The affect that Covid-19 had on the second semester of my junior year and continuing into my senior has brought different challenges. Initially, I was saddened by the abrupt end to the semester last spring when we all had to go home and finish classes online. It felt odd and I was sad to leave Brute so early and didn’t really have a chance to tell the graduating seniors goodbye. 

I am glad and grateful that we were able to be back at Brute for my senior year. The precautions which we must follow haven’t been too much of a challenge. Because of the precautions, we haven’t been doing our normally scheduled ministry assignments during the semester. While I was looking forward to doing ministry this semester and was unable, I was able to have a summer assignment at St. Mary’s in Rushville, Indiana which was a great place to learn more about pastoral ministry, even if it was reduced a little due to Covid-19. 

This year the seniors did a reflection on the seven sorrows and joys of St. Joseph since this is the year of St. Joseph. Mine was specifically on the flight into Egypt and the destruction of the idols of Egypt. I enjoyed writing about this topic and it also gave me a chance to reflect on the life of St. Joseph. I particularly liked the reflection on the fatherhood of St. Joseph and the trust he had in God. Reflecting on the flight into Egypt, St. Joseph is seen as the protector of Jesus and Mary. As a father he surely felt the sorrow of having to pick up everything in his life to follow God’s will. It can be the same with discernment. We can see the importance of discerning our vocations, but when we lose sight of what God has asked of us in doing our duty according to our state in life, we may complain, loose sight and get off track. Moving through a land hostile in the spiritual sense, may seem intimidating or hopeless but we are called to trust in God and not ourselves to get through the journey. After all, it was God who called us here to discern in the first place.

Overall, I have been grateful to the formation staff and my brothers at Bishop Simon Brute College Seminary and I look forward to continuing my formation at St. Meinrad this fall.