A Week in the Life

I have worked through my first week of living and being present at St. Anne’s Parish in Brentwood. I thought it might be interesting to describe what I have learned in just this first week of parish life.

It is hard to maintain a consistent daily rhythm. In the seminary, our schedules are pretty structured (Prayer at certain times, classes at others, meals, etc.). I am learning that the same may not be possible in the everyday routine of parish life. Sure some things I can control (waking up at a certain time, etc.) but there are many others I cannot. In my first week, I don’t think my “plan for the day” worked out once. Maybe it’s a phone call in Outreach that requires some more attention than anticipated, working with other Pastoral Team members on a Friday night prayer service or trying to learn the “ins and outs” of the parish’s Ministry of Consolation. Before you know it the day is almost over and no two days are the same. That can be hard – and something I’m working to adjust to while I’m here.

Second, my experiences this week have taken me to a number of different areas of parish life. I have worked with members of the Parish Finance staff and volunteers in organizing parish collections and banking. I learned some new things about how basic parish finances work. I have had the chance to work with the volunteers in Parish Outreach (this will be a separate posting later) and serve a few Outreach clients. This week, I also have the opportunity to work with the parish’s Ministry of Consolation. This ministry helps families who have lost a loved one to plan and celebrate the funeral mass.

My time in the parish has also given me the opportunity to participate in the parish’s prayer life. I attend Mass each day in the parish (usually at 12) and that helps to establish some consistency in my day – and what better moment to build a day around. Members of St. Anne’s pray the Rosary daily, have daily Masses in a number of languages (yes I attend the Spanish Mass on Thursday nights) and celebrate Eucharistic Adoration on Thursday afternoons. In the area of prayer, I had the chance to work with members of the Pastoral Team on a special prayer service on Friday night. They even asked me to lead a part of it, which was quite humbling. The prayer service – concluding the Year for Priests – honored the three parish priests at St. Anne’s, included many different parishioners from different segments of parish life and was well attended by the parish community.

Much of my experience this week ahs included meeting and learning from individual parishioners. This is perhaps the highlight that brings it all together. Whether it be meeting someone in the parish office, greeting people after Mass, helping set up for an event or working behind the scenes at something – I have met wonderful, wonderful people. They have not only told me about the history of St. Anne’s and their role in the parish but have shown me what it is to be women and men of faith.

May I develop even half the faith and good will as the people of St. Anne's in the years to come!

Greetings from the "Mother Church of Beautiful Brentwood"!

Greetings from St. Anne’s Parish in Brentwood – the “Mother Church of Beautiful Brentwood”. As I wrote in the last post, this is part of my summer pastoral assignment – an opportunity to experience a diverse, dynamic and active parish community. There is no doubt this parish community is all of those things! I arrived here on Saturday after three weeks at the Southeast Pastoral Institute and the welcome extended to me has been more than I could ever have expected.

The hope of pastoral assignments for seminarians is that our experiences will “push” us a bit and challenge us to undertake and work through various parts of the priestly life. St. Anne’s, for these reasons and others, is a good fit for me. Here are some (but not all) the reasons why….

Living in a Rectory. This is the first time in my life I am living in a Rectory. It is different living than the seminary. There are three priests who live and work at St. Anne’s – Fr. Frank Nelson, the pastor, Fr. Gonzalo and Fr. Eden. They have each been welcoming and wonderful in their own ways. I have a room and a place to work (where I’m typing from right now). The priests of this rectory gather for dinner together most nights and encounter each other in various ways throughout the day. The kitchen table, I’m learning, is a key spot!

A Diverse Parish. St. Anne’s is different than other communities I have been part of. There is a rich and large diversity present here that is part of the entire community. Masses are celebrated in English, Spanish and French Creole. (Yes – I spoke in Spanish when I introduced myself at the Spanish masses – !O Dios Mio!) Not only are liturgies and ministries in different languages but great efforts are made to make sure these three communities come together for prayer, recreation and service of those in need in the community.

Being the Seminarian. It is different living and working as a seminarian as opposed to having a “specific” job or role. In many ways, the same is probably said for parish priests. It is hard to focus solely on one specific parish ministry when there is so much happening. So I hope to be involved in lots of things and it looks like that will happen, for sure! On my first day I learned a lot about the community and was able to learn about some financial aspects of parish life – very important learning for a seminarian. I can see already where each day will bring new and surprising challenges!

So I am back in New York and hopefully building off of my experiences from the last year and the last three weeks!

Have a great week!

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!

A Woman of the Resurrection

Greetings from the Southeast Pastoral Institute in Miami. I originally intended this week’s posting to be about my work in attempting to learn Spanish. That will have to wait until next week.

Upon leaving New York, I learned some very sad news. Mrs. Theresa McBride, a former teacher, moderator, mentor and, most importantly, friend passed away after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease and complications associated with that disease. This past year has been a challenging one for Mrs. McBride as she has undergone a number of hospitalizations, faced living life differently and the death of her son. I hope and pray (and know) she’s at peace.

I have had much time, this week, to pray, reflect and think about the influence this “woman of the resurrection” has on me

I first met Mrs. McBride when I was a sophomore at St. John the Baptist Diocesan High School. Mrs. McBride had just become the moderator of The Prophet, the school newspaper, and I the overeager, hyper sophomore who lived for the school newspaper. From that point on, our relationship grew from a teacher-student to a mentor-mentee to friends. She is part of the reason I desired to become a teacher and committed to ministry in the life in the Church.

I have many great stories of our many years working and sharing life together. A few stand out and please indulge me as I share three of the stories below. During one of my first years as the Campus Minister, I asked Mrs. McBride to talk at a special Stations of the Cross prayer service before the entire school community. The reflection was about the challenges of pain and destruction in family and touched on a number of personal issues. She was so nervous but so wonderful. She witnessed to the entire community – who previously only saw her in the role of “teacher” - that with faith, hope and the support of family and friends any obstacle can be overcome. She never spoke to me about her fear but I knew it was tough. Yet, there was no need to complain. She needed to be there for the community, to show them the way.

This past June, Mrs. McBride came back on my last “official” day at St. John the Baptist Diocesan High School. It was not an easy task for her to get to SJB but she insisted on being there. There was no reason to complain. She just needed to be there. She made me sit down (not always easy to do) and she reminded what a good decision I had made no matter how hard it might be and wondered what “took you so long. I’ve been waiting for this for years.” She was anointed that day at our Closing Mass. Again, she witnessed not only to me but to the community of her tremendous faith in the midst of an illness.

I could not attend her funeral on Thursday because of my studies here, but friends tell me the celebrant preached about the women of the resurrection. All four Gospels reveal the often quiet but vital role the women played in the resurrection story. What a great image. They didn’t complain or even say much in the midst of their pain and struggle. There was no need to complain. They needed to be there so others could see.

Since June, we communicated mostly via e-mail with some visits, including one she made to the Seminary in November. Mrs. McBride had developed other health symptoms that made simple things more difficult yet she insisted on being present. There was no need to complain. Just needed to be there. (There, she also gave me great advice about the Holy Land and some money for lunch in Jersualem! :))

I’ve written before that vocation does not happen with out the loving support and example of those around us. And I’ve written before about witnesses who continue to inspire me in this life. Mrs. McBride is certainly one of those poeple.

I last communicated with Mrs. McBride via e-mail. She had just read this blog and warned me about staying up too late to post things. She acknowledged the increasing burden of sickness but did not let it get her down. Her e-mail concluded, “I really want more than anything to see you ordained. That is one of my remaining goals.”

It may not work out the way any of us perhaps planned and I'm unsure it ever does. Yet, there’s no need to complain. Like any good person of the resurrection, she’ll be there helping others, including me, to see.

Back to School

Even though the semester ended last week, this has been a busy week for the seminary community. On Monday and Tuesday, we visited Elementary and High Schools and on Wednesday and Thursday we participated in a Priests Symposium as part of the Church’s Year for Priests. While each event this past week provided positive experiences, Tuesday topped them all.

On Tuesday, I “officially” returned to St. John the Baptist Diocesan High School for one of the Vocation presentations. Words cannot express what a great day it was for me to return to a community that has done so much for me. The day was a great one for a lot of reasons:

First, I was uncertain what it would feel like to go back to SJB, especially in this new role. The second I walked in the door I felt like I had never left. The warm welcome, excited response and great words of support reminded me of how fortunate I am to be a part of this great community.

Second, I asked John Kwon, a fellow seminarian, to share the presentation with me. I think he was a little reluctant to speak before hundreds of kids in a Catholic high school (not to mention giving up valuable time off in the midst of a busy week). John is from the Diocese of Daejeon, South Korea and it is only his second year speaking English and living on the mainland of America. Whatever his reluctance may have been, he worked right through it as he gave the students at St. John’s a great personal reflection about making the sacrifice to enter the seminary and his hopes and dreams for priesthood.

Two things that stand out from John’s talk were summed up by one of the Religious Studies teachers who e-mailed yesterday. First, he spoke about the influence of a parish priest in South Korea who helped his family through a difficult time. His presence inspired John to want to make the same difference in the lives of others. Second, John talked about the absence that can be felt in relationships. He had a powerful statement, “I thirst to be loved” and said he has only had that thirst satisfied in his relationship with God. What a powerful witness he offered (and offers) on Tuesday.

I have written before about the benefit of working together with other seminarians, particularly through the parish visits and other projects we’ve been involved in. Spending the day working with John was a good thing for me and for the students we spoke to on Tuesday. First, it was great to show him an American high school and a little bit about my "former" life. Second, John is a great person to share life with here at the Seminary. He’s a good witness to me about keeping focused on what is important both inside and outside of the seminary. I realized that more as I listened and worked with him throughout the day. I suspect he impacted the community at St. John the Baptist in the same way he has done for me.

Well tonight is my last night at the Seminary for this year. On Sunday, I leave for a three week Spanish institute. More to come soon!

Have a great week!

Soon to be Father John Ryan - A Character and a Man of Character

It’s hard to believe the first “year” of seminary life is drawing to a close! Life at the end of the year here has prevented me from posting these last few weeks. But, now, classes are finished and we have about a week left of seminary and outside activities. I’ll write about those next week.

Today as part of the closing ritual for the school year, the seminarians in third year offer testament to the seminarians preparing to be ordained this June. I was asked to offer a reflection about Deacon John Ryan. John is from Our Lady of Lourdes, has become a great friend and a true guide through this first year of seminary life. Here’s the text of my talk:

Many gathered here can tell colorful and lively stories of priestly “characters”. Our churches and parishes are filled with them. The stories we sometimes are even embarrassed to tell or can’t get through without laughing about men called to serve God as priests. I think many today would agree that John Ryan is well on the path to becoming one of the “characters”.

It is not since I started living here this past year that I realized what a true character he is. There have been times when he has said something and I said to myself, “Did he really just say that?” …the various imitations and comedy bits and testimonials he’s been part of (and I’ve only been here a year!)…knowing exactly what button to push (in a good way)…being able to reach out to many segments of our seminary community. Yet he offers me and, I think, all of us here a challenge – that we, too, might be characters.

You see, people who are characters are often some of the most authentic people we will ever meet. It is not that they don’t care what other people think. It is that they have come to know themselves so well they are not easily swayed or influenced by the words or ideas of another. For they have done the difficult work of self-reflection and discernment. Yes, John Ryan is surely a character, but I propose and I think you’d agree, he is a man of character. He is a man who knows who he is and who he is not.

I hope this is not a formation issue, but truth be told, John Ryan is part of the reason I finally came to the Seminary. I'll probably have to talk to Msgr. Swiader about this later. More than once, we would talk during one of his visits to Our Lady of Lourdes or even over this past summer about seminary life and priesthood. In my own anxiety and doubt, he would encourage often with a line like, “Hey, I’m making it there. If I can do it, trust me, you’re going to be fine” or in the midst of the first weeks here at the Seminary, the quick check ins to make sure I was OK or the invitations to go for a walk and sort through a new and life changing experience. I don’t think I would have been and know I cannot be that open and vulnerable with just anyone but I can with a person of authenticity- a character and a person of character like John Ryan.

As many of you may know, John and I have a lot in common - the beautiful red hair, the common hometown of West Islip, strong connections to the same parish. We also both have backgrounds in catering and restaurant work. John and I have often talked that some our best formational experiences, in addition to the seminary, have been our experiences in deli and restaurant work and catering. As you know, John, like most of us, left a lot to come here. He could be running a business or working in restaurant management. I’d even suggest he could be on the concert circuit singing “Bridge Over Troubled Water” with Paul Simon. But that’s another talk. The idea of serving or waiting on others involves emptying, humility, discouragement, joy and frustration. It builds character and comes from people of character. It helps one to realize it is not all about them – but rather bringing something great to others. Good servants, good waiters get out of the way so people can get to the meal, so they can come to the table. Priests of good character do the same with the Meal and the Table.

John Ryan is going to be a great priest because he is man of great character. His humility, gentleness and good humor – all qualities of a good waiter – will call those he serves not to focus on him or themselves. Rather, he will get out of the way and lead them to the Table – to discover the presence of God in their own lives. That’s the kind of priestly character I think we will be talking about for years and years to come when we talk about Father John Ryan.

A Regular Sunday

This weekend is our first “regular” Sunday since the beginning of the semester. As I recognized this for myself, I realized I haven’t written about a typical Sunday is about for the community here.

Sunday in the life of the Christian should be a day set apart. We celebrate the Lord’s Day on Sunday. Catholic attend Mass and should set aside the whole day for Sabbath – for rest, family, prayer and fellowship. The reality of our lives of late is that this is harder and harder for many of us to do. That’s a topic for another post.

The Seminary community sets Sunday aside too. It has a different rhythm so that this day may be different than the others; that this day may be a time to pray, reflect, renew and grow away from the weekly schedule of classes, meetings, etc.

Here’s an overview of our Sundays….
9:00 A.M. – Morning Prayer. We pray Morning Prayer every morning we are here. On
Sundays, we start a little later.
10/10:30 A.M. – Conference. Each Sunday, the Rector, Vice Rector or Spiritual Director hold a conference. Today, for example, Fr. Peter led the final Rector’s Conference for the Spring Semester. One of the ideas, I think, is to listen to that and with the time built into the day reflect on the main ideas of the conference. Fr. Peter spoke about charity and love today and gave us much to think about.
11:30 A.M. – Mass. This community Mass is different from our regular daily liturgy. First, only seminarians attend the Sunday liturgy. There is more singing, the homily is directed primarily to the seminarians and we work to plan and minister throughout the Liturgy. We also dress in cassock and surplice for Sunday liturgy.
12:30 P.M. – Lunch – enough said!
1:00 – 5:00 P.M. – Free time. This is a time to catch up on school work, enjoy the outdoors, catch up with some friends, or take a break for a few hours. Today, for example, I did some school work outside as the weather was wonderful. The picture above shows my outdoor view today.
5:00 P.M. – Evening Prayer. Evening Prayer on Sundays is more formal. We process in with the Paschal Candle and sing all of the psalms and canticles. A seminarian preaches at Sunday Evening Prayer which is also a great opportunity for both the seminarian and the community. Tonight, Dwayne Davis preached about the promise of hope and how we must seek that out in our lives.
5:30 P.M. – Social. After Evening Prayer, we gather in the Faculty Lounge for a Sunday Social. This is a chance to catch up with one another, talk about our weekends and even look forward to the week ahead.
6:00 P.M. – Dinner. We gather for a formal dinner on Sunday nights. An “alley” sets up and serves the meal. Tonight, my alley, 3-B, set up and serve. The dinner is a little fancier, tablecloths, etc. but the community is still the same. These last two events can seem out of place at times, I admit that. Yet, it helps to highlight the significance of Sunday dinner and also is probably good preparation for many a parish social and/or dinner in the future.
7:00 P.M - ???. Free Time. Here again is some time to catch up, finish up some class work, take a walk, or even updates one’s blog (:)) as I’m doing right now.

So the Sunday pace is different and I realized missed a bit. Between speaking in parishes, guests here for Palm Sunday and our breaks, this is our first “regular” Sunday since early February. It is good to have some of that rhythm back.

Have a great week!