The Diocese of Phoenix has 31 seminarians discerning the priesthood at campuses across the country. Three of them are in Rome at the Pontifical North American College.
Vinhson Nguyen moved there recently joining fellow Phoenix seminarians Fernando Camou and Dan Connealy. It appears that the official “orientation” period for newly arrived seminarians is over following a week of Italian language classes, tours, orientation talks, and prayer. The men celebrated together last night with faculty at the traditional “Welcome Banquet,” according to Pontifical North American College’s Facebook page.
The college’s Flickr album is good to thumb through on occasion too. It’s a fun challenge to find the seminarian you know. I think I found some images of Vinhson.
Take a look at what he and the other seminarians experienced during orientation:
- St. Peter’s Square
- capturing the moment — peering over the papal gardens. See more: part 1 and 2.
Catholic News Service provides this look at the papal gardens.
- class photo — in the first main row of students, he is second from the right
- a beautiful view
- Heading in (note red shirt) and a warm welcome. Pope Francis welcome them as well during the Sunday Angelus.
The men are now off in Assisi enjoying a fraternal weekend. If you’re interested, here is the full orientation photo album.
On a related note, it appears the 2014-15 seminarian posters are ready to be delivered to diocesan parishes and schools. Keep an eye out for the new poster in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, bios of eight of the Phoenix Diocese’s 12 new seminarians are online. Give them a read and a prayer. More bios and photos should start rolling in soon.
A few highlights from the seminarian poster and bio:
- First timers — This is the first time in recent memory that men from the following parishes have actively discerned priesthood as a seminarian:
-Vietnamese Martyrs
-St. Matthew
-Our Lady of the Lake in Lake Havasu City
-ASU Newman in Tempe
-St. Paul - Multiple vocations — There are three men from both St. Mary Magdalene in Gilbert and St. Timothy in Mesa. There are two listed on the poster with St. Rose in Anthem as their home parish, but a third spent some time growing up there before moving to the southeast Valley.
- Rex Rumsey starts off his bio “Peace be with you”
- Miguel Solis credited Bishop Eduardo A. Nevares for getting him considering the priesthood.
- Miguel Solis and Leonardo Sabogal are from Mexico and Colombia respectively.
- One of the seminarians first discerned through a religious order and transferred to the Diocese of Phoenix two years ago. Another transferred this year from the Archdiocese of Atlanta.
