ings, and ministry outreach, and simply
hanging out after class.
“As a Companion, I’ve felt very welcomed
by the other seminarians,” Isaac says. “I
know that the Holy Spirit is doing great
things here, and it’s exciting to be a part of
it. It’s not uncommon for us to pray with
each other between classes, or get together
on a Saturday night for praise and worship.
“I love these guys a lot, and it’s great
to have them as we all go forward in our
vocation.”
The feeling is mutual, according to two
men studying for the Archdiocese of Detroit.
“The fraternity that forms between the dioc-
esan and Companion seminarians is a gift,”
says Ryan Eggenberger, who has enjoyed
spending time with Isaac and other Compan-
ions during recreation time, outside of the
academic setting. “These lasting friendships
will be a blessing for our future ministries as
priests, in that we will hopefully be able to
call on one another as ‘companions’ in evan-
gelizing and pastoring God’s people.”
Corey Baumgartner recalls a class when
Companion classmates led praise and wor-
ship and then stayed after to pray for fellow
students with physical injuries.
“This is the type of blessing the Compan-
ions are,” Corey says. “They truly desire the
Lord to touch everyone.”
Study is Greater Calling
Academically, Sacred Heart’s focus on
the New Evangelization lines up perfectly
with the Companions’ charism. “It has
been a real complement to our own com-
munity formation to learn about evangeli-
zation from renowned Church leaders who
are on the cutting edge of the Church’s mis-
sion in the world,” Alex says.
A culture of evangelization fills Sacred
Companions make joyful music at a “praise and anointing” workshop at St. Scholastica.
Heart and its classes, especially philoso-
phy, Daniel adds. Discussions often revolve
around real life applications and are always
colored by a desire to bring Jesus to others.
“Our learning is never simply for the sake
of learning but is always in light of our greater
calling to serve the Church,” Daniel says. “I
find that having this culture of evangelization
permeating through our academic formation
is helping prepare me for the ‘real’ life after
seminary, where, God willing, I will be evan-
gelizing as a Companion of the Cross priest.”
Sacred Heart is blessed with the Com-
panions’ presence, relates Msgr. Todd Laji-
ness, rector and president of the seminary.
“In a particular way, we are blessed by
their commitment to evangelization,” he
says. “They bring a whole range of ideas
and experiences that enhance what we do,
and I think we also have initiatives and well-
developed programs that assist them and
bring a freshness to what they do.”
Father Vandenakker, who teaches theol-
ogy at Sacred Heart along with fellow Com-
panion Fr. Pierre Ingram, credits the com-
munity’s growth to its decision to move the
formation of their seminarians to Detroit.
While only a few seminarians made the trip
from Ottawa to Detroit in 2011, more than
twenty will be enrolled at Sacred Heart next
academic year. To assist in their spiritual for-
mation, Fr. Charles Orchard has just been
reassigned to St. Scholastica after doing min-
istry at the Ottawa and Toronto foundations.
“God is finally entrusting us with more vo-
cations because they have a good place to go,”
Father Vandenakker says. “Its such a blessing
to have our men formed in a place that’s so
faithful and dynamic.”
Priests and seminarians pray the Liturgy of the Hours
together morning and evening.
Fr. John Vandenakker, CC, left, and Fr. Pierre Ingram,
CC, contribute to the seminary as theology professors.
• Founded: Ottawa, Canada, as
a community of priests in 1985
(companionsofthecross.org).
Roots are in Charismatic Renewal.
• Mission: “Invite all people into initial
and ongoing encounter with Jesus.”
• Spirituality: Devotion to Eucharistic,
life in the Spirit, consecration to Mary,
loyalty to Magisterium.
• Foundations: Ottawa, Halifax,
and Toronto; Houston and Detroit.
• Membership: Forty priests, twenty-three
seminarians (eighteen at Sacred Heart).
• Affiliations: Servants of the Cross
sisterhood (servantsofthecross.ca)
and Companions lay associates.
Darci Swisher is a freelance writer who lives in
Ann Arbor, Michigan.
shms.edu
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