I appreciated the cover letter you wrote to accompany the summary report from the 2005 visitation of U.S. seminaries. I haven’t had a chance to read the entire report, but I was encouraged by what you wrote in that cover letter.

I’ve been interested in seminary formation / reform for a number of years, and have been blogging about it since 2005.

http://www.doxaweb.com/blog/2009/01/summary-report-of-2005-visitation-of-us.htm

God bless -

Clayton

Hi am a 7th grade student at ST. Pauls School. I thought it was wonderful to see the hundreds of Priests, Deacons, and Bishops. Also I enjoyed seeing all of the different types of classes of people from across the world. This is a great site, and I enjoy reading your different blogs. I hope some day you could visit our school.

ST. Pauls School
Chris

I wish I could go to Rome and see that amazing church. It was beautiful. I think it is important that the number of nuns do not decrease. It’s wonderful how in different parts of the world, vocations are increasing.

I hope you visit our school soon!

From,
Alexis

Thank you for your thoughts.

I read Divine Mercy In My Soul about 10 years ago, then later donated it to my parish library. The reflections are truly beautiful, and now, it is one of those books I wished I kept. Perhaps I’ll head over there today and sign it out

I did come across this on the internet this morning. In the words of Jesus to St. Faustina,

“In convents too, there are souls that fill My Heart with joy. They bear My features; therefore the Heavenly father looks upon them with special pleasure. They will be marvels to Angels and men. Their number is very small. They are a defense for the world before the justice of the Heavenly Father and a means of obtaining mercy for the world. The love and sacrifice of these souls sustain the world in existence.” (367)

God bless,

Un cariñoso saludo desde Jaén, España, y le animo a seguir editando post, para que lo conozcamos mejor. Le visitaré con frecuencia.

We were at the Thanksgiving Mass today with your Capuchin brothers, thanking God for His love and His many blessings in the lives of those who reveal Him so well especially the lives of our Priests, who live for Christ and have dedicate their entire lives to Him.

Last Sunday, thanks to BCTV, we followed the Bicentennial Mass. Opportunities like that, are especial occasions for us to give thanks to God for all the good that He is helping you to do in Boston because that good is the Lord and you along with so many people and so many priests are precisely doing the Lord’s work in the midst of so many difficulties while, from across the miles and across the world, we continue to receive the Lord from you. We are all journey together in Christ!
Felíz Día de Acción de Gracias Padre Sean. We love you and pray for you always. We thank God for you.

It is nice to read your blog in Ireland. God bless you.
What a welcome change technology has made, thank God.

Your humble friend,

John.

I enjoy visiting your blog on a regular basis. It is so inspiring. I was delighted to see that Santa Maria della Vittoria is your titular church in Rome. I am a Lay Carmelite, and I visited the church in 2006. My photo of the St. Teresa sculpture is not as fine as yours. God bless you in your ministry of bishop and have a happy Thanksgiving Day!

Peace,
Ruth Ann

Salutations.

I enjoyed viewing your Blog. The pictures are great.

Would you please view my web site?

http://www.traditionalcatholicism.org

Perhaps someday you might contibute a sermon or two. We would be appeciative should you decide to do so.

I have asked my Web Mistress to include your photo in the Prayers for Priests section. Do you have any pictures of Nuns we could include? We would be grateful for any help in this direction.

With the assurance of my daily prayers for all your good work in the vineyard of the Divine Master, I remain yours truly in Jesus and Mary Immaculate.

Your humble Servant,

pablo

Thank you, Eminent Father!

~ Hannah Paradise

That Bernini statue of St. Theresa is one of my favorite works of art — how fortunate that you were able to celebrate Mass there.

Thank you for the inspiring post. I know I’ll be checking for more of them.

I read Michele’s wonderful post questioning monastic life. To find beautiful reflections on Monastic Life, I encourage all to read “Divine Mercy In My Soul” the Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska, a true mystic of modern times.

Jesus speaks to her as to why He brought monastic convents into being.

Hope this can answer some of the questions about the importance of silence, prayer, and fasting.

Peace and joy,

Paul

I was wondering…what is the Latin translation of the words above St. Justin Martyr’s grave? And what is it like to talk to the pope?

My name is Colby and I attend St. Paul School in Hingham. You must be so tired after such a busy week! The pictures from when you went to Rome were so beautiful! I wish I could travel to Rome and see those wonderful things that you saw!
I can’t wait for next week’s blog!

~Caroline K.~

Until next week…

Mary, Mother of the Church
Mary, Mother of the Church, to you we turn. With your “yes” you have opened the door to the presence of Christ in the world, in history and in souls, receiving in humble silence and total submission the appeal of the Most High.
Grant that many men and women may know and hear, even today, the inviting voice of your Son: “Follow Me”. Stretch out your motherly hand over all missionaries scattered throughout the world, over religious men and women who assist the elderly, the sick, the deficient, the orphans; over those who in the cloister live on faith and love and beg for the salvation of the world. Amen. –[Pope] John Paul II

The last line of the prayer is instructive as well as beautiful. Thank you, Your Eminence, for having nudged my memory and conscience by your post. I recall now that when we pray using the words of the Church and Her apostles, we gain a clearer understanding of what we should be praying for!
It is also of great benefit to remember Our Blessed Mother when we pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life. How often we are tempted to site secular, external causes for a shortage of priests and religious, rather than to admit the ways in which we have failed to act and pray as the Church has taught us.
Perhaps this answers part of Michele’s question.
In the Love Who IS,
joanne

Thank you for sharing these beautiful photos.

Thanks for your awesome blog!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

~Emily from St.Paul School in Hingham~

I know I must sound quixotic, but again I say, if the Church taught the right and wrong of modern beliefs, would it not grow in God’s grace? Though the lines may be clouded, I am not talking about politics or political action. When people are taught right from wrong, an issue doesn’t become a political issue. The Church must Teach, Sanctify and Rule in matters of faith and morals.

Please let me know how I might help. I hope I am not being seen as being critical, I know I have a lot to learn, but these are my observations. “Go, Francis, and repair my house, which as you see is falling into ruin.” Andrew

I really enjoy your blog although I don’t get a chance to check it out often.

Thank you for your unflagging efforts on behalf of the faithful
and the unborn. I’m outraged at Planned Parenthood’s arrogant response to your remarks !

Pax et Bonum !

Thank you Cardinal Sean!

~Clara~
St. Paul Student
Hingham Ma.

I hope to be able to attend the Mass tomorrow, Sunday at 2:00 P.M.

Thanks again for a great post.

Joe

It must be a rare calling, for others, it would be a life of suffering. I think we’re all called to be a house of prayer, to seek God first and heed his words, in our sitting, walking, coming and goings, but I also think God hardwired us to have meaningful connections with others as well.

“And now I am no more in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy name, which thou hast given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.”

“I do not pray that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil one.”

Today, many Christians also feel compelled to retreat from this secular world and associate only with other Christians. They listen to Christian radio, read Christian books, send their children to Christian schools or home school them. They do their best to retreat from all the immorality, violence and evil surrounding them. There is nothing wrong with any of these things, and I have done this myself. But then I realized, for me, it was also a form of escapism, and hindered me from ministering in this world. As frail and weak as we might be, we need to allow our light to shine before people. There will be times when people will catch a glimpse of faith or power or compassion that they know is beyond our human capability.

“Even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.”

I love this prayer…

I have been following your blog for a few months and have come to look forward to the your weekly posts.

I enjoy reading your posts and viewing your photos.

Today’s photos are especially wonderful.

Thank you for sharing.

Kaz