McLean, how can an American priest become the spiritual director of the only Catholic seminary in Russia?
When I arrived at the International Maria Mater Ecclesiae Pontifical College, I had no intention of going to Russia. I did not even want to become a missionary! I valued tremendously the diversity of nationalities that I found there. When I was there (in 1991), there were already students from 22 countries. Seminarians from Central and Eastern Europe studied there, and I got to know many of their bishops, who came to visit. That is how I became aware of the urgency of the Churchs situation in those countries, and the desire began to grow within me to help wherever I could. Father, what in particular about the formation offered at Maria Mater Ecclesiae College prepares you to form priests? The specific goal of Maria Mater Ecclesiae College is to prepare priests who will become formators. Every diocese needs priests who are especially well formed and have a clear understanding of their priestly identity, zeal for their mission and the capacity to carry it out. It is essential that there
