St Brendan chapel + SJV chapel

After a long evening walk with some seminarian brothers, we stopped at St Brendan’s Catholic Church adoration chapel since it’s next door to the seminary grounds.  Actually, last September 2007, this adoration chapel was the site of an alleged sillouette of the Holy Family on a white tapistry.  The sillouette was cast by a shadow from a candle.  The alleged event lasted a few day and even made it in the local Miami Herald.  — this is my first time in the beautiful chapel myself.

I also took a picture a few days ago of one of our seminary adoration chapels on campus here at St John Vianney College Seminary.  It’s located upstairs at the end of the hall of the seminary dormitory.  — a great place to spend time with the Lord

the NAC seminary in Rome

Tonight, after dinner, we had a presentation about The Pontifical North American College seminary in Rome.  A priest (formation leader) from Rome showed a great video and answered questions about “the NAC.”  When Bishops in the US see potential charism in mature seminarians & priests, they occasionally send them to continue their formation in Rome, usually studying in specific programs that Bishops see a need for in their diocese.


As a new Pre-Theology seminarian here in little old St John Vianney College minor seminary in Miami, Florida, it was all new to me and very interesting.  For the first 2 years, you don’t leave Rome.  Many of the classes are in Italian.  It sounds like a great opportunity and gift to be chosen, but is a big change and quite intimidating.  That’s probably why they select men who are mature and fairly sure of their priestly vocation for such a big step.  Their website is @ pnac.org.

Coincidently, a few days ago, I found a blog of Ted Martin, a seminarian of Kalamazoo, Michigan that is currently in his first year of theological studies at the Gregorian University living at the NAC in Rome.  He’s got some great pictures of his experience in the Vatican.  His blog is @ theodoremartin.blogspot.com  — I’ll definitely check it out every now and then. 

Chinese New Year food night — Sr Ann May

CULTURAL FOOD NIGHT — tonight was Chinese Food Night, especially since the Chinese New Year in of Feb 7th.  Lots of great food and lots of work.  We were entertained by a video of Chinese dancing and singing and after dinner, 2 of our seminary student sisters (Daughters of St Paul) performed a traditional Chinese dance.  The sad part of the evening, however, was the announcement that Sr Ann May is being transfered to Philadelphia after our mid-semester break in 2 weeks.  — we’ll definitely miss her and keep praying for her