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March 10, 2008
The Seminary of Mar Abba the Great of St. Peter Diocese
Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ, In his letter to the Romans, St. Paul asks the faithful, “how can [people] call on him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach? And how can people preach unless they are sent?” (Romans 10:14-15). The Lord Jesus Christ does not neglect his Church – from the very beginning, he has provided for her by calling men to share in his holy priesthood, so that his Church may always be provided with his Gospel and his Sacraments. In our own Diocese of St. Peter the Apostle, we have been blessed to have five young men present themselves for priestly discernment and studies. If it is their calling, these men will be future priests of our Diocese. It is they who will preach the Good News to those of the next generation, baptize them, forgive their sins, bless their marriages, pray for them at the altar of God, and nourish them with the Body and Blood of our Lord. Bishop Sarhad Yawsip Jammo, in response to the grace of the Lord which called these men to this first step of discernment, has realized the need to open a seminary within the Diocese in which to train them in preparation for the priesthood and aid them in their discernment of so noble a call. The house will be named the “Seminary of Mar Abba the Great,” after one of our greatest Patriarchs, who was Patriarch from 540-552 AD. The reason I am writing to all of you is to ask you for three things. First, I ask for your heartfelt prayers for these young men and for this seminary. Without the grace of God, we can do nothing, and so we need, first and foremost, your prayers for his grace to pour out upon us. Second, I ask you to encourage other young men who may have a calling to the priesthood. The five men I mentioned above are only the beginning – the calling of the Lord is at work in many hearts in our Diocese, and some may need encouragement to follow it. Third, I ask for your financial support. Though a very kind and faithful benefactor has allowed us the use of a house temporarily, a permanent, nearby and larger location is needed for the eventual future of this Seminary, and so we are seeking to raise funds for a down payment for a house. We also are seeking benefactors to make donations of any kind – large or small – to help with the other expenses needed for living and study. Thank you for your support. Know that you are all in my prayers.
Your servant in Christ, Fr. Andrew Younan Rector Seminary of Mar Abba the Great |
