The imposing openings of the San José Major Seminary function as a kind of dividing line between two worlds that coexist, although it may not seem like it: the outside or everyday world, always noisy, agitated, fast; and that other one that invites you to look at the lilac roof designed by the wisteria, listen to the birds singing or linger next to a fountain to watch the water flow, as if there were nothing else.
As if time didn’t pass, or didn’t matter, which is almost the same thing.
“This separate world is also yours,” says Andrés Magliano when he hears the reflection out loud; because “it is an experience of silence.”
It is the afternoon of a sunny Thursday, in the building located on the block of 24 between 65 and 66. Through the incredible outdoor garden of more than 4,000 square meters, people come and go who have nothing to do with the seminar. Electronic music plays, not very loudly.
For two years now, the two universes have merged for six days, over two weeks, thanks to the IDEAR interior design, decoration and architecture exhibition, which is set up in different wings of the centenary building.
“Many have come to the fair to learn about the seminar,” says Magliano, who has been rector of the place for nine years and also director of the tertiary teaching staff, which teaches Philosophy and Theology degrees. The thing is that the majority of the people of La Plata usually pass in front of that imposing and closed building, without investigating too much into its history or its present.
The decision to open it to a different experience has several objectives: to achieve financial support to maintain that building that occupies an entire block (without this implying making a profit); being able to condition different sectors (many of the structural interventions remain in the seminar once the exhibition is over) and, in addition, “sharing the wealth that is here,” explains Mangano.
In favor of achieving a progressive opening and an edifying use of the facilities, the rector points out that many choirs go to the church for the acoustics, take spiritual retreats or give up the use of the theater for certain activities. And there is more: “About 500 people work at Idear, which is not small at this time, and it is also creation, passion and beauty,” describes the priest.
However, Magliano clarifies that activities like this could not be carried out all the time, because although the exhibitors occupy a single wing of the building, “they take up the entire seminar” during two weekends, days, which, on the other hand, they they happen in parishes.
In this year’s edition, which was the Ninth, the sector called “La Avenida” took part, with innovative installations, paintings and coatings. It is Magliano who decides what remains of all this and what does not. “This year we are going to leave a lot behind,” he warns, “but not everything, because although it is very nice, some things are not useful to us.” He specifically talks about rooms painted with dark colors or designs that clash head-on with the architectural style of the place.
THE ORIGIN
The idea of the seminary came from the first bishop of the diocese of La Plata, Monsignor Juan Nepomuceno Terrero, in 1901, although due to lack of resources he never realized it. On January 10, 1922, a little more than a year after his death, the founding decree of the San José seminary was signed and on November 8 of that same year a part of the block located at 24 between 65 and 66 was acquired. , a total of 14 lots located in front of what is now Castelli Park and at that time it was nothing more than a vacant lot surrounded by a chain of stones. The surroundings, open fields and orchards.
The foundation stone was laid on November 26 of that same year. And, by March 1923, the seminary was already functioning temporarily next to the Luján basilica, with around 15 students. In September of that year, the Buenos Aires Senate unanimously approved the transfer of 5,000 square meters to the seminary and a month later construction work on the building began.
On September 15, 1924, the founding stone of the temple dedicated to Our Lady of La Piedad was laid, and on May 18, 1928, the building of the San José diocesan seminary was officially inaugurated, with the horseshoe facing 24th Street. as we know it now, was completed six decades ago.
By 1934, it had 149 students. Today ten seminarians from the dioceses of La Plata and Mar del Plata reside there, and students from religious congregations attend the teaching courses.
“When it was founded, the local diocese covered practically the entire province of Buenos Aires,” explains Magliano, but “sub-headquarters were added, because before there were more vocations and not so many seminaries. They came to study from all over the country and then returned to their dioceses.”
“It had different formats. At some point there were common rooms – says the rector -; It has capacity for 80 people, although the entire building is not in use, we are converting it. We concentrate on one part and the rest is a retirement home or for different uses. The idea is to improve it, fine-tune it and make it even more used.”
THE RACE
Men over 18 years of age can currently enter the seminary. Some time ago there was the Minor Seminary, which was a boarding school for secondary students, but it no longer exists.
How is a priest formed? “There are different areas,” says Mangano, “it’s not just academics; There is also spiritual, community and pastoral practice formation,” which involves working in parishes or apostolate groups on weekends.
The studies require eight years, in the last of which the religious reside in a parish and attend the seminary. “Sometimes an additional year of parish ministry can be added, depending on age,” the rector clarifies, alluding to the importance of attending to “human maturation” in those seminarians who embraced the vocation from a very young age.
After completing their studies, they obtain the title of professor of Theology and Philosophy, which does not make them priests. That requires taking other steps. “It is not just receiving. There is a dialogue with the bishop, with the formators and only then is it accepted to be ordained,” with the vows of the sacrament. Before, the seminarians make promises.
“It is a time of discernment,” Magliano reveals, “the goal is not for everyone to become priests, but for them to grow. And if at some point in the process they understand that it is not their thing, it does not mean that it is a failure. It’s part of evolution.” Of course, such a decision implies that they no longer reside in the seminary, which has a specific internal regime: a daily prayer, classes, mass, breakfast, the tasks that require the maintenance of the building – “it is a lot of work”, acknowledges the rector. moments of sports and shared dialogue.
UNSTABLE TIMES
“That there are fewer seminarians is multi-causal,” argues Magliano; “On the one hand there are more seminaries and also a social process” that the priest does not attribute so much to a crisis of faith, but rather to daring to do something definitive.
“Boys don’t get married either, not even civilly. There is instability in dating, few graduate from the career they enter and the instability is general,” says the religious, convinced that this replicates in “the capacity for inner work, reflection, self-knowledge and generation of closer ties.” strong.”
However, he is confident that the coming years will see a “great growth in what we call youth ministry in the diocese of La Plata,” which could impact vocations and also other types of ties that are less permeable to the passage of time. .
Legacy
The La Plata seminary belongs to one of the archdioceses that is within the eight oldest ecclesiastical jurisdictions in Argentina. It boasts large dining rooms, a theater and a large library with hundreds of books.
