Seminary gave me GUTS

A little story: For the first 7 years of life, I had a very serious case of introversion. It got so bad that I was taken for observation and treatment to a psychologist/counselor. I vividly remember having to talk to a family of puppets named the Johnson Family. Evidently this therapy had a positive affect! HA!  Long story short, my shell was just harder than most people and I finally broke out of it fully around 16 years old! Praised be Jesus Christ! I was finally talking, sharing my opinions, asking questions in class and I just wasn't afraid anymore....when it came to "talking" that is. At age 21, I made one of the best decisions in my life and answered God's call to discern the Catholic Priesthood and enter the Seminary. When I entered, something was tugging at me to try out for the one an only "official" organization on the Seminary campus, The Schola Cantorum (Seminary Choir). WHAT WAS I THINKING? I had never so much as hummed or even whistled in front of ANYBODY in my life. Well, once again, I can wholeheartedly say that God took the reigns and I somehow tried out for the Schola and made it as a 1st Tenor! This surprised the hell out of me! But, I saw it as a blessing and God's will that I share my gift with my brothers and the faithful who come to worship at the Abbey! It took lots convincing from myself and from my mentor, Br. Benedict Robert O.S.B, that I actually had a decent enough voice. It took a full year for me to sing solo and the recordings below humbly showcase what God had given me the opportunity to do! The last video is my personal favorite piece that myself and my Schola brothers sang during a fall semester Mass! Please enjoy!

St. Pio and Our Lady

Praised be Jesus Christ! I realize that this homily is from last September, but I found it very poignant for me at this time in my life as I continue to work on my relationship with and devotion to my Heavenly Mother! This is Fr. Ignatius Manfredonia, Friar and Priest with the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate! I have been following him and his homilies for some time now. He is not the most dynamic speaker, but his words are incredibly authentic and captivating!

 

The Christ in ALL of us...

A thought God laid on my heart today: 

Jesus Christ is in every person, right?  And so many people, our brothers and sisters, in this world are poor, suffering, marginalized... but how many of us "fortunate" individuals actually take even a moment to care! What if it was Jesus in the flesh on the street crippled and suffering? Would we stop??? Is Christ not in every single person?

 

    

Let us see Christ in EVERYONE! The poor, the suffering, the marginalized, our enemies...