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.