A Sacramental Saturday

                For seminarians, Saturdays are our day off. It’s up to use them as we wish – for catching up on studies, meeting up with family and friends, carrying out some pastoral work or anything that is a bit of a break from the rhythm and routine of Seminary life.  From reading this blog, I have had the opportunity to be involved in pastoral work at St. Anne’s R.C. Church in Brentwood and Hope House Ministries in Port Jefferson.  This past Saturday provided many experiences  and actually brought together various parts of my previous ministerial life and, perhaps, provided a glimpse of the ministerial life to come.

                The day began at St. Anne’s.  Here I was able to visit the Hospitality Too Soup Kitchen and met some members of the youth group at Our Lady of Lourdes R.C. Church in West Islip (my home parish). Then, I had met with a few families hoping to have their child baptized. It is always so hopeful to meet with families excited to have their son or daughter baptized.  This week, I met a former student who brought his daughter to be baptized.  These are always great experiences and challenges. As St. Anne’s is a community of communities, many who immigrate to this area can sometimes struggle with acquiring original paperwork, documentation, etc. Helping to manage some of these issues is challenging for them and a good lesson for me.

                I left St. Anne’s for a little while to attend the funeral of Alyssa Acquafredda. Alyssa graduated from St. John the Baptist Diocesan High School in 2004. She worked on many projects and activities in Campus Ministry during her time in the school. Approximately two years ago, Alyssa was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. If you met her over the past two years, you probably wouldn’t know she was sick. Her spirit, enthusiasm, and sense of humor ministered to others, including me. In her illness, she touched so man with her spirit of service, compassion and justice. (Click here for an example.) The funeral on Saturday was terribly sad but also a great sign of hope. She brought together many people as SS. Cyril and Methodius R.C. Church showed. Fr. Lee Descoteaux, the presider at the Mass, called on all of us to consider our response to Jesus’ question – “Do you believe?” to Martha and Mary in John 11:17-34. Alyssa knew and lived the answer to that question – YES!

                After returning to St. Anne’s, I later served at the Celebration of Matrimony for another former student, Alicia Pellegrino, at St. Frances de Chantal Church in Wantagh. Here, again, I was reminded of the power of community as so many family members and friends came together to support and encourage Alicia and her husband, Johnny.

                As Diaconate approaches, I continue to see and recognize the power of the sacramental nature of the Church. Whether it be working with those who want their children to be baptized, praying and finding comfort at the loss of a loved one or celebrating the new life in Matrimony - all are sources of encouragement and strength.  Ultimately, I guess it is this encouragement and strength that the Church provides to all who gather in prayer.

Diaconate

As our Lenten journey continues, mine changed radically in days leading up to and following Ash Wednesday. During this time I learned I will be ordained by Bishop Murphy to the Diaconate on Saturday, May 21, 2011. Needless to say, it’s been a week filled with a variety of emotions but ultimately reassurance that I am on the right path, heading in the right direction.

Ordination to the Diaconate is the final “step”, if you will, before Ordination to the Priesthood. Traditionally, seminarians after receiving the Ministries of Reader and Acolyte and the Call to Candidacy are ordained deacons to serve in the seminary and a local parish community for a period of time.

As you know, my journey – as are the journeys of all who live here at the Seminary – is unique. Where, how long, and in what form the rest of the journey will take is not totally clear but there is a renewed peace that comes with this. What has been affirming and clear is the tremendous response and support I have received throughout my time here and most especially over the past few weeks. From my family, to the men I live with, to the parish community and so many others who have taken the time to check in, look out, express support and provide sound wisdom and advice. I am reminded, again and again, of the need for the community of the Church to be a part of our lives. I have no doubt that a vocation is a response to God’s call, but I’m unsure it can be answered fully without the support, love and affirmation of the local community. What a difference it makes! Undoubtedly, if you’re reading this, you’re one of those people.

Let’s continue to pray for and with one another as we journey towards Lent and all the Easter season will bring.

Peace.

Lent - More Than "Patch" Work

I write on the night of Ash Wednesday from the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception. We are winding up our Ash Wednesday Day of Quiet.  It’s a day here that is a radical contrast to most Catholic Churches today. Instead of thousands coming to the Church, we gather as a community of thirty or so to begin Lent in a solemn and contemplative way.  I wonder if the experiences of the Seminary today  might give each of us some good insight and ideas.

Msgr. Fink preaches on Good Friday, 2010.

Our day began, as most mornings do, with Morning Prayer. Msgr. Fink, the Director of Spiritual Formation and my Spiritual Director, presided and preached at Morning Prayer.  He spoke about the three traditions of the Lenten season – prayer, fasting and almsgiving. These are all things we try – in one way or another – to more actively engage in during Lent.  For example, today is a day of fast and we abstain from meat. We tend to pray more, publicly and privately. We often “go the extra mile” to help the other during the season. All good things! Msgr. Fink’s challenge acknowledged the goodness of these things. However, the hope of the Lenten journey is that these are not just Lenten things – or things that we add on for 40 days – but actions and habits that become a real part of our lives.  That they not just be “patches” but become part of the tapestry of who we are and who we seek to become.

We continued in silence after Morning Prayer and throughout the day, including meals. I have come to see the need for and to love the quiet in my life. It’s not something I can do all the time, but there’s a great value to it on so many levels.  There are fewer distractions and it makes it easier to focus. There are times, though, we need to be called to it. Even this morning, I spoke to a friend and said, “Let’s talk a little more about what we spoke about yesterday after lunch.” To which he replied, “I cannot speak to you today, I need to get myself together.” A good reminder for me!  How easy it is to slip out of the silence.

Bishop Murphy leads Ash Wednesday Prayer Services at St. John's.

During the day, too, we had the opportunity to go to Confession, to make appointments with our Spiritual Director or other faculty members to talk about whatever was on our mind or what we would like to work on in the upcoming season.  Bishop Murphy visited the Seminary today as he has done on Ash Wednesday for the last 10 years. It’s become a tradition for Bishop Murphy to begin his day at St. John the Baptist Diocesan High School in the morning and the Seminary in the afternoon. So for the past 10 years, Bishop Murphy and I have celebrated Ash Wednesday together – one way or another.

At the end of the day, Bishop Murphy celebrated Mass with us. He called on us to recognize the presence of failure in our lives, our world, even our Church.  In that recognition, we’re called to hope that like a common Lenten hymn contains, “We will rise again from ashes”.  The day concludes with the opportunity for Eucharistic Exposition and we will all gather for Night Prayer tonight in the Chapel.

Ash Wednesdays like today are good but for seminarians it’s probably not something we should get too used as this is one of the busiest days in parish life. Yet, in the time and space we are afforded here we can reflect on the call of Lent to not just add or simply take away things in our lives, but to acknowledge where work is needed and seek to not “patch” things up but transform them.

Happy Lent!

Here is a great video about Lent from Archbishop Dolan! Click here.