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| The view of our alley hall from my room. |
Last year, around this time, I wrote about the alley community where I live here at the Seminary. I thought it’d be good to introduce you to the Alley Community this year. Each year there are some changes in the alley as people take leave for Pastoral Year or Ordination. Additionally, every two years, seminarians are required to move to a different alley.
As I wrote last year, 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. I have come to see even more this year the need for a smaller community in the midst of a larger one.
I still live on Alley 3-B. There are seven of us who live here daily 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. We gather for Evening Prayer on Mondays and Thursdays and those times we usually share a few laughs or good stories about the week. Once or twice a semester we’ll try to go to dinner outside of the Seminary. (A few weeks ago we went to Besito for dinner –muy bueno!)
I’m going to provide a brief intro about each person on the alley – you can check out their pictures on the Seminary Website….
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| Daniel Opoku-Mensah receives Candidacy and Killick Pierrilus serves as the Bookbearer |
Killick Pierrilus: Killick is a 3rd year theologian from the Diocese of Brooklyn. Orginally, he is from Haiti. He works in B wing – a place for the seminarians to hang out and catch up after a long day.
Fortunatus Mugishu: I’ve written before about Fortunatus (click here). He’s a great man who comes to our seminary from the Diocese of Kabale in Uganda. I miss Fortunatus. He is on his pastoral year at St. Patrick’s in Bay Shore. We keep in touch pretty regularly. Even though he’s not living here daily, he still makes a great difference.
Daniel Opoku-Mensah: Daniel is now a second year theologian from the Diocese of Konongo-Mampong in Ghana. Daniel has a great sense of humor and perspective on life, here at the Seminary and in general. And, good news, this year he’s passed his road test and is now driving all over Long Island. (I've written before about Daniel here.)
Frank Zero: Frank is a 4th year theologian from St. Edward’s in Syosset. Frank is in many of my classes and is a great classmate. We find a good way to tease each other a bit but underneath it all is a great respect and admiration. He will be ordained a deacon this December 8th.
Ray Flores: Ray joined the alley last Spring and, like Fortunatus, is out on Pastoral Year in the Diocese of Brooklyn. He is a great musician and has a wonderful pastoral sense of things in and outside of the Seminary.
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| Jeremy Canna |
James Renna: James, a 1st theologian, is the newest member of our Alley Community. He comes to the Seminary from St. Joseph’s Parish in Hewlitt. He has a great reverence and love for the Church and for those he lives with. I’m glad he’s on the alley.
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| John Kwon and I at St. John the Baptist Diocesan High School in May 2010 |
John Kwon: I’ve written about John before, too (click here). He joined the alley last Spring. He is from the Diocese of Daejon in South Korea. He has a great sense of humor and perspective on things. He has become a trusted friend and mentor in managing life within and outside the Seminary.
So that's the alley! It's a great group of people and I'm fortunate to spend part of my journey here with them.
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