The Application

Just a quick update on the application.

I have most of the details processed.  I still have the base application form, a CORI form, a medical report and an essay to deal with.  The application form is mostly complete, the CORI form is filled out.  I still need to call my doctor to assist in the medical report and start the essay.

The Application

I dropped 75% or so of the application in the mail this afternoon.    I still have some items to follow up on.
I hope to have almost everything into the vocation office by early next week.

I wrote up my spiritual autobiography and had my friends P&A give it a quick review.   They found a couple of confusing sentences and typos, but in general, it was mailed in as I initially wrote it.

Once the Vocation Office has everything, there should be some interviews with priests attached to the Vocation office.

Chapel at Blessed John

I wanted to share this image with you.  It is a panoramic picture of the Chapel at Blessed John the XXIII Seminary  taken from the balcony.  

This is the chapel where I will be gathering with my brothers for morning prayer, daily Mass and evening prayer most days (presuming, of course, that I get accepted).

My prie-dieu

I am an amateur woodworker.  In my spare time over the last month or so, I've been building this prie-dieu.
I cannot say why, exactly.  I was just called to build it.  I tried to pray while I was working on it.  It is not perfect, but it is the work of my hands.  It is also a good place to get down on my knees every day and spend some time with God.

Doing my paperwork

The application process has a lot of paperwork:  to request, to fill out, to write.

In the days since I received the application package, I've:
- Read over the application form
- Started writing my spiritual autobiography
- Confirmed 5 of my 6 references with their mailing addresses
- Requested a copy of my Sacramental Records from my
     Baptismal parish up in Maine
- Requested a extra background check form that I need
     because I've lived outside of Massachusetts
- Printed out the transcript request forms for the
     University of Maine and Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Gentle Readers

Now, Gentle Readers (as the good Dr Asimov used to say),  we move to a new phase in the blog.  For the last 3 weeks I have been posting daily to catch you up and now you know a little bit about me and where I am in my journey.

While the blog may be titled "Seminarian on the Journey", perhaps it should be titled "Seminarian wanna be on the Journey."  I'm not a seminarian yet, but I hope to be one in September of 2011.  I hope to blog throughout my time there as well to give a flavor of the life to those interested. 

In the meantime, I'll keep you updated (on a less than daily basis) on my journey towards entering the seminary.  Feel free to share this blog with others and do keep me in your prayers.  As you have seen here, your prayers do work.

A red letter day

October 15th, 2010 will go down as a red letter day for me.  That was the day that I received my "Application for Sponsorship" from the Archdiocese of Boston.

Fr. H. and I met for an hour and he presented me the application folder (it's not really 2 inches thick) and discussed it's contents.  With my questions and his answers, the previous posts on this blog all stand as accurate, with one minor correction.  Here in Boston, the seminary also directs the summer program.

It will take up to three months to get the sponsorship of the bishop.  In this case, of course, that would be our Cardinal. Before that happens, there is an essay, a  spiritual autobiography and a list of references that I must provide.  Then there are interviews with two additional priests affiliated with the vocation office and psychological screening.  While that is going on, I'll be requesting educational transcripts and medical history from the appropriate sources. If sponsorship happens, the diocese will recommend me to Blessed John the XXIII Seminary and would be willing to pay room, board, tuition and health insurance premiums for the duration of my studies there.

God is good...all the time...

Leap of Faith

You may recall back in my vocation retreat post, that I talked about the seminarians and their leap of faith.  They quit their jobs, sold their houses and just followed the call.

Well, sometime over the summer, your prayers for me and my daily prayers worked their magic. I have no interest in keeping my house anymore.  It makes no sense when I'll only be here a few days every year.  I thought of moving to a nearby condominium, but that also does not make sense to me for the same reasons.

Here is the current plan.  Once I am in my first semester at the seminary; sell the house, buy a condominium in the town in Maine where my dad lives and move him from his apartment into the condominium. He will have a nice place to live in, I have a place to go on breaks and vacation.

Will you be commuting?

No, If accepted, I will be living at the seminary.  The seminary is a full time, live in institution.  It has a normal class schedule similar to most colleges with classes starting in September and ending in May.  There are typical vacations and breaks throughout the school year.

Academics are only one of the 4 pillars of formation.  The others are  Human, Spiritual and Pastoral.

As I understand it, each summer, the vocation director assigns the seminarian to a parish somewhere in the diocese for experience and room and board.  There are 2 weeks vacation before the next school year starts.

Three Steps

Based on my research and conversations I am anticipating a three step process before I enter the seminary.

Step 1) Get the approval of the vocation director and the application package.
Step 2) Submit the application package.  Do the interviews, psychological
            screenings, transcripts, etc. for the diocese.
            If the approve my package, then they submit the package to the
            seminary of their choice.
Step 3) Do the interviews, psychological screenings, transcripts, etc.
            for the seminary.   Get accepted there.

Money...

...is the root of all evil.  But it is also necessary to pay medical insurance, taxes, car loans, and a bunch of other things.

I made up a spreadsheet of all my yearly expenses with 3 options, keep the house empty, rent a room in the house and sell the house (as a last resort).  I ran the numbers, did my research, estimated costs and discovered that I could not afford any option but to sell the house.

I said, "God, I need $ mumble thousand or I cannot do this."   The next week, I got a letter from my employer telling me that I was now eligible for my pension if I retire from the company.  The next day, I got a letter from Social Security telling me Carmen's posthumous benefits were approved.  The total of the 2 checks?  $ mumble thousand + 35% for taxes.

God is good...all the time...

These little signs keep encouraging me that this is the path that God has chosen for me to walk.  He removes all obstacles from this path.

My Reading List

These are books that I have read.  The ones I found most useful in answering my questions are first
 
"To Save a Thousand Souls", Fr Brett Brannan
"The Collar: A year inside a Catholic Seminary", Jonathan Englert
"Could You Ever Become a Catholic Priest?", Christopher & Lorene Duquin
(I LOVE this cover!  I've done that!)

"I Will Give you Shepherds", John Paul II  
"Many Are Called", Scott Hahn
"Peter on the Shore",  Anthony Bannon
"The Diocesan Priest: Consecrated and Sent", Archbishop Timothy Dolan


Some books with a protestant perspective, but I found them quite educational:
"So you're thinking about going to the seminary", Derek Cooper
"What to expect in seminary: Theological education as spiritual formation", Virgina Cetuk

Timing

A frequent question I get is, "When will you be ordained?".  Well, nothing is cast in stone and my plan may not be God's plan, but it goes something like this.

There are a couple paths, but ithey both start like this: In the Fall of 2011, enter the Seminary.

A normal 4 year program will see me ordained as a transitional deacon in the summer of  2014 and as a priest in the summer of 2015. (I'll be 59) Completion of the 4 year program also results in a Masters of Divinity.

However, since I am such a geek and an engineer by training and nature, I may be asked to take a 5 year program.  The 1st year of that 5 year program is pre-theology, pre-philosophy, pre-everything.  The remaining 4 years are the same as the other track  This track will will see me ordained as a transitional deacon in the summer of  2015 and as a priest in the summer of 2016. (I'll be 60)

My dad, who is fast approaching 91, is hoping for the 4 year program.  I hope so too, but is seems likely that the 5 year program is in my path.  I'll get to practice my obedience to the bishop early if he says, "5 year".

The Divine Office

One of the things I (re)learned on the vocation retreat was The Divine Office.  In the back of my mind I knew that deacons and priests prayed this every day.  We did it in the chapel together on the retreat.

I have the books, why not try it?  Well, as they said on the retreat, "Ask 4 seminarians and you'll get 4 different sets of prayers shat should be said today."  Shorter Christian Prayer is a bit confusing.  But I found a way that works even better for me.  Reading it to myself leaves me without a tangible communitiy.

The Divine Office for iPod App is wonderful for me.  They pray the Morning Prayer on my morning commute and the Evening Prayer on my evening commute.  I say the responses as I can as I am driving.  Sure, some mornings I cannot remember a thing  I heard, but most of the time it's a great experience.  Some days, I have my book in hand in my living room and read along, but most of the time I just listen and respond.  The Invitatory, Office of Readings,  Midday prayer (text only) and Night Prayer are also available to me when I can get them in.

For those without an iPod (iPhone, iWhatever), just go to http://divineoffice.org/

 This cross is the one I selected for my wife's headstone.  At the time, I did not know why I picked this cross rather than any other cross that was offered as options.

I week or so later, I remembered that we has used this cross with the inmates in one of the prison retreats that we do.  I suspected that I had found the source of my inspiration.  But, I dug a little further.   What is this cross, it's not the Latin cross or the Celtic cross.  It's the Pectoral cross, also known as the Bishop's cross.  Wait, isn't a bishop a priest?  No, I have no aspirations to be a bishop, I picture myself as a parish priest.  But, I chose an ordained minister's cross for my wife's headstone.

To wrap up my cross story, I was leaving Fr Rasp after a spiritual direction session.  I saw something and froze in my tracks.  Planted in the ground, standing 8 feet tall, in front of his parish's church is a Bishop's cross. Wow, Fr. Rasp was indeed destined to be part of my journey.

Vows and Promises

Here is a question that came in from one of my readers.  Do feel free to question and comment either privately or by commenting on the blog.

Do you have to give up everything you've earned?  (i.e. Vow of Poverty)

The simplest answer is "no".  There are 2 types of priests, ordered priests (Jesuits, Franciscans, Oblates, etc.) and diocesan priests (your typical parish priest).    Ordered priests typically make 3 vows: Poverty, Chastity and Obedience.  Some orders only make 1 vow of Obedience and all else is covered in that one vow.

Diocesan priests typically make 2 promises:  Chastity and Obedience.  So, I can own things, I can keep my house and car.  I can draw on my 401K at the appropriate age.

A Spiritual Director

You may recall that Fr. H., the vocation director, told me to find a priest who can help me with spiritual direction.

Well, I could think of 3 priests immediately.
      and I eliminated them all just as fast.
My two parish priests are wonderful men,
      but I'm afraid that I'm the organist to them.
Another priest I know does direction, but also insists on being a confessor. 
       I don't think I want to mix those now.

Suddenly, I get an idea.  Ash Wednesday!  Fr. Rasp!    I call him, he is open to meeting to discuss the idea.  We meet, he even cooks dinner for me.   We talk for an hour or so.  We agree to take a month to pray about it and get back together. 

A month later, we meet again.  We both agree that it seems to be a good fit.    Woo hoo!  I have a spiritual director who is a priest.

Carmen's Kaleidescopes

Carmen had a collection of over 90 kaleidoscopes.   She had all types but there was one that I really liked. In fact, it is the only one that I am planning on keeping in her collection. (I've been passing some on to family, and her sister will get the bulk of the collection.)

It is made of glass and metal and when you look through it you see... a ever changing rose window.  It looks like the window in the back of my parish church.

Coincidence?

Are You Happy?

About a month before Carmen died, she asked me, "Are you happy?"

Let's see, my wife, companion and friend of 30 years was under home Hospice care, I could see her slowly fading.  No, I was not happy.

She asked, "When are you happy?"

I had to think about it...  I'm happy when I'm on a prison retreat with the inmates, when I teach adult education at church, when I am on a Cursillo retreat, when I play the organ at Mass.   I think I see a trend here, I'm happy when I am spreading God's love to others

I meet with the diocesan Vocation Director

Well, I've been dancing around the edges for a while now.  But I have not talked to anyone who can make this happen.  In April I meet with Fr H, the Vocation Director for the Boston Diocese.

It is a cordial, useful meeting.  I get a lot of information and walk away with an affirmation, a mandate and a reading list.

Affirmation: You seem to be a good candidate for the seminary (woo hoo!)
Mandate: Find a Spiritual Director who is also a priest
                 (oh no, I can't use P&A anymore)
Reading List: "I Will Give you Shepherds", John Paul II  
                      "To Save a Thousand Souls", Fr Brett Brannan

Words from my wife

Long before she died and even longer before she was sick, my wife made a statement to me.  This had to be fifteen to twenty years ago.

At the time, I pretty much laughed with her and probably agreed, but it is a memory that came flashing back to me.  I don't recall the exact conversation, but I do remember her words.

"If anything ever happens to me, I know I won't be jealous.  You won't get another wife, you'll just become a priest."

Ash Wednesday

I don't think I've mentioned that I am an organist at church.  I've been playing and singing for over 30 years now.  I was not on the schedule for Ash Wednesday at our parish (we're blessed with multiple keyboardists) , so when a call from a friend came in to cover at their church, I said yes.

I met Fr. "Rasp" there.  He was also a delayed vocation priest.  We had a very nice, but short conversation. I sure surprised my friend when I mentioned the priesthood, but she was very supportive as well. 

What are the odds?  I'm not scheduled for my parish for Ash Wednesday.  I've never covered a Mass in this other church before.  I get into a conversation with the Fr. "Rasp".  He is a delayed vocation.  Coincidence?  or the finger of God?

The Vocation Retreat

On February 1st and 2nd, I attended the vocation retreat at Blessed John the 23rd Seminary.  18 other men were joining me there.  Cardinal Law said the Mass and spoke to us afterward.   We're each assigned a seminarian to shadow for the rest of  Friday and Saturday.  I get "the canary".  That is not his real name, but that is what the other seminarians call him.  If he can make it through, they can.

Evening Prayer, Holy Hour, meals, dorm rooms, Morning Prayer, attending classes.  We experience one day's flow in the seminary.  It feels OK to me.  I think I can do this... 

We have down time to just talk to the seminarians.  All of these seminarians are delayed vocations.  I ask about some practical matters. They quit their jobs, sold their homes, and made the leap of faith to follow the call.  I am amazed.  Suddenly, I'm not so sure that I can make that leap of faith...