Thursdays

Thursdays . . . honestly, they've never been my favorite day of the week. (As Auther Dent says in Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, "I could never get the hang of Thursdays.") But I've learned to live with them. I mean, they're not going away any time soon, are they?

I realized tonight, however, how much I had missed attending our seminary's Adoration / Night Prayer / Benediction on Thursdays. Last semester, the Vocations Discernment Group that I lead met on Thursday evenings, and that wasn't a bad thing over all, but I did miss the coming together in prayer with my brothers. It didn't really hit me until we were singing the hymn for Compline. Something inside me breathed a sigh of relief hearing the guys sing. I was home.

I guess that I need these Thursday nights . . . it gives me a break in the week to be in community and in the presence of the Lord in a way that's slowed down and relaxed. It gives me a chance to just be in the midst of the insanity of seminary life. I allow myself to reflect upon the cup, the chalice that the Lord is asking me to drink from, and, on most occassions, I can say, "Yes". And, with diaconate ordination only 125+ days away, I was able to pray a song-prayer from my youth this evening, and truly understand the depths of the message:

Lord, make me like you.
Please make me like you.
You are a servant,
Make me one, too.
O Lord, I am willing;
Do what you must do
To make me like you, Lord.
Please make me like you.
Whatever you do, Lord,
Please make me like you.

Can I drink the cup that the Lord is asking me to drink from? At this moment, I believe I can . . . and that feeling grows each day. Some days the will and ability is strong than others. But, when it comes down to it, I just need to have faith in God and His will for me.


Enjoy the journey . . .

Down time?

Well, it's been a crazy time for me here. I spent last weekend and the beginning of the week doing stuff to prepare for events in the latter part of the week, which is now gone.

On Saturday, a group of us went to Franciscan University of Steubenville to spend some time at the FOP (Festival of Praise), which was needed after a hectic first-week of classes. We stopped at one of the guys' home on the way back, caught a bite to eat at Steak 'n Shake, and then headed back to Latrobe in snowy conditions. Sunday was a good day, getting some stuff done . . . lots of reading. Monday was pretty much back to the grind, as was Tuesday. All-in-all, I got done what needed to be done before Wednesday . . .

. . . Which was when we left for Washington, D.C., and the March for Life. The Vigil Mass at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception was awesome. I had the opportunity to sit with my diocesan brothers from our minor seminary back home, and slept in the Shrine / Basilica overnight. The seminary was in charge of a Holy Hour from 2-3 AM, which I always enjoy. Some singing, and some silence. I got about an hour's worth of sleep before people were getting ready for the day. The March itself on Thursday was hectic, but very good . . . and I felt better for having been there.

Today was my day to run around the Pittsburgh area, trying to pick things up and get things organized. It was mostly successful. The diocesan brothers here went out for dinner, which was good to do - just to be out and relax with each other and have a good time was a nice way to end the week.

Tomorrow is unplanned, mostly. I have to attend the funeral for my cousin's mother-in-law, who passed away from complications with a stroke suffered earlier this week.

Other than that, things are going well, and I'm starting to settle in for the semester. It will be good.



Enjoy the journey . . .

It's begun . . . again

Well . . . we're back in school. The retreat was OUTSTANDING, and I got a lot out of it. I feel refreshed, and ready for the semester to end. In some ways I'm joking . . . but in other ways, I'm not.

The classes for the semester are: Eucharist

The Fourth Gospel

Pastoral Counseling I

Homiletics II

Deacon Prep Lab

Spanish Deacon Prep Lab

Independent Study: Pastoral Practicum in College Campus Ministry

Most of them require a lot of reading . . . which I'm not against . . . it will be a lot of time spent, though. They're all good classes. I think that I'll enjoy Pastoral Counseling and Deacon Prep the most. And, of course, my Independent Study will be awesome!

Although it's only been three days since we've started the semester, it's been a whirlwind of activity around here. Between classes, prayer, class prep and formation, we've been keeping busy. Today, the monastic community celebrated the 200th birthday of their founder, Boniface Wimmer. We had an outstanding service for Vespers, which opened up the celebratory year. I was leary about going . . . "another thing" that we had to do, but it was a great experience.

In any case, I should do reading . . . I'll post more soon.

Enjoy the journey . . .

Going Back to Go Forward

And so, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2009!

I'll be leaving early this afternoon to head to IUP and then back to Latrobe to prepare for the Spring Semester. Every year at this time, the entire seminary goes on retreat at a local retreat center. I mentioned this to a friend of mine when we met for drinks earlier this week. Jokingly, he said that I should never retreat . . . "You can't go forward if you retreat." However, for me - or for any Christian, really - to move forward in the Christian life (or in my case, formation), one does need to retreat so that one can "regroup" and take a step back, see where they've been, and move forward in their life.

I've always looked forward to the retreats that the two seminaries I've attended have offered. Of course, I've always enjoyed going on retreats. I'm looking forward to this one, since I'll be spending some time reflecting on the questions I'll be asked on the day of my diaconate ordination, as well as the readings that have been chosen. I'm also looking forward to the fraternity with my classmates, as well.

Well, Happy 2009 (again)! Be blessed.

Enjoy the journey . . .

What I've missed . . .

I've realized, though albeit for only a little over 24 hours, how much I have missed parish life. I do feel refreshed and energized being back at my assignment parish for this short period. I think that I miss working with the people the most. I guess this is why I find my Independent Study with the Discernment Group so refreshing: it gives me a chance to be out there helping people grow in their relationship with Christ.

It's been a busy few days . . . retreat / Advent Gathering at SPS, Bishop's Reception, parish life, outings with friends - and Christmas coming in a few days. Things are really hectic! But I enjoy it . . . I enjoy being able to be busy through the day only to collapse at night, exhausted, but not from boredom. I think that, at school, boredom can creep in because it's a lot of the same things day after day: Classes, prayer, meetings, homework . . . it can seem like a never-ending cycle. It's trying to find the extraordinary that sometimes makes things bearable. (I'm not saying that I don't like school. I don't like the tests and papers, but do enjoy learning and applying the material. I guess every student can relate to that on some level.)

Well, we do what we can. Let us rejoice! . . . The celebration of the Anniversary of the Incarnation of the Lord is upon us! Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!


Enjoy the journey . . .

Couting the days to D-Day

Yep, you read it correctly . . . "D-Day". June 6th. Apparently, that will be the day (God-willing) that my classmate and I will be ordained to the Diaconate. This date is rather special to me to begin with. Besides being one of the biggest days in US military history, it's my dad's birthday, and it also was my maternal grandfather's birthday. And so, "D-Day" in a sense, was for "Dads' Day . . . of birth". And now "D-Day" will also mean for me "Deacon Day". 167 days left.

God-willing.

"Can You Picture That?" (a.k.a. iTunes - part 3)

Okay - it won't die . . . but I found some new questions, so I thought I would do this again. Third time's the charm, isn't it?

1) IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?
"Moving Forward" by Hoobastank

2) WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
"Ecce Sacerdos" by Anton Bruckner (from Music for the 1999 Papal Visit to St. Louis by Pope John Paul II) [This has me a little worried.]

3) WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
"If You Could See Her" from Cabaret: The New Broadway Cast Recording (1998)

4) HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
"Rainbow Connection" from the Muppet Movie

5) WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
"Minuet Militaire" by PDQ Bach

6) WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
"I Wanna Be a Producer" from The Producers Original Movie Soundtrack

7) WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR PARENTS?
"Stay, We Must Not Lose Our Senses" from The Pirates of Penzance Broadway Cast Recording

8) WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
"But Mister Adams" from 1776 - The Broadway Revival

9) WHAT IS 2+2?
"Can't Explain" by Cherry Monroe

10) WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
"How Can I Keep From Singing" by the Univeristy of Notre Dame Folk Choir

11) WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
"O Thou that Tellest Good Tidings to Zion" by Stevie Wonder & Take 6 (from Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration)

12) WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
"Hail Mary, Our Icon" by Scot Crandal & Delores Dufner, OSB

13) WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
"You'll Be Watching" by The Three Graces

14) WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
"The Intermission" from Monty Python's Spamalot

15) WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
"Our Burden is Heavy" by Iona Community

16) WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
"I Am Blessed" by Percy Gray, Jr. (from the Papal Visit CD) [I guess I should say at Ordination Party]

17) WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
"Oh Dry Thy Glistening Tear" from The Pirates of Penzance

18) WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
"Coventry Carol" arrangement by Richard Hillert, performed by the Schola Cantorum of Saint Peter's

19) WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
"Maybe This Time" from Cabaret

20) WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
"Wonderful to Me" by Matt Maher

21) WHAT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
"It Won't Let Us Leave" from Evil Dead: The Musical

22) HOW WILL YOU DIE?
"Oh! Men of Dark and Dismal Fate" from The Pirates of Penzance

23) WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
"O Lord I Am Not Worthy" by Schola Cantorum of Saint Peter's

24) WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
"Stonehenge: Revisited" by Scythian

25) WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
"Amen, Amen, It Shall Be So" by Iona Community

26) WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
"Overture: A Partial History of Black Music" by Quincy Jones (from Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration)

27) WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
"Cell Block Tango" from Chicago: Original Movie Soundtrack

28) DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
"Final Reel" by Scythian

29) IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
"We Got Us" by the Muppets

30) WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
"Cevenant Hymn (Wherever You Go)" by Gary Daigle, Rory Cooney & Theresa Donohoo

31) WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
"Can You Picture That?" by the Muppets