On Holy Thursday, we participated in the mass In Coena Domini, which is The Lord’s Supper. Father Javier celebrated the mass at our chapel and he said in his homily “Jesus has given us the most luminous center of our lives.” We also celebrated the Institution of the Eucharist (Institution of priesthood). Father Buela (our founder) says about what a priest should be “Every priest should be defined as the man of the Mass, a man of the Eucharist.” In the mass, two minor seminarians did the reading, Father Javier washed twelve minor seminarian’s feet, one minor seminarian sang the Psalm, one minor seminarian sang, the four Junior minor seminarians sang at the washing of the feet, the choir sang at the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, one minor seminarian played the organ, and a few other minor seminarians served the mass. We even did our own overnight adoration and Father Javier told us why we were doing this. We were doing this because Jesus in the Gospel asked his apostles “So you could not keep watch with me for one hour?”(Matthew 26:40) This was the first day of the Easter Triduum.
 
Good Friday was the commemoration of the death of Christ. It was the day when Jesus died for our sins upon the cross. We participated in the Service at three o’clock at our chapel. Father Andrew presided the Service. Father Javier, Father Andrew, and Deacon Alex read the Passion of our Lord according to Saint John. Four minor seminarians served, one minor seminarian sang the Psalm and one minor seminarian sung. On this day, Father Andrew said in his homily “The cross contained the mystery of salvation because love is lifted up.” This is why we commemorated the Passion and death of our Lord on the cross. This was the second day of the Easter Triduum.
 
On Holy Saturday, we celebrated the Resurrection of Jesus. We had our own Easter Vigil at our chapel. Father Andrew celebrated the Mass and blessed the Paschal (Easter) candle. Father Andrew sang three times in the procession with the Easter candle “Lumen Christi,” which is The Light of Christ. We all responded three times “Deo Gratias,” that is Thanks be to God. Father Javier sang the Exult. Eight minor seminarians sang the Psalms, seven minor seminarians did the readings, a few other minor seminarians served, and one organist (minor seminarian playing the organ). In Father Andrew’s homily, he said we should be filled with joy because Christ has risen from the dead (Rejoice and be glad). Also, he said we should always be attentive to the Lord. This was the third day of the Easter Triduum.
 
We give thanks to God for giving us the privilege to participate at all the Easter ceremonies (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday). While many Christians are not able to participate in these masses because of the difficult situation, we, as minor seminarians are blessed by the Lord because we have a chapel.
 
May God grant you a Holy Easter Season and Happy Easter. Our Lord has Risen. “And everyone who has given up houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children, lands for the sake of my name will recieve a hundred times more and will inherit eternal life”(Matthew 19:29).

We give thanks to God for all the ceremonies we celebrated at the minor seminary in this Holy Week (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday). This has never happened at Saint Jose Sanchez del Rio Minor Seminary in Mankato, Minnesota. It was a special grace from God because every year, we celebrate at the parish Ss. Peter and Paul.

In Christ and Mary,
Adrian Almazan

On May 3rd, we celebrated the feast of Cristo de la Quebrada. This is an important day for our Religious Family as I will explain here below.

On May 3, 1981, Father Buela (our founder) received the foundational Grace, that is, while he was hearing confessions as a diocesan priest in his parish (Buenos Aires), an idea came to his mind of forming a community of priests, as a religious community. In the beginning he rejected the idea but then, the idea came back more strongly. So he discerned it prudently, and consulted about it with other priests. He said it was very clear and that he couldn’t hesitate that it was the will of God.

Now, May 3rd is the feast of Cristo de la Quebrada. The history behind this feast is as follows: By the half of the 19th century, a man called Tomas Alcaraz in the province of San Luis, Argentina, was chopping down a tree to get some firewood. In the trunk of the tree, he found a crucifix (Cristo de la Quebrada). The people in the village “La Quebrada” were amazed and many Christians came to the place for veneration.

Father Buela, as a young priest, went out to preach popular missions. He was really happy when he realized that he had the inspiration to form a Religious Family on the feast of Cristo de la Quebrada.

For this reason, every year we celebrate Cristo de la Quebrada because this feast is closely related to the very origins of our Institute.

On this year 2020, May 3^rd fell on Good Shepherd Sunday. So, we prayed for the increase of vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Father Andrew, who presided the mass, said in his homily “Even when we are priests and religious, we should still pray for our perseverance until the end.”

In Christ and Mary,
Adrian Almazan

On Monday November 23^rd, the feast of Blessed Miguel Agustin Pro (Patron of IVE Priests), we (the minor seminarians, two priests, and three bedels) took off to Maryland.

We stayed one night at Br. Christian Roa’s (Major Seminarian in Third Philosophy and bedel of the minor seminary) house in Ohio, where he and his family grew up. On Tuesday after breakfast, Brother Christian gave us a tour around his house and his farm. Then at 10:30 A.M., we continued our trip to Maryland

We arrived in Chillum, MD at the Fulton Sheen House of Formation on Tuesday evening. Fr. Joaquin Ibarra, IVE (Rector of the Major Seminary and Father Javier Ibarra’s brother) greeted us. Then with the major seminarians and presided by Fr. Christopher Etheridge (Formator of the Major Seminary), we had Mass in Latin with Vespers. Afterwards we had dinner and eutrapelia (community recreation) with the priests and seminarians.

On Wednesday we visited many places. In the morning, after breakfast, we went to the SSVM Juniorate House in Washington DC to meet some of the sisters. The sisters gave us a tour around their House of Studies and chapel. The sisters told us about the Juniorate and they got to know a little bit about us. Later that day, we went to the Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Shrine in Emmitsburg, Maryland. We had mass there, presided by Fr. Javier Ibarra, IVE (Rector of the Minor Seminary) with three concelebrating priests. After mass, Fr. Diego Ruiz, IVE (Assistant of a Diocesan Seminary - Mount Saint Mary) talked to us about how the faith started in the US and the background of Fr. John Dubois and Fr. John Hughes. Then, Fr. Diego led us up to the National Shrine Grotto, Our Lady of Lourdes in Emmitsburg.
We then went to the monastery near the National Shrine Grotto to meet Fathers Daniel Mentesana and Ted Trinko and Brother Jose Aca. Fathers Ted and Daniel talked about the monastic life of the Institute and our patrons. After the talk, we had snack with them and then a group photo with the mons. After the monastery, we went to visit the sisters in Thurmont, Maryland. The sisters told us how one of their apostolates was to translation Fr. Cornelio Fabro’s works. Then, we went to a nearby slide – it was fun! Finally, later that night, we went to the Saint Isaac Jogues Novitiate House in Mount Rainer, Maryland. We prayed vespers with the novices and had dinner with them. The novices were incredibly happy to see us and we also had a group picture with them. We had some time to get to know the novices, and the novices got to know us. We gave thanks to Fr. Mariano Ruiz, IVE (Novice Master) for allowing us to visit the novitiate house. Then, we returned to the Major Seminary for eutrapelia.

On Thursday (Thanksgiving Day), we had mass with the novices and major seminarians with morning prayer. Fr. Joaquin presided over the mass with four concelebrating priests and two deacons. After mass, we had breakfast with the seminarians and novices. After breakfast, we played soccer. After soccer, we had lunch and free time and we watched a football game. After the game, we prayed the rosary and we had adoration at the seminary with the seminarians and novices. Then, we prayed vespers with them and benediction, Fr. Javier Ibarra gave a good night on the aspect of giving thanks. Finally, we had a nice Thanksgiving dinner and eutrapelia with the priests, seminarians, novices and some of the seminarian’s families who came to the seminary from many different places.

On Friday morning, we had mass with morning prayer. Fr. Javier presided over the mass with five concelebrating priests. After mass, we had breakfast with the seminarians. After breakfast, we had a soccer tournament with the altar boys from Saint John Baptist de la Salle Parish in Chillum. We even played against the seminarians from the major seminary. We won against the altar boys 2- 1, but lost against the seminarians. After the tournament, we all had  lunch. In the evening, we had adoration and vespers with the seminarians and novices. Finally, we had pizza and eutrapelia with the seminarians and novices.

On Saturday, it was a big day for the Institute in this province, and a very special day for the novices – the of their investiture of habits (the gift of having a cassock). The Holy Mass too place at Holy Angels Catholic Church in Southern Maryland. Fr. Alberto Barattero, IVE, Provincial Superior, presided the mass with ten concelebrating priests. Father Barattero spoke in his homily about how to accept God’s way. After mass, the priests, seminarians, novices, families and friends congratulated the novices in receiving their cassocks. The novices are looking forward to their many upcoming years in the major seminary and in religious life. Then, we had a reception with fogons (cultural shows) – it was a lot of fun! After the reception, we to see Clement Island, where the first Catholic Mass in the United States was celebrated. We took a group picture. Then, we departed back to the seminary. That same evening, we all prayed vespers together. After vespers, there was a good night given by Fr. Joaquin on the cassocks. Finally, we had a group picture in the seminary hall – the Priest, Formators, Minor Seminarians, Novices and Major Seminarians.

Sunday was the last day at the seminary. Fr. Mariano Ruiz presided the mass with morning prayer and five priests concelebrated. After mass, we all had a nice Sunday breakfast. After breakfast, we said goodbye to everyone - the priests, seminarians and novices and we went to pack all of our belongings. At 11:30 A.M., we hit the road back to the Saint Jose Sanchez del Rio Minor Seminary - Mankato, Minnesota.

The purpose of this trip was to get to know the Religious Family of the Incarnate Word, especially for those who are new to the Religious Family. We give thanks to God for all the many blessings we have received throughout this trip to Washington D.C./Maryland. We thank Father Joaquin Ibarra for having us at the seminary.

We ask our Blessed Mother for more vocations to the Religious Family of the Incarnate Word and for the fruits of this Advent Season.

- God Bless you,

- Adrian Almazan

Dear Priests, Seminarians and Novices,

Happy feast day of Saint Jose Sanchez del Rio! I am writing to you all about the experience I had at the Minor Seminary for the past five years.

Since August 17, 2016, I joined the minor seminarians, Fr. Andrew Whiting, Fr. Emmanuel Galvez and Dcn. Jaime Abundiz at Upstate New York at Convivencia after my trip to Mexico with my family. We were twenty-four minors that year and finished the year with twenty minors. When I first joined, I wanted to be with the IVE after the 2016 Popular Mission at Saint George Parish in Bridgeport, Connecticut. I was taught with holiness and although I struggled, I got help from Fr. Alejandro Garcia. After my first year, I decided not to come back, but later after the 2017 IVE Youth Festival, I regrated my decision because when all the brothers whom I know that motivated the youth and I to holiness. I even started to remember all the service days and I learned that when we work, we work for God and to obtain virtue.

My freshmen year was kind of like my eighth-grade year. I was grateful for having Fr. Mariano Varela as my first superior of the Minor Seminary. Fr. Javier Ibarra came on my freshmen year and he told me in the 2017 Boy’s Summer Camp that we will be a great team. We did and that is when I started to pay attention to the missions around the world when Father Javier started to tell us on Sunday nights.

My sophomore year was rough. Well, after my sophomore year, I decided not to come back, but later during the school year, I again regrated my decision. All the fun I had with Fr. Willian Valle and the rest of the guys.

My junior year was different. The best time playing foosball with Dcn. Shadi Naim and fishing with Father Andrew. The other thing is that during Convivencia, Deacon Shadi started to do word of the day in Arabic. 

Finally, my senior year. My senior year before I started, it should be exciting, but it turns out, a lot of school. Father Javier put me as service captain and I take it as a challenge. I have to do new things such as leadership of the service team and teaching the guys how things work in the Minor Seminary.

Well, out of all the things I learned, I would like to mention two things:

Convivencia. The hiking trips we did it was hard and tiring for me but what I learned from my superiors was that with perseverance, you can reach the summit of the mountain (the top of the mountain).

Eutrapelia. The funniest times with the community with games, songs, etc…

Well, five years later, I have started to remember all the experience I had and the many graces I have received throughout these five years in the Minor Seminary. Hopefully this September, I can come to the novitiate and soon enough, I will be receiving my cassock. Later on, I will be looking forward to the many years in the Major Seminary in Maryland. Another thing I would like to add is that I thank God for leading me to the right path.

We ask our Blessed Mother for more vocations to the Institute of the Incarnate Word.

Happy feast day of Saint Jose Sanchez del Rio, Viva Cristo Rey y Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe and just remember that you are not alone. God is always with you everywhere you are present.

During the month of March for 10 days (15th-23rd), we had our annual Floral Games competition. This year, we had two teams which was Rome vs. Greece. We have judges, like in a normal competition or tryout, but these judges are called the Hellanodikai(Hella-no-di-kai). Priests and bedels were judging and along with it, the sisters came to judge some competitions, mostly, intellectuals.

During these 10 days, we had a lot of impressive competitions. The first one was for each team to present our banner and for the meanings of the symbols. Then, each team had to sing an anthem for their team. Second, we did some athletic competitions (soccer, basketball, volleyball, 100 meters run, shot put, long jump and swimming). Third, evening competitions that we did are called cultural competitions (intellectuals and arts) and each competitor of the team had to compete in Latin, Greek, English and Catechism of the Catholic Church. Fourth, we did table games or recreational games (ping-pong, foosball, pool and chess) and each competitor of the team had to compete. Fifth, music. One of the seminarians from each team had to do two types of choir: 1. Good Choir. 2. Coro de Malos (Bad Choir). Then, each seminarian from each team had to sing a solo and play the piano. The music was presented in classical in general for piano and liturgical for mass. Sixth, seminarians presented their art, such as poetry, essays and drawings (paintings and sketches) The topic of the arts was on the life of Christ and the saints. Seventh, during these days of Floral Games, we had a surprise competition, known as Novelties. The Novelties we did was sled around the seminary block, find a number around the seminary, make a tall stand for the egg, parashoot the egg, make a fireplace for all three strings to be burned, capture the flag, steal the bacon, deer hunt, zoom in, write a quote in English from a hobo font from Venerable Fulton Sheen, an obstacle course marathon at Sibley Park in the snow and a paper airplane. Last but not least, each team had to act in a play called “Waiting for the Day.” This play was about the Resurrection of Jesus.

On the last day, the Hellanodikai (the judges) announced the final scores. After Floral Games, we celebrated with an awesome dinner.

The reason why we do Floral Games is this: 1. Floral Games is a tradition in the Institute of the Incarnate Word 2. So that we may be confident in our actions, obtain a good spirit and the virtues of perseverance, charity and humility, even though you win or lose a game. We thank God for all the many blessings we received throughout these ten days of Floral Games.

We ask our Blessed Mother to always obtain a good spirit in our lives and to persevere in our actions, especially when we are in a hard situation.

On Holy Thursday, we had the mass In Coena Domini (The Lord’s Supper translation to English from Latin) at Ss. Peter and Paul Parish. Fr. Alex Salazar, our formator presided over the mass with three concelebrating Priests and two Deacons. Twelve minor seminarians got their feet washed and Father Alex spoke in his homily about our Lord’s Supper. After communion, Father Alex exposed the Blessed Sacrament for night Adoration, processing the ciborium to the tabernacle because Jesus questions His disciples: “So you could not keep watch with me for one hour,”(Matthew 26:40) because Jesus has found his disciples asleep. All the parishioners, priests and religious had the privilege to go to adoration. Holy Thursday is the start of the Easter Triduum.

On Good Friday, it was the Commemoration of the death of Christ. We prayed lauds (Morning Prayer from The Liturgy of the Hours) with the parishioners and did the Stations of the Cross in the Mankato area (outdoors) until noon. Then, we had the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion at 3pm at the Parish. Fr. Javier Ibarra presided and preached the homily about dying in a Christian manner. Although no one was able to venerate the cross during the celebration, many parishioner's, minor seminarians and our bedels venerated the cross after the Liturgy of the Passion.

On Holy Saturday, it was the day to await our Lord’s Resurrection. Fr. Andrew Whiting, our formator and pastor of Ss. Peter and Paul, presided over the mass with three concelebrating priests and two deacons. Father Andrew blest the Paschal lamb (Easter candle) and all the attendants of the mass processed in with their candles to the church in darkness. Deacon Jaime sang the exsult. After the seven readings and psalms, the minor seminary choir sang the Gloria that corresponds with the lighting of candles and ringing the church bells. Fr. Andrew summarizes in his homily on the nine readings, including the Epistle reading and the Gospel. After mass, we felt with great joy because of Our Lord’s Resurrection.

We thank God for all the many blessings we have received throughout this Easter Triduum and Holy Week. We thank Fr. Alberto Barattero, Provincial Superior of this province for visiting us on Holy Week.

Let us ask our Lord “to look up to the cross and achieve our happiness to the Resurrection of Christ.

Throughout the Octave of Easter (Easter week), we had our annual celebration of Easter called Pascueta (Pas-cue-ta). We are divided into three teams to present a theme, that was Teams Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Throughout these three days after Eucharistic Adoration, we wait for the team to open up the dining room to present their theme. The pascueta team of the day had all afternoon to prepare everything in the dining room.

On Tuesday of the octave of Easter, Team Tuesday was the first team to present their theme. Their theme was Jurassic Park. For dinner, we had ribs, chicken wings, potatoes, mozzarella sticks, sodas and for dessert, vanilla, berries, whip cream and pretzels. After dinner, we watched a movie trailer of what the team presented. After the movie trailer, the team presented some games for us to play. The games were knocking the bottle down with a dodgeball and tag.

On Wednesday, Team Wednesday presented Chinatown. For dinner, we had Chinese food (noodles with carrots, chicken and shrimp) and for dessert, ice cream. After dinner, the team prepared some games for us to play. We played a variety of pool sticks into chopsticks as in pick up the dodgeball with the chopsticks and have a ping-pong ball on a spoon.

On Thursday, Team Thursday presented The Army. For dinner, we had steak, asparagus, cooked chicken and vegetables on a stick and ice cream. After dinner, the team had some games for us to play. The games were like an obstacle course like training to join the army and war.

The reason why we do pascueta is this: 1. It is a tradition in our Religious Family. 2. A good celebration for Easter and to increase joy because Christ has risen and we are able to celebrate Easter.

We thank God for all the many blessings He has given to us during the octave of Easter.

We ask our Blessed Mother to always rejoice and be glad, as it says in the psalm.

In April 13, 2021, it was the feast of Blessed Rolando Rivi, who is our co-patron of our minor seminary. Also in this day, a tradition at our minor seminary in honor of Blessed Rolando is cassock day, and that is when all the minor seminarians wear their cassocks for the day.

Rolando was born around 1931 in Italy. When he was eleven years-old, he joined a Diocesan Minor Seminary and during that time, they wore cassocks. In the 1940s, communism started in Italy and four years later in 1944, the rector of the minor seminary told all the seminarians to return their cassocks, but Rolando wanted to have his cassock when his superior dismissed the seminarians. Rolando was obedient to his superior about the cassock that to always present yourself of who you are and have the spirit of priesthood. Rolando always had the spirit of priesthood ever since he joined the minor seminary.

When Rolando was home, he went to the forest with his cassock on and brought some books with him for his intellectual time. All of the sudden, the Parisians (communists) found him studying in the forest and captured him in the year 1945. Rolando’s parents were worried and they went to the forest where Rolando was and left a note said by Rolando not to find him that he belongs to God. In that same year, Rolando wrote a letter thanking God for his holy vocation.

When Rolando was put to death, he was saying his last prayers and remembered his last day of receiving the Holy Eucharist. While preparing for death and the communists preparing to kill Rolando, Rolando was praying for his parents and for the murder who was going to kill him. During when Rolando was saying his prayers, he was killed. After the death of Rolando, the Parisians (communists) grabbed Rolando’s cassock and used it for material needs. Rolando was fourteen years-old. He died on April 13, 1945 and that is his feast day.

Let us ask our Blessed Mother through the intercession of Blessed Rolando Rivi that we may one day die for Christ in our cassocks.