ST. FRANCIS — While the term “apostolic visitation” has incited speculation as to why the Vatican’s Congregation for Catholic Education is examining U.S. seminarians, Sacred Heart Fr. Thomas Cassidy and Fr. Michael Witczak are looking forward to the visitors who will be at their institutions the week of Nov. 6.

“It will be good for us to hear from people with objective eyes,” according to Fr. Witczak, rector of Saint Francis Seminary, Milwaukee since 2002.

He will host a three-member team, headed by Bishop Robert Vasa of Baker, Ore., while Fr. Cassidy, rector of Sacred Heart Seminary, Hales Corners, will host a six-member team led by Auxiliary Bishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Diego and Bishop Frederick Campbell of Columbus, Ohio.

The “why” is not a secret. The request was made by U.S. cardinals and included in article 17 of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People: “We pledge our complete cooperation with the Apostolic Visitation of our diocesan/ eparchial seminaries and religious houses of formation recommended in the Interdicasterial Meeting with the Cardinals of the United States and the Conference Officers in April 2002.”

According to a release from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the congregation lists two objectives for the visitations:

— To examine the criteria for admission of candidates and the programs of human formation and spiritual formation aimed at ensuring that they can faithfully live chastely for the Kingdom;

— To examine other aspects of priestly formation in the United States. Particular attention will be given to the intellectual formation of seminarians, to examine fidelity to the magisterium, especially in the field of moral theology, in the light of the 1993 encyclical letter of Pope John Paul II, “The Splendor of the Truth.”

These examinations have their basis in a “working document” that includes 56 questions which the visitors expect to have answered by seminary faculty, staff, students and recent alumni, all of whom have been given copies.

“There were no surprises in the instrumentum laboris (working document),” Fr. Witczak said. “It provided us with an opportunity to do a self-evaluation.”

He noted that Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan wanted the visitation to take place as early as possible so that the recommendations of the visitors can be incorporated into the plan that is being formulated for the seminary’s future.

“It will be an intimate part of it,” Fr. Witczak said.

When Archbishop Dolan announced in February that the seminary would remain open, he said that “the program for priestly formation needs to be strengthened, protecting its integrity and independence. The need to provide a unique and intense formation for men preparing for priesthood in today’s church is paramount.”

Fr. Witczak said that he felt “positive” about the formation provided at Saint Francis Seminary, as well as about the admission criteria and ongoing evaluation of candidates for priesthood.

“In the admission process, we identify people who are healthy and who are living chaste, celibate lives,” he said.

Fr. Witczak added that someone who is into pornography or someone who is looking for a mate should not be in the seminary.

“The People of God deserve to have priests who are well-educated, balanced and holy,” Fr. Wticzak said.

Of the 56 questions, one has generated more attention and discussion than others: “Is there evidence of homosexuality in the seminary?”

“We’re looking for candidates who will live the Christian lifestyle, and can be good, effective leaders,” he said. “We want them to know and love the teachings of the church and to be able to share them.”

He said that part of the admission-formation-evaluation process is to take people who have been called by God and to test that call.

At Sacred Heart, the team will be visiting one of only three U.S. seminaries that focuses upon the formation of men in “second career” vocations – men for whom Fr. Cassidy has much admiration.

“They bring a richness of personal experience,” he said. “We prepare them to become good, holy, competent parish priests who often serve in rural settings.”

Fr. Cassidy said that the students, whose average age is 45, may be never married, widowed, or divorced (with the marriage annulled), and have had careers and homes.

“These men have a real sense of pastoral work,” he said.

Fr. Cassidy said that one way for the visiting team to understand what Sacred Heart does is to spend time with the students.

“I hope the team will just be with the students, so they can learn what the students are really like,” he said. “This place will sell itself.”

The priest noted that among the things the team will learn about Sacred Heart is that applicants go through a double screening process.

“First they are admitted by ?the diocese or religious community (for which they are studying), and then they have to go through our admission process,” he said.

Terming the formation program at Sacred Heart as “excellent,” he anticipates that the visitors will share his view.

“We run an excellent program,” he said. “We have nothing to hide.”

Neither rector will receive the report about his seminary directly from the Congregation for Catholic Education. When the reports are done — Fr. Cassidy anticipated two years; Fr. Witczak said “six to 12 months would be helpful” — the one about Sacred Heart will go to the provincial of the Priests of the Sacred Heart, while the Saint Francis report will go to Archbishop Dolan.