Walls, Gardens and Mountains – Thursday, January 14, 2010

Greetings from the Notre Dame Center in Jerusalem! Our pilgrimage to the Holy Land is beginning to wind down yet each day continues to bring with it new opportunities, challenges and chances to reflect on the life of Jesus and its impact on each of our lives.

Most days in Jerusalem begin at 5:30 A.M. – yes A.M.! For those who are up for it, literally, we walk to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre where Jesus was crucified, died and was buried. This is a time for quiet prayer and reflection for all who take part in this part of the pilgrimage.

Today, after breakfast, we visited another archeological site that provided information about the roads that Jesus walked and the walls that surrounded the city of Jerusalem in Jesus’ time. The most popular place we visited was the Western Wall. Rest assured, if you gave one of us a prayer intention it was placed in the wall as we carried your intentions with us these past seven days.

The remainder of the day found us, in one way or another, on the Mount of Olives. We visited and prayed by the Garden of Gethsemane in the Church of All Nations as we were able to touch and be near the stone that is believed to be the stone Jesus prayed at after the Last Supper. We visited the Church of the Ascension, a small area believed to be one of the places where Jesus may have ascended from after the Resurrection. Following, we prayed at the Church of Pater Noster where Jesus was believed to have taught the disciples (and all of us!) how to prayer. We concluded our journey on the Mount of Olives with Mass at Dominus Flevit, the place “where Jesus wept” over Jerusalem. Fr. Peter, our Rector, called on each of us to be aware of the moments when Jesus is visiting us. His tears then were for the people of Jerusalem who missed the presence of God in their midst. We cannot allow the same to happen especially in the midst of our own brokenness and struggles.

The day concluded with a lecture and discussion led by Fr. Jerome Murphy-O’Connor. Fr. Jerome is a noted Scripture scholar, teacher and author. His years of study, knowledge and wisdom challenged some of the conventional ways we see Jesus. Getting in touch with the humanity of Jesus is the key to a deeper and Spirit prayer life and relationship with God, Fr. Jerome asserted. He left us with much to think about, for sure!

I think Fr. Jerome captured a large part of what our day and this pilgrimage has been about. We must come in contact with the human Jesus – based in history, archaeology and research – as it will ground everything else we do and become, most especially our relationship with God. Perhaps, according to him, we’re afraid to come in contact with that humanity because it will call us to live life the way he did – a self-sacrificing love for others. That is something for all of us to think about – seminarian or not. Let us not be afraid!

Greetings from Galilee

Greetings from Galilee!

Good evening everyone! Tonight is the first night I am able to get to the computer. I am writing to you from the Mount of Beatitudes Hospice (Hotel). Our experiences so far have been challenging, enriching, overwhelming, enlightening and hope-filled – all at the same time.

We arrive in the Holy Land on Wednesday evening and journeyed to the Chapel of Our Lady of Palestine for our first Mass. We spent the night in Tel Aviv and from there journeyed to Jaffa, Caesarea, Akko and Mt. Carmel and then arrived here on Thursday evening. Friday brought saw us to Magdala where we were part of a 1st century archeological dig. After, we took a tour along the Sea of Galilee which was one of the more powerful moments of the experience so far. We a;so visited a seminary in Galilee which provided an interesting contrast to our experiences in the United States.

Today, much of our day was spent in Nazareth, after a small stop at a Church in Cana. We celebrated Mass in the Basilica of the Annunciation and had some time to just experience the space where it is believed that Mary lived and was met by the angel Gabriel. The afternoon brought us to Mt. Tabor (the site of the Transfiguration) and to another historical site which gave archaeological and historical background to the hidden years of Jesus – from his birth to the beginning of his public ministry.

As you can see from this quick entry, there’s a lot happening and it is good. We are learning a lot about the historical, archaeological, and theological times of Jesus and perhaps, most importantly, getting a chance to bring those experiences and moments in our own spiritual lives. There is much more to write about – certainly too much to write here. A few other seminarians are updating a blog regularly so if you’d like the “latest up to date” info about the trip go to this site http://seminariansintheholyland.blogspot.com/

Thanks, again, for all your support and encouragement. Talk to you soon.

Coming Home for Christmas

As we begin the New Year, it has been a unique few weeks and given me much to think about. The first semester of my seminary life ended on December 17th and from that point, the seminarians are expected to return home – and in many ways to come home for Christmas! And what a great few weeks it has been…and an adjustment as well.

What has been so wonderful and overwhelming for me is the tremendous welcome and affirmation I have received. This is the first time since leaving in August that I have been home for an extended amount of time. The pace of life outside of the Seminary has taken some time get used to, yet it has been good to approach prayer, life, ministry and study in a different way over the past few weeks.

Celebrating Christmas is a good example of the adjustment of returning home in a bit of a different capacity yet finding comfort and support in many of the familiar and foundational places that have brought me to this place in my life. On Christmas Eve, I worked in Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center. It was a different way to be present, particularly for those who not feeling so well around the holidays. I volunteered at Our Lady of Lourdes, the parish I worked in for the past eight years and have been part of for my entire life, and meet so many people at the Christmas Eve and Day Masses. I spent time with family at times and moments, that in the past I would have been working so that, too, was a wonderful opportunity. I prayed Hope House at the Christmas Eve Mass held at the Pax Christi Hospitality Center. I have even had the chance to share Christmas with a few families I have come to know and love from my life in this local community. All things I probably would not have been able to do in the past. What a way to be welcomed and included and what a way to celebrate Christmas!

The weeks since have allowed me to be present in the parish community, visit with many family and to work and volunteer in the hospital and at Hope House (and to catch a bit of a break too!). Now many of the seminarians prepare for the interterm. Some will go on retreat in New Jersey and Jamaica (Queens, not the island) while the pastoral year, third year and fourth year theologians (including me) will leave today for the Holy Land for a two week pilgrimage. I’ve listed the itinerary and some relevant readings in the column to the right. Follow along if you’d like and please keep me and all who will be on this journey in your thoughts and prayers. If I’m able, I’ll try to post an entry or two from the Holy Land.

Peace!

It's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

Today, December 17th is my final day of the semester at the Seminary. The reason for lateness of this post is the past week has seen a flurry of finals (both oral and written) and papers. Classes are finished and today we celebrated our Closing Liturgy and Luncheon.

It has been a journey to get to this point but one that has sought to bring us closer together as a community. It began on November 30th with the beginning of the Advent season. Then, on December 9th (after Diaconate Ordination), we came together to get the “house” set up for Christmas. This involved putting get our tree together including stringing the lights (very frustrating!) and decorating the tree as well as putting up the Christmas Nativity scene. This is one of those “all hands on deck” experience and while it can be work it’s also good for us to work together! And, of course, we were able to smuggle some lights and a donated tree (and a light up snowman) for our Alley…so we were the talk of the Seminary.

Today, we celebrated our Closing Liturgy. One of the traditions here is that we sing the Closing Hymn, “O Come All Ye Faithful” in the first languages of those who live here. So we sang verses in seven different languages. It was a good reminder of our community unity and diversity.

It’s appropriate we end today as the Church begins to celebrate the O Antiphons, the time of Advent that marks our final preparation for Christmas. So as the members of this community return home or to local parishes, we go forth in a great spirit, ready for a wonderful break!

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Please remember in your prayers, Msgr. Jim Kissane, who passed away yesterday after a very short but intense illness. Fr. Jim was a graduate of St. John the Baptist Diocesan High School (Class of 1982) and the pastor of St. John of God Parish in Central Islip. He is truly one of the “good guys”…someone who was a great source of encouragement and strength for me and many others. Funeral arrangements can be found here.

It's Deacon Week!

This week is a big week at the Seminary. On December 8th, five men of this house will be ordained to the diaconate by Bishop DiMarzio. They will begin serving in parishes over the next few months and then be ordained to priesthood this June.

The five men who will be ordained this week, in a real sense, are the leaders of this community. Their presence, experience, wisdom and enthusiasm for ministry certainly set a high bar for those of us who live here. Simply by their status here they inspire us to continue working on this path.

For the entire community it's an "all hands on deck" week. There is much to do from preparing the Chapel, setting for all the details of the celebration, moving chairs all over the place and preparing the seminary for the nearly 300 guests who will visit us this Tuesday, to supporting the men who will be ordained. It's a good time and moment when everyone can work to bring things together.

So pray for Alonzo, Nixon, Henry, Dave and John (you can see their pictures at the Seminary website) and pray for our entire community in the days ahead, especially in this Year of the Priest.

It's Good to be Home

This weekend, all of the seminarians were asked to return to their home parishes to share a little bit about their vocation story, especially as the Church celebrates the feast of St. Andrew, Apostle, this Monday. For me, I had the great honor and privilege of returning home, and I do mean home, to Our Lady of Lourdes R.C. Church in West Islip.

I’m not sure if everyone can appreciate the difference that a parish can make in a transition like this. Ideally, parishes are small Church communities that nurture, challenge, empower and strengthen all who belong to the community. I’ve been part of Our Lady of Lourdes since birth and for as far back as I can remember have always a found a place where I belong. This community has helped me to do things I never thought I could do – including coming to the Seminary.

Over my years in the parish, I have been offered support in the midst of challenge. I have been given the privilege and honor to serve the community in some ways. Perhaps, most importantly, I have been given a great foundation of what parish and Church can and should be.

One of the great things about good communities in general and parishes in particular, is that you never really leave. So while I have been away from the everyday life of the community since August, they have not left me behind or forgotten about me. Rather, like most communities do, they’ve rallied to be present and to support me in new and different ways. That made returning this weekend feel like I had never left.

Needless to say – it is great to go home again!

A Different Week...

UPDATE - 11/26/09 - So guess who scored the winning touchdown in the Turkey Bowl - that's right, not me! The Diocese of Brooklyn, led by our Rector, Fr. Peter, defeated Rockville Centre, 3-1 (each touchdown was a point). It was much more serious than I thought - there were rules, plays and penalities....but certainly a lot of fun. Have a great Thanksgiving!

The abbreviated week ahead brings a different pace here in the Seminary. There are no academic classes and our regular routine will be altered a bit. So what will be doing, you might ask?

These three days began tonight with an Evening/Day of Reflection with Bishop Frank Caggiano of the Diocese of Brooklyn. He spoke tonight and will speak tomorrow about how we can be more effective ministers in what can be a very unreligious or non-religious world. Part of the day of recollection includes the silence that I’ve written about before. Even as I type this at 11:30 at night, it’s even quieter than usual. There’s a nice sense of peace about that.

Tuesday and early Wednesday are Work Days. I cannot tell you exactly what they entail because I haven’t lived through them but they are ways for the seminary community to work together and contribute to the life of the house. We have been divided into work teams which range from outside work, working in the Library, cleaning and reorganizing the Chapel, among many other tasks. So all day Tuesday we’re working. I bet it’s not only going to be a day where a lot gets done but it gives us who live here a chance to work on a different level. So we’ll see how it goes.

On Tuesday afternoon, I’m told, there a tradition of a Turkey Bowl where the seminarians from Brooklyn take on the seminarians from Rockville Centre. Those who are from other dioceses get drafted, I believe, on to one of the teams. Pray for me :)!

On Wednesday, we conclude with a ½ work day, then Mass followed by lunch together. From there we return home and get the chance to spend the holidays with family and friends. This upcoming weekend, we’ve been asked to speak in our home parishes about our experiences at the Seminary, Bishop Murphy’s Pastoral Letter and a real invitation to invite others to consider the seminary or religious life.

On Sunday, some of us will go to St. James Cathedral to celebrate with our Rector, Msgr. Peter Vaccari, as he is official recognized by the Bishop for the title of “Monsignor”. Then it’s back to the Seminary on Sunday night as get the place ready for Advent.

So as you can read – there’s a lot happening here in this “different week”!

Have a great Thanksgiving!