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 3rd 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 23rd, 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