At LAST...at LAST...at LAST...

Well, I made it through the first week of my LAST semester!!! It really wasn't much of a week because we haven't had most of our classes yet. But it is my LAST semester!!! We won't have many classes on Monday or Tuesday either because most of the school went to the March for Life in Washington D.C. But that's ok, because it's my LAST semester!!! Did I mention that it is my LAST semester?

We do have an awesome priest practicum schedule this semester. We have been split into two groups of 3 and my group will meet on Mondays. We spend the first quarter of the semester practicing the parts of the Mass - from the greeting to the preparation of gifts - the Eucharistic Prayer - Communion and the dismissal. We are practicing these parts in a small chapel on the second floor of the seminary, the Mary, Mother of the Word chapel. Then the real fun begins. After practicing the parts, we will begin to practice celebrating virtual Masses in the theology chapel. We will be doing this in conjunction with the deacons-to-be who will be serving as our deacons as a part of their deacon practicum. These virtual Masses will be taped so we can review them later. The last third of the semester, we will be doing mock confessions and practicing Anointing of the Sick.

The mock confessions are really cool because Fr. Ramacoitti, who heads up the confession practicum part, brings in some of his parishioners who are given 'sins' to confess. We've been told that we will get everything from the old grandma who confesses falling asleep before completing her rosary to the married man who has an adulterous affair and then axe murders his mistress. Sounds like an interesting practicum.

Fr. Keller, who has been here at Cathedral with me as the associate and was just made our Director of Worship, is the teacher for the practicum. He is very astute to the real preparation we need. He is a good priest, a good role model and has a solid understanding of the experience we need to be good parish priests. It looks like the practicum class will be VERY practical and will really give us the preparation we need for ordination. But, most importantly...this is my LAST semester!!! Until next time...God bless.

posted by: crossman at 19:38 | link | comments (3) |
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Comments:

#1  26 January 2007 - 11:02

 

Congratulations man! I hope it is a good one! God bless you bro!

Matt

p.s. Don't forget to send me an invitation!!

Anonymous

#2  01 March 2007 - 07:31

 

Chris this is your aunt,you know which one. We are looking forward to coming to your speical day. we have our rev. in already at the hotel. we are very proud of you.
Donkey

Anonymous

#3  15 March 2007 - 18:11

 

just surfing through... up at Mundelein a couple years back, we managed to get our hands on a mimeographed translation of "Praxis Confessarii" by St. Alphonsus Ligouri done by the Redemptorists in the '70's. Excellent stuff and very useful to my own practice in the confessional. Yes, there are parts perhaps a little dated, but on the whole, it holds up remarkably well to the needs of the contemporary confesssor. I think they now sell it in the Mundelein bookstore, if you are looking for good references on the subject. Good luck on your last semester.

Anonymous

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