Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord!

Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to people of good will! 

Merry Christmas to all!

I pray that you and your loved ones will experience the peace that the Newborn King comes to bring, and that His love reign supreme in your hearts every day of the coming year.

Since I didn't send Christmas cards this year, I decided to do a "Christmas letter" and post it as a blog. It's not because I don't love you, it's because I'm cheap...its 2,30€ to mail from Vatican City to USA or $2.50 per envelope!

I can hardly believe we're approaching 2016, the year I get ordained a deacon, God willing! Much has happened in 2015, and I want to take a moment to review it with you all.

December 31, 2014-January 1, 2015:

I started off 2015 in a unique way: Locked in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem! I, along with 6 other men from the NAC on pilgrimage rang in the new year at Calvary!

Greek Orthodox Altar above the spot Jesus' cross is believed to have been placed

I was locked in from 7 pm until 4 am, giving me plenty of time to read the Crucifixion and Resurrection accounts from the Gospels (both at the respective places they are believed to have taken place), pray many Rosaries and Divine Mercy Chaplets, journal, and meditate with the Lord. 

Not long after returning from this pilgrimage we were back in full swing at the NAC as classes resumed and then ended for the finals period. Soon after exams ended, our Lenten journey began and with it the Station Church pilgrimage. In the blink of an eye it was Holy Week, which I spent doing Pilgrim Services in Fátima with 3 close friends/classmates and then another Holy Week in Greece during a Footsteps of St. Paul Pilgrimage with my Pauline Corpus professor. (the Latin Catholics in Greece follow the Greek Orthodox calendar, one huge reason they are hoping Pope Francis can help find a common date for Easter)

Again, I blinked and it was May 2, 2015...the day Peter came to the NAC! His Holiness Pope Francis celebrated Mass in the Immaculate Conception Chapel, where seminarians spend hours a week praying, allowing the Lord to conform our hearts more closely to His, and listening to His quiet, gentle voice guiding us in our discernment toward His holy priesthood. Pope Francis spoke to us in his homily about the wave of sanctity that has been present in America by those who have gone before us, particularly St. Junípero Serra, whom he canonized during his apostolic visit to the US in September. He encouraged us to be men of prayer, and to let Mary guide us, and to bring holiness back to America and win her over for Christ (I'm paraphrasing of course)

The following weekend I was home in America to watch my baby sister marry the love of her life. It was beautiful to watch my little Julianne walk down the aisle with my parents by her side and place her hand in Jeffrey's as they approached the altar together for the last time as a "dating" couple. 

Once back in Rome I had a few more weeks of classes and then final exams before I would be able to return to the USA again for my summer assignment. As you can imagine, the time both dragged on (as I was anticipating getting back home!) as well as flew by (because tempos fugit!) But on Saturday June 13 I departed Rome for Boston...not for a funeral, not for a weekend wedding, but for two glorious months! I've already blogged about my assignment at Immaculate Conception in Marlborough and how blessed a time it was for me.

Landing back in Rome for our September workshops was exciting, and after a rejuvenating summer back home, I was ready to get back at it! Many friends and mentors back home (both priests and laypeople) told me that Third Theology would be a time when the evil one would step up his attacks against me, as I move closer to the altar. (Remember, I've blogged that Third year is the last year before a man is ordained, and that around the middle of this school year I would be petitioning my Bishop to "call" me to orders). As excited as I was to get back to NAC, I wasn't thrilled about the possibility of the evil one upping the ante against men. I've had a quote on my wall since 1st Pre-Theology at St. John's that reads:

The devil will try to upset you by accusing you of being unworthy of the blessings that you have received. Simply remain cheerful and do your best to ignore the devil’s nagging. If need be even laugh at the absurdity of the situation. Satan, the epitome of sin itself, accuses you of unworthiness! When the devil reminds you of your past, remind him of his future! ~St. Teresa of Avila

I have often looked at that quote this year and been filled with strength, knowing that I am unworthy of the gift I hope one day to receive (priesthood), but that God is calling me anyway. No matter what the evil one throws at me this year, I rest confident that the Lord, who began the good work in me, will bring it to completion.

After a month of workshops, Third Theology classes started up at the Pontifical Universities in the city. We were back into "normal" academic schedule. As always, time can both drag on and fly by...it was All Saints travel weekend about 10 minutes after classes started...and then no sooner were we back from that it was Thanksgiving, which is always a special time at the College.

Currently we are on Christmas break. While I'm not on pilgrimage to the Holy Land this Christmas season, I am taking time to do some traveling/Church hopping as well as getting some rest and relaxation time in, knowing that no sooner will classes resume than will finals start...And before you know it, I will be petitioning Cardinal Sean to call me to Holy Orders on September 29, 2016 (God willing!)

As I look back on 2015, it was another year of great growth--- personally, spiritually, academically and formatively. New friendships were forged both back home during the summer as well as upon returning to NAC with the New Man Class of 2019. Day after day the Lord continues to amaze me with the brothers He has surrounded me with to be formed for His Holy Priesthood. It surprises everyone who knew me pre-NAC to see how I've grown since coming to Rome, and how I have given myself over to the formation program so that the Lord can make my heart like unto His and help me to be a good, holy priest to serve the people of the Archdiocese of Boston.

As I look forward to 2016, I pray for another year of growth in the interior and exterior freedom that will be necessary to lay down my life at the altar. By the end of this school year, I will complete the First Cycle Program and attain my S.T.B. (Bachelor's Degree in Sacred Theology), after writing a final elaborate paper next semester (theme forthcoming!) Before I know it, Summer 2016 will be here and I will be back at Immaculate Conception Marlborough with the great community there, eagerly anticipating my potential Diaconate Ordination in late September. Man, God is so good!!

Merry Christmas again, and prayers for a joyful, healthy and prosperous New Year!

Praised be Jesus Christ...

--kpl