Vocation Discernment Weekend

The weekend started with my first vocal lesson. I went to Kathy C.'s house (she was recommended by Sarah H.) from 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM. She figured out my comfort range, and she gave me a few pointed on things to do. I'll try to have a lesson once a week, but with my schedule being what it is, we'll see if that actually works...

After my lesson, I went to Front Royal, chatted with Lizzie, chatted with Sarah, and then went to St. Kevin's were I spent the night.

Saturday morning, bright and early (8:30 AM) I woke up after getting about five hours of sleep. The first talk I went to was Fr. Frank Pavone's talk, entitled "Master, Where Do You Stay?" Dealing with Uncertainty in Choosing a Vocation. This was a great speech. It got me all fired up about my vocation -- whatever it is...

At 10:00 began Exposition, Adoration, and Confessions in the chapel until 11:15 Mass. After Mass, then lunch, the first talk I went to was Diocesan Priesthood/Permanent Deacon with Fr. Brian Bashista and Fr. Matthew Zuberbueler. This was a good presentation. I got some information regarding a vocation retreat for the Arlington Diocese.

Following this, a large group of people piled into the smallest classroom for Gerard A.'s talk, Discerning Your Vocation While Still Single (Gerard graduated from Christendom, class of '05). We moved out of that classroom into a larger one, but even that was packed -- standing room only. Gerard gave an incredible speech, presenting some ideas for discerning your vocation. His main point was just live life. Do what you need to do, do what you see needs to be done.

The third and final talk was Marriage as a Vocation. You can guess what it was about. It was a good talk -- it was given by the parents of a current junior, whom I first met as a freshman: Micah W. After the talk, I spoke to Mr. W. for a moment.

After all this was a social/happy hour. I stopped in for only a moment to speak to Fr. Bashista about what it would take to get bi-ritual faculties if I were to become a priest. He said that for something like that, I would have to be selected -- it's not something that I could ask for, nor is it something that he or anyone could guarantee. Satisfied with that answer, I left to go to Vespers at Holy Transfiguration.

After Vespers, I went to see Ghost Rider with Eric. I got back to the apartment about midnight, checked my e-mail and went right to bed.

This morning, I got up at 7:00, and was at Holy Transfiguration at 9:00 in spite of the snow/ice mix that was raining from the sky. Divine Liturgy was loads of fun, especially with the anathemas. I wish that the Roman Rite had something like that. It's not often that I get to hear heresies and then repeat the anathemas that proclaimed them heretical.

I drove back to the apartment -- it took me over half-an-hour to actually get back to the apartment, using the tollway -- about twice the time that it normally takes. On the way back, I called Francis F. who relayed to Dr. P. that I would not be at practice.

When I got back to the apartment, fired up the Godfather Trilogy. {shrugs} Eh...