This past week, the church celebrated Holy Week, beginning with Palm Sunday and coming to a close on Easter Sunday. As we journeyed with the church, we experienced Jesus’ triumphal entrance into Jerusalem on a donkey, the celebration of His Last Supper, the pain and suffering of His Passion and death, and the greatest triumph of all, His Resurrection. As we journey through this week and the rest of the Easter season, let us not lose sight of all the things our Lord, Jesus Christ did for us by dying for us upon the cross.

Over the past few days, I have been reflecting on this year, my first year of seminary formation. A few weeks ago, I mentioned how a year had passed since I had begun the process of becoming a seminarian fro the Diocese of Orlando. On that Monday of Holy Week last year, I had no idea of the things the Lord had in store for me for the upcoming year. It has been a year of extreme challenges and triumphs.

The challenges came from being away from family and friends for the first time, being in a completely different environment. I pretty much grew up at my parish. In fact, just the other day, when I was home for Holy Week Recess, I was talking to my mother about how the parish raised me. I have been associated with St. Charles Church ever since I was 3 DAYS old. So, you can imagine, leaving that environment was tremendously difficult. However, when I got to the seminary in August, I quickly found a new home and I grew to love my brother seminarians as if they were my biological brothers. The Lord truly does work in marvelous ways. Throughout the next year, I am sure the struggles will be even more difficult to deal with; but, I know that if I believe the Lord is there with me, I can conquer anything that challenges me along the way!

Here are some pictures from Holy Week 2009 at St. Charles!!