Summer Hiatus

Hi everyone! Sorry it’s been so long since my last post… I have sort of taken a summer “break” from this thing. But I’m back…for now anyway.

This summer has been incredible and unbelievable. I have not, as the words from the musical Sweeney Todd explain “sailed the world, beheld its wonders,” but I did drive to New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island and beheld only a fraction of what those excellent and beautiful places have to offer. We saw Boston, Providence, Niagara Falls and some of the attractions these great places have.

In other, more blog-relevant news, I was accepted as a seminarian on July 12! I can’t believe it. It was a ton of work, but it’s exciting to know that the work paid off and now the REAL work can get started! Since that day, things have been absolutely flying by! There’s so much to do and read and buy and places to go and yada yada yada.

Two days after getting accepted, we installed our new bishop, Bishop R. Daniel Conlon at the Cathedral in Joliet. Ive had the opportunity (and honor) to meet him several times since then and he is an excellent man and will be a fine, fine, bishop of our diocese.

I’ve also had the chance to sit in on his installation vespers, the diaconate ordination, participate with my family in the seminarian picnic and Serra Club Sendoff. All of these things continue to show the brotherhood and support system that we seminarians have and are continuing to build.

Most recently, I had the awesome honor of sharing my vocation story with the good people at Ss. Peter and Paul parish in Naperville, Illinois where I altar served during my time as a student at North Central. I will try to post a video of that talk here at a later time. It was well received and I hope it only continues to strengthen the call of God inside each one of us. God is always calling us…most of the time action hinges upon our ability to deny the notion that, as a good friend said, “God just has the wrong number.” GOD DOES NOT HAVE THE WRONG NUMER! He has your number and a great love for you inside of His heart.

Also this summer I went to a retreat sponsored by the Eucharistic Adoration community to which I belong, Spirit and Truth of Illinois, called the Source and Summit retreat. It was the Diocesan pastoral center in romeoville. A lot of interesting things happened to me spiritually that weekend….another post in itself….but among them was my introduction to the notion of Divine Mercy, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and the sacred heart of Jesus. These are things I always knew about…but never really KNEW about, you know? But now that I have looked more deeply and fully into these things, I am wondering how I got by so long without them! I have had such an ease about me ever since I began putting my troubles and hardships into the sacred heart of our Lord and praying the Chaplet.

If you don’t know it, I’ll include the text at the bottom of this post.

On the not so sunny side of things, ive been noticing an awkward shift in my social life since all if this. As more and more people are finding out this is what I’m doing, I’m struggling to take who I was or who people see/saw me as…and trying to be that same person…just “holy.” I put holy in quotes because I’m obviously not very holy, but I’m certainly working on it! Holiness and a strive toward sanctity is tricky business that is not easy to grasp…but it all starts with being ok with yourself in the eyes of God.

But holiness is a fervent excitement about the Church is not exactly mainstream in my social group and I find myself drifting away from fruitful and fulfilling relationships and friendships i once had. I don’t want these friendships to go away, but I think it is going to take a lot of adjustment by both parties. Trying to live life as Christ did, with love and respect for all, is certainly not easy.

I’m typing this outside in the sunset on the deck, with some root beer and hot dogs. Lazy night at my house!

Pray for us, Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

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Chaplet of Divine Mercy uses a normal rosary with 59 beads.

Sign of the Cross
Our Father…
Hail Mary…
The Apostle’s Creed…

On the usual “Our Father” beads, say:
Eternal Father, I offer you the body and blood, soul and divinity of your dearly beloved Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and for those of the whole world.

On the usual “Hail Mary” beads, say:

For the sake of Your sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

At the end of it all, say three times:

Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Rely on the sacred heart of Jesus Christ!

In Christ,
RA