Hello everyone,
Well, it is the first week of my first summer break from seminary. Finals actually went pretty smoothly. I was honestly a little surprised at how well I felt that they went. I guess that we’ll see if my assessment is accurate when grades come. I don’t even know if I’ll get my grades before I go back. The past two quarters the grades were delivered to my campus mailbox but I do hope that they mail them so that I’ll see them this summer.
I managed to get everything moved over to my new room and get on the road as scheduled. I made it up to La Crosse a couple of hours before the wedding rehearsal so I stopped in at the store that I worked at while in high school to say hi to anyone that still worked there that I know. I found out that one of my friends there died of cancer a month or two ago… that was quite sad, she was a great lady.
The wedding rehearsal was very fun. The groom is one of my best friends from school. He and I used to shovel driveways together and do a lot of hanging out together. I do think that he is quite possibly the hardest working man that I know, and he really enjoys it. The wedding on Saturday was very nice too. The reception afterwards fit the couple greatly. It was held in the machine shed of one of the members of the groom’s family. They have a big area where we were able to set tables for supper and then a smaller area with a concrete floor where the DJ set up and the dance was held. It was cool to catch up with so many people from high school and to celebrate this special day with my friends.
On Sunday I went to an early Mass before going to the Lutheran church that the wedding had been at with the new couple and the groom’s family. I am very happy that they are making faith a strong part of their lives. After the Lutheran service I found out that one of my dad and his wife’s brother-in-laws had died. He lived in La Crosse so my dad and step-mom headed out here from where they live in Montana. I was able to see them today. And will see them a couple of more times before they head back.
Yesterday I had a meeting with the chairman of the Catholic committee on scouting, the vocation director, and the camp director for the Boy Scout camp that I will work at this summer. I am pretty excited about this. I will lead a chapel service every day that the scouts are there and arrange for a priest to come in for Mass once a week. I have some training for this starting this Saturday through next Tuesday.
Yesterday I also was able to spend some time with a good friend who is about to enter the novitiate for the religious community that she has been a postulant in for almost a year. She is both excited and nervous about this. It was great to spend time with her and her family. I really enjoy their company.
I think that this is about what has happened for the last week. So have a good one.
Peace,
Adam
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Finals Week Spring quarter 2010-2011
Hello again,
First a note that I hope to keep updating this blog during the summer, but I’m not sure what sort of internet access I will have during this time. I may type up posts and then have to upload a few at a time, sorry, we’ll have to see how it goes. This summer I am going to be a chaplain at a Boy Scout camp in Holmen, WI. This is the camp that I went to most of the time when I was a scout growing up, so I am very excited about it. I don’t really know what all my duties will be; I’ll have to write more about that as I find out more.
This is finals week. It is hard to believe that in less than a week I will be done with my first year of seminary studies. Wow, has this time gone fast. When I try to think back on all that I have done this school year I am amazed that it has been fit into such a short period of time. I feel that I have grown in many ways. This includes the academic, the practical, and the spiritual. I think that I had a pretty good spiritual life coming into here, but I have grown in my appreciation for the formal liturgical celebrations of the Church. I think that practically I’ve grown in quite a few ways.
Academically I have so much greater of an understanding of a wide variety of topics. As I have said before, these first two years are focused on philosophical studies, and I have seen the development of where human thought developed (western thought mainly) to the point that we were able to better understand religion and divine revelation. I am sure that I will continue in this next year. I have also had a pretty good overview of churchy type of topics, such as the Catechism of the Catholic Church and introductions to both the Old and the New Testament studies. I have even struggled through a year of Latin studies… I have done my best and have only the final to go in it. I am not very proficient, but I believe that the goal of exposure to Latin has been met.
My finals schedule isn’t really that overloaded. I am supposed to have two tests Thursday and two on Friday but I was able to move one from Friday to tomorrow (Wednesday). I did this because I have to get on the road since one of my best friends is getting married on Saturday. I am the best man in the wedding so I really should try to be there for the rehearsal. I am pretty excited about this wedding. Although I have been in the wedding party at many weddings, this is my first time as the best man.
One thing that is making this week even busier is that I am moving rooms. I can’t remember if I wrote about this or not. To help a guy get used to seminary they have those of us who are new to the seminary process live on two hallways (cams) together. After this year we move to a place where we will be for the next five years. I have been packing up all of my stuff little by little and moving it over. Thankfully the room that I have been assigned for next year is unoccupied already so I don’t have to wait for a guy to move out before I can move in. I am not able to set up the room as I will have it because there is a project this summer to install fire sprinklers in all of the rooms to bring them up to the code that will be implemented in Illinois in 2012. So I have been just piling stuff in an area out of the way, not setting it up as I’d like to, but that is the way it goes.
The last week and a half has been kind of interesting around here. Since the class of 2011 has graduated it is interesting to see which guys have already taken off to get ready for their ministry and which are spending time here, either working on further degrees or just using this time for preparation. Some have known where they will be assigned for a while now, others are only finding out a day or two before their Ordination. Please keep them all in your prayers as they work to fulfill God’s call in their lives.
Peace,
Adam
First a note that I hope to keep updating this blog during the summer, but I’m not sure what sort of internet access I will have during this time. I may type up posts and then have to upload a few at a time, sorry, we’ll have to see how it goes. This summer I am going to be a chaplain at a Boy Scout camp in Holmen, WI. This is the camp that I went to most of the time when I was a scout growing up, so I am very excited about it. I don’t really know what all my duties will be; I’ll have to write more about that as I find out more.
This is finals week. It is hard to believe that in less than a week I will be done with my first year of seminary studies. Wow, has this time gone fast. When I try to think back on all that I have done this school year I am amazed that it has been fit into such a short period of time. I feel that I have grown in many ways. This includes the academic, the practical, and the spiritual. I think that I had a pretty good spiritual life coming into here, but I have grown in my appreciation for the formal liturgical celebrations of the Church. I think that practically I’ve grown in quite a few ways.
Academically I have so much greater of an understanding of a wide variety of topics. As I have said before, these first two years are focused on philosophical studies, and I have seen the development of where human thought developed (western thought mainly) to the point that we were able to better understand religion and divine revelation. I am sure that I will continue in this next year. I have also had a pretty good overview of churchy type of topics, such as the Catechism of the Catholic Church and introductions to both the Old and the New Testament studies. I have even struggled through a year of Latin studies… I have done my best and have only the final to go in it. I am not very proficient, but I believe that the goal of exposure to Latin has been met.
My finals schedule isn’t really that overloaded. I am supposed to have two tests Thursday and two on Friday but I was able to move one from Friday to tomorrow (Wednesday). I did this because I have to get on the road since one of my best friends is getting married on Saturday. I am the best man in the wedding so I really should try to be there for the rehearsal. I am pretty excited about this wedding. Although I have been in the wedding party at many weddings, this is my first time as the best man.
One thing that is making this week even busier is that I am moving rooms. I can’t remember if I wrote about this or not. To help a guy get used to seminary they have those of us who are new to the seminary process live on two hallways (cams) together. After this year we move to a place where we will be for the next five years. I have been packing up all of my stuff little by little and moving it over. Thankfully the room that I have been assigned for next year is unoccupied already so I don’t have to wait for a guy to move out before I can move in. I am not able to set up the room as I will have it because there is a project this summer to install fire sprinklers in all of the rooms to bring them up to the code that will be implemented in Illinois in 2012. So I have been just piling stuff in an area out of the way, not setting it up as I’d like to, but that is the way it goes.
The last week and a half has been kind of interesting around here. Since the class of 2011 has graduated it is interesting to see which guys have already taken off to get ready for their ministry and which are spending time here, either working on further degrees or just using this time for preparation. Some have known where they will be assigned for a while now, others are only finding out a day or two before their Ordination. Please keep them all in your prayers as they work to fulfill God’s call in their lives.
Peace,
Adam
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Reflection for the third Wednesday of Easter Year 1
Here is the reflection that I gave at the nursing home last Wednesday. One note on these is that while I write them out, I tend to add or take stuff out depending on how it goes, and it is tough to go back and put it just like that... but this is close.
As I normally do, the readings for the day are attached below.
Peace,
Adam
----------------------------------------------------------------------
As Christians our first priority should be to do God’s will. This is what Christ did, as he said, “I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me.” Our will should be God’s will.
In the first reading we heard of a tough time for the early Church. Stephen had just died, Saul was trying to destroy the Church. Believers who hadn’t been killed were either scattering or hiding.
These believers were doing God’s will too. The ones who were scattered throughout the known world were doing God’s will through preaching the Gospel to those that they encountered there. The believers who were in hiding were doing God’s will by not denying Him and by strengthening their own faith. It is said elsewhere in the Bible that God wills all to be saved… so by strengthening their own faith that is indeed doing God’s will.
How can you do God’s will? You probably aren’t going to be asked to die for your faith. You probably won’t be sent to the corners of the world to preach God’s Word. But there are plenty of little things that we can do. We can comfort the sick or sorrowful. We can rejoice with those who are rejoicing. We can open a door for someone, or just spend time with them.
These are the little things, but they are also God’s will. I forget who said it, but there was a Saint who said, “We sanctify the things that we should be doing when we do them for God’s will.” It is an attitude with which you do things.
One more thing that we can do for God’s will is what we will be doing in a few minutes. Receiving the Eucharist. Christ said that when you see Him you see the Father. He said that He is the bread of life. He also said to Do this in memory of Me. Christ is God, His will is God’s will. So when we receive communion here, or at Mass, or any time do it because it is what God wills.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday of the Third Week of Easter
Reading 1
Acts 8:1b-8
There broke out a severe persecution of the Church in Jerusalem,
and all were scattered
throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria,
except the Apostles.
Devout men buried Stephen and made a loud lament over him.
Saul, meanwhile, was trying to destroy the Church;
entering house after house and dragging out men and women,
he handed them over for imprisonment.
Now those who had been scattered went about preaching the word.
Thus Philip went down to the city of Samaria
and proclaimed the Christ to them.
With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip
when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing.
For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice,
came out of many possessed people,
and many paralyzed and crippled people were cured.
There was great joy in that city.
Ps 66:1-3a, 4-5, 6-7a
Responsorial Psalm
R. (1) Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Shout joyfully to God, all the earth,
sing praise to the glory of his name;
proclaim his glorious praise.
Say to God, “How tremendous are your deeds!”
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
“Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you,
sing praise to your name!”
Come and see the works of God,
his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He has changed the sea into dry land;
through the river they passed on foot;
therefore let us rejoice in him.
He rules by his might forever.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Jn 6:35-40
Gospel
Jesus said to the crowds,
“I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me will never hunger,
and whoever believes in me will never thirst.
But I told you that although you have seen me,
you do not believe.
Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,
and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
because I came down from heaven not to do my own will
but the will of the one who sent me.
And this is the will of the one who sent me,
that I should not lose anything of what he gave me,
but that I should raise it on the last day.
For this is the will of my Father,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him
may have eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day.”
As I normally do, the readings for the day are attached below.
Peace,
Adam
----------------------------------------------------------------------
As Christians our first priority should be to do God’s will. This is what Christ did, as he said, “I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me.” Our will should be God’s will.
In the first reading we heard of a tough time for the early Church. Stephen had just died, Saul was trying to destroy the Church. Believers who hadn’t been killed were either scattering or hiding.
These believers were doing God’s will too. The ones who were scattered throughout the known world were doing God’s will through preaching the Gospel to those that they encountered there. The believers who were in hiding were doing God’s will by not denying Him and by strengthening their own faith. It is said elsewhere in the Bible that God wills all to be saved… so by strengthening their own faith that is indeed doing God’s will.
How can you do God’s will? You probably aren’t going to be asked to die for your faith. You probably won’t be sent to the corners of the world to preach God’s Word. But there are plenty of little things that we can do. We can comfort the sick or sorrowful. We can rejoice with those who are rejoicing. We can open a door for someone, or just spend time with them.
These are the little things, but they are also God’s will. I forget who said it, but there was a Saint who said, “We sanctify the things that we should be doing when we do them for God’s will.” It is an attitude with which you do things.
One more thing that we can do for God’s will is what we will be doing in a few minutes. Receiving the Eucharist. Christ said that when you see Him you see the Father. He said that He is the bread of life. He also said to Do this in memory of Me. Christ is God, His will is God’s will. So when we receive communion here, or at Mass, or any time do it because it is what God wills.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday of the Third Week of Easter
Reading 1
Acts 8:1b-8
There broke out a severe persecution of the Church in Jerusalem,
and all were scattered
throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria,
except the Apostles.
Devout men buried Stephen and made a loud lament over him.
Saul, meanwhile, was trying to destroy the Church;
entering house after house and dragging out men and women,
he handed them over for imprisonment.
Now those who had been scattered went about preaching the word.
Thus Philip went down to the city of Samaria
and proclaimed the Christ to them.
With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip
when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing.
For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice,
came out of many possessed people,
and many paralyzed and crippled people were cured.
There was great joy in that city.
Ps 66:1-3a, 4-5, 6-7a
Responsorial Psalm
R. (1) Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Shout joyfully to God, all the earth,
sing praise to the glory of his name;
proclaim his glorious praise.
Say to God, “How tremendous are your deeds!”
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
“Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you,
sing praise to your name!”
Come and see the works of God,
his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He has changed the sea into dry land;
through the river they passed on foot;
therefore let us rejoice in him.
He rules by his might forever.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Jn 6:35-40
Gospel
Jesus said to the crowds,
“I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me will never hunger,
and whoever believes in me will never thirst.
But I told you that although you have seen me,
you do not believe.
Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,
and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
because I came down from heaven not to do my own will
but the will of the one who sent me.
And this is the will of the one who sent me,
that I should not lose anything of what he gave me,
but that I should raise it on the last day.
For this is the will of my Father,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him
may have eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day.”
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Racing to the end of the first year
Hello again,
I am sorry that I didn’t get up a post later in the week last week about what had been going on at the seminary since Holy Week. I was just overloaded with meetings and such. I will post this tonight and since I also have to write a reflection for the nursing home for tomorrow I will post that in a couple of days.
So Austin and I made it back to the seminary in the early evening of Easter Sunday. Monday was the day that people had to return so it was nice to kind of have the area quiet for getting things done. I was looking forward to seeing my friends, but it was nice none the less.
Class and the hectic schedule started again with a vengeance on that Tuesday. It was the start of a three week mad dash to the finish of the quarter. The weather was also starting to turn really nice which made me want to be outside. It is days like that when I really get to missing my forestry job since those were the days to enjoy walking in the woods. So I have made a lot of walks on the road around the lake that is on campus. The road can be either a 3 mile or a 2.5 mile loop depending on what exact route you take. I really enjoy that.
Class has been pretty standard, quizzes, lectures, and homework. We do a lot of reading for each class and it overwhelms some people, but it is manageable. I manage it by figuring out what needs reading, what can be skimmed, and what can be ignored. I think that I have this down pretty well. Probably my biggest study issue is the Latin class. In this I am so confused that I feel like I am spinning my wheels when I study. One nice thing about the lady that is teaching Latin this quarter is that for the quizzes we have had she allowed us to retake two of them with her taking the best grade from each quiz. So I did that today and it really felt like I think that Latin is finally starting to sink in. I guess that is good since I only have two classes plus the final left.
This is the time of the year that people are starting to ask if I am coming back to seminary next year. I say that I am unless God speaks clearly to me before then. It is up to Him. During the winter quarter I had a week or two period where I was really starting to question it, but that passed without me ever thinking that I was for sure going to leave seminary. Last week one day I had one day in which I really thought I was going to leave. There was nothing in particular; it was just that on that day I really started to think of how I was going to leave. I think that this is probably normal, Satan works through causing doubts. I was over it by the end of the day and even more convinced that I am staying. This is a part of the discernment and I imagine that times like this will come and go. Before starting seminary I set in my mind that I would take it a year at a time. I committed to this year. When I start in the fall next year I will be committing to that year. I am thinking that this will help me to evaluate if I am truly discerning out of seminary or just having a bad day or two.
This past weekend was the seminary graduation. Some of you may think that I typed wrong and should have written Ordination, but this is a University at which guys are issued degrees. The graduation is separate from the Ordination. An Ordination takes place with the Bishop of a guys home diocese but this was just like a commencement at any other university (although smaller no doubt) except that there was of course a Mass of celebration before hand.
There is a group of guys in my class who have been working out together. As you know from my previous posts I had thyroid cancer a couple of years ago and gained significant weight during that time. I had lost 10 pounds from my peak before starting seminary and as of this morning I have lost 40 since starting seminary. I peaked at 307 pounds and started seminary at 297, today I weighed in at 257, I am sorry to brag about something like this but it is something which I am proud of. I have about another 70-75 to go before getting to my goal, but I am very happy to be going in the right direction.
That is enough for now. I hope you all have a great week.
Peace,
Adam
I am sorry that I didn’t get up a post later in the week last week about what had been going on at the seminary since Holy Week. I was just overloaded with meetings and such. I will post this tonight and since I also have to write a reflection for the nursing home for tomorrow I will post that in a couple of days.
So Austin and I made it back to the seminary in the early evening of Easter Sunday. Monday was the day that people had to return so it was nice to kind of have the area quiet for getting things done. I was looking forward to seeing my friends, but it was nice none the less.
Class and the hectic schedule started again with a vengeance on that Tuesday. It was the start of a three week mad dash to the finish of the quarter. The weather was also starting to turn really nice which made me want to be outside. It is days like that when I really get to missing my forestry job since those were the days to enjoy walking in the woods. So I have made a lot of walks on the road around the lake that is on campus. The road can be either a 3 mile or a 2.5 mile loop depending on what exact route you take. I really enjoy that.
Class has been pretty standard, quizzes, lectures, and homework. We do a lot of reading for each class and it overwhelms some people, but it is manageable. I manage it by figuring out what needs reading, what can be skimmed, and what can be ignored. I think that I have this down pretty well. Probably my biggest study issue is the Latin class. In this I am so confused that I feel like I am spinning my wheels when I study. One nice thing about the lady that is teaching Latin this quarter is that for the quizzes we have had she allowed us to retake two of them with her taking the best grade from each quiz. So I did that today and it really felt like I think that Latin is finally starting to sink in. I guess that is good since I only have two classes plus the final left.
This is the time of the year that people are starting to ask if I am coming back to seminary next year. I say that I am unless God speaks clearly to me before then. It is up to Him. During the winter quarter I had a week or two period where I was really starting to question it, but that passed without me ever thinking that I was for sure going to leave seminary. Last week one day I had one day in which I really thought I was going to leave. There was nothing in particular; it was just that on that day I really started to think of how I was going to leave. I think that this is probably normal, Satan works through causing doubts. I was over it by the end of the day and even more convinced that I am staying. This is a part of the discernment and I imagine that times like this will come and go. Before starting seminary I set in my mind that I would take it a year at a time. I committed to this year. When I start in the fall next year I will be committing to that year. I am thinking that this will help me to evaluate if I am truly discerning out of seminary or just having a bad day or two.
This past weekend was the seminary graduation. Some of you may think that I typed wrong and should have written Ordination, but this is a University at which guys are issued degrees. The graduation is separate from the Ordination. An Ordination takes place with the Bishop of a guys home diocese but this was just like a commencement at any other university (although smaller no doubt) except that there was of course a Mass of celebration before hand.
There is a group of guys in my class who have been working out together. As you know from my previous posts I had thyroid cancer a couple of years ago and gained significant weight during that time. I had lost 10 pounds from my peak before starting seminary and as of this morning I have lost 40 since starting seminary. I peaked at 307 pounds and started seminary at 297, today I weighed in at 257, I am sorry to brag about something like this but it is something which I am proud of. I have about another 70-75 to go before getting to my goal, but I am very happy to be going in the right direction.
That is enough for now. I hope you all have a great week.
Peace,
Adam
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Holy Week 2011
So, it is Tuesday night again so I'm going to try to write a blog post. I know I don't get to one every Tuesday, but I try.
I think that the last time that I wrote about what was actually going on was before Holy Week. Wow, that seems like so long ago, even though it was only three weeks ago.
First of all, an update on Matt, the seminarian who had the heart attack. Matt is doing wonderfully. They put in an internal difibulator on the Friday before Holy Week and he was able to get out of the hospital on Saturday. He was released from the rehabilitation center on Holy Thursday morning and was back in his hometown for Triduum. He came back to the seminary when we all did and is taking it easy working back into a full schedule. Prayers have been answered, but more are of course needed to complete his recovery.
Back to what I have been up to...
On the Friday before Holy Week I headed up to Stevens Point to be there for the whole time. I was able to invite one of my classmates (Austin) to go along with me. He is from the Atlanta Archdiocese so didn't want to spend the money to go all the way home for just a week. He seemed very glad that I invited him so that he could get away from the seminary for a while. I was happy that I would be able to show off my parish.
The drive to Stevens Point was pretty uneventful, but longer than normal, once because of me missing a turn and once because construction had the exit I wanted closed, but we made it. We went to dinner with Fr. Tom so that those two could meet. Austin and I then went to the house that we were staying at. We stayed at the house of an elderly couple of parishioners who welcome anyone into their home and their lives. They have a large house because of when their kids were home so they want to see it used as much as it can be. I have stayed there a couple of times, including Holy Week when I was a freshman in college because it was spring break and the dorms were closed but I was helping out at the parish. This couple gave us a key and even the garage door opener so that I could park in there and we could come and go as we pleased. They had breakfast with us and a couple of other meals during the week. I always think that their welcoming is how people should be, I know a few others that are like that, but not a lot. It really lives up to what St. Benedict said about seeing Christ in anyone at your door.
The Palm Sunday stuff was pretty uneventful. I helped out as a Eucharistic Minister (distributing communion) and Austin sang with the choir.
On Sunday night Fr. Tom left for a one day retreat to get ready for Triduum and Austin and I went to visit some of my friends. This is the couple that I have stayed with on many occassions that has two wonderful kids. I think that we were there talking until after midnight, it was great to catch up with them and Austin seemed to enjoy it too. Monday was pretty slow, we gathered some items for decorations and went to the gym. Austin and I each bought a one week pass to a gym in Stevens Point so that we could keep working out.
Tuesday Fr. Tom, Austin, and I drove to La Crosse for the Chrism Mass. This is the Mass every year where priests restate their commitment and the liturgical oils are blessed by the Bishop. It was a nice Mass, but the weather was getting pretty bad. I drove us back to Stevens Point and probably only averaged 45 mph the whole way, much slower near the end. I saw 5 vehicles in the ditch in the last twenty miles, so it was indeed slippery out.
Wednesday was fairly uneventful. We probably studied some and spent time with people in Stevens Point, I think we also had a walk through for the parts of Holy Thursday that were outside of the normal. Holy Thursday things really got going. We had a beautiful Mass of the Lord's Supper at 7:30 with a footwashing portion and prayer before the Blessed Sacrament afterwards.
Good Friday is always special. Our main service was at 1:00 and included the beautiful veneration of the Cross and the reading of the Passion story. I don't like to say that I enjoy the Good Friday service, but it means a lot to me. Good Friday is a day of fasting in the Catholic Church, but the definition of fasting does allow for one meal to maintain strength. A Newman Parish tradition is to get the students helping out together at the house of a parish couple and have a simple meat free meal that has been prepared by one of the students. This is always an enjoyable experience for me because it is the students who are active in the parish during Triduum who are there. I was also thrilled that Fr. Tom had invited an alumni couple to help in the meal prep. They both had been students when I was there.
Holy Saturday started out with decorating the church. The arts and environment comittee at the parish always does an amazing job with this, and I am happy to have been a part of that for many years. There was then a large portion of the day that was free for prayer and preparation.
The Easter Vigil started at 8:00 PM. This tradition dates back to the Jewish tradition of the day starting with the sunset the night before. The Easter Vigil starts with a fire (outside) that is blessed and the Easter Candle is lit from this. There is then a procession into the chapel where each person has a candle that is lit from the Easter candle. This candle is to symbolize the Baptismal candle which represents Christ being the light for our way. The Easter Vigil contains many readings and much joyful singing. I got to read the reading from Romans this year, as I did last year. After the Gospel reading and Homily is the time when new people are welcomed into the Church. We did not have any adult Baptisms this year but there were two adults who had been Baptized in other Christian traditions who joined the Church through the reception of their First Communion and the sacrament of Confirmation. There were three others who had not recieved the sacrament of Confirmation that recieved it at the Easter Vigil.
After the Vigil Mass Newman has a tradition of a large banquet dinner (started at about 11:00PM) for celebration with all those who helped at the Triduum and all those who were welcomed into the Church and their families. This is a joyful time that I look forward to every year.
On Easter Sunday I was the server at the Mass and it was standing room only. It is always great to see that many people at church. There are some people who are bothered by this because these people only come to church on Christmas and Easter. I do wish that they would be at church every weekend, but I am happy to see that they realize the importance of it at least at those times.
After the Easter Sunday Mass there was a small lunch for a few people at Fr. Tom's house and then Austin and I headed back to Mundelein. We came back so soon so that we were able to get a few things done before the last four weeks of the quarter started on Tuesday.
I think that this is long enough for now. I will write about the time since coming back to Mundelein soon. Maybe even a non-Tuesday post.
Peace,
Adam
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)