Archive
Happy Resurrection Day!
MIAMI HERALD article on Bryan Garcia at SJVCS !!!
This morning, I saw Bryan Garcia, Javier & Chuck on the FRONT page of the Miami Herald and I thought I was dreaming. After realizing I wasn’t, I started reading the article titled, “Answering the Call” that continued to TWO FULL PAGES inside. WOW!!!
The article spoke on the high enrollment at St John Vianney College Seminary (SJVCS) and the discernment process of seminarians, specifically profiling Bryan Garcia, my fellow brother seminarian.
The rector, Msgr Michael Carruthers, has some great quotes as well. “What they [seminarians] want most is help in knowing the Lord. If that leads to priesthood, great.” And is the section about struggling in discernment, he said, “If you don’t struggle, you’re not discerning.”
The article closed with one of my favorite passage, Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
There is also a SECOND ARTICLE on “Priesthood of today is much smaller than a decade ago.”
There is also an AUDIO SLIDESHOW with Bryan sharing his experience in seminary at SJVCS. CHECK IT ALL OUT!!!
Salesian Spirituality
"Hey, that's St John Bosco!"
RECTOR’s CONFERENCE – (Fr Alvarez) — for a change, our Vice Rector / Dean of Men did the conference for the whole house on Salesian Sprituality. He shared some great personal experiences on St John Bosco, Salesian Spirituality, his “Preventative” System of Education (promote love over punishment), his 3 Pillars (reason, religion & kindness … also music and games), and some application to our lives & ministries.
Love is all important. Be sure people feel loved.
Meet people where their at. And yourself as well.
It’s a spirituality that helps us realize we need to have fun!
simplicity of life: quid animo satis?
RECTOR’s CONFERENCE — today’s talk was for “returning guys” on the “Simplicity of Life” in more detail than earlier introduced. This is the basic outline of the talk.
I. The Evangelical Counsels
A. Chastity
B. Obedience
C. Simplicity of Life
D. Qualities Beyond Basics (to grow deeper)
E. Posture that creates openness
II. Poverty / Simplicity
A. Pinching limitation …
B. In regards to Present possesions — a lack
C. In regards to Future possessions — insecurity
D. First of the Beatitudes (reminds us God will provide what we need … trust)
E. In Religious Life —> freeing
F. Look at Complications in our lives
G. Look at Identity
III. Poverty Flows out of Hope
A. Faith —> Certainty in Present
B. Hope —> Expanding Certainty of Faith regarding Future
C. Obstacles to Hope: Possessions of the Particular
1. The Attribution of Certainty to Particular Things we already possess.
2. Hope has to do with non-possession, and the Virtue connected to that is Poverty
IV. Deepening Levels of Understanding
A. Eternal Level
B. Next Level: Freedom
C. Deeper Yet: Gladness (= Joy)
D. Deeper Still: Lacking Nothing
V. Detachment / Indifference
A. People live without thinking about this
B. Example of Painting
C. Comparison applied to Everyone
D. Poverty belongs to dynamic of Knowledge: it is Intelligent and full of affection
VI. Lectio: Matthew 6:25-34 …
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat (or drink), or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom (of God) and his righteousness, 19 and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil. — Matthew 6:25-34
new semester Mass
We just got back to seminary yesterday afternoon. Today is a the first day of classes for the Spring Semester. A great Mass with most of the seminary priests.
back in seminary
This afternoon we were all back in seminary. Rector’s Conference to get us back on the same page. Holy Hour with Benediction to get us back in focus. Spring Semester classes start tomorrow morning!
Qurbana practice
WORLD RELIGION — tomorrow we’re celebrating Mass in the Syro-Malabar tradition that Fr Joseph was ordained in. In order for all of us to better appreciate the rite, our World Religion class practiced with him to help the rest of the seminary house to be ready tomorrow. — It’d be different, but it’s exciting!
Theatre + intensionality + throwness + Back Wall + social animal + simplicator + radical individualism
[here are some weak notes from last week’s Metaphysics class:]
Procrastination is, therefore, the art of trying not to be human, hanging on to and not moving … repeating the same thing to the point of distracting us from thinking, avoiding “intensionality.”
———–
Man is essentially a social animal, as Aristotle said. Modernity, however, does something unique. Through Radical Individualism, the slate is wiped clean making man the only being of importance. This was best expressed by Locke … Man is essentially an individual. It is later on that he organizes itself as a society. This is portrayed in our society with icons like the “Marlboro Man” who’s a cowboy living independent very self-confident without the need of others. This idealized character, however, is not real and used to sell cigarettes.
This Radical Individualism cannot be true. We are born into a family that necessitates society to “raise” a human being, at minimum, a man and woman to conceive a human being. One of the first acts of God, as seen in Genesis, is to create a society: “It is not good for Adam to be alone.” Locke is wrong. Aristotle is right. We ARE social animals.
———-
With Naïve Realism, we have “Simplicators” that see things as “it is the way it is.” We must abandon the “Simplicitor.” We strive for Hermeneutical Realism, in which what man encounters is real … not imagined or invented.
Animals, just as man, has sensation that allows them to experience hot, cold, wet, blue, hungry, etc. Animals respond to their environment, but only as stimuli to their sensation. It is a “pseudo-perception.” Human beings, however, have true perception, whereby they can make discoveries and rationalize their sensations to, ultimately, make references using language. When we describe the world, we relate our presuppositions (“Backdrops”). All human experiences are mediated by language. Language is the beginning. We take it for granted. Man is the only being that is intrinsically dynamic, that has awareness that he “IS” (“Who I am?”). No other being is aware of it’s being.
Snow White is true?
[here’s a weak summary of last week’s Metaphysic class:]
We begin our discovering of truth as young children. We slowly “unveil” reality through the use of language (from our parents). We are imbedded in a world that is linguistic always a part of the mystery, filled with presuppositions.
Young Billy starts with purely expressive sounds reacting to the environment around him. They become discoveries (alitheia) that first identifies each object as a proper noun (ie. Mom, Dad, Spot, Skippy, Lassie, Pluto, etc.). Over time and experience, the use of metaphors makes common relations to universals (parents, dog, etc.).
The use of stories is also a means of discovering truths. As in the story of “Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs,” the character, actions and reaction in the narrative give insights into universal truths. The Queen is obsessed with her beauty, is vain, and has much pride. Her true beauty is represented as a witch. On the other hand, Snow White is not concerned with pride or vanity, whereby her virtue causes others to love her, like the “humble” little people (dwarfs). The story reveals that evil cannot kill virtue. Love is more powerful that hate, while showing the roles of vice, virtue, love.
We hear stories, read them in books, and see them in movies. Thru stories, we are transported in understanding to something that cannot be seen with the physical eye. Understanding is a the combination of rationality and good will. (Augustine calls this understanding the “Inner Teacher.”)
Is the story true? An adult’s first reaction may be No, because it didn’t happen, at the surface level, with those particular characters in that particular place in that particular way. But, the story is true, as a narrative medium that has deeper meaning revealing “truth.” Children who haven’t been told stories when they’re little may have a difficult time reading the Bible. We learn to discover truth through stories.
All art, at the surface level, is false. But it allows you to look beyond the surface to discover a deeper truth. Rhetoric is the use of knowledge (with eloquency) for a moment of insight. All of these means of story telling, literature, rhetoric, art and music shows how language guides us into truth, through revealing insights, discovery of meanings and universals.
Silence is a moment of pause in language, used to reflect on and understand insight. We must allow silence to guide us to discover of meanings.
How do we know history? Through parents, teachers, books, stories, etc. The past no longer exists, but we reflect on memory and recollection to remember its truths. Our recollections bring presuppositions that we must learn to identify and remove in order for universal truths to be revealed. We have “thematic” presuppositions that are explicit and fully conscious of. We also have “non-thematic” presuppositions that are implicit and ingrained in us that we must learn to identify. In order to come to real “truth,” we must identify what our “natural standpoint” is, that becomes our reference point, pull of presuppositions, to discover the universals of truth for our lives.
Socrates balance of happiness + true humility
FUNDAMENTAL ETHICS – (Fr Vallee) — Ethics of Plato vs Aristotle. Plato’s Philebus & The Republic.
Ethics for Plato is (1) eudaemonological (“Happiness for each and every creature consists of possession of the hightest good to which his or her nature has access.” ), (2) intellectual (virtue = knowledge, sin = ignorance), and (3) formalism, absolutist (circumstances don’t matter, we must contemplate the forms, anamnesis).
Ethics for Aristotle is (1) eudaemonological, (2) practical (habit), and (3) consequentialist (virtue-based).
Pleasure is a result of good, not good a result of pleasure. To Socrates, happiness is a balance of many needs and desires, with a perfect balance of the soul among beauty, proportion and truth.
A great quote from Frances de Sales … “true humility is to see yourself as you are seen in the eyes of God, not more than you are and not less than you are.”
the Church
RECTOR’s CONFERENCE – (Fr Michael) — tonight’s topic: THE CHURCH
I. GENERAL INTRO
A. Difficulties of Definition
1. Paul: EKKLESIA – a gathering of a group — a group of believers gathering “in the Lord” — local community gathering
2. Attempts at Definition
a. Baroque needs — tried to make mysteries visible & concrete
b. Externals
c. Risk of polarization
d. Search for clarity has a price — risk losing the presence of God
3. Subject of Mystery
a. innermost reality of Church is a divine gift, itself
b. Church is communion of men through grace of Christ
c. mystery
d. connaturality / intersubjectivity — we cannot objectify the Church because we are a part of it
e. mystery of Christ
4. Use of models
II. CARDINAL AVERY DULLES + MODELS OF THE CHURCH
A. Intro / Context
B. Original Models
1. Institutional – visible structure, right & powers of its officers
a. Negatives: can become rigid, doctrinaire,
b. this should never be the first or primary model
2. Mystical Communion – people united by the spirit in Christ, spiritual, communal, personal
a. Negatives: can lead to disillusion, simply “a friendly family of believers”
3. Sacrament – a sign & transmitter of God’s grace in the world, connects outward institutional & inner mystery
a. Negatives: can lead to “sterile aestheticism” (overly spiritualized)
b. this should be the primary model
4. Herard – faith & proclamation of Gospel, focused on preaching, share gift with others
a. Negatives: can be not incarnational enough, saying & not doing, can be rather pesimistic
5. Servant – part of the whole human family & sharing their concerns
a. Negatives: can seperate from Word & Sacrament, can forget the Church is a community, can disolve things distinct to Christianity
C. Addition of Sixth Model
1. Polarization of 70’s (models were not embraced)
2. “Community of Disciples”
final exams done!
Medieval Philosophy final exam
Final exams week
This week is final exams. I probably won’t be posting much until Friday.
Monday — Thomas Aquinas in the 20th Century, Ministerial Practicum
Tuesday — Intro to New Testament
Wednesday — no exams, (Kitchen Appreciation Lunch)
Thursday — Intermediate Spanish, Medieval Philosophy, (Semester Evaluation PM)
Friday — Contemporary Philosophy
Spanish class desayuno
SPANISH 2 – (Dr Jimenez) — today, we had class AND breakfast at Brisa de Espana, a local Spanish restaurant. The food was great. I had scrambled eggs with Spanish sausage an Arizona ice tea!
We’re finishing our last chapter 18 with Si (if) clauses and a confusing summary of the use of the subjunctive (ALL OF THEM). — I can’t say I was paying all my attention to our bookwork, cuz the food was delicioso!
next year’s schedule
Today, I registered for classes next semester, starting August 25th (if I pass my end-of-semester evaluation next week, God willing). Other guys say it’s a pretty hard schedule next semester …
On Mon/Wed/Fri, I’ll have Fundamental Ethics (Fr Vallee), Social Ethics (Dr Santos), and Metaphysics (Dr Solis).
On Tues/Thurs, I’ll have Pre-Theology Seminary (Fr Santos) and World Religion & Literature (Fr Joseph).
Here is the TENTATIVE SJV COLLEGE SCHEDULE for next year:
August 07 — New Men Arrive
August 21 — Returning Students Arrive (–that’s me)
August 24 — 11am Mass of the Holy Spirit / Dean’s Award Dinner
August 25 — Classes Begin
September 19-20 — Day of Recollection
September 27 — Parent Day
October 06-10 — Mid-Semester Exams
October 07 — Solemn Mass, Archdiocesen Golden Jubilee (Bank Atlantic Center)
October 10-17 — Mid-Semester Break
October 18-19 — Day of Recollection
October 20 — Classes Resume
November 07-09 — Vocation Awareness Weekend
November 10 — No Class
November 26-30 — Thanksgiving Break
December 01 — Classes Resume
December 05 — Pre-Christmas Mass & Dinner
December 08-12 — Final Exam Week
December 12 — Gaudeamus (of new guys)
December 13 to January 4 — Christmas Break
January 05 — Spring Classes Begin
January 19 — Martin Luther King Day / No Class
February 16 — Mid-Semester Exams
February 20-26 — Mid-Semester Break
February 26 to March 01 — Retreat
March 02 — Classes Resume
March 13-15 — Vocation Awareness Weekend
March 16 — No Class
March 20 — Fides et Ratio Conference
April 03-13 — Holy Week Break
April 14 — Classes Resume
April 16 — Humanities Projects Presentations
April 17 — Senior Interviews @ St Vincent DePaul Major Seminary (–that me)
April 23-24 — Senior Projects Presentations
April 25 — Diaconate Ordination @ St Vincent DePaul Major Seminary
April 27 to May 01 — Final Exam Week
May 05 — Gaudeamus (on graduates)
May 06 — Graduation
SJV Class of 2008 picture
Today we took our 2008 graduation class picture for St John Vianney College Seminary here in Miami, FL. I’m right in the middle. — this isn’t the “official picture” … thanx Javi for this one!
CCD @ St Catherine of Siena
Since we’ll be assigned “apostalic work” next year, we’re observing other fellow seminarians in different current assignments for the last few Mondays of the semester. Today, I observed an 8th grade CCD Confirmation class at St Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Miami, not too far from the seminary.
We were greeted by Pastor Fr Sosa and served an awesome dinner. (Patricio’s Monday meatloaf will have to wait.) His dog was also very friendly. — the class went great!
A week before Easter, the parish church building was set on fire by a couple local teenagers. About one million dollars in damage. While repairs are being done, Mass is done outside under the overhang area of the church entrance. — We’ll definitely keep them all in our prayers.
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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