Quigley Preparatory Seminary - La Petit Seminaire Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

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spend the entxre lunch perlod 1n the confesslonal, together wlth a long per lod after school Certalnly Qulgley s confessors are worthy successors to thelr patron salnt' As a confidant and adv1ser, the sp1r1t ual dlrector shows hlmself more clearly as a real fr1end At least once yearly the sp1r1tual dlrector calls ln each boy for a prlvate VlS1t Here, wlthout the solemnlty of the confesslonal the sem 1nar1an can discuss any problems that he may have or slmply get to know h1s sp1r1tual advlser better Don Sarto, as sp1r1tual dlrector at Trevlso, made tallored clothlng avaxl able to needy semmarlans, although they never knew that he was their benefactor At ulgley lf a semln arxan IS 1n any such d1Hiculty the slstance, and he IS no less qu1et about lt than was Don Sarto Th1s and the other asslstance that the sp1r1tual directors glVC seem to make thexr tltle just a bxt mlsleadmg, for they are more than dlrectors, much more They are fr1ends P1us X was a smcere, movmg speaker, whose own holmess was ev1dent to h1s llsteners He was an excellent retreat master as one of h1s blographers says, He took part ID the students retreats as though he were one of them A sp1r1tual dlrector 1n a semlnary must be a good retreat master, for the an nual retreat 1S an lmportant part of the semlnary year Here at Qu1gley a four day retreat opens the year of study and prayer Th1s retreat IS a prlmary concern of the spmtual dlrec tor, for the retreat must gxve the sem lnarlans a good start on another step I8 toward the prlesthood After a summer m which the dally routme of semmary llfe had been forgotten, the retreat IS a txme of prayer and sllent medltatlon to msplre the semmarman and renew any lost fervor The splrltual dlrector leads the retreat, and he IS an II1Sp1I' atlon to the young men who would one day jom h1m as leaders for Chrxst Besldes conduct1ng the devotlons of the retreat and speaklng, the spmtual dlrectors hear the confesslons of all the retreatants during the three days be fore 1ts concluslon In the retreat the sp1r1tual dlrectors are true leaders, for they conduct themselves more as part ners than overseers Another s1m1lar, but shorter help to holmess for the semmarlans IS the Day of Recollectlon held four t1mes 1n the lectlon IS a small retreat, a tlme for renewal of the resolutlons made at the start of the 5 ear 1n the full retreat The Day of Recollectlon IS the perfect endmg of one scholastlc quarter, and the perfect start of another I IS a short pause 1n the busy pursult of the prlesthood a deep breath a time of med1tat1on Th1s day long retreat IS agam the concern of the splrltual dxrector, for he calls on one of the dlocesan prlests to conduct lt, and helps ln every way he can to make every Day of Recollect1on a splrltual success Blessed PIUS X, the sp1r1tual dlrector who ascended to the papacy, m h1s Letter to Przests quotes St Charles Borromeo Brethren, understand that nothlng IS so necessary as mental prayer, It should precede, accompany and follow all our actlons . . I. Q ' , ' ' - a u . n l I n c , , sp1r1tual dlrector IS the channel of as- Course of the year, The Day of Reqol- ' . . t ' D 3 . . -. U . ,

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efoucdem ou 5 N the year 1875 Plus X, at the t1me Don G1useppe Sarto, served as sp1r1tual d1rector of the semxnary 1n the Trevlso d1ocese Although Don Sarto spent a compar at1vely short tlme at the semlnary, he was well loved and respected by hlS young charges Hls qulet, easy manner and h1s manly v1rtue engendered 1n the sem1nar1ans a s1ncere, respectful affec t1on Today we call thls same qulet llttle man Blessed and before long, he w1ll be called Sa1nt Plus X Every sp1r1tual d1rector shares ln the glory of Blessed Plus X, for h1s eleva t1on to the ranks of the sa1nts assures them that 1n all the1r Works, they have an understandmg and helpful patron Besldes help1ng sp1r1tual d1rectors as a patron samt, Plus X serves as a model, for he was all that a sp1r1tual director should be P1us X was a model, a confessor, a confidant and advlser, a retreat master, a spur of encouragement, but above all, a fr1end to every semlnarlan Today the sp1r1tual dlrectors at Qulgley are fulfillmg Wlth the same zeal the tasks that the sa1ntly Pope loved P1us X, xn h1s Letter to Przesfs sa1d Chrlst H1mself, the Model of prlests, first taught by deeds and then by words No 1m1tat1on of that Model was more s1ncere than that of Don Sarto as sp1r1tual d1rector of the Tre vlso semlnary For such was h1s teach 1ng, Hrst by deeds and then by words HIS success as a sp1r1tual d1rector was ln great part due to the example that he gave, for from observance of thls samt there grew trust and adm1rat1on among h1s boys And so It 1S w1th Qulgley s sp1r1tual d1rectors, the1r own act1ons are the most eloquent of ser mons, for they are samtly men com pletely devoted to the boys m the1r care They know the lmportance of the1r task, and no sp1r1tual d1rector g1VCS less than h1s best IH that task The sp1r1tual d1rector IS a personal fr1end to every sem1nar1an It IS he who pomts the way to a holy pr1est hood by means of the help that he glVCS each semmarlan Probably the most effectlve ald to hohness for the sem1nar1an at Qulgley IS the weekly receptlon of the Sacra ment of Penance COHfCSSlOD 1n the semlnary IS not a torture, but a won derful means of advancement 1n the sp1r1tual l1fe To a great extent, lt IS the sp1r1tual d1rector who makes the sacrament so Wonderful a means of advancement, for he IS the hnest of confessors He IS a confessor l1ke Don Sarto, always kmd and full f encouragement, yet LOHSCIOUS of h1s duty of help1ng to form better prlests Don Sarto as a confessor was most generous w1th hrs t1me He often sat for hours ln a chllly llttle room hear mg the confesslons of h1s semmarxans Desplte the pet1t1ons of h1s fellow prlests, Don Sarto refused to lessen the tlme he spent IH the confess1onal, saymg that he was comfortable enough The confessors at Quigley are no less generous 1n g1v1ng of the1r t1me They 17 J . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - . ' J ' so n - ' ' ' . . . . , . . . - - . l - . . , . O . . D H . . . . . . . H . . . . . . . . . . , - ' cc n ' . .

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Once weekly each class at the sem mary makes a chapel V1S1t 1n a body At this V1S1f the sem1nar1ans make a short med1tat1on and hear a sermon from their spiritual d1rector This weekly VlS1t IS not only a prayerful per1od spent 1n chapel but also a be gmners lesson IH med1tat1on The sp1r1tual director guides the thoughts of the sem1nar1ans and they become accustomed to the most fruitful of prayers, med1tat1on Mental prayer is a fundamental part of the priestly life, and the sp1r1tual director sees to lt that every sem1nar1an becomes ac qua1nted w1th it early 1n h1s career These are the spiritual CXCFCISCS at Qmgley, every one 1mportant, and every one the concern of the sp1r1tual director Th1s IS certa1nly a most pressing respons1b1l1ty, for holy pI'lCStS are the l1fes blood of the 'Vlyst1cal Body and holy priests are, in some way, due to the efforts of good spirit ual directors Among sp1r1tual dlrec tors, the one in the m1nor semmary IS of paramount lmportance, for he IS the first direction glven, the first marker, the first help on the way to the priest hood The spiritual director IS the first judge of a cand1date and the first adv1ser of every candidate He IS the leader, who shows by his own life the worth of a holy priest He IS the en couragement and the comfort so neces sary to sem1nar1ans The life of Don Sarto, the l1fe of every splrltual director, IS one of sac FIHCC for those closest to the heart of Christ No prlest gives more freely of h1s time and talent, or 1S more s1n cere 1n his assistance Certainly no one will ever know completely how done, for h1s IS no showy sacrifice, but qu1et, smcere help given in con fidence with love for Christ and His sem1nar1ans as ltS motive The Splfltual director, to whom the priesthood IS an accomphshed reallty, must prepare those for whom It IS a distant dream The hollness of future priests IS hlS constant concern The boys who leave him and the qulet of their semmary must be the men who will one dav restore all thmgs 1 Christ 19 . . , - , , D . , . . . . . . . . - much good the spiritual director has - . . 3 - . , . f - ' ' L 3 I c I Q ' c ' Q . . . - I 44 ' 'n ' ' n