I'll post the final in the morning

Peace!!!!!

I'll post the final draft in the morning.

Peace.

Week 8 in Eufaula: Winding Things Down

Hello from MONTGOMERY!

Hard to believe but the Summer in Eufaula has already come and gone! I just got back to Montgomery last night about midnight and am just now having a chance to step back and realize that my time in Eufaula is over. What a blessed summer! One to remember for sure.

But before some thoughts on the whole experience. A quick look at the 8th and Final week with Fr. Shoemaker.

It was a week of Gatherings and Goodbyes.

Monday and Tuesday was spent largely going to visit all of the sick in the parish one last time. Father and I went together and shared one last visit together.

On Wednesday after Mass, we heading down to Orange Beach for the annual "Seminarian Gathering." For around 30 years, every summer for about 4-5 days, all of the Seminarians for the Archdiocese of Mobile congregate down in Orange Beach at the home of a generous Catholic family from Mobile. The Archbishop is present along with the two Vocation Directors (Priests that help mentor the Seminarians in the Archdiocese) and the Chancellor (Priest who helps the Archbishop run the diocese). As we are currently spread out studying among 7 different dioceses, it is really the one time a year for us all to be in the same place.

Father Shoemaker is one of the Vocation Directors, so we road down together. All 19 Mobile Seminarians were able to make it. So it was a full house! Thank God for that!

The main objective was just for us to all be together and strengthen our fraternity as men studying to be priests. As you can imagine, it is a somewhat unique lifestyle to be living, so these relationships become crucial as you prepare for ordination and then live it out.

We are blessed in Mobile to have a real spirit of fraternity amongst the priests and seminarians. We really did have a good time together down at the beach.

One tradition that has emerged, is playing pool basketball with all of the seminarians. We divided into two teams and basically the only rule is...get the ball into the net....whatever means necessary. This year, however, it took awhile for us to find the water-basketball net.....in the meantime, we got a little anxious and had to resort to the frisbee I brought. What ensued was a dog-fight to carry the frisbee with your team to the other end of the pool. Here is a look at the onslaught:

Coming up with a game-

plan

Punting it down to the other end

Trying to Hulk-it down the field

Looking for a pass

A bit of finesse

Us after the game---All 19 Mobile Seminarians!

It was a great way to break the ice and get to know one another (It was the first time, for us to meet the new guys and for them to meet us). It also gave us a good excuse to lay around for the rest of the afternoon, chat, fall in and out of naps, and enjoy one another's company.

The pool, throughout the week, provided endless entertainment.

Father Shoemaker brought a water-proof camera....which allowed the following moments to be captured.

L to R: Daniel, Stephen, Brandon, and Zack

Hand-Eye Coordination was a premium poolside

Honing in that Priestly skill

With all of the excitement, do you think Fr. Shoemaker could resist???

Of course not!

What do we want? TD! What's that? Touchdown!!!

Embrace the Intensity

Gottems!

Thursday night welcomed another tradition---Serra Club Dinner! The "Serra Club" is an International Association whose main objective is to Pray! Interesting hunh? Specifically they Pray for more Vocations to the Priesthood and religious life.

The Serra Club of Mobile always comes to Orange Beach and puts together a really nice seafood dinner for all of us at the nearby parish--St. Thomas by the Sea

Before that we had a special "Holy Hour" in their chapel to pray for more Vocations. A "Holy Hour" is basically just a solid hour of prayer. This Holy Hour featured Eucharistic "Exposition" and "Benediction." This is when the Eucharist is placed in a special vessel called a "Monstrance" and placed on the altar. After a special hymn, it provides an intimate setting to be in the Lord's presence and spend time with one another conversing...praying....just BEING together. At the end, "Benediction" occurs. This is when the priest goes behind the altar, picks up the monstrance, and then blesses everyone in attendance with the Eucharist in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This has become one of my favorite forms of prayer throughout my time in Seminary. I recommend it to anyone....Catholic and non-Catholic alike.

The Monstrance that was used during the Holy Hour was very special in itself. When John Paul II was the Pope, he has 6 special Monstrances made and bestowed upon them his special Apostolic Blessing. He then gave one to each continent and asked that they travel around the continent to promote prayer for more Vocations. One such Monstrance has found its way to the Archdiocese of Mobile and has been traveling around from parish to parish. So that added special significance to the event.

Below is a picture taken during the Holy Hour.

Big thanks to the Serrans for such a prayerful and enjoyable evening! Here is a shot of all of us Seminarians together after the dinner.

Sitting in the front is the Archbishop Emeritus of Mobile Oscar H. Lipscomb. The current bishop is the last person on the top right--Archbishop Thomas Rodi.

One last activity to share. Pat Arensberg (From Mobile. Went to China with me last summer) and I were swimming in the Gulf and started to get tired. We remembered they had a tube in their boat house and got one of the other guys to bring it to us.

Proved to be very relaxing water-lawn chairs

But after a bit, we felt the need for speed. Thankfully we were able to talk Stephen into our idea for a "Water-Rickshaw Service." Now that I look at this picture again, it really does seem like a picture off the "You Might be a Redneck If..." website!!! Hahaha

Look at us really cruising

All in All, it was a great trip. Great time in prayer. Great fellowship. Great fun. Great life. God is Good you know! So Thanks be to Him for the great time together.

Last Masses:

On Saturday around mid-morning, Father and I had to pack everything up to head to Union Springs (about 5 hrs away) for the 5 and 6PM Masses. After Masses, we made it back to Eufuala late that night...both of us dead tired. Next day there were 9AM and 12PM Masses. Then from 5-6PM we held a "Holy Hour" at our church the with the same special "Vocations Monstrance." It was very moving for me to see so many in the parish come back to the Church on Sunday afternoon to pray for me and other young men who may be considering the priesthood.

Thanks to everyone in Eufuala that I was blessed to know this summer. It was a really fantastic experience being there. I felt so welcomed! So part of a real Church family!!!

And with that, came the end of the summer assignment, there in Eufuala....the center of civilization :)

I consider myself truly blessed to have had the time to spend in Eufaula, even just for a few months. Such strong faith, deep history, and authentic Christian Witness are a few of the hallmarks at Holy Redeemer.

So a special Hello, Thank You, and GOD BLESS you to everyone reading from Holy Redeemer.

Catholic Prime-time:

Get Ready for the upcoming summer blockbuster hit: "Archdiocese of Mobile: The Vocation Boom." It will be broadcasted on a Live Show called "Life on the Rock." It will air TOMORROW (Thursday, August 19th) at 7 PM Central and 8 PM Eastern. If you don't have the Catholic Channel, you can view it on EWTN's website. Here is a link that will take you straight there: Archdiocese of Mobile: The Vocation Boom

You may be wondering, what is meant by "Vocation Boom?" Well, it is referring to the fact that we have SIX new guys who will begin their studies for the priesthood with the Archdiocese of Mobile! Our goal was to get at least four new guys to replace the four men who were just ordained in June. But God is so Good....that he sent us 6!!!

Allow me to introduce these new guys real quick:

Meet Stevie Dolan. Stevie grew up in Mobile at St. Mary's Parish and graduated from McGill-Toolen Catholic High School in the Spring of '09. He spent one year at University of Alabama Huntsville running Cross Country and studying Mechanical Engineering. He will be heading to St. Joseph's Seminary College in Covington, LA at the end of this week.

Meet Sam O'Donnell. Sam just graduated from Murphy high school in Mobile--arch-rivals to McGill-Toolen!!! Sam played Varsity football and has worked as a lifeguard in the summers for the past four years. He will be starting College Seminary at St. Jean Vianney in Minnesota in a few short weeks.

Meet Chris Boutin. Chris reigns from St. Joseph's Parish in Pratville, AL. Chris went to Prattville high and was an all-star outfielder for their baseball team. He went on to play baseball at Troy for a couple years, and then trasferred to Auburn University in Montgomery where he graduated. He has been working for Progressive Insurance for a number of years all over Alabama. Chris will also be heading down to St. Jospeh's Seminary College

Meet Joey Dunbar. Joey grew up in Slidell, LA and went on to attend Auburn University. Joey was a punter on the Tigers Football team!!! He spent a couple years after College discerning and growing with the Legionnaires of Christ (A Religious Order), spending time in Connecticut and Ireland. After much prayer, Joey felt more so called to the Diocesan Priesthood. Having went to school in Auburn and his parents recently moving to Montgomery, Joey found his way to the Archdiocese of Mobile---Praise God! He will also be starting at St. Joseph's College Seminary at the end of this week.

Meet again, Matteush (?). I really need to learn this guys last name!!! Haha. I introduced Matteush in last week's post...so I refer you to that. We are so Happy to have a piece of Poland with us down in Dixie!

Finally, meet Jeremiah Carter. Sorry I don't have a good shot of him. But he is the one on the front row with the coat and tie. Jeremiah grew up moving around the world, but went to high school in California. He found he way down to Mobile for College attending University of South Alabama. There he became involved with the Catholic Student Center run by our Vocations Director Father Alex Valladares. In that environment, he was drawn deeply into his faith and heard a call to the priesthood. Jeremiah will soon be starting at St. Meinrad Seminary in Indiana.

Soooo....A big WELCOME to our newest 6 Seminarians. Thanks for opening your heart to God's Call in your life. May his Holy Spirit guide you in this next chapter of the Gift of your Lives.

And remember to check out the show on EWTN tomorrow night at 7PM Central: Archdiocese of Mobile: The Vocation Boom

THIS WEEK'S LINKS:

Archdiocese of Mobile: The Vocation Boom

O yea, did I mention this TV show tomorrow night at 7PM Central. Check out yours truly and other personalities from Mobile celebrating the gift of our 6 new seminarians!

A Look at different Seminaries, where Mobile guys are studying:

St. Joseph's Seminary College

St. Meinrad Seminary

St. Jean Vianney

Serra Club-USA

I mentioned this International Group that prays for Vocations in the post. Check out there website for their Mission in the United States.

The Calling

Here is a video I ran across about the story of 3 guys who heard and responded to a call to the Priesthood. Pretty insightful---taking time for the simple things in life.

THIS SUNDAY'S GOSPEL:

Luke 13:22-30

Jesus passed through towns and villages,
teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem.
Someone asked him,
“Lord, will only a few people be saved?”
He answered them,
“Strive to enter through the narrow gate,
for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter
but will not be strong enough.
After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door,
then will you stand outside knocking and saying,
‘Lord, open the door for us.’
He will say to you in reply,
‘I do not know where you are from.
And you will say,
‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.’
Then he will say to you,
‘I do not know where you are from.
Depart from me, all you evildoers!’
And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth
when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
and all the prophets in the kingdom of God
and you yourselves cast out.
And people will come from the east and the west
and from the north and the south
and will recline at table in the kingdom of God.
For behold, some are last who will be first,
and some are first who will be last.”

Signing Off:

Alright Ya'll, have a great week. Let's pray for one another. And as always, if you have any specific prayer requests, shoot me an email.

Take time this week to enjoy some moments of silence. Enjoy the small things. Enjoy the people in your life. Take time to just be with them. Be thankful for them. Thank God. And relish in the Mystery that is You.

Peace & Love.

Weeks 6 & 7 in Eufaula: Two Week Recap

Hello Blog-Followers...those of you that are left!!!

Sorry again for being delinquent these past couple weeks. As my experience has been winding down here in Eufaula, the activities seem to have been piling up. Father announced at Mass a couple weeks ago that my time here was growing short. He mentioned how we all love to procrastinate, and many probably have been procrastinating about inviting me over for supper. Consequently I have been spending most every evening since then visiting with a different family in the parish!!! And consequently, I would now like to publicly declare that the best cook in the parish is.....

Yea right....You think I am that crazy!?! Hahahaha.

Seriously, I have loved visiting with everyone. Thanks to you all for your hospitality and love for this parish.

Days are beginning to blur together....probably has something to do with the 100 degree heat...so the recap below will not be chronologically precise.

Matteush (Ma-Tay-Oosh):

After having more than likely butchered his name (However, the phonetic aid does, indeed, correspond to how he himself pronounces his name), I would like to present one of the newest seminarians to the Archdiocese of Mobile--Matteush. Matteush is from Poland--one of the most Catholic countries in the world. Matteush grew up on a farm in a small village in Poland. He is the first person from his village in anyone's memory to leave home to study for the priesthood. After finishing his studies in philosophy, Matteush felt called to be a missionary. So he came to the United States to study at a Polish Seminary in Detroit. From there, each Polish seminarian is recruited by various dioceses in the United States. Interestingly, Matteush and a friend of his were about set on another Southeastern diocese. However, one day Fr. Alex (the Vocations Director from Mobile, AL) came and gave a presentation about the Archdiocese of Mobile. Matteush met Fr. Alex briefly after his presentation. In the weeks that followed, Matteush describes feeling strongly called "for some reason" to reconsider and visit Mobile. Now he is one of our newest seminarians!!!

Funny how God works. How mysterious---from Polish Village to Detroit to Mobile, Alabama! Is there any logic to be discerned from such a journey? Is this completely random? Here are some verses that came to mind, which perhaps might provide us a bit of perspective.

It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. (John 15:16)

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD.

As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. (1 Corinthians 1:25)

Matteush came to visit Eufaula for the day with Fr. Alex. As Fr. Alex visited all of the different seminarians in their summer parish assigments, Matteush tagged along to get to know the diocese better....he has probably seen more of it than me now!!! Here we are again with the Gators--a staple in the 1st-Visit-Eufaula Tour.

Classic Summer Activity: Whitewashing a Fence

"Tom appeared on the sidewalk with a bucket of whitewash and a long-handled brush. He surveyed the fence, and all gladness left him and a deep melancholy settled down upon his spirit. Thirty yards of board fence nine feet high. Life to him seemed hollow, and existence but a burden. Sighing, he dipped his brush and passed it along the topmost plank; repeated the operation; did it again; compared the insignificant whitewashed streak with the far-reaching continent of unwhitewashed fence, and sat down on a tree-box discouraged. "

From Mark Twain, Tom Sawyer, Chapter Two, 1876.

Perhaps not quite as dismal, but this actually happened a couple weeks ago in Eufaula. The porch and brick wall in front of the Church office had not been whitewashed in quite some time. So one day, Father and I rounded up some of the guys from the Youth Group and did a little sprucing up.

B.J. and (Lil) Victor took one side.

Edgar and I took the other side. You can guess who's turned out better... :)

And Father took the porch. Notice the technique: Ladder to the side, standing on a railing, clinging to a banister....OSHA would be proud.

Big thanks to Edgar, BJ, Victor, and Sean. The wall looks better than ever...well at least better than the two months previously I have known it.

Fr. Den Irwin's Visit:

Fr. Den Irwin came from his new assignment in Troy, AL to spend the evening with Father and I a couple weeks back. Simple as the visit may have been...it was really one of those "Full Circle" moments for me. A little back story.

One summer, when I was in high school, (then) Den Irwin was a seminarian. Just like I am assigned to serve in Eufaula for the summer, Den was assigned to serve at Holy Spirit Church in Montgomery, AL--my home parish. I got to know Den a bit that summer. I was struck that he was a seemingly "normal" (I know now there is really no such thing...but I think you know what I mean) guy--could carry a conversation, went to Auburn, was in a Fraternity, worked as a camp counselor, liked to go hiking, etc. That simple reality, always stayed with me.

Five and a half years ago, I was a Junior at Furman University in Greenville, SC. I was really struggling with my call to the priesthood. During Christmas Break, I was back in Montgomery chatting with my Dad about all of this. As a starting point, my Dad suggested that I call (then) Fr. Irwin and seek advice.

You see, Den is from Montgomery as well. My Dad is an Oral Surgeon and his Dad is an orthodontist. So they have known one another for a long time. Plus, my Dad knew that I had met Den that summer and that Den was recently ordained.

Nonetheless, I resisted my Dad's suggestion saying that it would just be "too weird" and that Fr. Den probably wouldn't remember me. Nonetheless, my Dad called Den's dad and got Fr. Den's cell phone number. Now I was stuck!

I'll never forget sitting on my bed for like an hour trying to muster up the gall to call. I felt like the conversation was going to bring some kind of life-shattering wisdom and I wanted to be somewhat prepared for the impact.

Finally pulling myself together, I stammered out the 7 digits and made the call. A couple rings and I heard,

"Hello."

Me: "Uh. Hello. My name is Victor Ingalls. Uhhhh. I'm not sure if you remember me, but you were at Holy Spirit about four summers back and we met a couple times."

Den: "O.....OK...Yea...Sure."

Me: "Yea....Well...I think that maybe God wants me to be a priest...and I was hoping you could give me some advice."

My inner monologue: "askdbfkjzbxvjyuagf----O great!!! I'm an idiot. Wait....I put it out there...Here comes the life shattering wisdom...."

Den: "O OK. Well you should probably give Fr. Alex a call. He is the Vocations Director. Hold on a sec, let me get his number."

My inner monologue: "THAT'S IT!#!@#$%^&*????"

Me right now: Hahahahahahahaha

We exchanged a couple more words and said our goodbyes. My mind was blown. I was not sure what had just happened. I was expecting my life to be shattered and remolded in an instant. And all I got was another number! Had I just tasted failure? Denial? What? I did my best to shake it off, and went on with my day.

The next day, Fr. Irwin called me back on my cellphone. He had some time to process my Totally-Out-Of-Left-Field-Phone-Call from the day before, and wanted to follow up. He was coming into Montgomery later on in the week and invited me to meet him at Holy Spirit for Mass and then breakfast.

That morning was one of the biggest reliefs of my life. Mass was great. Breakfast was great. He patiently sat there while I babbled out my inner-monologue and past 6-7 years of struggle with an apparent call to be a priest.

That morning led to a call to Fr. Alex the next day.

That call led to conversations with the Archbishop and other priests.

That led me to ask Fr. Alex and Archbishop Lipscomb if I could spend the upcoming summer in a parish somewhere and really find out what priests do from day to day. I felt called to be a priest. But practically speaking, had no idea what they did outside of Sundays. My one caveat was that, I did not want to be in a parish in Montgomery....too many strings from my "former life." I felt I needed some space.

That led Fr. Alex and Archbishop Lipscomb to set me up with a summer internship at St. Columba Catholic Church in Dothan, AL. At that time, Fr. Den Irwin was assigned there as the Assistant to the Pastor.

Here comes the FULL CIRCLE.....

One day that summer, Fr. Den and I traveled to a new destination--EUFAULA, ALABAMA to visit a certain Fr. David Shoemaker at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church. We spent the afternoon with him, two seminarians, and another visiting priest.

That summer convinced me that I needed to go to seminary and at least try it out.

That has led me to 4 years in seminary.

And now 5 years later, it was Fr. Irwin that came to visit ME and Fr. Shoemaker in Eufaula!

And THAT is what I meant when I said his visit was a "FULL CIRCLE MOMENT." Marinate on that for awhile. As you do so, I refer myself and you at this moment to the same three verses cited earlier.

FULL CIRCLE MOMENT in Eufaula with Fr. Den

TRAINING ALTAR SERVERS:

One day, Father asked me to train the three newest altar serving recruits: Hunter and Birch (brothers, one year apart) and Joseph. It was fun to show them the ropes....and they showed a lot of promise. Especially impressive was the intensity and zeal with which they approached "bell-ringing." Making loud noises is something I have found that most boys....well men enjoy.

Look how enthralled they are by my instruction! haha

Wonder if I will ever get a call from them down they road? More Full Circle Moments on the horizon? Again, I refer to the three verses quoted previously.

Summer Gathering:

Tomorrow after Mass, Father and I will be traveling down to Orange Beach, for the annual Seminarian Summer Gathering. Every summer, for about 4-5 days, all of the seminarians get together at the beach with the Bishop and Vocation Directors. It is a time to get to know one another better (as we are spread out over 4 or 5 different seminaries), strengthen our friendships, kick back, and meet with the Bishop. Each seminarian has a private meeting with the bishop in which you talk about the past year, your progress, where you need to grow, strengths, weaknesses, upcoming year, etc. It is a blast. We will drive back on Saturday just in time for the Masses in Union Springs.

LAST HOORAH with Kids in UNION SPRINGS:

Consequently, last Saturday was my last opportunity lead my class with the kids in Union Springs. My mom baked some cookies and helped me gather a bunch of snacks to throw a "Last Class" bash to close out the summer. It was bittersweet spending the time with them. I will really miss our Saturday afternoons together.

Here is a shot of us all together after Mass this past Saturday evening.

Eat your heart out....

Another Look at Fr. "Snow"maker (I just came up with that...not bad hunh???)

Just so that you can appreciate a bit more, Fr. Showmaker's zeal for Christmas...here is a further look into this unique part of his ministry.

Reading to a class of kids

Fr. Snowmaker...making dreams come true

The dream that came true!

The dreamS that came true

Visiting the Nursing Home

At the Public Library

Doing was Santa does best

How many months 'til Christmas???

Hope that gets you in the Spirit!

Well, that catches ya'll up a bit on what has been going on this past week. It really has been a rich time here in Eufaula! I am so thankful for this assignment for so many reasons. What a great reminder of what it is all about....of why God has called me to this life...of how it all began!!!

I will post again in a week with details about the Seminarian Gathering and my last couple days here in Eufaula.

May you be blessed this week....richly blessed!

THIS WEEK'S LINKS:

Santa America:

This is one of the many different "Santa Claus Societies" to which Father belongs. Fr. David has been on the board of this organization more or less since its inception. It's mission is unique and inspiring: (taken from their website)

Santa America is a national volunteer service organization with a very special

mission. Over one-hundred Santas across America visit children and families in crisis. Santa Claus visits when a child or family needs him—twelve months a year—bringing love, hope and joy to special needs children in a loving visit of about an hour at home, hospital, or hospice.

Santa's visits are free. There is no charge for a visit from Santa Claus—ever.

Keytar Catholic:

Don't forget my HandleBar-Mustached Collegue--Steven Vrazel. Finishing up his summer assignment in Wetumpka, AL.

Archdiocese of Mobile-Vocations Office:

After all this talk about "Full Circle Moments" and people hearing the call to priesthood....I thought...well....you might very well be stammering through the "foolishness of God" right now. And even if you aren't....check out this site...it is pretty well done and will give you all the contact information you need. As well you can check out all of the other guys studying to be priest's for the Archdiocese of Mobile.

THIS SUNDAY'S GOSPEL:

Luke 1:39-56

Mary set out
and traveled to the hill country in haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
“Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled.”

And Mary said:

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
and has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children forever.”

Mary remained with her about three months
and then returned to her home.

Signing Off:

Aiight ya'll. Be Good. Be Blessed. Be Aware of that wisdom which is CALLING in your life. Deeper into the Mystery of His Love. Deeper into all the is real...all that is lasting....all that is worthwhile.

Sounds nice hunh?

Let's pray for one another. Let me know if there is anything specific I can be offering up.

Peace.

Love.

Full-Circle Love.

Love.

A Small Glimpse

Sorry Ya'll.

I just couldn't get my act together this week for the post.

However, here is a small glimpse inside Holy Redeemer Church's beautiful sanctuary.

Beautiful hunh?

This image of Jesus is known as the "Sacred Heart." In the 17th century, Christ revealed this image to a French nun named Margaret Mary Alocoque. He asked her to spread devotion to His Sacred Heart around the world. Christ wanted....and wants today to remind us of how intensely his Heart aches and burns with love for us. Thus he showed his heart to Margaret Mary--filled with flames of love, wrapped by a crown of thorns, and pierced by a lance. It has been said that Christ's heart was so full of love that it HAD to be pierced. So as to release the font of Love and Mercy to be poured out over all the world. Amazing hunh?

Here is the famous Litany (a type of meditative prayer) to the Sacred Heart. It is a beautiful prayer which I offer for your consideration. Notice, in a particular way, how it ends. (The Left side is the "call" and the right side is the "response" to each brief prayer.)

(Note: I had trouble copying the response: each response on the right is cut off a bit. It should read "Have mercy ON US")

Lord, have mercy Christ, have mercy Lord, have mercy Christ, hear us Christ, graciously hear us. God the Father of Heaven, God the Son, Redeemer of the world, God, the Holy Spirit, Holy Trinity, One God, Heart of Jesus, Son of the Eternal Father, Heart of Jesus, formed by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mother, Heart of Jesus, substantially united to the Word of God, Heart of Jesus, of Infinite Majesty, Heart of Jesus, Sacred Temple of God, Heart of Jesus, Tabernacle of the Most High, Heart of Jesus, House of God and Gate of Heaven, Heart of Jesus, burning furnace of charity, Heart of Jesus, abode of justice and love, Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love, Heart of Jesus, abyss of all virtues, Heart of Jesus, most worthy of all praise, Heart of Jesus, king and center of all hearts, Heart of Jesus, in whom are all treasures of wisdom and knowledge, Heart of Jesus, in whom dwells the fullness of divinity, Heart of Jesus, in whom the Father was well pleased, Heart of Jesus, of whose fullness we have all received, Heart of Jesus, desire of the everlasting hills, Heart of Jesus, patient and most merciful, Heart of Jesus, enriching all who invoke Thee, Heart of Jesus, fountain of life and holiness, Heart of Jesus, propitiation for our sins, Heart of Jesus, loaded down with opprobrium, Heart of Jesus, bruised for our offenses, Heart of Jesus, obedient to death, Heart of Jesus, pierced with a lance, Heart of Jesus, source of all consolation, Heart of Jesus, our life and resurrection, Heart of Jesus, our peace and our reconciliation, Heart of Jesus, victim for our sins Heart of Jesus, salvation of those who trust in Thee, Heart of Jesus, hope of those who die in Thee, Heart of Jesus, delight of all the Saints, Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, R. Spare us, O Lord. Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, R. Graciously hear us, O Lord. Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, R. Have mercy on us, O Lord. V. Jesus, meek and humble of heart. R. Make our hearts like unto Thine!

Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us. have mercy on us.

Let us pray; Almighty and eternal God, look upon the Heart of Thy most beloved Son and upon the praises and satisfaction which He offers Thee in the name of sinners; and to those who implore Thy mercy, in Thy great goodness, grant forgiveness in the name of the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who livest and reignest with Thee forever and ever. Amen.

I will do last week and this week this coming Tuesday. Thanks for ya'lls patience.

Have a great weekend.

Peace and Love---that burns and aches for you.

Until Tomorrow....

Sorry Ya'll.

Yet another delay.

Just too much fun down here in Eufaula.

I'm shooting for tomorrow morning.

Until then....

Peace

Eufaula Week 5: Baptism and More

Greetings,

This post will be somewhat backwards with regards to chronology and thematic consistency. But...we could all use some variety right?

This past Friday and Saturday, Father Shoemaker gave me time off to travel down to New Orleans for Connor's (my nephew's) Baptism. My sister and her husband Jeremy asked me and Chuck to be Connor's Godparents. As Godparents we would pledge to support Courtney and Jeremy as they raise Connor in the Church. We would pledge to do our best to be good examples of Christ's love in his life. It was humbling to be asked to do such a thing. However, knowing we must rely on God's grace and wisdom, we accepted with great excitement.

Furthermore, who doesn't want have claim to the name "Godfather????"

Pretty sweet life I am living now hunh? If only I could grow a darker mustache.....hahahaha

So all the family headed down to Nola for the weekend. It was a blast seeing Connor again and the rest of the family. Here are some shots from our weekend together.

Chuck/Godmother-to-be and Conn-Air

Victor Corleone and Connor

In preparation for becoming Connor's Godfather, I groomed Connor in the ancient art of Peak-a-boo....using my shirt to cover his head.

This is St. Francis parish in the West Riverbank neighborhood of New Orleans. This was the first place where Courtney and Jeremy went to Church upon moving to New Orleans. At Mass that day, a young deacon preached a memorable homily. At the end of Mass, the pastor thanked the deacon for his help over the summer and mentioned that he would be leaving shortly to continue his studies in Rome. Courtney immediately spazzed in her seat...realizing that he probably knew me from school. After Mass, she dodged her way to the deacon discovering that he was Peter Finney. Peter is a close friend of all the Mobile guys in Rome. Small world hunh?!! Peter was ordained a priest on June 11 at the Cathedral in New Orleans. Congratulations Peter!

Here is a short article I found about Peter and his Ordination> CLICK HERE

St. Francis is also the first place where Connor ever went to Mass---this past Christmas Eve--peacefully slept through the whole thing.

(L-R) Jeremy, Courtney and Connor, Fr. Jeff, Me, and Chuck

Fr. Jeff has been ordained for about 2 years now. He went to College Seminary at St. Joseph's Abbey in St. Benedict, Louisiana and then studied Theology at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. A number of the Mobile seminarians studied with Jeff through the years. I have only ever heard good things about this guy. It was a blessing to finally meet him. Humble...simple...and unpretentiously very intelligent. He really made it a special occasion for everyone.

Fr. Jeff was stationed at St. Francis when Courtney and Jeremy arrived in New Orleans. He came to visit them in the hospital a number of times bringing comfort, prayer, and peace while Courtney struggled to give birth to Connor a month early. God's Providence is amazing--surrounding Courtney, Jeremy, and Connor with such great people (who happened to be my friend and friends' friend) at such a crucial time.

Connor is wearing the same gown I wore for my baptism. Solid.

Wally (aka Shaq aka my Mom), like most Grandmothers I know, can't stop looking at her grandkids

Finally getting to meet the famous Fr. Jeff

The Two Grandmothers: My Mom and Jeremy's Mom Sandi

Jeremy, Courtney, Connor & Baptismal Font

Like Father like Son

Dad and his wife Terre with the Con-Man

Jeremy's parents: Sandi and Ed. It was so good to be with them again after a two year hiatus due to my studies in Rome. Salt of the earth folks from Ocala, Florida...Courtney is lucky to have In-Laws like this.

Happy Baby

All in all, it was a great trip with a great purpose spent with great people. Connor is baptized now. I am a Godfather now. We welcome this new life...claimed for Christ into our midst. We shower him with our love and prayers so that Christ may come and dwell powerfully in Connor....that he may become a great Man of God...a Saint....a bearer of Christ's love in this world.

Shoemaker Strikes Again:

So you think you have Fr. Shoemaker figured out hunh? Think again....

His bag of tricks simply cannot be exhausted.

A couple years back, Father colloborated with some of his "Santa Buddies" to found the "Clan Claus." It is an officially recognized Scottish Clan vested with its own special Crest, Tartan, Membership, and Motto ("Believe").

Below, you can see Father sporting their official garb.

Here is the website if your mind is not satisfyingly blown already: CLAN CLAUS SOCIETY

House Blessing:

A Catholic Priest is invested with the Power to give a special Blessing of Christ to people and things. There are many reasons and many motives for a priest to bless...always though it is done to strengthen God's people to be able to love better and to be protected from all forces working against the growth of God's love in their life.

One common practice is the House Blessing. Normally when a Catholic family moves into their home, they will ask their pastor to come and pray with them in their house, blessing it with holy water all throughout. This is especially a very celebratory practice in India. An Indian family in our parish invited Father to come and blessed their home this past week. They are just moving into their first real home! Before they have always lived in apartments. So this was very exciting for everyone!

They told us that in India, when a family moves into a new house there is a BIG Celebration. The whole neighborhood is invited to come by and eat and see the new home. The priest comes and blesses everything and everyone around. It was neat to see their special excitement about the Blessing of their home...and to get caught up in that excitement.

What a great reminder for us to be so Thankful for the blessings in our lives.

Hand at Teaching:

At the beginning of my time here in Eufaula, Fr. asked me to teach a course over about 4-5 weeks about the Mass, the Eucharist, and the upcoming changes in language in the Mass. Every Tuesday after Mass I have been offering this class for the past month. It has been a great opportunity for me to apply some of the things I have been studying over the years and to practice teaching. You know Jesus is called "Rabbi" (Hebrew word meaning "teacher") more than any other title in the Gospels. So as a priest, one must be ready to teach others about the Gospel of Love.

Thanks to all of you who have been coming. It has been a real honor and blessing to spend those times with you. Remember, our concluding class with be this Tuesday August 3rd at 9AM in the Parish Hall. All are welcome, even if this would be your first day. I always start each class with a RECAP so anyone can be oriented for class that day.

In Conclusion, Enjoy this exchange of Joy:

This Sunday's Gospel:

Luke 12:13-21

Someone in the crowd said to Jesus,
“Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.”
He replied to him,
“Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?”
Then he said to the crowd,
“Take care to guard against all greed,
for though one may be rich,
one’s life does not consist of possessions.”

Then he told them a parable.
“There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest.
He asked himself, ‘What shall I do,
for I do not have space to store my harvest?’
And he said, ‘This is what I shall do:
I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones.
There I shall store all my grain and other goods
and I shall say to myself, “Now as for you,
you have so many good things stored up for many years,
rest, eat, drink, be merry!”’
But God said to him,
‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you;
and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’
Thus will it be for all who store up treasure for themselves
but are not rich in what matters to God.”

This Week's Links:

Peter Finney's Ordination---newest New Orleans Priest

Photo Album of the Baptism--Check out more of Connor's big Bash

Keytar Catholic

Meet Steven Vrazel--another Mobile Seminarian and good friend of mine. He recently started a blog so that people can share in his journey to Priesthood. "Vraz" as we call him...will be ordained a Deacon at St. Peter's Bascilica in Rome in early October and a priest on June 10, 2011. Amongst many other talents, Vraz is famous in many circles for having sported a WELL-groomed handlebar mustache for about a decade now. Here is a little inspiration:

The Legend of the Mustache:

This is a new comedy series coming out called "The Good Guys: The Legend of the Mustache." You will quickly see how men like Vraz are impacting this world we live in. Brace yourself....

Signing Off:

May this week bring many blessings into your life. May special prayer for anyone who may read this Blog this week...is that they will experience deeply the tender love that God the Father has for them...and that they would be moved to open their hearts more widely to his Love, Mercy, Healing, and Forgiveness...and thus into the Fullness of Life...and Fullness of Happiness.

Pretty basic request I figure...

hahahhaa

Have a great week! Let's pray for one another.

Peace, Love, Joy, Freedom, and Handlebar Mustaches