A Graduation to Remember!

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

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

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!!!!!!!!!

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

Happy Easter!

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

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)

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.