By Ramon Camacho
Each December the seminarians of the Archdiocese of Portland gather for an evening of prayer, fraternity, and conversation at a dinner hosted by Archbishop Sample. This annual Advent event offers a welcome pause at the close of an academically demanding semester. It gives us a meaningful opportunity to reconnect with each other, particularly with those studying at different seminaries. Men on pastoral year, as well as seminarians studying at Mount Angel Seminary, St. Patrick’s Seminary, and Bishop White Seminary, were in attendance. Those studying at the Pontifical North American College in Rome were unable to join us, as their academic calendar differs slightly.
This year we gathered at St. Patrick Parish in Northwest Portland. The evening began with the praying of Vespers in the parish’s newly renovated church. As we entered, we admired the freshly painted walls, refinished pews and floors, new side altars, and other thoughtful updates that enhanced the beauty of the sacred space. Following Vespers, Fr. Timothy Furlow, pastor of St. Patrick’s, briefly shared with us the vision and work behind the renovations, offering insight into the parish’s ongoing life and renewal.
We all moved to the parish hall for a social hour. The seminarians shared stories from their past months of formation, filling the room with warmth, laughter, and genuine fraternity as they recounted their joys, challenges, and moments of grace. Dinner followed, providing further opportunity for conversation and connection.
The highlight of the evening is always Archbishop Sample’s reflection on priestly formation and discernment. His words consistently reaffirm our identity as beloved sons of the Father and invite us to recognize how the Holy Spirit continues to work throughout Western Oregon. Many seminarians leave the open discussion renewed in hope and zeal for service.
I study at St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park, California. This semester was particularly significant for me, marked by two important milestones in my continued discernment: receiving the call to candidacy for holy orders and being instituted into the ministry of lector. However, it is a gift to return home to Oregon for the break. It is a blessing to gather with Archbishop Sample, Fr. Peter Julia, and my brother seminarians. Being surrounded by our spiritual father and my brothers, with whom I hope one day to serve the Church in western Oregon, served as a powerful reminder that the fraternal dimension of formation is essential. We are created for communion, and moments of shared fraternity allow us to witness the movement of grace in one another’s lives, as “iron sharpens iron.”
Ultimately, as men in formation, we are first sons of the Father and, by grace, brothers to one another. Gatherings such as the Archbishop’s Advent Dinner remind us that we do not walk alone: we have one another, a faithful shepherd to guide us, and the people of God who sustain us through their prayers. As we conclude this Jubilee Year of Hope, the evening was a striking reminder that hope does not disappoint when life is rooted in communion.
