BRIGHTON -- Karen Drake enrolled in St. John's Seminary's Theological Institute because she wanted to "search for truth."

"Search for a deeper understanding of God and to build up my faith and to be able to defend my faith," she explained.

The Institute provides theological formation and pastoral training to laypeople, deacons, and religious. Despite being a lifelong Catholic, Drake said she found that the classes had a lot to teach her. She enjoyed learning about the changing understanding of the Holy Trinity and getting to know her classmates and teachers. She currently works as a nutrition director for a charter school in Tyngsborough, but is considering using what she has learned to become a teacher.

"It feels great," she said.

Drake and five others received degrees from the Theological Institute at a graduation ceremony in the seminary chapel on May 15. Drake, Michelle Gallo, Arianne Lokuta, and Elaine Noonan received Master of Arts in Ministry degrees. Daniel Waldron received a Master of Theological Studies degree.

"It's exciting to be a graduate," Noonan said. "There's so much that I've learned here that I want to take with me. I'm still trying to discern what I want to do with this degree. Going forward, it's been a wonderful experience."

She had seen the Theological Institute be advertised for years. Four years ago, she felt that it was her time to enroll.

"It's amazing that, as much as you learn, it gives you the sense that there's so much more to learn," she said. "I really enjoyed delving into theology, the chance to learn so much more about church history and tradition."

The presentation of diplomas was preceded by a Mass celebrated by Bishop Cristiano Barbosa. In his homily, Bishop Barbosa, a former faculty member at the seminary, said it was "a Mass of thanksgiving for this beautiful moment in your life."

"We are humble servants chosen to love and witness the resurrection through our lives," he said. "You did not study theology to earn more, and I hope you understood this, but to become more for others and to gather more into that beautiful relationship."

He said that the late Pope Francis was a "man of many words," quoting his famous saying that the church is a field hospital to heal the spiritually wounded.

"There are wounds in the heart of this world that we are called to heal, wounds in families," Bishop Barbosa said. "As you know, you are called to speak this word in the loneliness, the silent loneliness of this world, and people who are feeling alone know this. And in all the confusion that I do not need to describe today, I want you to keep hearing."

He told the graduates to courageously hear and live the Word of God that they had studied.

"Your degrees are not simply academic credentials, as you know," he said. "They are signs of readiness to be sent. As Jesus told us in the Gospel today, he chose you to send, so go not with fear, but with this Easter joy. Proclaim what Paul preached, live as Christ lived, and serve as he did."

Gallo was the class speaker. In her remarks, she recalled the first time she entered the seminary chapel, and how amazed she was by its beauty.

"Every painting, stained-glass window, mural, and mosaic spoke to me," she said, "each telling a different story about the great tradition that is our faith."

She said that the painting above the altar, depicting the miracle of Pentecost, and the paintings of the Apostles on the sides of the chapel seemed to be calling her to follow Jesus and spread the Gospel as they did.

"I think I can speak for the graduates tonight in saying that each of us entered the Theological Institute of St. John's Seminary to try to discover how we can serve God and his church in a more full way," she said. "We all come from different experiences and backgrounds, all of us with families, jobs, and many responsibilities."

After 12 years of Catholic school, she said, she thought she understood enough about her faith. But her time at the Theological Institute proved that she had a lot to learn.

"This program has provided my classmates and me with the superior knowledge of the faith to be able to go out into our respective environments and be effective disciples," she said, "whether we use this knowledge to work in a parish, a school, or other ministerial capacity, or just to be able to succinctly respond to current-day questions regarding our faith on social media or out and about at our jobs anywhere we encounter a curious person."

She said that the Institute's education provided intellectual, human, spiritual, and apostolic formation. Students not only learned facts but turned inward to think about how their personalities shaped the way they approached their faith. They attended Mass together every Saturday. They shared life experiences and, to Gallo, became a family.

"I can honestly say that I can always call upon any of my classmates here, and for that matter, any of the faculty and staff to support me in prayer when needed," she said.

Apostolic formation put students in "field placements" where they applied what they learned in church ministries.

"This program is truly a gift to us and to our church," Gallo said. "No matter what we all end up pursuing after graduating today, we are well-prepared to bring Christ to others in the fullest way possible."

She expressed special gratitude for two people at the institute in particular.

One was Ellen Oesterle, assistant to Theological Institute Director Dr. Anthony Coleman. Gallo gave Oesterle flowers on behalf of the graduating class.

"Ellen, you've always been here for us to answer questions, record classes, hook up technology so we could do our class presentations, send us reminders, open the seminary door every early morning, also kindly and humbly in that soothing, calming voice," she said. "You are certainly a Martha, always doing the behind-the-scenes things to make everything go smoothly."

The other was Angela Franks, who has served as a professor of theology at St. John's Seminary for 16 years. This year she will be moving to Washington, D.C., to work at the Catholic University of America.

"Dr. Franks has always set the bar high for us, for students, and challenged us to meet or beat it," Gallo said.

Coleman echoed Gallo's praise of Franks in his own remarks. He recalled meeting Franks 25 years ago, when he was a first-year graduate student at Boston College. Franks was a PhD student who had completed her coursework. She was only in class because she loved the professor, Father Matt Lamb. She attended every class with a stroller, pushing her toddler back and forth as she participated in discussions.

"I just remember thinking whenever she speaks and she comments, she's so scholarly and erudite," Coleman said. "And of course this was before I lost my native Boston accent. So in my mind, I'm actually thinking, 'Wow, she's wicked smart.'"

Coleman and Franks became friends, and have remained so ever since.

"On behalf of St. John's Seminary, thank you," he told her.