Escuela de verano (Summer School)

Greetings from Miami, Florida. This week is my last week of study at the Southeast Pastoral Institute in Miami. I am here studying, living and breathing Spanish in the hopes that I may one day be able to minister and serve in those communities on Long Island. It has been a wonderful, yet challenging two weeks on a number of levels.

First, learning a new language at any point is not easy. I knew that coming here and I was right. Honestly, Spanish appears to be an easier language to comprehend. It’s much less confusing than English. Yet trying to learn something new after 34 years of a whole different language is a bit overwhelming. (It is humbling and that in and of itself is a good lesson learned.) We have great teachers and things are moving a long. I am certainly in better shape than when I started on May 30th but still have a lot of work to do! I will leave here with a good learning experience and a significant amount of materials to follow up with as well!

Second, it has been good to gain a better understanding of the work of Hispanic ministry in the Church. This is one of the largest minority populations in America and it is growing. The Church has done a lot to serve and minister to this community but there is much more to do. I think of Spanish speaking people in New York where I live and how hard it must be to get a command of a new language and culture. Today, for example, I went to a Spanish Mass at St. Timothy’s Church. It was not easy to follow along – I wonder how challenging it must be for the Spanish speaking in our communities who are trying their best to “follow along” at Mass, school, work, etc. I’m finding it hard and it’s only school. For others, it is a life need. I think, too, of the men I live with at the Seminary – particularly those who come from other countries – who have to learn English to even participate in school and life in the Church here.

Third, this has been a sort of retreat experience, too. SEPI is overseen by the Piarist Fathers. Three priests and one seminarian (who stayed here through his vacation to work at SEPI) have been with us throughout the week.. They are good, humble and holy men (and they speak almost always in Spanish). So speaking in Spanish at meals is a must. Good challenge. Additionally, we pray the Liturgy of the Hours with them (in Spanish) and Mass is celebrated every day here at 12 Noon. Their welcome, patience, perspective and vision have helped to make this not only a time of education but of reflection as well.

We have four days left and while it has been a wonderful experience here it will be good to go home. For the summer, seminarians work with their advisors to develop good and balanced formational experiences. This has certainly been the case for me. The weeks here have taught me a lot and I begin living and working at St. Anne’s Parish in Brentwood next weekend. Things are moving along!