Good memories and a hope for more
Saint Francis Seminary celebrates 150th anniversary by highlighting heritage, anticipating ‘crucial moment’

By Brian T. Olszewski
Catholic Herald Staff

ST. FRANCIS — When an institution celebrates the 150th anniversary of the laying of its cornerstone, the effect might be as bland as the brick and mortar that surround that stone. But the 150th anniversary Saint Francis Seminary celebrated July 15 made little mention how Henni Hall, its central building, was constructed of bricks baked from clay that anchored the site.

Instead, the celebration which began the seminary’s anniversary year, and which also marked the 100th anniversary of the Salesianum, its alumni/alumnae association, was filled with the stories of people who received their education there, be they the clergy it has always educated, former seminarians who answered the call to other vocations, or laity who have been invited to receive formation there since 1972.

Fr. Michael Witczak, the seminary’s rector since January 2002, noted in an interview with the Catholic Herald that memories Saint Francis Seminary alums have are often linked to those who taught them.

“They talk about the professors they had here who influenced their way of thinking, their prayer life, their way of seeing who Jesus is in their life,” he said. “That constitutes the core of Saint Francis Seminary.”

As more than 200 people gathered to celebrate the occasion at an outdoor Mass with Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan, Auxiliary Bishop Richard J. Sklba, and other clergy who had served on the seminary faculty, one could hear reminiscences between alums.

“I lived on the fourth floor one year,” would begin a story. “Fifth and sixth floors were condemned.” This would lead to an exchange of who lived where. (Fr. Witczak noted in his interview with the Herald that the two floors had not been condemned, but that the rector at the time had concerns about students’ safety and therefore opted not to house them on those floors.)

In the midst of a conversation, someone would ask “Do you remember the time …” and another round of memories would be served.

In his homily, Archbishop Dolan noted that he had learned about Saint Francis Seminary as part of his graduate studies in church history at The Catholic University of America.

“Salzmann. Haas. Muench. Meyer,” he said, citing men who served as rectors of the seminary — Fr. Joseph Salzmann, Bishop Joseph Haas, Cardinal Aloysius Muench, and Cardinal Albert Meyer.

He noted how he felt on June 24, 2002 when Bishop Sklba drove him “up the ‘Gone With the Wind’ driveway” toward his residence.

“‘This is home; this is ours. I belong here,’” he recalled thinking that day.

Describing the seminary as “part of our sacred heritage,” Archbishop Dolan said, “For all that has been, thanks be to God. For all that is to come, Jesus, we trust in thee.”

Fr. Joseph Baran, a member of the ordination class of 1947, told the Catholic Herald that his seminary experience is never far from his mind or from that of his classmates.

“We (priest friends) chat about this for 15-20 minutes every day,” he said.

Fr. Baran, whose class went to school during the summers of 1944 and 1945 allowing them to be ordained a year earlier than scheduled, recalled that seminarians in their last two years of philosophy studies and throughout their four years of theology studies dressed the same.

“We wore cassocks all the time,” he said — even for post-breakfast walks to the lakefront.

Lifelong friendships with classmates were not unique to one generation of priests.

“An experience I take with me is the faith community of my brother priests and the close bond we had,” Fr. Tim Bickel, class of 1992, told the Catholic Herald. “These friendships will last forever.”

Fr. Bickel, pastor at St. Agnes, Butler, said that his seminary education “gave me the confidence to share the faith and to follow through with my priesthood commitment and lifestyle.” He added that the support of other priests continued to be instrumental in that, too.

Fr. Todd Budde, class of 2001 and associate pastor at St. Mary, Hales Corners, noted not only the bond he felt with other seminarians, but the grounding that the seminary provided for his vocation.

“It was a very good base to have as a priest. A lot of what we were taught helps when dealing with people and issues,” he said. “The seminary was a good foundation for me to be the kind of priest I am.”

Asked what his most memorable experience was at Saint Francis Seminary, Fr. Leonard Barbian, class of 1965, replied quickly, “The day I received word I had passed metaphysics!”

Now pastor of St. William, Waukesha, Fr. Barbian said the seminary “had a profound impact” upon him.

“It prepared me for my life’s work. It taught me that serving God’s people is what ordination is about — that we are ordained not for ourselves, but to serve others,” he said.

While the anniversary evoked memories and highlighted the seminary’s heritage, Fr. Witczak, a member of the class of 1977 who has studied or experienced the changes that have taken place in the seminary’s history, refers to the present as “a crucial moment in the history of Saint Francis Seminary” and a time when it “redefines its future.”

When he speaks about that future, he mentions not only the increase in the number of seminarians who have enrolled in recent years, but about the education and formation it has provided to candidates for the diaconate since 1973, and, since 1972, to laity who are involved in ministry.

Fr. Witczak said that the “repositioning of the seminary as a viable asset for the church in the life of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee,” raises questions to which he, Archbishop Dolan and others seek answers:

Is this the place where we train ministers for the church, but which also has seminarians, or is this a seminary that provides the education and formation for men studying for priesthood, and also provides education and formation for deacon candidates and those involved in lay ministry?

Is the time right to invite those from other dioceses to consider us for the education and formation of their seminarians?

How might Saint Francis Seminary and other institutions collaborate?

What needs to be done in order to foster leadership in the archdiocese? What role does the seminary have in that?

Following the presentation of awards by the Salesianum, Fr. Witczak told the gathering, “Saint Francis Seminary is a constant in the archdiocese. We continue to grow, develop, and evolve. I invite you to participate in that growth.”

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