The Archbishop has informed the five of us who are to be ordained priests this June that he will be calling us downtown for some of the major liturgies this year to deacon those Masses. For this year's Christmas Midnight Mass, myself (John) and Deacon Sean Danda served as deacons. It was a beautiful liturgy, and the Archbishop delivered one of his best homilies that I've ever heard from him. The liturgy was really well done.
Although it was an honor to be with the Archbishop, I regret that it knocked me out from being able to serve Christmas Masses at Nativity. I was originally hoping to still make it to Nativity for the Christmas day Mass, but I was too wiped out when I got home, and plus, Christmas morning is still pretty chaotic at the Hollowell house. I figured since I'll be doing 4 or 5 Christmas Masses for the rest of my life, the good Lord wouldn't mind if I just did the Midnight Mass this year.
I do hope to serve the Vigil for Mary, the Mother of God on New Year's Eve, and I hope to also be at the 11 o'clock Mass at Nativity this Sunday before I have to head back to school.
Have a blessed Christmas and a happy new year!
Dcn. John Hollowell
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Living at St. John's
As a 29 year old still getting Christmas breaks, I get the following a lot from friends and family, "So..(with a little embarassment)...what are you...up to these days?" However, I experience absolutely no shame in announcing that I'm on break for the next month.
This is probably the last time in a long time that I will be getting an entire month off, and instead of bemoaning that fact, I'm making the best use of it that I can.
First of all, I'm staying in the rectory at St. John's across from the RCA dome (until it is demolished next Saturday!). I first lived here two summers ago when I was a hospital chaplain at Methodist. I returned last Christmas, and the folks here signed off on me doing it again this year.
St. John's is a wonderful set up. First of all, it is downtown, and there is obviously a lot going on downtown during the holidays. St. John's also has a daily Mass (including Mondays and Saturdays, when most parishes don't have a daily Mass). When I stayed with my parents the first few years of seminary, it was probably a good 20 minute commute on Mondays and Saturdays to go to a daily Mass, and even Nativity was a good 15 minute drive in the morning for Mass. Now, I walk downstairs any day of the week, and I'm ready for Mass. Also, anytime I want to pray in front of the Blessed Sacrament, I can just walk into Church and do that. St. John's is also, in my opinion, our most beautiful church in the Archdiocese.
I plan to spend a lot of time reading over the break. For me, that has been the biggest thing that I've grown into as a seminarian. To see my ability and desire to read grow exponentially has been awesome. I still remember my first summer as a seminarian. I stayed at St. Monicas, and I think I watched about two or three hours of TV a day. Now, the TV hardly ever comes on, and I have grown into thoroughly enjoying and drawing life from reading all types of literature, and sometimes some theology as well.
Jeremy and I will be around for Christmas. One or both of us may get called down to the Cathedral to deacon with the Archbishop for some of the Masses, but we hope to have at least one of us at all the Christmas Masses at Nativity. I know I'm looking forward to a blessed holiday season. All the best to you and your family!
This is probably the last time in a long time that I will be getting an entire month off, and instead of bemoaning that fact, I'm making the best use of it that I can.
First of all, I'm staying in the rectory at St. John's across from the RCA dome (until it is demolished next Saturday!). I first lived here two summers ago when I was a hospital chaplain at Methodist. I returned last Christmas, and the folks here signed off on me doing it again this year.
St. John's is a wonderful set up. First of all, it is downtown, and there is obviously a lot going on downtown during the holidays. St. John's also has a daily Mass (including Mondays and Saturdays, when most parishes don't have a daily Mass). When I stayed with my parents the first few years of seminary, it was probably a good 20 minute commute on Mondays and Saturdays to go to a daily Mass, and even Nativity was a good 15 minute drive in the morning for Mass. Now, I walk downstairs any day of the week, and I'm ready for Mass. Also, anytime I want to pray in front of the Blessed Sacrament, I can just walk into Church and do that. St. John's is also, in my opinion, our most beautiful church in the Archdiocese.
I plan to spend a lot of time reading over the break. For me, that has been the biggest thing that I've grown into as a seminarian. To see my ability and desire to read grow exponentially has been awesome. I still remember my first summer as a seminarian. I stayed at St. Monicas, and I think I watched about two or three hours of TV a day. Now, the TV hardly ever comes on, and I have grown into thoroughly enjoying and drawing life from reading all types of literature, and sometimes some theology as well.
Jeremy and I will be around for Christmas. One or both of us may get called down to the Cathedral to deacon with the Archbishop for some of the Masses, but we hope to have at least one of us at all the Christmas Masses at Nativity. I know I'm looking forward to a blessed holiday season. All the best to you and your family!
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
St. Nicholas Banquet
Hi All:
The semester is winding up. Today was the last day of class and finals (for those who have them) are Wednesday and Thursday. None of my classes have a final test. I think John just has his Latin III Final. We both had a few final papers.
Last week was very busy. Not only was it the last full week of class riding right on the heels of Thanksgiving break, but the school also had a 40-hours Eucharistic Devotion starting Tuesday and concluding with evening prayer on Thursday. The Blessed Sacrament was reposed each evening following Compline, which explains why the 40 hours took 3 days. It is the first time we have had such an extended devotion since I've been here at Meinrad. I think it went very well and was well received by the seminarian community. The final thing that made last week busy for John and I, and the whole deacon class, was the St. Nicholas Banquet.
St. Nicks is an annual banquet held every year on the Thursday closest to the Feast of St. Nicholas (December 6th). It serves a liturgical reason to have a Holiday party in the midst of Advent (something that the school and monastary are otherwise watchful of). The banquet is planned and hosted by the Deacon class. Ever year has a slightly different 'theme' around which some entertainment and jovial roasting of the faculty takes place. In my time here, I have seen a Midieval feast, a "Home Alone" theme (when the rector was on sabatical), a Meinrad Orientation year, and a Vontrap Christmas.
Our class decided to have a "Christmas Carol" theme. We began the evening with Evening prayer. After which there was a reception and then banquet. Two of our classmates wrote a five scene script which poked fun at many of the changes that have taken place in the seminary since the inauguration of a new Rector of the seminary this year. We began with a Marley - Fr. Mark O'Keefe - visiting the current Rector Fr. Denis to warn him to change is ways and of the visitation of three ghosts. Fr. Mark was the previous rector and was played by one of our classmates. It was of course very hammed up to make it ammusing. Fr. Denis played himself in the evening's entertainment which shows his willingness to laugh at himself. We then at three differ scences where the three ghosts of Christmas past, present and future came to show Fr. Denis his ways. It ended with the rector making a firm purpose of amendment. The guests all had a good time and laughs were had by all. See the pictures above.
Other than that, the school has now slipped into paper writing and test taking mode. I think everyone is ready for the end of the semester and a much deserved Christmas break.
I will be serving and preaching in and around Indianapolis over the break. I will be preaching at St Pius X on the northside on Dec. 20-21, at Holy Family in New Albany on Jan 3-4 and at Nativity on Jan 17-18 to wrap up vocations week. Hopefully, I too will get a little R&R in there as well.
Happy Advent to all. "For you, O Lord, my soul in stillness waits, truly my hope is in you." ~ Dcn. Jeremy
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Two Videos
I (John) wanted to pass on two videos I've made in the last year for school. The first is one that myself and a classmate, Deacon Josh McCarty, put together for our class on the Eucharist. We had to make something that we would use to help teach about the Eucharist to a certain age group. We both chose the youth, and we were both interested in working on a video, so we paired up. It was a great experience. We put way more time into it than we needed to, but we learned a lot and had fun doing it. It can be seen by clicking on the video below:
The second video is a video I made based on footage I took at last year's March For Life. The video is to help encourage youth and young adults to consider joining the pilgrimage. Each year the number from our Archdiocese grows. I think last year somewhere around 500 from Indianapolis attended the March For Life. Anyway, that video can be found below:
The second video is a video I made based on footage I took at last year's March For Life. The video is to help encourage youth and young adults to consider joining the pilgrimage. Each year the number from our Archdiocese grows. I think last year somewhere around 500 from Indianapolis attended the March For Life. Anyway, that video can be found below:
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Funerals
Last week, I had the distinct honor of being able to be present with two families whom I have known for a long time. Two Saturdays ago, I was able to serve at the funeral Mass for Steve Brackett. About 4 years ago, a good friend of mine, Shannon Mckeand, married Steve. The Mckeands are parishoners at St. Jude, but are very active throughout the south side of Indianapolis. Tom Mckeand owns a construction company, and they did the work on the Hollowell house about 15 years ago which allowed us to triple the size of our house. They are extremely generous people, and they touch the lives of all those whom they come in contact with.
The morning of the Steve's funeral, I was awakened by a call from Nick Oskay, a Roncalli and Nativity classmate. He informed me that Matt Oskay, Nick's cousin, had been found dead at Warren Central. I couldn't really believe what he was saying. I had known Matt since fourth grade. We played Nativity football together. I still remember when I was in seventh grade and Matt was in 8th grade, he had me over to spend the night. That is something that 8th graders just don't do! At Roncalli, we were in the show choir for a year together. As I told someone at the funeral home, once you've sang and danced with a guy while you were both wearing sequens, a bond is forged which will never be broken!
Being able to be present to both families in the midst of their tragedies was such a confirmation for me of why I chose the priesthood. To walk with people in the midst of such horrendous tragedy, and to still be able to see goodness in the middle of all that has been such an honor and a joy for me. May we all keep Matt and Steve in our prayers.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
And let perpetual light shine upon them.
May the souls of Matt and Steve, and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace.
Amen.
The morning of the Steve's funeral, I was awakened by a call from Nick Oskay, a Roncalli and Nativity classmate. He informed me that Matt Oskay, Nick's cousin, had been found dead at Warren Central. I couldn't really believe what he was saying. I had known Matt since fourth grade. We played Nativity football together. I still remember when I was in seventh grade and Matt was in 8th grade, he had me over to spend the night. That is something that 8th graders just don't do! At Roncalli, we were in the show choir for a year together. As I told someone at the funeral home, once you've sang and danced with a guy while you were both wearing sequens, a bond is forged which will never be broken!
Both funerals were absolutely beautiful. It was such a privilege to be able to be a deacon at both Masses. It was especially touching to be able to deacon Matt's funeral at Nativity because of the fact that the entire parish came to the funeral, and it seemed so sacred and beautiful that Matt was baptized there, and all of us had been to so many Sunday masses in that church, the list of things which made it such a special day could go on forever.
Being able to be present to both families in the midst of their tragedies was such a confirmation for me of why I chose the priesthood. To walk with people in the midst of such horrendous tragedy, and to still be able to see goodness in the middle of all that has been such an honor and a joy for me. May we all keep Matt and Steve in our prayers.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
And let perpetual light shine upon them.
May the souls of Matt and Steve, and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace.
Amen.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Bishops' Conference Presentation
I (John) just returned this afternoon from Baltimore. In Baltimore, the Bishops of the United States are gathered for their annual week-long meeting to discuss issues for the upcoming year. Included on their slate are the discussion and approval of the much-rumored new translations for certain parts of Mass, and the second major item is the issue of how to best respond to Catholic politicians who support abortion legislation.
Each year, St. Meinrad hosts a dinner for any bishops interested in stopping in and hearing about what is happening at St. Meinrad. This year, our new rector, Fr. Denis Robinson, thought it would be good to bring a seminarian along as well. So, for two days, I got to hang out in Baltimore on St. Meinrad's tab. It was really wonderful! I got to meet up with my brother Danny who lives in Washington D.C. and his girl friend. We got together Sunday night and watched the Colts scratch out a victory. I was also able to take in a lot of the city. As I walked the city on Monday, it finally started to sink in for me just how powerful a witness the Roman collar is to people of all faiths. Walking down the street I was stopped by a man who said he was thinking about joining the ministry and thanked me for my witness. Twenty seconds later, simply standing at a cross walk, a woman standing next to me said, "I believe there is a God. If not, what are we all here for." I wasn't exactly sure what she was getting at, but she was smiling, and said thanks, so I took it as a positive. There were so many interactions like that; it was truly astounding. It really affirmed for me the committment that I made to myself when I was ordained that I will always wear black for the rest of my life.
Anyway, my little presentation went well. I only spoke for about five minutes. It helped that there were only about 15 bishops there - somehow it didn't seem as intimidating as I thought. I simply told them a few of the things that make St. Meinrad a special seminary, most of which Jeremy or I have already mentioned in this blog.
Let us pray for our bishops, this week and always. They have such a tough job to do, and yet they can never back down in the face of evil. May God grant them the strength they need to carry out their task this day. Amen.
Each year, St. Meinrad hosts a dinner for any bishops interested in stopping in and hearing about what is happening at St. Meinrad. This year, our new rector, Fr. Denis Robinson, thought it would be good to bring a seminarian along as well. So, for two days, I got to hang out in Baltimore on St. Meinrad's tab. It was really wonderful! I got to meet up with my brother Danny who lives in Washington D.C. and his girl friend. We got together Sunday night and watched the Colts scratch out a victory. I was also able to take in a lot of the city. As I walked the city on Monday, it finally started to sink in for me just how powerful a witness the Roman collar is to people of all faiths. Walking down the street I was stopped by a man who said he was thinking about joining the ministry and thanked me for my witness. Twenty seconds later, simply standing at a cross walk, a woman standing next to me said, "I believe there is a God. If not, what are we all here for." I wasn't exactly sure what she was getting at, but she was smiling, and said thanks, so I took it as a positive. There were so many interactions like that; it was truly astounding. It really affirmed for me the committment that I made to myself when I was ordained that I will always wear black for the rest of my life.
Anyway, my little presentation went well. I only spoke for about five minutes. It helped that there were only about 15 bishops there - somehow it didn't seem as intimidating as I thought. I simply told them a few of the things that make St. Meinrad a special seminary, most of which Jeremy or I have already mentioned in this blog.
Let us pray for our bishops, this week and always. They have such a tough job to do, and yet they can never back down in the face of evil. May God grant them the strength they need to carry out their task this day. Amen.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
First Homily
Tomorrow (thurs.) I am scheduled to give my first homily. I am surprisingly not that nervous about it. A few things have led to that calmness. 1) At St. Meinrad, you have the option to take some intro singing lessons and then join the cantor rotation. I did that about four years ago, and have embarassed myself many times through that growth process. I have found, though, that stumbling through that, I realized that the times where I did mess up in Mass never caused the world to collapse! I've also gone on record saying that if you can sing in front of the people you live with, then preaching is no problem at all. 2) Jeremy and I have also had very good preparation here at St. Meinrad. Our school is known as helping guys come a long way in their preaching style. I've been taking a preaching class at least once a year now for four years. The preparation has been very solid.
Although I'm on the calendar for tomorrow, I may get bumped because we just learned that a bishop is flying in to visit his seminarians tomorrow. Anytime a bishop visits, he presides and preaches at Mass - so I'll be in the homiletic bullpen tomorrow in case the bishop's flight is delayed. Anyway, here is the first homily I've written for actual delivery during a Mass.
“There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people” (Lk 15:7).
This Sunday afternoon, all around the country, hundreds of thousands of middle aged men will file into NFL stadiums around the country. A significant number of them will not be in very good athletic shape themselves, yet they will injest a few beers, a few brats,… a few more beers, and then most will spend the day mocking and taunting the athletic abilities of some of the finest athletes in the world.
For us as well, the temptation might be there to sit on the sidelines of life. To sit in the crowd. Out of the spotlight. We might be tempted to mock the brother or sister from our flock whom the Good shepherd had to track down and bring home. Perhaps we might find ourselves thinking in the back of our minds “I can’t believe what that moron did. Why didn’t he play it safe, why did he even risk failure, why didn’t he just lay up, and fly under the radar? Yes, the temptation to mock the sinners in our midst for having put themselves in a position to fall is always there.
Our 26th president has something to say about this. President Theodore Roosevelt, in a way, was addressing those NFL fans, and he was addressing us as well when he said that QUOTE
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again… but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause;… who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.
May the Eucharist we receive from this altar give us the strength to no longer mill about amidst the company of cold and timid souls, and may it also serve to enkindle in our hearts that fire to enter the great contest that is life…the great adventure that is love. Let us take solace in the fact that if we fall, the Good Shepherd is already on his way to bring us back home."
Although I'm on the calendar for tomorrow, I may get bumped because we just learned that a bishop is flying in to visit his seminarians tomorrow. Anytime a bishop visits, he presides and preaches at Mass - so I'll be in the homiletic bullpen tomorrow in case the bishop's flight is delayed. Anyway, here is the first homily I've written for actual delivery during a Mass.
“There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people” (Lk 15:7).
This Sunday afternoon, all around the country, hundreds of thousands of middle aged men will file into NFL stadiums around the country. A significant number of them will not be in very good athletic shape themselves, yet they will injest a few beers, a few brats,… a few more beers, and then most will spend the day mocking and taunting the athletic abilities of some of the finest athletes in the world.
For us as well, the temptation might be there to sit on the sidelines of life. To sit in the crowd. Out of the spotlight. We might be tempted to mock the brother or sister from our flock whom the Good shepherd had to track down and bring home. Perhaps we might find ourselves thinking in the back of our minds “I can’t believe what that moron did. Why didn’t he play it safe, why did he even risk failure, why didn’t he just lay up, and fly under the radar? Yes, the temptation to mock the sinners in our midst for having put themselves in a position to fall is always there.
Our 26th president has something to say about this. President Theodore Roosevelt, in a way, was addressing those NFL fans, and he was addressing us as well when he said that QUOTE
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again… but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause;… who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.
May the Eucharist we receive from this altar give us the strength to no longer mill about amidst the company of cold and timid souls, and may it also serve to enkindle in our hearts that fire to enter the great contest that is life…the great adventure that is love. Let us take solace in the fact that if we fall, the Good Shepherd is already on his way to bring us back home."
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Deacon Ordination Part 2
(Picture 1: John being congratulated by Fr. Aaron Jenkins of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis
Picture 2: John and Jeremy giving one another the sign of peace after being vested as deacons
Picture 3: John and Jeremy kneeling as the Archbishop prays over our class)
Thanks to all of those who have been praying for us for so long. After a long and winding road, Jeremy and I were both ordained. It was a glorious day! It rained hard the night before, but we all awoke to a beautiful Fall morning, and we were all glad for that.
My family and a few friends of mine came down the day of the event, and were able to celebrate the day with me. It meant so much to have my family and friends with me for such a big day.
Archbishop Buechlein was the celebrant which was awesome. Most of our classmates are from other dioceses, so it was a privilege for the two of us to be ordained by our own Archbishop. Jeremy and I also were fortunate enough to serve as the deacons of the Mass after our ordination. Typically, two men start out an ordination Mass serving in the role of deacon, and then, after the ordination, two of the men just ordained serve as deacon for the second half of the Mass. This year, Jeremy and I were able to serve in that role after our ordinations, which made the day even more special.
After the ordination, the school and all of our guests joined in a lovely banquet to celebrate the occasion. Something Saint Meinrad does very well is the art of banqueting! It was a fabulous meal.
After the banquet, everyone had a few hours to sit back and relax. At 4 PM, our vice-rector, Father Godfrey Mullen O.S.B. celebrated the anticipation Mass for all those families and friends who couldn't, because of travel, stay for the 10:30 AM Mass the next day. I was fortunate to get to serve as one of the two deacons at that Mass as well.
After the Mass, it was time to party. Tradition here is that the deacon class puts on a hog roast for all of the seminarians and guests. It was a great night of celebration.
Thanks again to all those who have prayed for us and supported us. I know I speak for Jeremy when I say we are both very much looking forward to June, when we will both return to Nativity as priests to celebrate our first Masses. Until then, please continue to pray for us and now of our prayers for you. We will continue to update this blog regularly for those who are curious as to what goes on in the seminary between one's deacon and priesthood ordinations.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Deacon Ordination Pictures
Jeremy and John lying prostrate (front right, respectively) during the Litany of the Saints.
(Left) Archbishop Daniel laying hands on John to ordain him to the Order of Deacon.
(Right) Archbishop Daniel laying hands on Jeremy to ordain him to the Order of Deacon.
We will add some text and descriptions of the holy day in the next week or so. So, please check back soon. ~ Rev. Mr. Jeremy M. Gries
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Rector Inauguration
This past weekend, our new rector, Fr. Denis Robinson O.S.B., was inaugurated, formalizing the role that he has been performing since the start of the school year.
The weekend was one of pomp and circumstance galore! First of all, our school's board of overseers met here for their fall meeting. The board is a group of lay people, priests, and deacons who help the president-rector in his leadership of the school. Their meeting is normally a two-day event, but this past weekend's meeting was conducted just on Friday, clearing everyone's calendars for the inauguration Mass and convocation.
Archbishop Daniel Beuchlein presided at Mass in the Archabbey Church at 10 in the morning and gave a beautiful homily about St. Meinrad and its history of forming men for the priesthood. Mass was followed by a very nice banquet. The art of "banqueting" is something that St. Meinrad has perfected over the last 150 years!
At 2:00 P.M., everyone filed into Bede Hall (which is the old college theater hall). Five salutations were given. I actually gave the address on behalf of the seminarians since I am the student body president this year. My talk was short (nobody came to hear me). The following is what I shared:
"Fr. Denis,
On behalf of the seminarians of the Saint Meinrad School of Theology, allow me to say “CONGRATULATIONS”
Prior to your appointment as rector, we benefited from your ability to teach with a rare blend of academic precision and humor
We also benefited from your spiritual counsel whether that was in spiritual direction, a conversation in the hallway, or in one of your homilies in the Saint Thomas Aquinas Chapel
When you were elected, we were and continue to be excited by what you bring to the position of president rector.
Fr. Denis, we seminarians are a diverse group. We are a group who has given up our homes, our friends, our careers, our families, and sometimes even our native lands to come to St. Meinrad to study for the priesthood. We are your primary mission as the president rector. I ask you to always remember the sacrifices that the seminarians who come through saint meinrad have made to be here – know that in coming here, a serious commitment has already been made and that the men who come here want to be the best priests they can be
Father, before entering the monastery, you were a diocesan priest. I urge you to bring that experience to your job as president rector, and to let it influence your decisions and your ministry to us.
Prior to that, you were a Southern Baptist. I urge you to continue to bring that fire to your preaching, BUT remember that the ambo in our school’s chapel can only take so many poundings from your fists
Father, as when we initially embraced the call to the priesthood, we come here today to embrace you as our rector. We are your men. Lead us, teach us, and love us.
Know of our love, support, and prayers for you as you begin this journey.
Congratulations once again, and may God pour out His blessings upon your time as rector of the Saint Meinrad School of Theology."
On behalf of the seminarians of the Saint Meinrad School of Theology, allow me to say “CONGRATULATIONS”
Prior to your appointment as rector, we benefited from your ability to teach with a rare blend of academic precision and humor
We also benefited from your spiritual counsel whether that was in spiritual direction, a conversation in the hallway, or in one of your homilies in the Saint Thomas Aquinas Chapel
When you were elected, we were and continue to be excited by what you bring to the position of president rector.
Fr. Denis, we seminarians are a diverse group. We are a group who has given up our homes, our friends, our careers, our families, and sometimes even our native lands to come to St. Meinrad to study for the priesthood. We are your primary mission as the president rector. I ask you to always remember the sacrifices that the seminarians who come through saint meinrad have made to be here – know that in coming here, a serious commitment has already been made and that the men who come here want to be the best priests they can be
Father, before entering the monastery, you were a diocesan priest. I urge you to bring that experience to your job as president rector, and to let it influence your decisions and your ministry to us.
Prior to that, you were a Southern Baptist. I urge you to continue to bring that fire to your preaching, BUT remember that the ambo in our school’s chapel can only take so many poundings from your fists
Father, as when we initially embraced the call to the priesthood, we come here today to embrace you as our rector. We are your men. Lead us, teach us, and love us.
Know of our love, support, and prayers for you as you begin this journey.
Congratulations once again, and may God pour out His blessings upon your time as rector of the Saint Meinrad School of Theology."
Fr. Denis' acceptance speech is making the rounds among catholic bloggers. It was absolutely amazing, which has become par for the course for Father Denis.
His talk can be accessed by clicking on the following link:
As you can see, The Saint Meinrad School of Theology is in great hands heading into the future.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Deacon Promises Pics
You can see here our class, and John and I making our Deacon Promises on Thursday, 18 September 2008 in St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel.
Deacon Promises - One Step Closer
Last Thursday, 18 September, John, I, and our classmates made Deacon promises. These are the formal promises and declarations that must be made according to Canon Law prior to the deaconate ordination of a man.
There are three statements or promises that we made. The first was a declaration of freedom from force or fear. In order to enter into ordination, it is desirable that the man being ordained is not doing so as a result of coercion. We state that we have been informed of the various duties, responsiblities, and expectations of ordination and that we have deliberated upon these matters before God and are moving forward toward ordination of our own free will. In essence, we are providing our consent to procede towards ordination. The second document we proclaim is a Profession of Faith. We proclaim that we believe and hold that the Creed, the Sacred Scriptures and Tradition are true in addition to the teachings of the pope, the bishops, and the Church. We likewise promise in this statement of faith that we will submit our will and intellect to these teachings and will never teach or preach contrary to the Church. The final statement is an oath of fidelity. In this oath, we promise to obey our superiors (in John and my's case, Archbishop Daniel and his successors), and assume chaste celibacy for the rest of our lives.
These promises and statements are read aloud before the entire Church assembly in the context of a mass. We then signed each of the statements in the presence of a witness upon the altar of our chapel. In a way, this symbolizes our offering of our lives along with the gifts that will be offered upon that altar to become the most precious Body and Blood of Christ.
Fr. Denis Robinson, OSB - President-Rector of Saint Meinrad School of Theology preached the mass at our promises. His homily is below:
[This evening, our brothers in Fourth Theology, made promises in anticipation of their ordinations as deacons next month. We continue to pray for them. This is the homily]
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been ineffective.
Brothers and sisters tonight we hear the word of God in a deep and poignant way as we observe our brothers who will soon be transformed by their ordination to the diaconate. Tonight they make promises that they intend to keep for life.
Keeping a promise for life is a rare enough commodity in our world today. Every day we witness, many of us first-hand, the ephemeral nature of families, marriages, religious vocations. We see the struggles our brothers and sisters around us make in keeping commitments. We all know something of both the statistics and the real human toll those statistics take.
But these men are here to make promises, nevertheless. They stand here tonight; they place their hands on the Book of God’s World. They sign their names on the altar. It is an impressive moment, an everlasting moment in a transitory world.
Perhaps they need a warning, or encouragement, or some sort of fervereno. Perhaps they do, but I have no such warnings for them tonight.
What I need to say to them, I have already said to them, so tonight I would like to address some challenges to us, all of us, concerning the act they undertake tonight.
What are these men doing? Tonight they are taking the final definitive step in joining their lives to a greater purpose. For years, they have pursued the sometimes flighty specter of vocation. They have studied, prayed, been formed, talked to spiritual directors and counselors, ministered, they have cried and laughed and relaxed and labored and, well frankly, also complained, fought, grumbled, procrastinated, doubted and shirked responsibilities. They have, in other words, been fully human and yet, tonight, they are proposing to unite that humanity to God’s will in a bond that cannot be broken. They propose to become deacons and then priests and there is no more exalted calling to which they respond because there is no greater need in the world than the need for what they will give in their future ministry. Can they do it on their own? No …
But by the grace of God they are what they are, and his grace to them has not been ineffective.
Look to these men, because, tonight in a public act they are asking us to look to them.
Look to these men and see in them icons of God’s love, his love poured out in the sacrificial offering of Christ. Look at their frail and winsome personalities and see the torn body of our Lord. Look at their embattled spirits and see his life sweated in the blood of Gethsemane.
Look to these men and see in them the possibility of an eternal commitment, of a lasting promise, of a reversal of all the sad history of brokenness and the bitter pain wrought by infidelity.
Look to these men and find in them your inspiration and hope, If you are a seminarian, seek to be what they have become. In their promises, they are pledging to be your guides and mentors, to offer you an example of what is possible. For by the grace of God they are what they are, and his grace to them has not been ineffective.
Look to these men and seek in their faces God’s promise, God’s fidelity, God’s pledge of eternal presence. See in them your own dreams for they are bearers of the dream of all humanity. See in them the joy of Christ instead of the bitterness and rancor of the world. See in them the peace of God rather than the eternal strife of the spirit, see in them love. They want to be ambassadors of love in a hate strewn landscape. They are loving men, we all know that. But united if God’s love they become more than what they might have been.
Look to these men and see the Church, its ancient history and its ancient wounds professed in words that echo down the corridors of time in every human language. I believe in One God.
Look to these men and see all our brothers and sisters who hunger for dignity and bread, who labor under the yoke of tyranny, who are beset by violence, who are besieged by terrorism, who are controlled by addictions, who are torn by every kind of ism. See the worn eyes of the starving mother cradling her child, see the broken hands of the migrant worker unjustly paid, see the tired feet of the fleeing refugee.
See God in them because by their promise tonight, that is what they want to show. That there is something more important in life than the passing flotsam and jetsam of seminary politics. What an amazing vision and so it is good that by the grace of God they are what they are, and his grace to them has not been ineffective.
Tonight these men make promises for life, they are icons for us but I challenge all of us here to also make promises to them. Perhaps our deacon promises should be less about what they do and more about what we do.
Let us make an oath of fidelity to them, an oath to hold them accountable in every way for the promises they make. An oath to scrutinize their actions for any vestiges of half-heartedness or hypocrisy.
Let us make a Profession of Faith with them, faith that they can be what they have been called to be, that they can persevere, that they can be beacons of faith, hope and love in a darkened world. And faith that we will love them, stand by them and support them.
Let us bond their Declaration of Freedom to our own as each of us, in his or her own way, continue to pursue the King of Love, the Prince of Peace, the Spirit of Joy, the God of Wonder with open hearts, clear minds, and grateful spirits
And let us promise to stand with them and
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good
Eucharistia - Give thanks to the Lord for he is good
Brothers and sisters, give thanks to the Lord for he is good, in calling these men, these frail, sinful, amazing, heroic men who stand before us tonight to proclaim with us ...
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been ineffective.
Posted by Fr. Denis Robinson, OSB at 7:14 PM 18 Sept 2008
There are three statements or promises that we made. The first was a declaration of freedom from force or fear. In order to enter into ordination, it is desirable that the man being ordained is not doing so as a result of coercion. We state that we have been informed of the various duties, responsiblities, and expectations of ordination and that we have deliberated upon these matters before God and are moving forward toward ordination of our own free will. In essence, we are providing our consent to procede towards ordination. The second document we proclaim is a Profession of Faith. We proclaim that we believe and hold that the Creed, the Sacred Scriptures and Tradition are true in addition to the teachings of the pope, the bishops, and the Church. We likewise promise in this statement of faith that we will submit our will and intellect to these teachings and will never teach or preach contrary to the Church. The final statement is an oath of fidelity. In this oath, we promise to obey our superiors (in John and my's case, Archbishop Daniel and his successors), and assume chaste celibacy for the rest of our lives.
These promises and statements are read aloud before the entire Church assembly in the context of a mass. We then signed each of the statements in the presence of a witness upon the altar of our chapel. In a way, this symbolizes our offering of our lives along with the gifts that will be offered upon that altar to become the most precious Body and Blood of Christ.
Fr. Denis Robinson, OSB - President-Rector of Saint Meinrad School of Theology preached the mass at our promises. His homily is below:
[This evening, our brothers in Fourth Theology, made promises in anticipation of their ordinations as deacons next month. We continue to pray for them. This is the homily]
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been ineffective.
Brothers and sisters tonight we hear the word of God in a deep and poignant way as we observe our brothers who will soon be transformed by their ordination to the diaconate. Tonight they make promises that they intend to keep for life.
Keeping a promise for life is a rare enough commodity in our world today. Every day we witness, many of us first-hand, the ephemeral nature of families, marriages, religious vocations. We see the struggles our brothers and sisters around us make in keeping commitments. We all know something of both the statistics and the real human toll those statistics take.
But these men are here to make promises, nevertheless. They stand here tonight; they place their hands on the Book of God’s World. They sign their names on the altar. It is an impressive moment, an everlasting moment in a transitory world.
Perhaps they need a warning, or encouragement, or some sort of fervereno. Perhaps they do, but I have no such warnings for them tonight.
What I need to say to them, I have already said to them, so tonight I would like to address some challenges to us, all of us, concerning the act they undertake tonight.
What are these men doing? Tonight they are taking the final definitive step in joining their lives to a greater purpose. For years, they have pursued the sometimes flighty specter of vocation. They have studied, prayed, been formed, talked to spiritual directors and counselors, ministered, they have cried and laughed and relaxed and labored and, well frankly, also complained, fought, grumbled, procrastinated, doubted and shirked responsibilities. They have, in other words, been fully human and yet, tonight, they are proposing to unite that humanity to God’s will in a bond that cannot be broken. They propose to become deacons and then priests and there is no more exalted calling to which they respond because there is no greater need in the world than the need for what they will give in their future ministry. Can they do it on their own? No …
But by the grace of God they are what they are, and his grace to them has not been ineffective.
Look to these men, because, tonight in a public act they are asking us to look to them.
Look to these men and see in them icons of God’s love, his love poured out in the sacrificial offering of Christ. Look at their frail and winsome personalities and see the torn body of our Lord. Look at their embattled spirits and see his life sweated in the blood of Gethsemane.
Look to these men and see in them the possibility of an eternal commitment, of a lasting promise, of a reversal of all the sad history of brokenness and the bitter pain wrought by infidelity.
Look to these men and find in them your inspiration and hope, If you are a seminarian, seek to be what they have become. In their promises, they are pledging to be your guides and mentors, to offer you an example of what is possible. For by the grace of God they are what they are, and his grace to them has not been ineffective.
Look to these men and seek in their faces God’s promise, God’s fidelity, God’s pledge of eternal presence. See in them your own dreams for they are bearers of the dream of all humanity. See in them the joy of Christ instead of the bitterness and rancor of the world. See in them the peace of God rather than the eternal strife of the spirit, see in them love. They want to be ambassadors of love in a hate strewn landscape. They are loving men, we all know that. But united if God’s love they become more than what they might have been.
Look to these men and see the Church, its ancient history and its ancient wounds professed in words that echo down the corridors of time in every human language. I believe in One God.
Look to these men and see all our brothers and sisters who hunger for dignity and bread, who labor under the yoke of tyranny, who are beset by violence, who are besieged by terrorism, who are controlled by addictions, who are torn by every kind of ism. See the worn eyes of the starving mother cradling her child, see the broken hands of the migrant worker unjustly paid, see the tired feet of the fleeing refugee.
See God in them because by their promise tonight, that is what they want to show. That there is something more important in life than the passing flotsam and jetsam of seminary politics. What an amazing vision and so it is good that by the grace of God they are what they are, and his grace to them has not been ineffective.
Tonight these men make promises for life, they are icons for us but I challenge all of us here to also make promises to them. Perhaps our deacon promises should be less about what they do and more about what we do.
Let us make an oath of fidelity to them, an oath to hold them accountable in every way for the promises they make. An oath to scrutinize their actions for any vestiges of half-heartedness or hypocrisy.
Let us make a Profession of Faith with them, faith that they can be what they have been called to be, that they can persevere, that they can be beacons of faith, hope and love in a darkened world. And faith that we will love them, stand by them and support them.
Let us bond their Declaration of Freedom to our own as each of us, in his or her own way, continue to pursue the King of Love, the Prince of Peace, the Spirit of Joy, the God of Wonder with open hearts, clear minds, and grateful spirits
And let us promise to stand with them and
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good
Eucharistia - Give thanks to the Lord for he is good
Brothers and sisters, give thanks to the Lord for he is good, in calling these men, these frail, sinful, amazing, heroic men who stand before us tonight to proclaim with us ...
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been ineffective.
Posted by Fr. Denis Robinson, OSB at 7:14 PM 18 Sept 2008
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Celibacy Formation Day
Wednesdays at St. Meinrad are days where we do not have class. Instead, our time is used to cover issues that are not considered "academic." The Church has charged every seminary in the world to concentrate on preparing guys to be priests in four specific areas. Those four "pillars of formation" are academic (our classwork), spiritual (prayer, Mass, meeting regularly with a priest spiritual director), pastoral formation (our ministry work), and finally human.
A large part of the seminary's task with regards to human formation is to help us seminarians learn to live out a vow of celibacy in a healthy and life-giving way. St. Meinrad has taken a unique approach to this task. A lot of seminaries approach this issue from a more medical approach such that a lot of the things that are talked about or presented on deal with psychological topics. For example, a presentation might be given one day on how to help oneself or others deal with pornography.
However, St. Meinrad has rolled out a new plan for dealing with celibacy formation which approaches the issue from a positive aspect. St. Meinrad's new program is receiving a lot of attention from bishops and other seminaries, and word is quickly spreading about it. Basically, instead of telling seminarians in presentation after presentation about psychological or sexual pitfalls, St. Meinrad's celibacy formation program has chosen to address issues that can help a seminarian see celibacy not as a cross but as an opportunity to be who God intended him to be.
Example topics that Jeremy and I will hear about this year are "parish friendships" and "how to be a good spiritual director." Last year, we heard about topics such as "being a better communicator" to "how to hire and fire." This new approach is refreshing, because it sees celibacy as something that gets played out in all aspects of our lives as priests. We still get presentations on the more common celibacy topics dealing with psycho-sexual integration, but the Meinrad program has really helped us to see that there are a lot of ways that we live out our lives as celibate men, and those many ways of living out our lives are not just potential areas for us to fall into sin but are also areas for us to excel as human beings.
Today, our year long program of Wednesday meetings got kicked off with a special day of conferences given by a monk of St. Meinrad who teaches at the Catholic University of America in Washington D.C., Fr. Raymond Studzinski. They were some excellent conferences dealing with issues of celibacy. Fr. Raymond spoke about some of the things that he has found to be helpful in living out his life of celibacy. Some of his main points included being hospitable and also being someone who loves to read. He noted that hospitality, an openness to host people, helps us become more humble, and also invites friendships into our lives. Obviously, I am providing a very short summary here, but it was a good day to get our celibacy formation conferences off and running.
We have a big day tomorrow that I need to prepare for. Jeremy will write about it tomorrow, and hopefully have some pictures as well.
Until the next post, God bless.
John Hollowell
A large part of the seminary's task with regards to human formation is to help us seminarians learn to live out a vow of celibacy in a healthy and life-giving way. St. Meinrad has taken a unique approach to this task. A lot of seminaries approach this issue from a more medical approach such that a lot of the things that are talked about or presented on deal with psychological topics. For example, a presentation might be given one day on how to help oneself or others deal with pornography.
However, St. Meinrad has rolled out a new plan for dealing with celibacy formation which approaches the issue from a positive aspect. St. Meinrad's new program is receiving a lot of attention from bishops and other seminaries, and word is quickly spreading about it. Basically, instead of telling seminarians in presentation after presentation about psychological or sexual pitfalls, St. Meinrad's celibacy formation program has chosen to address issues that can help a seminarian see celibacy not as a cross but as an opportunity to be who God intended him to be.
Example topics that Jeremy and I will hear about this year are "parish friendships" and "how to be a good spiritual director." Last year, we heard about topics such as "being a better communicator" to "how to hire and fire." This new approach is refreshing, because it sees celibacy as something that gets played out in all aspects of our lives as priests. We still get presentations on the more common celibacy topics dealing with psycho-sexual integration, but the Meinrad program has really helped us to see that there are a lot of ways that we live out our lives as celibate men, and those many ways of living out our lives are not just potential areas for us to fall into sin but are also areas for us to excel as human beings.
Today, our year long program of Wednesday meetings got kicked off with a special day of conferences given by a monk of St. Meinrad who teaches at the Catholic University of America in Washington D.C., Fr. Raymond Studzinski. They were some excellent conferences dealing with issues of celibacy. Fr. Raymond spoke about some of the things that he has found to be helpful in living out his life of celibacy. Some of his main points included being hospitable and also being someone who loves to read. He noted that hospitality, an openness to host people, helps us become more humble, and also invites friendships into our lives. Obviously, I am providing a very short summary here, but it was a good day to get our celibacy formation conferences off and running.
We have a big day tomorrow that I need to prepare for. Jeremy will write about it tomorrow, and hopefully have some pictures as well.
Until the next post, God bless.
John Hollowell
Daily Schedule
People often ask what seminary is like on a daily basis. When I first came to seminary, my good friends had serious questions like "Do you have phones?" and "Are you allowed to watch TV?" One friend told me all she could picture when she thought about me in the seminary was me living in Harry Potter's Hogwarts Castle, locked in a room studying old latin parchments.
Despite impressions that people have about the seminary, Saint Meinrad is actually a lot like other graduate school programs. Our classes are fairly intense, and must meet national academic standards that all graduate school classes are held to. The major difference between a seminary and other graduate programs is that seminaries have additional activities beyond academic work that make them unique. The major events in our daily schedule that are constant are daily Mass and also prayer with our fellow seminarians both before classes start each morning and also each night before dinner.
The following is a skeleton of our day:
8:00 a.m. - morning prayer as a community
8:30 a.m. - class starts
9:45 a.m. - first class ends
9:45 a.m. - 15 minute break before our second class begins
10:00 a.m. - second class begins
11:15 a.m. - second class ends
11:30 a.m. - Mass as a community
12:15 p.m. - lunch
12:45 p.m. - lunch ends
1:15 p.m. - language class starts (2 days a week - options include Latin, Greek, and Spanish)
2:05 p.m. - language class ends
2:15 p.m. - 2 hour elective begins (2 days a week for most guys)
4:05 p.m. - 2 hour elective ends
5:00 p.m. - evening prayer in common
5:20 p.m. - dinner
6:00 p.m. - dinner ends
There is much to do after dinner or in the afternoons where there are no classes. Activities include exercise, prayer (most guys try and make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament for an hour a day called a holy hour), reading for class (about 4-500 pages a week), meetings and so forth.
We also have special programs that require a lot of our time. The main two programs are our celibacy program and also our ministry program. Jeremy and I will talk more about our celibacy program later. Our ministry program is one that pairs us up with local parishes to minister in nursing homes, schools, CCD programs, hospitals, confirmation programs, adult education programs, etc. The ministry program also involves 3.5 hour seminars each Wednesday afternoon about issues that are involved with ministering to people in our dioceses.
With regards to our schedule, there is a TON going on every day; some of the events are mandatory and others optional, and so we as seminarians are taught to prioritize and manage our time well. The ability to prioritize and manage our time are both skills we will definitely need to have fine tuned by the time we begin ministering as priests.
Despite impressions that people have about the seminary, Saint Meinrad is actually a lot like other graduate school programs. Our classes are fairly intense, and must meet national academic standards that all graduate school classes are held to. The major difference between a seminary and other graduate programs is that seminaries have additional activities beyond academic work that make them unique. The major events in our daily schedule that are constant are daily Mass and also prayer with our fellow seminarians both before classes start each morning and also each night before dinner.
The following is a skeleton of our day:
8:00 a.m. - morning prayer as a community
8:30 a.m. - class starts
9:45 a.m. - first class ends
9:45 a.m. - 15 minute break before our second class begins
10:00 a.m. - second class begins
11:15 a.m. - second class ends
11:30 a.m. - Mass as a community
12:15 p.m. - lunch
12:45 p.m. - lunch ends
1:15 p.m. - language class starts (2 days a week - options include Latin, Greek, and Spanish)
2:05 p.m. - language class ends
2:15 p.m. - 2 hour elective begins (2 days a week for most guys)
4:05 p.m. - 2 hour elective ends
5:00 p.m. - evening prayer in common
5:20 p.m. - dinner
6:00 p.m. - dinner ends
There is much to do after dinner or in the afternoons where there are no classes. Activities include exercise, prayer (most guys try and make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament for an hour a day called a holy hour), reading for class (about 4-500 pages a week), meetings and so forth.
We also have special programs that require a lot of our time. The main two programs are our celibacy program and also our ministry program. Jeremy and I will talk more about our celibacy program later. Our ministry program is one that pairs us up with local parishes to minister in nursing homes, schools, CCD programs, hospitals, confirmation programs, adult education programs, etc. The ministry program also involves 3.5 hour seminars each Wednesday afternoon about issues that are involved with ministering to people in our dioceses.
With regards to our schedule, there is a TON going on every day; some of the events are mandatory and others optional, and so we as seminarians are taught to prioritize and manage our time well. The ability to prioritize and manage our time are both skills we will definitely need to have fine tuned by the time we begin ministering as priests.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Day of Prayer
Hello All:
This past Monday (01-Sept), while everyone was enjoying rest from their Labors, the seminarians were enjoying a dedicated Day of Prayer. As the semester is barely off the ground, we had only had two days of class, we spent an entire day grounding our labor and work here in seminary in prayer.
The day consisted of two conferences by Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of the Archdiocese of Louisville. He spoke on the importance of prayer and formation in our preparation for priesthood. We also had a number of devotional prayer opportunities.
During the first conference the Archbishop focused on three points. The first was our need to empty our self so that God can fill us up with His goodness and blessings. He utilized the biblical example of Zechariah (the father of John the Baptist) being struck dumb so as to be able to more perfectly hear God's will for him. Sometimes we need to be quiet and get out of God's way. When we stop focusing on our own desires, it is easier for God's desires for us can to be realized. The example of St. Paul being blinded during his conversion served as another example of having to let go so that God can help us see correctly. The second point was a challenge to remember and rekindle that initial desire that lead each of us seminarians to enter the seminary in the first place. Returning to those early places is sort of like a married couple reminiscing about the earliest part of their courtship when everything appeared to be roses. We were particullarly given II Timothy 1:6 "For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands." Finally, Archbishop Kurtz spoke on the importance of developing a "Radical Fidelity" to God. He encouraged us to look at those people in our lives, clergy or lay, who are witnessing to a radical fidelity to God as models for our own lives.
The second conference was an expansion on the third point of radical fidelity. He gave four areas for us to attend to in our pursuit. First, be true to who God made you to be. It is impossible to be radically faithful to God if we are not ourselves, not who God so lovingly made us to be. Second, we are to serve others, particularily those to whom we will one day be called to minister to and for. Third, serve with others and make the other look good doing it. Jealousy is a dangerous thing and can only be countered with authentic gratitude founded in God. Finally, allow yourself to be inspired. Accept the daily gifts of God for you for what they are. Accept and utilize the gifts and talents God has bestowed upon each one of us. Keep your eye on Jesus. Referring to St. Peter, Archbishop Kurtz made the comical comment that Peter sank like the rock he was when he took his eyes off Jesus in the midst of the stormy water (Mt 14:22-33).
It was truly a gift to have a day dedicated to prayer. Of course, John and I included a prayer or two for the good people of Nativity parish. We seminarians were particularly aware that so many people, especially along the gulf coast, did not have the ability or opportunity to dedicate time to prayer like we did. It was truly a wonderful gift.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Deacon Retreat
Canon Law states that any man preparing for ordination must complete a retreat for at least 5 days in the time leading up to his ordination. The tradition at St. Meinrad has been that the deacon class always does their retreat together as a group. Our class chose the beautiful grounds of the Mary the Mother of the Redeemer farm just west of Bloomington, IN. It was truly an awesome place to get away and prepare for the "big leap." Our retreat was given by Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz of Lincoln, Nebraska. He has a reputation as being one of the more conservative Bishops in the country, but we found him to be extremely kind, warm, humble, and down to earth. He did a wonderful job of mixing in poignant quotations with hilarious anecdotes.
The retreat was an awesome way to start out the school year (see photos above). We are now wrapping up working the orientation which helps the new guys get aquainted with St. Meinrad. We have a ton of new guys (42 to be exact) which is awesome. St. Meinrad has slowly been establishing itself as the one of the premier seminaries in the country, and this year's crop of new men makes our total for the year at 109 men. That number makes us the second largest seminary in the country.
School begins tomorrow, so please pray for Jeremy and I as we begin our final year in earnest.
God bless,
John Hollowell
The retreat was an awesome way to start out the school year (see photos above). We are now wrapping up working the orientation which helps the new guys get aquainted with St. Meinrad. We have a ton of new guys (42 to be exact) which is awesome. St. Meinrad has slowly been establishing itself as the one of the premier seminaries in the country, and this year's crop of new men makes our total for the year at 109 men. That number makes us the second largest seminary in the country.
School begins tomorrow, so please pray for Jeremy and I as we begin our final year in earnest.
God bless,
John Hollowell
Monday, July 28, 2008
Up and Running
This is just a test to make sure that this blog has been activated. We hope to start adding news and information about our final year of seminary soon. God bless.
John Hollowell
John Hollowell
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