The Adventures of Mr. Nelson & Bellringer

Conscience

2012-01-26T22:37:00.002-05:00

Bishop Libasci Joins NH Catholic Institutions in
Denouncing Obama Administration Mandate

(MANCHESTER, NH) Most Reverend Peter A. Libasci, Bishop of Manchester, and other leaders of Catholic institutions in New Hampshire are denouncing the recent announcement that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) intends to implement a rule that mandates that coverage for sterilization, abortion-inducing drugs, and contraception be included in virtually all health plans, regardless of whether the employer or the insured individual has a moral objection to such drugs and procedures. Bishop Libasci said the edict represents an untenable attack on religious liberty and a radical incursion into freedom of conscience.

“The HHS rule creates an alarming and serious concern that negatively impacts the Catholic Church in the United States directly, and that strikes at the fundamental right to religious liberty for all citizens of any faith,” said Bishop Libasci. “The federal government, which claims to be ‘of, by, and for the people,’ has just dealt a heavy blow to almost a quarter of those people—the Catholic population—and to the millions more who are served by the Catholic faithful.”

The announcement from HHS includes a very narrow exemption for religious organizations that employ and serve those of the same faith. This exemption does not cover Catholic hospitals, colleges, and charitable organizations all of which would be forced to comply, or not offer health care coverage to employees or stop hiring and serving non-Catholics.

Dr. Joseph Pepe, interim CEO of Catholic Medical Center in Manchester said, “Catholic Medical Center employs over 2000 people and is a leading resource for health care in the community. If the Obama Administration does not rescind this rule, we will be forced to either provide coverage that is contrary to our organization’s ethical and religious commitment, or withhold healthcare insurance from our employees. Both options seem unfathomable.”

Thomas E. Blonski, President and CEO of New Hampshire Catholic Charities said, “As a Catholic organization, we feel strongly that healthcare should be accessible to every American. Yet, the United States government’s wanton disregard for the pro-life beliefs that we and other faiths share is not only tragic but truly un-American.”

Saint Anselm College’s President, Father Jonathan DeFelice, O.S.B., said he is horrified by the decision. “In a country and a state that values and respects individuals’ right to exercise their religious beliefs and live according to their conscience’s best lights, it is simply appalling to think that this mandate is anything other than an unprecedented incursion into freedom of conscience. If the Constitution grants, as it does, a priority of place to the Freedom of Religion, the Administration should respect it and allow an exemption for the beliefs of Catholics and persons of other faiths. If it fails to do so, we need to urgently call on the members of Congress to rescind this unthinkable mandate.”

More information on what the proposed HHS rule means is available at www.usscb.org/conscience.

Working on Big Night

2012-01-24T10:12:00.002-05:00

Preparing for a big night tonight, I will be presenting a reflection for a parish prayer group. Scrambling to study for a big canon law quiz, and to prepare for tonight's presentation........ will let you know how it goes.

Today We March!

2012-01-23T23:24:00.002-05:00

Today I journey to D.C. to March for Life for the 14th time. I march because I believe that EVERY life... has dignity, EVERY life has value, and EVERY person has a beauty that nothing can ever compare to. I march to end Abortion, for the same reasons I fight to end the death penalty, to end discrimination for ANY reason. I march for life for the same reason I work to end poverty because EVERY LIFE HAS VALUE! To all those who fight for justice, and who fought for the voiceless, you are my inspiration. To all those out there who have chosen Life when it is not easy, when the world seems against you, know that you are my heroes. Know that on this day when I march, I march for you. I march to thank you for your courageous witness to this world. I march each year also to say thank you to two women I have never met, to say thank you for two of the greatest gifts in my life, I march to say thank you to the birth mothers of my two adopted sisters. Sonya and Lisa I cannot imagine life without you. Know on this day I march for you, and I will continue marching to the day I die!

To those who feel trapped and who need support in order to choose life, know that I am only one phone call, one email, one facebook message away and I will help and support you, no matter what. To the two young women who have contacted me over the years, know you too are my heroes.

To those who are not with us on this issue know I love and respect you all and pray that one day you come to understand that this issue is not about telling anyone what to do, but rather the simple principle that all life matters, all life has dignity. Yes on this day many who march will not understand that when we say all life has dignity, we truly mean all people. I pray for these people too and hope that one day this world will come to understand that Every person matters, every person has dignity, and every person deserves life.

Cut Off From the World: A Blessing and a Curse

2012-01-13T00:06:00.003-05:00

This week my phone officially died. In an increasingly technological world it has been a big adjustment to get used to being without a phone at my side. At first the great challenge was being without the phone as a watch. It is amazing how dependent I had become on even this small part/operation of my phone. After learning to figure out which clocks in the Seminary are accurate and which ones are lies, I settled into a routine. There is something nice about not always knowing the exact moment, something nice about being able to simply rest in the moment.

The challenge of being without a cell phone has been great as I am a big texter and I like to keep in touch with my family on a regular basis. Luckily my friends have been kind and lent me a phone when needed. I am hoping my brother will be able to send out his old extra phone soon, so that I can be back in business.

All of this being said I must say I kind of enjoy being hard to get in contact with. It is like being on a mini retreat. I have been enjoying quiet time and it certainly has reminded me of the great importance of not getting too plugged in.

Today at Mass the celebrant gave a great homily in which he discussed how many people will check their phones when they get a text while driving. He freely admitted that most of us do. His point was simple, we always check texts while driving because we think it might be something important. We check texts at meetings, at restaurants, with family present, when we are talking with others, because someone might have something important to say. However, he also noted that God speaks to us, he calls us, he texts our hearts and our very beings, yet so many of us are too busy to respond, to busy to see what he has to say in our hearts, in his Word, in Scripture. We check text messages because they might have something important to say, yet let the Bible collect dust, despite knowing that God uses the Word to speak to our hearts, show us the way, and tell us something most important.

Grades Are In!

2012-01-12T23:59:00.003-05:00

After a long semester in the Fall our grades are finally in and all things went well.

My marks were as follows:

Catholic Social Ethics: A
Preaching: Pass (Pass/Fail Course- focus is meant to be getting better and not grades)
Extra Ecclesiam: A-
Canon Law: A
Becoming Pastor and Teacher: A

My New Semester is shaping up to be a good one, with what I hope will be a nice and reasonable work load. My courses will be:

- Contemporary Ecclesiology (a look at issues defining what it means to be a Church and challenges facing the Church)
- Canon Law II
- Becoming Pastor and Teacher II (it is a course focused on training us to be deacons and practicing baptizing, weddings, etc...)
- Sacraments
- Gospels and Social Justice

A Beautiful Tradition

2012-01-06T00:29:00.002-05:00

A few years ago over coffee with some good friends, a crazy idea was born, to invite all of my former students to come together just before Christmas to pray together, to feed the hungry and to share in each other's company. Four years later I can say with great joy that each year on December 22nd hundreds of young people have gathered in a tiny Church in the heart of Manchester to do just that, to feed the hungry, to pray together and to share in the joy of the season.

This year, as every year, I have been moved to tears to see so many familiar faces united in faith and in action. Since early November I have been furiously working to send out personalized Christmas cards, invitations, facebook invites and the like. I have kept my formation, prayer life and studies at the forefront, but have dedicated a great deal of my personal time to this endeavor, which has taken me away from my blog, etc... This year when December 22nd rolled around hundreds of young people answered the invitations and the call, and came once again, filling Blessed Sacrament Parish to the fire coded limit.

I was grateful for all who came, and grateful that this special night was able to be shared with Bishop Peter Labasci, our new bishop in Manchester. He graciously accepted an invitation to attend, but insisted on sitting quietly off to the side, so as not to draw away any attention. The Bishop came to support our young people and in doing so he proved inspirational yet again.

Below is the reflection I offered at the end of Mass that night. I do hope you enjoy!

I would like to begin by thanking Father John and Brother Charles for being such gracious hosts to us all during this most busy week before Christmas. Bishop Labasci, Reverend Fathers, our most talented musicians, gathered friends, thank you all for coming out here on this cold winters night, and thank for your presence here, it not only lifts my heart, and strengthens my spirit, it also warms the very being and essence of us all, gathered in this place, on this night.

My young friends, I would like to thank you in a special way for being here tonight. Your presence not only brings joy to my heart, it also fills my Spirit with hope. On this night, just days from Christmas, when many of you are just returning home for the first time since a busy semester and following intense exams, you have come here, to this special place, in prayer. Some of you, have even come this very night, directly from the airport. Your presence, here, speaks more profoundly then any words that I could ever share, and the gift you give by your presence, and by your very person, has more value than the greatest of treasures under any tree. A great American president once said, that the future favors the bold. My young friends, on this night, you have chosen to boldly witness the beauty of your faith and the depths of your love, and the future, favors your Hope.

Two weeks ago I was serving Mass at a parish in Baltimore as part of my regular seminary responsibilities, when something strange occurred, something unplanned and unexpected. I was seated quietly in the sanctuary as the priest and Eucharistic ministers began to distribute communion, my eyes were closed and I was quietly reflecting and enjoying the peace. When suddenly I heard a voice call my name. Andrew, Andrew it kept whispering.

At first I thought to myself this is it. This is that defining moment in prayer when I hear the very whisper of God. The more I sat the more I realized that that voice that kept calling my name sounded strangely like the Altar server seated next to me. As I looked up, he pointed me to the cantor who was also whispering my name and calling me towards her. I thought to myself, this is strange why would the cantor be calling me. Ahhh, perhaps it is a glass of water she needs. But as I got closer she began to frantically point to the music. Once again I thought to myself, that is funny, why is she pointing at music, was I singing the along with the wrong words.

Then, she looked deep into my eyes, with fear in her own, and she said the most horrific words I could ever hear, words that struck fear into the heart of my soul, and threatened to send me running out of the very Church I served. She looked at me square in the eyes and said “ I have an emergency, you are cantor now.”

In one swift moment, I had gone from the complete peace and comfort of my prayer to the horrors of singing before a full church, and a pew full of my friends who just happened to be visiting that morning. She did not reappear and my awkward moment was stretched out for what seemed like eternity. The microphone was working well and picked up every quiver in my voice. The Church was packed, I was nervously gripping the hymnal and putting on a fake smile, all the while the very horror and panic that struck my heart, was now striking the ears of all those gathered that fateful morning, that moment the cantor called me by name.

This very night God has called us each by name, to be here, to be present, together in our prayer, our service to the poor, and our friendship with one another. He was present three years ago when the dream of creating this evening was born over a cup off coffee I shared with some good friends, and former students visiting me at the seminary in Baltimore. When I said do you think we can make it happen, do you think we create a beautiful night, when young people who once journeyed together, and whose journeys now take them so many different places, return home to this place, to the Church, to pray together once more, and to journey together for a little while, and to be the love that Christ calls us to be and to be together as family once more, so that when our journeys call upon us again, we can rekindle the fire of faith, and the warmth of love which dwelt among us on Christmas morning, and dwells among us this night.

As people of faith we know that these are not the only reasons God calls us together this night. We know that as our lives move on and take us so many different places, he still speaks to our hearts and whispers to our souls. God calls us each by name. He called the shepherds who watched over their flocks, so that they would encounter the new born king. He called the Magi, the three Kings and led them to a tiny stable. He called Mary and Joseph and asked them to tenderly care for the ultimate gift of love. And this night he calls each of us from wherever we are, he calls us, those that know this place, this church well, he calls those who have been strangers, those who have been lost, and those that have never felt the warm embrace of God’s love.

He reaches deep into our hearts and calls us to not only to witness the Gospel to the waiting world, but also to be a resplendent fire that goes and lights the world ablaze with love. He calls us to lay down our nets, to leave our flocks, to follow the star, to surrender our lives to his will, to answer his call and come follow him.

That surrendering, that answering of the call, which God shares with us this night requires each of us to ask not what we want, wish, hope and dream, but rather to ask what it is that God has in store for us, and what it is he calls us to be. Sometimes, that call will lead us away from all that we know and love, and sometimes it leads right where we always knew we would be. Whatever the case may be, it always lead us right to where our hearts find rest. The challenge for us all tonight, whether we are far along our life’s journey or just beginning, is to look deep within and find God’s voice. And answer yes to his invitation to come follow him, to be unafraid to consider where it may take you, and to be humble enough to consider it might not be where you expect, it may be to a seminary or to a classroom, to a family or a factory, or right in this Church this night.

As we prepare for the joy of Christmas which waits ahead, may we courageously answer his call, and accept his invitation to bring love into the world, just as Mary did. And may we reflect His light and love to the world which waits.

God Bless you all and Merry Christmas.

The Long Awaited Update!

2011-12-20T12:30:00.002-05:00

The one thing I said to myself when I began this blog was that I would always make my first priority my school work, seminary formation and my sanity. Well all of those came together over the last few weeks and made updates a back burner reality. Well I am finally back from Seminary and have my first day to just sit. Needless to say expect an update this afternoon, several to be exact.

Topics to include:

The Bishop's Installation

Lighting a Cardinal on Fire?

Some Mail

Pen Pals

A Party

and a Reflection which I need to write today, to present on Thursday, in front of the Bishop.

Needless to say my updates will be this afternoon, after I have a working draft of my big remarks. AHHHHHHHHHHHH

Dinner with the Bishops!

2011-11-16T23:36:00.004-05:00

This week all of the Bishops in the United States are in Baltimore for the Annual meeting of the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops. This means times are busy at the Seminary as many of the guys in the house are called down to serve Masses, etc... We are also hitting that time of the semester where everything is due at the same exact time, crunch time as they say.

One silver lining to the Bishops conference is that most of the guys get a chance to go out to eat with their bishop. This of course means a meal out, a free meal out, and a good restaurant for a change!

On Monday night the Manchester Seminarians studying in Baltimore were treated to a wonderful night out with our new bishop, Bishop Peter Libasci, as well as our auxiliary, Bishop Christian. Together all seven of us went to Little Italy for an evening of great food and most importantly great fellowship.

We met the bishops at the hotel where the conference meets and made our way to Little Italy for a gourmet feast. Before we arrived at the hotel all of us seminarians were a bit nervous, after all it was our first meeting with the new bishop, someone who will have a profound impact on our lives and future ministry. On the car ride down we had many laughs as we tried to release all of our nervous energy by discussing what would be the worst possible first impressions one could accidently give.

When we arrived at the hotel Bishops Libasci and Christian were waiting for us in the lobby. Once we met Bishop Libasci we were instantly comfortable and made to feel welcome. Luckily we did not give any of those worst possible first impressions we had discussed as well.

After a few minutes talking we made our way to the Restaurant and our first time together. As luck would have it I had been asked to make one small adjustment to the restaurant reservation earlier in the day, so I was able to insist upon us sitting at a round table instead of the usual rectangular one. Looking back this was a great move as we all were part of the conversation fully, which was important and a true gift to us all.

Over the course of the evening the Bishop went to great lengths to get to know each of us, to hear our stories, and our hopes. It was quite obvious he wanted to know us as people and that gave me a wonderful sense of peace. As social outings go the bishop certainly could have filled the time with small talk of little importance, but he didn't, instead he had us share, he shared and together we experienced the fellowship, hope and joy our Church needs. Bishop Libasci inquired about our studies, asked about families, shared his passion for the important place teaching the faith plays, and demonstrated very clearly he was a man of great prayer. After the evening concluded we went our separate ways, the Bishops back to the conference and all of us seminarians back to the seminary where our brother seminarians eagerly awaited news of our evening. It was such a feeling of peace and joy to be able to answer the many questions that awaited us on our return with a smile and a sense of great hope.

Bishop Libasci and Bishop Christian, thank you for a wonderful evening of fellowship, fraternity and hope. Bishop Libasci I look with great joy to your Installation Mass on December 8th, in the meantime time to hit the books again!

Happy Birthday Shaunti Althoff!

2011-11-07T23:07:00.002-05:00

I just wanted to post a special shout to an amazing person, Miss Shaunti Althoff. Shaunti and I have been great friends for the past 11 years, since we taught together as part of the Alliance for Catholic Education Program. We were stationed together for our first two years teaching in Biloxi, Mississippi, when we were fresh out of college and had no idea what we were doing. We had lots of fun, were challenged to no end, and shared many great memories.

My favorite, although not hers, was when I changed the School's sign to say "Congratulations Mr. Nelson National A.C.E. Teacher of the Year." Shaunti and I were both in the A.C.E. Program. The National Teacher of the Year Award did not exist. Needless to say the sign stayed up and I began getting congratulated by parents, flowers were sent to the school, I was stopped in the supermarket and everywhere I went and it was pretty crazy. People came up to me and said "I am so proud to have my daughter in the best A.C.E. teacher in the country's classroom" or "what an honor to know you." What started as prank ended up taking on a life of its own and it was beyond crazy!

Often Shaunti and I would head to sporting events together to watch our students play and parents would come running up to congratulate me for being the 'best teacher' and then suddenly they would realize she was there next to me and that "she lost." We shared many laughs about and I eventually had to fess up.

Truth be told if there were a contest she would have one. My dear friend Shaunti is one of the most amazing people I have ever met. She has a great spirit, a generous heart, and strong faith, and she always made me feel at home at Notre Dame as well as during my time in Biloxi.

The more I go on in life the more I realize just how important good friends are and just how much some people do to bring spirit, joy and enthusiasm to the world. Shaunti, if you happen to read this I want you to know that you are an amazing person who I respect more than you will ever know. You bring out the very best in people and have been a very powerful influence on my life. Never lose your spirit or your faith, for you have shared the Light of Christ with many, including this seminarian. Thank you for your prayers, your support and your friendship. Happy 34th Birthday, may this year bring you as many blessings as you have brought to your students, your friends and your family!

And Congratulations on Being A.C.E. Teacher of the Year

Special Guests!

2011-11-07T23:00:00.003-05:00

This week we have been blessed to have five priests visiting from New Hampshire (Father Marcos Gonzalez, Father Steve Lepine, Father David Kneeland, Father Jeff Statz, and Father Paul Boudreau). They are down as part of a "new pastors" program being offered by the Seminary. It has been fun to catch up with the guys and to hear their stories of life as young priests. One of the things that I never heard much of before entering the Seminary was the importance of the fraternity of the priesthood. Watching firsthand and getting to know the guys it is powerful to see the special bond that is shared among each other.

Last night we went out for some food at a local restaurant and had lots of fun. It was a nice boost to spirits after a long few weeks. Tonight we spent much of the evening in the Donnelly Lounge, the Seminary's pub/social area. As I post this Father David is locked in a game of ping pong and holding his own. He is also sharing his good cheer and constant laughs with all those around.

Mid Terms End

2011-10-25T23:10:00.002-04:00

After a crazy two weeks the Mid Term Exam period ended. Between studying for exams and writing papers I have scarcely seen the light of day. Luckily I was able to enjoy a long Fall Break Weekend and visit some good friends in Upstate NY. I also caught up with my family who were attending a Rosary Rally with the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm in Germantown, NY. The Sisters were amazing as always and so very full of life. While visiting with the sisters I was able to help lead the Rosary Rally procession and serve Mass for about 150 who gathered for the event. The Carmelite Sisters of the Aged and Infirm hold a very special place in my heart, for which I will share on a future post. In the mean time off to bed.

Prayer Request!

2011-10-12T00:01:00.003-04:00

This evening the seminary community gathered in prayer and prayed the Office of the Dead in the Liturgy of Hours. We did this in response to the tragic news that a young seminarian from Maryland, studying for the Archdiocese of Washington, died suddenly Sunday evening.

The following message appears on the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C.'s website:

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Michael P. Fallon, who died this past weekend. Msgr. Panke reflected that Michael was "A good and faithful seminarian of the Archdiocese of Washington, his family, and his brothers in seminary." May the angels lead you into Paradise And when you come may the martyrs receive you. And lead you to the holy city of Jerusalem.

Several of our guys knew Michael and described as a kind and gentle man. Please keep him, his family and the Seminary Community at Theological College in your prayers.

Apple Picking

2011-10-11T23:48:00.003-04:00

This weekend we enjoyed a special break in celebration of Columbus Day. The nice part was we had to responsibilities beyond our parishes. Some guys were able to go home, but because of our weekend ministry I was not. However, I was able to enjoy a little bit of a break and am most grateful for it. On Saturday Francis Ouma, a seminarian from Uganda and good friend of mine, and Father Cliff, a Zambian priest studying for a higher degree at St. Mary's, and I headed to western Maryland to go Apple Picking. I have many wonderful memories as a child doing this very same thing with my family, so each Columbus Day weekend at the Seminary I have headed up to a small little family run orchard to do the same thing. It was a good time and a beautiful way to get away from the grind of the Seminary life. It was also fun to share this tradition with some of our African brothers.

A Visit from Archbishop O'Brien

2011-10-06T21:52:00.002-04:00

Tonight we were blessed to have our annual visit from Archbishop O'Brien (he actually is a good friend to the seminary and visits often, but this was his official visit). Each year the Archbishop has come in the fall to speak with all of the guys. He usually offers a thirty minute reflection as well as some words of wisdom. During my time at the Seminary (this is the start of my fourth year) Archbishop O'Brien has been a regular presence. He is very friendly and down to earth which allows him to relate well to all of us. His presentation this evening was particularly powerful.

Just a few weeks ago the Holy Father announced that Archbishop O'Brien had been appointed to be the grandmaster of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre. As the head of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre O'Brien will be based in Rome and will travel the world helping to support the work of the Church in the Holy Land. Sadly, this means that he will no longer be with us in Baltimore. Seeing and hearing him tonight was bittersweet as we know it won't be long before he has to leave. By special agreement with the Vatican O'Brien is being allowed to stay on in Baltimore until his replacement is installed. In the meantime we are enjoying every minute we have with him.

In his talk tonight he mentioned a Irish Benedictine who once said that when we enter prayer it is like sitting for a portrait, but we are not the subject, rather God paints the portrait in our hearts. I probably butchered the saying, but never the less the image of God painting a portrait in our hearts really struck me as beautiful.

One More Homily, This One on Politics!

2011-10-05T15:47:00.001-04:00

One More Fake Homily!

For this assignment we were supposed to preach about a social justice document to a young audience. I decided to pretend to preach at St. Anselm where I attended as an undergraduate. The document is the bishops document on Faithful Citizenship and it supposedly the night before the election.

Good evening, what a joy and privilege it is to be here with all of you, my fellow Anselmians. When Father Jonathan DeFelice and monks of the Abbey invited me to be the guest homilist at these evening’s Mass, on this the eve before the election, I jumped at the opportunity. I was all the more excited when they asked me to speak to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ document entitled Faithful Citizenship, a document that speaks not only to my heart but also to my training here at the hands of the politics and theology departments.

In the Fall of 1898 on a night much like this one, a young man not unlike many of you gathered here tonight, made his way across this very campus. The impressive clocks that mark the courtyard, and the quaint street lights were not there, nor the impressive Athletic facilities, the library or even the dorms in which you reside, in fact much of this campus was but in its most primitive stages. Nevertheless, young John Francis traversed across this place, “the hilltop”, much as you did this evening, with the crisp late Autumn winds blowing in his face, just as they do this time every year, carrying with them a hint of the harshness of the winter ahead, and the promise of the gentle warmth of spring, which always follows. John Francis was like any young person, like many of us here, he looked to the future with hope, anticipation and even some worry. In 1898 Young John had no way of knowing that the very winds he felt across the chilled corners of his face, would foretell the future that awaited him, and the stinging bitterness of struggle juxtaposed against the warmth of the Gospel cry which filled his heart, his hands, his pen and ultimately his staff.

John was from the humblest of backgrounds. His parents were not Boston Brahmins, but rather immigrants to a new and strange world. His home was a crowded apartment in the heart of New York, which he shared with his many siblings and his extended family. The world in 1898 was strangely, radically different and remarkably similar to our own. John’s America was experiencing the dawn of electricity, endless streams of ocean liners brought waves of immigrants to our harbors and crowded schools and hospitals, horses continued to lead the way, and the promise of a new day awaited.

The age of the great superpowers had not yet dawned, and life was both remarkably simple and incredibly challenging. The problems facing people were much the same, the horrors of poverty which stretched from the rural heartland to urban centers, corporations exploited workers for profits, while family life was under attack, and the environment was violated for but the whims of industrialists. The rich continued to grow richer on the backs of the poor, the disposed and the marginalized. Sporadic violence enveloped the corners of the world, and the seeds of wholesale division, which would drag much of the world to war years later, were beginning to be sown, all the while the sick and suffering continued to seek after limited resources, and the dignity of the human person was being trampled at the hands of injustice, intolerance, greed, sexism and bigotry. John’s world, like ours today, was filled with a great despair, and yet it looked to the future with hope.

It is precisely hope that John Francis would bring to the marginalized, and it was a hope rooted in Christ that he proclaimed as part of the Church’s long tradition of social justice. You see after John Francis left St. Anselm College he not only became a humble parish priest, and a Midwestern bishop but also the Archbishop of New Orleans. In his late eighties, frail with the ravages of age, and longing to return to this “hilltop” and the long Autumn nights he so enjoyed, Archbishop Joseph Rummel entered the world of American politics not because he wanted to but because his conscience called him to act. Archbishop Rummel understood what Faithful Citizenship proclaims today, that it is the “Church’s obligation to participate in the shaping of the moral character of society.”

Rooted in Jesus’ call “to love our neighbors as he has loved us”, the Church uses her voice to advocate on behalf of justice, on behalf of all those in need, not because She wishes to dictate the rules and laws of the world, but rather because the Church has the moral obligation to use her voice on behalf of the voiceless. Faithful Citizenship and the guide to forming personal conscience which the American bishops have given us, is not meant to inform us on who to vote for, but rather to guide on the issues of the day, and to challenge us to hear the cries of the voiceless and to defend those whom the world has forgotten.

Sure, many of you might naturally say there is no perfect candidate. To that I would reply “tell me about it.” However, I would also echo Faithful Citizenship in saying that we must use our consciences, our informed consciences, to discern that candidate which best represents a way forward without violating the core beliefs we hold. At the end of the day we know that we will not be perfect, that we will not always get it right. However, we must not hide from the uncomfortable decisions that must be made and together we must blaze a path forward.

One would be a fool to think that such a guide, as Faithful Citizenship would be welcomed in all corners of our society. In fact almost from the very moment of its inception critics have attacked it, arguing that the Church has no place in politics and that our faith must be left on the doorstep. However, these critics are wrong our faith must not be left in our homes, but rather our faith must inform every aspect of our lives, including our votes, because it is our votes that will give birth to policies that either promote or destroy human dignity, votes that protect or destroy our environment, advocate or ignore the poor, the homeless and the immigrants. Those whose policies oppose the values we hold dear will certainly attack our legitimacy; they will say we should have no voice, and that our nation’s policies must be devoid of religious influence and values. Yet these very same voices forget that it was a society devoid of the influence of faith and morals that Adolf Hitler proposed when he sent six million Jews to death camps; it was the same society devoid of faith that Josef Stalin promulgated in Moscow when twenty million met their end; and it is the same voices which today want us to be silent when millions of lives are destroyed because of poverty and greed, when millions of lives are destroyed because medicines and health care are unattainable, or when the right to life is violated in the womb and in the final stages of life. A society where people of faith were told to keep their voices silent on behalf of the marginalized is precisely the society into which Jesus was born, and the society in which all of us live.

The greedy, the proud and powerful wished to silence Jesus because the Gospel he proclaimed was contrary to the society which they envisioned, yet Jesus preached change and was met with resistance. Jesus preached a Gospel of Hope predicated on the belief that each and every human person has value. Jesus preached a Gospel raising up the poor, one which responded to the nature of their circumstances not with judgment but with love. Jesus preached peace to those who believed power and might solved the problems of the day. His Gospel, the Gospel we hear this evening at Mass so eloquently proclaiming the beatitudes calls upon us to love one another, and to radically model our lives after him.

In calling on us to consider the defense of human life in all its stages when heading to the ballot box, the bishops are responding to Jesus’ command of love. When the bishops call upon us to protect the rights of workers, to provide debt relief to poor nations, to fight economic inequalities, and provide healthcare for the sick and food for the hungry, they are not preaching politics, they are preaching Jesus’ call for justice. When the bishops speak for just military policies in the world and for the end to war, they are responding to Christ’s call to be peacemakers in this world of violence. Faithful Citizenship is not about the bishops’ political beliefs; it is about the Gospel message and what Jesus calls us each to do. I encourage you all to read this document which is enclosed in your bulletins, and to reflect on it, not in light of one’s political beliefs but rather in light of the Gospel.
What did our fellow Anselmian Archbishop Joseph Rummel do that caused him to be so vilified in his day? He released a pastoral letter called “Blessed are the Peacemakers” in which he said:

"Racial segregation as such is morally wrong and sinful because it is a denial of the unity and solidarity of the human race as conceived by God in the creation of Adam and Eve. Ever mindful, therefore, of the basic truth that our Colored Catholic brethren share with us the same spiritual life and destiny, the same membership in the Mystical Body of Christ, the same dependence upon the Word of God, the participation in the Sacraments, especially the Most Holy Eucharist, the same need of moral and social encouragement, let there be no further discrimination or segregation in the pews, at the Communion rail, at the confessional and in parish meetings, just as there will be no segregation in the kingdom of heaven."

Thus he desegregated New Orleans’ Catholic Schools, Churches, Seminarians and Catholic Institutions in 1953 with one stroke of his pen. He was accused of mixing religion and politics, of interfering with the laws of the state, with bringing faith into the public square. Yet he persisted in challenging not only the people in the pews, but also those in the state house, including those Catholic politicians who lost sight of the Gospel’s call and thus needed to be reminded not only of it, but also of the responsibility that it was owed therein.

Archbishop Joseph Rummel left St. Anselm over 110 years ago filled with a great love of the Gospel message and unafraid to change the world, and unabashed in his defense of the defenseless, the marginalized and all those forgotten in society.
We too are called to have the same courage as Archbishop Joseph Rummel did that moment he put his pen to paper and wrote his pastoral letter. Our pens will never write pastoral letters to be read from pulpits, however they will mark ballots which determine the future of this state and nation. The question remains: will we be led by Christ, and have the courage to use our pens to fill ballot boxes with Gospels of Love?

Homiletics

2011-10-04T18:26:00.004-04:00

One of the classes we take during our time at the Seminary is Homiletics. The goal is help train us to be amazing preachers. As most people have noticed preaching is an important area in need of growth for the Church as many do not have the gift of preaching. I am working hard in the class and hopefully the fruits of my labors will show one day.

Below is my fictional homily for the first Sunday in Lent. (Feel Free to Share your Thoughts)

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This weekend marks the first Sunday of Lent. The gospel readings we heard this morning were similar to those we reflected upon last year, when we heard Matthew’s portrayal of the temptation of Jesus in the desert, replete with its rich detail. Mark’s Gospel is simple, straight forward and to the point. What Matthew describes in twelve sentences, Mark does in three.

Billy Miller one of our Altar servers, kindly reminded me after the 8:00 am Mass this morning that he prefer it if I preached more like Mark and less like Matthew.

I kindly reminded him that I wished he would listen a little more like disciples and less like the Pharisees

In this morning’s Gospel we hear how Jesus was in the desert for 40 days, how Satan tempted him and how he was among wild beasts. There is no description, no detail of how this occurred. Mark does not dwell on the temptation, but rather notes that even here God’s angels were with the Son of Man.

I can’t help but to think what an important message this is for us at this time.

One need only turn on the television, open ones bank statement, or talk with family and friends to have the feeling that we are in a desert, that we are among the wild beasts and alone.

Unemployment hovers near 10%, Underemployment near 20%, as our politicians bicker in Washington people continue to suffer, as corporations fight to protect their bottom lines they often forget that they are balancing their profits sheets on the backs of good men and women who have faithfully dedicated their lives to their work, as the pundits pontificate, the people lose hope.

I imagine If I were to poll all of us here this morning, no doubt in one manner or another, everyone of us has been affected by this economic downturn.

Friends, family and members of this congregation have lost their ways of life, their homes, and their hope.

At a time when like this we naturally turn to those solid rocks in our lives. But even there, we struggle. Our nation faces great challenges, our Church even more.

It is not hard to feel overwhelmed, to feel like one is in the desert wandering and amongst the wild beast which wait for our moments of weakness and prey on our fears.

It is here, alone and scared, that many of us stand, and it is here that God speaks. It is here that he speaks through his Son and it is hear this morning that he whispers to your heart.

It is here this morning that we are reminded that God sent his angels to minister to Jesus, and that he never abandoned him in the desert of his life, and that he will not abandon us in the deserts of our lives, no matter what or where they may be.

Jesus entered the desert before he began his public ministry and entered fully into a time of great prayer and fasting, despite “the wild beasts” that surrounded him, despite the hungers of his stomach and the wishes of his body, he endured in faith, offered all in prayer, and God was with him. He still hungered, he was still surrounded by beasts, he still endured, but he was not alone.

Emerging from the desert Jesus spoke words of great hope and words calling for great action when he declared that “this is the time of fulfillment and that his Kingdom is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel”

The words of the Gospel this morning should speak to our hearts as we wander the desert together seeking hope, deliverance and a better day. As the wild beasts of our lives surround us we must be turn to God and to each other, becoming the angels that support one another and the Gospel which preaches hope.

All too often we look at Lent with gloomy eyes. That this time of prayer, fasting and almsgiving is understood apart from the great hope of Christmas and the great joy of the Resurrection which awaits.

As people of faith we offer our hopes and fears to God in prayer. Yet we know that even our prayers do not take away suffering, that pain endures. However, we also know that the God who created us, loves us, walks beside us and strengthens us in our hours of need and that he is a beacon of hope and light amidst great darkness.

We must never forget that we are a people of Hope and that our Hope is in the God who calls us, and in his only begotten Son who said “repent and believe in the Gospel.” Jesus calls us today, he calls this very moment to enliven the Gospel in our hearts and in our lives.

The question for us remains, are we walking hopelessly past one another in the desert or are we the angels that offer support, are we the instruments of love and mercy God calls us to be. We must ask ourselves how are we more present to one another in this desert? How are we more present to those here this morning, those seated beside us, in front and behind us. How is this Lent and our response to it different from the last? If you are like me those are difficult and uncomfortable questions to ask and to answer honestly. However, God calls us to Repent and Live the Gospel. I invite you to join me in making a plan, to make this Lent not just about giving up sweets, but more about being angels of presence in the lives of those who are alone in the desert, so that in five weeks when we gather to celebrate the Resurrection of Hope, others will have seen his light and felt his love.

A Lazy End to the Week

2011-10-01T14:39:00.006-04:00

For the past several weeks the weather at the seminary has been largely cloudy/rainy. The result is a very subdued atmosphere in the house. After the initial start of the year the work is beginning to pile up and guys are hibernating in their rooms. This morning we were greeted with the first real taste of Fall with temperatures worthy of sweatshirts.

I have always loved the Autumn and the change of the leaves. The crisp air and cold nights carry with them a special beauty which always sings so beautifully across Northern New England. As I hunker down this weekend to write two homilies and an academic paper I am excited to be creeping closer to Thanksgiving, Christmas and time at home and away from school.

I decided this morning to take a different turn with today's blog posting and to post beautiful pictures I have come across. I figure it matches the feeling of this day as I take a quiet moment to sit by the window listening to quiet music, reflecting on the Gospels, cranking out a few homilies and loving the crisp Autumn air that is filling my room. Enjoy

220th Annual Bocce Ball Tournament

2011-09-28T23:29:00.005-04:00

Keeping a house tradition alive we had our annual Bocce Ball Tournament a few weeks ago. Thanks to the hard work of Mike Zgonc (Community Life Chair) the evening was a great success. Over 25 teams competed. However, my team was eliminated handily in the first round. I blame my team partner Mike Zgonc! Either way it was a great night to kick off some steam and to enjoy good food, good drinks, and good fun.

Diocese of Syracuse Seminarian Zach Miller makes a toss

Father Hy enjoys the day (Father Hy is a brilliant man with an amazing personal story, and a nationally known and respected theologian)

Diocese of Portland, Maine Seminarian Brad Morin makes a shot. Brad is sporting his Maine woodsman uniform

Arguably the most Italian guy in the house, Chris Mannerino from the Diocese of Pittsburgh- looks pensive after a stunning first round defeat

Diocese of Trenton Seminarian Jean Felicien dominates in yet another house sporting event

My former mentor and southerner (note the jacket) Father Michael Barre, enjoys the afternoon. Father Barre is a brilliant scripture scholar and can translate languages that have not been spoken in thousands of years!

Wilimington Seminarian Brian Lewis- Brian, spent part of this last summer making the Camino pilgrimage across northern Spain

Danny Cogut from the Diocese of Richmond lands a perfect shot. Danny has a huge heart and does a lot of work on behalf of the poor. He also is a computer genius and rescues guys when their computers quit on them

Greensburg Seminarian Tyler Bandura speaks with house spiritual director Father Larry Terrien

Manchester's Mike Zgonc- my Bocce ball partner- We lost in the first Round!

Manchester Seminarian and House President Deacon Alan Tremblay takes it all in

Father Lopez and Father Miller take a break

Some Tuesday Morning Fun!

2011-09-27T07:53:00.001-04:00

Well it is another busy week at the seminary! Before I get to work I wanted to include this fun link to Steve Colbert's show on Comedy Central. Colbert is a brilliant humorist who uses sarcasm to often make some profound points. In this clip he is talking with Bart Ehrman an author of a book challenging the veracity of the Gospels, Jesus and a avowed atheist (formerly a prominent Christian). Colbert interviews him in typical Colbert fashion. However, if you listen carefully to the subtext Colbert is in fact quite compelling. He is also a refreshing change in the world of comedy and a man of faith (a former catechist for the Catholic Church. Enjoy!

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/224128/april-09-2009/bart-ehrman

Second Annual Vianney Cup!

2011-09-25T19:10:00.010-04:00

Soccer has long been a popular sport in Catholic circles. Soccer has a widespread following throughout the world, thus making it a wonderful meeting point for an members of an institution as diverse as the Catholic Church.

I had to include this photo I found because it was too much fun!

In fact soccer is so popular in Catholic circles that each year the seminaries in Rome compete for the "Clericus Cup"

Competition is fierce between the competing teams, as is the spirit of fraternity, pride and fun that accompanies such endeavors.

This weekend we hosted the Second Annual Vianney Cup at St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore. The tournament was begun last year in collaboration with Mt. St Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia, Theological College in Washington, D.C. and St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore.

Graciously the "Mount" (Mt. St. Mary's in Emmitsburg) hosted last year and did a wonderful job. They also won despite some tough competition. This year we were chosen to be the host of the Vianney Cup and we worked hard to not only play better than the rest, but to be gracious hosts.

Our day began with Mass in our main chapel with between 200-250 seminarians and guests. It was a beautiful expression of faith, and a wonder to see so many people who will change the face of the Church in America, gathered together in prayer and fraternity. Once Mass concluded the kind, generous and prayer filled spirit was replaced by healthy competition and lots of excitement.

In the end St. Mary's played hard and came up short, losing both matches. Mt. St. Mary's won for the second year in a row. The "Mount" has always been the favorite for these events for numerous reasons including the fact that they are nearly three times the size of the other seminaries, they have a former professional soccer star on their team, they enjoy the use of division I athletic facitilities at the University attached to the seminary. Simply put the Mount St. Mary's Seminary soccer team is a machine. The practice every day, are incredibly disciplined and committed to success. For the most part the other teams get their minds to practicing a week or two before the big game.

This year the final championship game was particularly exciting as underdog St. Charles Seminary led the Mount until the final minutes when they suffered a 5-4 loss. St. Charles deserves a lot of credit for a hard fought contest and for giving the undisputed favorites a real run for their money.

Following the final games we joined together for evening prayer, a social and a nice dinner. The end result was a hope filled and energetic day of fraternity shared by all and a reminder that the future of the Church is bright!

I have tried to include some pictures you might enjoy!

Diocese of Greensburg Seminarian Tyler Bandura taking all the popcorn for himself, or sharing it- you be the judge

A Theological College Seminarian making a shot

Lunchtime! If you look carefully you can see Diocese of Manchester Seminarian and Trinity High School Graduate Michael Sartori (he is wearing a blue t-shirt)

A hard fight battle in action

Our team's most energetic and determined player- Nhat Nyugen from the Diocese of Richmond, Virginia

Chief Soccer Tournament Organizer Manchester Seminarian Mike Zgonc with the Vice Rector- Father Ed Griswold

St. Anselm Graduate and Seminarian for the Diocese of Portland, Maine - Luc Roy

St. Mary's Seminary's newest faculty member and my canon law professor Father Leo Gajardo from the Diocese of Gary, Indiana

Diocese of Baltimore seminarian Kevin Ewing either ready for a header or about to be hit

Diocese of Pittsburgh Seminarian John Lovre intent on victory

Deacon John Madrid plots his next move

Diocese of Worcester Seminarian John Herenandez

St. Mary's Goalie- Jean Felicien- Diocese of Trenton

Diocese of Gulu, Uganda Seminarian, and Honorary New Hampshire Resident Francis Ouma

Diocese of Metuchen Seminarian and Third Theology Class President Ebaristo Pineda in action

Diocese of Syracuse Seminarian Dane Connelly defying gravity with both feet off the ground

Soccer Tournament!

2011-09-24T15:55:00.000-04:00

We sadly just lost the Vianney Cup, a four seminary Soccer tournament. After a great effort from the guys we lost, actually coming in last. More to follow with pictures, commentary and highlights. Right now I am dashing out the door to a parish Oktoberfest celebration and to serve a 5:30pm Mass.

A New Adventure or a Foolish Whim?

2011-09-22T23:57:00.007-04:00

As I was organizing my goals for the seminary this year I was asked to come up with some "Human Formation Goals". Each year we are asked to focus on areas Spiritual goals, Academic goals, Pastoral goals and Human goals. Tomorrow I am set to meet with my faculty mentor to review them and make adjustments, after which i will post the final product on here so you have a sense of how it works. Nevertheless when I was formulating my human goals I decided I wanted to add something in the category of a hobby, something to entertain the mind and relax it at the same time. Since we do so much reading and pastoral work, I wanted something totally away from the rhythm of life, thus recreational reading was out of the question. My entire life I have been in awe of people with real musical talent, people who can pick up an instrument and make it sing. In junior high and high school I was in our school band and played the baritone horn. I enjoyed it but never hit any home runs, I solid middle of the road player. So, I decided to try and pick up and learn a musical instrument. Loving all things Irish I did a lot of research and decided to try the Irish Concertina.

It will probably be a big disaster which I will regret, but I figure I have regretted not having a musical instrument I can play all these years, what is the worst I could do, regret having tried. I have only told two guys as I am a little embarrassed and do not want anyone making any jokes as I will get discouraged. (So if you are a St. Mary's Seminarian and reading this right now- please help me keep my secret project secret, at least until which time I am ready to share it). Time will only tell whether this is a big lesson in humility or whether it is an opportunity for an exciting new area of interest. I am hoping for the second, but preparing for the first. Stay tuned for my progress, or for a hot tip on a great deal on a Concertina for sale on Ebay.

No matter what happens I can't look worse than this guy!

A blast from the past and a look to the future

2011-09-22T11:16:00.004-04:00

It is ten minutes till Mass time here at the seminary, but I wanted to put up a quick link which shows an old video of our new Bishop when he was a parish priest. The video shows the dedication of the new parish church which the Bishop, then a priest, had led championed and brought about despite many great challenges. The Church is St. Therese of Lisieux, Montauk, NY. Click here A special shout to Colin for the tip.

The Biography of Bishop-Designate Peter A. Libasci

2011-09-20T21:41:00.001-04:00

Peter Anthony Libasci was born November 9, 1951, to
the late William and Florence Libasci in Queens, N.Y. He
attended St. Margaret School, Middle Village, N.Y., followed
by Cathedral Preparatory Seminary, Elmhurst, N.Y.

Throughout middle school, he helped clean the church
on Friday afternoons. He says this is where he began learning
about the Liturgy. He also sang for the parish choir.
Throughout high school, he was active in the parish leadership
program.

Libasci earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from
St. John’s University, Jamaica, N.Y., and a Master of Divinity
degree from St. Meinrad Seminary, St. Meinrad, Ind.
Father Libasci was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Rockville Centre on April 1, 1978 by
Bishop John R. McGann. He was first assigned to St. Raymond parish, East Rockaway, N.Y.,
and then to SS Cyril and Methodius parish, Deer Park, N.Y. In 1988, he was assigned to Our
Lady of Good Counsel parish, Inwood, N.Y., where he served for 11 years as administrator and
then pastor.

Since 1999, Father Libasci has served as pastor of St. Therese of Lisieux parish in
Montauk, N.Y.

On December 10, 2004, Father Libasci was named Honorary Prelate to His Holiness
Pope John Paul II with the title of monsignor.

On April 3, 2007, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI appointed Msgr. Libasci auxiliary
bishop of the Diocese of Rockville Centre. He was installed on June 1, 2007 at St. Agnes
Cathedral, Rockville Centre, N.Y.

During his time as an auxiliary bishop, Bishop Libasci has assisted Bishop William
Murphy in the leadership of the 1.4 million Catholics on Long Island and served as the bishop’s
representative for the Eastern Vicariate (Suffolk County).

Bishop Libasci is bi-ritual and celebrates the Divine Liturgy in the Byzantine Ruthenian
Catholic Church. Bishop Libasci has a close relationship with his brother, two sisters, nieces and
nephews.

The Bishop's First Day's Schedule with Commentary and Quotes

2011-09-19T22:55:00.004-04:00

The Bishop's First Day's Schedule with Commentary and Quotes

10:00 a.m.

Media conference introducing Bishop Libasci
St. Joseph Cathedral rectory, 145 Lowell St., Manchester, NH

Opening remarks:

When in 2007, I was told that I was chosen to be an Auxiliary Bishop for the Diocese of Rockville Centre, I was overwhelmed at the thought that anyone knew that I even existed.

And now, four years later, I have been called, yet again, but now to be the Bishop and Shepherd of the Church, the Household of Faith in, what will be for me a new home, a new family, a new beginning in Grace.

I am coming eagerly to the Diocese of Manchester and the State of New Hampshire and I desire so much to meet all of you and to see Christ so alive and so present in you. I desire so much to share in this work that is ours: to be true to and thus carry on the mission of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

I remember well and am thankful for the words of a formula memorized so long ago: Why did God make you? God made me to know Him and to love Him and to serve Him in this world and to be happy with Him forever in the next.

The words can be memorized, but we all know that they only take on their greatest meaning and significance when they are put into practice; when they are lived: when we deepen our knowledge and understanding of the Sacred Scriptures, when Holy Eucharist becomes more and more a cause of joy, and when caring for each person’s dignity and well-being is not a labor but true compassion and care for a neighbor.

I am deeply grateful to Bishop McCormack for his years of ministry and faithful witness here in the Diocese of Manchester and his very kind welcome to me.

I am grateful to Almighty God who has brought me into being, to my parents who gave me life and to my family, friends and my Holy Catholic Church – all who have sustained me to this very hour. These include Bishop William Murphy, my diocesan bishop in Rockville Centre, my brother priests and deacons and all the lay faithful I was privileged to serve as priest and bishop in that Diocese since my priestly ordination in 1978.

I am utterly humbled and deeply grateful to Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, who has entrusted me with this ministry. I have asked him especially for his prayers that I may fulfill the duties of this Sacred Office to which I have been called as a good shepherd, a good priest and bishop, a good steward in the Household of Faith.

And may the Lord God remember us all in His Kingdom now and forever. Amen

11:00 a.m.

Visit to Trinity High School,
581 Bridge St., Manchester, NH

- Bishop Labasci visits with Trinity High School Students. The Students present the Bishop with a THS sweatshirt which he promptly puts on, ditching his suit jacket. Trinity student gave the Bishop a enthusiastic welcome with several standing ovations, a choral welcome and a tour of the school, with special stops in the St. Basil Chapel and visited one on one with student's in the School's Campus Ministry Center. The word from Trinity is that he was a big hit with the kids and the teachers. They described Bishop Labasci as "warm, friendly, personable and real."

Bishop Labasci's decision to make his first official stop a Catholic school, speaks volumes. Emphasizing schools is a testament to his strong interest in education and evangelization. It is also nice to know that he supported a parish school at his last assignment, a sign that he knows the value of our schools and the many challenges they face. + 1 for the Youth of our Diocese.

Visit to New Hampshire Food Bank
700 East Industrial Park Drive, Manchester, NH

A clear sign of the importance of Social Justice and outreach to the poor and disenfranchised.

1:15 p.m.

Sisters Adorers of the Precious Blood
700 Bridge Street, Manchester, NH

Sorry no word from the cloistered sisters. However, I am heartened to know that these holy women who pray for all of us everyday where given a place of privilge in this first day.

4:00 p.m.

Prayer service with priests at Cathedral Chapel
St. Joseph Cathedral Chapel, 145 Lowell St., Manchester, NH

- Following evening prayer with the priests the Bishop met each priest in attendance and spent time talking with each. The universal reaction is overwhelmingly positive and the guys seem excited for the future.

-Not officially listed javascript:void(0)on the schedule is a stop of at St. Anselm Abbey for dinner. My sources tell me that Bishop Labasci continued to impress everywhere he went. His evening with the monks was a homerun, much as was his day.

Somewhere after this the Bishop retired for a well deserved night of rest. A New Day begins tomorrow, stay tuned......

What we know

2011-09-19T16:37:00.004-04:00

What we have learned about the new Bishop today ( a special shout out to Sarah Jane von Haack over at Parable Magazine):

- He speaks Spanish, French, Slovakian & Italian

- According to Parable magazine editor Sarah Jane von Haack, the new Bishop said that he will "pray his brains out" in order to prepare for his new role.

- He is of Slovakian, Sicilian & British Ancestry

- His favorite dessert is Blueberry pie a la mode

- He said to the Trinity High School Community
"We are ready to our part to build the Church"

- His motto will be "Arise and Walk"

- He said the most important way to approach ministry is with compassion

- He was born in Queens (less hope he is not a Yankees Fan!)

- He is beloved in Rockville Center and they are mourning their loss

- He regularly visited the Seminary there, and is well known and regarded by the guys there, including those from other dioceses

Some More Photos- UPDATES TO CONTINUE!!!!!!!!!!

2011-09-19T15:29:00.001-04:00

the Latest Pictures of the new Bishop at Trinity High School

2011-09-19T15:18:00.001-04:00

Update #2

2011-09-19T11:09:00.004-04:00

Like any dutiful seminarian I have been spending much of my time this morning trying to learn a little about our New Bishop. I began early this morning by reading the press releases which all spoke of Bishop Libasci as being a “gentle pastor” with a big heart, a man dedicated to pastoring his flock with gentleness. Bishop Libasci has spent most of his as a parish priest in the trenches.

Eventually I came across a beautiful article, written a few years ago by of all places the New York Times, praising the work of then Msgr. Libasci. Libasci was the pastor of a small, parish hopeless divided over a construction project that became helplessly mired. Libasci was able to rally the people, build consensus and lead a parish from worshiping in the basement of the parish school to build a new church. Before arriving the parish church had been condemned and the parish was forced to gather each week for fifteen years in the basement of the school. Central to Libasci’s response to this inherited challenge was the aim of uniting the people, rallying them around a hope filled plan for the future and an insistence on incorporating as much of the old church as possible. The people united behind his leadership and they enthusiastically embraced the 3.5 million dollar building plan. Soon after they faced a major disaster when the new foundation failed and needed to be rebuilt, to the tune of an additional two million dollars. Libasci persisted and led the small parish of 600 to build their new Church, become united in faith, and together they rebuilt their parish literally from the foundation up. What a beautiful image and what a hope filled understanding of our faith.

However, the most beautiful story of Peter Libasci the man, pastor and bishop is one that you will not find in any newspaper or press release. It is one I stumbled upon on in a small blog maintained by a New York family, for their closest family and friends. On it a woman shares a beautiful encounter she had with Bishop Libasci at a very painful time in her life. She writes:

I wanted to share something that happened at Ryan's wake last night.

(Ryan had tragically died on a father/son camping trip_

I looked up at the doorway and saw our newest bishop on Long Island, Bishop Peter Libasci walking in. Now, by marriage, Mary Ellen is related to a pretty high ranking monsignor in our diocese, so I figured he must have called for the Bishop to pay a visit. I went over to greet the Bishop, since I felt somewhat of a connection... as a young priest he was assigned to the parish I grew up in and his first funeral there was my mother's. He also confirmed my niece, while still a priest, with a special dispensation. Last year, this time as a bishop, he confirmed my daughter with this same niece as a sponsor. Full circle!

The Bishop spent quite a lot of time with the Barretts and at the end of the evening, after he had left, I spoke with the Monsignor and thanked him for arranging this visit. He looked at me puzzled and said "I had nothing to do with that. The Bishop said he had read in the paper that Ryan had wanted to be a priest. All priests are entitled to a visit from the Bishop at their wake!"

When I met Bishop Libasci at the door he said to me "I just had to come and see the little priest."

What else is there to say but welcome home Pastor and Bishop. We have been praying for you and we look with joy to the future we will share together.

Welcome Bishop Libasci!

2011-09-19T07:13:00.009-04:00

Word is that the formal announcement at ten am today will be to announce that Manchester's tenth bishop will be Bishop Peter Libasci of Rockville Center, NY. Before being an auxilary bishop for Rockville Centre, Libasci, a native of Queens, spent his entire priestly ministry working in the area of pastoral work, particularly in the area of Catechesis. According to prominent Catholic blogger Rocco Palmo, Libasci will be installed on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, December 8th.

I will keep you posted.......

------------------------------
Update:

Follow this link to a great New York times on then Father Libasci, who was a huge consensus builder and described as "a breath of fresh air."

Exciting News! The Question Remains About What?

2011-09-19T00:27:00.006-04:00

As of Midnight the Union Leader is running a lead story about a major press conference with the Bishop at the Cathedral Rectory at 10:00am. There is much speculation as to what the conference pertains to. Many of course are wondering if we might be getting word on the appointment of a new bishop, as Bishop McCormack is one year and one month past the mandatory retirement age and the the oldest actively serving bishop in the United States. There certainly is a lot of buzz and even more speculation, which is of course compounded by the fact that there is officially no comment as to what it pertains to and all those who might be in the know, are doing a good job of keeping quiet. If it is not the big announcement than whatever it is, is sure to gain plenty of attention. Either way stay tuned here for the latest news.

and be sure to check out the story over at the Union Leader.

We Remember, a 9/11 Eulogy

2011-09-11T16:06:00.007-04:00

As we remember the 10th anniversary of 9/11 I decided to post the beautiful eulogy, given by Father Michael Duffy, OFM, at the funeral of Father Mychal Judge. Father Duffy is an incredible priest and someone I consider a friend. His words of remembrance for his Franciscan brother and friend beautifully speak to Father Judge's life, a man who died serving those in need on 9/11 and a man who is remembered as 9/11's first victim.
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Your Eminence, Mr. President, our provincial Fr. John, family and friends of Mychal Judge: good morning everyone and welcome to this celebration. And it is a celebration. My first thought would be for Michael’s sisters, Dympna and Erin. Our hearts are with you all these days and in the days to come.

After all that has been written about Fr. Mychal Judge in the newspapers, after all that has been spoken about him on television, the compliments, the accolades, the great tribute that was given to him last night at the Wake Service, I stand in front of you and honestly feel that the homilist at Mother Teresa’s funeral had it easier than I do. [LAUGHTER]

We Franciscans have very many traditions. You, who know us, know that some are odd, some are good. I don’t know what category this one fills. [LAUGHTER]

One of our traditions is that we’re all given a sheet of paper. The title on the top says, “On the Occasion of Your Death.” Notice, it doesn’t say, in case you die. [LAUGHTER] We all know that it’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. But on that sheet of paper lists categories that each one of us is to fill out, where we want our funeral celebrated, what readings we’d like, what music we’d like, where we’d like to be buried.

Mychal Judge filled out, next to the word homilist, my name, Mike Duffy. I didn’t know this until Wednesday morning. I was shaken and shocked … for one thing, as you know from this gathering, Mychal Judge knew thousands of people. He knew, he seemed to know everybody in the world. And if he didn’t then, they know him now, I’m sure. Certainly he had friends that were more intellectual than I, certainly more holy than I, people more well known. And so I sat with that thought, why me … and I came down to the conclusion that I was simply and solely his friend … and I’m honored to be called that.

I always tell my volunteers in Philadelphia that through life, you’re lucky if you have four or five people whom you can truly call a friend. And you can share any thought you have, enjoy their company, be parted and separated, come back together again and pick up right where you left off. They’ll forgive your faults and affirm your virtues. Mychal Judge was one of those people for me. And I believe and hope I was for him …

We as a nation have been through a terrible four days and it doesn’t look like it’s ending. Pope John Paul called Tuesday a dark day in the history of humanity. He said it was a terrible affront to human dignity. In our collective emotions, in our collective consciousness, all went through the same thing on Tuesday morning.

I was driving a van in Philadelphia picking up food for our soup kitchen, when I began to hear the news, one after another after another. You all share that with me. We all felt the same … It was at 2 o’clock in the afternoon that I came back to the soup kitchen, feeling very heavy with the day’s events. At 4:30, I received a call from Fr. Ron Pecci, my good friend. I was, we were serving the meal to the homeless. And I was called to the phone. And he said, “It’s happened.” And I said, “What?” And he said, “Mychal Judge is dead.”

At that moment, my already strained emotions did spiritually what the World Trade towers had done physically just hours before. And I felt inside … my whole spirit crumble to the ground and … turn into a pile of rubble at the bottom of my heart. I sat down on the stairs to the cellar, with the phone still to my ear and we cried for 15 minutes.

Later that day, I was in my room. I had my head in my hands, on my desk, and a very holy friar, whom I have the privilege to live with, Fr. Charlie Finnegan, just gently slipped a piece of paper in front of me and whispered, “This was written thousands of years ago in the midst of a national tragedy. It’s a quote from the Book of Lamentations.” “The favors of the Lord are not exhausted. His mercies are not spent. Every morning, they are renewed. Great is his faithfulness. I will always trust in him.” I read that quote and I pondered and listened, contemplated. I thought of other passages in the Gospel that said, evil will not triumph, that in the darkest hour when Jesus lay dying on the cross, that suffering led to the resurrection.

I read and thought that the light is better than darkness, hope better than despair. And in thinking of my faith and the faith of Mychal Judge and all he taught me and from scripture … I spiritually began to lift up my head and once again see the stars. And so, I had the courage today to stand in front of you to celebrate Mychal’s life. For it is his life that speaks, not his death. It is his courage that he showed on Tuesday that speaks, not my fear. And it is his hope and belief in the goodness of all people that speaks, not my despair. And so I am here to talk about my friend.

Because so much has been written about him, I’m sure you know his history. He was a
New Yorker through and through. As you know, he was born in Brooklyn … He was born, well, some of you may not know this, he was a twin. Dympna is his twin … He was
born May 11th, she was born May 13th. [LAUGHTER] Even in birth, Mychal had to have a story. [LAUGHTER] He just did nothing normally, no. [LAUGHTER]

He grew up in Brooklyn playing stickball and riding his bike like all the little kids then. Then, as you’ve heard the story so many times, he put the shoe polish, the rags in a bag and took his bicycle over here, and in front of the Flatiron building, he shined shoes for extra money, when he was a little kid. But very early on in his life, when he was a teenager, and this is a little unusual, because of the faith that he believed, that his mother and his sisters passed on to him, because of his love for God and Jesus, he thought he would like to be a Franciscan for the rest of his life. And so, as a teenager, he joined the friars. And he never left. He never left because his spirit was truly, purely Franciscan, simple, joyful, life loving and laughter. He was ordained in 1961 and spent many years as a parish priest in New Jersey, East Rutherford, Rochelle Park, West Milford. Spent some time at Siena College, one year I believe in Boston.

And then he came back to his beloved New York, whose heart really never left the city. But I came to know him 10 years after he was ordained. I was ordained and this is a
little ironic … My 30th anniversary of ordination was Tuesday, Sept. 11. This always was a happy day for me, and I think from now, it’s going to be mixed. But my first assignment was very happy. I was sent to East Rutherford, New Jersey, and Mychal was there working in parochial work. And of course, if you know in the seminary, we learned a lot of theory. We learn a lot of knowledge but you really have to get out with people to know how to deal and how to really minister. So, I arrived there with my eyes wide open, my ears wide open. And my model turned out to be Mychal Judge. He was, without knowing it, my mentor and I was his pupil. I watched how he dealt with people. He really was a people person. While the rest of us were running around organizing altar boys and choirs and liturgies and decorations, he was in his office listening. His heart was open. His ears were open and especially he listened to people with problems.

He carried around with him an appointment book. He had appointments to see people four and five weeks in advance. He would come to the rec room at night at 11:30, having just finished his last appointment, because when he related to a person, and you all know this, they felt like he was their best friend. When he was talking with you, you were the only person on the face of the earth. And he loved people and that showed and that makes all the difference. You can serve people but nless you love them, it’s not really ministry. In fact, a description that St. Bonaventure wrote of St. Francis once, I think is very apt for Michael. St. Bonaventure said that St. Francis had a bent for compassion. And certainly Mychal Judge did. The other thing about Mychal Judge is he loved to be where the action was. If he heard … a fire engine or a police car, any news, in the car he’d go and away he’d be off. He loved to be where people were active, where there was a crisis, so he could insert God in what was going on. That was his way of doing things.

I remember once I came back to the friary and the secretary told me, “There’s a hostage situation in Carlstadt and Mychal Judge is up there.” So, I said, “Oh, gosh.” Well, I got in the car … drove up there. There was a house and there was a man on the second floor with a gun pointed to his wife’s head and the baby in her arms. And he was threatening to kill her. When I got there, there were several people around, lights, policemen and a fire truck. And where was Mychal Judge? Up on the ladder in his habit, on the top of the ladder, talking to the man through the window of the second floor. I nearly died because in one hand he had his habit out like this, because he didn’t want to trip. So, he was hanging on the ladder with one hand. He wasn’t very dexterous, anyway. [LAUGHTER] I was fearful and he was, you know, his head bobbing like, “Well, you know, John, maybe we can work this out. You know, this really isn’t the way to do it. Why don’t you come downstairs, and we’ll have a cup of coffee and talk this thing over?” I was there, we’re all there, saying, “He’s going to fall off the ladder. There’s going to be a gunplay.” Not one ounce of fear did he show. But he was telling him, “You know, you’re a good man, John. You don’t need to do this.” I don’t know what happened, but he put the gun down and the wife and the baby’s lives were saved. But, of course, there were cameras there. [LAUGHTER] Where … wherever there was a photographer within a mile, you could be sure the lens was pointed at Mychal Judge. [LAUGHTER] In fact, we used to accuse him of paying The Bergen Record’s eporter to follow him around just to … [LAUGHTER]

Another aspect, a lesson that I learned from him, his way of life, is his simplicity. He lived very simply. He didn’t have many clothes. They were always pressed, of course, and clean but he didn’t have much, no clutter in his room, very simple room.

And he would say to me once in a while, “Michael Duffy,” he always called me by my full name, “Michael Duffy, you know what I need?” And I would get excited because it was hard to buy him a present or anything. I said, “No, what?” “You know what I really need?” “No, what Mike?” “Absolutely nothing. [MURMURING] I don’t need a thing in the world. I am the happiest man on the face of the earth.” And then he would go on for ten minutes, telling me how blessed he felt. “I have beautiful sisters. I have nieces and nephews. I have my health. I’m a Franciscan priest. I love my work. I love my ministry.” And he would go on, and he would always conclude it by looking up to heaven and saying, “Why am I so blessed? I don’t deserve it. Why am I so blessed?” But that’s how he felt all his life.

Another characteristic of Mychal Judge, he loved to bless people, and I mean physically. Even if they didn’t ask … [LAUGHTER] A little old lady would come up to him and he’d talk to them, you know, as if they were the only person on the face of the earth. Then, he’d say, “Let me give you a blessing.” He put his big thick Irish hands and pressed her head till I think the poor woman would be crushed, and he’d look up to heaven and he’d ask God to bless her, give her health and give her peace and so forth. A young couple would come up to him and say, “We just found out we’re going to have a baby.” “Oh, that’s wonderful! That’s great!” He’d put his hand on the woman’s stomach, and call to God to bless the unborn child. When I used to take teenagers on bus trips, he would always be around when we left. He’d jump in the bus, lead the teenagers in prayer, and then bless them all for a safe and a happy time, wherever I was taking them. If a family were in crisis, the husband and wife, he would go up to them … and sometimes take both their hands at the same time, and put them right next to his and whisper a blessing that the crisis would be over.

He loved to bring Christ to people. He was the bridge between people and God and he loved to do that. And many times over the past few days, there’s been several people who have come up and said, Fr. Mychal did my wedding, Fr. Mychal baptized my child. Fr. Mychal came to us when we were in crisis. There are so many things that Fr. Mychal Judge did for people. I think there’s not one registry in a rectory in this diocese that doesn’t have his name in it for something, a baptism, a marriage or whatever.

But what you may not know, and I’d like to tell you today because this may console you a little, it really was a two-way street. You people think he did so much for you. But you didn’t see it from our side, we that lived with him. He would come home and be energized and nourished and thrilled and be full of life because of you.

He would come back and say to me, for instance, “I met this young man today. He’s such a good person. He has more faith in his little finger than I do in my own body. Oh, he’s such good people. Oh, they’re so great.” Or, “I baptized a baby today.” And just to see the new life, he’d be enthused and enthused. I want just to let you know, and I think he’d want me to let you know, how much you did for him. You made his life happy. You made him the kind of person that he was for all of us.

It reminds me of that very well known Picasso sketch of two hands holding a bouquet of flowers. You know the one I mean that there’s one bouquet, a small bouquet, it’s colorful and there’s a hand coming from the left side and a hand coming from the right side. Both of them are holding on to the bouquet. But the artist was clever enough to draw the hands in the exact same angle. So, you don’t know who’s receiving and who is giving. And it’s the same way that Mychal related to people. You should know how much you gave to him, and it was that love that he had for people, and that way of relating to him, that led him back to New York City and to become part of the fire department …

He loved his fire department and all the men in it. He’d call me late at night and tell me all the experiences that he had with them, how wonderful they were, how good they were. It was never so obvious that he loved a group of people so much as his New York firefighters. And that’s the way he was when he died.

On Tuesday, one of our friars, Brian Carroll, was walking down Sixth Avenue and actually saw the airplane go overhead at a low altitude. And then a little further, he saw smoke coming from one of the trade towers. He ran into the friary. He ran into Mychal Judge’s room and he says, “Mychal, I think they’re going to need you. I think the World Trade tower is on fire.” Mychal was in his habit. So, he jumped up, took off his habit, got his uniform on, and I have to say this, in case you really think he’s perfect, he did take time to comb and spray his hair. [LAUGHTER]

But just for a second, I’m sure … He ran down the stairs and he got in his car and with some firemen, he went to the World Trade towers … While he was down there, one of the first people he met was the mayor, Mayor Giuliani, and he, the mayor last night, said, Mychal Judge ran by him and he, the mayor, just put his hand on his shoulder and said, “Mychal, please pray for us.” And Mychal turned and with that big Irish smile said, “I always do.” And then kept on running with the firefighters into the building. While he was ministering to dying firemen, administering the Sacrament of the Sick and Last Rites, Mychal Judge died. The firemen scooped him up to get him out of the rubble and carried him out of the building and wouldn’t you know it? There was a photographer there. That picture appeared in The New York Times, The New York Daily News and USA Today on Wednesday, and someone told me last night that People magazine has that same picture in it. I bet he planned it that way. [LAUGHTER]

But you know when you step back and see how my friend Mychal died, I’m sure that when we finish grieving, when all this is over and we can put things in perspective, look how that man died. He was right where the action was, where he always wanted to be. He was praying, because in the ritual for anointing, we’re always saying, Jesus come, Jesus forgive, Jesus save. He was talking to God, and he was helping someone. Can you honestly think of a better way to die? I think it was beautiful.

The firemen took his body and because they respected and loved him so much, they didn’t want to leave it in the street. So, they quickly carried it into a church and not just left it in the vestibule, they went up the center aisle. They put the body in front of the altar. They covered it with a sheet. And on the sheet, they placed his stole and his fire badge. And then they knelt down and they thanked God. And then they rushed back to continue their work.

And so, in my mind … I picture Mychal Judge’s body there in that church in the sanctuary, realizing that the firefighters brought him back to the Father in the Father’s house. And the words that come to me, “I am the Good Shepherd, and the Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep ... Greater love than this no man hath than to lay down his life for his friends. And I call you my friends.” …

And so I make this statement to you this morning that Mychal Judge has always been my friend. And now he is also my hero.

Mychal Judge’s body was the first one released from Ground Zero. His death certificate has the number one on the top … and I meditated on that fact of the thousands of people that we are going to find out who perished in that terrible holocaust … Why was Mychal Judge number one? And I think I know the reason. I hope you’ll agree with me. Mychal’s goal and purpose in life at that time was to bring the firemen to the point of death, so they would be ready to meet their maker. There are between two and three hundred firemen buried there, the commissioner told us last night.

Mychal Judge could not have ministered to them all. It was physically impossible in this life but not in the next. And I think that if he were given his choice, he would prefer to have happened what actually happened. He passed through the other side of life, and now he can continue doing what he wanted to do with all his heart. And the next few weeks, we’re going to have names added, name after name of people, who are being brought out of that rubble. And Mychal Judge is going to be on the other side of death … to greet them instead of sending them there. And he’s going to greet them with that big Irish smile … he’s going to take them by the arm and the hand and say, “Welcome, I want to take you to my Father.” … And so, he can continue doing in death what he couldn’t do in life …

And so, this morning … we come to bury Mike Judge’s body but not his spirit. We come to bury his mind but not his dreams. We come to bury his voice but not his message. We come to bury his hands but not his good works. We come to bury his heart but not his love. Never his love.

And so, I think … we his family, friends and those who loved him should return the favor that he so often did to us. All of us have felt his big hands at a blessing that he would give to us. I think right now, it would be so appropriate if we called on what the liturgy tells us we are, a royal priesthood and a holy nation. And we … give Mychal a blessing as he returns to the Father.

So, I’d ask you now could you all please stand. And could you raise your right hand and extend it towards my friend Mychal and repeat after me.

Mychal, may the Lord bless you. May the angels lead you to your Savior. You are a sign of his presence to us. May the Lord now embrace you. And hold you in his love forever. Rest in peace. Amen.

Thank you.

— Fr. Michael Duffy is director of St. Francis Inn in Philadelphia, Pa.

First Day of School

2011-09-06T19:48:00.004-04:00

Today officially marked the first day of classes for the new year. I cannot believe that I am beginning my fourth year of Seminary studies and my third year of Theological studies. I won't lie to you the transition back into classes has been a little rough as I am not yet excited about classes. I trust in a few days I will get in the groove of things. In the meantime the cloudy, rainy weather reigns supreme.

My schedule this semester is as follows

Catholic Social Ethics- Mondays/Thursdays- 9:55-11:15am
Canon Law I- Mondays/Thursdays- 8:30-9:45am
Preaching II- Tuesdays- 8:30-11:10am
Becoming Teacher and Pastor- Mondays-1:30-2:45pm
Extra Ecclesiam-Tuesdays/Fridays- 1:30-2:45pm

4 Day Weekend

2011-09-04T23:42:00.003-04:00

The silent retreat officially ended on Thursday afternoon. The end of the silent retreat is always marked by an official "Covenant Liturgy" where the new men sign an agreement to faithfully participate in the prayerful discernment process. Following the Liturgy we always have a big celebratory dinner and a 4 day weekend. Needless to say the spirits of all the guys are high.

This year the Social Life chair, Mike Zgonc (from the Diocese of Manchester), planned a series of four activities to pass the time. On Friday those who wanted to participated in a city-wide scavenger hunt which ended at a Restaurant called "Andy Nelson's" of all things. On Saturday we headed up to Hershey Park in PA and enjoyed a busy day of Rollercoasters and the like. This year's trip was particularly notable in that Francis Ouma, seminarian for the Diocese of Gulu, Uganda and great friend to many in NH, experienced his first amusement park and thrill rides. He was a good sport and tried most all the rides. I won't lie seeing his face on the Rollercoasters was a huge draw.

On the way back from Hershey Park a group of us took a detour through Amish country. It was a beautiful evening for a drive through the country and a great chance for our foriegn born brother seminarians to see a unique part of American society. We stopped by a roadside Amish farmstand and bought fresh peaches and jam. Yum, Yum!

Today many of the guys took a trip to Annapolis for a tour of the city, boat cruise and lunch. I stayed back, slept in and did errands.

Tomorrow marks the final day of the big weekend and the calm before the storm.

A Hurricane, A New Year, & A Silent Retreat

2011-08-30T11:07:00.005-04:00

They say that all good things must come to an end. Well, after a few days off my summer vacation did exactly that and I am now officially back in Baltimore, at the Seminary. This past week St. Mary's welcomed 21 new men to the seminary from all across the country, including a former student of my Father's good friend from Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama. It is a small world indeed.

Like most all of us on the East Coast the last week has been a long one with the anticipation, onset and aftermath of Hurricane Irene. Originally I had been planning to return to the Seminary in time to meet some good family friends, and honorary relatives, on Sunday. They were coming down for the Yankees game (boo hiss boo hiss boo boo) and invited me along for dinner. Since all returning men were due back to the Seminary by Monday Night the timing worked out perfectly, that is until Irene entered the picture. Knowing that New England would be a mess and that the storm was going to slam my entire route from NH to MD, I decided it was best to come Friday night instead and from the looks of things I made the right decision.

On Friday night I arrived, unpacked and put my feet up. Saturday morning I ran out for a few things before the big storm and returned in time to watch it roar in. Living in Baltimore and not to far from the Ocean I figured we were due to get hit pretty hard. Saturday night rolled in with a strong winds and rain and a Hurricane Party in the Donnelly Lounge.

Luckily for us minus a few tree limbs we made out pretty well, not even losing power.

On the home front things seem to have been much worse. My parents, who live in the Lakes Region of NH, have been without power since Sunday and still are in the dark. My sisters who live in Vermont seem to be right in the mix of things and from the sounds of things Vermont is a war zone with bridges washing out, towns cut off from the world, and many roads impassible.

Please keep them and all those flooded or stranded in your prayer.

In less than 15 minutes we are due to start a three day silent retreat.

I am looking forward to it for the most part. It is hard to believe I am starting my fourth year as a seminarian.

-Andrew

p.s. More to come when this weekend when I take my good friend and fellow seminarian Francis, who is from Uganda, on his first Rollercoaster. It should be a blast as he has agreed to go on the coasters and has no idea what it is. In fairness I did try and show him a youtube video of one. The last time I went to Hershey Park we invited a Zambian priest to come along. He did. We convinced him to come on the Rollercoaster with us. After he did, he hid from us the rest of the day, until it was time to go home.

Rite of Candidacy

2011-08-19T22:52:00.009-04:00

Yesterday evening I celebrated a major milestone on my Vocational journey, when I celebrated the Rite of Candidacy. As one prepares to become a deacon, we are asked to take part in a ceremony called the Rite of Candidacy. Being admitted to the Rite of Candidacy, according to the Church, " offers the candidates for ordination the opportunity to publicly express their intention to receive ordination as a Deacon and...later as a Priest."

Last night I did just that when a small gathering of clergy, friends and family gathered at Transfiguration parish. We prayed evening prayer together before I was asked to stand and respond to the following statements:

The bishop rose sand offered these words:
My child, the pastors and teachers in charge of your formation, and others who know you, have given a favorable account of you, and we have fill confidence in their testimony.

In response to the Lord's call, are you resolved to complete your preparation so that in due time you will be ready to be ordained for the ministry of the Church?

(My Response) I am

Bishop:
Are you resolved to prepare yourself (yourselves) in mind, heart, and spirit to give faithful and compassionate service to Christ the Lord and his body, the Church?

My Response:
I am.

ACCEPTANCE OF THE CANDIDATE:

Bishop:
The Church receives your declaration with joy. May God who has begun the good work in you bring it to fulfillment.
All:
AMEN.

Following the conclusion of prayer we gathered at the parish hall for some wonderful refreshments prepared by the parish community. It is hard to believe that I have been in formation three years and am starting my fourth. It is crazy how fast time flies by and how the Holy Spirit works.

Summer Has Arrived!

2011-08-15T10:35:00.003-04:00

It is hard to believe just how fast time flies. Yesterday afternoon many of my college friends and I gathered for a mini-reunion. After many years apart we decided it was time to gather together as one large group. The day was lively as most all of my friends were now married and had kids. Father Cecil Donahue, OSB, a monk from St. Anselm Abbey where we all went to college, served as the patriarch of the gathering. Father Cecil is an incredible, holy and generous man who has remained a spiritual advisor and friend to us all since our first days on the hilltop. It was a beautiful thing to see him almost as if a proud grandfather to us all. Father Cecil is also quite the charmer and can quiet a screaming baby with just a wink. Luckily amongst our group was Matthew Lomano a local talented photographer, he took a lot of neat photos which I hope to post here soon. In the meantime I am off to celebrate the afternoon in Portsmouth. No amount of rain will spoil the day.

A Summer of Studies

2011-08-04T23:27:00.006-04:00

Each summer as Seminarians we are assigned to work in different parishes. The idea behind summer assignments is that it allows seminarians to get a taste of parish life, learn from different priests, visit different parishes in the state and give us experiences needed for our future work. As the school year was closing out this spring in Baltimore I was asked to undertake a special assignment. As seminarians we can be given special assignments for a whole host of reasons and it is important for us to recognize that in preparing for the priesthood we are preparing for a life of service, and that means being open to whatever is asked. This summer the Bishop asked me to devote my time to taking extra classes so that I could get ahead in my studies. The end result will not change when I am scheduled to be finished with the Seminary, it will however, allow me to receive more training which can be used to help the diocese in the future.

What did those classes look like? How did it work? It actually was pretty simple. This summer I spent my days between three classes, Latin, Contemporary Ecclesiology, and Patristic Christology. Six days a week for 2-3 hours a day I studied Latin with my private tutor Father Cecil Donahue from Saint Anselm Abbey. Father Cecil was a great tutor, although I am not sure I was his brightest student. Latin was a real struggle, but Father Cecil patiently endured my lackluster Latin skills. The other two classes I took were independent studies, which meant I was responsible for a large volume of reading and writing for each. The classes worked as correspondent course of sorts, in which I communicated with professors at the Seminary via email, forwarding my work as I went. The end result was that my summer assignment was filled with lots of assignments.

I am going to be straightforward with you, this meant my summer was the best and the worst at the same time. It was great to be able to relax and read at my own pace. It was difficult having lots of work always hanging over my head and deadlines to meet. In the end I think it was great practice for what lay ahead. Life is full of many deadlines and responsibilities. The hard part is motivating, pacing and keeping on top of things. As much as I am not the world's model student, I did enjoy the opportunity to learn about some fascinating subjects (minus Latin). I also made sure to allow time for balance and for relaxation.

Now that August has arrived I have returned to my family home in Brookfield and am looking forward to my first real break from school since last summer.

My special assignment This summer I was asked by the Bishop to undertake an unusual assignment, summer school. You might naturally wonder exactly why

A Few Pictures

2011-07-06T23:34:00.003-04:00

One of our final mornings in Rome we celebrated Mass together in the crypt of St. Peter's. I was overjoyed when we were assigned to the "Irish Chapel"! I considered it to be a little Divine Providence.

The Archbishop's Pallium

A Group photo after a grueling and disgustingly warm hike to the top of the Dome of St. Peter's

The Holy Father at our Thursday morning Audience

Being attacked by a wild dog sculpture in the Vatican Museum

A nice group photo with the gang

The view from atop St. Peter's

Preparing to enter St. Peter's for morning Mass

Trips and Treasures

2011-06-29T18:54:00.009-04:00

Today was an incredibly exciting day in Rome. Tens of Thousands of people jammed St. Peter's Basilica for the Feast of Sts. Peter & Paul and for the celebration of the Pallium Mass. This Mass is the Mass in which the Holy Father gives all the newly installed Archbishop's in the world the symbol of their authority, the Pallium. This year that list included 40 Archbishops, including three Americans, the Archbishops of Los Angeles, Oklahoma City, & Seattle. Archbishop Lacroix, for whom I am privileged to be attending as a guest of, has been incredibly generous throughout my entire time in Rome.

As remarkable as seeing the Pope is, praying together with people from around the world, the most amazing and meaningful part of the trip has been seeing the great love of the Lacroix family shares for one another. The Archbishop flew in with sixty members of his family (most of whom live in Manchester) on Saturday. Since then he has been showing them the city, sharing the sites and sharing in each others company. His family is huge, but their number is matched only by the depths of their kindness and love for one another and for all they encounter. As this week's events have progressed I have become more and more aware that the most remarkable part of my Roman adventures is the love I have witnessed from an Archbishop and his family.

Rome Day 2

2011-06-28T17:36:00.008-04:00

On Monday night after arriving and spending the day in Rome we attended a reception at the U.S. Embassy. Ambassador Diaz and his wife welcome about one hundred Americans to the compound for a light reception in honor of the Archbishop and three other American Archbishops who were appointed. On Tuesday we celebrated Mass near the tomb of St. Peter followed by a day of sightseeing. So far the days have been long and hot, but well worth it.

Tomorrow I will be in attendance for the Pallium Mass for the Archbishop. Unfortunately I will not be serving the Mass. However, do watch EWTN for all the celebrations and to see if you can spot me in the crowd.

Off to Rome

2011-06-26T16:19:00.002-04:00

I had hoped to post a longer note but they are calling my flight to board. I am off to Rome for Archbishop Lacrouix's (Archbishop of Quebec) reception of the Pallium from the Holy Father. I will be there for a week and will be posting regularly. Mass on Wednesday will be televised on EWTN and I will be hopefully Altar Serving for the Holy Father.

more to follow........

Andrew

Ordinations!

2011-06-12T11:37:00.008-04:00

Over the past few weeks it has been incredibly busy with ordinations, graduations and the like, not to mention beginning my summer assignment and starting summer classes.

As a seminarian studying and discerning the priesthood, ordination weekends are very powerful experiences which cause much reflection and soul searching. Over the last few weekends I was honored to be able to watch Alan Tremblay and Charlie Pawlowski be ordained as Deacons, and Kyle Stanton a priest. At the seminary we spend a lot of time discussing and learning various theological points, training our minds, hearts and selves for a life of service. However, the formation process, preparation for the priesthood, takes on a completely different perspective when it is your good friends, who you have known for years, who you have laughed with, vacationed with and studied beside, who lay down before the Altar and surrender their lives to God, and His people. It is a time of great joy, prayer, reflection and amazement when one suddenly realizes they are next, God willing.

This summer marks the three year point for my entry into the Seminary. It is hard to believe that it has been that long. This fall I am scheduled to begin Third Theology. Third Theology marks the year which leads up to the moment of one's Ordination as a Deacon, generally speaking.

This year the Church in New Hampshire was blessed to welcome Alan Tremblay and Charlie Pawlowski as Deacons. Both Charlie and Alan study with me in Baltimore and are great guys. They both have servants hearts and will be a great blessing to the Church. It was a great honor to serve at their ordination Mass.

Before the ordinations at the Cathedral there is an exciting feeling in the sacristy. The seminarians from the diocese prepare for the Mass, setting up everything that is needed. Friends and brother seminarians from other dioceses who are visiting for the big day are in town and the sense of brotherhood is in the air. Alan and Charlie who are about to be ordained deacons nervously wait in the sacristy, as their fellow seminarians, myself included, give them a hard time in an effort to help relieve nerves and remove some of the nervous tension in the air.

On cue the music begins and the long procession of servers, deacons and priests make their way into the Church. As you can see there I am smiling away. If you look carefully in this picture you can also see Ed Mele from the Knights of Columbus. Ed is an amazing man with a generous heart, he is also the head of vocation support for NH Seminarians via the Knights of Columbus. Ed organizes various Council's across the state and together they send each of NH's seminarians financial support to buy books, pay for Gas, etc... and most importantly they keep us in their prayers. Ed is an amazing guy and a good friend with and incredible sense of humor.

One of the most moving portions of the Ordination Mass for Deacons is when the guys lay down in front of the Altar. This move demonstrates the full surrender they are making and the life of humble service which they are being called. This action is repeated each year during Holy Week. During ordinations it is at this point that the Litany of Saints is sung by the choir and the congregation. It is also at this point that my eyes usually fill up because of the beauty, power, and history contained in this hymn.

One of my awkward jobs at the ordination Masses this year was to hold the book from which the Bishop offered prayers. The awkward part was that at every important moment in the Mass and the ordination rite, I would have to stand between or next to Alan and Charlie. As an Altar Server I would always try to be subtle, however as the picture shows there is no real way to be so at such a moment. It is a powerful moment in the rite, all eyes are focused in my direction, all the while I have to blend in, while being front and center.

Note: when having to kneel for long periods of time, holding aforementioned text, do not hike for the six hours the day before with legs which are in pain!

Alan and Charlie's parents bringing up the gifts

Alan incensing the Altar as a Deacon for the first time!

Grades In

2011-06-03T00:05:00.003-04:00

Spring 2011:

Medical Ethics: A
Pastoral Counseling: A-
Newman: A-
Ecclesiology: A-
Pauline Epistles: A-
Preaching: Pass (Pass/Fail course)

A Graduation to Remember!

2011-05-23T09:35:00.003-04:00

I normally try not to post too much information about my family for the blog, but I wanted to make an exception with the graduation of my cousin. Last week I was in New Jersey for the graduation of my cousin Kerry, from Seton Hall University. Kerry is a remarkable young man and fun person to have as a cousin. What is remarkable in Kerry's graduation is the fact that he is Autistic and has overcome many obstacles in order to be where he is today.

Below is his entry from his blog for Autism Speaks, a national Autism awareness organization.
This guest post is by Autism Speaks staffer Kerry Magro. Kerry, an adult who has autism, is a recent graduate of Seton Hall University. He started the club Student Disability Awareness on campus to help spread awareness and raise funds for those affected by autism. Autism Speaks U is a program designed for college students who host awareness, advocacy and fundraising events, while supporting their local autism communities.

Yesterday was my graduation from Seton Hall University. As this has been one of the most emotional and happiest days of my life I have taken some time to reflect on my journey and get my thoughts down on paper. Many people told me that my road towards a good education was going to be rough. The word “impossible” was a word that I learned very early on in regards to people’s opinions about whether or not I could get to college let alone graduate from college. Now I just have to say…

Kerry at graduation wearing the Autism Speaks pin, along with the 15 honor chords he collected at college.
To the physician who told me when I was 6 that I would be lucky to get to high school, this one’s for you.

For the Special Education teachers who would look down at me like I was broken, this one’s for you.

For the years of being taunted and bullied by kids, saying I can’t and wouldn’t achieve greatness, this one’s for you.

For the people who helped me through physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy till I was 14, this one’s for you.

For my parents, friends and relatives, who see me as an individual first who is/was never broken, this one’s for you.

For those teachers who said I could do it, this one’s for you.

For the countless other individuals out there who are autistic or love someone who is autistic, this one’s for you.

For the people who say you can’t do something even though you can this one’s for you.

For the people at Autism Speaks who have given me the chance to express my “voice” and help others through the Autism Speaks Blog for over a year now, this one’s for you.

At the end of the day our influences in our lives send us on our path, either good or bad. When I was 4 I was diagnosed on the spectrum. Now 18 years later I’m a college graduate who will be going to graduate school for a Master of Arts in Strategic Communication and Leadership. For all those people, again, the good and the bad, thank you. You’ve made me who I am today and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

…This one’s for you.

Congrats Kerry, I am so proud of you!

Still no Internet, but Good News

2011-05-08T19:16:00.000-04:00

Seminary Faculty Recognizes Outstanding Students

Thanks to generous endowments on the part of its benefactors, each year St. Mary's Seminary recognizes the excellence of two of its seminarians by granting them a burse of studies to further aid and foster their education.

In recognition of his general excellence in studies; general excellence in spiritual and community leadership; potential for ministry; and pastoral sensitivity to ecumenical and interfaith issues, the faculty has named Daniel Quinn as the Cardinal Keeler Scholar for 2011-2012. Daniel, 27, is a seminarian of the Diocese of Albany. He will be ordained a transitional deacon in his diocese on May 28, and return next year to St. Mary's to complete his priestly formation.

In recognition of his general excellence in studies; general excellence in spiritual and community leadership; and potential for ministry, the faculty has named Andrew Nelson as the Cardinal Shehan Scholar for 2011-2012. Andrew, 32, is a seminarian of the Diocese of Manchester. After a summer assignment in his diocese, he will return next year to St. Mary's to continue his priestly formation.

Each year the Scripture faculty of St. Mary's Seminary recognizes the excellence of a seminarian in Biblical Studies. This year the faculty recognized Eric Ayers, 42, a seminarian of the Diocese of Richmond, who will graduate this May and be ordained a priest in his diocese on June 18.

Retreat, Return, Internet Down

2011-05-03T00:12:00.001-04:00

Back from Retreat, it was amazing!

Back at the Seminary with two weeks to go, also amazing!

Internet is down in my room, not amazing!

Borrowing someone's computer for two minutes to post this update.

More tomorrow.................

On Retreat!!!!!!!!!

2011-04-26T10:25:00.003-04:00

I am officially logging off to head on retreat. See you in a few days.

Happy Easter!

2011-04-26T10:18:00.005-04:00

He is Risen, Alleluia, Alleluia! I enjoyed a wonderful, albeit incredibly busy Easter Triduum at Sainte Marie Parish. Between Good Friday stations of the cross at two parishes and the cemetary, to an incredible Easter Vigil and three Easter Sunday Masses I was pretty much exhausted by the end. It was a wonderful and refreshing time and great to see so many wonderful parishoners and friends who have been faithfully keeping me in their prayers. Now I am off to say some prayers of my own for a week long retreat at Saint Anselm Abbey. The monks at Saint Anselm are wonderful and have agreed to allow Charlie Pawlowski (a manchester seminarian) and myself to make our required seminarian retreats there. I am looking forward to a few days off and a chance to focus on what is most important.

God Bless and Happy Easter!

Good Friday

2011-04-22T13:10:00.002-04:00

The author of the following Good Friday poem, which first appeared in the newspaper in 1976, is retired New Hampshire Union Leader copy editor Barry Palmer.

The air hangs heavy
My heart stands still
They gather all around me
And hasten for the kill.

They tear my garments from me
Undraped here I stand
While they prepare to crucify
The bleeding Son of Man.

It's hard for me to understand
Or realize just why
My death is made a mockery
Which makes my mother cry.

When just last week I spoke of peace
And everlasting love,
Apparently to deafened ears
And darkened skies above.

It was just last night I prayed,
Father, if the will be thine,
Take away this chalice . . .
This bleeding cup of mine.

But yet, not as I will
But as Thy will be done.
And when pain shot through my heart,
I knew my hour had come.

A noisy crowd shatters the night;
My heart begins to race;
And then a traitors lips
Plant a kiss upon my face.

They scourged me at a pillar
And whipped me till I bled,
But this was just a taste
Of the agony ahead.

A wreath of thorns upon my head;
I ached with every breath;
I went before the multitude
They sentenced me to death.

A cross I had to carry,
The splinters tore my skin.
The treacherous road to Calvary
Was just now to begin.

The mid-day sun took its toll;
My knees buckled and gave way.
My heart was beating very fast
As on the ground I lay.

My head began to spin around
And I felt the blistering heat.
I could not go on, and once again
Fell . . . at my mother's feet.

I looked up at her tear-stained face
And even though she tried
To hold back the emotion,
She looked at me and cried.

I stumbled again and fell once more
As time seemed to stand still.
Bruised and bleeding, I arrived
At the sacrificial hill.

And now I stand here naked;
Tormented by seething pain,
While nails are driven through my flesh.
And piercing every vein.

The agony is unbearable
As spikes drive through the bone;
And they nail me to the cross
To suffer all alone.

I now look down from my cross
And see the brutal few.
Father, please forgive them.
They know not what they do.

To my right and to my left
The two thieves I behold.
One this day finds Paradise
But the other heart is cold.

Below me I can dimly see
My mother so divine,
Trying hard to hold back tears
As I try to hold back mine.

Woman, behold your Son.
It hurts you, that I know.
I can see the torment in your eyes
As tears begin to flow.

Upon my robe they cast their lots
To see who gets it first.
My whispered word goes unheard
As I cry to them, I thirst.

My arms are getting weary,
And I am numb with pain;
The aching and the throbbing
Seem impossible to retain.

Now I hang here all alone
For all the world to see;
My heart cries out, My God, My God,
Why hast thou forsaken me?

I see the sky above grow dark,
And not a sound I hear,
And I know deep inside my heart
That the end is near.

To Thy hands I commend my spirit.
Father, take Thy Son.
I see the light of life go out.
Father . . . it is done.

And the good news is in 3 days, He arose!

The Great Chrism Mass Catostrophe (Actually it was perfect but it sounds more exciting this way)

2011-04-20T23:22:00.007-04:00

Last night was the Diocese's annual Chrism Mass. The Chrism Mass is the annual Mass held during Holy Week in which the Sacramental oils (baptismal, anointing of the sick, confirmation, Holy Orders/ordinations...)used throughout the year are blessed. It is a wonderful evening as representatives from all the parishes in the Diocese attend, and many of the priests and deacons. It is a wonderful night to get an understanding of the wider reality of the Church, and its large presence in the state. As a seminarian it is also fun to be back in NH, and to serve a Mass with all of the other NH Guys (seminarians), especially the ones that go to other seminaries. Serving the Chrism Mass is always a little nerve racking as the Bishop , most of the priests, deacons, etc... as well as tons of awesome people from all over the state are present and the seminarian servers are front and center!

Father Jason Jalbert, the director of Worship for the Diocese does a really nice job of laying out all the instructions for us on paper. It is great stuff and a huge help. At these Masses he organizes everything, and works with Father Richard Dion. They are behind the scenes making sure everything runs like clockwork and solving problems when things don't. I give both these guys a lot of credit for really pulling everything together in a beautiful fashion, and for dying a job that would make me go crazy or insane.

My job this year was pretty simple, process in and direct the priests and deacons to their seats. There were five or six rows in the front reserved for priests. My job was to guide the priests around the front of the pews, down a side aisle, and guide them to fill in the rows, from the back all the way to the front. This might seem simple enough, but there was one catch, one more critical instruction I was given, "no matter what fill the front row." I can't blame them for such a request, after all it makes perfect sense, the front row should always be filled.

Now there is a simple little saying that is important to make note of, "details, details, details." I have always been told that I am a big picture guy, I look at things, and get a general sense of what needs to be done, and go from there. When I look at a problem or see an opportunity, I dream big, and fill in the details after. Such an approach is important when plotting a vision, planning for the future or brainstorming for exciting projects. However, such a big picture approach is slightly less helpful when one is filling pews, or perhaps more accurately, when one has an endless stream of priests processing towards you. When people are filing toward you, and you need to seat them, it is important to pay close attention to the rows in which you are working with. For example, if the front row must be filled, and you are in charge of seating people in a long procession, it is helpful to notice the giant pillar that cuts the row in half. A details person would notice that the aforementioned pillar is so large that only Flat Stanley (see Awesome Books Second Graders Read)could squeeze by it to reach the other side. A big picture guy would blindly send several older priests down the aisle, tell them to be sure to go all the way to the end, no matter what, and then look up seconds later and realize the ridiculousness of such a request. Luckily for me a few younger priests figured out what was going on, hopped up on top of the pews and dashed around the older priests and the pillar, to fill in the entire front row, and prevent disaster.

After that initial mix-up the evening, everything was smooth sailing. and a lot less stressful. As the rest of the Mass continued it was smooth sailing and a beautiful and prayerful experience. I am not sure what it is about a beautiful liturgy, but it truly speaks to the human heart and soul.

With the Chrism Mass safely behind us it is off and running to the busiest part of Holy Week, the Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil). In Seminarian-speak we refer to this as the week in which we earn our keep. In past years I have helped at different parishes in any way I could, trying to provide extra hands to anyone who needed them. This year I am excited to be at Ste. Marie's and helping out on my home turf. There is something to be said for praying together with a faith community that knows you, prays for and with you, and one that is filled with joy.

Weekend Homily

2011-04-08T00:08:00.003-04:00

I am taking a weekly preaching class which is meant to prepare us for parishes one day. Each week different guys get up and preach for the upcoming weekends Masses. It is great fun, very intimidating and interesting at the same time. Below you will find the Gospel reading for Sunday and my proposed Homily. Let me know what you think. (note: the Homily text is written to read so I followed loose grammar rules). PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS AND SUGGESTIONS

A reading from the Holy Gospel According to John:

Now a man was ill, Lazarus from Bethany,
the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
Mary was the one who had anointed the Lord with perfumed oil
and dried his feet with her hair;
it was her brother Lazarus who was ill.
So the sisters sent word to him saying,
“Master, the one you love is ill.”
hen Jesus heard this he said,
“This illness is not to end in death,
but is for the glory of God,
that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
So when he heard that he was ill,
he remained for two days in the place where he was.
Then after this he said to his disciples,
“Let us go back to Judea.”
The disciples said to him,
“Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you,
and you want to go back there?”
Jesus answered,
“Are there not twelve hours in a day?
If one walks during the day, he does not stumble,
because he sees the light of this world.
But if one walks at night, he stumbles,
because the light is not in him.”
He said this, and then told them,
“Our friend Lazarus is asleep,
but I am going to awaken him.”
So the disciples said to him,
“Master, if he is asleep, he will be saved.”
But Jesus was talking about his death,
while they thought that he meant ordinary sleep.
So then Jesus said to them clearly,
“Lazarus has died.
And I am glad for you that I was not there,
that you may believe.
Let us go to him.”
So Thomas, called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples,
“Let us also go to die with him.”

When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus
had already been in the tomb for four days.
Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, only about two miles away.
And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary
to comfort them about their brother.
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming,
she went to meet him;
but Mary sat at home.
Martha said to Jesus,
“Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.
But even now I know that whatever you ask of God,
God will give you.”
Jesus said to her,
“Your brother will rise.”
Martha said to him,
“I know he will rise,
in the resurrection on the last day.”
Jesus told her,
“I am the resurrection and the life;
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live,
and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
Do you believe this?”
She said to him, “Yes, Lord.
I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God,
the one who is coming into the world.”

When she had said this,
she went and called her sister Mary secretly, saying,
“The teacher is here and is asking for you.”
As soon as she heard this,
she rose quickly and went to him.
For Jesus had not yet come into the village,
but was still where Martha had met him.
So when the Jews who were with her in the house comforting her
saw Mary get up quickly and go out,
they followed her,
presuming that she was going to the tomb to weep there.
When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him,
she fell at his feet and said to him,
“Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.”
When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping,
he became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said,
“Where have you laid him?”
They said to him, “Sir, come and see.”
And Jesus wept.
So the Jews said, “See how he loved him.”
But some of them said,
“Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man
have done something so that this man would not have died?”

So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb.
It was a cave, and a stone lay across it.
Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”
Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him,
“Lord, by now there will be a stench;
he has been dead for four days.”
Jesus said to her,
“Did I not tell you that if you believe
you will see the glory of God?”
So they took away the stone.
And Jesus raised his eyes and said,
“Father, I thank you for hearing me.
I know that you always hear me;
but because of the crowd here I have said this,
that they may believe that you sent me.”
And when he had said this,
He cried out in a loud voice,
“Lazarus, come out!”
The dead man came out,
tied hand and foot with burial bands,
and his face was wrapped in a cloth.
So Jesus said to them,
“Untie him and let him go.”

Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary
and seen what he had done began to believe in him.

-------------------------------------------
A Practice Homily from Me:

Let us also go to die with him. Those are the chilling words we hear from Thomas in this morning’s Gospel reading.

Jesus, confronted by Mary and Martha, is begged to go and heal the ailing Lazarus. Yet upon hearing this request, Jesus is not rushed. In fact he waits, and he declares that Lazarus has died, and then journeys to Bethany, to Lazarus’ tomb. Where the stone will be rolled away, and Lazarus will rise and walk away from his death, and into new life, covered with bandages, and before the eyes of all of village.

Yet Thomas, upon hearing of Lazarus’ death, and Jesus’ intention to travel near to Jerusalem, to Bethany, declares “let us also go to die with him.”

Thomas’s words speak to the reality developing in the Gospel of John. Jesus’ signs, wonders, and miracles have not only attracted the attention of the people, they also have attracted the scorn of the Pharisees and temple leaders. The tension in Judea is building, and it is only a matter of time before Jesus will be arrested, crucified, and delivered unto death. His very public act of raising a dead man, Lazarus, not only provokes those who seek his death, but it also foreshadows what is to come.

Jesus too will die, the stone will be rolled away, but when he rises, he will not be wrapped in the burial cloth of death, but in the resplendent light of the resurrection. He will have conquered death and given us all hope of life eternal.

Thomas may not fully understand all that is about to transpire, but he does understand that in coming to Bethany, near to Jerusalem, Jesus is becoming a marked man. And Thomas, in a great moment of faith, does not run from this mark, from this impending death sentence, but rather he wishes to journey together with Lazarus, and with Jesus, to death.

This past weekend I joined several friends to watch a recently released French film, called “Of Gods and Men.” The film tells the true story of a French Trappist monastery, in the hills of North Africa, Algeria to be exact. For decades eight monks, eight men of faith, former doctors, military leaders, plumbers and farmers, quietly worked and prayed amongst the people of Tibhrine. There they ran a small farm, raised honeybees, and cared for the sick and the poor. Each of the men had left behind their former lives, their families, and all that they knew to find God in the silence of their prayers, in the joy of their religious community, and in the love they shared with all those they encountered.

Unfortunately for the Monks, a civil war broke out over much of Algeria in the 1990’s. As the government, plagued with corruption, attempted to battle the growing force of radical Islam, scores of westerners, Christians and civilians were being brutally murdered, many in deaths reminiscent of John the Baptist’s. Faced with the reality of the growing violence that surrounded them, the monks of Tibhirine had to decide whether they would stay and meet a certain and painful end, or whether they would retreat to the safety of their homeland, France. After a prolonged emotional struggle, the community discerned their future together. Gripped with great fear and uncertainty, they anguished together, struggled with doubt, and ultimately they surrendered in and to faith. In the end they all decided that they must stay and journey together as a small beacon of light in a time of darkness. They knew what they journey would hold. Yet they knew not, the day, nor the hour. So, each and everyone journeyed in silence and in peace, in friendship and love, awaiting the night when the soldiers too would come for them, and the moment they would join Jesus on his journey to Calvary.

These simple men gave all they had in order to build a community of faith, in and with each other. They gave all they had to the poor and lived by faith alone. They lived in love and charity. Each of us, all of us, are called to do the same. We are called to prophetically witness the love of Christ to all of our brothers and sisters, to live by faith in a world of doubt, to be a light in a time of darkness

We too are called to journey with Christ, to Bethany, in order to raise Lazarus from the tomb. We are called to raise our brothers and sisters who have yet to encounter healing power of God’s love. We raise Lazarus from the tomb every time we care for the least of our brothers and sisters. When we forgive those who have hurt us so deeply, we enable new life to begin. When we reach out to care for the sick and dying, we journey beside them as they roll away the stone, and prepare to enter the loving arms of God. This lent we must all ask ourselves where we can find Lazarus in our own lives? We must ask ourselves who it is that waits for us to call them forth from the tomb.

The monks of Tibhrine lived and died as humble witnesses to the light of Christ. In a time of great struggled they walked beside a people and a nation in need of hope. They called forth the sick and dying from the tomb, and they walked the lonely hill to Calvary. The monks knew, just as Jesus did, that by staying, by refusing to leave, and by continuing a ministry of hope, and healing, and that the cross awaited them. They knew, as He knew, that the world needed love in a time of hate, and that those hidden in the shadows because of fear, needed a great light.

In the closing moment of Gods and Men, the filmmakers did not show the gruesome end to the holy monks lives. Rather the producer chose to show them in their humanity, walking with heads held high, and eyes filled with tears. The film ended with Brothers walking into the light and thus surrendering unto death and into Resurrection. Something they all had already achieved the first moment they decided to give their lives to God and each other.

Like Thomas, Let us also go to die with him.

Fire, Fire!

2011-04-04T23:52:00.002-04:00

This evening Manchester Seminarian Charlie Pawlowski and I went out for our evening walk. Being that it was in the 80's today we figured it was a great idea. At about 9:30pm we left the seminary. The wind was whipping something fierce and we almost contemplated going back for fear of getting hit by a tree limb, but we didn't it. By the time we made it half away across the property I stopped, pointed and yelled loudly that there was a fire. As Charlie and I looked to the property next door we saw flames some 40 feet in the air. The wind was whipping the flames high into the sky and there was a massive wall of fire. As I called 911 we ran to the street to get a better look. The fire was gigantic and spreading. At first we thought it was the girls school next door. However, on further inspection we discovered it was a massive row of evergreen trees they had in front. The trees are easily 25+ feet in the air and they were fully engulfed. By the time we got to the street the firemen had arrived and we laying in the street trying to gain control of the situation. The fire that had begun on one side of the road had spread to the median, as well as to the boys school's trees across the road. Night security officers frantically tried to stomp it out, but it continued to smolder, even engulfing the wooden trash can. Eventually the firefighters were able to get things under control. As of post time, the firefighters are still out there spraying the trees, the underbrush and ground to be sure nothing kicks up again. The fire was dosed an hour ago and they are still (thankfully) being sure nothing happens. The wind tonight was unlike anything I have seen before, that combined with dryness and fire are a deadly combination.

Charlie and I stopped traffic for 45 minutes, that is until the police came and took over. I know the police down here work really hard and deal with a lot of bad stuff (like an average of 5-6 murders a week). But it was very sad that the department is so understaffed that it took 45 minutes for help. Thankfully the fire was gotten under control quickly. Had it been a little later and people not been out and about, it could have been a lot worse, with much of the block going up in flames and no way to stop it. Thankfully, it occurred when it did and the fire department was able to respond so quickly.

As I reek of smoke I am off to get cleaned up. Just another ordinary day in the life of this seminarian.

Re-Accreditation Roast

2011-04-03T22:35:00.003-04:00

The past two weeks have been busy with a flurry of activities. With the end of the semester drawing near the guys in the house have been feverishly working to complete all the large writing assignments that were put off at the beginning of the year. The Seminary hosted the Middle States Accreditation Team last week. The team was making its every tenth year visit to be sure that the Seminary and University were meeting the academic standards needed to be an nationally accredited university. Needless to say there was a lot on the line (like the value of our degrees) and a palpable stress in the air. For the past two years I have been on the steering committee for the visit and have been the designated student representative in the planning and preparation process. Thankfully the accreditors have left and seemed pleased with what they saw.

In celebration of the successful conclusion of their visit and in order to mix things up- I hosted (as part of my job as Community Life/Social Chairman)a "Roast of Re-Accreditation." Immediately following Mass on Thursday the community gathered in the courtyard for a bonfire made up of copies of the report. We gave the fire lighting privilege to a wonderful lay faculty member and father of two.

He put his heart and soul into the report and we wanted to show him we appreciated it. When he lit a report and threw and started the fire, the guys all cheered in appreciation for his efforts and to celebrate his hard work being completed. We also gave him a gift of a beautiful storybook to share with kids, now that he has more free time with them.

Once the fire got cooking we roasted marshmallows over it and made smores. Life is too boring if you don't have some fun!

The Big Vote

2011-03-19T16:32:00.002-04:00

One of the rather stressful part of being in the Seminary is the annual vote. Every year the faculty of the Seminary vote on each seminarian. We joke that it is "Survivor Seminary Edition." Over our entire time at the Seminary each seminarian is assigned a faculty mentor. The mentor meets with the seminarian on a regular basis and evaluated progress, etc... The mentor is also tasked with relaying any concerns that the faculty have when each Seminarian is discussed and is the seminarian's advocate in faculty meetings. Near the conclusion of each year the faculty vote on whether a seminarian can continue in formation for the next year. The faculty can ask a seminarian to leave, can recommend them for continuance in formation, or continuance with some concerns. It is generally considered that your second year of Theology is the critical year, as they will sometimes need to let people go. I am happy to report that I was voted on for the next year without any concerns. Because of the uncertainty of the entire process, the big votes can be stressful even when you know you are all set.

Ash Wednesday

2011-03-19T16:22:00.003-04:00

We are off and running with the start of Lent. This year I spent Ash Wednesday at Johns Hopkins Bayview Hospital. Johns Hopkins is where I am assigned on a weekly basis to work as part of their Pastoral team. My work includes visiting with patients and ministering to the needs of the entire community. Together with the help of the entire pastoral care department we were able to provide ashes to over 450 patients, staff members and visitors. It was a beautiful experience to be able to be part of Ash Wednesday in this manner and I found it a powerful experience.

Please Pray for the People of Japan and Libya

2011-03-12T18:14:00.001-05:00

This week the world has been filled with many tragedies. Please keep the people of Japan and Libya in your prayers!

A Whirlwind, Exams and a Retreat!

2011-03-12T18:03:00.003-05:00

After a whirlwind trip to Ireland and midterm exams I am finally back to a point where things are begining to settle down a bit. The seven week stretch between February Vacation and Easter Vacation will be a long one with tons of papers and reading. However, with a little work, a lot of grace and a few miracles I think I will get there.

Today I flew up to Manchester to help with a youth retreat. I had agreed to help lead the retreat for St. Anthony's parish last summer. I kept putting off giving them an exact date I could do it on, until I finally had to commit to a time a few weeks ago.

The retreat was for an amazing group of young people with a wonderful spirit and sense of faith. Despite the fact that no high school student wants to go to an all day retreat on a Saturday, they were agreeable and a great group. Lourdes, who works at St. Anthony's was a wonderful host and really made me feel welcome. I also was able to meet Sister Cindy who is working at the parish. She shared an amazing vocation story and had a beautiful way to share her faith. A surprise helper for me was also a young man from Ste. Marie parish named Ben. Ben just returned from volunteering for the Church in Jamaica for over a year.

Tallaght

2011-02-27T04:14:00.002-05:00

The second set of schools that the project is working with are located in a section of Dublin known as Tallaght. The teachers in Tallaght are amazing people filled with lots of energy and heart. Tallaght is a markedly different area than Glinsk and very much is part of the heart of inner city Dublin, even though it is really an outlining area. Tallaght for years has struggled to pull itself up and to overcome its many challenges. One thing Tallaght has in a big way is heart.

Glinsk

2011-02-27T04:03:00.002-05:00

One of the schools the children at St. Anthony's will be working with is found in the rural village of Glinsk. Glinsk is located in County Galway and is very remote and very small. There are just 60 students in the entire primary school. Enjoy a glimpse.

Ireland

2011-02-27T03:51:00.002-05:00

This past week I have been in Ireland working on an exciting project linking Irish schools with St. Anthony's Elementary School in Manchester, NH. The project is the brainchild of many teacher/dreaming discussions and the result of a lot of hard work. The concept is simple, link St. Anthony's with other schools around the world, with hopes of one day having a school that is completely linked and wired with others schools throughout the world. One of the great things about Irish schools is that they are wonderful and the teachers are very energetic and game for such things. It also helps having a few friends in the classroom.

For the past week I have been making my way throughout the country organizing the project and interacting with the schools and community. In the beginning I thought the week long initial project would be a breeze and that I would have half the week to put my feet up and relax. In the end I found myself incredibly busy, but all for good things. I was able to reconnect with many old friends and visit Old Dublin again. It was great fun, minus the three hour delay from Continental Airlines, going over, and the current delay going back.

Surprise

2011-02-20T22:17:00.005-05:00

Surprise! Together with the help of my two sisters- Lisa and Sonya, and my brother Will, we were able to pull off a surprise party for my father. The party was nothing special, just an afternoon together for lunch followed by a family portrait. My dad turned 67 on Saturday, so I thought it would be a good idea to get everyone together and show him how much he means to us all. So at the beginning of the week I called my siblings and through out the idea. They all loved it and agreed. My brother invited my dad and mom out to lunch on Saturday. When they arrived at the restaurant they saw all of us sitting at the table waiting. My dad loved it and was completly shocked. My two sisters are married and live in Vermont. With everyone having families, off at school, etc... it is hard to all get under one roof at the same time. Added to the surprise was the fact that I had convinced my parents that I was flying to Ireland Friday night. I am actually flying to Ireland today for one week to work on a special project of which I will post more from across the pond. I hope to add a few pictures up here as well.

On a side note, my plane has been delayed at Newark International Airport for two hours. Thanks to a gift from my Aunt Susie I have spent the last four hours in the President's Club at the airport. It is like heaven in here. Lots of comfortable leather seating. No crowds, free food and drinks and peace, quiet and calm. I never want to go back to the regular section of the airport again. I am sure lady luck will not smile on me and I will be seated next to screaming babies on the plane for the next seven hours. Never-the-less I will enjoy my happiness why I can.

A Little Winter Fun!

2011-02-14T22:49:00.003-05:00

I can finally report that I am getting better after two weeks with a terrible cold! Despite it being 66 degrees today I felt compelled to post these fun pictures from our big snow storm of the winter which struck about two weeks ago. We decided to try and make the largest snowman in the world. Clearly we did not succeed but we were able to create a 12 foot snowman, make that snow bishop. We named him Archbishop Snobrien- instead of Archbishop O'Brien the archbishop of Baltimore.

Prayers Please!

2011-01-30T22:58:00.004-05:00

This evening I was devastated to learn that a very dear friend unexpectedly passed away. Please offer your prayers for her and her family. She was an incredible woman who had a heart of gold, who loved her family more than life itself, and someone who embodied the Gospel message with her life. As I post tonight I ask your prayers as this seminarian, and the world has lost a good friend.

March for Life 2011

2011-01-25T23:42:00.001-05:00

The Union Leader says it better than I can:

link here

Perspective

2011-01-21T10:07:00.002-05:00

"God has created me to do Him some definite service; He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission -- I never may know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next. Somehow I am necessary for His purposes, as necessary in my place as an Archangel in His -- if, indeed, I fail, He can raise another, as He could make the stones children of Abraham. Yet I have a part in this great work; I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. He has not created me for naught. I shall do good, I shall do His work; I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place, while not intending it, if I do but keep his commandments and serve Him in my calling.

Therefore, my God, I will put myself without reserve into your hands. What have I in heaven, and apart from you what do I want upon earth? My flesh and my heart fail, but God is the God of my heart, and my portion forever."

Blessed John Henry Newman

Big Bang!

2011-01-17T16:41:00.002-05:00

A great article by Reuters which I thought you might enjoy:

God was behind Big Bang,pope says

'The universe is not the result of chance, as some would want to make us believe'

By Philip Pullella, Reuters

updated 1/6/2011 10:10:20 AM ET

"VATICAN CITY— God's mind was behind
complex scientific theories such as the Big
Bang, and Christians should reject the idea
that the universe came into being by accident,
Pope Benedict said Thursday.

"The universe is not the result of chance, as
some would want to make us believe,"
Benedict said on the day Christians mark the
Epiphany, the day the Bible says the three
kings reached the site where Jesus was born
by following a star.

"Contemplating it (the universe) we are invited

to read something profound into it: the
wisdom of the creator, the inexhaustible
creativity of God," he said in a sermon to some
10,000 people in St. Peter's Basilica on the
feast day.

While the pope has spoken before about
evolution, he has rarely delved back in time to
discuss specific concepts such as the Big
Bang, which scientists believe led to the
formation of the universe some 13.7 billion
years ago.

Researchers at CERN, the nuclear research
center in Geneva, have been smashing protons
together at near the speed of light to simulate
conditions that they believe brought into
existence the primordial universe from which
stars, planets and life on earth — and perhaps
elsewhere — eventually emerged.

Proof God doesn't exist?
Some atheists say science can prove that God
does not exist, but Benedict said that some
scientific theories were "mind limiting"
because "they only arrive at a certain point ...
and do not manage to explain the ultimate
sense of reality."

He said scientific theories on the origin and
development of the universe and humans,
while not in conflict with faith, left many
questions unanswered.

"In the beauty of the world, in its mystery, in
its greatness and in its rationality ... we can
only let ourselves be guided toward God,
creator of heaven and earth," he said.

Benedict and his predecessor John Paul have
been trying to shed the Church's image of
being anti-science, a label that stuck when it
condemned Galileo for teaching that the earth
revolves around the sun, challenging the
words of the Bible.

Galileo was rehabilitated and the Church now
also accepts evolution as a scientific theory
and sees no reason why God could not have
used a natural evolutionary process in the
forming of the human species.

The Catholic Church no longer teaches
creationism — the belief that God created the
world in six days as described in the Bible —
and says that the account in the book of
Genesis is an allegory for the way God created
the world.

But it objects to using evolution to back an
atheist philosophy that denies God's existence
or any divine role in creation. It also objects to
using Genesis as a scientific text."

Thanks?

2011-01-11T21:13:00.004-05:00

After being back only two days, two different people have come up to me and said that I look exhausted and terrible. These are not exactly the friendly welcome back words I was hoping for, but I am taking them at their word and going to bed at 9:30pm tonight. I hope this does the trick and that I can look more alive. I thought I was fine, but I guess not.

Semester 1 Grades In

2011-01-10T22:16:00.002-05:00

Human Sexuality, Celibacy, Marriage- A
Introduction to Pastoral Theology- A
Christology-Soteriology- A-
Johannine Literature- B
Prophetic Literature- A-

I was pleased to do well, and happy to be over with the classes.

I am Back

2011-01-10T22:13:00.003-05:00

After a few whirlwind weeks, I am back at the seminary and ready to begin a new semester. Besides having to clean my desk and organize my room I am busy trying to map out my strategy for busy semester of classes. At the top of my list is figuring out how to balance an overload of classes and a ton of papers. This semester I will be taking the following courses:

Theology of the Church
Letters of Saint Paul
Pastoral Theology
Theology of Newman (not Jerry's friend, but the late Cardinal and recent Saint)
Preaching
Medical Ethics
Hospital Internship

Together the courses total 17.5 credits, including one course at the 700 level.

A Special Night

2010-12-21T08:36:00.001-05:00

Blessed Sacrament Parish
Wednesday, December 22nd
7:00pm

Bring a bag of Groceries for the poor

A Favorite Christmas Story

2010-12-21T08:35:00.001-05:00

The Man and the Birds by Paul Harvey

The man to whom I'm going to introduce you was not a scrooge, he was a kind decent, mostly good man. Generous to his family, upright in his dealings with other men. But he just didn't believe all that incarnation stuff which the churches proclaim at Christmas Time. It just didn't make sense and he was too honest to pretend otherwise. He just couldn't swallow the Jesus Story, about God coming to Earth as a man.

"I'm truly sorry to distress you," he told his wife, "but I'm not going with you to church this Christmas Eve." He said he'd feel like a hypocrite. That he'd much rather just stay at home, but that he would wait up for them. And so he stayed and they went to the midnight service.

Shortly after the family drove away in the car, snow began to fall. He went to the window to watch the flurries getting heavier and heavier and then went back to his fireside chair and began to read his newspaper. Minutes later he was startled by a thudding sound...Then another, and then another. Sort of a thump or a thud...At first he thought someone must be throwing snowballs against his living room window. But when he went to the front door to investigate he found a flock of birds huddled miserably in the snow. They'd been caught in the storm and, in a desperate search for shelter, had tried to fly through his large landscape window.

Well, he couldn't let the poor creatures lie there and freeze, so he remembered the barn where his children stabled their pony. That would provide a warm shelter, if he could direct the birds to it. Quickly he put on a coat, galoshes, tramped through the deepening snow to the barn. He opened the doors wide and turned on a light, but the birds did not come in. He figured food would entice them in. So he hurried back to the house, fetched bread crumbs, sprinkled them on the snow, making a trail to the yellow-lighted wide open doorway of the stable. But to his dismay, the birds ignored the bread crumbs, and continued to flap around helplessly in the snow. He tried catching them...He tried shooing them into the barn by walking around them waving his arms...Instead, they scattered in every direction, except into the warm, lighted barn.

And then, he realized that they were afraid of him. To them, he reasoned, I am a strange and terrifying creature. If only I could think of some way to let them know that they can trust me...That I am not trying to hurt them, but to help them. But how? Because any move he made tended to frighten them, confuse them. They just would not follow. They would not be led or shooed because they feared him.

"If only I could be a bird," he thought to himself, "and mingle with them and speak their language. Then I could tell them not to be afraid. Then I could show them the way to safe, warm...to the safe warm barn. But I would have to be one of them so they could see, and hear and understand." At that moment the church bells began to ring. The sound reached his ears above the sounds of the wind. And he stood there listening to the bells - Adeste Fidelis - listening to the bells pealing the glad tidings of Christmas. And he sank to his knees in the snow.

Christmas Party 2010

2010-12-12T13:36:00.006-05:00

This year I am the Social Life Chair at the Seminary. This elected position requires me to be in charge of all the activities that occur in the house throughout the year. As social chair I get to work with other guys in the house to plan socials, soccer tournaments, parties, etc... This year I worked to make some changes to the annual Christmas festivities. The Program this year was as follows:

Musical Prelude St. Mary’s Jazz Band

Program of Events:

O Come All Ye Faithful- Community
Blessing of the Christmas Tree & Creche- Rev. Mr. Brian Capuano
O Little Town of Bethlehem - Community
Before St. Mary’s - Presented by the Pre-Theology
Boar’s Head Carol - The Tallis Scholars
Christmas Movie Presentation - First Theology
Dramatic Reading - Mr. Warren Tanghe
Lo’ How A Rose Er Blooming - The Fr. Barre Singers
A Day in the Life… - Second Theology
Silent Night - Father Hy & Friends
Angels We Have Heard On High - Third Theology
O Silent Holy Night - Miss Zenaida Bench
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Fourth Theology
Mas Alla - Spanish Schola
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer - Father Griswold & The Faculty

Please join us following the program for homemade cookies and cider

One of the fun surprises I added in this year was the surprise arrival of Santa at the end of the party. Santa was a wonderful and eccentric priest who plays the part perfectly. At the very end of the program "Santa" was pulled into the main hall by a team of reindeer that consisted of secretaries, seminarians, librarians, professors, priests and even the dean and rector. It was great because it involved everyone on every level. It was also a great fun.

One of the Seminarians who narrated a skit, and who portrayed an old Saturday Night Live Character.

Back at the Seminary

2010-11-30T21:24:00.001-05:00

2010-11-21T21:20:00.003-05:00

I just came across this interesting post from the Jerusalem Post. It is a great article on the research efforts recently uncovered on Pope Pius XII. Recently historians have been trying to unfairly paint him as a Nazi Collaborator. The famous tag line that has been used is "Hitler's Pope". All of this has flown in the face of conventional wisdom, particularly after World War II which declared that Pope Pius XII was instrumental in saving the lives of Jews, so much so that the lead Rabbi in Rome converted to Catholicism after the war. The media of course loves a great anti-Catholic rant and has been pedaling the Pius XII-Nazi story for years. The interesting thing is that after all this time Pope Pius XII's defenders seem to be right.

I figure the Jerusalem Post is a great source for the story. Enjoy

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Hitler’s Pope saved 200,000 Jews’
By JPOST.COM STAFF
07/09/2010 01:34

Historian: visas that Pius XII secured for converts probably went to other Jews as well.

“Hitler’s Pope,” Pope Pius XII, may have arranged for 200,000 Jews to leave Germany after Kristallnacht, The Daily Telegraph reported on Thursday.

German historian Dr. Michael Hesemann told the paper that Pius, then known as Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli, wrote to archbishops around the world, asking them to obtain exit visas for “non-Aryan Catholics” and Jewish converts to Christianity.

Hesemann is doing research in the Vatican archives sponsored by the Pave the Way foundation, a US interfaith group.

Elliot Hershberg, chairman of Pave the Way, reportedly said: “We believe that many Jews who were successful in leaving Europe may not have had any idea that their visas and travel documents were obtained through these Vatican efforts. Everything we have found thus far seems to indicate the known negative perception of Pope Pius XII is wrong.”

Pius was nicknamed “Hitler’s Pope” because he did not publicly denounce the Holocaust, the Nazis or Adolf Hitler.

“The fact that this letter speaks of ‘converted Jews’ and ‘non-Aryan’ Catholics indeed seems to be a cover,” Hesemann told the Daily Telegraph, adding that evidence suggests that visas would have been given to Jews who didn’t convert, as well.

“You couldn’t be sure that Nazi agents wouldn’t learn about this initiative,” he reportedly said. Therefore, the then-cardinal worded his letter in a way that would not allow Nazis to claim that the Catholic Church was an ally of the Jews and use it as propaganda.

The appeal was dated November 30, 1938 – 20 days after Kristallnacht, the “night of broken glass.”

Pope Benedict XVI : Pius lived a life of "heroic virtue"

Cardinal Pacelli was the Vatican’s secretary of state at the time. He was able to ask for the visas because of an agreement he signed with the Nazis, which protected Jews who converted to Christianity.

In December, Pope Benedict XVI declared Pius “Venerable,” a title that means the Church believes he lived a life of “heroic virtue.” If two miracles performed by Pius are found, he will be canonized as a saint.

However, some Jewish groups demanded that the canonization process be frozen until the Vatican opens its secret World War II archives in 2014.

Sir Martin Gilbert, a British historian and Holocaust expert, has said that Pope Pius XII should be considered as a “Righteous Gentile” by Yad Vashem.

The End is In Sight

2010-11-18T15:24:00.001-05:00

53 pages written, 3 hours of sleep, 3 classes down, 1 to go!

Mass, Dinner, Class, Sleep!

Stop the Insanity!

2010-11-17T14:43:00.002-05:00

The past week has been insanely busy. I will be able to post a more substantial post come Friday, in a meantime please say some prayers. This week our vocation director and there are various responsibilities and meetings to attend to etc... Last night we had a wonderful dinner with him, Bishops McCormack and Christian. After returning to the Seminary I had to attend to my House Infirmarian duties and tend to a seminarian who was sick. Our evening began with a 8:45pm visit to the Doctor, continued with a trip to the hospital and ended at 7:00am this morning when I returned home. I just got up from resting (2:00pm) in order to write a 10 and 25 page paper due tomorrow morning. Say some prayers as it is going to be a ghoulish night!

:)

Halloween Party

2010-11-09T21:46:00.004-05:00

I decided it might be fun to post some pictures from our annual Halloween party. It is a night of good fun and a break from the crunch time of the Semester. We carved pumpkins, had a costume contest and even did apple bobbing. Also there was lots of free food and drinks.

Dan, the Donnelly Lounge Boss went as superman since he is often told he bears a resemblance to Clark Kent. In proper fashion he did reveal his costume till halfway through the party.

Brother Mark, a Franciscan, spent the whole night spouting off cryptic and wise messages.

Rob a funny seminarian from the diocese of Trenton came as an Aussie.

Jeff Paveglio, a fellow Manchester seminarian decided to go as a Texas Ranger. The scary part is the Mustache fits him well.

I went as the Gather Hymnal in the Chapel. We use to hymn books at the seminary, one called Worship and the other Gather. Worship is filled with traditional hymns wall Gather is filled with more contemporary ones. Since many of the more conservative guys in the seminary hate the songs in the Gather hymnal (and contemporary music), I figured it would be fun to dress as it. I figured they would love it because they find it scary and everyone else would just laugh. I made the pages and all. I won first prize!

Cuba builds a New Seminary!

2010-11-04T22:09:00.002-04:00

Earlier today Cuba opened its first new Catholic Seminary since the Revolution in 1959. Since the Revolution Fidel Castro and the Cuban government has been hostile to the Church and people of faith. However beginning in 1998, when Pope John Paul II visited Cuba, the Church and Government have been slowing improving relations. The Catholic Church and the Cuban government have begun working together on issues of great importance. The building of a new Catholic Seminary and the attendance of President Raul Castro at its dedication is yet another important sign coming out of Cuba and a reason for hope for the future.

Voting Day!

2010-11-02T00:09:00.002-04:00

Don't Forget to Vote!

The Catholic Bishops have put out a great guide as to issues that we all must consider when selecting candidates.

Catholic Voter Guide

All Saints Day

2010-11-01T23:51:00.002-04:00

What Better Day to Highlight one of the Church's newest declared saints then on today, the Feast of All Saints. Today the Church celebrates those Holy Men and Women who are with God in the heavenly kingdom. So often when we hear the word Saints we think only of the big names like Francis, Joseph, Andrew, Therese, Teresa, Clare, etc.... however in doing so we forget that many of the greatest saints in the history of the world were humble men and women known only to a relatively few. In my own life I can think of many people who have passed on from this world, and who undoubtedly are enjoying the fruits of the heavenly kingdom. To be in heaven, to be a saint, is the ultimate goal of all of our lives. The Church for its part highlights and recognizes the lives of men and women who have displayed heroic virtue and who have lived lives worthy of Christ. Saints are never perfect, and they include the likes of the cantankerous St. Jerome, the doubtful St. Thomas and the reformed figures like St. Augustine.

This year the Church canonized an Irish woman by the name of Sr. Mary MacKillop. She is a real profile of courage and faith. The story reflects the difficult realities of the struggle the Church has faced and the courageous voices of women like Sr. Mary and others who have stood for justice and truth. As the Church looks to the future, She must come to terms with the past, and remain steadfast in the pursuit of truth and justice, and always filled with faith.

Below is a story from the Irish Times covering her life.

Pope Benedict today canonised Australia’s first saint, a 19th century nun who exposing the activities a paedophile Irish priest

Sr Mary MacKillop was one of six Catholic figures canonised today at a ceremony in Rome.

She was excommunicated from the Catholic Church in 1871 after exposing the activities a paedophile Irish priest. She discovered that children were being abused by Fr Patrick Keating in the Kapunda parish near Adelaide in south Australia.

She told Josephites director Fr Julian Tenison-Woods about the abuse. It was then reported to the vicar general and Fr Keating was sent back to Ireland, where he continued to serve as a priest.

Fr Charles Horan, a Galway man who was a colleague of Fr Keating, swore revenge on Sr MacKillop and her order. After only four years as a nun, she was excommunicated by Adelaide’s bishop Laurence Shiel, who was originally from Wexford.

She was turned out on the street with no money and nowhere to go. Five months later, on his deathbed, Bishop Shiel instructed that Sr MacKillop be absolved and restored.

After being reinstated by the Catholic Church, Sr MacKillop became known for her work with disadvantaged children, female ex-prisoners and prostitutes.

She was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1995 following a Vatican decree that a Sydney woman was cured of leukaemia in 1961 through Sr MacKillop’s intercession. The second miracle required for sainthood occurred in the mid-1990s when a woman sent home from hospital to die due to inoperable lung and brain cancer was cured.

"It is a great day," said Sr Monica Cavanagh, acting secretary general of Sr MacKillop's order said from her tomb, a short distance from Sydney's famous harbour. "We are proud of Mary. We are proud that she's Australian, that she's a woman and she's a Josephite. We are just filled with great joy. We have probably even had a few tears today."

Some activists in the Church have called on the Vatican to declare her the patron saint of those who suffered sexual abuse by priests.

The Rev James Martin, a prominent Catholic commentator, wrote recently in America, the journal of the Jesuits in the United States, that such a designation would be appropriate for a person he called a "whistleblower" saint. "Only recently has the Church begun to see whistleblowers as necessary - and holy," he wrote. "Victims and victims' families now have someone new to pray for them in their struggles for justice and reconciliation."

In the town of Penola in South Australia state, where in 1866 Sr MacKillop founded the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, a special mass was celebrated with children dressing up in 19th century costume. A special cross made from timber taken from Sr MacKillop's original school has toured Australia over the past two months in preparation for her canonisation.

In Melbourne where she was born, Australia's atheist prime minister Julia Gillard joined celebrations commemorating her life. Near MacKillop's tomb in Sydney, giant screens were set up to broadcast the canonisation ceremony live.

Foreign minister Kevin Rudd, a Catholic who has travelled to Rome for the event, commended Sr MacKillop for "extending education services to girls, to the poor, to the far flung parts of Australia". Opposition leader Tony Abbott, also a Catholic, called Sr MacKillop "inspirational".

Some five million of Australia's 22 million people are Catholic, making it the country's largest religion.

At a solemn ceremony in St Peter's Square, the pope also canonised two Italian nuns, Giulia Salzano and Battista Camilla da Varano, Spanish nun Candida Maria de Jesus Cipitria y Barriola, Brother Andre Bessette of Canada, and Stanislaw Kazimierczyk of Poland.

St. Andre

2010-10-19T23:54:00.004-04:00

This weekend the Church canonized several new saints, each with incredible stories to tell. This week I want to share a few of them who have touched my heart and who speak to the Church today.

On Sunday, Brother Andre Bessette, CSC was declared at Saint. Saint Andre was a humble man of great faith who has touched the lives of so many in Canada and right here in New Hampshire. Through his humble service and incredible heart thousands of people were healed, and millions came closer to God. There are few words that I could offer that could compare with the beautiful presentation that St. Joseph's Oratory has put together online. It takes about ten minutes to watch but is WELL WORTH IT. So set aside some time for prayerful pilgrimage from your computer screen and be reminded of a little man with great faith.

Click here!

A Funny Feeling

2010-10-13T23:29:00.003-04:00

Fall has finally arrived at the Seminary and with it there is change in the air. I am not sure exactly what it is but things seem different from when the year started. Work is piling up and energy levels are beginning to run out (for no good reason I must honestly admit). I am not sure what it is but I am having a difficult time finding motivation to do my work. I think part of the reason might be that the closer one gets to overwhelming projects, the more the natural response is to do nothing. I am not sure if this quite makes sense or not, but for me sometimes it seems as if the more I have to do the less I want to do it. This of course creates a problem as one puts off the necessary and thus only digs a digger hole in which to crawl out of. So that is where I sit, with a mountain of work and no real desire to do it. I suppose I will dig deep within and find some energy to get it done, but no such luck yet.

On another note I have been finding my prayer time recently incredibly fruitful. I am not sure why that is, but when I am entering into prayer in the silence of my heart I am feeling the warmth of God's presence in a special and real way. This powerful experience has been further enriched by a flood of random memories from the past which have begun to creep into my mind. When I am in prayer I am finding myself remembering small and random moments in my life. I suppose it will all make sense to me at some point, but for now I am just enjoying them as they come.

Some Summer Photos From My Parish Assignment

2010-10-11T22:43:00.009-04:00

I just came across some old photos from my summer assignment from St. Aloysius Parish in Nashua. I thought I would post them and share some great memories. A special shout out is in order to photographer Emma Pratte who took them. Each person portrayed is special to me and has been a great witness to faith. I really love the way the pictures bring to life the parish in a special and prayerful way. Enjoy

Soccer Video

2010-10-05T07:44:00.001-04:00

In preparation for the Soccer Tournament we competed in earlier this year, we made a little promo video for the team. Enjoy!

St. Mary's Seminary Orietation 2010 Video

2010-10-04T19:59:00.002-04:00

Part 1: Note the opening sequence- my idea- oh yeah!

Part 2- Watch for my debut. I tried to make Mary Catherine Gallagher proud!

Part 3

Part 4-

A Cousin, An Aunt, Some Old Friends, A Gala and a Giant Rat!

2010-10-03T22:39:00.006-04:00

One of the great joys of Seminary life is having company. I imagine it is the same for many stations in life, however I think in a special way seminarians love to have visitors. Since being at St. Mary's I have been very fortunate to have several wonderful people come and visit including my family, friends, former students and priests from home. Each visitor brings with them a breath of fresh air, an excuse to escape the confines of the Seminary campus and a reason to put off work.

This week I was blessed to have three sets of visitors, each who brought their own joy. On Wednesday Night my cousin Patty and I had dinner in Baltimore's inner harbor. Patty lives in North Carolina with her family and was in town for a major IBM convention. Having not seen Patty for several years it was wonderful to catch up on old times and to share a night out on the town. She kindly took me to Cheesecake Factory where we dined like kings and enjoyed a beautiful Baltimore evening. The weather was perfect so we opted to eat outside on the patio overlooking Baltimore's inner harbor. About half way through our meal I saw something run behind my cousin's chair. Not wanting to scare her I said nothing. A few minutes later I saw a brush of fur run by. I was a little disgusted and figured it was a small mouse and kept eating. It wasn't until we were done our meal that I looked over beside her chair and saw what had to be the world's largest rat. Now many of you may presume I am exaggerating, but I assure you I am not! The rat was the size of small cat and could easily have weighed ten pounds. I nearly died of shock and it ran away. Needless to say we quickly motioned the waitress and called it a night. If you are in the Inner Harbor of Baltimore beware of the giant rat.

If you see it you will know what I am talking about. If you can catch and tame it I assure you could get a saddle and ride it to school!

On Friday night I was able to go out for Dinner with the Dunn Family from Manchester. The Dunns were in town for family weekend at Loyola University (2 blocks from St. Mary's) where their daughter, and my brilliant former student, MariBriege attends. Peter, Kelly, MariBriege and little Patrick and I went out to Baltimore's famous Cafe Hon Restaurant. Cafe Hon is a unique family restaurant with an eclectic combination of memorabilia. It was great to catch up with them all and to spend an evening with real people. When you are in the Seminary and spend all of your time with seminarians and priests it is easy to get a strange sense of reality.

On Saturday my Aunt Susie was in town for a national convention of Urban Boards of Education. She is on the Board of Education for Jersey City, NJ. My Aunt and I were able to meet up for lunch and I was able to give her a tour of the Seminary. She is an incredible woman with a heart of gold, and she has been very supportive of my journey to priesthood. It was wonderful to be able to show her where I study and to share an afternoon together.

Saturday Night I joined seven other seminarians and the Rector of the Seminary at the Archdiocese of Baltimore's Gala for Catholic Education. The evening was a huge fund-raising event for Catholic Schools, something that is right up my alley. The Archdiocese was able to sell out the evening's Gala and raise close to a million dollars for the support of schools! The evening featured great food, music, and a live auction. It was great to relax with friends and the Rector, Vice-Rector and Director of Development. My favorite part of the evening came when we tried to convince the Rector to bid on a Puppy. He has a cat and is not really a dog person. Despite our declarations that we would walk the dog every day he did not budge. The rector has a great sense of humor and it was in full force during our exchanges about the Puppy Auction. We made sure to buy a stuffed dog and leave it in front of his door the next morning with a little note and a bill for the auction.

Why do you feel called to be a priest? How will your academic and pastoral work make you a better priest?

2010-09-30T22:35:00.004-04:00

These two questions confronted me earlier today as I turned in my Pastoral Theology Class. After an incredibly busy week I am looking forward to the weekend! There is much to catch up on including: catching up with my cousin, a rat the size of a cat, Noah's Ark and a killer test! Hopefully tomorrow afternoon I will be able to share all of that with in the meantime I must devote my time to preparing for the killer test!

Below you will find the short two page reflection I turned on my call to priesthood and the academic and pastoral components that accompany the preparation process. It represents my thoughts as best I could organize during this crazy week. Please share your thoughts!

- Andrew

Today the Church is in great need of holy men and women who are willing to surrender all that they have, and all that they are, in order to serve God and His people. In a world so often filled with despair, we need authentic witness of the hope that is found only in Christ. As I reflect upon my own call to priesthood, I become increasingly aware of its beauty and power every day. For me the draw to priesthood is not about fully surrendering one’s life to God and the Church, serving the people, preaching the Gospel through one’s life, or living a life of prayer and holiness, since I sought to do all of these things well before I began seminary life. The draw to priesthood for me is about a response to a soft and beautiful whisper emanating from deep within my heart. I am drawn to priesthood not because I am worthy, or because the work of the priest is compatible to my loves and joys, but because God continually calls me to follow him in a special way. I do wish that words could communicate the power and beauty of this draw, but I know that they cannot. It is my profound hope that my life will.
The life of the seminarian is interesting and sometimes chaotic. Among classes, formational responsibilities, pastoral work, diocesan obligations, community life and prayer are many opportunities to grow and to be challenged. The beauty of the seminary is that it prepares one for life as a pastor. Whether balancing many hats, responding to brothers in need, or becoming a part of a community of faith, the seminary is a learning parish for each of us. While many guys are tempted to look only to the future and how things will be “one day” in “their parish,” the seminary offers the ability to begin that work today. Our pastoral formation and work begin just outside our door as a life lived in, for, and with Christ. The seminary does not form us to work as priests, but to be pastors, Fathers, and men of God. The seminary affords the ability to journey together, to integrate the knowledge of the mind with the call of the heart, and to witness authentically all that we are and all that we strive to become.
Academically the seminary challenges us to grow in our knowledge of the faith. Without proper academic and theological formation we can easily find ourselves overwhelmed and unprepared. Theological training is essential in laying the groundwork for our pastoral formation and cannot be understood apart from it. In the same manner our pastoral formation is vital to the application and living out of our faith and all of the theological knowledge we have acquired. I often see Theological and Pastoral Formation as the mind and heart of the seminarian. We cannot live without our hearts or our minds. The mind tells the heart to pump, but it is the heart that fills the mind with life. As priest I will need to be able to communicate the truths of the faith to the lives of the people. It is true that homilies will be one way this can be accomplished; however, an even more powerful tool will be how I communicate the truths of the faith by how I live and how I interact with the people of God. The pastoral formation element of seminary life is one of living out faith and communicating the love of Christ to all who are encountered. As a priest I represent not only the Church but also the love, mercy, and joy of Christ. My ability to do this rests not only on my theological knowledge but also on my ability to communicate effectively the compassionate face of Christ and the radical call of conversion He has for us all.

The Vianney Cup

2010-09-26T15:56:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was a long and hard fought day! Participating in the first annual Vianney Cup, the men of St. Mary's fought hard against Mt. St. Mary's, St. Charles and Theological College seminaries.

In our first round of play we faced Mount St. Mary's, the undisputed champion of seminary soccer tournaments for all of recent history. The Mount is the largest seminary in the region. They are like a well oiled machine. They are undefeated and are lead by a former professional soccer player. At St. Mary's Roland Park we are a bunch of guys who love soccer, have a great heart and spirit. We worked hard, practiced and gave it all our and came up just shy.

During our match against the Mount we held them to 2-2 at the half. It was wonderful to see the shock and panic in their faces as the underdog went toe to toe against the big dogs. In the second half they got two quick goals as we were slow out of the gate and a bit jumpy. They responded and by the time we got back into it five minutes later it was too late, with a 5-3 loss. The great part was that our guys played unbelievable well and that in one year we have turned our team around from the Bad News Bears to a Tour de Force! A figure it was a great sign when they had to keep their entire starting line up in for the entire game.

After lunch and a break it was back to game two where we beat Theological College 2-0.

Enjoy these pictures. I am off to Mass.

Game Day

2010-09-24T23:24:00.002-04:00

Saturday is the big game day as St. Mary's Seminary faces our rivals, Mt. St. Mary's Seminary (Emmitsburg, MD), Theological College (D.C.) and St. Charles (Philly). After weeks of preparation, new uniforms, practices, pasta dinners and all the rest we are finally down to the big day and the big tournament. It was exciting to see that our tournament was picked up by a national Catholic Newspaper as well. Click here for the link

Since we leave at 7:15 tomorrow morning I will check out for the night.

Happy 40th Birthday!

2010-09-23T13:22:00.003-04:00

A Special Happy Birthday to Trinity High School in Manchester, NH. You have touched the lives of so many. May God grant you 40 more years!

www.trinity-hs.org

I am excited to be heading back to NH to celebrate this Birthday and the 40th Birthday Banquet this evening!

Brilliant Op Ed on Pope Benedict's Visit to Great Britain

2010-09-20T22:43:00.002-04:00

Today the New York Times ran a brilliant op ed piece by Ross Douthat. Douthat captures the complexities of the Pope's visit to England, Wales and Scotland and the clash of cultures in a way like few others.

The Pope and the Crowds
By ROSS DOUTHAT

All in all, the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Britain over the weekend must have been a disappointment to his legions of detractors. Their bold promises notwithstanding, Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens didn’t manage to clap the pope in irons and haul him off to jail. The protests against Benedict’s presence proved a sideshow to the visit, rather than the main event. And the threat (happily empty, it turned out) of an assassination plot provided a reminder of what real religious extremism looks like — as opposed to the gentle scholar, swathed in white, urging secular Britons to look with fresh eyes at their island’s ancient faith.

And the crowds came out, as they always do for papal visits — 85,000 for a prayer vigil in London, 125,000 lining Edinburgh’s streets, 50,000 in Birmingham to see Benedict beatify John Henry Newman, the famous Victorian convert from Anglicanism. Even at a time of Catholic scandal, even amid a pontificate that’s stumbled from one public-relations debacle to another, Benedict still managed to draw a warm and enthusiastic audience.

No doubt most of Britain’s five million Catholics do not believe exactly what Benedict believes and teaches. No doubt most of them are appalled at the Catholic hierarchy’s record on priestly child abuse, and disappointed that many of the scandal’s enablers still hold high office in the church.

But in turning out for their beleaguered pope, Britain’s Catholics acknowledged something essential about their faith that many of the Vatican’s critics, secular and religious alike, persistently fail to understand. They weren’t there to voice agreement with Benedict, necessarily. They were there to show their respect — for the pontiff, for his office, and for the role it has played in sustaining Catholicism for 2,000 years.

Conventional wisdom holds that such respect is increasingly misplaced, and that the papacy is increasingly a millstone around Roman Catholicism’s neck. If it weren’t for the reactionaries in the Vatican, the argument runs, priests might have been permitted to marry, forestalling the sex abuse crisis. Birth control, gay relationships, divorce and remarriage might have been blessed, bringing lapsed Catholics back into the fold. Theological dissent would have been allowed to flourish, creating a more welcoming environment for religious seekers.

And yet none of these assumptions have any real evidence to back them up. Yes, sex abuse has been devastating to the church. But as Newsweek noted earlier this year, there’s no data suggesting that celibate priests commit abuse at higher rates than the population as a whole, or that married men are less prone to pedophilia. (The real problem was the hierarchy’s fear of scandal, which led to endless cover-ups and enabled serial predation.)

And yes, the church’s exclusive theological claims and stringent moral message don’t go over well in a multicultural, sexually liberated society. But the example of Catholicism’s rivals suggests that the church might well be much worse off if it had simply refashioned itself to fit the prevailing values of the age. That’s what the denominations of mainline Protestantism have done, across the last four decades — and instead of gaining members, they’ve dwindled into irrelevance.

The Vatican of Benedict and John Paul II, by contrast, has striven to maintain continuity with Christian tradition, even at the risk of seeming reactionary and out of touch. This has cost the church its once-privileged place in the Western establishment, and earned it the scorn of fashionable opinion. But continuity, not swift and perhaps foolhardy adaptation, has always been the papacy’s purpose, and the secret of its lasting strength.

Catholics do not — should not, must not — look to the Vatican to supply the church with all its saints and visionaries and prophets. (Indeed, many of Catholicism’s greatest figures have had fraught relationships with the Holy See — including John Henry Newman, the man beatified on Sunday.) They look to Rome instead to safeguard what those visionaries achieved, to guard Catholicism’s inheritance, and provide a symbol of unity for a far-flung, billion-member church. They look to Rome for the long view: for the wisdom that not all change is for the better, and that some revolutions are better outlasted than accepted.

On Saturday, Benedict addressed Britain’s politicians in the very hall where Sir Thomas More, the great Catholic martyr, was condemned to death for opposing the reformation of Henry VIII. It was an extraordinary moment, and a reminder of the resilience of Catholicism, across a gulf of years that’s consumed thrones, nations, entire civilizations.

This, above all, is why the crowds cheered for the pope, in Edinburgh and London and Birmingham — because almost five centuries after the Catholic faith was apparently strangled in Britain, their church is still alive.

Great work Russ and kudos to the New York Times for printing it.

Bocce Ball Tournament

2010-09-18T16:52:00.011-04:00

Yesterday we held our annual Bocce Ball Tournament. It was a great way to end two full weeks of classes. This year as Community Life Chairman I was in charge of organizing the event. In the end we fielded 32 teams of Bocce Players and the Tournament included almost the entire house. This year I was able to introduce a 8 x 8 leaders board/bracket and fun Yankee swap style prize distribution system. After 4 1/2 hours of play we were able to crown a champion team.

The Tournament included a BBQ (prepared by NH's own Charles Pawlowski) and a live Band. I was in charge of updating the giant players bracket and giving out prizes. In the end it was a wonderful night, enjoyed by all.

Fr. Michael Barre, my mentor at the Seminary. A brilliant and kind hearted priest!

N.H.'s Charlie Pawlowski tending the BBQ. (It is one of his specialties)

Diocese of Wilmington Seminarian Chris Coffiey, a great friend who I shared a parish assignment with last year

The Dean of Men, Father Ed Griswold (Fr. Ed is a priest from the Diocese of Trenton- he is also incredibly kind and very real)

My good friends Dan Quinn (left) and Jason Hage (right)- Dan was my co-chair for orientation and works with me on all house activities. Jason made the Camino pilgrimage with me this past summer and is one of my closest friends.

Jhon Madrid and House President Brian Capuano

Two new seminarians studying for dioceses in NJ. Jean (left) is originally from Hati and Marcin (right) is from Poland.

Father Hy, my Christology teacher who gives great homilies. A Father Hy homily is very short, but sticks with you for a long time.

Hospital Visits

2010-09-15T22:44:00.007-04:00

During each of our years at the Seminary we are assigned a different ministry. This can include such things as working with the homeless, prison ministry, parish work and hospitals. As a Second Year Theologian I am assigned to visit a hospital every Wednesday for the entire year. I am going to be completely upfront with you, hospitals make me a bit nervous.

I remember one time speaking with a good friend who told me she didn't visit a close family member who was dying in the hospital. When I inquired why, she told me that she hated hospitals. It really rubbed me the wrong way because I knew that her family member longed to see her. Sure we all hate hospitals, but not as much as those who are forced to stay in them. I imagine it is the sick who hate the hospitals most of all.

All of this being said I am nervous to begin hospital ministry. Between encountering, severe illnesses, suffering and death, and the complete uncertainty one confronts at every turn, hospital ministry is daunting at the very least. However, as daunting as the task at hand is, it is also a critical part of ministry and bringing hope and comfort to those in need.

Due to the confidential nature of hospital ministry there is little I will be able to share beyond my own feelings. Nevertheless, I will do my best to keep you posted on my personal progress.

Today I was able to tour the hospital's many departments and floors. Seeing the enormity of the facility, and the full range of patients they see, (emergency room, trauma, icu, pediatrics, maternity,burn victims)I was struck by the full spectrum present. Hearing the specific details of what I might encounter and the conditions many patients suffer from, made me realize just how challenging an assignment this will be. Hearing how one's presence can bring comfort to those suffering, brings me great strength and a desire to get the most humanely possible from this experience. Happily the Pastoral Care Team is wonderful and ready to help me grow during this year.

First Week of Classes

2010-09-09T23:44:00.006-04:00

This week marks the first official week of classes. The good news is we are finally getting things going again. The bad news is there is tons of reading, writing and lectures ahead. This semester I have five full time classes plus a pastoral internship.

My classes are as follows:

The Gospel of John- A class examining the Gospel of John taught by a brilliant priest
from the Philippines. The good news is he is brilliant, the bad news is he has high expectations and wants us to be brilliant too.

Prophetic Literature- A examination of the Prophetic books of the Old Testament. It is taught by a priest named Father Michael Barre. He is a world expert in ancient languages and my mentor. He is also brilliant, absolutely hysterical and a kind, generous and caring man.

Christology- This class explores our understanding of who Jesus is and how this understanding developed over the early Church. Christology is taught by a kind priest from Vietnam whose personal story is an incredible witness to faith.

Sexuality, Celibacy and Marriage- This class deals with many of the challenging topics facing the Church and the world today. The priest that is teaching is new to St. Mary's and seems incredibly reasonable as well as humorous (dry sense of humor).

Introduction to Pastoral Theology- This class focuses on how a priest interacts with people in pastoral and counseling situations. The priest teaching it will be requiring us to do a lot of role playing in front of the class.

Labor Day Weekend

2010-09-06T22:53:00.006-04:00

This past weekend I was in charge of Labor Day weekend activities. As Community Life Chairman I had a budget of $3,000 to plan fun things to do during the four free days we had. A free day in the Seminary means that one can go home; go away to visit friends or just escape from the confines of the Seminary. Since it is the beginning of the school year many guys choose to stick around and just relax. I decided that our weekend activities should reflect this face and be exciting, yet leisurely and relaxed.

On Friday we were scheduled to head to Annapolis for a harbor cruise and walking tour. However, the impending Hurricane cancelled any such plans and I was left to scramble. With a little luck I was able to find a great restaurant to take the guys to and 50 of us made our way to Andy Nelson's BBQ Pit for a feast. I was pretty excited to find a restaurant named after me, although I am not sure the owner shared my joy. I was very amused by the fact that we shared the same name. He seemed not to care so much. Whatever the case may be Andy Nelson's BBQ pit served amazing food and we enjoyed the evening relaxing over Beer, BBQ, Brats and Beans. After the dinner feast we headed to a Baltimore Orioles game. Tickets were $6 a piece and we were on the lower section, rather close to third base.

On Saturday we explored the Maryland Renaissance Festival. The festival is a Medieval themed fair that is built into the woods just outside of Annapolis. Thousands of re-enactors, merchants, etc... gather every year in a neat display of history and creativity. I was amazed by the fact that the Festival grounds were built into the forest much like a movie set or even as the real thing.

On Sunday we made our way to D.C. for United States Postal Services unveiling of the Mother Teresa Commemorative Stamp. The National Shrine in Washington held a special Mass in Mother Teresa's honor. Mass was followed by a formal USPS unveiling ceremony. The entire day was incredibly moving. Mother Teresa was an incredible woman who changed the world and her faith moved mountains. I am not sure if I was the only one, but I teared up at several occasions. I was particularly moved when the Missionaries of Charity from around the United States sang a haunting hymn set to Mother Teresa's words. The image of Mother Teresa's sisters, the National Shrine and the Stamp gave me great occasion for hope.

Finally today we took the afternoon to enjoy a picnic lunch at Fort McHenry.

The New Guys

2010-09-06T22:42:00.001-04:00

This year at the Seminary we welcomed 25 new seminarians from around the country. The "new guys," as they will be called for the year, bring fresh energy and renewed hope to the Seminary and the Church. As Orientation Chair this year I have had a great time getting to know these future priests. The guys come from many walks of life and from varying backgrounds.

Orientation Team 2010

2010-08-26T00:07:00.002-04:00

It has been a crazily busy week as we have been preparing to welcome 25 new guys to the Seminary. It is exciting to see the house grow and new guys begin their vocational journey.

Phone Calls you don't want to get as Orientation Team Chairperson.

"Hi Andrew this is the front office we have an inch of water in the entire second floor "e" wing. I don't know where it is coming from but you might want to see what is happening on the third and fourth floors. Oh yeah, the water is now in the library too. Okay, thanks dear."

.................

Note: if you are running sinks on an entire wing of the third or fourth floor of the Seminary, it is possible they can back up the drains two floors below and turn office sinks into fountains.

2010-08-20T23:53:00.005-04:00

My wonderful summer is sadly now over! The car is packed and it is time to drive back and get ready to lead the Orientation team. Please keep me in your prayers as I drive there and through New Jersey!

A Wild Day!

2010-08-17T00:22:00.000-04:00

One of the great joys this summer has been the opportunity to meet and get to know a special group of Sisters. The Missionary Servants of the Word are a young, dynamic religious community from Mexico. In their short history they have been guided by a faith filled founder with an incredible vision and understanding of the world. The community of sisters and laypeople focus their work on evangelization. In a world filled with great struggle, pain and searching they offer hope. It is this great sense of hope and faith, which has allowed for their community to grow with over 50 young women currently studying as Novices!

Two weeks ago I was speaking with one of the Sisters about my upcoming vacation time. I was lamenting the short time I had off before going back to the Seminary. Out of curiosity I asked one of the Sister how much vacation time they get a year. When the Sister replied two weeks every three years, suddenly everything was put into perspective. My only woefully short vacation weeks were suddenly not so big of a deal. Recognizing this fact and wanting to do something special I started to dream up a little project. With the help of a few good friends I went to work planning a special day of summer fun for all the Sisters in New Hampshire (8). After all if one only gets two weeks off every three years they deserve a few days off every now and then.

To make the most of the day I kept it secret from them all and only told them to be prepared for a great adventure. After attending morning Mass I gave the Sisters an envelope with the first of many sets of cryptic instructions. I then ran to my car and had them follow me to an undisclosed location. After arriving I quickly had them park their cars and jump into an awaiting fifteen-passenger van. The driver of the van was fellow seminarian Charles Pawlowski, and an old friend of the Sisters.

Altogether in the van we drove to the North End of Manchester for the first challenge. Inspired by the hit TV show Cash Cab I gave the Sisters two questions, which they needed to randomly ask people on the street. The first question was to name one of three women’s colleges to have a street name after it in the city, the second was to pick a number 1-50. The sisters were unsure what to do, but nonetheless they embraced the adventure. The answers to the questions would later be used to determine the street and house number we would visit. What they did not know was that I had staged the “random” people who were walking on the street that morning and that they were in on everything. After getting a street name and number we drove to the house and the Sisters were given there next challenge, to visit the home, convince the family to pray with them and to convince them to give them food too. (It is important to note that as part of their ministry the Sisters visit the homes of strangers doing just this, in a way they are “Catholic Jehovah Witnesses.” What the Sisters did not know was that the home was the home of my Aunt and Uncle. They of course played right along and cooperated with the plan.

After successfully praying with a family, bringing me snack food we drove North to Laconia. Along the way we said Morning Prayer and enjoyed the beauty of the Lakes Region. In Laconia we went to Funspot where we played Mini-Golf and rode the Go-Carts several times. I am not going to lie, I regret that I forgot my camera and missed the opportunity to post pictures of lots of nuns, in habit, whirling around a Go-Cart track. Since most of the Sisters were from rural villages in Mexico I am more than willing to suggest that most if not all of them had never been on Go-Carts or Mini-Golfing.

After fun at Funspot we made our way to Wolfeboro to the beautiful lakeside summer home of the Royce Family where we enjoyed a lakeside bbq, boat rides and a lazy afternoon. I must confess that as the Sisters sat in the front for their first motorboat ride, I whispered to our captain “please go as fast as humanly possible and give the Sisters a thrill ride.” Happily our Skipper obliged and the Sisters held on for dear life.

Finally after returning to Manchester we went to Cremeland for Ice Cream Sundaes and called it day. It ended up being an amazing and fun day to be away from the worries of day-to-day busy life. The Sisters continue to be inspiring witnesses of faith and I for one and most grateful to have had the opportunity to brighten their day!