Seminarians safely return to campus

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Dear friends and benefactors,

We are overjoyed to share with you that our 70th Anniversary Late-summer Appeal has already reached nearly half its goal: $17,709.02.
This time of viral disturbance is challenging us in many ways. We’ve been forced into new ways of being together, new ways of serving others, of teaching and learning, and new ways of praying. While some are eager for the loosening of restrictions, others feel far less safe, and there is a danger of complacency. Please know of our continuing thoughts and prayers for you as we at the Byzantine Catholic Seminary also navigate this difficult reality and continue to seek your assistance.

Our 12 seminarians are safely on campus for this new year. Their good will and care for one another has them comfortably and confidently embracing our Infection Prevention and Control Program as they begin a new year of priestly formation and discernment. We’re thrilled that they are back and willing to move forward because our Master of Divinity program for seminarians must be primarily conducted in person.

Our Master of Arts in Theology program for other students is primarily conducted online. This program currently has a roster of 25 students.

With the present neediness in our world relying on the care of people like you, our needs remain as well, and so we reach out to you with this Appeal with the goals of providing new vestments for our seminarians serving in the chapel, new library computer equipment, grant-monies for eligible non-seminarian Master of Arts in Theology students, and funds for continuing property restoration.

We thank God for the Seminary’s 70 years and look forward to many, many more. As A.T.S. has confidence in the Seminary’s future shown by their reaccreditation of our programs, we ask that you show your confidence in our future by making a donation of $70, $700, $7,000, or whatever you can afford at this time. Your contribution will help us reach our summer goal of $38,000. You need not specify a particular need as we’ll simply see to the completion of our goals as funds are received according to the “thermometer” which shows our progress below.

We are grateful to the many of you who have already contributed. You may have received our new appeal mailer. We hope you like it. We’d be more than happy to read your comments about the mailer if you’d drop us a line. You can email our development office at development@bcs.edu.

Please know how greatly your generosity is appreciated, especially during this critical time.

Sincerely yours in Christ,
(Very Rev.) Robert M. Pipta Rector