Some of you may have noticed that my countdown to diaconate ordination decreased by about 50 days since yesterday.  It is the preference of my bishop, Bishop Doran, that seminarians be ordained deacons at their seminaries, and there has been a big push the past couple of years.  Today I received word that Archbishop Carlson, the archbishop of St Louis, has no problems with my Rockford classmate and myself being ordained deacons along with the St Louis seminarians this next spring.  St Louis ordains its transitional deacons on the Saturday before Palm Sunday, so my scheduled ordination date to the diaconate is now 27 March 2010.

It has been a while since I have posted any updates about seminary, so I thought now would be a good time.

I am now finished with my Theology II year at Kenrick.  The year went very well, and it went very fast.  It was also a bittersweet ending to the school year since two of the priests at the seminary will be moving on to other assignments.  One had been at the seminary for 3 years, and the other had been there for 22 years.  They will be missed very much.

I have had a couple of relaxing weeks off at home between then end of the school year and the beginning of my summer assignment.  This summer I am once again in Rockford, but this time I am at the cathedral.  I moved in last Thursday, and thus far it has been a good experience.  There are three priests living here at the rectory, two are assigned to the cathedral and the other is in residence for he works at the chancery.  Some of my duties include: opening the cathedral in the mornings (5:45 am on weekdays), helping setup for and serve the Masses, and various larger projects (I was organizing vestments yesterday).

One of my personal summer projects is to work on my thesis.  As I mentioned in an earlier post, I have chosen to write on a Canon Law topic, specifically the concept of formally leaving the Catholic Church.  This summer I need to work on refreshing myself with Latin since I will need to be able to read the Code of Canon Law in its official language.  I also want to work on reading some of the articles and other documents I have gathered in doing research.  If I have time, I would also like to do some more research, especially into the ecclesiastical aspects of my thesis topic.

As usual, I will also be helping with the Rockford vocations camps this summer.  Jeremiah Days, which is for guys grades 7-9, will be July 12-15, and First Call (grades 10+) will be August 2-5.  For both camps I am in charge of the initial setup as well as being the sacristan for the camp.  Offically my assignment at the cathedral ends on July 31, but that following week I will still be in Rockford working at First Call and then attending the seminarian retreat.  I will then have about 1 to 1.5 weeks off before returning to Kenrick to begin my Theology III year.

While I am still over a year away from my scheduled ordination date to the diaconate (May, 2010), I remembered today that I am now within a year* of taking my oath of fidelity and making my promise of celibacy.  This is because the St Louis guys are ordained deacons the Saturday before Palm Sunday, and the Theology III guys being ordained deacons take this oath and make this promise together the Thursday before the St Louis diaconate ordinations.  Based upon next year’s date for Easter, this would mean this oath/promise would take place on 25 March 2010.

* Assuming the still-to-be-determined archbishop of St Louis does not change the current practices here.

Kenrick School of Theology awards its graduates with two master’s degrees: an M.Div. and an M.A. in theology. Part of the process in earning these degrees involves doing either a master’s thesis or a comprehensive exam. Each option requires about the same amount of writing: 50-80 pages. The difference is that in the thesis all those pages are focussed on a single topic while with the comprehensive exam those pages are distributed accross five different questions (so there are more questions but less writing for each than in the thesis). After the written portion is completed, there is an oral defense of the writing regardless of the option taken.

I am planning to opt for writing the thesis, and now I have a topic. One of my interests is Canon Law (Church law). I have decided to focus on Canon Law, specifically the issues regarding formally leaving the Catholic Church. The current Code of Canon Law (the 1983 Code) references this topic in three canons: 1086, 1117, and 1124. All of these canons deal with the Sacrament of Matrimony. Certain marriage laws do not affect those who have formally left the Church. While my thesis is still in its preliminary stages, I am planning to focus on the history behind dispensing from particular marriage laws, the history of the idea of formally leaving the Church, the ecclesiological aspects of formally leaving the Church, and the practical issues regarding it.

One of the priests here at the seminary who teaches moral theology has started a blog: Catholic Morality. I highly suggest adding this blog to those you check regularly.

Today at Kenrick the seminarians of First, Second, and Third Theology had a workshop on the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. The workshop started with a Solemn High Mass at “Old Kenrick”, now the Rigali Center. After Mass we returned to the seminary for some conferences in the afternoon. It was very informative. Here are some picture from Mass:

The rest of the pictures can be found here.

[Biretta tip to Jeff]

For those who do not already know, at 5 am CDT today (noon in Rome), Archbishop Burke ceased to be the archbishop of Saint Louis and became the prefect of the Apostolic Signatura at the Vatican. I ask for your prayers for:

1. Archbishop Burke as he makes the transition into his new appointment.
2. That a good bishop will be appointed to the Archdiocese of Saint Louis.
3. The seminarians at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary as we find out over the next few months how this will affect life at the seminary.

Thank you.

A little over a week ago my first year of theological studies in seminary came to an end. I thought I’d give this update about how this year went and what I will be doing over the summer.

This past semester my class load was a bit lighter than in the first semester. I took six classes: Synoptic Gospels & Acts; Ecclesiology, Ecumenism, and MIssiology; Pastoral Counseling; Liturgical Formation II; Christology & Soteriology; and Medieval & Reformation Church History. It was nice having more free time available with the lighter class load. I enjoyed all my classes. One thing I liked about Pastoral Counseling was the practical nature of it was immediately apparent. It is good to know some technical point about Christology, but chances are it will not come up on a regular basis in the parish.

I am now the director of Kenrick Light & Magic. This organization started out as the group that would be in charge of the technical aspects of various shows that were put on in the seminary’s auditorium years ago. These days we focus more on setting up and operating audio/visual equipment in the seminary. The way the technology office is organized, KLM is in charge of recording audio (such as from a conference) but not putting the audio on a computer (the Office of Broadcast Media is in charge of that), we setup projectors but I think another group does TVs (it might be Student Computing Services), and we setup audio broadcasting equipment. I believe video recording is also handled by the Office of Broadcast Media. Our largest responsibility during the year is running all the technology (in conjunction with the Office of Broadcast Media) for the annual Kenrick Lecture in the spring. This past year’s Kenrick Lecture was given by Dr Thomas Hilgers, the founder and director of the Pope Paul VI Institute for the Study of Human Reproduction in Omaha.
On April 26 I was installed as a lector by Bishop George Lucas of Springfield, IL. Now I can finally read at Mass . The letter I received from Bishop Doran granting permission for me to be instituted as a lector was written entirely in Latin.

I might have mentioned this in a previous post, but Archbishop Burke announced before Christmas break that the seminary would be undergoing renovations in the near future. The influx of new seminarians (about 40 new guys this past year) means we need more space. More rooms are being added, a new wing will eventually be built to house a new library and faculty offices, the existing faculty offices will be converted back to student housing (which they once were), the current library will become classrooms and offices, and the heating, plumbing, and electrical systems. Independent from all these renovations is the renovation of the chapel. Duncan Stroik from Notre Dame is the architect that the Archbishop is using for the chapel. From the picture I have seen the chapel will be stupendous! I do not know exactly when it will be finished (I am hoping for sooner rather than later so I have more time to enjoy it), but I am told that it should definitely be finished by my diaconate year.
I had my walk with Archbishop Burke on April 10. It lasted about an hour, and we walked around St Louis. It is really great that the Archbishop takes the time to go on these walks with the seminarians.

I came home from St Louis on May 10, and I am in the midst of my 2.5 weeks off before I start my summer assignment on May 27. Before the assignment begins, I will be serving at the ordination Mass in Rockford on April 24. This year everyone — those getting ordained priests, those getting ordained transitional deacons, and those getting ordained permanent deacons — is getting ordained on the same day. There will be 7 priests ordained, 2 transitional deacons, and 8 permanent deacons. I’m expecting the Mass to be fairly long. I will then be helping out at three first Masses. I am MCing one vigil Mass Saturday evening, serving another Mass Sunday morning, and MCing the final Mass Sunday afternoon.
My summer assignment this year is to live full-time at St Edward’s parish in Rockford. I will be helping out at the Masses, teaching a weekly class, accompanying the priests as they do hospital visits, etc. The associate pastor at my assigned parish is a graduate from Kenrick and a big Notre Dame fan; we are planning a trip to ND sometime over the summer. This summer I will also be assisting at two of the vocations camps the diocese has. My assignment ends on August 11, which will give me about a week of time off before returning to St Louis to begin my Theology II year.

The vast majority of the seminarians of Kenrick-Glennon Seminary had the opportunity this past weekend to make a pilgrimage to New York to see Pope Benedict at the rally for youth and seminarians held at St Joseph Seminary (Dunwoodie). Here is a rundown of how the weekend went.

Thursday

We departed from St Louis Thursday evening between 7 and 8 pm CDT. Two TV networks sent out camera crews to tape our departure. A few seminarians were also interviewed. Thus began our roughly 20-hour bus ride to New York.

Friday

Most of today was taken up with the bus ride to New York. Early Friday morning we found out that there had been an earthquake centered about 100 miles east of St Louis; this was concerning, but we were not too worried. We arrived at our first stop around 3:30 or 4:00 pm EDT. This was a Mass with Archbishop Burke for the seminarians and other pilgrims from St Louis. Mass was celebrated at a parish in New Jersey. After Mass we went to our hotel in White Plains, NY. I spent the evening relaxing after the bus ride, and I got some dinner with another seminarian at the mall near to our hotel. Some seminarians went into Manhatten to sight-see, and a couple were interviewed when they were at St Patrick’s Cathedral.

Saturday

Saturday began with breakfast at the hotel. At around 8:30 am EDT we left the hotel for our first stop — a local Catholic high school for Mass. Kenrick’s rector celebrated Mass for the seminarians in the chapel of Archbishop Stepinac High School. After Mass we went to the Yonker’s Raceway, which was the drop-off point for the various groups of seminarians and youth. From there we were shuttled to the seminary. Fortunately, the rally organizers arranged for seminarians to be moved to the front of the line. That way we did not have to stand around in the sun with our cassocks and without any water.

Going through security at the seminary was not too bad. In fact, it was less of a hassle than going through airport security because we did not have to take off our shoes for an x-ray scan (they did not have any x-ray machines anyway). The seminary grounds were divided into two main sections: one field had the food tents and the other field had the stage. The lines for food were ridiculous, though. I heard that some guys waited in line for three hours just to get food. I ended up using my meal ticket to get a big pretzel at a snack stand down by the stage.

One nice thing about this rally was that I was able to see seminarians from St Gregory the Great seminary (my former seminary), both guys who are still there and guys who graduated with me. I also ran into a few diocesan brothers who are at other seminaries.

The rally itself was like a giant concert. To my knowledge, only one of the performers was actually Catholic — Matt Maher — and he was only there because enough dioceses complained about the lack of Catholic performers that the organizers asked him last minute. The other performers were either non-Catholic Christians or secular artists. For whatever reason the rally organizers decided that the last act before the arrival of the Pope be Kelly Clarkson. *sigh*

The seminarians had a special section right in front of the stage. It was extremely crowded there. Two hours before the Pope was scheduled to arrive at the seminary the grounds went under lock-down. This meant, among other things, that people could no longer cross between the two fields, the food field and the stage field. Many Kenrick-Glennon seminarians were stuck in the food field because they were in gigantic lines for food. There was a jumbo screen near the food tents to broadcast what was happening on the stage, but I am told that the sound system was not working correctly and these seminarians could not make out what was being said. Fortunately for me, I was in the seminarian section, having arrived there 2.5 to 3 hours before the Pope was to arrive. This allowed me to be within 20-30 feet of the Pope at a couple points during his visit with us.

When the Pope first arrived, he met with disabled kids in the seminary’s chapel. Then he made his way down to the stage via the Popemobile. On the stage before his arrival were numerous bishops and cardinals. Upon the Pope’s arrival, he was greeted by nearly five minutes of cheers. The Pope gave an excellent address to us, especially the part combating relativism and promoting silent prayer. Although he arrived 20-30 minutes late, he stayed an hour later than he was scheduled to stay.

Now, the downsides. First, the litany of the saints in the program was theologically incorrect. It had us asking God to pray for us (to whom, precisely, does God the Father pray?). The seminarians took care of this, however, by singing the proper parts to the litany. The final song for the Pope was City of God. What better way to show your fidelity to the Pope than by singing him a Pelagian song? Who, according to this song, is building the city of God? We are, all by ourselves. That’s Pelagianism.

After the Pope left we made our way back to the buses. This took a while both because of the large crowds and because we walked back to the raceway and had to find the buses. By about 9 pm EDT (an hour later than we were scheduled) we departed. Next comes an excellent example of priestly obedience to a bishop. The rector of Kenrick was on my bus for this trip. As we were leaving New York City, the bus all of a sudden stopped near a bus stop. The rector got on the microphone and announced that the Archbishop wanted him to attend the papal Mass in order to represent the seminary (the original plan was for him to return home with us). The next thing I know, he gathered his backpack and vestment bag, walked off the bus, and headed up a staircase to a higher road (we were just exiting a tunnel). Now there is obedience to the bishop. Without questioning, Monsignor gathered his things and did as the Archbishop asked.

After leaving the city we stopped at a McDonald’s for dinner around 10:45 pm EDT. Even though the McDonald’s lobby closed at 11, the employees were gracious enough to still serve all 100+ seminarians and priests. I even ran into another seminarian I know from the Josephinum at this McDonald’s; it was pure coincidence.

Sunday

The bus ride took most of Sunday. We arrived back at the seminary around 6 pm CDT, and half an hour later had Sunday Mass. I spent the rest of the evening unpacking, recuperating, and taking care of some work.

Overall, I enjoyed this trip. Even though I have spent 40+ hours traveling this weekend, it was worth it to see the Vicar of Christ.

For our Mardi Gras party, the first year class made a video about the things we have learned thus far in our first year of theology. Since there are several inside jokes, to properly understand the video some information is required.

1) Between 12 am and 3 am one morning, the sink of one of the first year guys backed up with about 15 gallons of sewage (mostly foodstuffs) coming up out of the sink. There was a question about whether the guy living above him had been using his sink as a garbage disposal (he had not).

2) When sitting in choir at Mass, directions regarding when to stand up, sit down, and kneel are as follows. One knock means do the opposite of what you are currently doing (if standing, sit; if sitting of kneeling, stand). Two knocks means kneel. We use this in the Extraordinary Form because we are not used to it so we do not know when to stand/sit/kneel.

3) The radiators at the seminary are very loud.

4) Last semester the deadline of our paper for Patristic Church was extended because the Internet went down the weekend before it was due.

5) A few weeks ago the power went out at the seminary for a few hours one evening. A few of us went out and got lights that one wears on one’s head. These lights have a red light function (to preserve one’s night vision). Those of us that had them were walking around with our red lights turned on.

6) One of the seminarians here is very short.