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Fr Richard Vigoa Mass
MASS — today we had another visiting celebrant for Mass. Fr Richard Vigoa is a newly ordained priest of the Archdiocese of Miami in residence at St Michael the Archangel Catholic Church here in Miami. He was also a graduate of St John Vianney College Seminary. It was great to see his joy for the priesthood and some shared experiences when he discerned here. — a great visit!
puzzling life + guardian angels
MASS – (Fr Alvarez) — Life is like a puzzle. When we’re young, it has big pieces and the picture is easy to put together. As we get older, however, the pieces get smaller, more numerous and the picture gets more complicated. We can only get so far on our own. We start struggling through confusing pieces, forcing pieces, missing pieces and trying to do too many puzzle at the same time. Eventually [hopefully], we acknowledge our need for help to see the bigger picture of our individual lives that God has planned for us.
Discovering God’s Will for our lives is what each of us should strive for daily. That’s better said than done however. When we have an “extra challenging” calling to a possible vocation, therefore, the busyness of our lives demands a extra-ordinary move to “remove yourself” to more intense “discernment” process like the seminary here. Am I called the the priesthood? the religious life? permanent diaconate? married life? single life? Even in the seminary, however, there come distractions that keep you from exploring the question honestly with yourself. I guess that’s why we have Spiritual Directors to help clarify your personal puzzle while the Seminary Formation Team help your puzzle grow into its fullest potential, assuming everyone involved is looking at the right picture. Discernment and formation may sound simple and easy, but I don’t think either word should be used if the puzzle is truly taken seriously … serious enough to stop calling it a puzzle … and embrace it as “MY LIFE” that God drew just for me … with images I don’t want to see … that the Lord reveals as I become open to accept … and ultimately live for His glory … knowing it brings joy … while short-sightedly focusing on the fuzzy gaps that fear clouds in doubt. [this last line took an hour to write]
Today’s feast day for “Guardian Angels” reminds me of yet another voice I have access to but don’t give an ear to often enough. Here is the Guardian Angel Prayer:
Angel of God, my guardian dear,
To whom God’s love commits me here,
Ever this day, be at my side,
To light and guard, Rule and guide.
Amen.
“From infancy to death human life is surrounded by their (the angels) watchful care and intercession. Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life. Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united to God.” — from the Catechism of the Catholic Church; 336.
DOTS — Rector’s Conference on “Obedience” — VP debate in HD
my SJVCS bros Anthony A & Michael H
Our seminary website here at St John Vianney College Seminary has a new blog that features 2 of my brother seminarians posting “a day in the life” of a seminarian. Check them out! Anthony Antuono (2nd Year Sophmore) and Michael Hartley (1st Year Sophmore).
Click their pictures for their blog posts!
my SJVCS bros Anthony U & Greg V
Our seminary website here at St John Vianney College Seminary has a new blog that features 2 of my brother seminarians posting “a day in the life” of a seminarian. Check them out! Anthony Ustick (2nd Year Junior) and Greg Visca (2nd Year Sophmore).
Greg is also the one in charge of the new blog, so let him know what you think.
Parish financial support
Thank you! Thank you VERY MUCH !
In support of their “poor” parish seminarian (that’s me!), 6 ministries of my parish of St Bernadette Catholic Church (in Hollywood, FL) gave me some generous financial donations. I wanted to all least acknowledge the ministries here … they are … St Bernadette Outreach Society, Our Lady of Lourdes Gift Shop, St Bernadette Catholic Church Council of Catholic Women, St Bernadette Columbiettes, Knights of Columbus Council #8382, and the St Bernadette Home and School Association.
27 new seminarians @ SJVCS, Miami
Today, we got an email from our Rector at St John Vianney College Seminary in Miami, FL. This week starts New Student Experience for new incoming seminarians. There are 27 new guys! That should put our total house count at 61 seminarians … a nice full house! I’ll definitely be praying for them, especially for safety on the FIU Ropes Course and patience on their 4 day Silent Retreat next week. Returning Students are due back next Thursday Aug 21st.
Jubilee monstrance pilgrimage @ SJV
Tonight ends a 2 week pilgrimage in the Archdiocese of Miami of a monstrance blessed by Pope John Paul II to encourage vocations, especially in this Golden Jubilee year. Today at 8pm, here at St John Vianney College Seminary, we had a full chapel of visitor for Compline (Night Prayer) with benediction & adoration with the visiting vocation monstrance. Auxiliary Bishop Noonan had a good reflection and I was lector (a bit pro-active) for a great experience.
Deacon ordination @ SVdP
Today, we drove up to St Vincent DePaul Major Seminary in Boyton Beach, FL (about an hour+) for the ordination of several Transitional Deacons (Priests next year, God willing) in a beautiful Mass with Orlando Bishop Wenski. They also hosted us for lunch and fellowship.
Notre Dame Haitian Mission
Tonight was another stop of a 2 week pilgrimage in the Archdiocese of Miami of a monstrance blessed by Pope John Paul II to encourage vocations, especially in this Golden Jubilee year. Today at 7:30pm, I joined a few haitian seminarians and our Vocation Director Fr Manny Alvarez at Notre Dame Haitian Mission parish for an evening of praise and worship with benediction & adoration before the visiting vocation monstrance. It was very Spirit-filled 3 hours with the vocation testimony of Fr Alvarez and anointings with sacred chrism. — an awesome night (with lots of holy water)
Elvis on Univision
Tonight at 10pm, we watched Elvis, one of our brother seminarians from the Archdiocese of Miami, in an interview on a special featuring the Catholic Church and vocations on a Spanish show on Univision. It also featured our Miami Vocation Director, Fr Manny Alavarez along with some video of our campus and small groups of our brother seminarians. — Elvis is famous! I tried to find a video clip to put here, but couldn’t find it.
Little Flower Catholic Church in Hollywood, FL
About 1 Sunday each month, all of us seminarians here at St John Vianney College Seminary visit a different parish of the Archdiocese of Miami. Our Rector started the tradition last year and I thinks it’s a great idea. It exposes us to different parish life as well as makes us visible to the community as a living vocation poster.
Today, we all drove up to my ‘hood to Little Flower Parish in Hollywood, FL. (My parish of St Bernadette is also in Hollywood.) The pastor Fr O’Dwyer was one of the priest how interviewed me during my seminarian application last year. The parish was very inviting and provided great food after Mass with lots of conversation with parishoners. I even found a family to practice my Polish with. — Definitely, a great tradition I hope we continue.
Miami vocation monstrance pilgrimage begins
Today begins a 2 week pilgrimage in the Archdiocese of Miami of a monstrance blessed by Pope John Paul II to encourage vocations, especially in this Golden Jubilee year. It starts today at the Cathedral and travels to a different parish each day, ending on Sunday April 20 here at St John Vianney College Seminary. (flyer with all location here — pdf Acrobat file)
Today at 4pm, we were at St Mary’s Cathedral for Vespers (Night Prayer) with benediction & adoration with the visiting vocation monstrance. A great sermon by Archbishop Favalora with a memorable exit (wave).
vocations posters
Found a blog post about efforts to promote vocations using “vocation posters” by Catholic Sensibility. He references an article in the Kansas City Star. The Church has been getting more creative with its efforts … creative posters … blogs … vocation websites (check out Cincinnati’s Vocation website!), but it must foster an “environment of discernment” on the parish level … that’s more affective than any poster.
By the way, we took a group picture with all Miami seminarians back in December for a new “vocation poster,” but haven’t seen or heard about it yet.
Today begins a 2 week pilgrimage in the Archdiocese of Miami of a monstrance blessed by Pope John Paul II to encourage vocations, especially in this Golden Jubilee year. It starts today at the Cathedral and travels to a different parish each day, ending on Sunday April 20 here at St John Vianney College Seminary. (flyer with all location here — pdf Acrobat file)
the NAC seminary in Rome
Tonight, after dinner, we had a presentation about The Pontifical North American College seminary in Rome. A priest (formation leader) from Rome showed a great video and answered questions about “the NAC.” When Bishops in the US see potential charism in mature seminarians & priests, they occasionally send them to continue their formation in Rome, usually studying in specific programs that Bishops see a need for in their diocese.
As a new Pre-Theology seminarian here in little old St John Vianney College minor seminary in Miami, Florida, it was all new to me and very interesting. For the first 2 years, you don’t leave Rome. Many of the classes are in Italian. It sounds like a great opportunity and gift to be chosen, but is a big change and quite intimidating. That’s probably why they select men who are mature and fairly sure of their priestly vocation for such a big step. Their website is @ pnac.org.
Coincidently, a few days ago, I found a blog of Ted Martin, a seminarian of Kalamazoo, Michigan that is currently in his first year of theological studies at the Gregorian University living at the NAC in Rome. He’s got some great pictures of his experience in the Vatican. His blog is @ theodoremartin.blogspot.com — I’ll definitely check it out every now and then.
surfing + volleyball
MASS – (Fr Michael) — analogy of priestly formation like surfing (paddle out against obstacles, waiting & watching, riding the wave)
VOLLEYBALL — only 3 of us showed up for volleyball, so we didn’t set up the new outdoor volleyball net we had. We bumped the ball around vowing to battle another day.
MOVIE — saw The Bucket List
monks & the Trinity
I found a few blogs done by monks in California: One Monk of the Order of Saint Benedict and Me monk Me meander. The Benedictine Monastery is PRINCE OF PEACE ABBEY in San Diego, CA. Website had some beautiful icons.
Diagram on how Benedictine monastic life leads to God. More info at http://monks.blogspot.com/
new men commit – steak & champaign
SPANISH 2 – (Dr Jimenez) — today we continued the imperative verb forms like “ataca Anti-Christo” and revisited the “gang of irregular preterites” (–ataca them too)
MASS – (Fr Michael) — today’s schedule was changed with 4:30 Mass for the “New Men Commitment & Reception Ceremony” to officially accept the New Men into the house, marking the end of the “New Student Experience.” The homily highlighted the feast of the Korean martyrs Andrew (priest) and Paul (catechist & seminarian). A beautiful Mass with a steak & champaign dinner afterwards. —delicious
RECTOR’s CONFERENCE – (Fr Michael) — the “New Men” had part 2 of 2 on “The Priesthood: A Theological Overview.” — Busy day.
words by THE WORD
MASS – (Fr Michael) — we can only preach Christ on our lips if THE WORD (Christ) is in our hearts. [Eucharistic minister were also commissioned – seniors & pre-Theology 2]
DAY — Spanish 2 preterite quiz. Also watched “300” again, all the way through. In the evening, the “New Men” had a Rector’s Conference on “The Priesthood: A Biblical Overview” (part 1 of 2) with small group discussion afterwards.
Catholic military chaplains
I finally received a packet from the Vocation’s Director of the Archdiocese for Military Services (AMS). It contained a couple brochures specific to Catholic chaplains, but mostly brochures from the Army, Air Force & Navy. I asked for the Marines, but I guess they’re considered part of the Navy. Anyways, there’s some interesting figures:
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The AMS serves 375,000 Catholic soldiers — 520,000 family members — 204,000 in Reserves & National Guard — 29,000 Catholic patients in 172 Medical Centers — & 66,000 Catholics in government service overseas (in 134 countries).
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Geographically, the AMS is the largest in the Church, trans-national without borders at 220 installations in 29 countries.
- To meet all those needs, they have fewer than 350 full-time Catholic military chaplains with the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines & Coast Guard.
- They have 480 priests serving part-time with Reserve forces & National Guard.
- The priests serving full-time are on loan from 142 dioceses and 44 religious communities.
As excited I am about the military, I also realize the needs and dynamics of serving soldiers can be extremely diferent from Miami pastoral ministry. I’d like to stay open to the possibility of a summer internship (in a theology year), but I don’t currently feel drawn into any permanent call. — I need to slow down and focus on the now.
SJV pre-Theology program
The website for St. John Vianney College Seminary has a new look. It loads kind of slow, but looks pretty cool. I got excited when I saw the “tour of the chapel” because I thought it would give a detailed explanation of the mural above the altar (like they did at “Vocation Awareness Weekend”), but all it has is 3 close up pics of the front. — still better than the old sight.
Nevertheless, I finally know my courses for the 2-year Pre-Theology program (below) that I’m in. They also have the details of the Collegiate (4-year) program, news & a calendar for next year. — looks good.
SJVCS Seminary Life Album
July '09 -- hospital chaplains @ IPF
Easter '09 -- Miami SJVCS friends
the Son always finds a break in let the clouds
Feb '09 -- school vocation talks @ AMHS
Feb '09 -- cold breakfast with brothers (Matias, Fenly & Randy), now at SVDP and Imad (at SJVCS)
Superbowl '09 -- eating great @ SJVCS
Sept '08 -- Worklist Coordinators?
St Raphael Chapel mural @ SJVCS
Sept '08 -- retreats @ SJVCS
"It's not easy being green"
Catholic Kermit 
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