More Deacons!

Yesterday's First Reading at Mass was from the Book of Ecclesiastes:

There is an appointed time for everything,
and a time for every thing under the heavens.
A time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to tear down, and a time to build.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them;
a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.
A time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away.
A time to rend, and a time to sew;
a time to be silent, and a time to speak.
A time to love, and a time to hate;
a time of war, and a time of peace.

Evoking laughter, excitement and anticipation, Msgr. Callaghan began his homily, "There is a time for a free weekend." Indeed, there is; and thanks be to God for that.

Yes, this is our first free weekend of the year. What that means is that we seminarians are free to spend the days and nights where we desire, since we have no curfew nor any required seminary functions over the weekend (until Sunday Night Prayer, that is). These offer a little more respite and relaxation than is usual on the weekend. As well, these offer a great opportunity for men to go home and see family, especially men like me who live further away but not so far that it's inconvenient to drive home for two days.

Actually, I'm not really leaving. I might go visit my family tomorrow who are going out for a picnic at a beautiful park near my hometown, but we shall see.

In the meantime, while we are all traipsing around, the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis is ordaining the (Permanent) Deacon Class of 2008. Seven men are being ordained as I write this post. The Catholic Spirit lists them and has pictures of them, I believe. These men have been in our prayers here at the seminary. If you would, dear reader, say a prayer for them that, as they are configured to Christ the servant, they may always act with a humble servant's mind and will.

To my new brothers in the diaconate, to those men and their families, congratulations and Godspeed.