HOUSTON — Bishop Steven J. Lopes offers his deepest gratitude to all the faithful and clergy of the Ordinariate for their support of the Sept. 24-25, 2016 second collection for the Seminary Formation Fund.
As of Dec. 2016, the collection received $53,187 (U.S. dollars) in donations, which will go towards supporting our seminarians’ tuition, books, room and board, health care, retreats, and more.
The Seminary Formation Fund was established by Bishop Lopes in 2016 so that Ordinariate faithful could join together to help the men who have so generously responded to the Lord’s call to serve God’s people as priests. The Ordinariate has 4 men in formation to become priests for the Ordinariate. It costs the Ordinariate $35,000 per year to provide room, board, tuition, books, insurance and formation opportunities for 1 seminarian.
Through the generous gifts to the Seminary Formation Fund, the Ordinariate can continue to flourish under the ministry and service of these fine men who have discerned a call to Holy Orders. Our gratitude goes out to all who are helping provide our seminarians with the best education and formation possible, so that they will be ready to take up their priestly ministry to God's people.
The collection for the Seminary Formation Fund will be taken up every year on Good Shepherd Sunday as part of the Ordinariate’s ongoing commitment to providing priestly formation and future leadership to our Parishes and Parochial Communities.