Rector’s Audience with Pope Francis

On Thursday, December 18th, the Rector of the North American College, Rev. Msgr. James Checchio (’92, C ’97), had a 45-minute private audience with His Holiness Pope Francis. During the audience, Msgr. Checchio spoke with the Holy Father about seminary formation. The Holy Father spoke about the seminarian’s need to become like Christ through prayer (especially in the Eucharist), the communal life of seminary, encountering the poor, and studies. At the end of the audience, the Holy Father also emphasized the importance for seminarians to remain close to Mary. The Holy Father was very happy to hear that 101 dioceses from the United States had seminarians at the North American College.Msgr. Checchio showed the Holy Father the plans and some photographs of the new tower (top), and asked the Holy Father to bless a brick from the Holy Door (the door at St. Peter’s Basilica that is opened during Jubilee years but is otherwise closed up with a brick wall) which will be placed in the new tower. Msgr. Checchio and Rev. Msgr. Anthony Figueiredo, Spiritual Director at the College, assisted the Pope as he blessed the brick (right), wearing a stole from the North American College and using a blessing written by the College’s Director of Liturgical Formation, Rev. Kurt Belsole, OSB.

Msgr. Checchio also brought with him a spiritual bouquet — consisting of intentions of prayers at Mass, rosaries, and holy hours in front of the Blessed Sacrament — offered by the seminarians of the College for the Holy Father on the occasion of the Holy Father’s birthday (December 17th) and of Christmas. At the end of the audience, Msgr. Checchio gave the Holy Father a copy of the image of Our Lady of Humility, patroness of the North American College, and the Holy Father graciously accepted it (below), carrying it on his person after the meeting finished.