of its priests.
I'm nearing my conclusion, but I'd like to address another question I was asked directly: what is life like in the seminary today? If we're referring to priests, we can say that their lives are somewhat "monastic," in the sense that each person regulates their schedules and assigned tasks. Consequently, a more precise community life has disappeared. On this point, I've received indirect and cryptic criticisms, which I can only acknowledge while awaiting future changes. Greater sharing is experienced among the priests who form the seminary's formation team (Fr. Giovanni Iacono, head of vocational programmes, Fr. Giulio Lunati, Spiritual Director, and the rector) when the seminarian returns "home.",
Sometimes those who are on a journey of vocational discernment join. The monthly meeting of the Friends of the Seminary group, now extended to include members of the Invisible Monastery, has been maintained. The feast of our patron saint, St. Andrew, will be celebrated on November 30th with a Mass celebrated by the Bishop at 10:30 a.m. In conclusion, I would like to share an "Augustinian" thought from a booklet by the unforgettable Father Giancarlo Ceriotti entitled: The pastoral care of vocations in St. Augustine as the purpose of the Seminary day is to pray for vocations
«"It is painful to be separated from what you love. But even the farmer temporarily loses what he sows. He takes out, scatters, throws to the ground, covers. Why are you surprised? He who despises and lets fall to the ground is a greedy reaper... the joy of the reaper shows you the intention of the sower."Sermon 330, 2).
Father Ceriotti comments: "It is certainly painful to lose what you love, but if you don't sow you don't reap" (p. 56). That's exactly right... Have a good day at the Seminary and a heartfelt thank you to everyone.
