Gifts etc. for seminarians?

[Cory_Sticha]

As a now former seminarian, I can say that most seminarians, if not all, really appreciate any cards and gifts that they receive. Most of the time, I would get a card from a family that would include a small check, say enough for a meal at a nicer sit-down restaurant or a couple of meals at an IHOP or something along that line. Sometimes people would send cookies, holy cards, books, etc.

One of my aunts came up with the perfect seminarian Christmas gift: she filled a box with chips, snack crackers, cookies, gum, pens, pencils, and other small, cheap items that most single guys would appreciate receiving. She probably spent $20 on the whole thing, but I really enjoyed receiving it.

The best gift, however, were the cards that told us someone was praying for us. Seminarians need all the prayers they can get!

P.S.: Most of the time, when someone received a shipment of cookies, it was from their family, especially their moms. Well, at least that’s what they told us as we were eating them.

 

[Cory_Sticha]

Hey, as of Monday I will be a seminarian, and if anyone wanted to give me a gift I would recommend the gift my dad always tells me is the best you can give:

Cash

best gift you can give (j/k)

You don’t know how true that is, especially when the textbook bill shows up, or you have to fuel the car (if you have one) or you run out of shampoo and soap.

Congratulations on entering the seminary! I’ll keep you and your brother seminarians in my prayers.

 

[Poor_Clare_tobe]

For the record, ummm…I dont think I’m giving him 'feminine" attention - I mean, I am a girl and therefore inherently feminine haha - but he just met my husband and daughter - and the thing he counseled me about was about how much I love them, and am afraid to lose them to a disease or whatever because I love them so much, so I think that there is no danger of (ahem) feminine distraction. That would be wrong on many levels…I"m married, hes going to be a priest, etc etc haha.

Ok - well, maybe I’ll send him a card, and maybe a book or something on the Saints or something like that. I just want to be so supportive and appreciative because wow, we need good priests and I just want to be encouraging.

Vester

I think it is wonderful of you to want to thank him.

My ideas as someone who has been and may be again in religious life [as well as someone who works in the religious gift industry ] is yes absolutly send him a card and by extension perhaps develope a pen pal relationship with him and your family.
You might even consider making it sort of a spiritual bouquet thing ongoing… keeping him in your prayers and praying for his vocation… maybe your child can even get involved?]
Also a small gift would be wonderful… whether it is a gift certificate to somewhere like taget etc or to a bookstore?? or to a religious gift store??? students and most especially seminarians have need of spiritual reading and books are not inexpensive

Hope this helps and awesome suggestions from many posters here!

blessings to you for wanting to support someone on their journey!