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!

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!

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.

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!

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!

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!