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
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