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Miami Priest Convocation
Today is the last day of the Miami Archdiocesen Priest Convocation (every 2 years) held at the Hyatt Regency in Weston, FL. The theme coincided with Pope Benedict’s emphasis on the Writing of St Paul this year.
I served morning Mass & prayer with 3 brother seminarians. It was a great experience to see so many priests together in fellowship. The most powerful moment was the prayer of concecration said by the whole room as we celebrated the Lord’s Supper. I wish I could have taken a picture. — I’m blessed to have been chosen to be present and serve.
Cuban food night
CULTURAL FOOD NIGHT — Tonight was Cuban food night. Great food!
beach day @ Bill Baggs
Every few weeks, Fr Michael [rector] has an optional social trip on Saturdays. Today was a beach day at Bill Baggs State Park in Key Biscayne, Florida. Perfect weather, perfect food, perfect company. It was perfect! — except for my sunburn
ultimate frisbee
Friday afternoon usually has some outdoor team sports like soccer, baseball, flag football. Today is Ultimate Frisbee. I did not part and covered for someone.
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
be a “good” finder
MASS – (Fr Michael) — We need to be transformed and renewed to have the mind of Christ. Seminary life can get frustrating, especially living here with 60+ guys. We can get caught up in the complaint and “tearing down” our brothers in Christ. Instead … we need to diligently “build up” our brothers and be “good finders” to encourage others, sometimes even to acknowledge the blessings and graces we see with words of encouragement. — assignment: each day this week, be a “good finder” to my brothers
mumbo jumbo + find myself
MASS – (Fr Santos) — in seminary, sometime our discernment process can be challenging enough to even “feel formation.” Studying philosophy can seem like a lot of mumbo jumbo. But … Consider this is something God wants you to do, leading us to the person God wants us to become. — the growing pains of formation while discerning my vocation
don’t be an armadillo + move!
MASS – (Fr Alvarez) — [told story of bladder cancer] We see lots of dead armadillos on the side of the road here in Florida. Why? Armadillos are blind and role up into their hard shells when they hear danger approaching … thus, the traffic incidents. As we grow in anything in life, challenges to leave our comfort zone can bring fear that can paralyze us from moving forward to something even greater, if we keep going. The formation process in seminary discernment presents challenges to ourselves that need to be faced and embraced … but with prayer and perseverance … not fear … don’t be an armadillo! — I’ll try
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”
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.
BBQ + water balloons + movie night
With today being the last day of final exams, we celebrated with a dinner Bar-B-Que, a water balloon fight and movie night with unlimited desserts
final exams done!
Medieval Philosophy final exam
thank you lunch
Today was a Kitchen & Service Staff Appreciation Lunch cooked by Fr Vallee and Javier, served by some seminarians for staff here at St John Vianney College Seminary.
full Mass
Final exams begin. Exam schedule. Casual neat. All seminary priests are celebrating Mass.
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
Pre-T backyard Mass
The adoration chapels in the Pre-Theology houses are ready for the Blessed Sacrament. Today, we had a morning Mass in our backyard with ALL seminarians for a beautiful celebration surrounded by all God’s creation. — awesome
SJV faculty dinner
Tonight we got fancy for an evening dinner party for the faculty staff of St John Vianney College Seminary.
First with drinks & ordoirves.
Then with dinner & flaming deserts.
Then with retirement and anniversary awards.
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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