Jubilee Celebrations
This year, the Resurrectionists from the South American Region are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the dedication of the new building of the Higher Seminary in Curitiba (Brazil). Participants of the Extended General Council are taking part in the central celebrations. The celebration first took place in the parishes of St. Mark in São José dos Pinhais, St. Pius X in Curitiba, where we prayed especially for vocations to the Congregation of the Resurrection. The central ceremony took place on Sunday, April 21, at the parish of the Risen Christ, where the seminary is located. The Holy Mass was presided over and the Word of God was delivered by Dom Moacir José Vitti, Archbishop of Curitiba.
A bit of history
In 1980, the first Resurrectionist, Fr. Júlio Błażejewski CR, arrived in Curitiba and began his pastoral service as vicar to Fr. Antônio Lutostanski, in the parish of Nossa Senhora Aparecida. After three months, Dom Pedro Fedalto, Archbishop of Curitiba, offered the Resurrectionists care over three chapels, with the thought of creating a new parish and building a church in the future. A year later, Father Júlio CR allocated a small space in the parish house where seminarians lived.
In 1982, the Czelusniak sisters, great devotees of Our Lady of Częstochowa, donated a large plot of land for the new seminary to the Congregation, as well as a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Jasna Góra. From 1983, the Fathers made efforts to obtain a building permit, while architect Rosa Dalledone volunteered to design the seminary building. On April 29, 1984, Dom Gerônimo Mazzarotto, Auxiliary Bishop of Curitiba, together with Fathers Júlio Błażejewski CR and Stanisław Lesiak CR, laid the cornerstone for the construction of the new building.
In 1985, thanks to the material assistance of the parishioners of St. Pius X Church, the Czelusniak sisters, and the organization "Adveniat," which supports the Church in Latin America, the foundations were laid and the construction of the building began. A year later, when the construction was underway, a meeting of the Extended General Council was held in Curitiba. The Council decided to financially support the project to complete the work as soon as possible and make the building operational. Funds for the construction were provided by the USA and Ontario-Kentucky Provinces. Additionally, in 1987, Father Leonard Krzywda CR from the USA Province arrived to work in formation as rector. In February 1988, the construction was completed, and the first residents moved into the new seminary.
The inauguration took place on February 8, 1988. The Holy Mass was presided over by Dom Pedro Fedalto, Archbishop of Curitiba, assisted by Father Robert Kurtz CR, General Superior, members of the General Curia, Provincial Superiors, Brazilian Resurrectionists, and benefactors. The construction of the building was made possible with the support of the entire Congregation, individual donors, the charity organization "Adveniat," the Dalledone family, and Maria and Otilia Czelusniak.
The individuals responsible for seminary formation in the South American Region were successively: Fr. Júlio Błażejewski, Fr. Stanisław Lesiak CR, Fr. João 
Solak CR, Fr. Leonard Krzywda, Fr. André Krzyżanowski, Fr. Luiz Fernando de Siqueira Fonseca, Fr. Flávio Augusto Bittencourt de Aguiar. Since March 2011, the position of rector has been held by Fr. Márcio Corrêa Mendes.
In the photo next to it: Fr. Rector with clerics: Franco Sabino de Morais, José Flávio Sotero Barbosa, Leandro Buono, and Br. Nulcinaldo Bezerra de Arruda.
