Saturday, September 29, 2012

Michaelmas

Today is the feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Rafael, and I have some thoughts to post, mostly drawn from a homily of St. Gregory the Great.

First is that "angel" does not actually designate a type of being, but rather a function performed by some heavenly spirits. As messengers of God the angels have had a profound impact on the history of salvation. The archangels are those who bear the most important of these messages and, according to the Books of Tobit and Revelation, are "the seven who stand before the Lord."

It was Rafael ("God heals") who instructed Tobias how to heal his father's blindness and defeat the demon Asmodeus. He is not mentioned in the New Testament, but because of his connection to healing he is associated with the pool of Bethesda where "an angel of the Lord descended at times into the pool, and the waters were moved" and the first person in the pool was healed of infirmity.

Gabriel ("God is my strength") is held by St. Gregory to be the highest of the archangels because it was he who delivered the greatest message of all time; that God the Son was to be incarnated. The very nature of this greatest message was also unique because it was essentially a request rather than instruction. He also foretold the birth of John the Baptist to Zechariah and explained Daniel's heavenly visions. 

Michael ("who is like God?") is mentioned in the Book of Daniel three times as a "prince who stands up for the children" of Israel, and in Revelation as leading in the defeat of Satan. Interestingly, the earliest Christian invocations of St. Michael was as healer rather than warrior and it was for this reason that St. Basil the Great considered him to be the greatest of the angels, although in latter times the second sense of protection has come to predominate and replaced devotion to early martyrs such as St. George, St. Theodore, and St. Sebastian as military patrons. 

St. Michael, patron of Kiev

There are some differences in tradition between the West, where St. Michael is associated with death and the transport of souls, and the East, where the same role is assigned to St. Gabriel. Both are very highly regarded in Eastern Churches, where there are even akathist hymns devoted to St. Michael who is referred to as the Archestrategos ("supreme commander (of heavenly hosts)").

Sunday, September 23, 2012

What Do Doozers Do?

Sorry for not posting last week, but it has been pretty busy. It seems there has yet to be a quiet, 'normal' week of postulancy; maybe there never will be!
Last week was the farewell dinner for our beloved Brother Luigi, who has been transferred to a quieter assignment after many years at St. Clement's. He has been an institution since the Oblates took over the shrine in 1976, so it really is the end of an era. I often met Br. Lou in the mornings while preparing breakfast and always enjoyed his wry humor, and I will miss him a lot. It was also the end of the conferences for which the Rector Major and many Oblates from overseas were visiting, so there were more farewell dinners and gatherings.

Today was the installation of Msgr. Moroney as the new Rector of St. John's Seminary, so we all went there for mass with Cardinal O'Malley which ended up being a lengthy affair because of pomp, family day at SJS, and excessive traffic due to bicycle races and a Red Sox game, but things will mostly return to normal this week.

However, I have yet to define what 'normal' is for a week of postulancy and talk about what it is I do all day anyway, so here is a week in my life now:



Monday-Friday
   5:30 am- Rise
   6:00 am- Morning holy hour, Office of
           Readings
   6:30 am- Lauds
   7:00 am- Mass
   7:30 am- Breakfast
   8:00 am-11:44 am- Daily responsibilities                      (class, study, apostolates, etc.)
   11:45 am- Eucharistic adoration, Divine Mercy
           Chaplet
   12:00 pm- Angelus, lunch
                                                                                       1:00 pm- 4:59 pm- Daily responsibilities
                                                                                       5:00 pm- Rosary, evening holy hour
                                                                                       5:45 pm- Vespers
                                                                                       6:00 pm- Dinner
                                                                                       7:00 pm- Community recreation (usually gym
                                                                                             time, sports, card games, etc.)         
                                                                                       8:00 pm (9:00 pm Fridays)- Study
                                                                                      10:00 pm- Compline and Great Silence


Saturday
   7:30 am- Lauds
   8:00 am- Breakfast
   9:00 am- Cleaning common areas
   11:00 am- Mass
   12:00 pm- 5:00 pm- Apostolate work in Boston
           or free time
   5:00 pm- Rosary, holy hour
   5:30 pm- Grand Vespers and Benediction
   6:00 pm- Dinner
   7:15 pm- Community recreation (movie night)
   11:00 pm- Great Silence

Sunday
   9:00 am- Matins, Lauds     
  10:00 am- Choir practice
  11:00 am- Mass
  12:15 pm- Lunch
  1:30 pm- Free time
  5:45 pm- Vespers
  10:00 pm- Great Silence 

In addition to the daily structure and classes, apostolates, etc., postulants have a number of other responsibilities assigned. All postulants are responsible for washing dishes and cleaning the kitchen after meals, and there is a weekly rotation for the following tasks: cantor for the Divine Office (also gets to choose the Saturday night movie), altar server for all masses, lector for masses and the Office, and cooking weekend dinners.

In addition to this are personal assignments that last all year, including an assignment for cleaning common areas of the seminary (I am the Dust Buster). Everyone is also responsible for doing their own laundry and keeping their cell neat (surprise inspections!). Postulants are also able to structure their own free time in the daily schedule between duties and studies for gym time, personal communication, personal prayer, and spiritual or recreational reading.

My personal assignment is to be one of the two sacristans: I am responsible for taking care of the sacred vessels (making sure they are purified, polishing, setting out the chalice and paten for whichever priest has the next Mass, etc.); purifying, laundering, and ironing purificators and corporals (and occasionally cassocks and surplices); measuring out wine, water, and altar bread for each Mass; making sure the correct propers are marked in the Sacramentary; checking that the correct vestment colors are used for feast days and solemnities; keeping four sanctuary lamps burning at all times; cleaning candle holders, incense thuribles, and tapers; doing any set up in the sanctuary, stripping the altar, moving candlesticks, etc.; and taking care of any other miscellanies around the sanctuary and sacristy.

My formation director who is also the choirmaster and usual piano accompanist for the Office, started having me playing piano for Grand Vespers on weekends.

So, if idleness was ever a vice it is no longer! Saturdays and Sundays are a little more flexible. Some of you have asked how available I am if you visit, and the answer it that it varies: I can be excused from community functions to spend time with out of town guests and can get other postulants to cover my responsibilities, so I can pretty much be free all weekend.  

There are also other outings and events interspersed in the weekly schedule; this is Boston, after all, and there is always plenty to do. Tonight we are all going to SJS for a special dinner and lecture on St. Augustine followed by a screening of the new biographical film Restless Heart at Boston College.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

A Monstah of a Different Color

Tonight was a different kind of adventure than yesterday's asado internacional. A friend of the Oblates and season ticket holder at Fenway Park stopped in to visit during dinner and offered a ticket to tonight's game. I was the only person interested, so I saw my first professional baseball game: Red Sox vs. Yankees at Fenway Park, front row seats on the first base line.
It was an interesting immersion in East Coast baseball culture. Unfortunately, the Sox lost 2-0, but being the end of a season that has not raised expectations subdued the crowd's disappointment.

Across from the "Green Monstah."
My actual distance from the baseline.
Bill Cosby threw the opening pitch.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

The Holy Name of Mary

Today was a rather exciting day; not every third-week postulant gets to meet the Rector Major (the Oblate Superior General) of the congregation personally.

To explain: this week the Oblates have an international conference here, so the Rector Major as well as men from Italy, France, Austria, Brazil, Argentina, Nigeria, the Philippines, and Canada are meeting with the American Oblates.

But for a few out-of-town guests at the seminary, it was business as usual for most of us during the first part of the week, but today was the Feast of the Holy Name of Mary, which is the titular feast of the congregation and observed as a solemnity by Oblates. Thus we were dismissed from afternoon classes and gathered with all the professed members at the retreat center for vespers and mass (in italiano e latino), renewal of the dedication of the congregation, and an asado (traditional Argentinian super-barbecue).

Oblates from all over the world provided stimulating dinner conversation.

All the Spanish-speaking postulants with the Argentinians, Brazilians and Italians at another equally animated table

Our Rector Major, Padre Sergio. There are pictures of me with him somewhere on the phones and cameras of priests from Illinois and Italy; not sure how to track those down yet.

It was very different from the usual Wednesday dinner in the refectory: I was treated like an honored guest and spent most of the evening trying to convey my autobiography repeatedly to priests who speak as much English as I speak Spanish. But the reunion was much more personal for most and the vino was shared generously, so after a couple hours we were all gathered around exchanging anecdotes in broken English, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese with the help of a few competent translators. I was only able to take leave after lots of blessings and having to promise to visit Brazil. 

We also sang a rousing rendition of the Oblate anthem Salve Mater Misericordiae, which I learned for the occasion. Here is a more traditional rendering:


                                   

R. Hail, Mother of mercy, Mother of God and Mother of pardon, Mother of hope and Mother of grace, Mother full of holy joy. O Mary!

Hail, honor of the human race. Hail, Virgin worthier than others, for you surpassed them all and now occupy the highest seat of honor. O Mary! R.
Hail, Blessed Virgin yet bearing child: for he who sits at the Father's right hand, the Ruler of heaven, of earth and sky, has sheltered himself in your womb. O Mary! R.
Become, O Mother, our solace: be for us a source of joy, and at the last, after this exile, unite us rejoicing to the choirs of angels. O Mary! R.

It was a great experience I wanted to share right away, but I still have a Latin quiz tomorrow so I will have to post exciting LOTR tidbits later.

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Festum

Hodie est Festum Nativitatis Beatae Mariae Virginis! (This is my break from studying Latin).

In honor of the Nativity of Mary, we had a day off from studies and took a trip up to Lake Sunapee, New Hampshire. The family of an Oblate hosted a picnic for the postulants at their home on the lake. It was great not only to escape Latin drills but to have hiking, kayaking, swimming, tennis, and barbecue.
 
Domus magnus apud lacum (the large house at the lake).


Conflictio epica inter tamais et sciurus in dispensatoribus aviarius cibi (epic chipmunk vs. squirrel face off at the bird feeder).

Excitus super navigatione in caiac! (excited about kayaking!)


I might never have wanted to come back to the city, but a timely downpour got us on the road at the right time; late enough that I didn't having to make dinner (the postulants have assigned weekends to prepare evening meals) but early enough to eat it! One of the Oblate brothers was kind enough to do my job and prepared an excellent Italian-style dinner, and even had a birthday cake for Mary.  

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Internet Official

The St. Ignatius Province webpage has been updated with shots from our photo shoot for the OMV newsletter, so my postulancy is 'internet legit.'  You can also read blurbs about the other six postulants here.



I now realize I have not linked to the website before, so if you are interested in more information about the order than I have offered, you can see the provincial website to read about Oblate historyapostolatesfoundations, and spirituality.

Me with the rest of the gang in postulancy 2012-2013

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Missions and Apostolates

God, who called blessed Teresa, virgin, to respond to the love of your Son thirsting on the cross with outstanding charity to the poorest of the poor, grant us, we beseech you, by her intercession, to minister to Christ in his suffering brothers.
                                      Collect from Mass, 5 September

I thought that today being the memorial of Bl. Teresa and the day of the week devoted to intentions for the poor and suffering, I could post about the apostolate work I will be doing this semester.

Part of our formation program is spending at least a few hours each week working in an apostolate, either independently or with one of the professed priests or brothers. I found out today that my assignment for this semester will be working with the elderly, ill, and disabled through Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital network, a healthcare system that encompasses mainly short-term care and rehabilitation but also extended care facilities and hospice. My primary assignment will be to take Holy Communion to patients, as well as visiting and comforting the ill and residents at the homes for the elderly.

When I found out about the extra assignment today after a long day of classes, my initial inclination was to complain about having something additional on top of studies and other responsibilities. God certainly caught me there having it be on the memorial of Bl. Teresa:

"I pray that you will understand the words of Jesus, “Love one another as I have loved you.” Ask yourself “How has he loved me? Do I really love others in the same way?” Unless this love is among us, we can kill ourselves with work and it will only be work, not love. Work without love is slavery."

"Before you speak, it is necessary for you to listen, for God speaks in the silence of the heart." 
 

Speaking of classes, I will be auditing the class on JP II's encyclical Fides et Ratio instead of taking it for credit; I guess 18 credits is a little unreasonable as a course load during postulancy. I hope to keep you updated on my course with Peter Kreeft. The course is "Philosophy in Literature" and we are reading The Lord of the Rings (!) and The Brothers Karamazov.

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Listen to the Sound... (of Silence)

I have been interested in making a silent retreat for a while, and I finally have; I guess all I had to do was go to seminary first. It was a great experience, and I enjoyed the silence and meditation so much I almost wish classes weren't about to start... almost!
The retreat was patterned on an Ignatian structure: I had four scripture passages assigned every day for 60 minutes of meditation. The structure was free within the daily framework, but was more or less two morning and two afternoon reflection periods unless you wanted to be up extremely early or extremely late. Every day we had Lauds 6 am, Mass at noon, Vespers at 6 pm, and a scheduled one-hour meeting with your retreat director, otherwise it was complete silence for four days.

There isn't much more to tell (unless you are really interested in my deeply personal reflections), but I snapped a few shots of St. Joseph's before leaving so I can at least give you a virtual tour.

       
St. Joseph's House is a century-old mansion that the Oblates have gradually renovated to serve as a retreat house for Ignatian retreats. 

    
St. Mary's Chapel is a small structure recently added on the grounds to augment two interior chapels. We had noon Mass, 5 pm holy hour with adoration, and vespers out there every day.

     
The entrance way and grand staircase.

Undoubtedly the most awkward part of a silent retreat: trying to eat silently and avoid eye contact in the refectory.

The library- where I spent most of my time outside of prayer reading Tolkien, Lewis, Sheen, and the Lives of the Saints.

A recently added solarium that extends off the library. It provides an outdoor panorama and it is used as overflow dining and reading space and for spiritual direction. 

The upstairs chapel where I prayed Lauds at 6 am.

 One of the deluxe retreat accommodations, as compared to...

the postulants' retreat rooms, which I did not fail to notice are in the old servants quarters. However, they are quite a bit more luxurious than I imagine they were a century ago. 


Last of all, the attic chapel right above my room. A very peaceful place for contemplation, except on Saturday (when Logan's landing flights were roaring over every 10-15 minutes).