This article was published in the summer 2026 issue of The Vincentian, the quarterly newsletter of the Congregation of the Mission Western Province.
New Formation Directors Ready to Work with Seminarians
Fr. Tom Stehlik, C.M., and Fr. Rex Hays, C.M., both speak fondly of their year in Internal Seminary more than three decades ago as an important time in their priestly formation that has stayed with them.
“We were both products of a lot of Vincentian formation,” Fr. Tom said. “It’s humbling that we will be doing that as well. We had so many good examples.”
Fr. Tom and Fr. Rex will take over as Co-Formation Directors for the Congregation of the Mission Western Province on July 1 and will be responsible for the year-long Internal Seminary process for the province’s seminarians. Two men are in the process of preparing for Internal Seminary and are slated to finish that program in June. From there, they would enter internal seminary in August at the Vincentian formation house in San Antonio.
Fr. Tom and Fr. Rex agreed about the importance of this time for their new charges.
“Like most formation today, it has numerous elements: human, spiritual, academic, and pastoral,” said Fr. Tom. “It is a time to deepen a relationship with Jesus in the spirit of St. Vincent. It’s a ministry of accompaniment. We will do a lot of organization, such as getting speakers and planning experiences for them.”
Fr. Rex added that sharing common life and prayer are essential components in the experience.
“I learned a lot about humanity living with nine brothers and two directors,” Fr. Rex said. “I remember the guys’ stories of how they connected to the Vincentian charism. Those things stay with you.”
Fr. James Swift, C.M., who served as most recent Formation Director, affirmed that Vincentian formation is a lifelong process.
“It begins with entrance into the Internal Seminary when candidates become admitted members of the Congregation and commit themselves to following Jesus Christ, evangelizer of the poor,” he said.
Fr. Rex said their meetings with Fr. Swift and others who taught them, like Fr. Tom Esselman, C.M., Fr. Dan Borlik, C.M., and Fr. Hugh O’Donnell, C.M., were encouraging and humbling.
“We have had so much support from people who were so important in my growth as a Vincentian,” he said. “It’s very touching.”
From Internal Seminary, candidates move through their studies toward becoming a brother or priest with that experience as a foundation.
“The challenge is to bring that vision and spirit of Vincent to our contemporary world and help these guys be agents of that,” Fr. Tom said. “We bring to this 60 years of working in parishes and communities of diverse people. From the very beginning, the community supported us. A year is a short period of time, but it can open your eyes. We all remember it. It was an incredible experience.”