Back to school, again.

I don't think I mentioned this: I spent the last two weeks in my parish assignment. This is a time built into the schedule for deacons called the Parish Practicum.

Here are some of the things I got the opportunity to do:

- I preached a lot - almost all of the daily Masses and two complete weekends.

- I got to go to youth group (usually I miss it because they meet on Sunday evenings and I am already heading back to school). It's been great to get to know some of the young people of the parish a little bit more.

- Attend a Deanery Pastoral Council meeting. The DPC (for short) is made up of pastors and representatives of all the parishes in a deanery.

- Attend RCIA and Adult Education meetings.

- Spend some time talking to my bishop during his visit to a nearby parish.

- Go kayaking! I was the only one on the whole lake.

- Deacon at a Mass at a local high school.

- I came two Fridays ago to attend the diaconate ordination of a classmate.

-I got to teach a 7th and 8th grade religion class. It was exhausting and fun. I have to respect teachers who do that ALL DAY.

- I preached at a Mass for that whole elementary school.

- Visited and had lunch with the priest who baptized me and was the pastor at my first summer placement.

- Had dinner and a tour of historic Blennerhassett Island.

- Hung out with some of the youth group kids at a lock-in they had. We sat around a bonfire and talked. Later we sang some praise and worship songs, then, a little later, songs by Don McLean, Coldplay, Johnny Cash and others. I left at 2:30 AM and went to bed.

- Finally, on this last Sunday, I preached and gave a presentation on my trip to Peru.

Now I'm back at St. Vincent ... until Friday when we leave for Fall Break! I'm so glad that it falls when it does because it has been a challenge for me to readjust to being in class again, not that it will be any easier after a break! I'm looking forward to being home for a bit. This will be the first time in a couple years that I'll be able to play with my high school's alumni band and both my brother and sister will be there too, which hasn't happened for a while.

Also, this coming Sunday is our diocesan youth rally which is held at St. Ambrose, my parish assignment. I enjoy seeing all the young people from all over our diocese coming together and all of our seminarians who come in for the event.

Pax!