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T H E E VA N G E L I S T
June 23 and 30, 2011
OPINION SEMINARIAN’S DIARY
Facing discouragement in ministry BY SCOTT VANDERVEER
I learned on my first day visiting patients in the hospital during my seminary internship that not everyone was glad to have me there. I entered the room of a woman in her 70s who was sitting up in her bed in a sweatsuit. An adult woman — perhaps her daughter — was knitting contentedly in the chair next to the bed. I mustered my courage and a smile. “Good morning,” I said. “My name is Scott and I work in the chaplain’s office. I was wondering how you were feeling today.” The woman told me that she was feeling better than she had been and that the doctor had informed her that she would be going home either that day or the next. She chatted pleasantly with me for a few moments, while the woman in the chair half-listened. Then she turned the conversation to me. “So, what do you do in the chaplain’s office?” she asked. I told her that I was a seminarian studying to be a Catholic priest and as part of my training I was a pastoral care intern at the hospital. Halfway through my sentence, her face hardened. “I’m going to have to ask you to leave, please.” I didn’t see this coming. A sickening feeling washed over me. Not expecting sudden rejection, my eyes darted to the woman in
THE EVANGELIST (USPS 834-340/ISSN 0738/8489)
WHAT WE ARE The official newspaper of the Albany Roman Catholic Diocese, published weekly 48 times a year, the first four Thursdays of every month except the weeks of July 4 and Christmas, by the Albany Catholic Press Assoc., Inc.
WHO WE ARE Publisher......Bishop Howard J. Hubbard Editor.....................................................Kate Blain Staff Writers..............................Angela Cave Casey Normile Business Mgr......Stephanie Zebrowski Composition...............................Carol Raabe Circulation...............................Anne Cataldo Advertising Rep.................John Salvione
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Mail: 40 N. Main Ave. Albany, NY 12203 Phone: 518-453-6688 Fax: 518-453-8448 Email: kate.blain@rcda.org Website: www.evangelist.org SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION Subscriptions: U.S.: $18/year (through your parish); direct: $25/year. Subscriptions are payable in advance. Single copies: $1.00. Advertising rates furnished upon request. POST OFFICE Periodical postage paid at Albany, NY 12212. Postmasters: Send address changes to: The Evangelist, 40 N. Main Ave., Albany, NY 12203.
the chair. She scrunched up her nose in discomfort over the awkwardness of the situation and silently mouthed, “I’m sorry.” “I understand,” I managed to say in bewilderment as I backed out of the room. “Have a good day.” The truth was, I didn’t fully understand what had just happened. When she thought I was a staff chaplain, she was glad to see me. As a seminarian, she wanted me out. It could be that she is not Catholic. This is possible, but unlikely. The hospital is in a 90percent-Catholic town and most of the patients I met were Catholic. Because the hospital, like my seminary, is in the Boston area, there are lots of reasons she may have had hard feelings about priests or the Church. Perhaps she has some personal connection to the sexual abuse crisis that rocked the Boston Archdiocese harder than any other diocese in the country. Perhaps she was hurt by the decision to close a particular church in the Boston parish reconfiguration process. Unlike the “Called to be Church” process in Albany, which gathered input from literally thousands of parishioners in the diocese over a long period, the Boston closures in 2004 came suddenly and without warning. The process offended many people. Two parishes near the hospital that were selected to close had been occupied by protestors, and there were a number of other parishes around the archdiocese being occupied as well. (Some occupations have been going on nonstop for seven years and continue to this day.)
I will never know why this woman asked me to leave her room, but I do know that I learned even more from that experience than I would have if she pinched my cheeks and sent me off with her blessing. My job as a priest will be to help people find ways to realize their connectedness to God — and then get out of the way. Pope John Paul II once wrote that priests need to be “bridges and not obstacles” between people and Christ. Bridges have an important purpose as tools to get to a destination, but they are not attractions in and of themselves. The destination is Christ, not the priest. I’ll admit that I love approval and enjoy being welcomed and fussed over; but if I minister to people in order to meet my own needs, I’m going to be a lousy priest. Clearly, something has happened in the life of the woman I met in the hospital — perhaps a serious hurt or relatively small offense, maybe an old grudge. Whatever it was, it was not about me. The fact that she was not open to me does not mean that she is closed to God. Perhaps my shocked attempt to be humble and defenseless will make her more open to share her hurt more openly the next time a priest comes her way. A priest friend bought me the book “From Seminarian to Diocesan Priest” by Rev. Ronald Knott, which addresses the disappointment priests can face when their ministry is not appreciated or they face rejection.
LETTERS FROM OUR READERS
around. Who is attending their spiritual needs? Michael Veitch Saratoga Springs
Older Catholics lost
In his June 2 column on declining attendance at Mass, Bishop Howard J. Hubbard was right to mention the loss of a sense of sin. He also noted an attendance decline of 30 to 40 percent since Vatican II, and said he did not propose returning to what he called a “sin-dominated” culture of the Church at that time. But for many older Catholics, the Vatican II Church left them, and not the other way
More on consumerism
Regarding Bishop Hubbard’s well-intentioned (June 2) analysis for the reasons for the decrease in religious spirituality, he highlights our vast increase in consumerism. Valid as the argument may be, there appear on the same page two ads....It must really be hard to escape our consumer-driven society. I guess we’ll just have to be more discretionary. William Acquario Delmar My chuckle for the day has just come from an article [by Bishop Hubbard] in the June 2 issue. “Why Catholics fall away
This is part of The Evangelist’s ongoing series of reports from diocesan seminarians on their studies, work and development. To read previous installments, go to www.evangelist.org and search for “seminarian diary.” Knott urges us to thicken our skins and suggests that we ought to measure ourselves not by our accomplishments, but by how much it takes to discourage us. If we lose heart whenever someone frowns at us, we are forgetting how many bad days Jesus Himself had in his ministry. Jesus would come to town to heal the sick and before He could finish the words of a blessing, people would be trying to shove Him off a cliff. The Gospels show us that Jesus, being human, felt all the emotions that we do — but there is not a single passage in the Bible about Jesus going off alone to feel sorry for Himself after being mistreated. Jesus was not a pouter. He had a job to do and He knew that selfpity was not going to help Him do it. All of us — priests and laity alike — must keep turning to the Gospels to learn from Jesus how to love without getting tired. The advice Jesus gave His Apostles about shaking the dust from their sandals sounds easy, but in real encounters, it takes discipline and humility. If I want to measure up to the example of Jesus, I need to keep the focus on others — and remember to keep well away from the edge of the cliff. (Scott VanDerveer is a seminarian studying for the priesthood for the Diocese of Albany at Blessed John XXIII National Seminary in Weston, Mass. He formerly taught religion at St. Pius X School in Loudonville.) and why they should stay” [mentions that] “complacent mainline churches are not marketing their products.” Underneath is a delightful little ad for “the Pope’s cologne!” Helen Connolly Saratoga Springs Editor’s note: The “Pope’s Cologne” is marketed by a private company. *** Letters are subject to editing and should be 100 words or less, concern topics covered in The Evangelist and include your town and telephone. Essays or opinion pieces, 600 words maximum, are also welcome. We prefer submissions by email (kate.blain@rcda.org), or by mail (40 N. Main Ave., Albany 12203) or fax (518-453-8448).
St. Francis called me BY DONNA FERLAZZO
In 1977, I traveled to Italy. My favorite town was Assisi, where I learned about Giovanni Francesco di Bernardone. Born in 1226, the son of a wealthy cloth merchant, he became a Catholic friar and preacher. He founded the Franciscan Order and assisted in founding the Order of St. Clare for women religious and the lay Third Order of Saint Francis. St. Francis of Assisi is one of the most venerated religious figures in history. I am a member of the Third Order, now called Secular Franciscans. I was 24 at the time of my visit to Assisi. I remember feeling “complete” there; I thought, “I feel so loved, satisfied and certain in my faith that, if I were to die now, I would not miss anything in this worldly existence.” I wore a medal of St. Francis of Assisi with my wedding dress. Years later, having moved to Schodack with my family, I noticed some parishioners reading from a small red book titled, “Christian Prayer: The Liturgy of the Hours.” When I inquired about this book, I learned about Secular Franciscans. Secular Franciscans are laypeople who “live the Gospel in their own circumstances.” They take no special vows, pursue their own careers and live in the secular world — except that they publicly commit to follow a way of life the Church has recognized as being in accord with the Gospel. Information on the order notes that Secular Franciscans are marked by “childlike devotion and obedience to God, love of all people, esteem for God’s creatures, repentance, sincere humility, confident patience in temptations, perennial cheerfulness, high regard for work, devotion to Mary, and loving and sincere loyalty to the doctrines and directives of the Church.” As a Secular Franciscan, I became involved in Alight Pregnancy Center in Hudson for the next 20 years, volunteering to promote life for the unborn and assist young mothers in need. We don’t have to look far to love as St. Francis did. (Mrs. Ferlazzo attends St. Mary’s Church in Crescent. Learn about local Secular Franciscans at www.siena.edu or call her at 608-5234. Meetings are held at St. Francis Chapel in Colonie on the second Sunday of each month after 1 p.m. Mass.)
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T H E E VA N G E L I S T
October 27, 2011
OPINION OUR NEIGHBORS’ FAITH
Celebrating ecumenism on ‘Reconciliation Day’ BY REV. DR. ROBERT K. LOESCH
Reformation Day is recognized in many Protestant churches on Oct. 31, marking the actions of Martin Luther in 1517 which started the Protestant Reformation in Germany. Many Protestant churches and leaders, including myself, prefer to call the day “Reconciliation Day,” with an emphasis on ecumenical relations and common ground among Protestants and Roman Catholics. One of the local area Protestant leaders who epitomized ecumenical leadership and reconciliation was Rev. John U. Miller, who died Sept. 11, 2010. Rev. Miller was pastor of the Evangelical Protestant United Church of Christ in Albany from 1986-2010. The United Church of Christ is a national Protestant denomination created by the merger of two denominations in 1957: Congregational Christian Churches and the Evangelical and Reformed Church, representing the English and German Protestant reformation movements. Rev. Miller also served as executive director of the ecumenical Capital Area Council of Churches from 2001-2010. During Rev. Miller’s memorial service last year, Rev. James Kane, director of the Albany diocesan Commission for Ecumenical and Interreligious
THE EVANGELIST (USPS 834-340/ISSN 0738/8489)
WHAT WE ARE The official newspaper of the Albany Roman Catholic Diocese, published weekly 48 times a year, the first four Thursdays of every month except the weeks of July 4 and Christmas, by the Albany Catholic Press Assoc., Inc.
WHO WE ARE
Publisher......Bishop Howard J. Hubbard Editor.....................................................Kate Blain Staff Writer..............................Angela Cave Business Mgr......Stephanie Zebrowski Composition...............................Carol Raabe Circulation...............................Anne Cataldo Advertising Rep.................John Salvione Administrative Asst...............Kathy Hughes
HOW TO REACH US
Mail: 40 N. Main Ave. Albany, NY 12203 Phone: 518-453-6688 Fax: 518-453-8448 Email: kate.blain@rcda.org Website: www.evangelist.org SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION Subscriptions: U.S.: $18/year (through your parish); direct: $25/year. Subscriptions are payable in advance. Single copies: $1.00. Advertising rates furnished upon request. POST OFFICE Periodical postage paid at Albany, NY 12212. Postmasters: Send address changes to: The Evangelist, 40 N. Main Ave., Albany, NY 12203.
Affairs, declared him “my model in ecumenical relations...the rare ecumenical leader who embodied the fullness of ecumenism: faith and order, life and work.” Also at the memorial service, Rev. Marian Shearer, United Church of Christ area conference minister, based her message on Thomas A Kempis’ “Imitation of Christ” as the model for Rev. Miller’s ministry as a servant leader following Jesus Christ. Rev. Miller was active in serving the needs of the men, women, families and youth of the city of Albany, especially the South End community near his parish. The Rev. John U. Miller Community Justice Outreach Center was dedicated in his memory last September. The center houses programs of the Office of District Attorney P. David Soares to divert people from the courts to the community. A large part of Reverend Miller’s ministry was the Incarceration Prevention Program, which keeps non-violent offenders out of jail by offering alternatives to incarceration, such as treatment programs, drug court, anger management counseling and community service. Rev. Miller was succeeded as the CACC’s executive director by Rev. George Brennan, the first Roman Catholic to lead the CACC in its 70-year history. In 2005, Father Brennan began working with Catholic Charities, ministering to the homeless throughout the Diocese of Albany. In 2009, the CACC awarded Father Brennan its Joyce Steinkrause Giles pastoral service award for his work with the homeless. He has devoted much of his first 10 months as the CACC’s executive director to visiting and listening to needs expressed by the CACC’s 90 member congregations. Rev. Miller and Father Brennan embody the spirit of ecumenical reconciliation that is central to the ecumenical movement across the Diocese of Albany. (Rev. Dr. Loesch is pastor of Zion’s United Church of Christ of Sand Lake and ecumenical officer of the United Church of Christ. He received the CACC’s 2009 Carlyle Adams ecumenical/interfaith award. He is also the Protestant representative on the Albany Diocese’s Commission for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs.)
SEMINARIAN’S DIARY
Chopping for life BY BRIAN SLEZAK
It was a damp, wintry day as we walked out to the woodpile. Balancing chopping mauls on our shoulders, the metal handles working their way through the muscle, we kept our hands free to say the Rosary and carry the other things we needed. After about a Rosary’s length, we arrived at the woodpile, halfexhausted. We looked at the wood scattered about and, without hesitation, kicked chunks of wood free from the frozen ground and got to work. I remember expending nearly all my energy on one piece of wood before I gave up and tried my luck on another piece. I was glad that the other men seemed not to notice my poor judgment and inability to do what men have been doing for hundreds of years to provide warmth for their homes. As I recall, we didn’t get much work done that day, but I knew our reason for being there was for something greater — part of a long struggle for justice. Most people are surprised to hear that a group of men studying for the priesthood choose to split wood in their spare time. They are even more surprised to hear that they are splitting wood to help pregnant women care for their soon-to-be-born children. Mundelein Seminary’s ChopFor-Life program was started a few years ago by ambitious seminarians who wanted to use their free time and energy to support women in need. Every Saturday, anywhere from five to 15 seminarians rise early, attend 6:30 a.m. Mass and grab coats, hats and gloves to spend the morning splitting and stacking wood, turning felled hardwood trees from the woods of the seminary grounds into aid for women. The program’s motto, “Taking a chop out of the culture of death,” is a reminder of the need to combat the ever-present alarming assault on life. Once the wood is stacked and left to cure for 9 to 12 months, it is sold to local homeowners at a reasonable price. The proceeds are given to “The Women’s Center,” an organization in Chicago that helps women who need financial assistance as they prepare to have a child or who struggle to cover the costs of raising a child. These are women who have courageously made the decision not to have an abortion when the
world so often encourages them to choose otherwise. When I was first invited to participate in the Chop-for-Life program, I didn’t know what to expect. We can think that we have nothing to offer or that we should remain indifferent to the pro-life movement. I once read that there are few ways in modern society where we can actually contribute or even directly save the life of another, other than through the pro-life movement. Those who do sidewalk counseling in front of Planned Parenthood can attest to this, because many have dissuaded a woman from ending her pregnancy. Sometimes, pro-life counselors are simply a voice of compassion and support when the women needed it most. At Mundelein Seminary, there are a number of men (in addition to those chopping wood) who pray in front of abortion clinics in Chicago each Saturday. But building the culture of life means more than just convincing a woman to keep her child. There are many reasons women consider abortion: pressure from parents, a boyfriend or spouse; fear of jeopardizing their future; or because they live in poverty. A few weeks ago, The Evangelist published some startling statistics: 42 percent of women of the 1.1 million women who had an abortion in 2008 were living below the poverty level. The Chop-for-Life program responds to that material need. In the letter of St. James, we read: “If one of the brothers or one of the sisters is in need of clothes and has not enough food to live on and one of you says to them, ‘I wish you well; keep yourself warm and eat plenty,’ without giving them these bare necessities of life, then what good is that?” Over the years, Chop-for-Life has contributed more than $10,000 to these women in need. Although this is a fraction of what’s needed, our world will be a better place because a life was fostered through our efforts. I believe our labors help us to share in a fraction of the sufferings that women struggling to raise a child are going through.
(CNS PHOTO) United with the sacrifice of the Mass, we offer all of this up for the building of this culture of life. Like my first day at the woodpile, working for the pro-life cause can feel awkward. We wonder what our friends will think if they saw us standing in front of an abortion clinic. We can say that it is “none of my business,” or, “Who am I to judge,” or, “I don’t think I should impose my beliefs upon another.” We may feel we are not getting anywhere and be tempted to give up, especially when socalled “Catholic” politicians claim to be personally opposed to abor- This is part of tion but vote in The Evangelist’s ongoing series favor of it. N o t h i n g of reports from should stand diocesan semiin the way of narians on their choosing, in studies, work some way, to and developsupport the ment. To read culture of life. previous installments, search Abortion is not for “seminarian a Catholic isdiary” at www. sue. It is a evangelist.org. human life issue. It is an issue of justice. Through prayer, seeking out women in need, financial contributions, writing and voting for authentic pro-life candidates — or even doing something as unconventional as splitting wood — we help build the culture of life. Christ’s love extends to every human being. Human life has a supreme dignity and demands equal justice. No institution or person has the right to destroy it. The Church designates October as Respect Life Month. It is also the month of the Rosary. Through Mary’s maternal intercession, may our efforts assist the culture of life to flourish in our communities and throughout the world. (Brian Slezak is studying for the priesthood for the Albany Diocese at Mundelein Seminary in Chicago, Ill. He is a native of St. Margaret of Cortona parish in Rotterdam Junction, now a mission of St. Joseph’s in Schenectady.)
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T H E E VA N G E L I S T
November 24, 2011
OPINION ADVENT REFLECTION
Keep company with Isaiah BY REV. JOHN P. ROSSON
It’s Advent again! Advent brings us in contact with the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah ministered from 740 to 700 B.C. He received the sad task of delivering the worst news the Jewish people had ever read in their more than 1,000 years of history: Invaders would overrun their two nations, Israel in the north and Judah in the south. Most Jews lucky enough to survive would be led off as captives. Israel would no longer exist on the world map. Isaiah was the “bad news Once again, prophet.” Rev. John But his mesRosson offers a sage did not series of reflec- end on this bittions for ter note. God, Advent; his Isaiah said, theme this year would bring is those who the Jewish sur“coach” us vivors home through the for a fresh season. start. God would send a messiah from King David’s family to set up a kingdom more wonderful than the Jews could imagine. Isaiah was also the prophet of the Messiah. He foretold Christmas 700 years before it became history — so, Advent looks to Isaiah for inspiration and hope. The biblical book of Isaiah is known as the “fifth Gospel.” New Testament writers recognize his
THE EVANGELIST (USPS 834-340/ISSN 0738/8489)
WHAT WE ARE The official newspaper of the Albany Roman Catholic Diocese, published weekly 48 times a year, the first four Thursdays of every month except the weeks of July 4 and Christmas, by the Albany Catholic Press Assoc., Inc.
WHO WE ARE
Publisher......Bishop Howard J. Hubbard Editor.....................................................Kate Blain Staff Writer..............................Angela Cave Business Mgr......Stephanie Zebrowski Composition...............................Carol Raabe Circulation...............................Anne Cataldo Advertising Rep.................John Salvione Administrative Asst...............Kathy Hughes
HOW TO REACH US
Mail: 40 N. Main Ave. Albany, NY 12203 Phone: 518-453-6688 Fax: 518-453-8448 Email: kate.blain@rcda.org Website: www.evangelist.org SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION Subscriptions: U.S.: $18/year (through your parish); direct: $25/year. Subscriptions are payable in advance. Single copies: $1.00. Advertising rates furnished upon request. POST OFFICE Periodical postage paid at Albany, NY 12212. Postmasters: Send address changes to: The Evangelist, 40 N. Main Ave., Albany, NY 12203.
SEMINARIAN’S DIARY
How to cram for an exam BY DEACON DANIEL QUINN
prophecies about Jesus and quote Isaiah some 50 times — more than any other book in the Hebrew Bible. “The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call Him Immanuel — ‘God with us,’” reads Isaiah 7:14. The prophet sounds like a time traveler who witnessed the birth, ministry and execution of Jesus. On Sunday, the Church lights the first candle of the Advent wreath, the “prophet’s candle.” Advent gets cheated by a culture of buying and binging. Advent is a holy season of waiting and watching for the greatest event in all of history. Isaiah reminds us what Advent will bring: the birth of the Messiah. That birth is world-changing. Like the other prophets, Isaiah scanned the horizon for signs of the Messiah who would reveal God’s glory. Others had the spiritual vision to recognize and receive the Messiah when He came as a vulnerable infant in a manger. The season of Advent itself is a sign for us. If you want some good company to entertain this Advent — the season of waiting is only 28 days long this year — keep company with Isaiah. (Father Rosson is pastor of St. Mary’s/Our Lady of the Lake parish in Cooperstown.)
As we approached Thanksgiving break at the seminary, my class was given a study guide in preparation for our written and oral comprehensive exam, which we will take at the end of January. This exam is required for the degrees which will be awarded to us. The long preparation period is meant for us to take time to reflect, research and synthesize all we have learned in six years into a systematic, comprehensive whole. The result of taking distinct classes in various fields is that the subject matter can become compartmentalized in our minds and lives. Our classes at the seminary have quite a range: philosophy, Scripture, liturgy, history, systematic theology, anthropology, moral theology, social ethics, medical ethics, Christology, canon law and administration, to name a few. Imagine being stuck in administration mode and forgetting about social ethics! It’s imperative that we integrate these: We need to remember that doctrine has developed throughout history, is rooted in Scripture, has been expressed in liturgy and is taught to people pastorally so that it can inform our prayer life and our actions. The same can happen in other fields. We know what can happen when accounting, business administration and ethics remain distinct fields of study and aren’t integrated within the
LETTERS FROM READERS The Gospel and food
Meditation on the “Word of Faith” article regarding the Gospel for the 32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time (Nov. 10 issue) is interesting: Rev. Roger Karban writes that our Lord wants us to use our talents to open doors. One door is producing food supplies for all of us. More than 40 million people in our nation live in poverty, with a jeopardized food supply and unhealthy lifestyle. The National Catholic Rural Life Conference, with funding from the Catholic Campaign for Human Development and cooperation from a few religious orders, utilizes land to promote sustainable agriculture
stewardship. Use of land owned by religious orders and parishes to produce fruit and vegetables is risky, but a food supply for the growing number of neighbors in poverty may provide a better future. Michael McGlynn Watervliet
Eucharistic memory
Reading Margaret Anderton’s experience as a eucharistic minister (Nov. 3 issue) brought to mind a similar experience: When I was a eucharistic minister at the former St. Bernard’s Church in Cohoes, a little girl approached me with her mother and announced to me that
student. For example, here’s a question we might be asked during this exam: “As pastor in a rural community, you have an influx of poor Catholic immigrants from a certain country into your area. What are their needs; what are their rights (according to Church law); what are your responsibilities concerning them; what is their history; how are they used to expressing their faith (or are they used to expressing it); and what would you do socially, pastorally and liturgically concerning them, and also concerning the current population of the parish?” I made this question up, but the actual questions are just as multi-faceted. My classmates and I are in the process of studying together for this exam. We are organizing the basics of each field; next, we will try to understand them in the context of various situations. Our teachers have tried to keep things in perspective for us as we continue along, and we have been trying to prayerfully integrate everything ourselves. We’ve tried to see all of our studies and formation in the context of our future ministry in the Church. In the end, this is what we’re concerned with: ministry in the Church, not academic prestige. We are not concerned with the academic degrees, except as they help us fulfill our mission. We don’t refer to our clergy as “Doctor;” nor do we expect them
to be making names for themselves in the academic arena. We call them “Father,” and that’s what we want them to be for us: like a father. We expect priests to be knowledgeable, well-read and wise in order to be in service to the people of God. Some do become academics, but the ones I know still prefer the title “Father” to the suffix “Ph.D.,” and they wouldn’t give up being a priest to become an academic. With my graduation and ordination (God willing) only seven months away, I’m confident that the education I have received will serve me well in my priestly ministry. I hope that I can apply it well in my work and pass it on in my teaching. Most of all, I hope to continue to be a This is part of student of the- The Evangelist’s ongoing series ology. As of reports from much as I’ve diocesan semilearned over narians on their the past six studies, work years, the mys- and developtery of God ment. To read and His love previous installfor us couldn’t ments, search be compre- for “seminarian hensively cov- diary” at www. ered in 6,000 evangelist.org. years of classes. (Deacon Daniel Quinn is a seminarian studying for the priesthood for the Diocese of Albany in his final year at St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore. He is a native of Holy Trinity parish in Johnstown.)
her mother was going to have a baby. I often think of this as an example of the innocence of little ones. She wanted to share the good news with me. Patricia Nash Cohoes
Glens Falls), and etchings such as, “Christ Healing the Sick” and “Christ before Pilate.” The tour guide was quietly evangelistic and we even prayed with a fellow museum-goer. Thank you for letting us know about this fantastic exhibit! (The exhibit is now being shown at the Detroit Institute for the Arts). C. Maeve Smith Rotterdam * * * Letters are subject to editing and should be 100 words or less, concern topics covered in The Evangelist and include your town and telephone. Essays or opinion pieces, 600 words maximum, are also welcome. We prefer submissions by email (kate. blain@rcda.org), or by mail (40 N. Main Ave., Albany 12203).
Art appreciation
I read about the exhibit, “Rembrandt and the Face of Jesus,” held at the Philadelphia Museum in The Evangelist (Sept. 8 issue). My husband is a Rembrandt lover, so I decided to surprise him with a trip there for our fifth anniversary. The exhibit was fantastic, with paintings such as “The Supper At Emmaus” and “Jesus with Folded Arms” (which can also be seen at the Hyde Museum in