Summer School: Seminarian trains for priesthood at Genoa church

Juan Ayala is spending his summer as a shadow.

The 33-year-old seminarian has just one year left until he graduates with a master’s degree in divinity, and was assigned by the Rockford Diocese to St. Catherine of Genoa Catholic Church to “enrich” his studies as he finishes school.

Ayala spends most of his time observing the Rev. Tim Seigel, pastor of St. Catherine.

In school, Ayala explained, seminarians learn the theory of priesthood, the theological aspects.

But the practical side is best learned through full immersion into the parishes.

“To me, this is part of my formation, coming to this parish,” Ayala said while seated in the front pew of a dim sanctuary. “You get enriched a lot just by witnessing and worshipping with the rest of the parishioners.”

A typical day for Ayala while he resides at St. Catherine is not very typical at all because it depends on the needs of the parish or community.

It always begins with daily Mass, where he assists Seigel by counting the hosts and preparing the wine for the Eucharist, and also being the altar server.

Some days, he’ll visit the sick in the hospital or homebound parishioners. When the pastor meets with couples preparing for marriage or parents who are preparing for a child’s baptism, Ayala will listen attentively, and once in awhile will guide the discussion.
And then there’s staff meetings, where he learns the administrative role of clergy.

Most of his time is spent in the community, Ayala said, but a good amount is still devoted to prayer. He and Seigel, sometimes together and sometimes individually, pray daily the Liturgy of the Hours – morning prayer, evening prayer and night prayer.

There are about 25 other seminarians sponsored by the Rockford Diocese, and each were assigned to different parishes this summer.

Though being in residency does not fulfill a seminary requirement, it helps the local diocese by letting its future priests get to know other priests and congregations within the diocese.

By observing many different roles – and taking part in those roles himself – Ayala has realized how the many parts work together.

“It is helping me see what they do and appreciate so when I become a priest, I can see how the people bring Christ to others,” he said. “It also helps me to realize as a seminarian that the church as the body of Christ has many members and many talents, and I learn from others from their compassion for the sick, from their desire to worship our Lord through their gifts of playing the piano, the organ, the guitar, singing, the ability of others to be well prepared and educated on reading the Word of God.”

Ayala and his family came to Elgin from the small city of Olinala, Mexico, near Acapulco, when he was 18. He joined the youth group of St. Joseph Catholic Church, and was mentored by the priest and other seminarians there when he decided to become a priest himself.

“I thought, ‘It seems to be a good way to spend your life, loving God and serving others,’” he said.

And as he learns the many ways of serving others by joining St. Catherine’s parish this summer, it’s the small things Ayala will take back with him as he finishes his training at St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minn.

“The things that normally might seem not extraordinary, they enrich the liturgy of the celebration of the Mass,” he said.