 Catholic Diocese of Spokane, Washington
"Vision and good stewardship"by Bishop William S. Skylstad (From the Jan. 15, 2004 edition of the Inland Register)
Mater Cleri High School Seminary was closed in 1974. However, the assets of that facility for the most part were eventually reinvested in the foundation supporting seminary education when that facility was sold around 1990. The Bishop White Seminary program has continued to be our college formation program for seminarians including those who are studying English as a second language. The spiritual, human, and pastoral formation takes place at Bishop White while the academic formation of our seminarians takes place at Gonzaga University. This arrangement over the years has proven in my judgment to be very successful. Seminary formation has changed much over the last few decades and certainly will continue to be refined and updated. A few years ago, the Catholic Foundation (about 20 lay members) of the diocese began looking at the possibility of more fully funding the cost of educating seminarians through an endowment established for that purpose. The cost this year is over $500,000. As discussion continued, the renovation of the facilities at Bishop White Seminary or the possibility of a new facility was also considered. The Catholic Foundation conducted a widespread consultation process that included a feasibility study in which over 250 lay people and priests were personally interviewed. A written survey was sent to 5,000 people throughout the diocese. This consultation led to the recommendation that the Catholic Foundation proceed with a campaign to raise ten million dollars. The monies collected would be used to increase the existing endowment that supports seminary formation, build a new facility for Bishop White Seminary, include this year only the funding of our Annual Catholic Appeal, and for the next two years fund the cost of seminary operations. The monies collected will be devoted solely to these goals and not used for any other purpose. In addition to the recommendation by the Catholic Foundation, this project was also discussed with the Presbyteral Council and the Diocesan Pastoral Council. The priests in general have long been supportive of our program at Bishop White because so many of them have found it to be helpful in an ideal setting. In addition for those seminarians coming from outside of the diocese, they have the opportunity to become acquainted with the diocese and its culture. The Presbyteral Council, the diocesan priests, the Priestly Formation Council and the Diocesan Pastoral Council voiced strong support for the Catholic Foundation to move ahead with raising funds to support the education of seminarians and the building of a new Bishop White Seminary. The facility at Bishop White is aging and something needs to be done. In addition, with the number of seminarians at almost double previous enrollments, pour diocesan operating budget is not balanced. A larger endowment to support seminary education will help reduce deficit spending and allow monies from the General Fund to be used for other very important causes and ministries in the diocese. Our offices and programs are really bare bones after significant cuts this past year due to the economy. Our staff people work really hard, and I am most grateful to them. The first phase of this appeal has been completed in the Southern part of our diocese amongst ten parishes, and they have reached their goal. The second phase will now begin in the Spokane area. I have received a few letters (so far less than 10) objecting to the formation program for seminarians in general. The program for priestly formation in general is under review again as it is constantly updated in our country to meet the current needs of the Church. Screening and constant evaluation of seminarians as they progress to ordination are far more extensive than they used to be. In my days as a seminarian, there was almost none of that. We are dealing with persons who are very human but who so often go through remarkable transformation as they progress towards ordination. However, we do live in a time where seminarians and priests are heavily scrutinized and criticized. At times I wonder if the Lord himself would pass muster with some folks. Pastoral leadership in parishes today is very complex and challenging. Especially this is so if there is a school involved. Many of our parishes are now multi-cultural — a tremendous blessing, but I wonder if most parishioners in the diocese appreciate that challenge and demand on priestly ministry. In St. Patrick Parish in Pasco with over 4,000 families, we have only two priests assigned there full time in a multicultural setting. Priestly ministry there is very demanding with the support of wonderful lay staff and deacons. Indeed, we must strive to provide the best possible pastoral leadership in the diocese. There is always a human side of that equation just as there is a human side of the Church at every level. I’m proud of our seminarians and grateful to them for having the courage to step forward to begin their years of formation. Here and now in Eastern Washington, we have the responsibility of being good stewards of the moment and visionaries of the future. Just as those who have gone before us have made possible what we experience today, so now we have the opportunity to plant seeds for the future. With all of our humanity and faults, I am still gratified and humbled by all that is accomplished by our local Church and by the Church universal. In his Sermon on Mount, Jesus calls us to be a light of the world and salt of the earth. We all are involved in the mission of the Church: living and proclaiming the Good News of the Savior. May we support our local mission of formation of those called to priesthood through our participation in and generosity to the Campaign for the Education of Seminarians. May God bless all of you and give you peace.
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My second appointment in the diocese as a young priest was to Bishop White Seminary in 1962. For the next 12 years, I was involved with our local seminary program both at Bishop White Seminary and at Mater Cleri in Colbert.