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cold worklist
WORKLIST — today’s a cold day to drive the golf cart around, but someone has to do it.
worklist makak
WORKLIST (manual labor) — Cool weather was nice. Busy day today with lots of palm branches to pick up. Also found some proud weed-pullers. I also caught my golf-cart partner Manuel swinging from a palm branch like a makak (Creole for “monkey”). — Holy labor!
CCD + free will + Bruce Almighty + prayer
Today in 10th grade CCD we did “free will” and prayer using clips from Bruce Almighty. We had a great debate of “free will” verses God’s “all-knowing” nature. Also discussed angels, being that today is the feast of the Archangels. It was a great day!
Here are most of the clips on “Free Will” from Bruce Almighty:
Another clip from Bruce Almighty:
golf cart labor Jefes + Bishop’s Day Off
WORKLIST — On Wednesday afternoons we all have a Work List Job that involves some kind of manual labor around the seminary campus. The job changes each semester.
This semester, I’m the Work List Coordinator Assistant (that’s why I can’t drive the golf cart). My job changes depending on the needs of all the areas of work but looking cool in a golf cart is the most important job description. : )
BISHOP’s DAY OFF — With all our work we’ve done over the last couple weeks, and most especially yesterday’s celebration for Bishop Noonan’s 25th Priestly Anniversary, we were given a DAY OFF under special dispensation by the Bishop himself … which is this Friday! — We LOVE our Bishop Noonan! (not just for the day off, but that’s nice too!)
student government
Today was our first Student Council meeting for the year. We elected Deans and Vice-Deans for each class level. We also discussed several open forum issues with lots of feedback. — hear ye hear ye
Cup + new jefe + happy holy hour
EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS — At this morning’s Mass, 14 of us Seniors & second-year Pre-Theology (me) seminarians were installed as Eucharistic Ministers to our seminary community here at St John Vianney College Seminary. We’ll be assisting especially with distribution of the Cup of Precious Blood at Mass. An honor and reminder of our greater role to lead and be example to our fellow brothers in priestly discernment.
NEW WORK LIST JOB — Every Wednesday 1:30 to 3pm, we each have a “job” to do for the community. This semester I am the “Assistant Work List Coordinator.” I drive around with my “jefe” coordinating needs and supplies for each area of Work List (Carroll Building, McCarthy House, Chapel, Library, Offices, etc.).
other DOTS — Wendy’s 4 — Rector personal intro meeting — joyful Holy Hour — Cuban dinner — John Adams part 5
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.
lector + missing Psalm + poverty + underdog croquet
MORNING PRAYER & MASS – (Fr Vallee) — today, I was lector for the Mass reading (conversion of St Paul) and lead Liturgy of the Hours (Morning & Evening). While reading morning Laud, I TOTALLY SKIPPED the 3rd Psalm … ??? … nervous, I guess … and was reminded about it all day from my seminary brothers. — I appreciate the fraternal correction 🙂
AQUINAS – (Fr Vallee) — started Pope John Paul II’s encyclical letter Fides et Ratio. Spent some time on the opening greating:
Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth; and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth — in a word, to know himself — so that, by knowing and loving God, men and women may also come to the fullness of truth about themselves.
CONTEMPORARY PHIL – (Fr Santos) — started The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels with discussion on the “working class” and poverty. Watched an assigned video about world poverty, “When Did I See You Hungary?” a film by Gerard Thomas Straub narrated by Martin Sheen.
MEDIEVAL PHIL – (Fr Vallee) — “paradigm shift” + permanence & change + the one & the many
OLYMPIC CROQUET — our new sports coordinators have created an Olympic Sports Tournament over the next few weeks, including ping pong, relay races, volleyball, soccer, croquet & more. Today was our Olympic Croquet tournament, which I signed up for. 16 guys in 4-4 player games, whereby the winner of each plays for the Gold. I won my first round as an underdog in a very exciting & close game. The final round was actually ALL underdogs from the first rounds, ending with the champion being my “Guadeamus Clone” who must have copied my abilities & strategy into his collective. — A great tournament!
EVENING PRAYER & DINNER — In order to redeem myself with this morning’s blunder, my post-dinner prayer (also the lector’s job) included an “excerpt from this morning’s missing Psalm” and gratitude for food, friends, fellowship, faith & fin de semana (“weekend” in Spanish). — Dr Jimenez would be proud!
means well + ethical hero + dualism + Taliban
MASS – (Fr Alvarez) — [an “extremely liturgically strict” priest is a poor example]
AQUINAS – (Fr Vallee) — 3 reasons for studying philosophy: (1) apologetic, (2) dogmatic, and (3) pastoral. Nemo dat quod non habet = no one gives what they don’t have. CCD teacher that only teaches emotion … 8th grader observation: “She means well, but doesn’t mean much.”
CONTEMPORARY PHIL – (Fr Santos) — finished Kierkegaard‘s Either/Or. The “ethical existence” is choosing to be who and what one truly and uniquely is (a subject, a self, unlike any other self, unlike any other thing). Even though we have many potential directions, TO WILL EVERYTHING IS TO ULTIMATELY WILL NOTHING (one’s energy is dissipated). The self willing involves an ongoing task/process, not a finished product. Negative view of the “mystic.” The “ethical hero” is interested in becoming a “genuine human being” and “honesty to oneself” ready to give up the aesthetic if it classes with the ethical or “for the sake of” something higher. The RELIGIOUS STATE is an intensified version of the ethical, making a relationship with God the highest priority. — need to read Karl Marx Communist Manifesto for Friday.
MEDIEVAL PHIL – (Fr Vallee) — elitism (death penalty debate) + virtue (through humility) + dualism (the Forms eternal are a problem to creation) + Justin Martyr (creation, faith & reason) + Philo the Jew (the Forms are ideas in the mind of God)
WORKLIST — with the rain, the “outdoor guys” were reassigned to help other crews, which made our McCarthy House crew finish even faster.
HOLY HOUR – (Fr Alvarez) — Taliban + scandal + “be a man”
DOTS — Next
McCarthy House + new worklist
NEW WORKLIST JOB — we got new semester “Worklist Jobs” (on Wed afternoons) and “House Jobs” (daily) today. For worklist, I am “Head of McCarthy House.” There are 4 of us seminarians that clean the priest residence & faculty offices. Garbage, sweep, mop, dust, vacuum, & stock fridge drinks. For house job, 2 of us have McCarthy House … basically we check on the house daily for minor clean-up and maintenance. — my favorite part is the beautiful McCarthy House Chapel
DOTS — “PB” left — Holy Hour incense — keep the Church in my discernment — MP3 curse
home worklist
In order to maintain the “seminary schedule” I’ve grown accustomed to over the past few month, I was strongly encouraged (by Mom) to do a “home worklist.” — I thought “these hands were made for chalices, not calluses”
DOTS — The Simpson’s Movie [PsYcH] — gum bubble
“Spider-Pig, Spider-Pig, does whatever a Spider-Pig does … Look out! Here comes the Spider-Pig!”
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.
ice skating + dish washing + cleaning
FIELD TRIP — today, 25+ guys went ice skating as one of the Rector’s optional field trips.
CLEANING — Since the Pre-T houses are hosting the Sunday night BBQ, we spend much of the day cleaning for all our “visitors.” B & I tried to find a Wal-Mart (which didn’t happen), but we found a (Spanish) Catholic Bookstore & a Paintball shop. We eventually got to Target to get cleaning supplies. We both got Swiffer Wetjets, but forgot batteries.
DISHES — This weekend, I have dish washing duty after meals. It’s dirty, wet & hot. I still like it. After dinner, we wached Mr Bean’s Holiday … funny.
must read Bible
I stumbled upon this graphic while looking for a grocery list [it’s my new Pre-T house job to keep food stocked]. It instantly reminded me of one of my favorite Scripture passage, that I would teach on the first day of 7th grade Pre-Confirmation classes. Hebrews 4:12-13 says,
Indeed,the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account.
I also recall a newsflash I read in the Florida Catholic this week about Pope Benedict XVI urging Christians must read the Bible. He highlighted St Jerome’s famous line, “ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” — we can never say it enough
nominalism + Mandylion + sin catcher
ARTS & IDEAS – (Fr Vallee) — turned in my reflection paper on the Christian religious icon “Mandylion.” In class we discussed nominalism … “Can God make a square circle? or a rock too heavy for God to lift?” … Aquinas says NO (can’t contradict himself) and William of Ockham says YES (can’t limit divine freedom).
LAUNDRY — Wednesday is my new laundry day and today was my first time at the new Pre-T house. Even with a busy day [3 morning classes, worklist, holy hour & finsh a reflection paper], I fit in my laundry time. As I was doing my drying, cleaning the “lint catcher” made me reflect on venial sins offered up at Mass — it could make for a good homily illustration. I took the “sin catcher” thought to “holy hour” and, since I remembered I left the dryer on, I also prayed I don’t burn the house down.
DOTS — lint catcher — house still standing — shrimp — no volleyball — online The Unit & Cane
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
“book” + clay ashtray – “J”
MASS – (Fr Michael) — the main Chapel was FULL today for the “Father & Son” retreat for Columbus High School nearby. I was serving with “Book,” which means a lot to do, but I did alright. The homily was, not surprisingly, about the relationship between Father and Son (with a “clay ashtray“).
NIGHT PRAYER — baseball hats – lost a seminarian today [J]
cross – MVP – goals
MASS – (Fr Santos) — today I was alter serving Mass with the “Cross,” which means I carry the cross, assist with alter preparations and assist with “washing of the hands.” [Note to self: on exit, run before every leaves without me.]
SOCCER — After “Spiritual Direction,” I went out to watch the second soccer game and was crowned “Soccer MVP” for “ball-boy” running all over the back parking lot for soccer balls. I couldn’t stay for the end of the game since “Archdiocese of Miami” brothers had a meeting.
GOALS & OBJECTIVES — today was the deadline for turning in “Personal Goals & Objectives” for this year. We need to set a general “goal” and at least 1 “objective” for each to improve in each of the 4 areas: Spiritual (improve prayer life), Human (be more communal), Academic (improve my Spanish), and Pastoral (assist my brothers more)
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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