Meet the Alley!

I’m going to try with a few of these blog postings to try and share with you a little about what seminary life is like. A few weeks ago I introduced you to the Rector, Fr. Peter. In addition to him and the alley –which we’ll read about today – I’ll continue to write about some of the different people and places here too! This week we’ll do both – so it’s a little long.

In addition to being part of the larger seminary community, each seminarian at the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception is part of a “corridor community” or more informally an “alley”. The idea is, that just like Church, we don’t just experience support from the larger community but also on a smaller, more intimate level. Each alley has a number of seminarians from different years and usually has one professor or member of the faculty who is the alley prefect.

I live on Alley 3-B. There are nine of us who live here and our alley prefect, or professor is Msgr. James Swiader. (He’s also the Dean of Seminarians and my Advisor – so there will be a post about him one day.) We have some formal and informal ways that we attempt to support and be present to one another.

First, check out the Alley Lounge (my room is right across from it – how lucky am I!). Here, as you might able to see, there’s a TV, refrigerator, coffee maker, comfortable couches and much more. Don’t worry – that refrigerator is filled with Diet Pepsi and many other things!) Some times a bunch of guys will watch the Giants’ game or one or two might catch the light night news or something like that. Much like a college dorm we have it stocked with candy, snacks, comfortable couches, etc.

Our alley bulletin board is a way we communicate and keep up with each other. It’s hard to see in this picture but we pray for one person on the alley per week, we have a prayer intention list that we add to each week, and a quote of the week to help us reflect or think about.

We gather as an alley officially on Mondays and Thursday for Evening Prayer at 5:30 P.M. It’s a time not only to pray but also to catch up on life at the Seminary and in general. Our prayer is simple but if often allows us to pray in a more personal way with one another.

We also do things more informally too! Last week we all went out to dinner to eat with Msgr. Swiader. It was a good way to share life outside of the house. Other times, we’ll set up for dinner together or just help each other out if someone has something they need to get done. We’re a pretty good group as we are always up to trying to something that brings us a little closer together.

The alley, or the corridor community, is a great way to make a big building much smaller. The hope is that in some way the community we form here will continue beyond this place, too.

I’m going to provide a brief intro about each person on the alley – you can check out their pictures on the Seminary Website….
Msgr. Swiader: Is the dean and alley prefect. More to come about him in a future post.
Henry Leuthardt: Henry is a 4th year theologian and is preparing to be ordained this June. He's from St. John the Evangelist Church in Center Moriches. I work for Henry in the Sacristy.
Paul Kim: Paul is a 2nd year theologian from the Diocese of Brooklyn. He’s always finding a way to keep people laughing.
Jeremy Canna: Jeremy is a 1st year theologian from the Diocese of Brooklyn. Jeremy is a great musician and plays the organ at many of our seminary Masses and prayer services.
Frank Zero: Frank is a 3rd year theologian from St. Edward’s in Syosset. Frank’s in many of my classes and is a great classmate.
Daniel Opoku-Mensah: Daniel is a first year theologian from the Diocese of Konongo-Mampong in Ghana. Whenever I’m thinking how far I had to come to Huntington, I become quiet and think of Daniel. His first experience of America is here at the Seminary. Daniel is a great soccer player and a great person to live with.
John Ryan: John is a 4th year theologian preparing to be ordained this year. He is the coordinator of B-Wing for the entire seminary. He has such a great perspective and sense of humor on things! He, too, is from Our Lady of Lourdes Church in West Islip.
Killick Pierrilus: Killick is a 2nd year theologian from the Diocese of Brooklyn. He is an acolyte in the house and works in B wing – a place for the seminarians to hang out and catch up after a long day.
Brandon O’Brien: Brandon is a 2nd year theologican from the Sacred Heart Church in Merrick. Brandon is also an organist at many of our Masses and prayer services. He’s also a Giants’ fan – so pray for him these days.

Ok - this week was a long post! Sorry about that.