I assume you know...

...what day today is? It is the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Today I also finished my summer parish assignment at Immaculate Conception Marlborough...


This is the parish I was assigned to last summer as well...It was an amazing blessing to return to a parish where I already had a rapport/relationship with the pastor, the parish staff and the parishioners.

Walking back into this summer, I wondered how it would differ from last summer. I knew that my expectations would be mainly the same, with a few additions, however I didn't anticipate some of the experiences I had.

Within the first 3 hours I returned, the pastor and I went to the hospital to pray with the brother/sister-in-law of a man who had already passed away. During the course of my first week back there were several experiences that never occurred during the summer of 2015 that we experienced... As I was talking with one of my closest friends from NAC about it, it dawned on me that maybe these experiences were happening because God knows that this is my last summer as a layman, and He wanted me to see how to handle different situations pastorally before I'm thrown in the midst of it. (I realize that no matter how many times I observe someone do something, or "prepare" for different scenarios, when I'm placed in the moment it will be different...similar to when I was a student teacher, and then became a classroom teacher---certain things I just couldn't have been prepared for, and it was an entirely different ballgame).

My pastor, knowing my experience in teaching and in youth ministry, assigned me to work with the parish Director of Mission to design an 8 day long intensive Confirmation Boot Camp program for our sophomores. Overall it was about 61.5 hours together...teaching, small groups, daily Mass, confession/adoration, pilgrimage to the Holy Cross Cathedral and Year of Mercy Holy Door, a service project, and a VOCATIONS LIVE! Talkshow...

Although the overall summer experience was again great...Boot Camp was one of my 2 highlight moments of the summer. It was awesome to (sort of) be back in teaching/ym mode, because I know I'm no longer a teacher/ym, but rather a seminarian in cammino to the priesthood. As a seminarian/future priest, it was so awesome to watch the teens "get it" during the course of the week...to see them start to understand the truths of the faith...

The other highlight moment was the increase in pastoral conversations. Although it was announced when I returned that I am still "Seminarian Kevin", and that my diaconate ordination was at the end of September, it seemed some people still wanted to have conversations with me as if I were a priest and counseling them. (NB, I was NEVER asked for Confession, and I never impersonated a priest, except by wearing clerics...) Some of the conversations I had with parishioners of all types were very humbling to me. I realized that this time next year, God willing, people will walk into the Confessional and be vulnerable before me, as I act in Persona Christi, to bring them the mercy, love and forgiveness of the Father. 

God doesn't need me, but He wants me...He wants to use me as His instrument. He wants me to be one of His priests and lead His people to His Son. It reminds me of a line from the Benedictus (When Zechariah praises God after being un-muted at the naming of John the Baptist) that I have prayed each morning since entering seminary in 2011... "You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare His way, to give His people knowledge of salvation, by the forgiveness of their sins..."

I know that the next two weeks will fly by, and that August 30 will be here before I know it. I am going to savor my time at home, but I also am looking forward to returning to Rome, going through our September workshops, having my canonical retreat and then on September 29, being ordained a transitional deacon with 29 other men from around the country (and Australia!) that I am blessed to call my classmates.

Praised be Jesus Christ...

kpl

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