This semester is going to be a little different from the Fall semester, mainly because we do not have any major events planned, except our bi-annual Vocations Awareness Weekend in March–I am already expecting to have another well attended weekend. I always look forward to hosting the countless young men who come to the seminary to discern God’s will for their lives for that brief period of two days. I never took the opportunity to come on one of the weekends even though I had been invited numerous times by people in my parish. So, if there is a young man out there from the Diocese of Orlando who is thinking about serving the church as a priest, please seriously consider contacting Fr. Miguel at the Vocations Office about coming down March 12-14, 2010.

Vocations Awareness Weekend is just one event in the calendar for the remainder of the academic year. Below is the rest of the events that the seminarians will be taking part in over the next four to five months.

• Inter-Seminary Day of Communion: The priest, deacons, and seminarians from St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary make a trip down to Miami to have a friendly soccer match with us (St. John Vianney usually wins). We also all come together for Solemn Vespers and dinner.
• Day of Recollection on January 15th and 16th–Please keep us in your prayers these two days.
• Mid-Semester Exams take place from February 15th through February 18th.
• Mid-Semester Break waked place from February 18th through February 24th when we return and immediately go on a three-day retreat. Please keep us in your prayers February25-28th.
• The seminary community will host the John Paul II Vocation Monstrance from March 1st-7th.
• As mentioned above, Vocations Awareness Weekend takes place from March12th-14th.
• From March 26th through April 5th the seminarians will be in their Dioceses celebrating Holy Week with their Bishops, Pastors, parishes, etc.
• Final Semester Exams take place from April 26th-30th followed by “Community Days” from April 1st-5th.
• The seminary community will gather on April 5th to say farewell to the Class of 2010, which includes two young men for the Diocese of Orlando-Joshua Swallows and Chris Dorsey. Beginning in August 2010, these seminarians will begin at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary.

As you can see, throughout the Spring semester, the seminarians will be quite busy. However, we do have breaks built into the schedule to keep us refreshed and ready to take on whatever the Lord throws our way.

Bye for now….