From Our Seminarian

06-01-2023Letter from the PastorRyan Everson

Hello St. Bernadette parishioners,

My name is Ryan Everson, and I am a seminarian from your parish! Prior to entering seminary in 2021, I was a parishioner at St. Bernadette, and I am very grateful that the Diocese assigned me to work at St. Bernadette’s for my 2023 summer assignment. I look forward to seeing you around the parish over the next two months!

Before becoming a seminarian, I received a Bachelor of Music from ASU, worked for a couple months as a journalism intern in Washington D.C. writing about pro-life policy. I also worked for two years at a pro-life Christian legal nonprofit called Alliance Defending Freedom, which is just down the road from our parish. Our Father has given me many experiences that I am profoundly grateful for, but my most recent experiences serving His Church and training for the priesthood as a seminarian are certainly the ones that I treasure the most.

I just completed the second year of my six-and-a-half year seminary program at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver. Some of my favorite classes in my seminary formation so far have been History of Sacred Music, Philosophy of God, Social & Political Philosophy, and Latin. In the past two years, I’ve also spent notable time in hospital ministry, nursing home ministry, ministry to those suffering from homelessness, and even a month working for the canon lawyers at our Diocesan Pastoral Center in downtown Phoenix.

Some of my other favorite facets of seminary life include meeting with my personal spiritual director every two weeks, spending at least two hours in prayer every day, and enjoying the seminary’s library, which is the largest U.S. Catholic library west of the Mississippi River. Seminary formation has gifted me with a great variety of wonderful experiences. I am so grateful that my seminarian brothers and I receive such comprehensive training to help ensure that your future priests are prepared for the immense privilege of serving you from the altar, so that we can minister to you and to our Savior’s Beloved Bride, the Church, in a spirit of wisdom, courage, and humble charity.

I look forward to building on these training experiences during my service to you and your families at our wonderful parish these next two months. If we haven’t met yet, please don’t hesitate to come say “hello” so I can meet you and pray for you. If you could please keep me in your prayers too, I would be incredibly grateful.

Take care, and I wish you and your families a peaceful, blessed, and joyful summer!

Sincerely,

Ryan Everson

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