I would like to take this opportunity to wish all my readers a Merry Christmas! The spirit of the celebration is in recognizing, as Mary did in her Magnificat, that God remembered His promise of mercy and sent His only-begotten Son to redeem the fallen human nature, drawing all people to Himself, to share in the life of the Trinity, which is essentially love. The birth of Jesus also gives us a special hope for our own redemption, that, by the grace of God, we might live our lives seeking to know Him, love Him, and serve Him more and better in order to join Him forever in heaven when our lives come to an end.
Mary participated in the effects of Christ's Passion in a mysterious way, even before He was born. Her redemption was preservative, rather than curative—she was preserved from the stain of original sin by the graces Her son-to-be would merit on the Cross, from the moment of her own conception, that beautiful feast we celebrate the 8th of December each year. We who benefit from Christ's saving grace after the fact do inherit the original sin of our first parents, and are in need of that renewal and rebirth by water and the Holy Spirit, the Sacrament of Baptism, and we are further called to spread this good news to the ends of the earth with the strength of our Confirmation in the Spirit. It is also essential that we partake frequently of the Bread of Life and the Cup of Eternal Salvation—without the Eucharist, it is only with great difficulty that one may be saved. And in the many trials and temptations that enter our lives, due to the sin of our first parents, we are beckoned by the church to receive her Sacrament of Reconciliation, in which, by our acknowledgement of our faults and failings before the person of Christ acting in and through a priest, He forgives us those transgressions and restores us to grace, giving us the strength to resist temptation and endure trials for His sake.
All of these gifts and so many more were revealed to men by Jesus Christ, the eternal high priest, who was born of the Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit, in perfect conformity with the will of the Father. May the Blessed Trinity and the Holy Family look with favor on you and your family this Christmas and in the year to come!
This year, because Christmas falls on a Saturday, the celebration of the Holy Family falls on the very next day. It is in this feast that St. Joseph takes the stage, so to speak, as head of the earthly family of the Son of God. The evangelists tell us that St. Joseph was a righteous man. We know that he was of the house of David, that he was a carpenter, and that he listened carefully to the messages God sent him via his angels, to take Mary into his home, to flee Herod's persecution to Egypt, and to return to Nazareth. We know that he cared for his Son's well-being, for he went looking for Him when they were separated leaving the temple in Jerusalem. And he taught Him his trade, passing down the art of carpentry to a Son who was obedient, patient, and devoted to the work of His earthly father, as He would be to that of His heavenly Father. Let us contemplate the beauty of the Holy Family, imagine how, with the chaste St. Joseph, the Immaculate Virgin Mary, and the Incarnate Word of God, they would have lived amongst themselves, in their local community, expressing their faith, living simply and in such charity. Let us not despair if, in various ways, our own families do not exhibit all of those characteristics that seem so desirable; rather, let us look to them for inspiration and guidance and find hope in the fact that they were a human family that was disposed to receive an abundant outpouring of grace, and that we might also beg for such a gift, trusting in God's infinite mercy and love, which takes flesh to live among us this evening.
Merry Christmas!
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
Friday, December 24, 2010
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Semester Wrap-up
One semester down, 11 to go! (Plus the novitiate year and the pastoral year.) That gets an M.A. in Theology... Fr. Dave commented once that we should get a doctorate for 6 years of school... either way, we come out knowing a lot!
This semester, my first in religious life, has been incredible. The community is very supportive, Boston is an exciting city to live in, I have enjoyed the cold weather (partly cloudy and 30º F right now), the opportunity for prayer and the proximity to the Blessed Sacrament is an awesome gift, and studying philosophy, Latin, the Catechism, and literature have been engaging and fun.
I was commenting to a regular Eucharistic adorer the other night that if metaphysics or a topical course introducing traditional philosophical notions of physics, metaphysics, logic, and epistemology were taught as part of the general education in public universities, people would be far better equipped to address situations in their lives, having developed the practice of thinking critically and systematically and with an awareness of the strength of various arguments and definitions. The "critical thinking" component of general education programs is lacking (I did not go into the depth that metaphysics requires, and I even took the honors class).
With our pastoral assignment of teaching Catechism (Confirmation students), I certainly learned more about how I work with others. I learned more about how much I like to work with children, and how I cannot take for granted how my past experiences in similar situations (taking Confirmation classes, teaching catechism to the same age group) may apply to the ones at hand. I also learned more about how to give people a chance to show themselves and their capabilities, and that there are often many effective ways to accomplish a task.
I also realized the great benefit of the wisdom of others, including my peers, superiors, and counselors. Aristotle characterizes the wise man with six attributes including knowledge of universals, experience, and the capacity to teach with authority based on the first two. It is very humbling to take a step back and listen to the wise, learning from their experience and reinforcing it with my own. When we consider further that among those human beings who have acquired and been given such wisdom, God is infinitely greater, then we realize that it is not we who do things, but we only comply in His plan for us and His desire for the whole of creation, to draw it back to Himself, and we do not take pride in the wisdom we may acquire, because it is not of our own merit that we obtain it, but His goodness and love for all.
As we enter the final week of Advent, let us renew our spirit of longing for the coming of our Savior among us, both in his Incarnation and in the final days. Let us admire and ask for the grace to take on some of the humility of the Savior, born among the animals, and to look to His human parents, the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph, her chaste spouse, foundress and special patron of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, for inspiration and intercession in our journey of faith, hope and love.
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
This semester, my first in religious life, has been incredible. The community is very supportive, Boston is an exciting city to live in, I have enjoyed the cold weather (partly cloudy and 30º F right now), the opportunity for prayer and the proximity to the Blessed Sacrament is an awesome gift, and studying philosophy, Latin, the Catechism, and literature have been engaging and fun.
I was commenting to a regular Eucharistic adorer the other night that if metaphysics or a topical course introducing traditional philosophical notions of physics, metaphysics, logic, and epistemology were taught as part of the general education in public universities, people would be far better equipped to address situations in their lives, having developed the practice of thinking critically and systematically and with an awareness of the strength of various arguments and definitions. The "critical thinking" component of general education programs is lacking (I did not go into the depth that metaphysics requires, and I even took the honors class).
With our pastoral assignment of teaching Catechism (Confirmation students), I certainly learned more about how I work with others. I learned more about how much I like to work with children, and how I cannot take for granted how my past experiences in similar situations (taking Confirmation classes, teaching catechism to the same age group) may apply to the ones at hand. I also learned more about how to give people a chance to show themselves and their capabilities, and that there are often many effective ways to accomplish a task.
I also realized the great benefit of the wisdom of others, including my peers, superiors, and counselors. Aristotle characterizes the wise man with six attributes including knowledge of universals, experience, and the capacity to teach with authority based on the first two. It is very humbling to take a step back and listen to the wise, learning from their experience and reinforcing it with my own. When we consider further that among those human beings who have acquired and been given such wisdom, God is infinitely greater, then we realize that it is not we who do things, but we only comply in His plan for us and His desire for the whole of creation, to draw it back to Himself, and we do not take pride in the wisdom we may acquire, because it is not of our own merit that we obtain it, but His goodness and love for all.
As we enter the final week of Advent, let us renew our spirit of longing for the coming of our Savior among us, both in his Incarnation and in the final days. Let us admire and ask for the grace to take on some of the humility of the Savior, born among the animals, and to look to His human parents, the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph, her chaste spouse, foundress and special patron of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, for inspiration and intercession in our journey of faith, hope and love.
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
Sunday, December 05, 2010
The End Is Near
... or rather the close of my first semester of seminary studies. Final exams begin December 15, and I leave for home the following Saturday, to return on the feast of the Epiphany for a few days of retreat and to begin the new semester.
This semester has flown by, and from my experience in the acceleration of time in college, it is a bit nerve-wracking that things are already moving so quickly. It is a reminder of the brevity of our lives on earth and an encouragement to make the most of them in service to God in each other, which was the theme of this morning's homily by Fr. Bill Brown, OMV, director of our St. Joseph Retreat House in Milton.
In Metaphysics the last couple classes, we saw Aristotle's proofs for the existence of God, and Aquinas' perfection of his proof. Then we took two of the 5 angles given to arrive at the divine attributes. It was a very gratifying exercise to take the list of divine attributes and discuss how each of those two angles of proving God's existence requires each of the divine attributes to be true of God. Metaphysics is a very interesting subject because it considers first what is in common to all things, and how we know that different things are different, and then abstracts further to comprehend things we cannot perceive directly with our senses, particularly the angels and God. It is most fascinating that the ancient philosophers that provide the foundation for this study and the later extensions by scholastics, the first of whom is St. Thomas Aquinas, did their thinking over 2000 years ago, without the benefit of divine revelation to conclude that there must exist a God who is one, all-powerful, all-knowing, and infinite. Based on divine revelation, Aquinas extended Aristotle's crowning work with the additional aspect of God as creator and as the effective and final cause of the existence of all things.
An interesting thread of argument I have encountered in participating in Wikipedia is that the Catholic Church focuses too much on the intellectual aspects of our relationship with God and our understanding of our own reality and purpose. Some Wikipedia editors who claim to represent Eastern Christianity (this is as accurate as I can be, as you know that Wikipedia requires no verification of identity; we can only rely on the precise text found there as given and that is corroborated by verifiable sources) argue that the Catholic teachings of Aquinas and Augustine, which form the vast majority of written philosophical and theological understanding, are too mental, inaccessible to all people by nature of our diversity, and too distant from the intimate understanding and communion we can achieve by contemplation and ascetic practice. The Greek term that means contemplation and a "soul-to-soul" "vision" of God is "noesis." The reality is that the Catholic Church teaches that contemplation is indeed a method encouraged by the mystics for communion with God on this level that transcends the limitations of human thought and also teaches that the simplest among us may come to know God and be saved, in many cases, more easily than those who have been given the grace of a profound intellectual knowledge and understanding (wisdom) of God. Further, evangelization in today's world requires communication with words and pictures that stimulate the intellect in order to awaken the soul, and so a coherent and well-developed intellectual formulation of the faith is required to encourage the modern man in his technological society to bridge the infinite gap between him and his Maker.
In Catechism class and in recent events around the world (as well as my participation on Wikipedia), I have been drawn to explore the Catholic Church's stance on ecumenism and "interfaith relations," as some put it. As modern society experiences more challenges, both from within and from natural events, it would seem that all believers in Christ should live up to Our Lord's desire "that [we] all be one" in observing His commandments and practicing the rituals He established in His Church. The beautiful diversity of the members of the mystical Body of Christ on earth shows the capacity for His truth to transcend all cultural traditions and give meaning to the lives of all human beings. The similarity of so many other non-Catholic Christian traditions is evidence of a yearning for the fullness of the truth revealed by Christ and His Apostles and safeguarded by the infallible Magisterium of the Church He founded. The activities of religious traditions that seek to do good but do so in a fractured way or do so in a way that compromises the good of others can greatly encourage Christian unity. The best thing that we can do as stewards of creation and of the truth maintained in the Catholic Church is to live the fullness of the faith, cultivating in ourselves by God's grace and the intercession of our Most Holy Mother the theological virtues of Faith, Hope, and Love and practicing an authentic Christian spirit of service and good will toward all. The Church calls this "spiritual ecumenism" and reflects the Gospel witness that shows others "we are Christians by our love" for all.
May we all effect an unwavering example for the world, an example of the love of the Light of the World; let us be the Salt of the Earth, a quiet beacon of hope in this noisy and despairing world. By the grace of the Prince of Peace, let us bring Him to all the poor souls in this world and them to Him.
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
This semester has flown by, and from my experience in the acceleration of time in college, it is a bit nerve-wracking that things are already moving so quickly. It is a reminder of the brevity of our lives on earth and an encouragement to make the most of them in service to God in each other, which was the theme of this morning's homily by Fr. Bill Brown, OMV, director of our St. Joseph Retreat House in Milton.
In Metaphysics the last couple classes, we saw Aristotle's proofs for the existence of God, and Aquinas' perfection of his proof. Then we took two of the 5 angles given to arrive at the divine attributes. It was a very gratifying exercise to take the list of divine attributes and discuss how each of those two angles of proving God's existence requires each of the divine attributes to be true of God. Metaphysics is a very interesting subject because it considers first what is in common to all things, and how we know that different things are different, and then abstracts further to comprehend things we cannot perceive directly with our senses, particularly the angels and God. It is most fascinating that the ancient philosophers that provide the foundation for this study and the later extensions by scholastics, the first of whom is St. Thomas Aquinas, did their thinking over 2000 years ago, without the benefit of divine revelation to conclude that there must exist a God who is one, all-powerful, all-knowing, and infinite. Based on divine revelation, Aquinas extended Aristotle's crowning work with the additional aspect of God as creator and as the effective and final cause of the existence of all things.
An interesting thread of argument I have encountered in participating in Wikipedia is that the Catholic Church focuses too much on the intellectual aspects of our relationship with God and our understanding of our own reality and purpose. Some Wikipedia editors who claim to represent Eastern Christianity (this is as accurate as I can be, as you know that Wikipedia requires no verification of identity; we can only rely on the precise text found there as given and that is corroborated by verifiable sources) argue that the Catholic teachings of Aquinas and Augustine, which form the vast majority of written philosophical and theological understanding, are too mental, inaccessible to all people by nature of our diversity, and too distant from the intimate understanding and communion we can achieve by contemplation and ascetic practice. The Greek term that means contemplation and a "soul-to-soul" "vision" of God is "noesis." The reality is that the Catholic Church teaches that contemplation is indeed a method encouraged by the mystics for communion with God on this level that transcends the limitations of human thought and also teaches that the simplest among us may come to know God and be saved, in many cases, more easily than those who have been given the grace of a profound intellectual knowledge and understanding (wisdom) of God. Further, evangelization in today's world requires communication with words and pictures that stimulate the intellect in order to awaken the soul, and so a coherent and well-developed intellectual formulation of the faith is required to encourage the modern man in his technological society to bridge the infinite gap between him and his Maker.
In Catechism class and in recent events around the world (as well as my participation on Wikipedia), I have been drawn to explore the Catholic Church's stance on ecumenism and "interfaith relations," as some put it. As modern society experiences more challenges, both from within and from natural events, it would seem that all believers in Christ should live up to Our Lord's desire "that [we] all be one" in observing His commandments and practicing the rituals He established in His Church. The beautiful diversity of the members of the mystical Body of Christ on earth shows the capacity for His truth to transcend all cultural traditions and give meaning to the lives of all human beings. The similarity of so many other non-Catholic Christian traditions is evidence of a yearning for the fullness of the truth revealed by Christ and His Apostles and safeguarded by the infallible Magisterium of the Church He founded. The activities of religious traditions that seek to do good but do so in a fractured way or do so in a way that compromises the good of others can greatly encourage Christian unity. The best thing that we can do as stewards of creation and of the truth maintained in the Catholic Church is to live the fullness of the faith, cultivating in ourselves by God's grace and the intercession of our Most Holy Mother the theological virtues of Faith, Hope, and Love and practicing an authentic Christian spirit of service and good will toward all. The Church calls this "spiritual ecumenism" and reflects the Gospel witness that shows others "we are Christians by our love" for all.
May we all effect an unwavering example for the world, an example of the love of the Light of the World; let us be the Salt of the Earth, a quiet beacon of hope in this noisy and despairing world. By the grace of the Prince of Peace, let us bring Him to all the poor souls in this world and them to Him.
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
Thursday, December 02, 2010
Thanksgiving in Montreal
We headed up to Montreal on the afternoon of Thanksgiving Day to spend the weekend with our Oblate confreres in Canada. We made the trip into a pilgrimage of sorts, visiting several shrines and churches while we were there. It was pretty cold, and we had a good snow Friday night and Saturday. It was 26 ºF when we left Sunday morning, and 47 ºF in Boston that afternoon. The coldest point was 22 ºF minus wind chill when we were leaving the prayer vigil Saturday night in downtown. I shot a whole 2GB worth of photos and video in about two days! Enjoy!
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Happy Thanksgiving!
On this day, which was first celebrated almost 400 years ago very near to where I am now, those who discovered that by God's providence they could survive in a land so far from their home, enduring great trials and hardship, gave thanks for all they had received. Their sojourn in this strange land was brought on by the closed-mindedness of the political states from whence they came. By establishing themselves here anew, they were able to exercise their assent to truth they held dear, and so found great peace in their new life.
Today, the political state that grew out of that first delegation once again stands firm against the assent to the truth we hold dear, and is a source of great strife in our day. Let us give thanks for the grace of God, by which we are sustained and strengthened to be His voice of Truth. Let us give thanks for His goodness, which has not allowed the state to degrade to that point at which those who speak the truth are mercilessly slaughtered for their profession. And let us give thanks for those glimmers of hope as are found "on the mouths of children and of babes" that are visible signs of His goodness and impel us to rise to fight another day, to "run the race" and "finish the course."
In a world marked by disunity among Christians, who have such direct access to the Truth Who made us and Who sustains us, let us stand together to give thanks for our Savior, and to enter into the season of commemoration and preparation. As he came humbly so many centuries ago, let us manifest His Word and grace in our daily actions, showing forth charity in humility to a world that desperately needs such an example. And let all who follow Christ stand united in the fullness of His revelation, bringing new life to the world by our conversion to Him and drawing those who do not yet know of His Love to the fullness of grace.
Finally, let us offer our thanks to our Mother, by whose consent and submission to the Divine Will brought into the world the Word made Flesh, so that by His Cross and Resurrection, we might be set free. Let us aspire to her fidelity and beg of her the outpouring of grace she may obtain for us from Her Son. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the Promises of Christ.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
Today, the political state that grew out of that first delegation once again stands firm against the assent to the truth we hold dear, and is a source of great strife in our day. Let us give thanks for the grace of God, by which we are sustained and strengthened to be His voice of Truth. Let us give thanks for His goodness, which has not allowed the state to degrade to that point at which those who speak the truth are mercilessly slaughtered for their profession. And let us give thanks for those glimmers of hope as are found "on the mouths of children and of babes" that are visible signs of His goodness and impel us to rise to fight another day, to "run the race" and "finish the course."
In a world marked by disunity among Christians, who have such direct access to the Truth Who made us and Who sustains us, let us stand together to give thanks for our Savior, and to enter into the season of commemoration and preparation. As he came humbly so many centuries ago, let us manifest His Word and grace in our daily actions, showing forth charity in humility to a world that desperately needs such an example. And let all who follow Christ stand united in the fullness of His revelation, bringing new life to the world by our conversion to Him and drawing those who do not yet know of His Love to the fullness of grace.
Finally, let us offer our thanks to our Mother, by whose consent and submission to the Divine Will brought into the world the Word made Flesh, so that by His Cross and Resurrection, we might be set free. Let us aspire to her fidelity and beg of her the outpouring of grace she may obtain for us from Her Son. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the Promises of Christ.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Busy, busy!
Happy Solemnity of Christ the King! The past two weeks have been busy, yet again, with lots of school work and meetings.
Yesterday was a day of recollection for us, though only two of us postulants were here for it; one went home to visit family and attend a wedding. Fr. Sean Morris, OMV came to give us a couple good conferences. He spoke about how to make a good day of recollection by maintaining a good schedule and anticipating distractions. The day was also centered around the theme of "Preparing for the Second Coming of Christ", which is very appropriate at this time of the liturgical year.
We had some good rain last week and it has also been fairly windy most days. Daytime temperatures stay in the 40s most days, with low 30s overnight. Most of the deciduous trees are now bare and lots of shrubs are clearly ready for the winter. The locals have told me that the abundance of acorns and the condition of the squirrels show us that this will be a long and cold winter. As for me, I am here to experience something new, an environment I have not experienced before, so I am not here to judge that it is impossible or difficult to adjust; after all, millions of people live in this climate, so it cannot be all that bad, right?
Confirmation classes continue to go better and better; our little kids need all the prayers they can get, and we can only imagine that many other places have a similar situation with children who have not been adequately instructed in their faith and have not had a transforming experience of God's love. These are the civil leaders of tomorrow, and the young people who will compose the living Body of Christ for the rest of their lives - pray that they are strong!
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
Yesterday was a day of recollection for us, though only two of us postulants were here for it; one went home to visit family and attend a wedding. Fr. Sean Morris, OMV came to give us a couple good conferences. He spoke about how to make a good day of recollection by maintaining a good schedule and anticipating distractions. The day was also centered around the theme of "Preparing for the Second Coming of Christ", which is very appropriate at this time of the liturgical year.
We had some good rain last week and it has also been fairly windy most days. Daytime temperatures stay in the 40s most days, with low 30s overnight. Most of the deciduous trees are now bare and lots of shrubs are clearly ready for the winter. The locals have told me that the abundance of acorns and the condition of the squirrels show us that this will be a long and cold winter. As for me, I am here to experience something new, an environment I have not experienced before, so I am not here to judge that it is impossible or difficult to adjust; after all, millions of people live in this climate, so it cannot be all that bad, right?
Confirmation classes continue to go better and better; our little kids need all the prayers they can get, and we can only imagine that many other places have a similar situation with children who have not been adequately instructed in their faith and have not had a transforming experience of God's love. These are the civil leaders of tomorrow, and the young people who will compose the living Body of Christ for the rest of their lives - pray that they are strong!
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Security Bulletin: Holiday Season Phishing
The following is a message from the US Computer Emergency Readiness Team regarding online safety and information privacy over the holidays.
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
Holiday Season Phishing Scams and Malware Campaigns
Original release date: November 18, 2010 at 2:17 pm
Last revised: November 18, 2010 at 2:17 pm
In the past, US-CERT has received reports of an increased number of phishing scams and malware campaigns that take advantage of the winter holiday and holiday shopping season. US-CERT reminds users to remain cautious when receiving unsolicited email messages that could be part of a potential phishing scam or malware campaign.
These phishing scams and malware campaigns may include but are not limited to the following:
- electronic greeting cards that may contain malware
- requests for charitable contributions that may be phishing scams and may originate from illegitimate sources claiming to be charities
- screensavers or other forms of media that may contain malware
- credit card applications that may be phishing scams or identity theft attempts
- online shopping advertisements that may be phishing scams or identity theft attempts from bogus retailers
US-CERT encourages users and administrators to use caution when encountering these types of email messages and take the following preventative measures to protect themselves from phishing scams and malware campaigns:
- Do not follow unsolicited web links in email messages.
- Use caution when opening email attachments. Refer to the Using Caution with Email Attachments Cyber Security Tip for more information on safely handling email attachments.
- Maintain up-to-date antivirus software.
- Review the Federal Trade Commission's Charity Checklist.
- Verify charity authenticity through a trusted contact number. Trusted contact information can be found on the Better Business Bureau National Charity Report Index.
- Refer to the Recognizing and Avoiding Email Scams (pdf) document for more information on avoiding email scams.
- Refer to the Avoiding Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks Cyber Security Tip for more information on social engineering attacks.
- Refer to the Shopping Safely Online Cyber Security Tip for more information on online shopping safety.
Relevant Url(s):
- http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/tips/ST04-014.html
- http://www.us-cert.gov/reading_room/emailscams_0905.pdf
- http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/telemarketing/tel01.shtm
- http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/tips/ST07-001.html
- http://charityreports.bbb.org/public/All.aspx?bureauID=9999
- http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/tips/ST04-010.html
====
This entry is available at
http://www.us-cert.gov/current/index.html#holiday_season_phising_scams_and
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
Saturday, November 06, 2010
Exciting!
Boy, if religious life was not exciting before, it is now!
This week was full of tests, writing, studying, sports, and a day of outreach! I had a Metaphysics test, studied Catechism, Latin, and Literature, and assembled a paper summarizing our readings in Ancient Philosophy. I got to cantor the antiphon and verses for a hymn at Mass on All Souls' Day. Friday night, four of us played tennis for two hours at Boston College (I am verily sore).
Today, we spent the morning and afternoon at St. Monica Parish in Methuen, MA, where the Family Vocation Ministries had organized a day of talks, activities, and prayer to unite religious and families and to help parents encourage their children to consider their vocation, aware of the possibility of religious life and the priesthood. I had attended one of their events in June out near Rancho Cucamonga, CA, which was awesome. Today's event was attended by only a few families, but we religious were very encouraged by the presence of other communities there, and the families in attendance were grateful that we could be there praying with them. I met two seminarians who knew me from St. Peter Chanel (unfortunately we did not know each other back home, though I had seen one of them at various events); they are studying with the Fathers of Mercy (CPM) and the Franciscans Friars of the Primitive Observance. As we were leaving for home, our route took us to the Massachusetts–New Hampshire border: looking to our left, we saw "Welcome to Salem, NH" and to our right, "Welcome to Methuen, MA!"
God is good!
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
This week was full of tests, writing, studying, sports, and a day of outreach! I had a Metaphysics test, studied Catechism, Latin, and Literature, and assembled a paper summarizing our readings in Ancient Philosophy. I got to cantor the antiphon and verses for a hymn at Mass on All Souls' Day. Friday night, four of us played tennis for two hours at Boston College (I am verily sore).
Today, we spent the morning and afternoon at St. Monica Parish in Methuen, MA, where the Family Vocation Ministries had organized a day of talks, activities, and prayer to unite religious and families and to help parents encourage their children to consider their vocation, aware of the possibility of religious life and the priesthood. I had attended one of their events in June out near Rancho Cucamonga, CA, which was awesome. Today's event was attended by only a few families, but we religious were very encouraged by the presence of other communities there, and the families in attendance were grateful that we could be there praying with them. I met two seminarians who knew me from St. Peter Chanel (unfortunately we did not know each other back home, though I had seen one of them at various events); they are studying with the Fathers of Mercy (CPM) and the Franciscans Friars of the Primitive Observance. As we were leaving for home, our route took us to the Massachusetts–New Hampshire border: looking to our left, we saw "Welcome to Salem, NH" and to our right, "Welcome to Methuen, MA!"
God is good!
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
Monday, November 01, 2010
Cooling off
Getting ready for class and taking a quick walk across the street to the mailbox... I noticed it was pretty cold outside. I would estimate no more than 40 ºF. Got back to my room, and the weather online says it's 35 out! Now we're talking!
Happy Feast of All Saints Day!
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
Happy Feast of All Saints Day!
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Beautiful Things
We learned in Metaphysics this week, after reviewing our progress so far, on which we will be tested this coming week, that everything that exists is one (singular), true, and good, and that the combination of all of these is beauty. These are the transcendental characteristics of all things.
This week has been filled with many blessings as I met with different people, grew in experience and appreciation of my Confirmation students, and learned SO MUCH in all of my classes! Latin is growing quite fascinating, with new vocabulary every class meeting (we have over 230 words, with all of their various mutations according to the grammar), and at our last class, we learned the entire Imperfect Indicative tense, in both active and passive forms, for all 4 conjugations (kind of 5, since there are two subdivisions of the 3rd conjugation). That means knowing how to modify the basic form of verbs a total of (active and passive voice, 5 conjugation families, 6 personal endings) 60 different ways, all to express the continuing/progressive past! Capiuntur (they understood) or capiabantur (they were understood by somebody)??? As I frequently say in class, "That's awesome!"
Today, we had a day of recollection, with a guest priest from the Archdiocese of Boston Chancery directing. The focus was on the example of Mary at the Annunciation and the Visitation, and how she teaches us to both expect and to seek out newness from God. Mary was pleasantly surprised at the Annunciation, for, though she knew that God works anew in the lives of His people, she did not create her own fantasy of His new creation in her life, but rather lived in eager anticipation of what it might be, and then tested it when it came upon her: "how can this be?" Like Mary, we should be aware that the eternal activity of the Trinity is a work of creation, both of new beings and of events and relationships among men. Also, like Mary, we should look outside of ourselves to be aware of this beautiful work of creation around us, and seek to experience the Divine Creator who is responsible for it all. We must not let ourselves obstruct our own path to this knowledge of God, nor grow stagnant in admiration of what already exists, to the point that we do not recognize the new birth around us. Mary's example of going "in haste" to visit her cousin is a manifestation of her appreciation for the newness in her own person, as well as that of Elizabeth. When she arrives, she recalls the goodness of God to His people in the past, and looks forward to the future, giving herself over to His will in perfect servitude.
Our director also raised the nuanced difference between a servant and a volunteer: a volunteer typically chooses his own time and manner of contribution to the cause at hand; a servant is employed fully, always ready to do whatever the master requires, regardless of his own discomfort in the task, knowing that the master's understanding of what is right and how it must be done is so much greater, and resolving, with interior peace, to accomplish what is asked of him. So, too, should we seek to perfect our servitude in order to better serve our Divine Master, departing from the self-concerned volunteerism to a whole-hearted offering of self to Him.
The words of Venerable Fr. Pio Bruno Lanteri are particularly appropriate today: "Nunc coepi" – Now I begin!
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
This week has been filled with many blessings as I met with different people, grew in experience and appreciation of my Confirmation students, and learned SO MUCH in all of my classes! Latin is growing quite fascinating, with new vocabulary every class meeting (we have over 230 words, with all of their various mutations according to the grammar), and at our last class, we learned the entire Imperfect Indicative tense, in both active and passive forms, for all 4 conjugations (kind of 5, since there are two subdivisions of the 3rd conjugation). That means knowing how to modify the basic form of verbs a total of (active and passive voice, 5 conjugation families, 6 personal endings) 60 different ways, all to express the continuing/progressive past! Capiuntur (they understood) or capiabantur (they were understood by somebody)??? As I frequently say in class, "That's awesome!"
Today, we had a day of recollection, with a guest priest from the Archdiocese of Boston Chancery directing. The focus was on the example of Mary at the Annunciation and the Visitation, and how she teaches us to both expect and to seek out newness from God. Mary was pleasantly surprised at the Annunciation, for, though she knew that God works anew in the lives of His people, she did not create her own fantasy of His new creation in her life, but rather lived in eager anticipation of what it might be, and then tested it when it came upon her: "how can this be?" Like Mary, we should be aware that the eternal activity of the Trinity is a work of creation, both of new beings and of events and relationships among men. Also, like Mary, we should look outside of ourselves to be aware of this beautiful work of creation around us, and seek to experience the Divine Creator who is responsible for it all. We must not let ourselves obstruct our own path to this knowledge of God, nor grow stagnant in admiration of what already exists, to the point that we do not recognize the new birth around us. Mary's example of going "in haste" to visit her cousin is a manifestation of her appreciation for the newness in her own person, as well as that of Elizabeth. When she arrives, she recalls the goodness of God to His people in the past, and looks forward to the future, giving herself over to His will in perfect servitude.
Our director also raised the nuanced difference between a servant and a volunteer: a volunteer typically chooses his own time and manner of contribution to the cause at hand; a servant is employed fully, always ready to do whatever the master requires, regardless of his own discomfort in the task, knowing that the master's understanding of what is right and how it must be done is so much greater, and resolving, with interior peace, to accomplish what is asked of him. So, too, should we seek to perfect our servitude in order to better serve our Divine Master, departing from the self-concerned volunteerism to a whole-hearted offering of self to Him.
The words of Venerable Fr. Pio Bruno Lanteri are particularly appropriate today: "Nunc coepi" – Now I begin!
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
Friday, October 29, 2010
Advent Retreat
This is just a quick blurb promoting the Advent retreat at St. Peter Chanel Catholic Church in Hawaiian Gardens, CA.
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Crazy week!
Make that a crazy couple weeks; my last post was 12 days ago!
Metaphysics and Latin still reign my coursework as my favorites by far. Ancient Philosophy is becoming more substantial as we take an in-depth look at Plato and Aristotle for the remainder of the semester (the first third of the course was all the Greeks before Plato). In Literature, we read the Divine Comedy (principal passages) since I last posted.
We had members of NET Ministries visiting the Boston area this week; they stayed with us for two nights. They are a traveling team of young adults that give retreats and workshops for middle and high school-aged youth around the country. It was exciting to have modern missionaries in our midst.
Fr. Michael Gaitley was just ordained with the Marians of the Immaculate Conception last weekend. I had met him at St. Peter Chanel several years ago when he was studying with the Oblates. He came to St. Clement's to celebrate a first Mass here on Tuesday.
This week was also full of canceled classes (can't really be full if there's something missing...) due to teachers traveling and adjusting classes in order to give a long exam in one section. My schedule is so irregular anyway that such changes do not actually constitute much of a disruption.
Confirmation classes are going well; our second meeting was better organized and more comprehensive; we are getting the hang of it now, and I expect it will continue to improve, for the children's sake. Please continue to pray that their hearts may be opened to receive Our Lord and Our Lady and that they will begin to listen to and follow God's call for them each day for the rest of their lives.
Pope Benedict XVI wrote a letter to seminarians, released on Monday, the Feast of St. Luke, Evangelist. In it, he highlights the importance of having good priests and shows us how to pursue our formation, in all four pillars identified by his predecessor, Pope John Paul II: spiritual, intellectual, pastoral, and human. Pope Benedict is very conscious of the opposition and difficulties that priests and seminarians face today, as well as the potential for modern technology-based means of evangelization to make a profound difference in the near future. He closes with the following:
Until next time,
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
Metaphysics and Latin still reign my coursework as my favorites by far. Ancient Philosophy is becoming more substantial as we take an in-depth look at Plato and Aristotle for the remainder of the semester (the first third of the course was all the Greeks before Plato). In Literature, we read the Divine Comedy (principal passages) since I last posted.
We had members of NET Ministries visiting the Boston area this week; they stayed with us for two nights. They are a traveling team of young adults that give retreats and workshops for middle and high school-aged youth around the country. It was exciting to have modern missionaries in our midst.
Fr. Michael Gaitley was just ordained with the Marians of the Immaculate Conception last weekend. I had met him at St. Peter Chanel several years ago when he was studying with the Oblates. He came to St. Clement's to celebrate a first Mass here on Tuesday.
This week was also full of canceled classes (can't really be full if there's something missing...) due to teachers traveling and adjusting classes in order to give a long exam in one section. My schedule is so irregular anyway that such changes do not actually constitute much of a disruption.
Confirmation classes are going well; our second meeting was better organized and more comprehensive; we are getting the hang of it now, and I expect it will continue to improve, for the children's sake. Please continue to pray that their hearts may be opened to receive Our Lord and Our Lady and that they will begin to listen to and follow God's call for them each day for the rest of their lives.
Pope Benedict XVI wrote a letter to seminarians, released on Monday, the Feast of St. Luke, Evangelist. In it, he highlights the importance of having good priests and shows us how to pursue our formation, in all four pillars identified by his predecessor, Pope John Paul II: spiritual, intellectual, pastoral, and human. Pope Benedict is very conscious of the opposition and difficulties that priests and seminarians face today, as well as the potential for modern technology-based means of evangelization to make a profound difference in the near future. He closes with the following:
"Dear seminarians, with these few lines I have wanted to let you know how often I think of you, especially in these difficult times, and how close I am to you in prayer. Please pray for me, that I may exercise my ministry well, as long as the Lord may wish. I entrust your journey of preparation for priesthood to the maternal protection of Mary Most Holy, whose home was a school of goodness and of grace. May Almighty God bless you all, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit."
Until next time,
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
Monday, October 11, 2010
Thank you, Cristóbal Colómbo!
Seminarians got a day off for Columbus Day. So we went to Mount Monadnock, in Southern New Hampshire, about a 2-hour drive away. I'll let the pictures (and videos) do the rest of the talking.
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Class, Ordination, Vocations, and Pizza (!)
This week has been incredible. I had two major assignments: a paper (25% of my grade) for Ancient Philosophy and a quiz (10% of my grade) in Latin. The paper was just a selection of quotes from a chapter of one of our texts, indicating the most important points, but those 30 pages of reading turned into 11 pages of quotes, almost 7,000 words, and took over 3 hours to type up, even with my quick typing (average 80wpm) - I had to do it in 4 shifts in order to avoid Carpal tunnel distress and combat typing fatigue that reduces my typing accuracy and makes everything take longer. The Latin quiz was to a vocabulary (translate single words) quiz of 10 questions, taken from a bank of over 100 words we have learned over the past 5 weeks. Each class meeting for the remainder of the term also contains a reading/pronunciation quiz for two students; by the end of the semester, we will all have had our chance at reading aloud, worth another 10% of our final grade.
Friday night, a few of us attended a diaconate ordination of 7 Jesuits at Boston College. Those who were ordained came from all over the country; the presiding bishop was Archbishop Gregory, of Atlanta, GA. It was very nice to see the religious in attendance; there were several Redemptorists, a few Dominicans from Ann Arbor, MI, and many Jesuits, who traveled to concelebrate at the ordination. The music selections were beautiful, including a song I sang with the choir back home: the Ignatian prayer "Take Lord, Receive", also known as the Suscipe, the first word in the Latin version.
Saturday after the Mass, the first Mass at which I played the violin here, I attended a talk by the vocation director of the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, from Ann Arbor Michigan. She was accompanied by a 4th-year sister (who studied Computer Science in Texas) and a postulant, who just entered after studying at Harvard and making her Total Consecration to Mary under the direction of Fr. Greg Staab, OMV (just like me! well, not the Harvard part...). It was nice to see Dominicans, and to see that they are doing so well. The Motherhouse in Ann Arbor is bursting at the seams with over 100 members in community and a large postulant class of 22 this year (sounds just like the Nashville community). The sisters stressed how important it is that religious support each other (and, by the same token, that the whole Church support each other), and demonstrated that rather than seeing a decline of interest in the religious life, that vocations abound, witnessed by their 22 entrances and the 100 emails she receives each day. The Dominicans in Ann Arbor also take in a total of 400 women at 3 vocational discernment retreats each year.
We topped off the week with a gourmet pizza dinner, cooked by yours truly and Br. John last night. Till next week,
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
Friday night, a few of us attended a diaconate ordination of 7 Jesuits at Boston College. Those who were ordained came from all over the country; the presiding bishop was Archbishop Gregory, of Atlanta, GA. It was very nice to see the religious in attendance; there were several Redemptorists, a few Dominicans from Ann Arbor, MI, and many Jesuits, who traveled to concelebrate at the ordination. The music selections were beautiful, including a song I sang with the choir back home: the Ignatian prayer "Take Lord, Receive", also known as the Suscipe, the first word in the Latin version.
Saturday after the Mass, the first Mass at which I played the violin here, I attended a talk by the vocation director of the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, from Ann Arbor Michigan. She was accompanied by a 4th-year sister (who studied Computer Science in Texas) and a postulant, who just entered after studying at Harvard and making her Total Consecration to Mary under the direction of Fr. Greg Staab, OMV (just like me! well, not the Harvard part...). It was nice to see Dominicans, and to see that they are doing so well. The Motherhouse in Ann Arbor is bursting at the seams with over 100 members in community and a large postulant class of 22 this year (sounds just like the Nashville community). The sisters stressed how important it is that religious support each other (and, by the same token, that the whole Church support each other), and demonstrated that rather than seeing a decline of interest in the religious life, that vocations abound, witnessed by their 22 entrances and the 100 emails she receives each day. The Dominicans in Ann Arbor also take in a total of 400 women at 3 vocational discernment retreats each year.
We topped off the week with a gourmet pizza dinner, cooked by yours truly and Br. John last night. Till next week,
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
Sunday, October 03, 2010
Teaching Confirmation
My first Confirmation class! Our students are 7th graders from South Boston - the boys are separated from the girls, and team-taught. The boys get 5 of us seminarians (three from the Oblates and two from St. John Seminary); the girls get 4 women from the parish. It was a good first class, in which we were able to meet the students, introduce the first lesson, and attend Sunday Mass with them.
We are delivering content mandated by the Archdiocese that teaches the first-year Confirmation students about love, happiness, relationships and decision-making, including multimedia content by Jason Evert and others. The program, called Created for Love, was created a few years ago with consultation from experts in all the pertinent fields, including local professors of philosophy and theology, specialists in adolescent psychology, and medical professionals who are accustomed to serving children in this age group and remedying their various issues. The program includes a supplemental DVD with videos to educate the parents regarding faith and moral issues relevant to their children at this time in their lives, and how to accurately describe various physical and psychological changes their children undergo, so that they might use that additional information at their discretion to better bring up their children and provide a richer support system for them at home.
It is a good program, and this semester-long session for the 7th graders includes more than just that content.
Please pray for our students, and for all those preparing to receive various sacraments in the Church, that they might come to an intimate relationship with Christ, spurring them to learn more about their faith and, consequently, grow even closer to Him.
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
We are delivering content mandated by the Archdiocese that teaches the first-year Confirmation students about love, happiness, relationships and decision-making, including multimedia content by Jason Evert and others. The program, called Created for Love, was created a few years ago with consultation from experts in all the pertinent fields, including local professors of philosophy and theology, specialists in adolescent psychology, and medical professionals who are accustomed to serving children in this age group and remedying their various issues. The program includes a supplemental DVD with videos to educate the parents regarding faith and moral issues relevant to their children at this time in their lives, and how to accurately describe various physical and psychological changes their children undergo, so that they might use that additional information at their discretion to better bring up their children and provide a richer support system for them at home.
It is a good program, and this semester-long session for the 7th graders includes more than just that content.
Please pray for our students, and for all those preparing to receive various sacraments in the Church, that they might come to an intimate relationship with Christ, spurring them to learn more about their faith and, consequently, grow even closer to Him.
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Walking Tour of Boston
These are pictures from last Saturday's walking tour of Boston with Dr. Philip Crotty, my Latin instructor at St. John Seminary. Enjoy!
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
Sunday, September 26, 2010
EWTN Exposed
My dearest friends, this post could take you months to explore. You have been warned.
An email from a good friend back home prompted me to make this brief post. It concerns the collection of articles and publications found at http://www.mostholyfamilymonastery.com/EWTN.php As you may know, EWTN is the Eternal Word Television Network, a popular cable subscription for many Catholic families. The linked article claims to discredit the claims made in a book, that EWTN is actually a seat of apostacy and heresy since the departure of Mother Angelica (its founder), seeking to prove that it has always been such an institution, even while she was directing it.
I do not have primary facts myself, but the article seems to be constructed in an inconsistent manner, with internal errors that point to its falsity. The most glaring error that they try to point out is that EWTN exhibits false ecumenism in its programming. Here is the response I sent to my friend on this point:
In all things, seek the Truth, who is Love.
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
An email from a good friend back home prompted me to make this brief post. It concerns the collection of articles and publications found at http://www.mostholyfamilymonastery.com/EWTN.php As you may know, EWTN is the Eternal Word Television Network, a popular cable subscription for many Catholic families. The linked article claims to discredit the claims made in a book, that EWTN is actually a seat of apostacy and heresy since the departure of Mother Angelica (its founder), seeking to prove that it has always been such an institution, even while she was directing it.
I do not have primary facts myself, but the article seems to be constructed in an inconsistent manner, with internal errors that point to its falsity. The most glaring error that they try to point out is that EWTN exhibits false ecumenism in its programming. Here is the response I sent to my friend on this point:
I think the most important thing to consider here is not whether this particular network is at fault, but, in our dealings with others, that we assert the most valid message that we can, enlightened by the Holy Spirit in the silence of our hearts. Ecumenism, which is the most glaring of the faults addressed in the article, must be undertaken properly (ecumenism, relations between religious traditions, can be good; the book and article accuse EWTN of promoting false ecumenism, which I have no evidence to support or reject). I do not know what correct ecumenism is. It is like addressing racism without forcing everyone to be the same, but with a consideration of morals and the order of the universe in play. It is not simply allowing practitioners or followers of other religions to continue in ways that may be immoral, but to praise individuals' pursuit of the truth (as we pray on Good Friday for the Jews and other non-believers), and to help them to attain the ultimate (final, objective) truth that Jesus Christ is God, the second person of the Blessed Trinity, that we were created out of love by God, the first person of that same Trinity, and that by the sacrifice of the Son of God on the Cross, we are invited to model our lives after His, growing in Love, to one day join Him in eternal splendor.
Statements may be made off the cuff that declare in absolute terms (though mistakenly so) that Buddhists (to use an example from the article) may attain salvation, with no obligation to join the Church. Such statements are grave errors. It is certainly possible that one who has not come to the opportunity of discovering Christ's church as the one church necessary for salvation may be saved, however, should one come to such an understanding and remain apart from the church, he will certainly be judged more harshly for it. Pope Benedict XVI just beatified Cardinal John Henry Newman, an Anglican convert, who, for many years, denied the legitimacy of the Catholic Church, but, who, realizing that it was within the Church that he could be guaranteed salvation, ultimately converted, setting a marvelous example for youth and establishing such a rational route by which to understand the truth of the church that many could follow after him.
So whether EWTN is a blatant propagator of apostatic teaching or a well-spring of orthodoxy, it is certainly worthy of such an attack by simple virtue of its prominence. We must listen to Christ's vicar, the successor of Peter, who informs the faithful of the proper interpretation of the full tradition of the Church in every age. Recently, Pope Benedict XVI has tried to bridge the gaps in understanding of the faithful regarding Vatican II teachings, which are widely misunderstood (I know very little of what specifically changed and why), in order to help those extreme critics to understand the fullness of the faith that was both preserved and enriched in Vatican II, and to promote a stronger church (without necessity of growth - he is quoted as saying that the church in the coming days will be smaller, yet more faithful, and that would be his preference over a larger, less faithful church).
In all things, seek the Truth, who is Love.
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Two weeks!
I was reminded last weekend that I did not post anything... such are the demands on a postulant's discretionary time!
It has been a substantial two weeks academically - we finished Homer's Odyssey and Aeschylus' Agamemnon, tore through the Pre-Socratic philosophers up through the Atomists, explored the first few chapters of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, discovered "Potency and Act" according to Aristotle with commentary by St. Thomas Aquinas and struggled with Heraclitus and Parmenides' misconceptions regarding change. Oh, and, in Latin, we covered the first two declensions in full, with prepositions and adverbs, and the essential (actually, existential) verb 'sum, esse, fui, futurus' in the present, imperfect, and future indicative tenses (with the genitive of possession and the dative of possession, how will I ever properly express ownership?).
Br. John and I cooked up a nice Asian dish last Saturday: egg rolls, won ton soup, and a beef stir fry with snow peas and bok choy; tonight, Chris and Br. Steve made us gyros - goes with all the Greek I'm learning with my Latin... no, I'm not confused at all.
Last Tuesday, we were able to attend the episcopal ordination of two new bishops for Boston at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross (on the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross). It was awesome to see all the bishops in attendance, including a bishop of the Ukrainian Rite and Metropolitan Methodios of the Greek Orthodox Church. This past Monday, we touched bases with the Young Adults' group here at St. Clements, and today, we took an amazing walking tour of Boston with freshmen from Thomas More College in Merrimack, NH... I will be sore tomorrow.
Tomorrow, we have a planning meeting at St. Brigid in South Boston with the Confirmation teachers with whom we will be working each Sunday.
I've been taking lots of pictures, so I'll put them online soon - be ready!
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
It has been a substantial two weeks academically - we finished Homer's Odyssey and Aeschylus' Agamemnon, tore through the Pre-Socratic philosophers up through the Atomists, explored the first few chapters of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, discovered "Potency and Act" according to Aristotle with commentary by St. Thomas Aquinas and struggled with Heraclitus and Parmenides' misconceptions regarding change. Oh, and, in Latin, we covered the first two declensions in full, with prepositions and adverbs, and the essential (actually, existential) verb 'sum, esse, fui, futurus' in the present, imperfect, and future indicative tenses (with the genitive of possession and the dative of possession, how will I ever properly express ownership?).
Br. John and I cooked up a nice Asian dish last Saturday: egg rolls, won ton soup, and a beef stir fry with snow peas and bok choy; tonight, Chris and Br. Steve made us gyros - goes with all the Greek I'm learning with my Latin... no, I'm not confused at all.
Last Tuesday, we were able to attend the episcopal ordination of two new bishops for Boston at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross (on the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross). It was awesome to see all the bishops in attendance, including a bishop of the Ukrainian Rite and Metropolitan Methodios of the Greek Orthodox Church. This past Monday, we touched bases with the Young Adults' group here at St. Clements, and today, we took an amazing walking tour of Boston with freshmen from Thomas More College in Merrimack, NH... I will be sore tomorrow.
Tomorrow, we have a planning meeting at St. Brigid in South Boston with the Confirmation teachers with whom we will be working each Sunday.
I've been taking lots of pictures, so I'll put them online soon - be ready!
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Happy feast!
Today, Sunday, September 12, 2010, marks the 184th commemoration of the Titular Feast of the Congregation of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary. It is celebrated as a Proper Solemnity by the Congregation.
At Morning Prayer, Br. John and Br. Tom renewed their temporary vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience in the spirit of Fr. Lanteri, a solemn and joyous occasion for the entire congregation.
My first (almost full) week of classes is now over, and what a week it was! I enjoyed all of my classes; they are all challenging and intriguing, with much reading. I thought to myself, as I was reading the life of St. Dominic during a Holy Hour toward the end of the week, that I was still reading, and it had nothing to do with a class! The previous night, I had read over 100 pages of Homer's Odyssey, along with John Paul II on the Catechism and the Prologue to the Catechism, itself. And that is not to mention the Thomas Aquinas and Aristotle that we have been working through in Metaphysics. Anyway, the study of philosophy (literally, the love of wisdom, in Greek) is fascinating and empowering - it is this subject that awakens the mind more than in any other discipline and requires both systematic, analytic consideration of the subject matter and an intuitive, experience-based progression through it.
This coming week, we will attend the ceremony of ordination and installation for two new bishops for the Archdiocese of Boston - it should be good!
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
At Morning Prayer, Br. John and Br. Tom renewed their temporary vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience in the spirit of Fr. Lanteri, a solemn and joyous occasion for the entire congregation.
My first (almost full) week of classes is now over, and what a week it was! I enjoyed all of my classes; they are all challenging and intriguing, with much reading. I thought to myself, as I was reading the life of St. Dominic during a Holy Hour toward the end of the week, that I was still reading, and it had nothing to do with a class! The previous night, I had read over 100 pages of Homer's Odyssey, along with John Paul II on the Catechism and the Prologue to the Catechism, itself. And that is not to mention the Thomas Aquinas and Aristotle that we have been working through in Metaphysics. Anyway, the study of philosophy (literally, the love of wisdom, in Greek) is fascinating and empowering - it is this subject that awakens the mind more than in any other discipline and requires both systematic, analytic consideration of the subject matter and an intuitive, experience-based progression through it.
This coming week, we will attend the ceremony of ordination and installation for two new bishops for the Archdiocese of Boston - it should be good!
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
Saturday, September 04, 2010
From Retreat to the Set
This week began with a meeting concerning the house rules, which are to be expected in a community that is preparing some of its members (the seminarians) for a life of discipline with the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. The rules are fairly standard for a professional setting, but they were presented along with a reflection comparing seminary growth to being raised in the home of the Holy Family in Nazareth. Fr. Dan Barron, OMV, prepared the reflection that is included in the brief handbook, in which he presents Mary as lady of the house, Joseph as its master, and the serenity and good will that must have pervaded the home as Jesus began to grow up. He remarks that the examples of charity, compassion, and even frustration shown by Jesus' parents would have formed Him into the God-Man that had mercy on lepers, fed the hungry, wept at the tomb of his friend, and violently chased the money-changers and vendors out of the temple. So too, we, he recommended, should enter, spiritually, into that sense of preparation and growth in the midst of immense holiness.
Monday afternoon, we went over to St. John's Seminary to register for our classes and obtain a welcome package containing important information about the school. The seminary now supports the education and spiritual formation of 100 seminarians from a couple dioceses and a handful of religious orders, a number that has been growing steadily for the last few years.
Monday evening, the three Postulants departed for the St. Joseph House of Retreat, in Milton, MA (I learned the town was self-incorporated in 1662!). The three days that we spent there, in retreat, were amazing. I opened my heart to my Lord and my Lady, cleared my mind, and let them speak. It was tremendous what I realized about the depth and surety of my vocation to the priesthood. At the same time, I read the lives of St. John Bosco (and a bit of St. Francis de Sales, as he relates to St. John Bosco) and St. John Vianney, two very inspiring priests, who lived in Italy and France, respectively, and who were contemporaries of Fr. Lanteri and were affected by his work. Their lives contained very moving moments for me, in which the Will of God was revealed to them, their immense trust in Divine Providence with the intercession of Mary was richly rewarded, and their sensitivity to the most basic needs of those around them had such a great and resounding impact that many thousands continued to be converted, based on their efforts, for decades after their deaths.
Last night, after dinner, my brother Postulant, S.G., and I had a little jam session in the Upper Room (the old sisters' chapel from when a cloistered convent occupied these buildings). He plays piano quite well, and knows quite a few popular tunes. We will probably be writing some music. Tonight we discovered that our singing voices are very similar, which is really awesome. Again, we'll probably be writing some music.
Today was spent at the house in Milton, again, with Fr. John Wykes, OMV, and a frequent visitor to St. Clement's, D.M. Fr. John prepared a full script, and we went to the house to film some re-enactments of the life of Fr. Lanteri. We were away from home for 12 hours for this piece of the project (there is more filming to be done, as well as recording narration, and final editing). It was really nice to be able to help out in such a project. The Youth Group project to present the life of St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina to the Confirmation students several years ago resulted in all of us who participated gaining a powerful understanding of the spiritual foundations of a man so "in-tune" with God; today's experience was no different.
We return to Milton for a Labor Day BBQ Monday afternoon, but Tuesday is the first day of class. Here we go!
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
Monday afternoon, we went over to St. John's Seminary to register for our classes and obtain a welcome package containing important information about the school. The seminary now supports the education and spiritual formation of 100 seminarians from a couple dioceses and a handful of religious orders, a number that has been growing steadily for the last few years.
Monday evening, the three Postulants departed for the St. Joseph House of Retreat, in Milton, MA (I learned the town was self-incorporated in 1662!). The three days that we spent there, in retreat, were amazing. I opened my heart to my Lord and my Lady, cleared my mind, and let them speak. It was tremendous what I realized about the depth and surety of my vocation to the priesthood. At the same time, I read the lives of St. John Bosco (and a bit of St. Francis de Sales, as he relates to St. John Bosco) and St. John Vianney, two very inspiring priests, who lived in Italy and France, respectively, and who were contemporaries of Fr. Lanteri and were affected by his work. Their lives contained very moving moments for me, in which the Will of God was revealed to them, their immense trust in Divine Providence with the intercession of Mary was richly rewarded, and their sensitivity to the most basic needs of those around them had such a great and resounding impact that many thousands continued to be converted, based on their efforts, for decades after their deaths.
Last night, after dinner, my brother Postulant, S.G., and I had a little jam session in the Upper Room (the old sisters' chapel from when a cloistered convent occupied these buildings). He plays piano quite well, and knows quite a few popular tunes. We will probably be writing some music. Tonight we discovered that our singing voices are very similar, which is really awesome. Again, we'll probably be writing some music.
Today was spent at the house in Milton, again, with Fr. John Wykes, OMV, and a frequent visitor to St. Clement's, D.M. Fr. John prepared a full script, and we went to the house to film some re-enactments of the life of Fr. Lanteri. We were away from home for 12 hours for this piece of the project (there is more filming to be done, as well as recording narration, and final editing). It was really nice to be able to help out in such a project. The Youth Group project to present the life of St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina to the Confirmation students several years ago resulted in all of us who participated gaining a powerful understanding of the spiritual foundations of a man so "in-tune" with God; today's experience was no different.
We return to Milton for a Labor Day BBQ Monday afternoon, but Tuesday is the first day of class. Here we go!
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Week 1!
It has been a quiet week since my arrival; the other students arrive later today. The first few days, it rained all day long, so I did not get out except to buy shampoo and deodorant. I had lots of time for prayerful reflection on my vocation and my new life, something that I realize a little more, in a tangible way, every day. I have also had lots of time to read, about the life of our founder, Fr. Pio Bruno Lanteri, and also Scott Hahn's Many Are Called, a reflection and exposition of the institution of the priesthood and the many roles that priests play in modern society.
It brought me great joy to receive a little message from my dear sister, Sr. Teresa, who entered the Nashville Dominicans a couple weeks before I left home. She copied a passage out of the Summa Theologica (Thomas Aquinas) and closed with "Welcome to religious life!" What a beautiful life she has been called to!
A couple days ago, I received my class schedule from Fr. David Beauregard:
We begin the full schedule tonight with Solemn Vespers, an orientation meeting tomorrow afternoon regarding the liturgies and music, and other administrative business on Monday. Monday evening, we depart for a 3-day retreat at the Oblates' St. Joseph Retreat House in Milton.
After the 3-day weekend, we begin class on September 7.
My policy for email correspondence will be to check email daily to wade through spam and mass mailings, but only reply to non-urgent messages on weekends. My designated time to use the phone is Saturdays and Sundays between 12pm and 9pm Eastern time (3 hours ahead of Pacific time).
Please send me prayer requests! I can offer them publicly during Morning and Evening Prayer every day so that the whole community raises your intentions to the Father!
Love the Immaculata!
It brought me great joy to receive a little message from my dear sister, Sr. Teresa, who entered the Nashville Dominicans a couple weeks before I left home. She copied a passage out of the Summa Theologica (Thomas Aquinas) and closed with "Welcome to religious life!" What a beautiful life she has been called to!
A couple days ago, I received my class schedule from Fr. David Beauregard:
- Ancient Philosophy
- Latin
- Metaphysics
- Catechism
- World Literature
We begin the full schedule tonight with Solemn Vespers, an orientation meeting tomorrow afternoon regarding the liturgies and music, and other administrative business on Monday. Monday evening, we depart for a 3-day retreat at the Oblates' St. Joseph Retreat House in Milton.
After the 3-day weekend, we begin class on September 7.
My policy for email correspondence will be to check email daily to wade through spam and mass mailings, but only reply to non-urgent messages on weekends. My designated time to use the phone is Saturdays and Sundays between 12pm and 9pm Eastern time (3 hours ahead of Pacific time).
Please send me prayer requests! I can offer them publicly during Morning and Evening Prayer every day so that the whole community raises your intentions to the Father!
Love the Immaculata!
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Arrival in Boston
I put up a few pictures I took last night after getting settled in.
It is very quiet here right now, even when there are people around! Things will pick up when the other students arrive later this week... and then we'll be on retreat, pretty quiet again, lol. Of course.
Love the Immaculata!
Monday, August 23, 2010
Arrival
I have arrived in Boston! Fr. Jeremy and Br. Jerry came to pick me up from the airport. My flight left at 9:20pm from Long Beach, arrived in Washington, D.C. just after 5am local time, and my flight was already scheduled an hour later due to a late departure of the inbound plane from Oakland, CA. We finally departed around 10:30am, arriving in Boston at 11:55am.
I am just getting all my stuff out, to see what little things I need to buy (I am going to make a CVS run in a short while here before the rain picks up again).
I already received the schedule of duties through December, including assisting at community prayer and Masses, and cooking on Saturdays (Br. John Luong and I are scheduled together for cooking; we have 5 Saturdays to cover for the semester).
Further orientation, including housework chores and the rules of the house, will occur next week.
Important Note: anyone who wishes to contact me by phone should do so on weekends between 12pm and 9pm Eastern time, at my Skype number: 562-219-2372. The 617 area code numbers you may have are an office number and a number for a disconnected phone that nobody uses :)
Love the Immaculata!
I am just getting all my stuff out, to see what little things I need to buy (I am going to make a CVS run in a short while here before the rain picks up again).
I already received the schedule of duties through December, including assisting at community prayer and Masses, and cooking on Saturdays (Br. John Luong and I are scheduled together for cooking; we have 5 Saturdays to cover for the semester).
Further orientation, including housework chores and the rules of the house, will occur next week.
Important Note: anyone who wishes to contact me by phone should do so on weekends between 12pm and 9pm Eastern time, at my Skype number: 562-219-2372. The 617 area code numbers you may have are an office number and a number for a disconnected phone that nobody uses :)
Love the Immaculata!
Sunday, August 15, 2010
New Website!
The Oblates released their new website for the US Province - check it out at http://www.omvusa.org. The new design brings out brighter tones than the old site, encouraging a more pleasant visit to our niche on the web.
The new site runs on the WordPress engine, allowing it to dynamically incorporate rich content from other websites, and enabling multiple webmasters to update the website frequently, as needed. The Oblates are about bringing Christ to His people, through the hands of Mary, using all of the latest means of communication available - this new website is indicative of this charism, which you can read about on the website.
Happy Feast of the Assumption!
The new site runs on the WordPress engine, allowing it to dynamically incorporate rich content from other websites, and enabling multiple webmasters to update the website frequently, as needed. The Oblates are about bringing Christ to His people, through the hands of Mary, using all of the latest means of communication available - this new website is indicative of this charism, which you can read about on the website.
Happy Feast of the Assumption!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Moving out
Sister update: Teresa made it safely to Nashville Wednesday afternoon, after a 3-hour delay of her flight from Memphis to Nashville.
My update:
I received my formal letter of acceptance and welcome to the Seminary in Boston. It outlines what to bring and what to expect upon entrance.
I am to bring clothing (business casual dress is expected for all public activities; a uniform formal look is prescribed for sundays; season-appropriate clothing is specifically recommended), school/office supplies, my violin, and some spending money to cover personal items and the infrequent excursion.
The Oblates also ask that seminarians contribute to the cost of their schooling during Postulancy (the first two years), at $3,500 per semester, to a total of $14,000 over that time. In order to assist my family and I in covering this expense, we welcome any donations you may be able to contribute; please contact me directly by email at lilmax88@gmail.com.
I am presently working on consolidating my personal belongings at home, for long-term storage, and planning how to pack what I will bring. I will be coming home for the summers of 2011 and 2012, and maybe the Christmas break both years, as well, so I will need access to a lot of the things that I am currently using for work.
Now it's off to the Holy Hour for Vocations at St. Peter Chanel!
Love the Immaculata!
My update:
I received my formal letter of acceptance and welcome to the Seminary in Boston. It outlines what to bring and what to expect upon entrance.
I am to bring clothing (business casual dress is expected for all public activities; a uniform formal look is prescribed for sundays; season-appropriate clothing is specifically recommended), school/office supplies, my violin, and some spending money to cover personal items and the infrequent excursion.
The Oblates also ask that seminarians contribute to the cost of their schooling during Postulancy (the first two years), at $3,500 per semester, to a total of $14,000 over that time. In order to assist my family and I in covering this expense, we welcome any donations you may be able to contribute; please contact me directly by email at lilmax88@gmail.com.
I am presently working on consolidating my personal belongings at home, for long-term storage, and planning how to pack what I will bring. I will be coming home for the summers of 2011 and 2012, and maybe the Christmas break both years, as well, so I will need access to a lot of the things that I am currently using for work.
Now it's off to the Holy Hour for Vocations at St. Peter Chanel!
Love the Immaculata!
Sunday, August 08, 2010
A New Adventure
The decision to join the Oblates of the Virgin Mary comes after almost 7 years of discernment, carefully praying, asking what God desires that I do with my life and the many gifts I have been given. I considered pursuing graduate school in the area of Computer Science, and was even accepted to a doctoral program with full tuition paid at the University of Virginia; however, during a visit to Boston in late March, I felt very strongly that I was to pursue entrance to the congregation at this time. After an extensive application process and review, I was accepted August 5, 2010, on the 180th anniversary of the death of the Founder of the Oblates, Venerable Fr. Pio Bruno Lanteri.
The Congregation of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary (OMV: Congregatio Oblatorum Beatae Mariae Virginis in Latin) was founded in 1826 in Pinerolo, in Northern Italy. Their work includes spreading devotion to the Virgin Mary, encouraging the faithful lay and clergy to remain in harmony with the Pope, giving spiritual direction with the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, and promoting good books.
I will enter the community as a Postulant, without any formal ties to the group, on August 23 of this year. The formation process is at least 7 years long, including the equivalent of Master's degrees in Philosophy and Theology, as well as practical training to carry out the active priestly ministry. The Postulant status lasts 2 years, containing primarily studies in philosophy and church history. The third year of formation is the Novitiate year, during which I will study the particular charisms of the order and learn about OMV history and the desires of the founder. As studies progress, I will profess temporary vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience to the community, and at the end of the formation process, I will renew those vows for life and subsequently be ordained Deacon and Priest. I may be assigned to work at any of the four locations within the Continental United States (Boston, MA; Alton, IL; Denver, CO; Hawaiian Gardens, CA) or the Philippines. The Oblates also have missions in South America and Africa, and work in Italy and throughout Europe.
Love the Immaculata!
The Congregation of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary (OMV: Congregatio Oblatorum Beatae Mariae Virginis in Latin) was founded in 1826 in Pinerolo, in Northern Italy. Their work includes spreading devotion to the Virgin Mary, encouraging the faithful lay and clergy to remain in harmony with the Pope, giving spiritual direction with the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, and promoting good books.
I will enter the community as a Postulant, without any formal ties to the group, on August 23 of this year. The formation process is at least 7 years long, including the equivalent of Master's degrees in Philosophy and Theology, as well as practical training to carry out the active priestly ministry. The Postulant status lasts 2 years, containing primarily studies in philosophy and church history. The third year of formation is the Novitiate year, during which I will study the particular charisms of the order and learn about OMV history and the desires of the founder. As studies progress, I will profess temporary vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience to the community, and at the end of the formation process, I will renew those vows for life and subsequently be ordained Deacon and Priest. I may be assigned to work at any of the four locations within the Continental United States (Boston, MA; Alton, IL; Denver, CO; Hawaiian Gardens, CA) or the Philippines. The Oblates also have missions in South America and Africa, and work in Italy and throughout Europe.
Love the Immaculata!
Saturday, August 07, 2010
Congregazione degli Oblati di Maria Vergine
This past Thursday, while I was enjoying the sweet mountain air in Oak Creek Canyon, Arizona (just north of Sedona), I received a phone call from the Congregation of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary (Congregazione degli Oblati di Maria Vergine in Italian; Congregatio Oblatorum Beatae Mariae Virginis in Latin), the religious congregation to which I applied earlier this year. I retrieved the message Friday morning, the Feast of the Transfiguration, when we were in town and within range of a cell tower. Fr. Dave Nicgorski, OMV, the Provincial, left me the following message, in response to my application.
It is especially appropriate that I was accepted on August 5, because that is the day, in 1830, that our Founder died. His cause for canonization is currently in progress.
Please pray for me, and for an increase in those who consider and follow their true vocation, especially those who are called to the priesthood and religious life.
I will post here regularly, so that those who have known me up to this point may stay updated.
Love the Immaculata!
Paul, how are you, this is Fr. Dave Nicgorski calling from the Oblates of the Virgin Mary; I'm the Provincial here, in Boston. I just wanted to contact you to say I'm delighted that you applied to the congregation, for the community here, in Boston. We met today with the Provincial Council and we all are excited about you coming, so I want to welcome you to Boston, and say that we approved your application, and I am looking forward to seeing you again, brother, all the best to you and I wanted to be the first to call and say, “Welcome.” So, my confreres, Fr. Jeremy and the other guys in Boston, will be contacting you shortly to invite you to join them this semester coming up in school, in Boston. All the best, Paul. I'll see you soon, brother and if you have any questions, feel free to call my cell; my number is (hidden), but otherwise, Paul, I just want to say, “Welcome to Boston;” I look forward to seeing you shortly. God Bless, bye.God is good! In the Oblates' slogan, from our Founder, Venerable Fr. Pio Bruno Lanteri, Nunc coepi ("now I begin"). I received a second phone call, on Friday, from Fr. Jeremy Paulin, OMV, Vocation Director, who informed me that my entrance date will be August 23, 2010, just over two weeks away!
It is especially appropriate that I was accepted on August 5, because that is the day, in 1830, that our Founder died. His cause for canonization is currently in progress.
Please pray for me, and for an increase in those who consider and follow their true vocation, especially those who are called to the priesthood and religious life.
I will post here regularly, so that those who have known me up to this point may stay updated.
Love the Immaculata!
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Caritas in Veritate
I have been reading Pope Benedict XVI's encyclical Caritas in Veritate (Charity in Truth) and just completed the second chapter during my day of recollection. It is about human development and the ease with which the unguided secular public has misled itself completely.
This reading was followed by an essay by C.S. Lewis on Dogma and the Universe. In this essay, he exposes the philosophical insanity with which modern scientists and educated persons challenge the dogmas of faith upon which the Church stands. He uses an argument that is based on the fact that we know so little about God that we cannot begin to presume that we know what a universe created by God should look like, in order to differentiate it from the one that we have observed, ever more closely, as our modern times unfold. He also says that the universe must be as large and complex as it is in order to inspire in us the awe and reverence that keeps us in our place. Furthermore, he said that our having been created as images of God, we who are human persons, require the greatness of what we observe in space to pay tribute, as though shadows, to the greatness of God that we image.
It has been quite a thrilling experience reading philosophical works, coming from a largely technical background, but always having been intrigued by the theoretical and philosophical foundations of everything else I was taught.
Until next time,
Love the Immaculata!
This reading was followed by an essay by C.S. Lewis on Dogma and the Universe. In this essay, he exposes the philosophical insanity with which modern scientists and educated persons challenge the dogmas of faith upon which the Church stands. He uses an argument that is based on the fact that we know so little about God that we cannot begin to presume that we know what a universe created by God should look like, in order to differentiate it from the one that we have observed, ever more closely, as our modern times unfold. He also says that the universe must be as large and complex as it is in order to inspire in us the awe and reverence that keeps us in our place. Furthermore, he said that our having been created as images of God, we who are human persons, require the greatness of what we observe in space to pay tribute, as though shadows, to the greatness of God that we image.
It has been quite a thrilling experience reading philosophical works, coming from a largely technical background, but always having been intrigued by the theoretical and philosophical foundations of everything else I was taught.
Until next time,
Love the Immaculata!
Friday, June 11, 2010
Back Online!
Hello, world!
I am back; looks like I completely skipped college as far as this blog is concerned. I ran a blog for my Swiss summer study abroad experience in 2008 (Paul en Suisse) and continue to post on my Open Source software and Linux blog, Penguins 'R' Us.
I am returning to post here as part of my continuing quest for holiness and for direction in my own life. I hope to post fairly regularly so that those who might wish to follow me might do so easily.
Until next time, au revoir!
Love the Immaculata!
I am back; looks like I completely skipped college as far as this blog is concerned. I ran a blog for my Swiss summer study abroad experience in 2008 (Paul en Suisse) and continue to post on my Open Source software and Linux blog, Penguins 'R' Us.
I am returning to post here as part of my continuing quest for holiness and for direction in my own life. I hope to post fairly regularly so that those who might wish to follow me might do so easily.
Until next time, au revoir!
Love the Immaculata!
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