{"id":2981,"date":"2013-04-18T10:13:00","date_gmt":"2013-04-18T10:13:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/news\/school-children-support-seminarians-through-letter-campaign\/"},"modified":"2013-04-18T10:13:00","modified_gmt":"2013-04-18T10:13:00","slug":"school-children-support-seminarians-through-letter-campaign","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2013\/04\/school-children-support-seminarians-through-letter-campaign\/","title":{"rendered":"School children support seminarians through letter campaign"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Blackwood, N.J., Apr 18, 2013 \/ 04:13 am (CNA\/EWTN News<\/a>).- Catholic men studying to be priests have expressed their \u201cdeepest appreciation\u201d for words and prayers of encouragement from grade school students participating in a New Jersey letter-writing campaign.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cPlease convey my deepest appreciation to the children and tell them to continue their prayers for us here,\u201d one seminarian wrote. \u201cGod does indeed hear the prayers of little children.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tIn a project sponsored by the New Jersey State Council of the Knights of Columbus, Catholic grade school students are able to send words of encouragement to men studying to be priests in the United States and Rome.<\/p>\n

\tJohn Tirado, the Seminarian Letter Project chairman, said he was inspired to begin the project by his childhood admiration of priests and their sacrifice for the Church.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cI\u2019ve always been greatly inspired by anybody that spends a lifelong devotion to God,\u201d he told CNA April 15. \u201cThese individuals, these men, are being an instrument (of God).\u201d<\/p>\n

\tTirado said that the practice of writing letters is a \u201cvery easy, very inexpensive\u201d way to help a group of people who \u201cneed all the support they can get.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tAs chairman of the project, Tirado contacts other Knights of Columbus councils and Catholic schools in his state to encourage them to participate in the campaign.<\/p>\n

\tSo far, nine other local councils have joined to help school children send letters to several seminaries in the United States and to the Pontifical North American College in Rome.<\/p>\n

\tTirado has seen \u201cvery enthusiastic cooperation\u201d from principals and teachers in the schools \u201cbecause they see the value\u201d of encouraging seminarians, as well as excitement from the students because they \u201cenjoy writing the letters.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tAlthough he\u2019s been managing the project for a number of years, he said a note from a seventh grade girl this year is \u201cone of the best letters\u201d he\u2019s been able to send to the seminarians so far.<\/p>\n

\tIn the letter, the girl explains how her mother had \u201cprayed for a son so that she could give a priest to the Church\u201d but jokingly added that she \u201csoon found out\u201d God does not \u201cwork that way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\u201cI am writing you with a heart full of appreciation for following the call of Jesus to serve him and us as a beloved son and priest,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cYou may be sacrificing the choice of getting married and having a family,\u201d she wrote, \u201cbut you will be able to actually touch Jesus and consecrate the host and wine into his actual flesh and blood.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tOther students told the seminarians about their interests at school, such as sports, while some simply encouraged the men.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cI believe you have the passion and determination to become a great priest,\u201d wrote one student.<\/p>\n

\tAnother student said his seminarian should not be discouraged by the physical state of the church to which he\u2019s assigned.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cI know you will be a great priest at any church even if it\u2019s old and beat down,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n

\tStationary and postage are the only costs of a letter-writing campaign, Tirado said, but the benefit is helping encourage the vocation to the priesthood.<\/p>\n

\tHe hopes that Catholics all over the country begin similar campaigns in their parishes or Knights of Columbus councils.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cOur guys just really need it; they need all the support they can get,\u201d he said. \u201cMaybe that\u2019s God\u2019s will for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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