From the Seminary

News

Dear Fellow Parishioners,
As my first year at Conception Seminary College draws to a close, I wanted to share some of the wonderful experiences I have had this year. I have learned so much about my Catholic faith, as well as the philosophical foundations that support it. The classes have been intellectually challenging but equally rewarding in the matter that they have covered. While I have spent a lot of my time in the classroom or studying, academics are only a portion of the priestly formation established by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. I have also grown a lot in my spiritual life by joining my bother seminarians praying the Liturgy of the Hours, going to daily Mass, as well as having the opportunities for Eucharistic Adoration and spiritual direction.
Another major component to my priestly formation has been my apostolic visits to the Northwest Missouri Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center in St. Joseph, MO. These weekly visits have allowed me to spend time with the mentally ill patients and to learn how to bring the love of Christ to everyone. While I have not received my apostolic assignment for next year, I will probably be teaching RCIA or Confirmation classes in the towns surrounding the seminary.
This summer I have been assigned by the Vocations Committee and Archbishop Beltran to work on the Mission Team at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Camp. I am looking forward to sharing my faith and my experiences from the seminary with the kids at camp, as well as sharing it with you, my parish family on the weekends. Thank you again for all of your prayers and support during this first year at seminary. It has meant a lot. I did not think it was possible, but I am surer of my vocation to the priesthood now than I was when I started seminary. It has been a great experience and I look forward to spending time in the archdiocese this summer before returning to my final year of philosophical studies at Conception Seminary.
See you soon!

Brian Buettner
Seminarian-Archdiocese of Oklahoma City
brian@stmarkscatholic.org