‘Castle Night’ brings high school boys to Bishop Simon Bruté Seminary

Father Joseph Moriarty, second from right, rector of Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary in Indianapolis, speaks to seminarians and Castle Night participants on Nov. 16, 2022, in the seminary dining hall. Sponsored by the archdiocesan Office of Vocations, Castle Night brings high school boys open to a possible priestly vocation to the seminary for prayer, a meal and time shared with seminarians and other high schoolers like themselves. (Photo by Sean Gallagher)

By Sean Gallagher

Young men in high school who are open to a possible call to the priesthood can sometimes feel alone in their thoughts and prayers about such a vocation.

The archdiocesan Office of Vocations offers a chance for them to get to know college seminarians and high schoolers like themselves in an event called “Castle Night.”

It takes place at Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary in Indianapolis in the spring semester on Feb. 15, March 15 and April 19. The event is called Castle Night because of the castle-like appearance of the seminary building.

Each Castle Night begins at 5 p.m. with the participants praying Evening Prayer with the seminarians. Dinner with the seminarians follows at 5:30 p.m., then at 6 p.m. a seminarian gives a talk to the participants. Games with seminarians follow at 6:30 p.m., with the evening concluding at 7 p.m.

Archdiocesan vocations director Father Michael Keucher said the seminarians at Bishop Bruté are young men “doing great things for God” who are also close in age to Castle Night participants.

“When our high schoolers get to know them, it inspires them to do great things for God, too,” he said.

Father Keucher also noted the importance of Castle Night participants getting to know each other.

“A fraternity develops among the high school guys who attend these things,” he said. “I always tell people it’s impossible to discern alone. We need to do it with others.”

As the leader of a team of archdiocesan priests who promotes priestly vocations in central and southern Indiana, Father Keucher sees an advantage in the presence of Bishop Bruté in the archdiocese.

“Bruté Seminary is such a gift to our archdiocese, and not just for our seminarians,” he said. “It is such a blessing to make use of it for events open to the wider public, inviting guys in there to check it out, pray, have fun and get to know the seminarians.

“I always think getting a young man in the door of the seminary is life-changing. Suddenly, the idea of seminary becomes more and more a real option. They realize these seminarians are like them. And there is something contagious about the fraternity and zeal there. I want all our high school guys to catch it.”

There is no charge for participating in Castle Night, but the Office of Vocations asks for participants to register online in advance at HearGodsCall.com/vocation-events-signup.

Participants can sign up individually or come in groups organized by their parishes.
 

(For more information about a vocation to the priesthood in the archdiocese, visit HearGodsCall.com.) †