Between August 3-5, the ten of us seminarians who are studying for the Diocese of Scranton gathered at the beautiful Chapman Lake in Lackawanna County for three days of prayer and fraternity. The seminarian retreat was held at the beautiful grounds of the University of Scranton's Retreat Center.
This retreat experience always occurs right after we finish our 10-week summer assignments in the parish (as well as those seminarians returning from the Institute for Priestly Formation in Omaha, Nebraska).
During these three days, we prayed (sometimes right on the lake dock). Part of the retreat included time to think about the upcoming year in our respective seminaries. We also relaxed and enjoyed each other's company.
Monday night ended with an ice cream run to Montdale Dairy Farm.
On Tuesday evening, our family and friends were invited to join us for Evening Prayer, food, and fellowship. A friendly, though competitive, game of horseshoes developed between the seminarians. Even Bishop Bambera joined in the horseshoe competition (and his team won!)
Wednesday concluded with a trip to St. Joseph's Center, a ministry of the IHM Sisters which cares for some of the most vulnerable in our society: those with intellectual and physical disabilities. It was a beautiful opportunity to be with our brothers and sisters, to share the common bond of love expressed uniquely by each resident of St. Joe's.
With hearts filled with gratitude, we return to our homes for a brief time of vacation before returning to seminary:
We are grateful for the faithful of the Diocese of Scranton who support us.
We are grateful for the leadership of Bishop Bambera and our Director of Seminarians, Fr. Don Williams.
We are grateful for our new seminarians, Jonathan, Kevin, and Nick, for taking this next step of faith.
We are grateful for the Jesuits for allowing us to use the Retreat Center and for the IHM Sisters for inviting us to take a closer look at one of their apostolates.
And we are filled with gratitude to God who gives us an abundance of love and goodness in our lives.
This retreat experience always occurs right after we finish our 10-week summer assignments in the parish (as well as those seminarians returning from the Institute for Priestly Formation in Omaha, Nebraska).
During these three days, we prayed (sometimes right on the lake dock). Part of the retreat included time to think about the upcoming year in our respective seminaries. We also relaxed and enjoyed each other's company.
Monday night ended with an ice cream run to Montdale Dairy Farm.
On Tuesday evening, our family and friends were invited to join us for Evening Prayer, food, and fellowship. A friendly, though competitive, game of horseshoes developed between the seminarians. Even Bishop Bambera joined in the horseshoe competition (and his team won!)
Wednesday concluded with a trip to St. Joseph's Center, a ministry of the IHM Sisters which cares for some of the most vulnerable in our society: those with intellectual and physical disabilities. It was a beautiful opportunity to be with our brothers and sisters, to share the common bond of love expressed uniquely by each resident of St. Joe's.
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| Scranton seminarians with Bishop Bambera |
With hearts filled with gratitude, we return to our homes for a brief time of vacation before returning to seminary:
We are grateful for the faithful of the Diocese of Scranton who support us.
We are grateful for the leadership of Bishop Bambera and our Director of Seminarians, Fr. Don Williams.
We are grateful for our new seminarians, Jonathan, Kevin, and Nick, for taking this next step of faith.
We are grateful for the Jesuits for allowing us to use the Retreat Center and for the IHM Sisters for inviting us to take a closer look at one of their apostolates.
And we are filled with gratitude to God who gives us an abundance of love and goodness in our lives.