Christmas Break

A Blessed and Merry Christmas to each and every one of my blog readers.  May you find time to just be with family and enjoy their presence and the amazing present of Jesus Christ that God gave to us.

I am at home in Maine with my family.  I've been sorting out the den and making it a comfortable space.  I decided to leave the Hammond organ in the den and take my keyboard back to the dorm room in January.

I rearranged my bedroom the first day back and I have much more space to work with now.  I still have some boxes to go through up in the eaves of my bedroom, but not working too hard at that or anything else.  I'm playing some computer games and watching a lot of movies with my family.

Reflecting back on the semester, I think I did OK.  My grades will be in my mailbox when I get back to the Seminary.  I'll let you know (roughly) how I did. 

A God moment

Last night, I visited the local prison where I used to volunteer on a regular basis.  It was their annual Christmas party.  The party kicks off with the usual Tuesday communion service.  Now, there are a couple of people who always assist at the communion service.  They were both in the room last night.

At Communion time, the inmate running the service gives the consecrated host to one of the usual people and then calls my name.  I look up and see that he is motioning me to come up to assist with Communion.  I go, receive and begin to distribute the Body of Christ.  When the service is over, I go back to my seat to pray and reflect. After the service, I asked the inmate, "Why did you ask me today?".  He said, "I don't know, I just had a feeling."

He did not know that I had just been instituted as an Acolyte and Eucharistic Minister.   He just picked my name out of the air.  So, my first time EVER distributing the Body of Christ was a mere coincidence.  (Remember, I'm the organist, I've never been an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist.)  I don't believe in that kind of coincidence any more than you do.  It was truly a God moment.

Acolyte Institution

Tonight at Mass, the 14 members of the First Theology Class (including me) were instituted as Acolyte.  This is the first formal step towards future ordination.  It was a beautiful ceremony celebrated by His Excellency, The Most Reverend Michael J. Sheridan, Bishop of the Diocese of Colorado Springs, Colorado.  He was a bit of a ways from home, but he does have a student here in our class, so he made the trip.  It was followed by a Festive Dinner with my dad, some friends from my home parish and Fr. M. 

I do believe a good time was had by all.  As for me, I felt something during the ceremony.  I'm not positive what it was, but the Spirit might have been stirring. 

Here is a picture of my Dad and me at dinner.

2 year anniversary

Tuesday, December 6th, 2011. 

Carmen died 2 years ago today.  The battery powered Christmas candle that I placed in the bedroom window nearest my bed soon after her death is still faintly glowing, refusing to go out like all the other candles I lit at the same time.  I know that she is still watching over me.  Fr. Murphy, here at the seminary, has agreed to offer a memorial Mass for Carmen today at 7:00 A.M.

Much in my life has changed in the last 2 years.  Life here at the Seminary has been good for me.  But, I still miss Carmen. That sad hole in my life where she used to be just shows my humanity.