We were very blessed to have Jordan here with us over the summer. I expect to see Jordan from August 2019 to August 2020, although the exact dates are yet to be finalized. At this point, it would not be out of order to address what exactly a pastoral year is.
When a man enters seminary, he must study at least two years of philosophy and four years of theology before ordination. If a man enters out of high school, philosophy studies take place in the context of a four year-degree. Along the way, a man will often take time away from school for a year or two to get some practical experience of ministry outside of the seminary. I took one myself as a year for discernment of the possibility of entering a religious order out in Rhode Island. Jordan has asked for this opportunity and we are very happy to have him. He will be working primarily with youth: in the school, high school students, college students, and young adults (18 to 35). The diocese will pay his salary for the whole year and we will be on the hook for room and board.
As we are talking about seminarians, it would be a good time to mention the fact that we have missed our goal at both parishes for the seminarian appeal. The bulletin will indicate the exact amount of the shortfall. The expenses associated with training a man for priesthood during these years easily run over $250,000 per priest on average. As with Fruitful Harvest, we will have to write a check to the diocese for the shortfall. If there is no other reason to give to this fund, we should do so in order to send the men who are preparing to serve us as priests a message that they are important to us and that we value the sacrifice that they are preparing to make to serve the Church.