Diocesan Seminarians Serve Christmas Eve Mass at the Vatican

Bishop Thomas John Paprocki announced seven seminarians of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois served Christmas Eve Mass for Pope Francis in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

The Bishop said, "This is a memorable Christmas present for our seminarians there."

Earlier this week, the Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Roman Pontiff contacted the rector of Bishop Simon Brute College Seminary, where several of the college seminarians study, and requested that the seminarians who are visiting Rome to "attend the Mass", but they actually got to take part in serving the Mass.

Participants, several who are from our area, include Michael Trummer, Chris Trummer, Dominic Rankin, Braden Maher, Dominic Vahling, William Jansen II and Michael Meinhart. Rankin attends Pontifical North American College in Rome, Maher attends St. Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology, and the others attend Bishop Simon Brute College Seminary.