Life of a college seminarian

Blog of a Roman Catholic Seminarian

This week will prove to be busy with homework and helping plan part of the Eucharistic Congress.  I've got a short modern philosophy paper due on Friday @ midnight and a metaphysics test on Friday.  Things are going pretty well.  I was home this past weekend for the ordination of Fr. William Broome M.S.A.  It looks as if I will be going to Rome for two weeks in December/January.  I am so greatful to my parents who are helping me pay for this.  Since I had been home my parents have been putting up pictures in our new house and they hung the crucifix that I got for them for Christmas this past year.  Our new home is now a Catholic household.  Praise God!!  I just got a book by Fr. Frederick Copleston SJ concerning modern philosophy and I will begin to dive into that to prepare for my modern paper.  St. Vincent de Paul, pray for us.

posted by: ajurban at 08:38 | link | comments |

Not too much is going on here in St. Paul.  The past two years at the seminary the returning men have had little brothers for the past two weeks.  As big brothers we meet with our little brothers daily.  Starting last night all of the little brothers will be disciples to the big brothers.  Basically he will be with me the whole day even while we sleep.  I'm glad that I have a couch in my room in addition to my bed.  This coming Friday I will be heading home for the ordination of Deacon Bill Broome to the Priesthood of Jesus Christ.  The ordination is on Saturday at 9:00 in the morning.  Please pray for him and safe travels for us.
Here is a link to his story.

posted by: ajurban at 08:34 | link | comments |

This article brings a great deal of hope for my diocese.  It will be a year in December since Bishop Carlson was called to leave our diocese for Saginaw.  The Saginaw diocese had had a not so great bishop and Bishop Carlson is turning some things around and getting men into the seminaries.  St. Januarius, pray for us.

posted by: ajurban at 05:28 | link | comments (2) |

I write this simple meditation on the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows

After having taught the joyful mysteries of the Rosary this past summer on Totus Tuus I have learned many new things concerning the infancy narratives.  The fourth mystery, the Presentation of our Lord in the Temple, is where Simeon tells Mary that her son will be a sign of contradiction and that a sword would pierce her heart.  It is quite providential that the Exaltation of the Cross would be followed by commemorating Our Lady of Sorrows.  Also in the Divine Office, the hymn for the Office of Readings is the Stabat Mater, most commonly associated with the Stations of the Cross.  As I thought about Christ's Sacred Heart and Mary's Immaculate Heart, I see that both feel the same pain and suffering when we sin.  As Mary stood at the foot of the cross, watching her Son die, she felt a great sorrow and thus her heart was pierced because of the suffering her son endured.  Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us.

posted by: ajurban at 23:25 | link | comments (1) |

WOW  American families have really been destroyed by a very liberal culture.  Parents have rights to know what their children are doing, no matter what.
Check this story out.

posted by: ajurban at 16:31 | link | comments |

I have recently added two new links.  One is the blog of a fellow who works at the chancery back home.  He has a STD (Doctorate in Sacred Theology) and I have gotten to know him pretty well in the past six months.  The other is a website that contains information concerning the Tridentine Mass.  There is a great wealth of information here and I have very much enjoyed going to different Tridentine Masses around the area.

posted by: ajurban at 12:20 | link | comments |

Well classes have started up and I've gotten through most of my homework.  I am currently taking my third semester of Latin, metaphysics, modern philosophy, and thought of St. Thomas Aquinas.  In thought of Aquinas we are reading On being and essence and it is very intense and for the most part difficult to understand.  It is just Thomas writing in prose, which is completely different from the Summa because there are no objections or replies.  Oh well.  The seminary went on a parish visit yesterday to Delano, MN.  We went to Holy Mass and a picnic/softball game which we won 15-9.  I had two hits, a single and a double and brought in two runs.  It was fun to be on the field again, it brought back quite a few memories.  Saturday was the home opener for the football season.  There is a seminarian on the team and he has started all four years.  He is one of the captains and had quite a few tackles, a blocked punt, and a sack.  They lost 21-24 but it was a very good game.  Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.

posted by: ajurban at 08:22 | link | comments (5) |

Well, they're off.  Seven of my brother seminarians left this morning to head to Rome to study.  It was tough to see them go, they bring a great amount of joy to the seminary and to myself.  I will hopefully be going over there in January to visit them and see our Holy Father and be in the shadow of the saints.

posted by: ajurban at 09:23 | link | comments (2) |

Here is a picture of my team from Totus Tuus.  From left to right is Jennifer Moser, Kris Cowles (diocesan brother), Kelly Deutsch, and yours truly




Our two fearless leaders: Fr. Kevin (from the Archdiocese of Denver) and Bob Siemens the head of youth ministry for the diocese




This is from Sacred Heart Parish in Aberdeen, SD.




This is Bob's son, Joseph.  He looks a lot like me when I was his age.

posted by: ajurban at 13:28 | link | comments |