January 24, 2012
Thought it might be time for another update. I am well into my second semester at Blessed John Seminary and things are going well. When I returned from Christmas break, my grades from first semester were waiting in my mailbox. It seems that my high school guidance counselors were right. I was capable of getting decent grades. That was a nice surprise. This semester I am taking classes in Church History, Fundamental Theology, Medieval Philosophy, Pastoral Theology and Homiletics (Preaching.) The classes are challenging, but I am truly enjoying them.
It was great visiting with family and friends over the winter break, but I found myself anxious to return to school after the New Year. I think I was just ready to continue the formation process. I returned to cold weather and snow, but have managed to go skiing a couple of times for half a day, so that is not so bad.
This past weekend, a group of us went to Washington D.C. to participate in the March for Life. On Monday, about 500,000 people marched up Constitution Avenue to the Capitol, then on to the Supreme Court building to protest on the 39th anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade decision which legalized abortion in this country. It was an interesting and puzzling paradox that while half a million people could peaceably march on the seat of our government without being arrested, or even hassled, that same government had no problem with the killing of innocent babies. I am thankful that I live in a country where I have the freedom to live and express myself, and at the same time sorrowful that so many children are denied these same rights.
On Sunday, we attended Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the largest Catholic Church in the country. We processed in with over 500 other seminarians and a few hundred priests, deacons and bishops. There were thousands of people in the congregation, all of them singing and thanking us for our service to God as we processed in. It was very moving. On Monday, before the march, I was asked to serve as an Acolyte at St. Matthew’s Cathedral, the other huge church in D.C. That was a great experience as well. This was truly a pilgrimage.
 |
| At the Altar at the National Basilica |
Looking forward, I will be hitting the books hard until the beginning of March, when I will get a week off. I am planning on visiting Mom in Florida. After that, it will be back to school until mid-May. I will be headed back to Texas in April to spend Easter with my family and my friends at St. Jude’s.
Please continue to pray for me and I will be lifting you up in my daily prayers as well. God Bless.
Russ
