Retreats and changes

My class made our annual retreat from 10/12-10/17.  I spent an extra night to make it go until 10/18.  Why? Well, I made it my canonical retreat.  Before each ordination, the candidate must spend 5 consecutive 24 hour periods on retreat.  That means 6 nights.  The other men made these canonical retreats before their ordinations.  There are 4 left in my class to be ordained as deacons.

We stayed at Marie Joseph Spiritual Center in Biddeford Pool, Maine.  It is an old hotel, a bit mysterious, a bit creaky, but a wonderful place right on the ocean.

Some changes have taken place at the Seminary as well.  As is normal, we have lost a couple of the first year men.  Some men always discern out in the weeks just before or just after the retreat.  Please continue to pray for them as you pray for us.

We celebrated out 50th Anniversary as a Seminary at our annual Alumni Days event.  You've probably seen those pictures on Face Book.  The keynote speaker was the US Ambassador to the Vatican.  The Vatican shared the Seminary's FaceBook page and 30,000 people saw our page in 1 day.
(BTW, with great humility, the pictures on this page and the Face Book page were taken by this amateur photographer)

A Red Letter Day

Today, Monday October 20th, along with one other member of my class, I will make my Oath of Fidelity and Profession of Faith before our evening Mass.  If you are interested in the text, you can find it here.

This is a big step that must be done in public some time before ordination.    We do it here in front of the Seminary student body in a very formal ceremony.

In even BIGGER news, I was just informed by the Rector of the Seminary, that Cardinal Sean has sent a letter with my "Call to Orders" for Diaconate ordination on January 10th, 2015.

What classes this semester?

People have been asking what classes I am taking this semester.

Canon Law of Marriage
Theology of the Eucharist
Writings of John
Eucharist Practicum (how to say Mass)
My assignment counts as a class as well

My elective is Parish Pastoral Administration

Every Friday afternoon I am off to the parish and I am there until Sunday afternoon.

This semester feels a bit like one of those European tours.  If this is Tuesday, it must be Venice.
I have to check my calendar every morning to see where I am supposed to be that day.

There have been several events scheduled by the diocese that I have to be at as well.  Gotta pay attention, gotta check my schedule.

The best laid plans...

What is that saying?  Want to see God laugh? Just tell Him your plans.

I had plans and permissions from the Seminary and my weekend supervisor.
    Seminary Lawn Party on Wednesday night, drive to assignment to sleep
    Drive to Hull, Wake and Funeral on Thursday, drive to Maine
    Wake on Thursday, Funeral on Friday, drive to assignment
    Permanent Deacon Ordinations on Saturday.
Instead, I was flat on my back for 4 days with a 3 degree fever.  That was two weeks ago and I am just back to feeling 100% now.

Now, I am SURE that God did not set me up to be sick.  But it is a good reminder that we cannot do everything that we want to do.  Sometimes we cannot even do the things that we should do or have to do.

So, here are some more plans...
I have permission from the Seminary to take Monday off and go to a funeral.  We shall see...