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.

Class with Peter Kreeft

I know I said there would be no more posts until after my retreat, but I couldn't wait to share my exciting news. I was disappointed that I would not be able to take one of Peter Kreeft's courses immediately this semester, but then it turned out his class Philosophy in Literature was available as an elective. It would be additional on top of my other classes (Ancient Philosophy, Medieval Philosophy, Latin, Logic & Epistemology, Christian Moral Living, Faith & Reason) and all Dr. Kreeft's classes are notoriously difficult, with at least one book assigned per week plus papers, but I really didn't want to wait to cut my teeth. So with only a little begging I prevailed upon my formation director to allow me to take the course with another seminarian. I am very excited for class on Tuesday.