‘Dear future priest’: Children’s letters a hit with seminarians

It’s unclear who benefits more from the Seminarian Letter Project – the seminarians or the children who write the letters. Either way, it is a win for everyone involved.

Each year, hundreds of religious education students create hand-drawn cards and letters for seminarians in New Jersey and beyond. It is an important tradition for the Knights of Columbus and involves many local students and Knights in the Archdiocese of Newark.

“It’s a way to provide encouragement to these guys,” explained John Tirado of the New Jersey State Council of the Knights of Columbus.

Tirado originated the Seminarian Letter Project some 20 years ago and currently works with 16 councils in New Jersey. This year, more than 600 letters were forwarded from the different councils in New Jersey. About 50 seminarians in the state received letters.

“The seminarians appreciate that people are thinking about them,” he said. “I’ve heard ordained priests tell me about letters they got years ago. Some of them were still laughing at the things kids would say.”

The messages from the children range from prayer requests to heartfelt sentiments of encouragement and love.

“Please pray for me and my family, doing good in my swim meet, my uncle, mom and cousin’s son so they can feel better and recover in cancer,” reads one of the letters.

“Your courage in God is inspiring,” reads another. “You are in our hearts, and we are praying for you.”

“Thanks so much for your devotion to God,” writes another student.

Many of the letters are personalized and some are simply addressed: “Dear future priest.”

Seminarians appreciate the messages and even occasionally write back.

Deacon Christian Scalo, who attends Immaculate Conception Seminary at Seton Hall University and will be ordained a priest May 29, said he is grateful for all the support he and his brothers have received from the letters and drawings over the years.

“During difficult times, I have found these letters to be uplifting,” Scalo said. “I believe they help us to always keep God and His people at the forefront as we prepare to enter into His priestly ministry.”

Father Eugenio de la Rama, the director of the Office of Priestly Vocations for the Archdiocese of Newark, said he remembered getting some of the letters when he attended Immaculate Conception Seminary at Seton Hall University.

“I kept one of them on my desk for a while,” he said. “They were special, and it was nice to know that people were thinking of us.”

The appreciation goes both ways, and it is also an opportunity for religious education students to be mindful of priests and vocations.

“You give and you also take and learn,” said Enrique Blanco, who chairs the letter writing initiative for Santa Rosa de Lima Council #6209 in New Milford. “That’s the beauty of the Knights programs. This is a great way for our kids to learn about what our future priests are going through. It’s inspiring.”

Santa Rosa de Lima is a Spanish-speaking council and sends letters out in English and Spanish when appropriate. Normally Blanco’s council will send over 100 letters to seminarians, but that number was down sharply this year because of the pandemic.

“This last year, it was tough,” Blanco said. “I would say we had 40 letters because it was all done virtually. Still, we managed to get some sent out.”

Santa Rosa de Lima’s letters are mailed out around Thanksgiving in time for the Advent season.

“It’s a way to thank the seminarians,” he said.

Mary Immaculate Council #12769 in Secaucus has been participating in the Seminarian Letter Program for over a decade. Letters from religious education students at Immaculate Conception Church usually go out around Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.

Neal McGarrity runs the letter writing program for the council there and remembers receiving a touching letter back from a seminarian who said it was comforting to hear from the children after leaving his home country and family to study in America.

“The children really enjoy when someone writes back to them,” McGarrity said. “We actually got one letter back from a seminarian studying in Rome that came with a stamp of the ‘vacant seat’ after the death of Pope John Paul II. He explained what that meant.”

In addition to seminarians in the Archdiocese of Newark, Mary Immaculate Council also mails letters to Redemptorists in Texas and the Archdiocese for the Military Services. McGarrity has an uncle who is a redemptorist priest. The council also supports local seminarians with a small stipend to help offset some school expenses.

“Becoming a priest is a calling from God that you have answered, and I thank you for doing so,” reads one of the letters. “During the Covid pandemic, people need God’s help more than ever. Many people are losing jobs and hope.”

To learn more or participate in the Seminarian Letter Program, contact John Tirado, at jtslpx@gmail.com.