Wednesday, September 29, 2010

COLUMBUS — The Pontifical College Josephinum began its 123rd year of formation with more priests on its faculty than it has had in more than a decade. The faculty of 14 includes a Jesuit, a Father of Mercy, two Dominicans, a Franciscan and priests from dioceses across the country.

From the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, students Jeremy Stubbs and Matthew Reckers with Father James Wehner, rector. (Courtesy photo)

New faculty members took oaths of fidelity and made professions of faith during Evening Prayer on Aug. 28 in the presence of Father James A. Wehner, rector/president, and the seminary community.
 
The Josephinum began the year with more than 130 seminarians — including natives of Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Myanmar, Columbia, Haiti and Vietnam — from 25 dioceses in the United States.
 
Founded in 1888, the Pontifical College Josephinum is a national seminary constituted under the auspices of the Congregation of Catholic Education in Rome serving as the only pontifical seminary in the United States and outside of Italy. Serving an annual average of 25 national and international dioceses, the Josephinum provides formation for college, pre-theology and theology level seminarians.