Brothers

One of the most memorable aspects of seminary life is to be in a fraternity based on our shared purpose to be formed as men of Christ and future priests for His Church. Here are my brothers from the Diocese of Boise with whom I have the potential to share in ministry throughout the state in the coming years of our lives.

Bridesman

To receive one of the sacraments of vocation makes for an unforgettable day. Lately I have been able to witness many friends undergo the transformation of Matrimony or Holy Orders and celebrate with them. Their lives will never be the same.

On Thursday at Mount Angel, 17 seminarians were admitted as official candidates for Holy Orders, meaning they are on track to become transitional deacons on their way to the priesthood. Archbishop Sample heard these brothers make their commitments verbally in front of the gathered community, including many visiting vocations directors and bishops, and he blessed their continued journey. I was in the choir loft at the back of the long Abbey Church, but I did manage to snap a couple photos. Seeing so many priests in one place makes me grateful for the sacrifices they make to be Christ and bring the Eucharist to the people each day.

Last weekend I flew to Boise for the wedding of Derek and Kayla. Kayla and I grew up at St. John's Cathedral, went to Seattle Pacific University, volunteered together at multiple parishes, and have shared in friendship for over a decade. A few months ago she asked me to be in the wedding with one catch: That I give some thought to being on her side of the aisle. I agreed with trepidation, but I felt more at ease when she said Derek's sister would be on his side. So this was my first (and likely only) time acting as a "Bridesman." Derek's sister served as a "Groomsmaid." I even have an engraved flask to commemorate the occasion. The dancing was rowdy, the food was tasty, and the celebration was worthy of two lovers rejoicing in their sacramental union. I was glad to take part. Her marriage to Derek is a beautiful culmination of young adulthood. Now she is equipped with a Master's of Social Work from the University of Washington, a new job in her field, and a triathlete husband who adores her. 

Finally, yesterday in absence I celebrated with the six permanent deacons ordained for the Diocese of Boise, two of whom I know well enough to congratulate: Deacon Mac Chester and Deacon Clyde Brinegar. They are principled, humorous, caring, and abiding individuals who will serve their parishes and the greater community well.

May you invite the Holy Spirit into your journey at each step, my friends. Congratulations and thank you for allowing me to share in your joy.

Sisters

Have you ever wondered what a nun does? Do you know anyone that wants to give their life to Jesus in a special and particular way? I was surprised and moved seeing the sisters in the video below direct their lives to serving the Lord in medicine, education, prayer, and many ways of interacting with the world. Watch this video. Forward it to friends and family. Parents, encourage your daughters to invite the Lord into their life decisions. Let us do all we can to foster the life of women in the Church, both in religious vocations and secular vocations.


Light of Love from Imagine Sisters on Vimeo.
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Shakespeare

Last weekend, I enjoyed two plays at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland with brother seminarians and a few faculty members. For an upcoming issue of the Catholic Sentinel for the Archdiocese of Portland, I wrote about this experience. Below is the article, along with a few photos.

Seminarians Study Shakespeare, Encounter Characters

Picture this: The Shakespearian comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream set in 1964, the king and queen morphed into a priest and nun set to leave their religious vows to be married, the four young lovers played by two black and two white actors, ripples from the Second Vatican Council and the Civil Rights Movement onstage amid the poetic musings of history’s most renowned playwright.

These directorial choices aroused varying responses among the 17 seminarians from Mount Angel Seminary that attended the Oregon Shakespeare Festival on Sept. 27 and 28.

“That was jarring,” seminarian Paul Grandi of the Diocese of Tucson said. “It added a layer to the play beyond what Shakespeare intended. It took me out of his world.”

The seminarians journeyed four-and-a-half hours to Ashland, Oreg., to see A Midsummer Night’s Dream and King Lear. The trip to Ashland is an annual staple for those double-majoring in literature and philosophy and other interested students. Literature Professor Creighton Lindsay said the tradition started around 2006 with a group of seven students.

“I like it when the students get excited about something, whether they are critical or not,” Lindsay said. “It’s a joy to share my appreciation of things, when students give themselves over to the pleasure of theatre.”

King Lear similarly evoked varied reactions. In a climactic scene of the cognitively declining king enduring a tremendous storm, two of the main characters were stripped of their positions and seeming dignity. They were also stripped of all but their underwear. Some liked the symbolism. Others thought it went too far.

“They do that just to get a reaction out of us,” said John Hesla, seminarian for the Archdiocese of Portland.

Grandi appreciated the scene.

“They captured some moments beautifully, like Lear in the storm and his descent into madness,” Grandi said.

In addition to the plays, seminarians experienced sleeping over at the Southern Oregon University Newman Center, a game of bocce ball in the park, sharing dinners at Standing Stone Brew Pub and Pasta Piatti, and time away from campus.

“It’s nice to be off the hill to just relax with other seminarians and the good doctors and their wives,” Hesla said, referring to two of the four faculty members that also attended, both of whom brought their spouses.

For 10 individuals, Saturday featured a backstage tour of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Students were led by an actor as a tour guide, sat in the green room, saw a time-lapse set change, walked behind and on the Elizabethan Stage, and learned that student groups such as theirs make up 25 percent of ticket sales.

“Studying literature in general and Shakespeare in particular is a wonderful way for seminarians to challenge themselves,” Lindsay said. “Students tell me literature is good training for becoming a priest, because in literature you get to explore a variety of the types of people you might see in your diocese or parish.”