Rain, rain, rain

Boston has been a bit wet this week. It's rained almost every day, and the intervening days were hot and humid - 70 ºF at 6am and rising from there with 60-80% humidity - the rain was a relief!

Greek has really been picking up - we have covered about 50 words, the grammatical structure for the first and second declensions of nouns, the present and future tense (indicative active) of verbs, the definite article, adjective declension and agreement in the first and second declensions, the present tense of εἰμί, the verb meaning "to be", and personal pronouns.

Logic is pretty fun now, getting into the rules governing properly-formed categorical syllogisms. I can see more tangibly now how the study of logic will make for a growing instinct for recognizing poorly-formed arguments when I see them in the future.

We have a visitor with us this weekend, which is always fun. He's gotten a chance to see a bit of the city, which is very different compared to his small-town roots in North Dakota. He has also been meeting with lots of priests in the house as he shares his story and learns more about religious life in general and the Oblates in particular.

This past Friday, we celebrated the memorial of St. Padre Pio di Pietrelcina, a great mystic and confessor who bore the stigmata for many years. His devotion to the Eucharist, to the Passion of Christ and in seeking the assistance of his guardian angel are exemplary inspirations to all. And though it would seem a bit harsh of him, at times, in his blunt dealings with people who came to him, he was given the grace to know their situation before they had even spoken, and was inspired to give them the message that he did, whether it was that they should have actual sorrow for their sins before approaching the sacrament of confession, that they must confess something they wished to hide, or if in some way, they had concealed some important detail in their spiritual conversations with him. Above all, it was his union with Christ in the Sacrifice of the Mass that is the most touching. Bearing Christ's wounds in his own body at the precise moment in the Mass that Christ shed his blood and breathed his last, Padre Pio had the most intense expression of love for Jesus' sacrifice and of union with him in that moment. What a saint!

I am settling into this year more and more, with the good men who are here studying, as well. It was a rough couple weeks getting started and figuring out how we would all split the duties and keep the house running as well as provide enough time for study and prayer (and a little recreation!), but things are pretty well worked-out now and we have more opportunity to get to know one another and grow together in this vocation. In so many ways, it is like starting over; though I have the experience of one year, new leadership and new confreres means a very different-feeling experience. Also, while it is so important not to miss out on the present moment wondering about the future, formation is a forward-looking process. We make our discernment patiently about how God has been working in our lives and how He wishes us to work for Him in each new day. Toward the end of this year, I will hopefully have the opportunity to apply to begin my novice year, approaching first vows. It seems so far away now, and, as I just stated, it is important not to miss the joys and trials of my second postulant year, though I am aware of the bigger picture as such.

Hopefully in the next couple weeks, we will be able to invite our confreres at St. John Seminary to share some prayer time and a meal with us here, demonstrating our solidarity with one another in the faith and in this vocation. More to look forward to! This coming Saturday, October 2, the Vice Rector of St. John Seminary will come to give us a day of recollection - please pray for the fruit of our prayers.

Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca

Settling in

It is always refreshing to start a new year. New year's resolutions, a new room, some new guys, changes in leadership - all sorts of changes, but still a great deal of continuity. And this is a harmonious analogue to the Church as a whole - as her missionaries encountered new peoples with different languages and cultures, she incorporated their traditions in the local expression of her own long-standing Tradition and developed her teachings so as to give a relevant explanation to the culture at that time.

I am settling into the change of room - besides location, the arrangement of furnishings and such is slowly becoming familiar. Classes are mostly a continuation of what I had last semester. I continue the History of Philosophy sequence with both Modern and Contemporary philosophy; last year's Latin gives way to Greek this year; systematic philosophy continues with a hybrid course on Logic & Epistemology with Dr. Lang; and "Film: An Oblate Introduction to Cinematic Arts and Social Communications" is the cherry on top. All of my classes are enjoyable so far. Contemporary Philosophy, which I have not yet attended due to various scheduling mishaps, promises to be an interesting look at the most recent philosophical thought, with an angle toward politics and justice systems.

We are settling into the liturgical rhythm now, too. I begin leading this week, announcing and initiating all of the prayers said in common. One of our new postulants will observe how I lead in order that he may lead the following week, as is also being done with the other liturgical roles of "reader" and "server."

This week we also began introducing Mass parts from the Third Edition of the Roman Missal (editio typica tertia), commonly referred to as the "New Translation." We sang the Third Edition standard Gloria in accord with the Archbishop's instruction to be prepared to sing it immediately when the new liturgical year begins this November on the First Sunday of Advent. In the remaining months before the Third Edition is to be used exclusively, we will introduce the other "ordinary" parts of the Mass so that our congregation is prepared for the official change.

And tomorrow we celebrate the 185th anniversary of the founding of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary! The Feast of the Holy Name of Mary, celebrated on September 12 as a Solemnity by all Oblates, was designated our titular feast (having to do with "title") as we received papal approbation on September 1, 1826 as the Congregatio Oblatorum Virginis Mariae (Congregation of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary). Celebrate with us!


Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca

New Beginnings

Since I arrived in Boston on Friday, it has been one grand introduction and orientation for the new year. Fr. Tom, the Assistant to the Postulants and our primary contact for formation, rightly pointed out this morning that today is the last of the "first" days that we will have for a while.

Our four new postulants are excited and enthusiastic beginning their first year of formation with us, even pooling our various skills in the kitchen to cook dinner for the community on Saturday night. Fr. Jeremy took us on a hike on the T and then walking across the Charlestown bridge to see the USS Constitution, finally catching a bite of ice cream before returning home for dinner. We enjoyed a few games of Bocce ball and Wiffle ball after the Labor Day dinner with the combined communities of Oblates from St Clement's and St Joseph's Retreat House in Milton.

Today we began a new year of seminary intellectual formation with our first class meetings in philosophy. This promises to be another great semester!

We are all trying to get back into the swing of things with a few good changes and a bunch of new faces, but things are settling down quite nicely.


Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca