I am Back...as an alum of ND

My Dear Readers,

mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa...ideo precor...  
anywho you know where that goes.

I do sincerely apologize though for not being able to write for a few weeks. I graduated from ND, entered the seminary, started a parish assignment, work at the chancery...in other words, life has been hectic and things have finally started to settle down.

So for the next few days, I will, unless something interesting (like the Fr. Corapi situation) comes up, talk about myself and my transition from a young Notre Dame undergrad into the substantial change into Notre Dame alumnus and a seminarian for the Diocese of Covington.

So graduation.

Somewhere back in May I completed my finals and graduated. I wrote a near 100 pages in that final week and slept, even for me, way too little. My thesis was handed back to me (if you would like to see an unfinished copy - yes it is still not done :) - just let me know) and I worked on that, a really great paper on Magnanimity and Aquinas for Mary Keys, a fun Paper on the Platonic/Aristotelean sources of the last prose of the de consolatione philosophiae by Boethius, and Lord knows what else...it was busy.

BUT ITS DONE and I graduated from Notre Dame. I miss it dearly. I miss my dome and I miss my Basilica. Most of all, I miss my very dear friends with whom I spent 4 years maturing, learning, praying, and discerning my call to the Priesthood. My roommates I would argue with over Ancient Philosophy. My Filii Mariae buds I would pray with and organize insane processions and Mass for Fr. Roy. But I am also super stoked about the future. I enjoy Northern Kentucky. The people are great, the Church Ladies are taking care of me, and the brother seminarians are awesome.

Now to quickly recap Senior Week and Graduation (pics will come later, when I find them).

All senior week, I ran errands. Tied up all my loose ends and turned in all my keys to the chapels and offices around campus. Cleaned out my stuff out of the Alumni Hall Sacristy. Ate my last dinners with Fr. Vierling, Fr. Coughlin, OFM, Fr. Roy, etc. Had my last meetings with Drs. O'Callaghan and Solomon and my last chat with Prof. Alasdair MacIntyre (he never got a PhD...)

Then the rents arrived. Showed them around. Ate with the Masons which was a rocking good time. Ate brunch the next day with the Argues and the Webers. From there, I snuck away from my parents to go to the Law School Commencement to support my buddies Arthur and Greg. Partied it up at the Mason's later that evening. It was a good time.

Then, the moment we were all waiting for. Commencement. Marched into the hallowed Stadium grounds to images like this:

The Very Right Reverend Monsignor Michael Heintz and the uber-intelligent Reverend Neil Roy.

by the way, the priest there on the right corner, Father Miscamble, CSC, i saw only a few moments earlier running up late from Malloy/Decio Hall :)

I got to walk through the tunnel:

And the ceremonies commenced. Our valedictorian was quite good and the guest speaker, Sec. of the State Robert Gates was really good. Of course, all the hype was over Louuuuuuuuuuu

Yes, that is right, Lou Holtz and I are classmates.

He received an honorary degree and the class of 2011 was chanting his name for most of the morning.

We then rushed for lunch and back to the JACC for the College ceremonies where we get that nice little slip of sheepskin worth +$200,000. That was boring for the most part though there was one extremely touching moment. During the middle of the longest ceremony, we noticed a man in a suit and his wife in a dress walk up. Most initially thought, 'who are these people and where are their caps and gowns.' Then, it kinda clicked. On April 24, 2009 the class of 2011 lost out classmate Kevin Healey to a 2.5 year long battle with cancer and the whole stadium stood up and applauded as his parent were awarded his posthumous degree. 

From their, we went to take pictures, pictures and more pictures in front of any statue my mom could find and angle she could find on the Golden Dome. I said goodbye to them and packed up the rest of my stuff. That evening, my last evening on campus, the senior class gathered at the Main Steps and had one last bottle of champagne/beer/wine/water? to celebrate the wonderful memories and friendships that will last till the day we die. Best four years of my life? absolutely. Will it all be downhill from here. Absolutely NOT. I am going on from here to study and prepare for the Sacred Priesthood. Yeah that just may top my ND experience haha. But seriously, I will forever treasure those 4 years; the painting my body green for Football games, the solemn processions for May Crownings, Michelmasses, and Candlemasses. The Bishops walking around. The leaves falling. The snow falling (and never leaving). I will remember the birthday parties for Our Lady; the episodes of the Divine Office, the Octave of HollyWill. I will never forget my experiences as an RA this year, the 40 Hours to organize, the interaction with many holy Holy Cross priests. The conversation till 4am in the Lobby of my Dorm discussing some obscure point in Aristotle or Orthodox Christianity with the Buttach, Brittone (Br. Raymund), Memo, and Colum. Like I said, I what I miss most of all is the friends I can no longer see everyday in the DH or in the classroom or in the chapel. I miss Fiddler's Hearth. Deo Gratias for Facebook and Gchat and Skype and texting. I long for the day to walk on campus again and a mighty alum haha and to hopefully be there for one last Center for Ethics and Culture conference, presenting a paper with Colum and Dr. Langen. If feels like just yesterday, I was driving up Notre Dame Ave to the sight of the Golden Dome in the sky as a young and eager, yet nervous frosh going through orientation, learning the chants and the dances for the first time and now I have completed four fulfilling and awesome years full of learning, praying, growth, maturation, and discernment. And here we are, a little smarter, a little wiser, and a tad more mature, I set out into the real world, Walking down the steps of main building, we walk from the mantle that is Our Lady's university and into the receiving arms of Our Lord's Most Sacred Heart, and with our hearts like His, we set out to 'fix this world' we live in, full of that same excitement and eagerness, and nervousness.

I will miss ND greatly. Yet, at the same time, I am super stoked to be a full-fledged seminarian. The countless hours in adoration for my ND (and non-ND) friends. To foster a closer relationship with Our Lord and to strive for a union of our hearts such that I may be a holy priest. For, as St. Jean Vianney once said, 'I would only pursue the priesthood if only I may be a holy priest.' And with that, I leave you with a poem written at the beginning of the 20th century. Goodnight and I will do my best to get over all this mushy talking about myself and back to interesting things in this next week...there is still seminary and candidacy to cover.

And I will forever Love thee Notre Dame:

Farewell,
Dear Alma Mater, Notre Dame,
At last a fond farewell;
Beneath the fair and hallowed walls
No longer shall I dwell.

When first, a glint upon the dome,
I saw the sun's bright rays,
I little knew how joy on joy
Would throng my college days;

Ah little did I know the bliss
I'd share with comrades true.
Safe guarded of the loving heart,
Beneath the Gold and Blue.

Farewell! Ah yes, a sad farewell!
Forth in the world I fare,
To struggle onward duty calls
Life's heavy load to bear.

But though I wander far and wide.
No matter where I roam.
In memory often shall I dwell

Beneath the Golden Dome.

and a little something extra, I like this video: