Au Revoir!

I'm not really leaving, this short post is just to let y'all know that for the next four months I will be posting much more frequently on my study abroad blog about my daily life and experiences while studying abroad in Brussels, Belgium.  I will be leaving two weeks from today, and may write in this blog once or twice more before then, but your best bet to hear from me is to go to the other blog.  I'm also going to hopefully try to get it featured on The Study Abroad Blog (which, by the way, is a great place for tips for other students eventually going abroad)! Anyway, it's au revoir for now!

On The Ordination Weekend

The Priest ordination was this weekend.  Three dedicated men became humble servants of the Lord as priests in the Diocese of Lansing.  For those who have never been to an ordination, allow me to detail what happens.

The first thing that happens is the Bishop calls the name of each of the ordinands, to which he responds "present!"  This lets the community gathered hear that the men are physically, emotionally, and spiritually present for the important event.  The Bishop then asks the men to swear five promises before the people gathered  (who, by the way, fill the entire cathedral.  David had five rows reserved for his biological and St. Joe's family).  These promises are: to accept the duties of priesthood, to celebrate the Mysteries of Christ, to pray without ceasing, to preach the Word, and to consecrate their lives for the salvation of all.  After they promise these to the community, they are called one by one to the Bishop.  The ordinand places his hands in the Bishop's, and the Bishop asks him to swear obedience to him and his successors.  After this, like all good Catholic celebrations, we sing the Litany of the Saints while the ordinands lie prostrate before the altar.  

Next comes the Laying on of the Hands.  My worship aide reads: "The Bishop lays his hands on the candidates' heads in silence.  In this ancient gesture, he invokes the Holy Spirit and confers priesthood. Then, all the priests lay hands on the candidates."  ALL of the priests.  By the way, there are somewhere around 100 priests in attendance.  That is no exaggeration.  The process is long but surprisingly well coordinated, and inexplicably beautiful.  It is as if all of these men are passing their wisdom, blessing, and a piece of themselves to those their hands touch.  I cry, for the first time.

After all 90-something priests lay their hands, the Bishop says a prayer of Ordination over the men, thanking God for their willingness to serve in the Diocese of Lansing.  The newly ordained are vested with the stole and chasuble.  They are assisted by their fellow priests, in David's case Fr. Brendan and Fr. Charlie Irvin.  I cry again.  After this, the Bishop anoints their hands with the sacred Chrism.  These hands can now administer sacraments.  I smile from the choir loft and look at the Bishop Emeritus, who blessed my forehead with so much Chrism on my Confirmation that it dripped and immediately soaked into my left eye.  The families of the newly ordained bring up the gifts (there was no collection that I could see, so this went rather quickly).  I cry again watching the priests take the gifts from their parents to be placed on the altar.  The newly ordained receive their chalices and patens.  The Bishop offers the traditional Kiss of Peace to each newly ordained priest.  I cry again.  Mass proceeds from this point as usual.  At the reception afterwards, I receive my first blessing from Father David Rosenberg.

In short, the ordination mass was a beautiful profession of faith and love.  The ceremony can be described as a combination of a marriage and a graduation.  The priesthood is more than just a job: it's a lifestyle.  It begins that day and doesn't stop.

Fr. David's first mass was this morning.  The mass was called his "mass of Thanksgiving" to the church, and from the church to him.  Bishop Emeritus Carl Mengling was there, along with 10-15 priests and just as many deacons.  It was an incredible mass for many reasons.  First, I have never seen someone so on fire with the Holy Spirit and so full of energy because of it.  Second, I have also never seen someone have so much fun flinging Holy Water all over the church and the congregation.  I got pretty soaked, as did my now holy choir book and the grand piano, the young, old, Catholic, non-Catholic, pews, books, purses, and especially the floor.  Hospitality ministers came around with towels to make sure the floor wouldn't be slippery for people walking later for Communion.  Finally, watching the Liturgy of the Eucharist today was the most powerful thing I have seen in my entire life.  Seeing Fr. David filled with such emotion started me crying again.  Moments like that reaffirm the fact that what we believe as Catholics is true and powerful.  Mass concluded with Fr. David thanking everyone gathered in the church for helping him through his seminary experience and helping him feel welcome at St. Joe's, which made a lot of us cry (again).  After mass was finished, people flocked to meet with Fr. David, of course.  There was a semi-organized line sometimes wrapping around the font and sometimes extending into the aisles between the pews.  We ate.  We drank punch.  We celebrated the new life that had started for Fr. David Bruce Rosenberg.  I left feeling closer to God's call to me than ever.  I pray now that I, like Fr. David, can answer.

Author's note: Around the blog, there's a new name and a new aim!  From now on, the name of this blog is Cor Ad Cor Loquitur, which means "heart speaks to heart."  It was Fr. David's mantra while he was in the seminary, and it really spoke to me this weekend.  As the name suggests, the blog will now focus on matters of the heart - God, love, and life advice.  It will also detail the author's upcoming study abroad trip!  Thanks for reading, and please leave comments!!

Thanksgiving

Rejoice, Heavenly powers! Sing choirs of Angels! Exault all creation around God's throne. Jesus Christ, our king is risen! Sound the trumpet of salvation!

Easter. Jesus is risen. We praise God and join together in prayer and thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving.  What a word. Giving thanks for what?

Today I give thanks for everything in my life. I thank God that He finds me worthy to hear Him in my life, I thank my family for always supporting me and my friends for everything they do.  Today, I thank American University for providing me with an education and resources to help me achieve my dream.

But almost more than all of that, I thank the people who hurt me.  Starting with the mean girls in elementary school progressing to all the boys who broke my heart. What you've done has made me a stronger person, someone I never would have been had you not come into my life. I am more sure of myself and I can walk proud of that person. Some of you have even inspired my dream of never letting horrible things like assault or trafficking happen again.

So, while you are enjoying your chocolate bunnies, think about the people in your life you need to thank. And do it!