Gratitude

+

This week, Dan arrived in Rome for early orientation. There are now three Phoenix seminarians studying at the North American College in Rome.

I and 16 other guys from my year in seminary spent the last week with Dan and 49 other seminarians showing them around Rome and making them feel welcome to their new seminary. This week -- that we call "Early Orientation" -- we showed the New Men around to different major sites in Rome and introduced them to life at the NAC. Seeing this new set of seminarians going through the same surreal transition that I went through a year ago reminded me of what it felt like when I first arrived. There was a lot of excitement for the new experiences to come. There was some nervousness about being immersed in a new culture and having to learn a new language.

Another familiar face came along with Dan: my good friend Michael from the Archdiocese of Santa Fe in New Mexico. We entered seminary the same year and studied together at the Josephinum for three years. It was a lot of fun to be reunited to two old friends. And so the gratitude begins: I am very grateful to have them around again and I look forward spending my second year in Rome with them.

In telling the new men stories of my experiences and giving them a heads up on what to expect in the coming year, I had the chance to reflect on the whole year I just completed abroad. There are so many things to be thankful for and so many things that I feel appreciate all the more looking back on them. With a grateful heart for another year in formation for the priesthood, I look forward to what the Lord has in store for us next year.


I ask for your prayers as I head to Calcutta, India tomorrow. I am going in India for a total of 6 weeks with three other seminarians from the NAC. We will be serving with the Missionaries of Charity for 4 weeks in Calcutta, then doing a retreat in India and visiting some sites around the country (such as the church where St. Thomas the Apostle is buried and the sites where St. Francis Xavier visited as a missionary). I should have access to the internet, so I plan on giving an update while I am in India. Until then, know that the Diocese of Phoenix, Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish in Glendale, and many of you by name will be in my prayers at the tomb of Bl. Teresa of Calcutta. 

Bl. Teresa of Calcutta, pray for us!