Mystic Monday: Old Friends Week

I spent this last weekend with Gradual School friends at St Meinrad because it was Graduation weekend and there are still people that we went to classes with who are graduating; way to go Paul and Ben and Mike and Glory,(who had the tough job of representing as the only woman in the graduating class this year); as well as seminarians we know who are finishing up since it takes them so many more years to get their MDiv than it takes us to get our MA and MTS degrees. Congrats to Deacons Peter Marshall, Jeremy Gries, John Hollowell, and Chris Wadelton from the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, who will be ordained to the priesthood in June.

Anyway, I digress (a favorite saying of one of my friends with whom I spent the weekend)

Since I spent the weekend with old friends, I have decided to revisit an old friend for Mystic Monday. Because I took a survey on Facebook on Friday and to my utter shock was told that should I choose to join a monastic order I would be best suited to join the Dominicans, I am going to return to Henry Susso, a Dominican from the 14th Century, who loved the name of Jesus so much he gave himself a tatoo of the Holy Name over his heart with his writing stylus . (personally, I would have gone for a slightly less permanent badge of rememberance, but hey if it worked for him . . .)

Here is a bit from his text on "The Computer of Wisdom" a stricture for living the Spiritual Life

In the fellowship of saints which as the morning stars shone in the dark night of this world and as the sun and moon shed forth the beams of their clear knowledge you shall find some who surpassingly were perfectly grounded not only in active life and virtue but also in contemplation, of whose teaching and example you may take the most perfect doctrine and love of true spiritual life. And nevertheless I willingly and condescendingly to your youth and inexperience shall give you some principles of spiritual living for a memory to have always at hand to set you in the right working if you desire to have the perfection of spiritual life that is to be desired by all men and if you will and desire to take it up manfully you shall first withdraw from ill fellowship and harmful company of all men who would hinder you from your good purpose, seeking always opportunity when and what time you may retire and there take privy silence for contemplation and flee from the perils and turbulance of this harmful world. Always it belongs to you first to study to have cleanness of heart, that is to say that you keep your sensory perceptions turned into yourself and there you have as much as is possible the doors of your heart busily closed from the forms of outward things and images of earthly things. Truly among all other spiritual exercises cleanness of heart has the sovereignty, as a final intent and reward of all the travails that a chosen knight of Christ is to receive.

Good companions, time to study God's word and stay away from earthly distractions that draw you away from Godly things. Isn't it amazing how easy the right stuff really is?

Pax

One more picture

In this picture you can see the heart on the front of my I Love Jesuits T-shirt and you can see my way-cool class ring. This was taken at the campus bar, called the Unstable (Benedictines take a vow of stability, get it?) Do I look tired, by this shot I had been up for 17 hours and counting. A long fun filled day.

Pax

Pictures from a Graduation

This is a picture outside Abbey Church just after Graduation Mass

Processing in with the Candle (that is me on the right and Susan on the left)

The only person in front of us was the Crucifer John Hopewell a Seminarian friend

Behind us was a very very long line of priests, deacons an Archabbot and a Bishop

My kids waiting to watch me receive my diploma

I am so proud of the fact that there isn't one MP3 player

or Gameboy in sight.

I'm smiling because I looked inside the folder and know that my diploma is official, signed off on and everything who wouldn't be happy. A few seconds after this picture was when we walked through the hallway lined by our professors.

Perpetua (Diane on the left) and Thekla (me on the right) with Deacon John in the middle. He had these Icons painted for us as graduation gifts. So much more meaningful because of the special meaning of the names themselves. But that is another story for another day.

Pax

Some Thoughts on Gradual School Graduation

The weather was awesomely beautiful considering it was rainy and cold on Friday AND Sunday. All day Saturday it was Sunny with a nice breeze. We were really happy to have the great weather.





Our friend Felicity couldn't be with us because her father passed away on Friday. Please keep her in your prayers. We will share her joy next year when she walks for her graduation.





I got to be a Candle bearer for the processional at Commencement Liturgy in Abbey Church along with Susan (a colleague I have known from Diocesan work since before we started at St. Meinrad). As we were standing outside preparing to enter we both realized we were the only two women in a very long line of men of men. (all the monks who teach in the Seminary/School of Theology concelebrate the Mass with the visiting commencement speaker: The Most Reverend R. Walker Nickless, DD, Bishop of Sioux City Iowa.)





My dear friend John and his wife were able to join us because of a slight hitch in his recovery schedule. Claudette said that his first thought after being momentarily upset that his bone marrow transplant would have to be postponed was that he would get to share the day with Diane and me. They even got to the Hill in time to sit in church with us.





The angelbaby's comment on the resplendent liturgical vessels used in the Abbey Church: (said, wide eyed, just after she returned from receiving Communion): "Mom, really little hands, great big cup."





My kids who drove down Saturday had a really scary encounter with a gravel truck (we see a lot of those around these parts) but the only damage I have is a chip to my front windshield, so I feel very blessed.





There were extra places at our lunch table (Diane and I shared a table because we had so many common friends we wanted to invite, so we got to allow one of our professors, the associate director of our program and the administrative assistant in her office to sit with us at lunch. This was really great.





I had little boxes made up at a place here in town called The Chocolate Emporium that said:

Admit it

You'll miss me.

on top and each box was filled with a dark chocolate truffle. I painstakingly signed each and every box (now I wish I had taken a picture of at least one of the boxes). These I handed out at the luncheon to all of my friends, professors, the monks in the administration, Father Abbot Justin, and the seminarians that I have known since I have been coming to the school. The story behind the saying is that I am the one who brought chocolate candy to every class (to ensure that my chocolatarian side wouldn't starve on the weekends) they will miss me when I am gone.

I was very good at lunch, and even though the wine selection was top notch, I only drank one glass so as not to embarrass myself at the convocation.

I will freely admit now [mostly because 1) I have the signed diploma in my hands, and 2) the President Rector busted me after the convocation when my Pops got a picture I will post as soon as I get a copy]: that I actually wore my I love Jesuits t-shirt under my gown to the convocation.

I made it across the stage without tripping or hurting myself. I will admit to checking inside the diploma, just to make sure it was duly signed and official. My friend Diane, hadn't yet gotten her final grades and was expecting to get an empty one with Psych written inside, hers was signed too.

The Bishop's address was a bit offensive to me, the nicest thing I can say about it was at least it was short. I happened to be sitting in the front row of the auditorium and since it isn't air conditioned the outside doors were open on either side of the stage and I was smack in the middle of a very brisk cross wind and getting colder by the minute.

When we processed out of the auditorium we walked through a hallway lined with all of our professors who were clapping as we passed. If anything that happened that day was a moment that made me start to cry, that was it. Seeing my favorite professors, Damo, Clayton, Ryan, Fr. Richstatter, Br McDreamy all standing there wishing me well, was more than I could bear.

We sat with friends and drank champagne (not nearly as nice a spread as last year's) and chatted for a long time. I got some really cool gifts. Deacon John had Icons made for us: Diane is Perpetua and I am Thekla (it is a very long story, remind me to tell you) It was such a thoughtful gift. Every gift I got was thoughtful. Diane gave me a rosary bracelet from the Vatican Museum gift shop from her recent vacation in Italy. She has a matching one from Assisi. Pops and Pat got me a Harry Pickens CD (we have a mutual admiration for Jazz and specifically Harry Pickens, whom we have heard in concert together twice.

My kids got me a talking card of Vizzini from The Princess Bride saying that my achievement in graduation was "Inconceivable" and a copy of The Philosophy of The Office" Which may be the only Philosophy book I will ever enjoy reading. My kids; where do they get that sarcastically cruel streak?

In the evening we had a small dinner gathering of some of our lay student friends. We ate sandwiches and yummy home made potato salad and salsa and then we sang Karaoke. It was lots of fun.

I will post some pictures when I have time, but today is my library day and we are starting inventory and the librarian is out today (she took a surprise visit to Georgia for Mother's day to see her mom) so I have to get going so I can get things started.

Pax

After all this effort . . .

I should at least get super powers or something.

My graduation is only a day away now. I would be really excited if I weren't so darn nervous about forgetting something for the trip down there. Not only do I have to pack for myself but I have to make sure that the kids all have nice clothes, and then I have to make sure that everything gets packed for our little party on Saturday evening.

I have been dyed and mani-pedied and shaved and am even planning to actually style my hair (this is something I haven't done in years I am telling you).

I have new clothes to wear and promised mrangelmeg that I would be on my best behavior, meaning not too much wine at lunch, until after I walk across the stage in the afternoon to receive my diploma. Then I get to relax and party a little.

One of my close friends and I are planning a dinner party for the evening so that all of our friends from down there can party with us (including our professors and the monks). That should be fun, I am bringing my karaoke machine.

I had better get some sleep now. I will post some pictures of my big day when we return.

Pax

Graduation Keeps Getting Closer

I am sending out Graduation Announcements today and it occurred to me that the official date of my Gradual School Graduation is less than a month away! I got my class ring (see picture) in the mail this week and have been wearing it ever since (thank you mrangelmeg, it is the best birthday present I could have ever asked for).

We even got confirmation of our housing arrangements for graduation weekend since we are staying down on "The Hill" for the weekend to make it less stressful on me. Mrangelmeg, the angelbaby and I are driving down on Friday and meeting up with one of my closest friends Friday evening for some good times. We promised to take the angelbaby to The Unstable --what they call the campus bar (if you know anything about the Rule of Benedict you might get the little inside joke in the name of the bar).

The other four kids are driving down on Saturday and joining us for the festivities the day of graduation and we secured another suite for them so that they can stay over Saturday night and don't have to drive back until Sunday.

We are hoping to find a place to have a little informal get together on Saturday evening for Lay Students and families, we haven't decided where that will be yet, or what that will entail, but it will all get worked out in the next few weeks.

I still have a few gifts to purchase, and a special little surprise that I have planned to hand out to everyone, I have to pick that up the week before graduation so that they are fresh. (hint, something I am well known for people will miss when I am gone).

I keep trying to decide what to wear to graduation, I suppose I could just wear something I already own, after all it will be under a cap and gown for the official ceremony. I have threatened to wear this , but considering the reception the last time I wore it when I was down there it might not be such a good choice. They might decide to withhold my diploma.

Pax

The Countdown is SO ON! Save the Date!

84 Days and Couting!

I got my official registration form for St Meinrad Graduation today. I will receive my Gradual School Diploma for a Master of Arts in Catholic Thought and Life on May 10, 2008.

The Schedule of events includes

10:00 a.m. Eucharist in Archabbey Church

12:00 p.m. Formal Luncheon

1:30 p.m. Robing and Pictures

2:00 p.m. Convocation/Graduation

reception in Alumni Commons following the Convocation.


So far there is only one hitch; I get 6 tickets for the luncheon. Which one of the kids has to eat Wendy's from up the highway? (no really we can order more tickets but I am going to ask them just to see their faces).

Now I have to order my class ring, and figure out what I am going to wear, and make sure the kids all have nice clothes to wear, and make sure that mrangelmeg tells them at work that he needs to be in Indiana that weekend and not somewhere else. Whew, and I thought all the hard part was over.

Pax