Dear friends in Christ,
If you have been following the Catholic "blogosphere," you may have noticed a rather shocking piece of news: The American College of Louvain--my seminary--is closing. This is sadly true. The seminary will be closing at the end of this academic year. As a result, I will not be returning to Belgium next year to finish my theology studies. If you wish to read the letter explaining the closure, you can Google "Whispers in the Loggia" and scroll down to last Saturday's articles. Ultimately, it is a combination of financial difficulties, lack of available priest-faculty, as well as an ongoing effort to consolidate American seminaries during these economic times to be responsible with the funds of the People of God.
I personally am quite shocked by this news. For all appearances, having lived there for two years, I saw tremendous growth and a vibrant formation atmosphere. It is an sad occurrence but I trust that God is in control of everything.
You may wonder where I'll be going next year. At this point, the Archbishop and I are discussing options--most likely Rome or Mt. Angel. Please pray for me as I discern where the Lord wants me this next year. There are many blessings available at both locations. Being home would be a wonderful gift, building up the brotherhood and being built up by my future "co-workers in the vineyard" of Oregon. Being in Rome would also be a great blessing and opportunity for growth.
Please pray; thank you for your friendship and encouragement.
Love,
Mark
