2 lbs of Kielbasa

Today was very busy! I think you are going to get a taste of another aspect of seminary life in this post. Within a week of me establishing a norm for Sunday, there is a deviation from that norm. All plans are subject to change, praise God (slogan stolen from NET Ministries). Once a semester, the Archbishop invites all the seminarians from the two seminaries within the Archdiocese, Sacred Heart and Sts. Cyril and Methodius (I'll explain them in a minute) to the Cathedral for a short seminar on some aspect of priestly formation and then Mass.

This time, the Archbishop discussed with us the importance of vulnerability within the priestly ministry and the acknowledgment of the action of the Holy Spirit in the call. He emphasized that none of the Apostles had any particular skill that would result in success in the early Church and that the spread of Christianity is not the result of human ingenuity. He went on to suggest we reflect on this point during those times in which we remember our own unworthiness and shortcomings in the face of the call. The Archbishop stressed the importance of vulnerability in ministry, particularly the vulnerability that hope and ideals bring. He encouraged us to never give up on our ideals and hopes when they will inevitably be dashed by reality. The people of God deserves a priest (or anyone in ministry) that does not doubt or limit the power of the Holy Spirit. Just because the people we minister to will not be enraptured by the glorious words of our every sermon or the entire community won't be converted and a standing room crowd will not form on our Wednesday morning Mass does not mean that we have any right to give up on them or say that there are just some who are unreachable. It is crucial to open ourselves to the wounds of disappointment because it is only then that we can actually also be open to the virtue of hope.

Providentially, the Mass was also the annual Mass for the disabled community of the Archdiocese (sometimes I think the Archbishop plans these things). It was an awesome reminder of the gifts that the most vulnerable have to give and, as another seminarian pointed out on the ride home, just how fortunate we are to have our health, our speech and our minds. He pointed out that we have NO right to any of those things which we take for granted as our own and just how great a gift they are and how this gift can and should be used for God's greater glory.

After Mass, we were invited by the other seminary, Sts. Cyril and Methodius, to their campus for a cookout. Their seminary is for Polish men who come over the US to study here. While they are over here, they are selected by a sponsoring US diocese which they will go to. This process, I've gathered, is much like free agency in the NFL. Their campus is HUGE and on the shores of Orchard Lake which is possibly one of the most expensive plots of land in the state (never let anyone tell you that the Polish are anything but shrewd). The seminary was built before 1920ish back when that area was WAAAY out in the middle of no where. Now it is in the middle of some of the nicest suburbs in the Metro area on a pristine lake. It was a great opportunity to build fraternity from the Polish guys whom, up to this point, I've never had a chance to even meet. Of course the food was amazing! Giant smoke kielbasa! I had 4! There really is few things better than some good Polish food (for the record, I don't have a single drop of Polish blood in me, so this isn't a biased statement).

After lunch, we were given tours of the grounds (they have a hockey rink!!!!) and offered boat rides on their pontoon. I have decided it is for the best that I am where I am. I cannot imagine the trouble I would find myself in if I had access to a pontoon boat AND a Zamboni (the Zamboni would be used for atleast one McDonald's run). It was a great Lord's Day!