Hello everyone.  I know it has been a number of months, but I really had been trying to get an email update out.  It’s been quite busy and this isn’t one of my more polished emails; but here goes: 

My (2^nd) undergraduate degree was completed in May – so I know have a certificate in philosophy.  And as anyone could guess, that now qualifies me to wipe down tables in McDonalds for just over minimum wage and carry on great philosophical discourses like “Would you like fries with that?”  J  So after such a great finish, the summer started and I went home to visit my family and friends for 2 weeks.  This was a great time but somewhat sad because there really are only a few people I know left around the area – but the family was great and it was wonderful to visit with all the people who were still around.   

Upon returning to Oregon, I went to my summer assignment at St. John the Apostle parish in Oregon City, OR which is just outside of Portland.  I spend 2 months there and enjoyed the time greatly.  I had a great time giving talks with the young adults group and did a variety of other things (like vacation bible school).  This great time went very fast and before I knew it, I need to return to school.  

Classes were still a month away; but all the first year graduate theologians needed to go on a 30 day silent retreat.  This was great.  I can’t tell you how much you learn about yourself and your relationship with God when you shut off all external inputs – tv, phones, internet, radio, other people and even your own talking!  We were silent the whole week except for Sunday afternoons.  We spent each day in conferences, prayer and mass in the mornings, had the afternoons off to exercise, rest and read, then we would gather for evening prayer, lexio divina (meditation with the bible) and adoration.  When everything is shut off in your life, and there is no schedule to do anything – you quickly go through some interesting stages.  First you sleep.  Boy do you sleep!   We rested up like we hadn’t in a long time.  Most of us spent the first 3-4 days just sleeping (my phase ran like 5-6 days) – you don’t really know how tired or worn out you are until you don’t have anything else to distract you from it.  Afterwards it is like waking out of a fog, because your body is fully rested, your pace is much slower, and your mind much clearer.  You notice many more things going on around you and inside you.  After your rest, you begin the work of paying close attention and dealing with all the little voices that run through your life.  No, I’m not schizophrenic; but everyone has those thousands of thoughts that run through your day ‘I should do more of X, or I should spend more time doing Y, or I really need to deal with Z in my life’.  Well, with all this time and good spiritual work going on – these sorts of things are ripe for bringing to prayer and meditation.  As time passes, you begin to work through them – picking up common threads, discarding some of them; learning you really do have something to address in another and so forth.  You begin to cleanse your heart and mind by analyzing in prayer your failings, but recognizing in new ways all your gifts.  I spent a lot of time reflecting on how to put my life more and more into God’s hands.  You also start dealing with things that concerns you or worry you – which there were a lot entering into Theology – which is much more difficult spiritually and academically.  I worked on worries about being able to be a priest, to really have a heart only for others.  However, I also realized how many gifts God has given me in the last few years - talents, friends and support from all kinds of different sources.  I realized just how much in control of the situation He already was, so I spent a lot of time just trying to let go to that plan that was so clearly being carried out. This really clarified and brought a lot of peace to my life.  By the end of the last week, however, we were ready to talk to people again and enjoy each other’s company.  It was truly a great experience and I can only hope to do more things like that in the future. 

After the retreat, school started.  I was in charge of new student orientation; and the seminary had it’s largest incoming class ever – almost 70 guys.  The seminary here is absolutely packed – even in spite of all the difficulties in the Church.  It helped me realize again how in control God is.   

I’m now pursuing a Masters of Divinity degree and with God’s grace will culminate in ordination in 5 years.  We spend 3 years taking classes, 1 year in pastoral setting (in a parish), 1 summer in a CPE (Clinical pastoral education where you work in a hospital as a chaplain) and 1 year as a deacon finishing up specific courses.  It’s still a long ways off yet; but the last 2 years have really flown by; and I expect the next few to go even faster.  Classes are keeping me VERY busy.  The workload is extremely difficult for the first year guys; so please be patient if it takes me a while to respond to your emails.  I love hearing from you all. 

If you’d like, I re-did my website over the summer in my spare time.  I will put pictures up of the recent events that I’ve been doing; so feel free to check it out once a month or so to get the latest news.  I’ve got some new pictures and whatnot up there now. If you’d like to check it out you can do so at: http://www.math.purdue.edu/~mpf 

I hope you are all doing well. I keep you all in my prayers regularly and I love getting emails from you all.  I wanted to write more; but I still have some tests and reading to get done.  Please let me know what you have been up to!

God bless,

Matt