Oregon - Home sweet home!

1/2/2011 - Sorry i couldnt post this sooner, i came back to a 5 day silent retreat (next post)

                Just got back to the seminary and what a great two weeks off it was! I was fortunate to spend time with most of my friends, all of my family and my parish community. I took some books and a Latin textbook home and I (once again) did not touch it! Haha. I am learning that life is tougher outside of the seminary because there is less structure. Here, I’m guided through my day, and home there is no structure and it becomes a Free-for-all type of atmosphere. While at home I hung out with people on some sort of schedule because I tried to make time for everyone, and at the same time, I had a lot of on-the-fly moments where things just happened. I can imagine Diocesan life as a Priest being somewhat the same. I did make time for prayer and mass because after all, that is what I am (at least) supposed to be doing.

                As good as it was being home, I yearned for seminary life. I needed it! Being home can attract bad habits and it is tough saying no to certain things. Up here, we’re all striving to be holy and the attitude is different. In the "real world” things are different. I am not running from these difficulties because after all, being a Priest, one is a Sheppard everyone. Especially the lost sheep.  So in one sense it keeps me up to date with what’s going on in the world, but in the other, I realized how fragile I still am and that I can still be pulled towards sin. But I DID notice it this and that is a step in the right direction for me because I analyzed what’s going on within me. And just for clarification, I didn’t do anything radical or extreme, but now, I am beginning to notice even the littlest sins (subjectively) and magnifying them in a way to what they truly are. Hurtful.

                Nevertheless, it was a great two weeks off and I am excited to come back to this 5 day long silent retreat. Pray for me because I don’t think I’ve been this silent since… ? Ever.