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Pro-Life Witness at Democratic Kerry Rally

Seminarians at Kerry RallyOn Friday, October 8, 2004, members of the Kenrick-Glennon Seminary community traveled to the America’s Center to witness to the Pro-Life cause. Wearing sweatshirts that proclaimed ‘Dedicated to the defense of all human life,’ the seminarians attempted to attend the Democratic Watch Party and Rally (at which John Kerry would later be present) and pray for the senator to stand for what he believes as a Catholic.

While in line to go through security scanners, the seminarians were informed that the Democratic Convention Committee would not allow them to enter, as the party was being held in a private, rented venue (the America's Center), and the Party Organizers didn’t think the seminarians had the spirit that was necessary for admittance. (Earlier in the day, security personnel had told the group that they would allow signs).

Food for Thought

Today I was quite moved by the whole Mass celebrated by Archbishop Burke. I especially loved his homily and the Holy Sacrifice on the altar. His statement, “This seminary is the heart of our archdiocese” (i.e. you seminarians are the heart of the archdiocese), REALLY struck me as something important.

He is exhorting us, as Christ did, to live out our lives to their fullest in order to perfectly imitate Christ. Not fifty percent. Not seventy-five. One hundred percent. To the cross.

How miniscule are our sufferings and complaints compared to the suffering Jesus went through! We have nothing to complain about. Jesus has redeemed us through his death on the Cross, and now we MUST work to acheive eternal salvation through our actions on this Earth.

The Power of God

This morning, our beloved electrical power was gone at the seminary (apparently it left us at 4:50 a.m.). Needless to say, there was much confusion for some time. But, in the end, everyone set up flashlights so we could see while getting ready for the day, and we found that ol’ St. Nicholas had remembered not only candy in our shoes, but also a bright, red candle for ever-needed morning light. The electrical power returned just before we began morning prayer, and now we are back online and operational.

This made me think about things in chapel (where we each were holding one or two candles to read our books for morning prayer). What is power? What is our ‘guiding light’? Who controls it? Surely we lowly humans, sinners that we are, do not control our power—we are shown this in many ways, the least of which being the power outages such as the one this morning. In our society, being without electrical power degrades our feeling of power. But who gives us any power we may have? God. We must remember that all of our modern conveniences are given to us by God through the work His creation, men.

Bedtime Prayer

Before I go to bed, I pray this seminarian's bedtime prayer:

God, thank you for this day.
I am sorry for all the wrong I have done.
Please forgive me, and give me a restful sleep,
so I may live for you tomorrow,
in all that I do, in all that I say,
everywhere I go, and in everything I pray.
Amen.

Good night!

Para Amigos Quién Hablan Español

Esta mañana, cuando me desperté, usé una computadora leer mi correo electrónico y leer el periódico electrónico y escuchar a la música. In generalmente, comunico con mi familia vía correo electrónico o el teléfono. Vivo en el semillero, lejos de mi familia. Mi familia tiene cuatro niños y dos padres (uno madre y uno padre). Cuando voy a casa en mi carro, miro a veces la televisión con el resto de mi familia mientras meriendaba algunas pretzelas. También lavo la ropa en la lavadora. Muchos familias hoy en día no tienen dos padres, como mi familia. También muchos familias hoy en día no tienen muchos hijos, generalmente solamente uno o dos. Muchas familias se separan porque tenen las problemas y mucho tension y están con uno pocas veces.

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