Msgr. Ross Shecterle, a priest of the Milwaukee Archdiocese, was recently appointed rector of the American College of the Immaculate Conception in Louvain, Belgium. (Catholic Herald photo by Sam Lucero)
ST. FRANCIS — When Fr. Ross Shecterle was growing up in Greendale, being rector of a seminary in Belgium was probably the last thing he thought he’d be doing. When he began pre-med studies at the University of Wisconsin – Eau Clare, even priesthood wasn’t in his thoughts.
All that changed though, two years into college life. After studying and serving around the world, newly named Msgr. Ross Shecterle is the rector of the American College of the Immaculate Conception in Louvain, Belgium.
During his trip back to the Archdiocese of Milwaukee to celebrate Masses for employees of Summerfest and for the priesthood ordination of Fr. Joseph Schimek, Msgr. Shecterle reflected on his priestly journey.
“I pray on a daily basis, ‘Lord, what do you need me to do?’” he said in an interview with your Catholic Herald. “I’ve been a priest 21 years and the only thing stable about my priesthood is my priesthood because I’ve been moved every four years. My priesthood has unfolded differently than being a parish priest.”
Following his 1986 ordination, he served St. Mary Parish in Burlington. Following that, Msgr. Shecterle worked for the archdiocese’s office for vocations, and then went to Belgium to get his license in dogmatic theology at the American College. He received his master’s degree and doctorate in pastoral counseling and psychology at Loyola College in Baltimore and became an assistant professor at Saint Francis Seminary in 1998. In 2000, he was made dean of students and in 2001, vice rector of the seminary. From 2003 until June of this year, he was the director of counseling services at the Pontifical North American College in Rome.
“I was responsible for much of the human component,” he said of his role at the Pontifical North American College. “Dealing with sexuality and celibacy.”
Since July 1, Msgr. Shecterle has been the rector/president of the American College of the Immaculate Conception in Louvain, Belgium.
“Around my 20th anniversary (of ordination), Archbishop Dolan called me and asked if I would consider this position,” said Msgr. Shecterle. “At that time I was also discussing with the North American College whether or not to stay on another year, and also with the St. Luke Institute in Maryland about serving there, so I told him there were other opportunities. He said to put it in the Lord’s hands. So I said, ‘Lord, what do you want me to do?’ The discernment was clear; he needed me to be in Belgium.”
The American College will educate 18 seminarians this fall. However, the school also teaches graduate courses to priests and offers sabbaticals. In a school this small, Msgr. Shecterle said the rector position includes additional duties.
“My primary responsibility is formation of seminarians,” he said. “My administrative responsibilities are (public relations), recruitment and fund-raising. In a small seminary the rector does have some teaching responsibilities because you’re giving presentations on what it means to be a priest.”
Though he has just begun his new role, Msgr. Shecterle said he is aware of the challenges he will face as rector of the 150-year old seminary.
“Some challenges are brick and mortar, which is why we have to do fund raising,” he explained. “One challenge is doing good PR with the Catholic bishops’ conference, for them to see the American College as a viable option for seminarians, and encouraging them to send seminarians.”
While the Archdiocese of Milwaukee could use Msgr. Shecterle’s services in a parish, he explained the reasoning for serving abroad and thanked the archbishop for that opportunity.
“Archbishop Dolan has an ecclesial perspective that is more universal than the local church, and he recognizes that the resources that a diocese has can be shared with the universal church for a time,” said Msgr. Shecterle. “I think it benefits the local church – recognizing the universality, that who we are as a church is bigger than Milwaukee. That’s what it means to be a Catholic; that’s part of our identity.”
Msgr. Shecterle said he has a five-year commitment as rector in Louvain, and what happens next is not necessarily up to him.
“Who knows?” he said with a laugh. “It’s too soon to tell.”
