What a life! And it is mine, as a Priest of Jesus Christ!

As I previously posted, I was able to spend last travel weekend with my best friend Eric in Bologna, and then before returning to Rome on Sunday night, I stopped in Florence to meet up with some of the people I know from Eric's parish. I am continually humbled by the encouragement and support that I receive from people who know I am studying for the Catholic priesthood. Last year at St. John's Seminary, we had  a   glass canister  in the reception area with our version of the "LiveSTRONG" rubber bracelets--they were black with white writing, with the SJS shield and the phrase "S.O.S. Support our Seminarians". Over the past two and a half years in seminary, I have been beyond blessed  with the support I have received---from my family, my friends, my former co-workers, the former teens of both Stoughton and Bridgewater Life Teen's, my home parish, and faithful Catholics whom I came to know only because I am in priestly formation, among others. Every ...

Happy Solemnity of St. Joseph!! The last time I posted was the day before Ash Wednesday, so I figured it was about time for a Lenten Update! On Facebook, I mentioned that I was participating in the " Station Churches " that the College offers during the Lenten Season...Realizing that some don't have Facebook, I've linked a brief history about the station churches above. My overall goal is to participate in at least 1/3 to half of the station churches this year. After walking to the first couple station churches, my feet were very angry with me--but I bought a bike, and that has helped me to be able to get to more station churches (and it really shrinks the size of Rome!!). This past weekend was a travel permitted weekend. I went up to Bologna to meet up with Eric, who flew in to Italy a couple days earlier than the group going to Florence from his parish so we could hang out. It was awesome to be able to hang out with him in Bologna, have him celebrate Mass (esp...

I've been reading recently a book that a priest friend sent me for Christmas called The Transforming Power of Faith by Pope Benedict XVI. It is a compilation of his Wednesday audiences from the opening of the "Year of Faith" in October 2012 until his last audience before his resignation in February 2013. The chapter that I read this morning was from his audience on January 23, 2013 entitled "I believe in God" (Credo in Deum, the opening line of the Apostle's creed). There is a section that I have been reflecting upon heavily throughout the day. During the audience, the Holy Father stated: When we affirm "I believe in God", we are saying, like Abraham, "I trust in You, I entrust myself to You, O Lord", but not as Someone to whom to turn solely in times of difficulty or to whom to devote a few moments of the day or week. Saying "I believe in God" means founding my life on Him, letting His word guide it every day, in practical...

This Wednesday March 5 (Ash Wednesday) Catholic Churches throughout the world will sing "Attende Domine, et miserere quia peccavimus tibi"  to usher in the liturgical season of Lent. Here in Rome, the seminarians at NAC are preparing for the "station church" pilgrimage, an ancient traditional Lenten pilgrimage that was revived in the mid 1970s. (Read more about it here:  Americans in Rome have revived an old tradition: a pilgrimage to the station churches of Lent. ) As this is a pilgrimage, I will be praying for the intentions of my family and friends (as always!) However, if you have any specific intentions for which you'd like me to pray during the station church pilgrimage, please email me at KPLeaver@gmail.com Be forewarned!! I don't want to deceive! Although I aspire to participate in all of the days, I may need to take a day off here and there to allow my feet to rest (the cobblestone pavement started to make cracks in the bottom of my shoes afte...