The Blessing of Brotherhood

The blessing of brotherhood is one I wasn’t fully expecting before coming to the seminary. I thought, hopefully, I’ll make a few friends, and that’d be great. But I could have never imagined the true brotherhood that I am blessed to be a part of now. United in prayer and sonship of Jesus Christ, these bonds hold deep meaning. I am incredibly grateful for the amazing experiences I’ve had and the friendships I’ve made with the Lord and my brother seminarians. 

From my first day, on August 20th, I was overwhelmed with a sense of comfortability. This feeling of comfort has only grown throughout these past three months. Seminary is a big adjustment, but I quickly learned that this adjustment is not for one to make alone. Whenever I had a question, no matter how foolish I thought it was, there was always a returning seminarian who was thrilled to help me out. God has truly been at work with my 39 fellow seminarians here at JPII. When I had to rush home for a family funeral, I could count on John Murphy to drive me to the train station at 5 am. When I needed to learn how to polish my shoes, I knew I could go ask Joe Stanalonis. Whenever I need advice or clarity on something, I know I can count on asking Aaron Ripplinger on our walks back from history class. These few examples of the incredible brotherhood that has been formed, with all the seminarians, have been extremely influential in my adjusting to seminary life.
 
As Christians, we know we are never alone with Christ. Furthermore, seminarians enter into this new phase of life with the support of many other men who are also on the same mission; to grow closer to the Lord in discerning His call for our lives. The community aspect of seminary life is one of the keys to discerning God’s will and has proven to be a tremendous help for many. These bonds with my new brothers have been strengthened through all that we’ve been able to do together. Completing a ten-mile hike, going on a weekend pilgrimage, late-night ice cream runs, and movie nights, have all played into what has been such an incredible first three months. 
The fear from loved ones of seclusion and loneliness was especially prominent for those of us who entered this year, as the “propaedeutic year” was being newly implemented. The fact that 18-year-olds, fresh out of high school, would experience a year without their smartphones seemed unfathomable! Although, this was quickly proven otherwise. We’ve been blessed with the ability to foster better work habits, prayer routines, and bonds in a way that many men our age are simply unable to do due to the technological consumption of the culture today. I have been extremely blessed and am grateful to enter this journey, alongside thirteen of the most amazing guys, as we all continue our search for the Lord’s will together. Having complete trust in Jesus in all things allows us to live freely, knowing His plan is greater than our own. I find great strength with the words I learned to always pray, in times of anxiety, gratitude, and anything in between, from my beloved grandmother; Jesus, I trust in You.

Kieran Sullivan is a Propaedeutic Year Seminarian for the Archdiocese of New York