Walt Whitman once wrote, “The art of art, the glory of expression, and the sunshine of the light of letters, is simplicity.” The 19-century poet and essayist might well enjoy the simplicity and glorious expressions of faith emanating from the pens, pencils, even crayons of youth in the Diocese of Camden as they engage in the annual Knights of Columbus Seminarian Letter Project.
The project, instituted in 2000 by the New Jersey State Council of the Knights, facilitates students in Catholic schools and parish religious education programs to send letters and cards to men studying for the priesthood. Created by John Tirado, a Knight of the Saint Jude Council 12092, Bellmawr, the project both nurtures vocations in the young and provides men journeying to the priesthood prayerful support from their future flock.
Hometown Hero
The Seminarian Letter Project can be a two-way, faith-based street, explained Joseph Polidoro, past Grand Knight of Saint Margaret Council 13259, Woodbury Heights.
“The best way to support the Church is to support a priest, and in order to have priests, we need seminarians,” Polidoro said. “It is important for these seminarians to realize, when they become priests in a parish, they will have to minister to young kids like this, and someday the kids who write these letters will have the confidence to go to a priest for absolution. [The seminarians] can be role models.”
The council has partnered with students of Saint Margaret Regional School, Woodbury Heights, in the project for the past decade. Principal Sister Michele DeGregorio, FMIJ, asks students in kindergarten through eighth grade to write to the seminarians during Catholic Schools Week’s unit on vocations.
“I assign a seminarian to each grade, as well as priests who once served in the parish and the religious teachers. Students write letters and draw pictures, and send them spiritual bouquets,” Sister Michele said. “It makes the children aware that all of us are called to live out holiness, and that there are young men answering the call.”
This year, the messages of support and gratitude found their way to one of their own.
“We sent letters to seminarian Timothy Mulranen, who is a first-year theology student [at Saint Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers, N.Y.] ” Sister Michele said with a smile. “He is a graduate of Saint Margaret School, and his mother still works here in the office.”
Real Encounters
For Liberty Council 1910, Bridgeton, this is the fourth year for the project, explained Knight Stephen Smith. “Previously, it was just with our [religious education] students, but this year we had a little twist – we had a contest for the most inspirational letters.”
Due to their seminary class schedules, seminarians could not travel to Holy Cross Parish, Bridgeton, to meet with the children, so Smith invited Father Adam Cichoski, diocesan director of vocations, to concelebrate a Mass with pastor Father Matthew Weber. After Mass, students from Bishop Schad Regional School, Vineland, and members of the congregation participated in a question-and-answer period about what it is to live as a priest and seminarian, complete with personal anecdotes.
“The kids were spellbound,” Smith recalled. “Father Adam told a story about how he used to box, and the kids were at the edge of their seats. They became more human to the kids. I am doing this every year.”
Smith added that the Knights’ goal was “to inspire the seminarians on their journey and have the children think about their Catholic faith.” The roughly three dozen letters composed by the students were filled with admiration for those studying for the priesthood as well as their wishes for the men’s continued spiritual strength.
Ricardo Lozano Cruz, studying second theology at Immaculate Conception Seminary at Seton Hall University, South Orange, recently responded to one of his student pen pals with a handwritten note.
“Thank you very much for your heartfelt and sincere wishes for me,” Lozano wrote. “I am very happy to do God’s will.”
‘Stay Committed’
Had he not met his wife in college, Thomas Kohler might well have chosen to pursue life as a priest himself.
“All through grade school, I wanted to be a priest,” the Deputy Grand Knight of the Villa Marie Council 6342 admitted. “I played ‘Mass’ in my basement with my five siblings and used Kool-Aid for the wine and pressed white bread for the hosts.”
Kohler’s vocational journey took a turn toward marriage and fatherhood, and the Knight still remains active in his faith. A strong proponent of the Seminarian Letter Project from its inception, he shared some excerpts of the 105 letters sent to the Diocese’s seminarians by the Absecon council and written by students of Assumption Regional Catholic School, Galloway.
Student Nicole’s letter was addressed to Thomas Piro, studying first theology in St. Joseph’s Seminary. She wrote, “We need priests because they teach us about our Father and we get our sins absolved. We need priests to anoint the sick and teach us about God and get the community together.”
Christopher Myers, studying fourth theology in Immaculate Conception Seminary at Seton Hall University, received encouraging words from another student. After asking the seminarian how his room is decorated and whether he liked different activities, young Alexander wrote, “I know that it may be hard to go through with the seminary sometimes but … I ask you to stay committed … because the world needs priests.”
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