Studies are upon me

As most would expect, the major effort, though not the sole effort, of seminary is involving academics. Having been out of the academic arena for five years, I am a little rusty at the proper procedures, so I am working extra hard now to keep up. Thus, the lack of posts as often as I would prefer.

So much to say, so little time.

The first priest from the Diocese of Raleigh came for a visit last Friday, and took me out to lunch. Unfortunately, all the other seminarians were in class at that time. Fr. Bill Upah, pastor of St. James in Henderson, gets the First Visiting Priest Award!!! Wahoo! Congratulations, Fr. Upah!

Also, this last weekend was what the seminary calls a "Bishop's Free Day," which is awarded to the seminary when a Bishop visits the seminary for the first time. This Free Day then goes into a pot and is held until the seminary decides to give it to the seminarians. So, we were free to leave the seminary Friday afternoon and return by Sunday night. Several of us went camping, or "RVing" as it should be properly referred to, in the Poconos, which I thought was some tropical island until the trip, when I found out that it was a small mountain range of some sort (still not sure!). It was a relaxing time, where we just drank coffee, cooked our food over a fire, and talked about marvelous adventures in the spiritual life, and some other stuff. We went to a park called Hickory Run State Park, and took a brief tour of the "Shades of Death" trail. (see the image courtesy of my friend's Verizon Wireless camera phone). A grand time was held by all.

We have Adoration and Benediction with night prayer at 930pm tonight so I must go and study and do a Holy Hour. Feel free to pray along, if you read this before then.

Til next time. God bless you.