Greetings from the seminary! I am Cliff Whitty, a junior in Philosophy

and a second-year seminarian at St. John Vianney. How does one

adequately describe a life here at St. John’s? Words are hardly enough

to convey the mysterious, transformative ways the Spirit of God works

on us who are here discerning the priesthood. Every day here is a new

way to encounter the Lord Jesus present in our lives. We are

tremendously blessed with priests and faculty who care about our

upbringing as the future priests of Florida. We are also blessed to be

surrounded by the beauty of nature around our campus, and the beauty

of art in the gardens and the chapel where we encounter the Lord at

prayer and at Mass.

This year is a very special year for our school—our 50th anniversary.

Our rector has been working tirelessly towards organizing a 50th

anniversary reunion for alumni of our school. This is a very momentous

occasion, and it’s also an opportunity for great hope and joy. Priests

and laypeople from the past five decades will be coming together to

this wonderful seminary where their path towards ministry started.

This promises to be a joyful and hopeful event for both our guests and

ourselves.

All of the things that are happening in this 50th year have made me

reflect on my own experience of seminary so far. If, God willing, I

should become a priest some day, I will have some very big shoes to

fill. The priests in Florida who have come before me and raised me in

the faith are great men of God, and have done great things in the name

of Jesus Christ and the Gospel. It is inspiring to meditate on how

God’s greatness shines through who servants!