Seminarians’ summer assignment immerses them in new cultural experiences

When most people think of taking a summer vacation, lazy afternoons in the sun, splashing in the pool, or traveling to an exotic location are usually what come to mind. However, for Thomas Swierc, Daniel Flores and Raymond Pendleton, three seminarians from the Diocese of Corpus Christi, the summer offers an extraordinary opportunity to learn and grow by immersing themselves in different languages, cultures and traditions. 

For San Antonio native Thomas Swierc, the road to the seminary began when he was still in high school. His family moved to College Station, and he grew up as a member of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish before his family moved to the Corpus Christi area and became members of St. Gertrude Parish, where he was an altar server and enthusiastically helped with various parish events and fundraisers. It wasn’t until he started college that he began to consider his vocation to the priesthood seriously. 

“I started working on my spiritual life in college, and that got things moving internally,” he said. “At the start of my second year in college, I suddenly had an intense burning within me, and I knew I could not put off the seminary any longer.” 

Being on fire with the Holy Spirit was also the driving force behind Daniel Flores’ decision to enter the seminary. Flores, who was born and raised in Alice and grew up attending St. Joseph Church, said he felt drawn to the priesthood at a young age. Despite that early awareness of his vocation, he was both prayerful and patient as he went through an extended discernment process. 

“I remember deciding that I wanted to be a priest when I was eight years old,” recalls Flores. “Ten years later, after working to develop my spiritual life, I made a verbal commitment to join the seminary.” He was 15 and attending St. John Paul II High School at the time. 

For both Swierc and Flores their commitment to their vocation as seminarians has led them to a six-week journey to a little town in Puebla, Mexico called Mariapolís El Diamante. They along with other seminarians from the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, will hone their skills in Spanish, hopefully mastering enough of the language to help bridge communication gaps with future parishioners. 

Their learning process goes far beyond classroom lectures and homework. These seminarians have been given the unique opportunity to learn Spanish through the process of immersion. More specifically, they have been able to immerse themselves in Mexican culture, resulting in some surprising but highly rewarding moments. 

“The faith of the locals here in Puebla is incredible,” says Swierc. “I got to be a part of the Feast of Corpus Christi, and the procession was over a mile long. The number of people who come to Mass on a daily basis is just incredible.” 

“Being here in Puebla is such a mind-blowing experience,” adds Flores. “It is amazing to see such a welcoming community. And, because we are seminarians, we are not only received with joy by the people here, but we also hope to inspire more vocations to the priesthood.” 
 

Raymond Pendleton

Fellow seminarian Raymond Pendleton is also experiencing a cultural immersion, but his is one that required him to travel across the Atlantic to spend time learning about parish life and pastoral ministry in Ireland. His time at University Cork has given him the chance to embrace Latin and learn its vital role in the liturgy. 

“Latin is the language by which the Church has officially declared the great truths of our Catholic faith,” says Pendleton. “I have been blessed to study the theology of St. Thomas Aquinas, and I have been inspired by this great doctor of the Church to continue my studies of Latin because for me, learning Latin is not just an academic pursuit; rather, it’s ultimately about answering God’s call to holiness.” 

Pendleton is a product of Santa Rosa de Lima Parish in Benavides, and even though he is far from home, he is learning what will undoubtedly equip him for the duties and responsibilities he will face after he is ordained. 

Language lessons, new surroundings, local interaction and participating in several parish activities are for these three seminarians from the Diocese of Corpus Christi all part of this highly rewarding process of learning through immersion. Clearly, Thomas Swierc, Daniel Flores and Raymond Pendleton have shown their steadfast commitment to learning about different languages and cultures on their journey to becoming priests.