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1st sem grades
Today I received my grades for my first semester in St John Vianney College Seminary:
Arts & Ideas – (Fr Vallee) — B
Ancient Philosophy – (Fr Santos) — B+
Modern Philosophy – (Fr Santos) — B
Ministerial Methods – (Fr Michael) — A
Intermediate Spanish – (Dr Jimenez) — B
Intro to Old Testament – (Fr Michael) — A
DOTS — Stephen King’s The Mist [PF]
2 exams + semester evaluation
OLD TESTAMENT – (Fr Michael) — 36 multiple choice questions. (found out later — 2 wrong 94%)
ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY – (Fr Santos) — 5 essay questions. (found out later — 93%)
SPANISH STUDY SESSION – (Dr Jimenez) — we had a great EXTRA review session with our professor.
SEMESTER EVALUATION — at the end of each semester, each seminarian is given a written evaluation (with an interview). Mine went very well. What was observed: I’m open and engaged in formation, quiet, mature, willing to serve others, responsible and diligent in academics and house duties. What I need to work on: share my gifts more confidently within the seminary community. Final recommendation: I should continue in the program of priestly formation. — It wasn’t nearly as scary as some veterans made it out to be.
“philosopher soccer”
Yesterday was our exam on Modern Philosophy (not easy) and tommorrow is Ancient Philosophy. As some of us took a break from a study session, we found this YouTube video from Monty Python about Philosopher’s Football (Soccer) that has the (Ancient) Greeks verse the (Modern & Contemporary) Germans. — Hillarious! (but only because I kinda-know some philosophy)
postmodern + Monsignor + Christmas dinner
MASS – (Fr Vallee) — “frail bird”
MODERN PHILOSOPHY – (Fr Santos) — finish Hegel. Turned in reflection paper on Locke.
ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY – (Fr Santos) — finish Neoplatonism. Turned in reflection paper on Epicureanism.
ARTS & IDEAS – (Fr Vallee) — as the last day of class before finals week, we covered the Post-Modern Period in 1 day.
VIGIL MASS + MONSIGNOR – (Fr Michael) — [2 battleships practicing] we celebrated a Vigil Mass for tomorrow’s feast of the Immaculate Conception. Bishop Noonan began Mass by announcing our rector Fr Michael Carruthers has been made a Monsignor (along with 20+ others in our diocese during this Jubilee Year), but he still prefers us to call him “Father.” — Congratulations!
CHRISTMAS DINNER — especially for faculty member, we had a big Christmas Dinner with ham, pork, rice & beans, green beans, po-ta-toes, fudge pie, key lime pie, apple dessert, & a bowl of strawberry/blueberry “mix” — GREAT!
Neoplatonism + worklist
MODERN PHILOSOPHY – (Fr Santos) — Hegel’s Absolute Idealism. Also got back our last quiz (22/30).
ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY – (Fr Santos) — Neoplatonism. Philosophical “GOD” eminates.
ARTS & IDEAS – (Fr Vallee) — sick — no class.
WORKLIST — today I had McCarthy Chapel … easy … so I also did trash & floors. I took a picture of the grounds worklisters.
dialectic + stoicism + Serra dinner
MASS – (Fr Joseph) — Francis Xavier – preach the Gospel … if necessary use words.
MODERN PHILOSOPHY – (Fr Santos) — Hegel’s “dialectic” … thesis – antithesis (“marker is NOT a turkey“) – synthetic. Look up Anthropic Principle = Hegel?
ANCIENT – (Fr Santos) — handout on Epicureanism & Stoicism. — I think I’ll do my reflection paper on Epicureanism.
SERRA CLUB DINNER – (Fr Manny) — the Miami Pre-Theologians (me) helped our vocation director at the annual Serra Club Dinner honoring Religious men & woman at St Martha Catholic Church next to the Archdiocesen Pastoral Center. — Great people, food and Christmas caroling!
Aristotle test + Venus + cartoon + David
MODERN PHILOSOPHY – (Fr Santos) — start Hegel. Hegel’s solution to Kant’s problems of circularity & skepticism is to unify the “knower” (subject) and “known” (object). Hegelian Absolute Idealism = subject + object are 2 moments of the process by which the absolute unfolds into reality. — if you say so?
ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY – (Fr Santos) — test on Aristotle. — I think I started understanding him half-way through the 3 essay questions (Plato vs Aristotle’s view of “soul” … forgot #2 … Aristotle on “virtue”)
ARTS & IDEAS – (Fr Vallee) — Boticelli‘s The Birth of Venus. Leonardo da Vinci’s cartoon sketch for Madonna and Child with St Anne and the young St John. DaVinci’s Madonna of the Rocks. Michelangelo‘s David & Bacchus.
DOTS — laundry day — worklist: floors — holy hour: Fr Rios
gym rats + hedonism + Annunciation + limo driver
MASS – (Fr Santos) — “gym rats” — “juice” — sacrifice.
MODERN PHILOSOPHY – (Fr Santos) — test on Hume. — I think I wrote the same answer for all 3 questions … it’s got to apply to at least one
ARTS & IDEAS – (Fr Vallee) — started Renaissance by comparing 2 painting of the Annunciation, by Sandro Botticelli & Fra Angelico.
MINISTERIAL METHODS – (Fr Michael) — (part 3) Being Discerning … level of judgement … does my understanding correspond to what is true? (Limo driver interviews ’round a hill)
(part 4) Being Responsible … level of decision … What should I do?
virtues – “Ch”
MODERN PHILOSOPHY – (Fr Santos) — Kant’s synthetic a priori : math, natural science, metaphysics, ethic/morals.
ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY – (Fr Santos) — Aristotle’s “virtues” … (intellect vs moral). Moderation is the “golden mean” between virtue & vice. Being virtuous means (1) being excellent & (2) acting in an excellent way
MINISTERIAL METHODS – (Fr Michael) — (part 1) Being Attentive … What am I experiencing?
(part 2) Being Intelligent … Exploring … open to new data … make connections to experiences …. How do I make sense of my experience?
DOTS — OT Study Group — Spanish Study Group — Heroes — – “Ch”
3 people + yacht + multiple choir
MASS – (Fr Alvarez) — there are 3 kinds of people … those that live for things (most selfish) … those that live for ideas (most frustrated/ing) … those that live for people (most happy).
MODERN PHILOSOPHY – (Fr Santos) — intro on Kant.
ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY – (Fr Santos) — discussed Aristotle‘s Nicomachean Ethics. What is true happiness? a yacht? … Virtue is connected with “habit” & “moderation”? … (for next time)
ARTS & IDEAS – (Fr Vallee) — today was our test for the Medieval Period. We were told (several times) that it would be multiple choice, matching & true/false. So, what was it? … fill in the blank and true/false. — must be yet another test in patience.
MIAMI MEETING – (Fr Manny) — the Arch of Miami seminarians had a meeting reviewing our handbook.
ORGAN CONCERT — 8pm tonight was “An Evening of Sacred Music” by St John Neumann Festival Choir (all volunteers) at our St Raphael’s Chapel. The event was done to thank all the benefactors who have financial assisted the seminary with various projects, especially the repair of our organ (damaged in a hurricane years ago). A beautiful choir performance, but I would have like to hear more organ (– or more cowbell).
gothic variety + gargoyles + corruptio
MASS – (Fr Santos) — when it comes to bad influences and avoiding scandal, be transparent and trust formation.
MODERN PHILOSOPHY – (Fr Santos) — summarize Hume.
ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY – (Fr Santos) — Aristotle‘s 3 kinds of soul … vegetative, animal & rational.
ARTS & IDEAS – (Fr Vallee) — discussed variations in gothic architecture: French/German, English, Spanish, & Italian Gothic. Then gargoyles (with water spouts) & grotesques (no spouts). // corruptio optima pessima est = “corruption of the best is the worst” // — guys care about winning, no matter what kind of baseball team.
MINISTERIAL METHODS — missed class ‘cuz of last night Denny’s (I think). — I can’t eat like some of these younger guys … old man!
1000 bell church + grassness + screen door
MASS – (Fr Joseph) — in today’s readings, “you are the temple of God.” — Small Island Church with 1000 Bells … earthquake sinks island … legends says, only the “pure of heart” can hear the bells … waves block sound … after month, one can finally hear the bells.
MODERN PHILOSOPHY – (Fr Santos) — Hume on “God.” — no miracles — [Međugorje]
ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY – (Fr Santos) — Aristotle on “soul.” — potency & actuality — analogies:
1st potency = (matter) = EYE / MIND / GRASS / ACORN SEED
1st actuality + 2nd potency = (form) = SIGHT / THOUGHT / GRASS-NESS / ACORN’s NATURE ESSENCE
2nd actuality = ACTUAL SEEING / THINKING / ??? / TREE ?
DOTS — soccer semi-finals — cable internet — new locks — “screen door”
De Anima + wax + incense
MODERN PHILOSOPHY – (Fr Santos) — Hume on “self.” There is no real “present.” We need to make connections for survival/living/existence … “fides” (faith) & “fiducia” (trust/confidence).
ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY – (Fr Santos) — Aristotle‘s De Anima on the “soul.” His “soul” explains WHY something is alive, and not otherwise. // (don’t ask about Jesus in the Trinity using Aristotle’s form/matter?) // Man has a potentiality of becoming a corpse? // biggest advantages of Catholic over Protestants is we are (1) incarnational & (2) sacramental
ARTS & IDEAS – (Fr Vallee) — Romanesque vs Gothic architecture.
WORKLIST — today I did “polishing” of all candle stick holders … which means I use a hairdryer to melt off the wax. — my fingers are still waxy
HOLY HOUR (bonus) — today I alter served during benediction at holy hour. I was the thurifer (incense guy) holding the thurible (incense burner on chain). I was nervous (afraid the coals would die out), but did ok. Holy hour included a considerable reflection on our fragile vocation. — memorable
DOTS — PreT lunch — spanish study group — Bionic Woman — CCC
acorn + Halloween
MODERN PHILOSOPHY – (Fr Santos) — Hume on “causality” (3)
ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY – (Fr Santos) — acorn seed (potentiality) vs tree (actuality)
HALLOWEEN PARTY — pumkin carving contest, bobbing for apples, pie (spagetti) eating contest, & costume contest. Great!
okra
MODERN PHILOSOPHY – (Fr Santos) — Hume on the “world” — what is “okra“? — describe it
ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY – (Fr Santos) — Aristotle — modes of “being”
DOTS — roomie
Plato mid-term + Hail Father 2
OUR FATHER — Today’s Gospel reading was Jesus teaching us the “Our Father.” Fr Vallee had the Mass and we did another “Hail Father” in Arts & Ideas.
ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY – (Fr Santos) — Mid-term exam on Plato. 4 essay questions. — I think me do good.
HOLY HOUR — the Rectory told us news about Archbishop Ambrose Battista De Paoli, Priest of the Archdiocese of Miami and Apostolic Nuncio to Australia, who died. The funeral Mass will be some time next week.
TV — watched “Pushing Daisies” (car crash dummies episode) and “Bionic Woman.”
2 tests – Archangel Battle – tables
MODERN PHILOSOPHY – (Fr Santos) — Quiz on Decartes. 3 essay questions took the whole hour: How was he successful at determining “self” as the “rock of certainty”? How did he fail at proving “world” and “God” as “innate”? How was “world” distinct from “self” and “God”? — at least those are the questions I thought (through subjective perception and err) I answered.
ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY – (Fr Santos) — continued Plato’s Phaedo to explore personal, social & objective immortality. Body vs soul. 4 Causes: material, efficient, formal & final.
ARTS & IDEAS – (Fr Vallee) — test on Classic Greek Culture. Also turned in a 3 page Reflection paper on “Greek Hellenic Idealism vs. Hellenistic Reality.”
SOCCER TOURNAMENT — Soccer has become some big here that we have a 4 team tournament going on. Today was game 2 of round 1. It was called the “Battle of the Archangels” because one team is called St Raphael and the other ??? Today’s game was supposed to be last night, but there wasn’t enough light. — today was too hot (1:30pm)
TABLE SETUP — in preparation for Parent Day tomorrow, we set up the tables in the Refrectory for 300 people! — wow
VOCATION LINK UPDATE — Yesterday I had a record 35 hits on my Vocations link page (& 190 for my whole site), so I decided to add more than just Miami links. Added some links for general vocation info, seminary listings and all the diocese of Florida with their vocation links. I even found some profiles of some of my brother here. — it only took me 4 month to add stuff in a half hour … procrastinator
Bishop Estevez – name graces – volleyball fix
MODERN PHILOSOPHY – (Fr Santos) — started John Locke’s “An Essay Concerning Human Understanding.” Empiricism vs rationalism.
ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY – (Fr Santos) — continued Plato’s Phaedo with “knowledge as recollection” and “the indestructibility of the soul.”
ARTS & IDEAS – (Fr Vallee) — finished the Greek handout for our test on Friday.
WORKLIST — in “Sacristy,” I had bathrooms, so I finished pretty quick with time enough to help mop. The tapistry of St Lawrence (hurricane damaged) was also being put up, so I took some pictures up close.
HOLY HOUR — with a small delegation of visitors from a Cuban priest and religious conference in Miami, we were blessed to have Bishop Estevez presiding over Benediction & Vespers. He mentioned some words of wisdom from a formator in seminary that stood out for him. He said we should NAME the graces we receive throughout the day in order to trace our journey with the Lord. — that’s a great idea … like “Connect-the-dots” of grace … I should do that, but I probably won’t stick to it
VOLLEYBALL TONIGHT — I finally got my fix tonight from 9-10pm in the gym. I hope we can have it more regularly (weekly at least).
CONNECT-the-DOTS — (since holy hour🙂 rain … benediction … air conditioning … Bishop’s blessing … good food … table fellowship … quiet study … volleyball … health & safety … refreshing shower … did I mention volleyball? 🙂
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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