Seminarians Rock the Collar

I had such fun just this past Sunday with several events at our church. I wanted to write about it that night but I had an article I had to finish for Catholic Sistas (which is now done, look for it on Friday). So finally, here I am, sharing my Sunday with you.

What was such fun? I got to meet some of the seminarians of our diocese! Sunday was the last day of their Rock the Collar tour of the diocese and they ended it at our cathedral, which happens to be my home parish. 

The tour itself was nine days long, traveling across the diocese (a pretty big diocese, geographically speaking), and sleeping wherever the various parishes could find places for them. 13 men + 8 parishes + thousands of parishioners = numerous lives impacted and a face put on the idea of vocations.

At Mass Sunday morning we got to hear one of the transitional deacons give the homily. All the seminarians were also introduced at the end of the Mass. Later that afternoon, I went back to attend the Holy Hour and Benediction led by the seminarians. I had a great experience and I needed that time of silence and prayer before the Eucharist (more on that experience in my Sistas post on Friday).

That night we packed up the boys and headed back to church for pizza with the seminarians. One brave, very young, seminarian sat with us during dinner. He is actually a brand new seminarian starting his first year of college in just a couple of weeks. He was very nice and it was a joy talking to him. I asked him several questions during the evening and he asked us about us and tried to entertain the boys some (they just looked at him suspiciously, I think they would have been more receptive to him had he had food for them). I realized later that night after we were home that I never really asked him about his calling to the priesthood. I missed the most obvious question! But, regardless of that one oversight, I enjoyed chatting with him as I fed the boys pizza and animal crackers.

And yes, that was the boys' first taste of pizza and they loved in! No pizza was found on the floor, a sure sign that they loved it. I even broke a piece of crust in half and gave them each a piece to see how they would do with it. No one choked, so I think it was a success.

It was a great evening and I'm so glad we got to participate. I know the boys are too young right now, but I hope to continue participating in events like this. I want my boys to grow up knowing that a vocation to the priesthood is an option for them. They should be open to listening to God's will in their life and be open to following whatever calling God has in store for them. As their mother, I hope to foster such an environment. This is one small way I can start doing that with them.

This was not the first Rock the Collar tour, but I think it has been a few years between the last one and this one. I hope they continue to do these in future years. I enjoyed getting to know some of the seminarians. It definitely helps to put faces with names.

7 Quick Takes Friday, vol. 27

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My boys are 4 months old today!!  Here they are, aren't they cute!

Peter and Ethan

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My parents are coming to visit this weekend.  Nanny and Papa haven't seen their grandsons since their baptism in July.  They have grown a lot!  I'm looking forward to the weekend because there will be many more extra hands to help out.

~3~

My next post on the Catholic Sistas blog went up this morning.  You can find it by clicking here.  I hope you'll like it.

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I went by my church yesterday to check out the construction and possibly take some pictures.  No one was in the sanctuary at all, so I was able to walk around and take the pictures I wanted.  I got one of the new tabernacle:

Tabernacle construction on 9/29/2011

I also got a picture looking at the whole sanctuary.  You can't see the tabernacle in this picture because of the wall that currently separates the altar from the construction area.  But there is plastic sheeting all over the place.  You can definitely tell that construction is going on in this picture:

Cathedral of Christ the King, construction 9/29/2011

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Before leaving I drove by the new rectory.  Windows are in and the walls all look like they are up.  No pictures of the rectory since it is at the corner of the church property and I just drove by it.  But I moved my car to the front of the church and got out to check out the Perpetual Adoration Chapel.  As a reminder, here's a picture from the groundbreaking:

Groundbreaking on frozen ground in January with ceremonial dirt brought in.

Now here is the same spot, from a bit further back:

Cathedral of Christ the King, St. Kevin Perpetual Adoration Chapel
9/29/2011

I wish I could show you pictures of the new Baptistry, but I wasn't able to get into that area.  Actually, I didn't really want to attempt to get into where the Baptistry is since there were workers in that area.

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Things at my job are going to be getting tough very soon.  One of my staff members is leaving, she's decided to change career paths.  I'm excited for her because she's excited, and I'm proud of her for making such a big change.  I wish her luck.  I've been down this road before: I'll have to make a case for filling the position, I'll have to fold some of that position's responsibilities into my work, and eventually I'll have to go through the whole advertising the job, reviewing applications, interviewing, and hiring.  Oh, and I'm going to be out of the office for six months beginning in January.  I can already feel the stress building!  But, I've been here before and survived.  We'll survive again.

~7~

Speaking of being out for six months ... I am referring to my sabbatical, which I have previously mentioned in this space.  I need some input from some creative people.  As part of my sabbatical, I want to keep a blog as a way to easily journal the work I'm doing in addition to having a place to link up relevant info or surveys I create or whatever else I think might be good to have a link to.  But I'm stuck on a title/name for the blog.  The project includes: working on a database of all the recital recordings from the university (cleaning it up, mostly), creating records from that database, creating templates for cataloging future recordings, some research on recital program requirements at other Schools of Music, and looking at some digital possibilities.  I want a professional sounding title, probably using Kentucky or University of Kentucky in the title (or subtitle) in some way, but also catchy.  Any creative ideas out there??

Check out more Quick Takes over at Conversion Diary where Jen hosts Quick Takes each week.

7 Quick Takes Friday, vol. 25

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The boys are 15 weeks old now and we're starting to find our groove.  They sleep great!!  I kind of hate telling people that because so many lament how their kids never slept so much at such a young age.  Wish I could tell you what we did, but I honestly have no idea.  Sorry! 

~2~

Speaking of the boys, Peter is now able to get over on his side.  He does not seem anywhere close to actually being able to roll over, but does seem to like lying on his side.  I walked into his bedroom one morning and he was awake and on his side.  I thought he had seen me, but apparently not.  I looked down at him and said something and he suddenly splayed out on his back, all limbs extended as far as they would go.  I couldn't help but laugh.  I know it was at my child's expense, but it really was funny!!

~3~

Our house is officially on the market.  Know anyone moving to Lexington, KY?  Anyone in Lexington looking for a new place?  Let me know!  We'd love to sell our house to you.

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We got something cool in the mail this week!!  A note from one of the School Board members for the Catholic School attached to our church congratulating us on the baptism of our boys.  Included was two letters from some 5th graders at the school also congratulating us on the boys' baptism and welcoming them to the Church.  The letters were very cute.  I had no idea they did this, but I love it!!  Oh, and there was a gift included as well ...

~5~

Peter and Ethan in their new Christ the King School bibs.
How cute!!

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Speaking of Christ the King I had written a post back in January about construction beginning at my church.  Last night I attended a meeting to get an update on how things were going.  I was pleasantly surprised when I got there and discovered that it was less of a meeting and more of a tour.  This was good for two reasons: one, I had both boys with me (no "divide and conquer" that night), so moving around and being able to chat with people along the way was way better than trying to keep them quiet and happy during a meeting; and two, I actually got to see the progress rather than just hear about it.  I also meant to bring my camera, but forgot it in the chaos of trying to get out the door (Hubby had Bible Study at the same time, so it was a crazy evening all around).  Luckily, my good friend and our church organist told me he had been taking pictures and would send me some!  Yay!!

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And he did!!  Since the pictures I took for the January post about the beginnings of construction were all of the ground breaking for the Adoration Chapel, for comparison sake here is one of the Chapel under construction:

Photo courtesy of Brian Hunt, Christ the King organist and friend.

Thursday night I actually got to walk into this chapel.  The walls are much higher now, I believe they said they are about ready for the roof to go on, and you can see the shape of the chapel and the spot where Jesus' in the Eucharist will be exposed, plus the new baptistry font is in front of it (not shown).  The chapel is expected to be completed by mid-March.  Still a ways to go, but it's all really coming together and that was obvious when I was there last night.  I could write more, but these are supposed to be "quick" takes, so I'll save it for another time ... when I have more pictures too.

Check out Conversion Diary for more Quick Takes.