The London, Ont., seminary will receive $2 million from its neighbours from the Diocese of Hamilton.
“This is truly a landmark donation,” said Fr. Steve Wlusek, rector of the seminary. “St. Peter’s Seminary is deeply appreciative of Bishop Douglas Crosby of the Diocese of Hamilton for his visionary and generous donation. He has expressed his strong support for the mission of St. Peter’s Seminary through his monumental gift, as well as his acceptance to serve as a member of the seminary board and his choice to send many diocesan seminarians from Hamilton to St. Peter’s Seminary for their education and spiritual formation.”
Having benefited from the spiritual support of a significant amount of St. Peter’s alumni, Crosby said it only seemed fitting to financially support the seminary.
“The Diocese of Hamilton has benefited greatly because of the service of our priests who have studied at St. Peter’s and we are pleased to be supporting such an exciting initiative,” he said.
“I pray this contribution will be a strong sign of support of the Diocese of Hamilton for St. Peter’s Seminary and the Diocese of London.”
News of the donation was made public in a press release dated March 31. The funds will be provided in instalments of $500,000 over the next four years to the St. Peter’s Seminary Foundation which was established more than a decade ago to raise financial support for the seminary.
London Bishop Ronald Fabbro praised Crosby and Hamilton for their continued support of the seminary.
“I am grateful to Bishop Crosby and the Diocese of Hamilton for their generous gift and for their ongoing support,” he said. “By investing in our seminary we are investing in the future of our Church, through the formation of our future priests, deacons and lay ministers.”
For the past 101 years dioceses across Canada have benefited from the more than 1,100 priests who’ve received their formation at St. Peter’s Seminary.
Currently the Diocese of Hamilton has seven seminarians enrolled at St. Peter’s. Of the 141 priests already serving Hamilton area parishes, about one third are graduates of St. Peter’s.
Wlusek said this donation will help to ensure the seminary is able to maintain a strong faculty “for decades to come,” a defining characteristic of any high quality educational institute.
“At the heart of a strong seminary is a strong faculty,” Wlusek said.
“This landmark donation, given by the Diocese of Hamilton, establishes a teaching chair in perpetuity which will ensure the presence of high-calibre professors in the areas of Moral Theology and Catholic Social Teachings.”