Many Things

Vanderbilt is on a long Thanksgiving Break.

I spent the weekend on our second Rachel's Vineyard retreat in Nashville. It was very powerful. There was tremendous healing. Spread the good news.

When I got back over to the Frassati House and reposed the Blessed Sacrament to end the Adoration that accompanied the retreat, I discovered that I was in time for Solemn Vespers and Benediction at the Cathedral for Christ the King. That is the kind of thing that a Cathedral should be doing. The choir was great.

It was strange to have a calm Sunday evening. They are usually (wonderfully) hectic and late, what with the 9 p.m. Mass and all. But last night was different (see the first line of the post). I was able to have supper with the two other priests at the Cathedral rectory and my father. We enjoyed a beautiful meal made and delivered by a good friend.

That's a recap. And it's my birthday.

Wednesday

Here we are in the middle of things. I feel like catching a breath! I am enjoying myself more than I ever have, but I am also pulled in more directions than I can handle. The more that I am willing to lay it all down and really surrender to the will of God for me, the better it gets. I want to get on the roof of the Frassati House and shout to the young men I know: "BE A PRIEST! IT'S AWESOME." Whenever the topic of priesthood comes up, this wary look comes into the eyes of the most obvious young men. I think that the problem is not so much with themselves (although that's there) but with what they fear everyone else will think, especially their parents and other mentors. I would put my life up against anyone's for richness, meaning, relationships, and persecution (just a little bit for seasoning) to boot! Just like Jesus said. Go figure.

New Picture of BPG!

Blessed Pier Giorgio, pray for us!

Countdown to Thanksgiving Break!

I guess that I should be setting a better example than this, but I am really looking forward to Thanksgiving break. I am really tired! In a good way really, but I am. I guess it might have something to do with the fact that I will turn 47 over the break. When one is now more than twice as old (even of most of the graduate students!) as the people one is around most of the time, it could be a little tiring! But I am very content. The tiredness is well earned. There is so much more that I wish we had done at Vandy+Catholic so far this year, but I am amazed at what we have accomplished. I can't wait to see what God will let us do next!

The Awakening Effect

I think that we are getting the hoped for fruits of Awakening: deeper conversion to the way of the Lord Jesus through the sacramental and devotional life of the Catholic Church. The devil did his best to undermine things. 11 people decided not to attend on the last day! We thought that we had been doing so well in keeping those who had signed up ready to go. The devil has to work on the front end because no one ever regrets going. So I ask you to begin praying now for Vandy Awakening VI, March 26-28. In particular, pray that those who need to go will get on the bus and go!

News

Sorry about the extremely lame blogging lately, but here is some news:

The Vandy+Catholic Nun Run appeared in the Whitesville, Ky Passionist Nuns' Blog -- yes, there is such a blog!

Vandy Awakening V ( VAV for short) is this weekend. Pray.

New Bible studies for fraternity men and for athletes began last week.

How's that? There is so much more. I am too busy living life to write about it.

Homecoming

This weekend is Vanderbilt's homecoming. It was fun yesterday on campus to see graduates coming back. I have just now been here long enough to have this experience. I am proud of what we are doing at Vandy+Catholic, not so much for what we are doing on campus but for what these graduates are doing off campus. That is where to look for the fruits of this program. We ought to change the world, not have the biggest club. The world is changed by those changed by a radical encounter with the love of God in Jesus Christ. The Catholic Church is full of these encounters: at Mass and in the Blessed Sacrament, in Confession, in prayer, during a retreat, in service to others, in the intellectual struggle for the Truth, etc. This is what we offer in Vandy+Catholic.

We have few alumni of the revitalized program of Vandy+Catholic so we lack the most obvious source of financial support: those who have gone on from the program. (If you do not believe me, you ought to see how Vanderbilt "puts on the dog" for Homecoming!) That alumni support will come in time, but we still have the bills to pay right now.

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