What element of your formation at Sacred Heart made the greatest impact on you ?
“ First and most obvious to me is the tremendous prayer life and spiritual direction that we had . Second was the contact we had with the older priests in residence — those whose own history took us back to the beginning of the seminary itself . That sense of history was always very important to me .” — Lansing Bishop Earl A . Boyea
“ Sacred Heart gave me a clear understanding of the expectations of a seminarian and the motive to live up to them . In the years after the Second Vatican Council , there was a lot of confusion about how to prepare for the priesthood , and even what the priesthood is , and the foundation I had at Sacred Heart — the high school especially — served me very well .” — Detroit Archbishop Allen H . Vigneron
“ The time in seminary and my time as a parish priest taught me , as Bishop ( John M .) Quinn often repeated , that it wasn ’ t about me . It never was about me . It is and will always be about Jesus , his mission , his love of the Father , and my share in his life and mission , his death and resurrection , and his eternity . The seminary opened my heart to a Father ’ s love . It took my eyes off of me and put them where they were always meant to be , on Christ .”
— Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Gerard W . Battersby
What are some of your fondest memories or traditions from Sacred Heart ?
“ When I was visiting the seminary in eighth grade for our entry exam , I have a very vivid memory of the first time I walked into the chapel . I was just overwhelmed by the beauty of it . It ’ s a memory I recall every time I go into the chapel — it ’ s always a great source of peace and joy to me .”
— Archbishop Vigneron
“ We just loved ‘ The Heart ’— that ’ s what we called [ Sacred Heart ]. For me , it was the human touch , coming together to celebrate someone or something . When it was someone ’ s birthday , for instance , they would always announce it during lunchtime , and the whole cafeteria would loudly sing ‘ Happy Birthday ’ in Polish . It was wonderful . It ’ s little things like that .”
— Bishop Francis Y . Kalabat , Chaldean Eparchy of St . Thomas the Apostle
“ Every spring , one of the college classes would organize a field day . It was a chance for all of us ( seminarians ) to work together , and it was a time of friendship . One of the great gifts of the seminary , in addition to forming us into the heart of Christ for the priesthood , was the friendships I formed with my brother seminarians . Those friendships have lasted and are still part of my life . I treasured that .”
— Bishop John M . Quinn , bishop emeritus of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester , Minn .
“ I remember distinctly the visit of Pope St . John Paul II in September 1987 , when I was in the college seminary . The helicopter landed right on the sports field , and the pope had a chance to visit the seminary faculty , staff , and seminarians who were there . It was definitely a highlight for the seminarians to visit with him , and to serve Mass with him the next day at the Pontiac Silverdome .”
— Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Jeffrey M . Monforton
Who was your favorite professor ?
“ Almost all of them ( made a significant impact ), but the one who particularly stands out is Father William Sherzer , who was the dean of formation when I was in the college seminary . He was a great mentor and guide for me . He was a very wise man . Between the ages of 18 and 22 , [ seminarians ] have a lot of questions about how one fits in and what ’ s important to a man , and he was very wise in giving guidance on this point .”
— Archbishop Vigneron
“ I had very good professors and a lot of fine classes . I majored in history in college , and I remember Father ( Ramón ) Betanzos ’ classes . He was a very fine instructor , and his classes were very formative and helpful . Having classes like that certainly shaped my formation , my thinking , and helped me in my priesthood .” — Hartford Archbishop Leonard P . Blair
“ Father Paul Berg was always a standout for me . He was a fine philosopher , a man of charity , a man committed to Christ and quietly pious , often caught with a flashlight praying the Stations in the dark . He did two things by my lights for which I am grateful . He pushed back the darkness and he stood at his station until he died . I thought he was something , and I pray that I can in some measure imitate him . To me , Father Paul Berg represented the venerable tradition both in the seminary , in the priesthood , and in our families of those who understand the law of the gift , of pushing back the darkness and standing until you die .”
— Bishop Battersby
Where was your favorite place to pray ?
“ I loved spending time in Sacred Heart ’ s chapel . Later in the evening , right before I ’ d go to bed , it was very quiet , and there were no lights , except for around the altar . It was always a time to just place all of my concerns , all of my needs , all of my need for mercy , in front of the Sacred Heart of Jesus . To this day , I still replicate that practice of closing out my day by giving everything back to the Lord .”
— Bishop Quinn
What makes Sacred Heart ’ s historic campus so unique ?
“ Aside from the human element , I would say the historic building leaves a mark on you . It ’ s so impressive and beautiful , and I think that beauty symbolizes all of the experiences that
14 Sacred Heart Major Seminary | Mosaic | Fall 2023