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Twenty-one members of the Serra Clubs of Johnson County and Kansas City in Kansas enjoyed a beautiful fall day in Denver, CO, on Tuesday, October 11, 2022, during a visit to St. John Vianney Theological Seminary (SJV). This was a first-time visit for some, and positive comments about the experience were heard all around.
The day began with a morning tour of the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in downtown Denver, pictured right. Our guide, Antonio, spoke about the Cathedral’s inception and construction, including the difference between a cathedral and a basilica, with the latter designation representing an edifice that is “near and dear to a pope.” In the case of the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, the title “basilica” was conferred by Pope Saint John Paul II. The tour concluded as the group was treated to a presentation of the Cathedral organ, and a short program played by the Director of Sacred Music and Cathedral organist, Phil Bordeleau.
After a short drive to SJV, we were greeted by Fr. Daniel Eusterman, a seminary professor and formator, who spoke about the facility’s history and the richness of seminary life. He described the formation of men not only as priests, but as men, identifying the four dimensions of seminary life: academic, pastoral, human, and spiritual. Relating the necessity that seminarians come to know the love of Jesus in a very personal way, he said, “They cannot give what they have not received.”
About 100 seminarians from 15 dioceses across the country are in formation at SJV, including 10 men from the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. Because most men enter SJV with a college degree, the first year of seminary life at SJV is spent in a Spirituality Year (SY) centered on prayer and retreat from the world. Access to technology (cell phones and computers, in particular) is limited to Saturdays in the effort to lead men more deeply into relationship with Jesus. Five of our seminarians are currently in the SY. 
After Fr. Eusterman’s presentation, Deacon Colm Larkin provided a tour of the seminary, with focus on the beautiful Christ the King chapel. He related key details of the chapel’s architecture, stained glass, and interior design, all details reflecting the process of seminary formation.
Our group stayed for Mass with the seminarians in the chapel before moving to the refectory, where we enjoyed a delicious lunch of steak, roasted potatoes, and asparagus, along with great conversation at table with the seminarians.
In the afternoon, we toured a formation house at Christ the King Parish. Deacon Timothy Skoch explained the role of the formation house in building community among the men. SJV, with the cooperation of the Archdiocese of Denver, houses second-, third-, and fourth-year theologians in three formation houses around the Denver area. At the house, the seminarians live with a formator, essentially a priest role-model, and from there, they navigate to seminary classes daily, and to parish assignments each weekend.
Deacon Tim took the group to the house chapel, the altar of which is pictured right. It was the 3 o’clock hour, and someone suggested the group pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, which we did. It was a wonderful, spur-of-the-moment recollection.
Together with the seminarians, the Serrans enjoyed a happy hour at the Lowry Beer Garden, a spot in southeast Denver that has apparently become a go-to place for the biennial seminary visit. From there, the combined group concluded the day at a local Italian establishment, Café Luca, enjoying a traditional 4-course Italian meal that was over-the-top wonderful!
