Saturday, May 1, 2010
Nearing novitiate
10:26 PM | 
Posted by
Patrick
We had our good bye dinner tonight at a local fine Italian diner. The SOLM sisters and the Philadelphia brothers and priests were present, as well as two seminary friends, all on the vigil of the feast of our founder Saint Peter Nolasco. It has all come suddenly after a busy pace through Holy Week and Brother Justin's diaconate ordination. Here we are on the cusp of yet another transition and movement in formation. We'll take all this to Our Lord and Lady and request their preparatory graces, folding in the fabric of Their hearts so to bring good fruit.
I'm looking forward to meeting the other members of the Mercedarian community who I've previously met for short visits, but now I will be living, praying and working with them, alone. I'm the only novice this year, as I was for postulancy. In some ways, while fraternity is great, there is a movement into the desert that the novitiate has a perfect opportunity to cultivate. Novitiates are intentionally isolated places where soul and geography meet to simplify down to the most fundamental levels. Some call it a spiritual "bootcamp" or "hot box"; a place where you learn the history, constitution and charism of the order in an environment that becomes spiritually intense. The imagery of the grapes in a wine press where only the essence extrudes in a final basin, comes to mind.
A one week retreat and a two week vacation comes before the novitiate, starting on the feast of the Most Holy Redeemer. Taking a fourth vow of redemption this is timely and appropriate for the Mercedarian novitiate, may I receive all the graces necessary to complete it according to God's Will and be perfectly prepared to take the next step prepared by Our Lord and Lady!
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About Me
- Patrick
- Mercedarian Novice, photographer, humorist, handy-man, fence-builder, prayer warrior, lover of Eucharist and Blessed Mother and Holy Mother Church.
2 comments:
Congratulations and may the Good Lord bless you Patrick on your journey. Just as grapes must be grown and fermented in the wine casks.. so you too will grow and be transformed in the body and spirit during this year of quiet spirituality.. a time to learn the ropes and have a deeper understanding of God and the Mercedarian Order. Although you will be doing this alone, this was the plan of God all along.. but know this, you will never be truly alone.. God will be there for you every step of the way and you will be in each of our prayers.
God Bless,
Michael
Thanks Michael! May you be accepted and enjoy a great postulant year with the full blessings of Our Lady of Mercy and St. Peter Nolasco.
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