Alumni Day, September 18, 2024

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“Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.” These words from
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 rang through the chapel during Mass at St. Augustine’s Seminary on Wednesday, September 18, 2024, where alumni from far and wide came to celebrate significant milestones. The Most Reverend John Boissonneau, Auxiliary Bishop of the Northern Pastoral Region in Toronto, was celebrating his 50th anniversary of ordination and presided over the Mass. He preached on that reading describing love from St. Paul, noting that priests are meant to cling to the words wholeheartedly, not letting them grow stale in their lives, even though they may often hear them. He spoke as a father, having had many of the alumni as his spiritual sons when he was Rector of the Seminary.

The Mass was followed by a reception and dinner, where the jubilarians were honoured. Laughs and good cheer filled the space. Rev. Roy Farrell, Rev. Slawomir Glowacz, Rev. Edwin Gonsalves, and Rev. Peter Meyer celebrated their 25th year of priesthood. Rev. Augustine Ko celebrated his 40th year of priesthood, flying in from South Korea! Most. Rev. John Boissoneau, Rev. John Croal, Rev. John Hibbard, and Rev. Richard Whelan celebrated their 50th year of priesthood. Thirty-seven additional alumni came to celebrate their inspiring witness to service and fidelity. Seminarians saw that perseverance in the priestly commitment brings peace, a peace that can only come from closeness to the Lord. Fr. Boniface Perri, the President of the Alumni Association, summarized the evening when he noted in front of those gathered, “What inspires people the most is not so much the words that the priest says, but his closeness with Jesus.” This is the benchmark that is shared by all alumni from St. Augustine’s Seminary and, in a special way in 2024, the Jubilarians.