High school students invited to Bishop Bruté Days on June 20-22
Kneeling in prayer during a Mass that was a part of Bishop Bruté Days at Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary in Indianapolis in June 2016 are John Paul Malinoski, left, Patrick Barron, Leo Ocampo—all members of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish in Indianapolis—and Isaac Williams, a member of St. John the Apostle Parish in Bloomington. (File photo by Sean Gallagher)
By Sean Gallagher
Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary in Indianapolis will host the 12th annual Bishop Bruté Days on June 20-22.
Sponsored by the archdiocesan vocations office, the event gives young men in grades 9-12 an experience of the full range of what day‑to-day life is like in a college seminary.
That includes aspects of seminary life one might expect, like going to Mass and hearing presentations on the faith. But it also will feature times for recreation and doing chores around the seminary.
“It’s a very balanced way of life,” said Father Eric Augenstein, archdiocesan vocations director. “When you’re in seminary, you don’t spend all your time in the chapel, or all your time in the classroom, or all your time on the athletic field. It’s a balance of prayer, study, community, ministry and recreation. And that balance is very human.
“My hope is that guys who come to Bishop Bruté Days will experience some of the humanity of the seminary, and the balance of types of activities that make up a typical week in a college seminary. And I think they might be surprised by some of what they experience.”
In previous years, students in the seventh and eighth grades could participate in Bishop Bruté Days. Because of the changed focus on helping participants experience what daily life in the archdiocesan-sponsored college seminary is like, registration beginning this year is limited to young men in high school.
Bishop Bruté Days will also include a presentation by a theology professor from nearby Marian University in Indianapolis, where seminarians attend classes. The praying of the Liturgy of the Hours, opportunities for the sacrament of penance, eucharistic adoration and devotions like the rosary will also be included.
The event is supported by nearby Catholic organizations like the Indianapolis Serra Club and the Knights of Columbus, who supply, prepare and serve meals for the participants.
Father Joseph Moriarty, rector of Bishop Bruté College Seminary, explained that all the aspects of the event are ultimately geared toward helping participants discern God’s will for them.
“It’s more of a reflective opportunity to ask themselves the question, ‘What does God want me to do?’ ” Father Moriarty said. “We’re going to be presenting that question more to the high school kids and let them experience the priesthood as an option.”
Father Augenstein said that Bishop Bruté Days can be helpful and attractive in a variety of ways for young men in high school.
“I think every young man of faith would do well to experience what [the seminary] is like,” he said. “Even if they’re not called to the priesthood, they might have a brother or a friend who is, and by attending Bishop Bruté Days they’ll be able to support other guys.
“And for those who do think they might be called to priesthood, Bishop Bruté Days is the best way to meet other guys who are asking the same questions and striving to answer God’s call in the same way, and to enjoy the best prayer, study, fellowship and recreation that the Church has to offer young men.”
(For more information about Bishop Bruté Days or to register for it, visit www.HearGodsCall.com/bishop-brute-days or call 317-236-1490 or 800-382-9836, ext. 1490. Registration for Bishop Bruté Days is free of charge.) †
