thank you lunch

Today was a Kitchen & Service Staff Appreciation Lunch cooked by Fr Vallee and Javier, served by some seminarians for staff here at St John Vianney College Seminary.

full Mass

Final exams begin.  Exam schedule.  Casual neat.  All seminary priests are celebrating Mass.

 

Final exams week

This week is final exams.  I probably won’t be posting much until Friday.

Monday — Thomas Aquinas in the 20th Century, Ministerial Practicum
Tuesday — Intro to New Testament
Wednesday — no exams, (Kitchen Appreciation Lunch)
Thursday — Intermediate Spanish, Medieval Philosophy, (Semester Evaluation PM)
Friday — Contemporary Philosophy

Confirmation Mass

Today, I helped alter serve at my home parish of St Bernadette Catholic Church (Hollywood, FL) for Confirmation Mass with Miami Auxiliary Bishop Roman and Deacon Blanco (from St Brendan High School), along with my pastor Fr Dalton, Deacon Lou, and Fr Kris (from Archbishop McCarthy High School).  A beautiful Mass for some great kids and parents (some I taught last year in CCD).

 

Pre-T backyard Mass

The adoration chapels in the Pre-Theology houses are ready for the Blessed Sacrament.  Today, we had a morning Mass in our backyard with ALL seminarians for a beautiful celebration surrounded by all God’s creation.  — awesome

    

SJV faculty dinner

Tonight we got fancy for an evening dinner party for the faculty staff of St John Vianney College Seminary.

First with drinks & ordoirves.
Then with dinner & flaming deserts.
Then with retirement and anniversary awards.

     

Mark + Good News + St Francis

MASS - (Fr Joseph) — today is the feast of St Mark the Evangelist.  In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells the apostles, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.  Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned…”

[wine silo]

When we preach, we need to find the Good News for other, not just talk at people with facts and research, but truely connect to make Christ alive through our actions and witness.  As St Francis said, “Preach the Gospel to others … if necessary use words.”

compline + Our Lady of Guadalupe

In this Jubilee Year of the Archdiocese of Miami, there are 2 paintings of Our Lady of Guadalupe traveling throughout the diocese spend a week in each.  This week, St John Vianney College Seminary has one.

As a group, the Pre-Theology seminarians had our regular Thursday night Compline (Night Prayer) before Our Lady.  We also did a rosary with the Luminous Mysteries (as the lights of the Chapel got brighter).  — brotherhood in prayer before Our Lady …

Senior projects — day 2

Today was day 2 of 2 of the presentation of Senior Philosophy Projects.  15 minutes each.  8 seminarians.  Topics included (if I wrote them down right?):

• (Peter) Hermeneutics & Gadamer
• (Michael) Beauty
• (Igor) Personalism …
• (Vely) Poverty
• (Madian) Slavery, Freedom, Conscience
• (Julio) Immigration
• (Justin) To “Be a Man”
• (Ben) Anthropology of Karol Józef Wojtyła

Senior projects — day 1

Today was day 1 of 2 of the presentation of Senior Philosophy Projects.  15 minutes each.  9 seminarians.  [Worklist & Holy Hour cancelled today].  Topics included (if I wrote them down right?):

• (George) Play on Words
• (Jose) The character “Hector” in the Illiad & Odyssey
• (Krem) Just War Theory
• (Carlos) Virtue of Justice
• (Sergio) Dialogue with Cultures by Pope Pius XI
• (Eddy) Happiness
• (Elvis) Dialogue of Catholic Church with Liberalism
• (Dom) Nietchze
• (Robinson) Charity in St John Vianney

Étienne Gilson + Honest to God + simplex priest + Cylon

AQUINAS - (Fr Vallee) — mainly discussed Étienne Gilson (of 20th century) converted to Neo-Thomism … concluded that the metaphysical conclusion of Descartes only make sense in light of Thomas Aquinas.  (#2) Also proved there is no single common philosophy inherent in medieval theologies … hence, debunks the pure crystal stream theory and opens the way for pluralism of Vatican II and Fides et Ratio.  (#3) He reads Thomism as an authentic existentialism … opposed essentialism of Maritain.  (#4) He strongly opposes the separation of theology and philosophy, as practiced by moderns, hence Fides et Ratio.

Philosophy can be authentically Christian and still be philosophy, an idea which perhaps even Heidegger does not accept.  Theology is not irrelevant to the work of philosophy … it is relevant to knowledge of God and Man.

[extras: Gospel of Oprah + J's Pulp FIction + project purgatory]

CONTEMPORARY PHIL - (Fr Santos) — continuing John A. T. Robinson’s Honest to God.  God as “ground” … “religionless” Christianity … “demythologization” of Scripture.

MEDIEVAL - (Fr Vallee) — final essay questions on Augustine & Aquinas (aporia, metaphysics, ethics, epistemology) + manualism + simplex (Mass) priest + book of conclusions + William of Ockham + a reverse mermaid

EVENING TV — some classic Battlestar Galactica on NBC.com (new episode every Wednesday).  A quote from episode 11, The Young Lords (197 … Cylon Centurion: “These Humanoids are not well constructed.  They damage easily.”  Starbuck’s response, “At least we don’t rust.”  — a Cylon after Nietzsche own heart(less)

Rhode Island food night

CULTURAL FOOD NIGHT — today was Rhode Island food night with lots of shell food … clams, muscles, clam chowder, and the best part … SWEET ICED TEA with LEMON … delicious!
  

Spanish class desayuno

SPANISH 2 - (Dr Jimenez) — today, we had class AND breakfast at Brisa de Espana, a local Spanish restaurant.  The food was great.  I had scrambled eggs with Spanish sausage an Arizona ice tea! 

We’re finishing our last chapter 18 with Si (if) clauses and a confusing summary of the use of the subjunctive (ALL OF THEM).  — I can’t say I was paying all my attention to our bookwork, cuz the food was delicioso!

Voltron homily

MASS - (Fr Santos) — today’s homily mentioned Father’s favorite anime cartoon growing up (and mine) as Voltron, Defender of the Universe.  He followed with a story about a child that thought he could fly … and even tried “flying” out the second floor window … caught by his father working in the garden below … but the father got more hurt than the son he sacrificed for … a great connection to how complete our Heavenly Father’s love is for us … “God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not die but have eternal life” — John 3:16 

– plus, any mention of Voltron in a Mass homily is worth noting … lol

Pre-T chapels blessing

Our off-campus Pre-Theology homes were finally ready to have their individual chapels blessed.  Each of the 2 homes have room designated as an adoration chapel with the Blessed Sacrament exposed (not yet … that’s Saturday morning Mass in our back yards).  We have a red candle holder, holy water font, alter and tabernacle in each, so far. 

Us 12 Pre-Theologian seminarians had Night Prayer together and then blessed each chapel seperately (with some book delays).  — Beautiful.

  

apostalic work @ St Kevin

Since all new seminarians this year will be assigned “apostalic work” next year, we’re observing other fellow seminarians in different current assignments for the last few Mondays of the semester.  Today, a small group of us visited a residential nursing home with 5 elderly women residents.  They were very cheerful and social with us.  Since they spoke Spanish, we didn’t know everything being said, but we all knew what was going on.  Some Scripture, prayer, sharing and lots of joy.  — the Lord’s humor is contagious

next year’s schedule

Today, I registered for classes next semester, starting August 25th (if I pass my end-of-semester evaluation next week, God willing).  Other guys say it’s a pretty hard schedule next semester …

On Mon/Wed/Fri, I’ll have Fundamental Ethics (Fr Vallee), Social Ethics (Dr Santos), and Metaphysics (Dr Solis).

On Tues/Thurs, I’ll have Pre-Theology Seminary (Fr Santos) and World Religion & Literature (Fr Joseph).

Here is the TENTATIVE SJV COLLEGE SCHEDULE for next year:

August 07 — New Men Arrive
August 21 — Returning Students Arrive (–that’s me)
August 24 — 11am Mass of the Holy Spirit / Dean’s Award Dinner
August 25 — Classes Begin

September 19-20 — Day of Recollection
September 27 — Parent Day

October 06-10 — Mid-Semester Exams
October 07 — Solemn Mass, Archdiocesen Golden Jubilee (Bank Atlantic Center)
October 10-17 — Mid-Semester Break
October 18-19 — Day of Recollection
October 20 — Classes Resume

November 07-09 — Vocation Awareness Weekend
November 10 — No Class
November 26-30 — Thanksgiving Break

December 01 — Classes Resume
December 05 — Pre-Christmas Mass & Dinner
December 08-12 — Final Exam Week
December 12 — Gaudeamus (of new guys)
December 13 to January 4 — Christmas Break

January 05 — Spring Classes Begin
January 19 — Martin Luther King Day / No Class

February 16 — Mid-Semester Exams
February 20-26 — Mid-Semester Break
February 26 to March 01 — Retreat

March 02 — Classes Resume
March 13-15 — Vocation Awareness Weekend
March 16 — No Class
March 20 — Fides et Ratio Conference

April 03-13 — Holy Week Break
April 14 — Classes Resume
April 16 — Humanities Projects Presentations
April 17 — Senior Interviews @ St Vincent DePaul Major Seminary (–that me)
April 23-24 — Senior Projects Presentations
April 25 — Diaconate Ordination @ St Vincent DePaul Major Seminary
April 27 to May 01 — Final Exam Week

May 05 — Gaudeamus (on graduates)
May 06 — Graduation

Jubilee monstrance pilgrimage @ SJV

Tonight ends a 2 week pilgrimage in the Archdiocese of Miami of a monstrance blessed by Pope John Paul II to encourage vocations, especially in this Golden Jubilee year.  Today at 8pm, here at St John Vianney College Seminary, we had a full chapel of visitor for Compline (Night Prayer) with benediction & adoration with the visiting vocation monstrance.  Auxiliary Bishop Noonan had a good reflection and I was lector (a bit pro-active) for a great experience.

  

Serra Club + alter server Mass

MASS - (Fr Manny Alvarez) — today, I was lector for a special morning Mass honoring the best alter servers in the Archdiocese of Miami by the Serra Club (a great supporter of vocations).

 

    

Deacon ordination @ SVdP

Today, we drove up to St Vincent DePaul Major Seminary in Boyton Beach, FL (about an hour+) for the ordination of several Transitional Deacons (Priests next year, God willing) in a beautiful Mass with Orlando Bishop Wenski.  They also hosted us for lunch and fellowship.