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The 2024 edition of the annual Seminarian Send-Off is in the books. By all accounts, the evening was a hit among attendees. Twenty-five men will be in seminary studies for the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas this year, including three new seminarians entering the Propadeutic Stage, introduced by Fr. Dan Morris, Vocations Director for the Archdiocese:

Nathan Laudan (left), son of Doug and Rexanne Laudan, of Holy Trinity Parish in Paola, KS. Nathan graduated from Kansas State University, and for the past 3 years has worked for the American Royal as the Director of their Education Programming. He will enter the Propadeutic Stage of formation, commencing with the Spirituality Year at St. John Vianney Seminary in Denver.

James Euston (right) is the son of John and Jamie Euston, and grandson of JOCO Serrans, Gerry and Connie Euston. James' home parish is St.  Michael the Archangel in Leawood. After completing his sophomore year at Franciscan University in Steubenville, OH, in the spring of this year, James will enter Propadeutic Stage of formation, completing the Spirituality Year at St. John Vianney Seminary in Denver.

Gabriel Zuniga is from Costa Rica. His parents are Juan Carlos and Carmen Zuniga and were unable to be present for the evening. Gabriel's connection to the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas is through Fr. Daniel Coronado, Pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Topeka, KS. Fr. Coronado also hails from Costa Rica. Gabriel has identified Our Lady of Guadalupe in Topeka as his home parish. He will enroll in Intensive English Language courses at Emporia State University this fall, and be under the supervision of Fr. Nicholas Ashmore at the Didde Catholic Campus Center.

The evening began with a new addition to the program. Seminarians spoke of their summer activities, beginning with Deacon Dan Mauro and Deacon Will Carey (photo left), who spoke about their respective summer experiences at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Topeka and Most Pure Heart of Mary Parish in Topeka. 

Theologians, John Donart and Alex Rickert (photo right), spoke about th​​​​​​​eir collective summer experience enrolled in the Intensive Summer Spanish Immersion Program at the University of Avila in Spain. Both men were particularly moved to be able to stay in the Carmelite monastery where St. Teresa of Avila lived and walk in her footsteps.

Pre-theologians, Andrew Cunningham and Dominic Victor (photo left), talked about their summer experience at Camp Tekakwitha. They called out the culture shock of having completed a 30-day silent Ignatian retreat as their spring semester ended, only to land in the midst of multiples of adolescent campers at their summer assignment.  

The seminarians packed up on Monday morning and spent the past week on retreat at the Lake of the Ozarks prior to heading back to respective seminary campuses.

Here is a run-down of the seminarians' assignments for this academic year:

Theology IV (Vocation Synthesis Stage)

• Deacon Dan Mauro, Deacon Will Carey, and Deacon Cesar Gomez will return to Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis where they will complete their 4th year of Theology studies and, God willing, will be ordained priests for the Archdiocese next May.

Theology III (Configuration Stage)

• John Donart will return to St. John Vianney Seminary in Denver.
• Bob Rooney returns to Pope John XXIII National Seminary outside Boston, MA.
• Will Sutherland returns to Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis.
• These men will, God-willing, be ordained transitional deacons for the Archdiocese next May

Pastoral Year (Configuration Stage)

• Jonathan Fox will experience a Pastoral Year at St. Joseph Parish in Shawnee.
• Alex Rickert will complete a Pastoral Year at St. Catherine Parish in Emporia, and will be working with students at the Didde Catholic Campus Center at Emporia State University.

Theology II (Configuration Stage)

• Trey Nissen and Mathias Saiki return to Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis.

Pre-Theology II (Discipleship Stage)

• Andrew Buyle, Landry Weber, Zach McGuinness, and Jarrad Condreay return to St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver.

Pre-Theology I (Discipleship Stage)

• Andrew Cunningham and Dominic Victor return to St. John Vianney Seminary in Denver.
• Drew Stanley returns to Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis.

College Seminary (Discipleship Stage)

• Michael Santamarina returns to College IV at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis.
• Joey Punswick, Jimmy Mendoza, and Juan Vazquez return to College III at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis.
• Robert Mendoza returns to a second year of intensive English studies at the University of Missouri in Kansas City, and will be at the Cathedral of St. Peter.

An evening meal of local barbecue (Ross Catering) was enjoyed by all.

Archbishop Naumann closed the evening with words of gratitude to the men for their commitment to discerning priestly vocations. He also spoke to parents of the seminarians in gratitude for their encouragement and support of their sons during the years of discernment. He closed the evening with a blessing upon all attendees. 

Let us keep the seminarians in our prayer every day!