Formation Team

The regular faculty members on the SJS formation team are introduced here.

Reverend Father Shayne Craig, p.s.s.; Diocese of Victoria

Seminary Rector; President of Newman Theological College

Education

B.A. University of Victoria

M.Div., Newman Theological College

S.T.L., Dogmatic Theology, Pontifical Gregorian University

Biography

FrShayneCraig-web Fr. Shayne Craig was born on Vancouver Island, in the town of Campbell River, in 1964. He grew up in various places (Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, British Columbia), as his father was serving in the military in these locations. After completing a B.A. in History at the University of Victoria, in 1986, he went on to study at St. Joseph Seminary and Newman Theological College, graduating in 1991. He was ordained for the Diocese of Victoria in 1992, and then served for two years in St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Victoria, then on the Formation Team of St. Joseph’s Seminary with Cardinal Marc Ouellet and Fr. Paul Terrio. He returned to the Diocese of Victoria as Pastor of St. Patrick’s parish in Campbell River. In 1998, he joined the Society of St. Sulpice and went into formation in Paris and Lyons, and then further studies in Rome. He completed his license in dogmatic theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University, with a thesina entitled: Mary Immaculate: Two Visions for the Church, being a study of Von Balthsasar’s Mariology and Ecclesiology, and its critique. In 2001, Fr. Craig was named as Vice-Rector of St. Joseph Seminary, then in 2004 as Rector, where he has served in this position until now. In 2010 he was also named as President of Newman Theological College.

Reflection

According to Pastores Dabo Vobis, 62, the seminary can be seen as a place and a period in life. But it is above all an educational community in progress. According to Sulpician pedagogy, emphasis is placed on the whole seminary community forming one community of disciples gathered around the Lord Jesus. This sharing of life between the Priests and those in formation constitutes a true “educative community”, in which the future candidates for priesthood are formed progressively, sharing in various responsibilities and tasks, and in pastoral and priestly attitudes and aspects. This approach has recently been re-emphasized in Pastores Dabo Vobis, 42, where “being with” the Lord is the core of formation, and emphasis is placed on the “transfer of his spirit”, the inculcation of the Spirit of the Good Shepherd, through the life that is shared in common.

The specific role of the Rector in Sulpician pedagoy is such that he “has the primary responsibility for the unity of spirit in the community”. As such, “the superior oversees the whole program especially in the area of spiritual and pastoral formation. In union with the other members of the team, he exercises this leadership chiefly during the liturgy, in conferences to the community and in other meetings with seminarians”. (Art. 17, The Constitutions of St. Sulpice) He also has the responsibility “to see that the directives of the Church concerning the spiritual formation of priests are faithfully followed and that every candidate chooses a spiritual director.”

Courses Taught

MPS 170: The Spiritual Life

SCR 153: Jesus and the Gospels

STD 400: Introduction to Theology

STD 440: Liturgical Theology

STP 463: Theology of Ministry

SYT 185: Trinity

SYT 187: Theology of the Human Person

SYT 188: Ecclesiology

SYT 200: Introduction to Catholicism

Publications

Mary Immaculate: Two Visions for the Church (Pont. Univ. Greg. 2005)

Reverend Father Stephen Hero, Vice-Rector; Archdiocese of Edmonton

Education

Associate Professor of Spiritual Theology and of Liturgical Theology

Formation Director (Theology III & IV)

S.T.B., Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas

S.T.L., Spiritual Theology, Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas

S.L.L., Liturgical and Sacramental Theology, Pontifical University of Sant’ Anselmo

Biography

Fr. Hero was born in Lachine, Québec and moved with his family to the city of Edmonton when he was 11 years old. He studied philosophy at the Seminary of Christ the King in Mission, BC and began theological studies for the Archdiocese of Edmonton at St. Joseph Seminary. After obtaining a License in Spiritual Theology from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, he was ordained to the presbyterate on June 29, 2000. Father served as an assistant at St. Theresa's Parish in Edmonton, then as an assistant at Holy Family Parish in St. Albert while serving as vocation director for the Archdiocese. He returned to Rome in 2003 and obtained a License in Liturgical Theology from the Pontifical Liturgical Institute at Sant'Anselmo in 2005. Since the Fall of 2005, he has been a member of the formation team at St. Joseph Seminary and an instructor at Newman Theological College. In the Fall of 2010, he was appointed as Vice Rector of St. Joseph Seminary.

Reflection

St. Paul described the ministry of being an apostle in these words: This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy (1 Cor 4: 1 – 2). In helping men to discern God's call and in forming future priests, I think that St. Paul's description is helpful. The priest is entrusted with sacred mysteries: God's word, God's sacraments, God's people. It is important to know that God is working in a hidden but powerful way in the ministry of priests. This is inspiring, but also humbling and freeing. God is doing amazing things through our ministry indeed, but God is doing it. It is in a humble, loving, trusting, joyful reliance on Jesus that the priest will be able to do what God asks for the building up of the Church and the spread of the Gospel of salvation. He is serving a Mystery that is much bigger than himself.

Courses Taught

STD 440 Liturgical and Sacramental Theology

STD 442 Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist

STD 545 Reconciliation and Pastoral Care of the Sick and Dying

STP 580 Practice of Christian Ritual

STP 462 Introduction to Spiritual Theology

STP 569 Classic Christian Spiritualities

SYT 110 Christian Liturgy

SYT 214 Sacraments of Christian Initiation

SYT 212 Sacraments of Healing

MPS 170 Spiritual Life

MPS 242 Spirituality through the Ages

Publications

Growing in the Likeness of God: The Perfection of Charity in William of St. Thierry's Expositio super Cantica canticorum (2000, Angelicum)

The Paschal Mystery in the Martyrologium Romanum of 2004 (2005, Sant'Anselmo)

Reverend Father Sylvain Casavant, p.s.s.; Archdiocese of Edmonton

Education

S.T.L., Teresianum (Rome, It)

M.Div., Newman Theological College

Biography

FrSylvain-web Fr. Sylvain Casavant was born in Granby, QU in 1964. Because his father was in the military, Fr. Sylvain’s family moved several time and finally settled in Edmonton, AB. He has lived in Edmonton since 1970. It was during his last year in High school that Fr. Sylvain felt a call to consider the priesthood. Having to respond to the question, “What will you do with the rest of your life?” Fr. Sylvain began praying and asking for some sort of clarity. In prayer, he sensed the Lord may be calling him to consider the priesthood and so he embarked on further studies receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree through the University of Saskatchewan. He began in the seminary in 1986 and was ordained in 1992.

Fr. Sylvain first served as associate pastor at St. Theresa’s parish in Edmonton. His two years there quickly taught him the importance of being organized as the parish was so busy, without this skill, he would have easily felt overwhelmed. He was next assigned as pastor for Rimbey, Sylvan Lake, Bently and Winfield. This five year mandate was a wonderful growing experience for him. He learned how to pastor a parish and how to love parishioners. From this experience, he was made vocations director for the Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton. This was a position he held for 2 years. Other parishes in which Fr. Sylvain has served are St. Francis Xavier (Camrose), Immaculate Heart of Mary (Bashaw) and finally St. Thomas More. His last parish was one of the most challenging but also so very rewarding.

Fr. Sylvain completed his Licence in theological studies in 2011 and began working at St. Joseph Seminary in August of that same year.

Reflection

Jesus said: “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves.” (Lk. 10:2-3) I am always astounded that He should tell his disciples that he is sending them out like sheep among wolves. Talk about a non-confidence booster. Who would want to begin such a ministry with this in mind? Yet, this is what Jesus said. He never sugar coated the message he proclaimed and this statement makes that clear but I would suggests there is more to this statement. If the disciples are being sent out like sheep, does this not indicate that there is a shepherd? Is this shepherd not Jesus Himself? Now one begins to see the full meaning of the statement. Jesus is not simply asking his disciples to be realistic concerning their ministry of proclamation but first to recognize that they do not go out alone. No matter what they are asked to do, no matter how hard it may seem to be, they are never alone. As sheep, they must always remember to follow the shepherd and through this following, they are strengthened to do what has been demanded of them and protected from the wolves they will most surely encounter. This is priesthood. It is never a solo act but, always connected to Christ. This connection gives us the strength and the courage to respond as He has called us and to never fear the difficulties of the mission. “What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us?” (Rm. 8:31)

Course Taught

Theology and Practise of Preaching

Publications

Reverend Father Huy Nguyen; Diocese of Calgary

Education

NGUYENRevHuyQ-web Associate Professor of Moral, Spiritual, and Pastoral Theology

Director of Pastoral Formation; Formation Director (Pastoral Interns)

M.Div., Newman Theological College

S.T.L., Pastoral Theology, Pontifical Lateran University

S.T.D. (Cand.), Pastoral Theology, Pontifical Lateran University

Biography

The second youngest in a family of thirteen children, Fr. Huy was born in Vietnam and moved to Calgary with his family when he was 16 years old. He studied philosophy at Mount Angel Seminary in Oregon, U.S.A., and received his theological training at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Edmonton. Father Huy was ordained a priest for the diocese of Calgary on July 19^th, 2002 at McMahon Stadium, along with three of his classmates. He served for two years as associate pastor at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Calgary. In 2004, he began his studies in Rome at the Pontifical University of St. John Lateran. Upon his return to Canada in 2008, Fr. Huy joined the formation team at St. Joseph’s Seminary, serving as group director (Theology I), director of pastoral formation and the pastoral internship year. He is also director of theological field education program and teaches pastoral theology at Newman Theological College.

Reflection

“Pastoral study and action direct one to an inner source, which the work of formation will take care to guard and make good use of: This is the ever-deeper communion with the pastoral charity of Jesus… And so pastoral formation certainly cannot be reduced to a mere apprenticeship, aiming to make the candidate family with some pastoral techniques. The seminary which educates must seek really and truly to initiate the candidate into the sensitivity of being a shepherd, in the conscious and mature assumption of responsibilities, in the interior habit of evaluating problems and establishing priorities and looking for solutions on the basis of honest motivations of faith and according to the theological demands inherent in pastoral work” (Pastoral dabo Vobis, no. 57-58).

Courses Taught

MPS 100 / STP 400: Introduction to Pastoral Theology

MPS 230 / STP 464: Practice of Ministry

MPS 130 / STP 463: Theology of Ministry

MPS 139 / STP470: Theological Field Education

Publications

(To be posted.)

Reverend Father Augusto Garcia, p.s.s.

Education

FrAugusto-web Associate Professor of Systematic Theology

Formation Director (Theology II)

Pastor, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, Edmonton

S.T.D., Dogmatic Theology, Pontifical Gregorian University

Biography

Birthdate: May 12, 1954, Olaya, Antioquia, Colombia

Priestly Ordination: September 14, 1983, Archdiocese of Medellin, Colombia

Sulpician Priest: December 03, 2001

Languages Spoken Fluently:

Spanish (mother tongue), Italian, Portuguese, French, English

Post-Secondary Education (Degrees Granted):

STB 1983 Bolivariana Pontifical University, Medellin, Colombia

STL 1985 Gregorian Pontifical University, Rome (Specialization: Dogmatic Theology) (Thesis: La metodologia teologica en la Teodramatica de H.U.von Balthasar)

Master in Political Science 1997, Brasilia University, Brasilia, Brazil (Thesis: A Familia nas Politicas Sociais do Estado Brasiliero)

Expert in Design and Evaluation of Social Programs for Latin America, 1997, World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank and Brazilian Government, Brasilia, Brazil

STD 2005 Gregorian University, Rome (Thesis: La doctrina de la sustitucion Penal en la teologia contemporanea: H. U. von Balthasar, B. Sesboue, G. O’Collins, W. Pannenberg)

Teaching Experience:

1985-1989 Faculty Member

Faculty of Theology, Bolivariana Pontifical University, Medellin, Colombia

Graduate and Undergraduate levels

(Theology of Revelation, Ecumenism, Ecclesiology, Eschatology, Trinity)

1987 Archdiocesan Seminary of Manizales, Caldas, Colombia

(Theology of Revelation)

1990-1996 Archdiocesan Seminary Our Lady of Fatima, Brasilia, Brazil

(Theology of Revelation, Ecclesiology, Eschatology, Trinity)

1999 Paul VI Theological Institute, Archdiocese of Londrina, Londrina, Brazil

(Ecclesiology, Trinity, Sociology)

2006-today Faculty Member, Newman Theological College, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

(Understanding Catholicism, Ecclesiology, Trinity)

Pastoral Experience:

1985-1986 Formation Team Member, Archdiocesan Seminary of Medellin, Colombia

1987 Pastor , Nazareth Parish, Medellin, Colombia

1987-1989 Department of Ecumenism, Director, Archdiocese of Medellin

1988-1989 Vice-Rector of Archdiocesan Seminary of Medellin, Colombia

1990-1996 Formation Team Member, Our Lady of Fatima Seminary, Archdiocese of Brasilia, Brazil

1999- Formation Team Member, Archdiocesan Seminary of Londrina, Brazil

2000- Pastoral Experience at Notre Dame de Lourdes; Notre Dame, Montreal, Quebec

2000-2001 Sunday Vicar, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, Edmonton, Alberta

2004-today Pastor, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, Edmonton, Alberta

2005-today Formation Team Member, St. Joseph Seminary, Edmonton

2001-today Founder and responsible of the Team of Our Lady – Couple Movement in Edmonton

Reflection

(To be posted.)

Courses Taught

(To be posted.)

Publications

(To be posted.)

Reverend Father Andrzej Szablewski, p.s.s.; Diocese of Prince Albert

Education

Associate Professor of Moral, Spiritual, and Pastoral Theology

Director of Human Formation; Formation Director (Theology I)

B.Th., Newman Theological College

S.T.L., Psychology, Rula Institute, Pontifical Gregorian University

Biography

FrAndrew Born 1971 in Poland to Tadeusz and Teresa, devoted and loving parents who gave life also to two siblings: Piotr and Pawel.

Father Andrzej was always involved in parish and school activities. Study and prayer came rather easy to him and he was fortunate to hear the call to the priesthood from his very early years. He entered the major seminary of his diocese right after high school, in 1990. After three years, he asked for sabbatical year during which the Spirit guided him to Canada. He loved the people and the country and decided to remain where he was needed the most. A year later Bishop Blaise Morand sent him to continue his formation at St. Joseph Seminary in Edmonton. Having completed his ordination requirements, he was ordained January 29, 1999 for the Diocese of Prince Albert. First he was appointed as an assistant pastor with Fr. Jim Kaptain and then he was appointed pastor of his own sheepfold in Spiritwood, Leoville, Medstead, Shell Lake and Chitek Lake. He spent two wonderful years there, building the Kingdom of God in harmonious collaboration with the active and faithful parishioners.

The Spirit continued to work in his heart and soon reminded him of the work for the Canadian and universal Church in the formation of priests. The Sulpician Fathers had expressed their desire to have him in their ranks and the bishop of his diocese allowed him leave the diocese to form priests of today and the future. Leaving the diocese with a heavy heart for the people of God with whom he grew so close, he went to Montreal where he was appointed a member of the team at the Major Seminary of Montreal. He loved the Sulpician spirit and formation method and with great joy applied all he learned into this new ministry. Soon he was sent to complete his graduate studies in psychology at the Gregorian University after which he was appointed to St. Joseph Seminary as part of the team and made responsible for human formation.

With gratitude to all those who have contributed to his formation he is happy to give back in return to the seminarians to which he was appointed and whose great spirit of charity and faith undoubtedly marks the seminary community. This is Fr. Andrzej’s third year in this Archdiocesan institution.

Reflection

Often human formation remains the least important among the four pillars of the diocesan seminary formation. St Joseph Seminary strives to change this and extend the horizon of human freedom and maturity by dealing with all sorts of human fragility and molding human love responses to our Savior’s command of Love.

Courses Taught

Introduction to Pastoral Counseling

Pastoral Communications

Ministry Among the Suffering

Publications

(To be posted.)

Administrative Assistant

Yvonne Dutton

Ph: 780-392-2445

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