I have been MIA from the blog for awhile. I have been kept really busy here at St. Lucie’s! I have loved my time here and I can’t believe I have two weeks left. I have loved the chances I had to visit the sick and the dying, baptize and preach! I am grateful that I have gotten to live with three very good (and quite different) friars. We all compliment each other quite well. The friars have only been here for about 3 years though the people have commented that they really like us…. how could they not?
I returned back to the friary after a few days in Orlando with my family who were in the state. We had a parish wide Family Fun Night. I helped set up in the morning and afternoon. Before it began I did benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. It went really well, except I used too much incense and the alarm sounded and we couldn;t shut it off. So much for liturgical maximalism!
This was the first time the parish hosted this Fun Night, and even though more than a thousand tickets were given away, we hosted hundreds of parishioners and their family and friends for food, games and music. We had 4 giant moon bounces and a dunk tank. Yes a dunk tank and I got soaked. We had a lot of fun and afterward a number of the young people from the youth group invited me to join them for wings. It was a busy and really nice day! I feel like I am starting to belong and I have been made to really feel welcome.
Last Thursday afternoon, I arrived in Port St Lucie Florida for a summer ministry assignment and I have been wonderfully busy since! I will be working at St. Lucie’s Church. The friars have been here for a couple years and are doing wonderful ministry!
I will be the 4th member of the friary including the friar who served as my spiritual director when I was discerning my vocation at CUA! Talk about coming full circle. I will assist at masses, funerals, baptisms and helping with the LifeTeen group. I hope to get involved with bringing communion to the sick and the home bound. This experience is going to go fast and I know it will be a blessed summer.
I returned to St Rose this evening to celebrate my first baptism! Words can’t describe how excited I was to help claim Sarah Rose for Christ. I was a bit nervious, though the whole thing went really well.
I was struck by the whole ritual it is theologically rich albeit a bit verbose. What a great way to end my time in DC. I drive down to Florida tomorrow for summer diaconal ministry at our parish. Please pray for safe travels and blessings on me and those to whom I will minister.
I returned from New York City were I attended the priesthood ordination of two good friends from WTU. I have known both of them since we were novices together and all through out our years of studies. After the ordination, I headed down to Baltimore to attend Hugh’s first mass at the Cathedral. They were both beautiful masses and I was so happy and excited for both of them.
As always, I love being in the city. I stayed with our friars in Brooklyn and I got to serve as a deacon at a couple liturgies at a parish where I was stationed 3 summers ago. This also incuded my first attempt at doing some deacon ministry in Spanish! I got to visit with some dear friends from college and I had a lot of time to be with the friars. All in all it was a wonderful couple days!
On Sunday, I ministered for my last mass at St. Rose. Mass went well (per usual) after the prayer after communion that mothers were blessed and surprisingly I was called in front of the church and they prayed over and blessed me as I prepare my new summer ministry in Florida and my return to Curley. Needless to say, I was deeply moved, ok, I cried like a baby! What a blessing and joy to be with and serve such good people!
On Monday, there was a final meal for the religious education catechists prepared by a number of the parents. We reminised and told lots of stories of the year and the kids. Afterward, Meg (the youth minister) gave out Gag Superlative Awards. Mine was the Eddie Haskell Award for my ability to get into more trouble then the kids. It was really funny. Finally the catechists acknowledged my love of the sprinkling rite at mass. To honor that they bought and decorated a Super Soaker. It was awesome! I will try to put some pictures up later.
I am sad that my time there as come to an end for now and I am grateful for the experience, memories and friendships I expereinced there. Thanks be to God!
Here is another awesome and postive pro-life video from Catholic Vote. It will air during the Finale of American Idol. The video almost makes me want to watch the show….
Last evening, almost 40 young people from St. Rose were confirmed. I was so excited because I have helped prepare a number of them through religious education, the retreat, interviews and conversations and prayers. I served as deacon and I got to hold the chrism while Bishop Gonzales was ordaining them. I felt so proud of each of them! After the mass there was a nice reception and plenty of pictures!
This evening I was invited to preside and preach at Praise and Worship Adoration at Catholic University. I was excited because I used to worship and pray in the same style when I was an undergrad there! The music was really good this evening and there were a couple of my old favorite P and W songs.
I proclaimed the gospel which was from John’s Bread of Life Discourse. I preached about Jesus promise that those who come to him will not hunger and thirst. Jesus would to continue to nourish the crowds long after they left his side in a deeper way. It seemed appropriate especially as the college students were getting ready to graduate or leave for the summer. I remember it was tough to leave a strong faith community for ones that may be less dynamic and vibrant.
I was told it went well thought I was a bit more critical of myself! Anyway, it was really cool and I felt honored to be able to help lead public prayer! This being a deacon is pretty cool!
