The convention is happening at the conference center at The University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary, Mundelein, Illinois. They use really wide business cards.
The convention materials say the event is in Chicago, and, indeed, we are in the Archdiocese of Chicago. But to be politically and geographically precise, we are in the northwest suburb of Mundelein.
This rather beautiful (even with March snow) campus is the major seminary and graduate school for the Archdiocese of Chicago. More than 240 men are studying for the priesthood, hailing from more than 30 dioceses in the United States and other countries. (Yes, some are from Chicago and will serve in the local archdiocese.)
By American standards, this place has lots of history. In 1844, Chicago’s first bishop, William J. Quarter DD, founded St. Mary’s College. According to the official records, it flourished until 1866, when financial issues forced it to close.
Welcome to Mundelein
But it didn’t stay closed and in 1921, Archbishop George Mundelein opened St. Mary of the Lake Seminary. In 1926, the seminary was the site of an International Eucharistic Congress. Over the next decade, the seminary grew, expanded its programs and became the first American institution to be honored as a Pontifical Theological Faculty under the new Apostolic Constitution Deus Scientarium Dominus. Archbishop Mundelein became Cardinal Mundelein. And the little town of Mechanics Grove was renamed Mundelein in his honor.
Given the institution’s rather lengthy name, local folks simply refer to Mundelein. If you ask a seminarian in Chicago where he is studying, he’ll say Mundelein. If you ask a resident of the former mechanics Grove where he lives, he’ll say “Mundelein.” Thus, Mundelein is a city, a seminary and the seminary is in the city of the same name.
Generations of great Chicago priests have studied at Mundelein. Many notable men have served as seminary rectors, most notable in recent times, Bishop Robert Barron.
Yes, this is a nice place to have a convention. And on a more current note, Fr John Hopkins LC gave a great homily at Mass this morning. (He has a tendency to do this.)
My key takeaway was Regnum Christi’s resistance to being called “liberal” or “conservative” – the quasi-political categories people in North America tend to use to describe various tribes of Catholics. Father reminded us that we are orthodox believers who lead with the heart. We touch hearts, minds and souls. Perhaps most important, we are not called to judge sinners but to help sinners experience God’s mercy. The experience of God’s love overpowers any sin.
