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CCD 7th: Hats + 3 Birthdays + Vocations (day 5)
Today, in our 7th grade pre-Confirmation class, we discussed our unique identities, our stages in life, vocations, marriage and closed with the story of St Agatha. Lots of interaction and discussion, full of the Lord’s blessings!
—3 BIRTHDAYS … each begins a new life
- —Physical B-day … start earthly life
- —Baptism B-day … start Christian spiritual life
- —Death B-day … start our heavenly life
Who Am I? (back page of journal)
- –Birth name, Nick names, “Hats” (our roles)
- —Spiritual names? What does God call you?
- (we’ll find out as we try different prayers)
VOCATION = “a call” by God to holiness
- ”Primary” Vocation …
- –“to be a beloved child to our heavenly Father”
- “State of Life” Vocation … which one?
- —Single, Consecrated Single
- —Married (husband/father, wife/mother)
- —Religious sister or brother
- —Priesthood (clergy, deacon)
- “Service” Vocation … career, ministry, etc.
Sacrament of Marriage … purpose is …
- —Pro-create (open to children),
- —Educate (evangelize your Catholic children)
- —Holy Mate (get your spouse to heaven!)
St Agatha (3rd century virgin martyr) a beautiful young girl who consecrated herself to Jesus and resisted the advances of a nobleman. He imprisoned & tortured her (even cut off her breasts), but she stayed faithful to God. Died in prison. Feast on Feb 5. Patron of breast, nurses, (bell-makers & bakers – due to statue plater).
CCD hs: Faith + Vocations + St Teresa of Avila (day 4)
Opening prayer song reflection, (live crowd) “Amazing Grace” by Paul Oakley
[Book QUIZ] on Chapter 1 (Faith)
St Teresa of Avila – (16th century mystic Carmelite religious sister, feast Oct 15) as a teen she lost interest in her faith, instead falling in love with boys & chivalry, mother died as a teen, placed in monastery, love of God rekindled, suffered repeated serious illnesses, struggled with prayer, experienced mystical visions of Christ, raptures (joyful unions with God), taught on prayer, “doctor of the Church” (influential writings).
VOCATION = “a call” by God to holiness
”Primary” Vocation … “to be a beloved child to our heavenly Father”
“State of Life” Vocation …
- —Single, Consecrated Single
- —Married (husband/father, wife/mother)
- —Religious sister or brother
- —Priesthood (clergy)
“Service” Vocation … career, ministry, etc.
Liga Orante
MASS — Fr Manny Alvarez, our Miami Vocations Director, celebrated Mass with a Spanish diocesen ministry called “Liga Orante,” who prays for vocations everyday. We only get to see them a couple times a year, but it’s always a joy to see our spiritual support team face to face. — Thank you and God bless!
Confirmation Retreat
Today is day #2 of my parish Confirmation Retreat (it started last night) for the 8th grades of St Bernadette (both School & CCD). Since most of the CCD kids were my students last year, I assisted with a few minor things. The theme of the Holy Spirit was implimented with the popular LifeTeen format called “Fire & Ice” that is supposed to be a 3-day retreat, but it was a adapted to 2 long evening sessions. Simply … it was awesome! The parish hall was used for most activities with awesome decorations themed FIRE & ICE. Most of the talks were done by former high school confirmandi of the parish. The small group discussion were facilitated by peer ministers from local Archbishop McCarthy High School and the activites were a lot of fun (especially the “Human Pinata“).
The end of the retreat got pretty emotional, especially with Adoration/Benediction, a video from YouTube.com (below) featuring a skit at a Christian youth conference done to the Lifehouse song “Everything” (definitely moving), an altercall & open mic sharing, but everything affirmed the Holy Spirit moving in our lives preparing to affirm their commitment to the sacrament of Confirmation.
semester begins + Aquinas + Contemporary Philosophy + Medieval + Ministry + Amber Spyglass
MASS – (Fr Michael) — God is the same yesterday as today, on vacation, on retreat, back in the daily routine. Do you believe in Jesus? How is your life different because of your belief?
AQUINAS in the 20th CENTURY – (Fr Vallee) — this is a senior level course that focuses on the rediscovery of St Thomas Aquinas thought in the 19th & 20th centuries, in the areas of epistemology, metaphysics and anthropology. Readings will be from Gilson, Maritain, Marechal, Rousselot and John Paul II’s Fides et ratio. No term paper. Tests are open notes & open book — (translation: It’s hard!). Large class.
CONTEMPORARY PHILOSOPHY – (Fr Santos) — started reviewing Modern Philosophy era. LOTS of reading. Martin Buber – I and Thou … Hans-Georg Gadamer – Truth and Method … Martin Heidegger – Introduction to Metaphysics … Edmund Husserl – Phenomenology and the Crisis of Philosophy … Soren Kierkegaard – Either/Or (our first reading assignment) … Karl Marx – Communist Manifesto … Friedrich Nietzsche – The Anti-Christ … Paul Ricoeur – Oneself as Another … John Robinson – Honest to God … Adam Smith – The Wealth of Nations … Alfred North Whitehead – Religion in the Making. — I should probably be reading right now!
MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHY – (Fr Vallee) — reviewed a timeline of philosphy periods. This class will focus on Augustine (Confessions), Anselm, and Thomas Aquinas (Summa Theologica, On Being and Essence, The Thought of Thomas Aquinas). Our main test is Frederick Copleston’s A History of Philosophy, vol II. 2 papers. — finally some Augustine & Aquinas!
MINISTERIAL PRACTICUM – (Fr Michael) — reviewed the basic about ministry (from last semester). This course will be about the practical skills need for ministry. Next year, we’ll be assigned Monday night “Apostalic Work” in the areas of CCD catechesis or Homebound Visitation. We’ll be going out to visit other seminarians in their work assignments throughout the semester. Today, we also learned “How to Create a Lesson Plan” for CCD class. — finally some hands-on!
DOTS — “Kr” Lauds blessing — listened to first half of The Amber Spyglass (His Dark Materials trilogy) on audio
Y.E.S. Retreat video
I can’t seem to install my Pinnacle video editing software on my laptop to finish editing the Y.E.S. Retreat video. I’ll have to finish it on break in October. Sorry for the delay, everyone!
For status of the Y.E.S. Retreat video, the MASTER LIST of YES event links is HERE.
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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