Before coming to Bruté and even on the car ride up, part of me was trying to picture what life would be like when I got there. Upon arriving in August and being here for the first few weeks, that part of me was replaced by nervousness. Will I be able to keep up? Will I be able to become friends with the others? Will I learn what to bring to formation and spiritual direction? On top of that, I was a transfer student, coming in as a sophomore and required to participate in sophomore service. And while there is still a long way to go in terms of seminary formation, I can say that I have underestimated myself in these questions. 

            Not long after settling into Bruté, I began to establish goals for myself to deepen my relationship with God and my brother seminarians. Beyond morning, evening, and night prayer, I tried to do all five parts of the Liturgy of the Hours. At the same time, I made it a priority to interact with my brother seminarians and establish some strong friendships. However, by the time our full schedule kicked in and we had to perform our duties in liturgy, I started to fall behind. I felt my streak of not showing up for my duties three times would surely make me look unreliable to my superiors. But instead, they treated it with understanding, and I learned how they had faced similar experiences. My nervousness made me forget that I am not going to be an expert overnight and need to just shake the dust off and keep going and trust that both my successes and failures bring me closer to God.

            So contrary to my initial naïve concerns, I caught on to things quickly. Along with that, I have made some solid friends. I even ended up helping one with his parish’s summer festival, working in a ticket booth for almost two hours. Getting the chance to work and discern my vocation with these guys has been an amazing opportunity, one that has far exceeded any initial expectations. I feel that I will continue to grow, and my faith will continue to flourish throughout my time here at Bishop Simon Bruté Seminary.