MY
Seminarians have congregated at the Josephinum en masse, kicking the new calendar year and the new semester off with a bang! Last week was full of meetings and first days of classes and syllabuses (and more syllabi). Hot of the heels of that heavy handful is this week's meager three day school week. But we still aren't getting off the hook easily - we all need to be ready for the eight hour drive to Washington D.C. and the March for Life by 5:30 Thursday morning. Seminarians are already brewing coffee in advance.
We all have different goals for this next semester. Many guys are seeking to add even more asceticism and penance to their lives and have taken on the Exodus 90 program in preparation for Easter. They've given up screens, alcohol, warm showers, and general comfort, while taking up increased fraternity, penance, prayer and holy readings, and non-digital hobbies. I suppose Lent arrived early. Through prayer and discernment on my own and with my spiritual director, I'm going in a different but complementary direction. Last semester was pretty demanding on me, and I found myself stretched thin - cutting corners I didn't want to be cutting. I was frequently tired because I wasn't sleeping enough and I wasn't sleeping well. I wasn't praying as often, as consistently, or with as much focus as I wanted to. I'm in seminary to love God, and my responsibilities should flow from that reality, not replace it. It wouldn't be healthy for me to try and push myself further. My goal for this semester is integration. Integration is one of those fancy "mission statement" words that seminaries like to throw around a lot. Simply put, it means that seminarians are called to be good human beings before we're called to be good priests. We're meant to be balanced people, growing in virtue and living moderately. For some guys this means more penances. For me, I'm taking on the challenging task of knowing when to put my work down and how to recreate properly. I'd love to get back to crafts like leatherwork and woodwork. I'm not great at either, but they're fulfilling. I'd also like to invest myself more in the well-being of my seminary community and I've taken on some responsibilities to keep the building clean and well-ordered. All in all, every seminarian here is striving to grow as men of God and virtuously balanced human beings.
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Catholic. Archives
July 2023
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