THE HEART OF A SEMINARIAN

A Roman Catholic Seminarian opens up his Heart and shares the Faith he Loves.

NOTHING SAYS WHIPPED LIKE A MAN CARRYING A PURSE

Around 20 minutes before the Youth Group meeting began last Sunday, I decided to get a quick bit to eat at Dairy Queen.  As I was walking in, there were two teenage guys hanging out in the parking lot wanting for one of their girlfriends to come out from the restroom.  One of them told me that he was planning on going and proceeded to tell me how the other one standing right next to him was going also.  The other guy’s response was “I don’t know about that! My girlfriend is just trying to talk me into it.”  After looking at him, I replied “Dude, you are carrying her purse for her, I think I will be seeing you at Youth Group.”  I love it when a guy tries to act like he is not whipped.  To make this story short, he was there for the meeting.

posted by: muniz at 23:10 | link | comments |
humorous

NEWS AND NOTES

 

·        Thanksgiving: It was a great time to be with the family again and it is always fun.  For the people who do not know me, I like to joke around and tease a lot and that is what my family does.  As we sit around the table, it was great to listen to everyone tease, make fun of, and just plain joke around with everyone.  I am just thankful that God gave me a family with such a great sense of humor.

 

·        Poker Tournament: In high school and college, we had the tradition of playing basketball the day after thanksgiving.  Now that we are old and fat, we play poker all day.  With a field of 15, I came in 9^th.  I will blame it on either not playing poker in 4 months or maybe God not loving me anymore.  Either way I lost.  Congratulations to my cousin Dave for the victory in the tourney.  With a victory in the Poker Tournament and Washer Tournament in July, Dave is showing why he is one of the greatest athletes in the world.

 

·        Updating: If you have not noticed, I really stink at this lately.  Pray for me.

 

·        Next Sunday’s scripture.  Just click it.

 

What else?  Any questions or comments?

posted by: muniz at 23:04 | link | comments |
news and notes

THE LONELINESS OF MY JOURNEY

There are so many people that tell me that the priesthood must be so lonely, because they cannot get married and have kids.  Even though it is always great to have a woman by your side to share your life with and to serve her and it is amazing to raise and develop children into true seekers and lovers of God, I often wonder about those people who feel lonely with a spouse and children.  These people have the answer that society says that I lack for a good life, but why are they lonely.  Are they just selfish?  Are they not a good spouse or parent?  Why do they feel lonely? Do they sit with their family and feel alone?  What is causing this pain? 

 

As all people do, we have hopes and dreams.  Our lives are full of ideas and ambitions, but sometimes others do not have the same ones.  A marriage can be filled with feelings of loneliness when the spouses do not have the same view of the direction and goals of the marriage.  Parenting can be tough and lonely when the children resist every instruction and view you as the idiot.  This is especially true if this is accompanied with no support from the spouse. 

 

 The loneliest that I have ever felt was when I was in my junior year of college.  I felt isolated because I was a Catholic amongst a school of Protestants , but ironically this was the same time when I was in a serious relationship.  Truthfully, she helped me not be as alone, but only if religion was not brought up in our conversation or our relationship.  (She did not care about Catholic faith at all nor did she care about challenging herself spiritually.)  I cared a lot about her, but if I am honest about it, I know I used her to help me escape the feeling of loneliness that I felt spiritually.  (We broke up soon after I left that college.)

 

I have said it before and I will say it again; the worst kind of alone is feeling alone in a crowd.  I felt this way in college and I am afraid of feeling this way as a priest.  This journey to the priesthood is hard when you feel that you are journeying all by yourself.  Either it be the role and identity of the priesthood or the celibacy in the priesthood, I totally embrace them.  Sadly for me, many Catholics do not hold the same opinion.  Constantly, I hear people talk to me like I am making a horrible mistake, like I am an idiot for doing this.  If I have problems with celibacy in my life, then who could I talk too?  It can hardly be anyone, because it feels like everyone views celibacy as a bad thing.  Also, I feel strongly about what a priest should be, but there are many priests that do not hold themselves to the same high standard.  If I have problems with the role of a priest, who can I go too?  It can hardly be anyone, because it feels like there are not a lot of great priests that will challenge me and plus the laypeople will probably just jump back to their problem with celibacy.

 

As a seminarian, you learn to keep a tight core group of people that you trust for advice.  These are the people that help you feel like you are not alone in this fight.  Recently, a good friend and seminarian announced his departure from the seminary.  I take these departures hard, because they always bring back the fears that I am all alone again in this fight.  Because of loneliness in college, I quit the fight to challenge myself spiritually.  Ever since then, I vowed to never quit on God again.  So even though similar feelings of loneliness rehash in my life, I still stay true to my promise.  I will persevere, but it is hard.  The answer is not a wife and kids just like the answer in college was not my girlfriend.  Maybe I can make a difference in people’s perception, but all I know is that I must go through this journey focused on my goals and not be distracted by those around me.  I do not want to be spiritually alone again, but if so I know that God’s grace will overcome all obstacles.  I just thank God for people who do not make me feel alone.

posted by: muniz at 00:42 | link | comments (5) |

NEWS AND NOTES

 

·        8,000 & 9,000 Hits: I want to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who has read my blog.   Thanks again for making it so much fun.

 

·        Cool Jesus: For the past month or so, if you would have googled “Cool Jesus”, then this picture would have came up first with a link to my blog.  Now, this picture is still #1 but it now has a link to a youth group in the East.  If I can’t get recognition for using the “LL Cool Jesus” picture, then I will just use the other cool Jesus picture with him pointing His fingers.

 

·        Basketball Coach: There is a question to ponder.  How is it that parents don’t mind a coach yelling at a kid on the basketball court during a game, but if a teacher did the same thing, then it is a traumatic experience for the child.

 

·        Happy Birthday Mom: Did I ever tell you that you are my hero?  You are everything I wish I could be. I can fly higher than an eagle because you are the wind beneath my wings.  Thank you, thank you, thank God for you, the wind beneath my wings.  Mom, everyone else might think I am being sweet, but I know you are laughing at this.  Haha, love you Mom.

 

posted by: muniz at 22:16 | link | comments |

IS ANYONE LISTENING?

Catholic Times column “When life becomes too much to bear, who will listen?” (11/06/05) continued.  Click here to read this short column.

This post is a continuation of my column in the Catholic Times.  This is the opportunity to express my feelings on the subject, while allowing you to do the same for a fruitful discussion.  For those who are new to this site, you may leave anonymous or signed comments by clicking on the word “comments” below.

 

In my column, I wrote about the youth’s need for someone to listen to them and care about them.  Truth-be-told, the youth are not the only ones in need; there is a Danielle in all of us, but do we notice it when we look at another?    So many times, we only see our own lives and needs, but fail to notice the obvious needs of others.  Why is that?  Is it simply our own selfishness or could it be a greater problem in our lives like not trusting God with our lives?

 

A visual that I use in regards to trusting in God is the image of a ball.  Imagine there is a ball and everything that pertains to you is inside that ball.  Inside that ball are all your desires, fears, wants, and needs.  Everything that you worry or think about is inside that ball.  If you trust God with your life and put it in His hand, then God will be in control.  Can you imagine God palming that ball and griping it tightly?  In God’s hand, it will never fall, so you need not worry about your life or anything that pertains to it.

 

As a result of trusting in God, your worries and thoughts can be directed towards the lives of others.  By this trusting, who knows what lives you could reach and what impact you could make on the world physically and spiritually?  Trust in Him and realize the joy that will fill their lives and yours too.  Never let an opportunity pass you by without letting someone know that you care, because you never know, it could be Danielle.

posted by: muniz at 00:41 | link | comments (2) |
catholic times

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