Bonfire Game

Tomorrow is the annual Bonfire football game between Notre Dame Seminary and St. Ben's Seminary in Covington, LA. This event has been going on for many years and is a good way for the two communities to come together and have a day and night of fellowship.

Completed Evaluation

My evaluation is over, and it went about how I would expect it to go. Everyone was very supportive of my vocation and I felt good about the whole process. There are challenges from the staff which I need to work on... but this is life, there are always challenges! I'm so happy to be here discerning God's will. If guys only understood the blessing it is to be able to come to seminary, learn all about your faith and discern the gift of the priesthood, we would have more people taking up the call of Christ to come and see.

Evaluation Week

So... it's about that time again. Every year we seminarians here at NDS are subjected to an hour (sometimes more) long question and answer session by the administration. This exercise has been noted as being rather annoying to some while others find it "not bad." I personally have had pretty good evaluations in the past however each year they get a little tougher. Tomorrow, at around 3:00 (the hour Christ died on the Cross- according to Tradition) I will enter into a room where there were be a group of faculty sitting in circle and they will welcome me to join them. Because I have no choice as to be present or not, the welcoming must simply be a formality. Next, they will ask me if I need something to drink, a gesture to assure my comfort as if what I am about to undergo is going to be emotionally painful. I will politely decline and then we will proceed. The rector will then go through a litany of praises telling me of all the wonderful strives I have made, and all the growth they see in me. He may ask me a question about how things are going, I will answer with the usual response, "They are going great Father, thank you for asking, I am so happy to be here, etc., ect., ect." Then he will likely turn to our Academic Dean, who will look down at my evaluation, muster some phrase of praise (lasting no more than 2 maybe 3 seconds), and then proceed to ask me in what year did Irenaeus leave Lyons for his pilgrimage to upper Germany? I will then shift in my chair, throw out a fake cough, and ask him to repeat the question. All of these actions are not because of my current discomfort, but rather I am buying time to make sure I do not say something like "1532." The extra time I just bought will allow me to remember that Irenaeus was an early Church Father who died early in the third century. I will proudly state, "Well, I'm not sure about which year, but I believe it was likely circa 180." At this point, everyone in the room except for the academic dean will nod with approval... thoughts will abound along the line of, "that a boy Vincent... you answered that well!" Then the academic dean will proceed to tell me that Irenaeus never went to upper Germany and that I need to do a better job of assimilating the knowledge I have learned here at NDS.

At this point there will be an uncomfortable laugh by everyone except from myself and the dean. The dean will have a smirk on his face while I start to sweat. Next, he will proceed to ask me how I am integrating all of what I am learning here at NDS in which I will give a rehearsed response. He will not like the response because I did not use the word Homoousis, however, it appears as though I painfully survived his section of the interview. The rest of the hour will be spent somewhat in the same format with different heads of different areas of formation, however, none of the questions will be too difficult to answer. It will end with another litany of praises by everyone except the dean and it will be on to next year. Luckily I only have 2 more evaluations to go before ordination... which is the biggest blessing about getting past tomorrow's evaluation.

Happenings at Notre Dame

So, I am in my room right now prolonging the inevitable reading of Hispanic Ministry: Three major Documents. It's not that I do not like Hispanic Ministry, although I am very limited with respect to it, it's that I do not particularly like the paper we have to write every week. However, that does not change the fact that it must be done tonight. Speaking of tonight, Fr. Bryan Jerabek is flying in from Huntsville to visit us Birmingham guys. It is actually good timing as I am not as normal and completely swamped. Having the priests come is great; it shows us that they support us, but more importantly there is a unwritten obligation to take us out to dinner. I suppose I will enjoy this at least for two more years, then I will be the one paying. But it is totally worth it. Then on Friday, Fr. Bryan Lowe is coming down; he is our vocation director and will be in town for Kevin Liner and my own evaluations. Having to endure evaluations earns a pretty hefty meal at a nice restaurant. That reminds me... Kevin and I need to shop around to see where we want to eat Friday night.

Saturday, the New Orleans seminarians along with some other guys are getting ordained to the Deaconate. This is awesome!! I love ordinations for obvious reasons, and I am happy for these guys. Of course, Auburn is playing Georgia during this, so I will miss some of the game. However, this year that isn't as big of a problem as it has been in the past as Auburn is pretty bad.

Okay... I think I've blogged enough...

Where does your Loyalty lie?

When the policies of your government go against the Truths proclaimed by your Church, where does your loyalty lie? The reason I ask, is because the Media seems to be building this idea that the Obama policy and the Church are set to clash specifically on the issue of Abortion. If you are a Christian, you are well aware of the fact that over time government and Christian ideals have clashed on many occasions. Do we believe that Christianity survived for 2000 years by yielding to the irrational decisions of Government? I think not! Why have we as a society allowed government to be the final decision with respect to morality? It seems like the number of people actually taking the Gospel to heart is dwindling amongst all Christians sects. St. Paul writes in his letter to the Ephesians, "Therefore, putting away falsehood, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, for we are members one of another. (4:25)"

What will lie ahead for those of us who justify one evil for a perceived good? If Government is irrational in one respect, can they be trusted to be rational in another? Is killing an innocent child equal to saving the economy? When the Church, especially the Catholic Church is perceived by intellectual atheist to be some superstitious club of lesser people, and the media backs them up, what do you do with that? Are you to be angry? Yes, but not with sin. Paul continues, "No foul language should come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for needed edification that is may impart grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the holy Spirit of God, with which you were sealed for the day of redemption. All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice. [And] be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ. (4:29-32)"

Persecution in Church history has come and gone from the beginning. We may be very well entering another time in our history where the Church goes through another period of purification. We know that in our weakness, Christ is strongest. We know that the only solution to an attack on our faith is to answer in utmost humility. Without humility, the Spirit of the world wins your minds and your hearts. I have encountered many Catholics who no longer accept the moral Truths of the Church, as they no longer believe that the Holy Spirit is with the Church. They essentially do not take Jesus to his word that he will leave His advocate with Us. They do not trust in the authority of Peter who is guided by the Spirit of Truth. These Catholics are caught up in the times we live in, in the temporal order, and have forgotten the all important fact that our salvation lies in Christ alone.

This is Funny

Fr. Bryce Sibley posted this on his Facebook account and it made me laugh. I think you can appreciate this even if you were an avid Obama supporter.

http://www.theonion.com/content/video/obama_win_causes_obsessive

First Blog

Howdy, This will be my latest attempt at keeping a blog. The business of life, particularly at seminary often times will dictate the amount of blogging I can accomplish. For example, at the present moment I should be reading for Scripture class tomorrow as well as looking over Redemtoris Missio for Hispanic Ministry, yet, instead I am creating my first post.

Anyway, to not have a completely irrelevant first blog let me write something substantial. This is from Ephesians, part of my homework assignment...

May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of glory in the inheritance among the holy ones, and what is the surpassing greatness of his power for us who believe, in accord with the exercises of his great might, which he worked in Christ, raising him from the dead and seating him at the right in the heavens, far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion, and ever name that is named not only in this age but also in the one to come. [Eph 1:18-21]

What burning desire I have for Christ Jesus! I pray that all of my brothers and sisters in Christ allow the outpouring of Grace from Christ through the Holy Spirit to strengthen their faith in the one who poured out Himself completely that we might live with Him both now and forever.
Time for my holy hour.