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But, as fun as that evening was, what stuck with me most from my first year being a seminarian on this retreat was seeing the place that these high schoolers were at in their discernment, and how I was in the same place just a year ago.

"I rummaged through my drawer searching for the rosary my mom had given me as a confirmation gift, the gift I had unenthusiastically received two years prior. Little did I know that I would end up praying the Rosary every day, and carrying that rosary with me wherever I went. The Rosary saved my life, and I suspect it continues to do so."

"The Martyrs Shrine stands on the former site of Ossernenon, the Native American village where Sts. Isaac Jogues, Rene Goupil, and John de Lalande met their martyrdom."

"Pray. Pedal. Replenish. Repeat. This was the rhythm of the 2024 Ride for Vocations that took place in Southern Maryland on Saturday, September 28th. Priests, seminarians, and laity cycled distances ranging from 21 to 100 miles to support priestly vocations in the Archdiocese of Washington."

"Each of us, because of the communal life that we live, is called to a radical exposure of all of our many differences, but it is in rejoicing in these differences that we come to know one another better, and that we might too rejoice in the unique gifts which our brothers possess."

"In many ways, sharing the seminary with my family has been a journey of mutual discovery. Each class I attend, every challenge I face, and every triumph I achieve reverberates through our familial connections, creating a legacy of faith and learning."

"I had the privilege of being a perpetual pilgrim for the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage. I got to take two months of my life to walk with Jesus across the country and bring Him to others."

"This is the quiet, simple place where Servant of God Michelle Duppong grew up, and where her parents still live and farm today. This summer I was blessed to be able to live and work on the Duppong farm. "

"Before entering seminary, it felt like I was giving the Lord the scraps of my time. My spiritual life was revolving around everything else going on in my world. Now my world revolves around Jesus Christ."

I am left with so much more than what I had entered with. Having many experiences to reflect upon, I am reminded of the overall importance of service and its unique way of changing lives. St. Teresa of Calcutta once said, “Faith in action is love - and love in action is service.”

Although I am not crusading in the same sense, I have been learning all year in the seminary how to bear witness, strengthen my relationship with God, and carry His name with me.

Every day, my body rests at the beautiful home of the seminary and I know that I belong amongst my brothers. But even deeper than that, my heart and soul rest in the true home we are called to: The Lord.

As a senior, it is a great gift to see that formation works: that the Lord has become a part of my everyday life, a person with whom I can be familiar. His constant presence, and the presence of the brothers with whom I’ve grown, encourages me to continue in formation and take the next steps toward priesthood.

The Lord Jesus presents us with one simple command during this holy season of Advent: “Watch!” This single command characterizes the entire season and is reflected in the quietness of the liturgies, the modesty of the sanctuary, the penitential practices, and other venerable customs. But what are we watching for?

I am incredibly grateful for the amazing experiences I’ve had and the friendships I’ve made with the Lord and my brother seminarians. 

The love that the saints bear for us is powerful in times of hardship, for they teach us how to suffer beside and together with Jesus and how to love our neighbors, not just as ourselves, but as Jesus Himself loves them.

One of the most significant graces is realizing the value of my prayers and sufferings. My prayers and sufferings, united with our Lord’s, have become a means by which the pains of the poor souls in Purgatory can be alleviated.

Truly, the holy hour has the power to change everything that we are. The way that we look at God, and the way that we see him looking at us. It can open our hearts further, to receive his love, and it can fill our hearts, so that they are overflowing.

As followers of Christ, we need to be his in everything so that others can find that fulfillment.

Between the friendships that make the University feel like a home and the mission work that orients us toward our Heavenly home, campus life is a blessing from God and one that I hope has not passed me by.