Staff and seminarians at the Regional Seminary at Mt St Benedict will welcome a new “Msgr Mike” as rector.

Msgr Michael Stewart of the diocese of Kingstown, St Vincent and the Grenadines has been appointed rector, replacing namesake Msgr Michael de Verteuil, who completed his third and final term at the end of the 2007-2008 Academic Year. A farewell dinner was held for Msgr de Verteuil last Wednesday evening and the Mass closing the 2007-08 academic year took place on Thursday evening.

Msgr Stewart’s appointment was recently approved by the Vatican’s Congregation for Evangelization of Peoples, according to a release from the Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC) Secretariat.

“As the AEC welcomes the approval of the appointment of Monsignor Michael Stewart to the important post of rector of the Regional Seminary, and prays for his very fruitful ministry it has also expressed its deep and heartfelt gratitude to the outgoing rector Msgr Michael de Verteuil for his years of exemplary and dedicated service to the training of future priests to serve the People of God in the Caribbean”.

Trinidad and Tobago-based Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Thomas Gullickson extended congratulations to the AEC on the occasion of the nomination of a new rector, and promised “to support with my prayers your efforts to guarantee the future priests of the AEC a full formation faculty and a complete programme of studies in philosophy and theology.”

Born in Kingstown on April 13, 1954, the first child of his parents Calvin and Eugenia Stewart, he entered the Seminary in August 1979, and after completing his studies, including a BA in Theology from the University of the West Indies, was ordained on July 21, 1985, by Bishop Anthony Dickson at his home parish, now the Cathedral of the Assumption in Kingstown.

Following his ordination to the priesthood, Fr Stewart continued his theological studies (85-87) at the Catholic University of Leuven (Louvain), Belgium where he obtained the Licentiate in Sacred Theology (STL) cum laude.

On his return to St Vincent, he was successively appointed associate pastor of the Cathedral of the Assumption (1987-91), pastor of St John’s, Mesopotamia, (91-98) and Cathedral administrator (98-02). He was appointed Vicar General for the period 1991 to 2002.

Msgr Stewart maintained his association with the Seminary during the period as visiting lecturer in 1989, 1991, and 1999.

He served the Regional Church as spiritual advisor of the Secretariat of the Cursillo Movement, 89- 02; spiritual advisor of the North American/Caribbean Region of the Cursillo Movement, 97-02; and spiritual advisor of the Caribbean Service Team of Catholic Charismatic Renewal (89-02).

Resuming studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome (02-05) he obtained the Licentiate in Biblical Theology (STL) Magna cum laude before continuing on to his Doctoral Studies.

Msgr Stewart, who is currently completing his Doctoral Thesis in Scriptural Theology (STD), will take up his post in time for the opening of the 2008-2009 Academic Year.