VINCENTIAN TREASURES COULD GRACE RIVER CAMPUS

What used to be a thriving seminary that trained men bound for the Roman Catholic priesthood, St. Mary's of the Barrens at Perryville, still possesses many religious treasures. The Congregation of the Mission, better known as the Vincentians, is relocating these archives, rare books and art objects to make way for Southeast Missouri State University's higher education center in the library on the seminary grounds. The Vincentians have yet to decide where these wonderful items will find a permanent home.

Here's a suggestion: Hold them in storage until Southeast's planned River Campus is completed. Then move the items to a new home on the Mississippi River where visitors from all over the world can come to see them and learn from them.

This is not a new idea. Officials already have let the Vincentians know the university would like to include the St. Mary's of the Barrens items in its museum collection. One major project on the new campus, which will be devoted to the visual and performing arts, is a new museum.

St. Mary's of the Barrens is a special place in so many ways. Part of the breathtakingly beautiful grounds that surround the seminary buildings has been used for the annual Seminary Picnic held by St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Perryville. This year's event, scheduled for Aug. 3-6, is the 100th anniversary of the picnic.

The former seminary also is the home of the miraculous medal of Mary, and a visit to the shrine to St. Mary is one of the most beautiful religious experiences anyone can have, even for those who aren't Roman Catholic.

At one time, the Vincentians provided priests for many parishes across the country, but the emphasis of the Congregation of the Mission has always been, as its name implies, missionary work. These days, the ripe mission fields are in Africa, where Christianity is growing by leaps and bounds. Most Vincentians are laboring there. As a result, seminaries like the one in Perryville and the one in Cape Girardeau -- future home of the new River Campus -- no longer serve as religious training centers.

But the connections are obvious. The future River Campus has a powerful link to the history of the Vincentians in this area. Both former seminaries, the one in Cape Girardeau and in Perryville, now have ties to the university. The historical collection housed in Perryville is a part of this area's culture. The Vincentians deserve to be remembered and honored for their contributions to our history for years to come.

For these and many other reasons, it can be hoped that the Vincentians will seriously consider allowing their treasures to become a part of the new River Campus.