Arise From Darkness

Today I had a visit with Fr. Groesschel after mass at CCRNO conference in New Orleans. I had to return to St Bens after lunch. Words can't describe this humble Priest. This was not our first meeting but I will post more later, after I receive my CD's of his talks and Homily. Today is the Memorial of St Pio, who was the topic of his Homily. Fr. Groesschel instilled a message to the seminarians. The conference theme was "Arise from Darkness", the title of his book. Notre Dame Seminary hosted the conference. I would add his message now but I don't want to leave anything out.

Dodgeball

The winning team of the dodge-ball tournament. Yes, I played. Today I wish I had not. The games intensity was raised by facing the champions of last year. The only good to start was the fact we held the top spot in the double illumination tournament. With being the oldest person on the team, I felt my age in the second game when it was 3 against 1. I being the one. Time to start a paper. God Bless All

Summer is Over

Pope John Paul II tells us that the thruth of the values we hold are to be found by opening oneself to apprehend that truth, even at levels which transcend the person. Fr. Martell, the Pastor of Holy Rosary taught me several things during my summer assignment. He is a collector of lighthouses and I asked why, his answer was that it is a reminder that we are all lighthouses. God's love and mercy shines light through us in what we do and say.
As I ponder the quote, my reflection draws me to the lighthouse. My brightness of my light is the love I return to God. My integrity is the lighthouse itself; the foundation for the light which shines forth. If I do not live a life in adherence to the Gospels teachings, then my light would not shine. The bricks of my lighthouse have bonded with a mortar of forgiveness. The person I was ten years ago is not the person who you see today.
I have been challenged to become a beckon of light in today's culture. Fr. Ernie has asked us in his homilies to be a sound person living a life that is counter-cultural to today's culture of death. You are called as so am I to stand on principles based on the teachings of the Catholic Church. Poeple who have been part of my life are now my witness to the change in person I have necome today. I was told by someone this summer that my presence brings a calmness to the group. I hope that the calmness is brought out by the light of God from my heart. As the light of the lighthouse calms the fear of the sailor in the darkness of the night, I pray and hope to light the way for others to find the merciful and loving God which I have found.
Several priests have been my light, please pray for our priests.

Pax Christi Tecum

The Risk

Pope John Paul II
In My Own Words

"We must go to this Child, this Man,
the Son of God, at whatever inconvenience,
at whatever risk to ourselves, because to know
and love him will truly change our lives."

Looking back on my past, this quote of JPII speaks loudly of my discernment. The fear of rejection was a major obsticle in my discernment along with leaving a job I enjoyed. The difference with my discernment this time was I began with prayer. Fr. DeBlasio called together a small group to discern God's calling in our lives, weather to the priesthood, religious, married or single life. Our meetings began with Vespers (Evening Prayer) and closed with Eucharistic Exposition and Benediction. Over the five or six year period, I discovered the only reason I did not take the next step in my discernment was the fear of rejection.
As I began my second year of studies here at St. Joseph College Seminary, I am not the same person I was at the start of my discernment. As JPII says to know and love him will truly change our lives, my life has changed.

Prayer To Know and Love Jesus

My Lord Jesus, I want to love you but you cannot trust me.
If you do not help me, I will never do any good.
I do not know you; I look for you but do not find you.
Come to me O Lord.
If I knew you, I would also know myself.
If I have never loved you before,
I want to love you truly now.
I want to do your will alone; putting no trust in myself,
I hope in you, O Lord.

St.Philip Neri

Return to St.Ben's

I have returned to St. Joseph Seminary College with a great surprise. I have news from the south that the classes began this year with 41 new seminarians. We only have 4 or 5 empty dorm rooms. What a blessing. Speaking of blessings, we did not have a repeat of last years start. No Katrina this year.
On my return home for Labor Day, I picked up a new digital camera. As soon as I figure out how to use it and download pictures; I will post some. As time permits I will offer a weekly post. It is great to have my computor running again.

A few words to ponder:
"We must go to this Child, this Man,
the Son of God, at whatever inconvenience,
at whatever risk to ourselves,
because to know and love him
will truly change our lives."

Pope John Paul II
Homily at Central Park, 1995

A reflection on this will come later.

Lenten reflection part II

In looking at what I have read during this time of Lent, I now know what the load was. In the Paul’s letters we are asked to die with Christ so we may also rise with Christ.
In our death with Christ, we also hang on the cross with Christ. We have been told that our sins nail Christ to the cross. Not true, we as believers in the Word believe that we will die and rise to a new life. The nails that hold Christ to the cross are made of love. Jesus died for us, he loved us so much, and that he hung on the cross. Our love for God is what nails us to the cross. The cross we are asked to pick up and carry. As we are crucified with Jesus, we become one in death so we may rise again. What do our sins have to do with our death on the cross with Christ?

Our death on cross is a victory. Our sins that we commit help the devil. The devil does not want us to embrace the cross as Jesus did. Our sins are our weight and the devils hands keeping us from hanging on the cross. The devil wants us to die in the world he has tried to change. With confession, God’s love is shown to us in his mercy. The love given places us on the cross with his Son. Our hearts opened to the love of the God the Father. Padre Pio says that “my heart has beats as one with the heart of Jesus.” What happens when we confess and hearts beat as one?

Abbey Youth Fest is upon us!

With 6 days before Abbey Youth Fest, the last minute failure in plain has begun. This is the sixth or seventh year and I don't know how they do it. The lady in charge does not listen to suggestions at all. We are looking at having 2000-2500 youth as of preregistration. They today decided to have only one serving line for lunch and dinner. They put all the food under one tent!
They would not listen to a person who has cooked for conventions and conferences with 12 years of experience. Sorry I am venting. Plus I am the seminarian who is incharge of food operations.

Part 1 of my reflection:
A Lenten Reflection

With reading “Theology of the Body for Beginners” and also “Secrets of the Soul” during this time of Lent, with the daily readings of Holy Scripture during mass it was easy to answer a formation question. “The body is the specific vehicle of the spiritual life” (p.44), from the book “Theology of the Body for Beginners” lead to do I experience the body and the spiritual life this way?

Our bodies receive the fruits of the Holy Spirit in our spiritual life. Our mind helps us to communicate what our bodies feel. During my reflection of question, my thoughts kept leading me to the “vehicle.” What was the kick-start to put the body (vehicle) in motion? During this time of Lent, that kick-start is confession. When I fully open my heart in confession I recognize my faults and sins that I have committed against God’s love. It is easy to say that after confession I have released my soul from the sins I have committed. One might say they have felt the load taken off their back. If our body is the vehicle, then what was this load?