SEATTLE – This August, golfers around the archdiocese will be able to tee off to support seminarians in the Archdiocese of Seattle.

In addition to its annual Archbishops’ Golf Tournament at Trophy Lake Golf and Casting Club in Port Orchard, the Crozier Society is inviting everyone to golf the week of August 1–8 — at a course of their choosing or even at home — and make a donation to help support the archdiocese’s 24 seminarians.

“They’re the future of our church in a big way,” said John Feistner, the archdiocese’s director of engagement and giving.

Each seminarian has educational costs of $45,000 to $50,000 per year, Feistner said, and the archdiocese helps pay some of the costs. “The archdiocese tries to limit the financial burden on the seminarians,” he said.

The archdiocese is assisted in that effort by the Crozier Society, an organization of Catholics from around the archdiocese who support the archbishop and seminarian formation.

This year’s golf tournament, slated for August 4, has space for the usual 144 golfers. But COVID-19 restrictions mean physical distancing throughout the day; instead of an official program with close seating, information about the seminarians will be presented along the course.

Twin brothers Rohan, left, and Mihir Nair take some practice putts in their backyard. This year, families are encouraged to help support seminarians by golfing at home or playing at a mini- or regular golf course during the week of August 1–8, and making a donation online. Photo: John Feistner

For those who can’t participate in the official tournament, the Golf Fore Seminarians website offers off-site options — including playing at a Seattle-area Oki golf course, which will donate a portion of the greens fee to seminarian education (register here).

Green Lake Pitch and Putt in Seattle is taking reservations for rounds in support of the seminarians. And golfers can put together a foursome to play a favorite course, or gather family members for a mini-golf outing or even putt in the backyard or across the living room.

Off-site participants are invited to show their support by sharing their golf photos (email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. document.getElementById('cloakc4f4c6c4d6a3caa2fa7b33762e70db1a').innerHTML = ''; var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; var addyc4f4c6c4d6a3caa2fa7b33762e70db1a = 'croziersociety' + '@'; addyc4f4c6c4d6a3caa2fa7b33762e70db1a = addyc4f4c6c4d6a3caa2fa7b33762e70db1a + 'seattlearch' + '.' + 'org'; var addy_textc4f4c6c4d6a3caa2fa7b33762e70db1a = 'croziersociety' + '@' + 'seattlearch' + '.' + 'org';document.getElementById('cloakc4f4c6c4d6a3caa2fa7b33762e70db1a').innerHTML += ''+addy_textc4f4c6c4d6a3caa2fa7b33762e70db1a+''; .), praying for the seminarians and making an online donation.

Don Schulz, a member of Mary, Queen of Peace Parish in Sammamish, is planning to get a group together to play at one of the Oki courses. Invigorated seminarians are a way to continue the vibrancy of the Catholic faith, he said.

“To me, the seminarians are the lifeblood of the priesthood,” Schulz said.

Making it possible for families to participate this year and discuss the importance of helping the archdiocese’s seminarians is vital, said Laurie Campbell Pitner, engagement officer for the archdiocese.

“It’s about educating people about the seminarians,” she said.

Archdiocese of Seattle seminarians

The following is a list of current seminarians for the Archdiocese of Seattle and their home parishes. Those listed as deacons are slated to be ordained to the priesthood, God willing, in June 2021. Deacon Michael Barbarossa, St. Vincent de Paul, Federal Way Deacon Val Park, St. Andrew Kim, Seattle Deacon Kyle Poje, Our Lady Queen of Heaven, Tacoma Sylvester Chanda, St. Benedict, Seattle John DePalma, Blessed Sacrament, Seattle Grant Habersetzer, St. Mark, Shoreline Chad Hill, All Saints, Puyallup Marc Jenkins, St. Andrew, Sumner Erick Johns, St. Andrew, Sumner Jeffrey “JJ” Kalsbeek, St. Peter, Deming Evan MacKenzie, Holy Redeemer, Vancouver Maliko Madden, Christ the King, Seattle Patrick Gitau Mbuiyu, Holy Spirit, Kent Maximiliano Munoz, St. Benedict, Seattle Josh Nehnevaj, Our Lady of Lourdes, Vancouver Alex Nelson, St. Stephen the Martyr, Renton Matthew Mewland, Mary, Queen of Peace, Sammamish Richard Ordos, St. Michael, Olympia Kyle Rink, All Saints, Puyallup Sylvester Rozario, St. Stephen the Martyr, Renton Simon Stehr, St. Joseph, Chehalis Brody Stewart, Sacred Heart, Bellingham Joseph Tapia-Beeman, St. Stephen the Martyr, Renton John Paul Tomassi, Holy Redeemer, Vancouver