24: A Novice is Born

"All too often, a kind of workaholism takes over and makes of religious life a series of tasks to be performed and duties to be undertaken."
-Br. Robert C. Berger, FSC (a teacher of mine at Manhattan College), in the Spring 1994 Review for Religious

5/2/94
Dear Diary,

     I have been living at Chaminade High School for 10 months and three days. Does it feel like it's been 10 months and three days? Yes, but I now realize that though it is a short period of time, I'm thankful for every minute of it--both good and bad. John reminded me today to keep my head on straight and don't go to extremes--between cynicism and over pietistical bullshit. He was straight with me and I thanked him for it. It is but another thing for me to keep in mind and remember always.
      Organization is something I need right now. With tests coming, I have to buckle down and get to work. With God's love and help, which I know I have, I'll do great on my tests and I'll live my whole life in joy as a Brother in the Society of Mary.

Blessings always,
Sean

"People who strive to follow the living God move from sureness through uncertainty into newness." (ibid, et al below)


From my college Spanish teacher, Br. Tim. I'm pretty sure I was a B student at best, and the "A" was purely due to my habit.

"Congratulations on finishing your first year of college" Note attached to a basket of homemade brownies given to us by Brother Timothy Driscoll on our last day of classes in May 1994.
"In many ways, brothers in the late 20th century are experiencing wilderness, exile, and the loss of meaning...we need only mention the topic of religious vocations to know that we are in a desert experience."


Excerpts from a letter to my friend Dennis, written May 15, 1994:

I took my last exam yesterday and am eagerly looking forward to the summer.  This coming Thursday, I will begin a philosophy course at Manhattan College with the other young Brothers.  It will go until June 3rd and will be from 9:00am until 12:20pm each day Monday through Friday.  I am looking forward to the 3 credits as well as the experience of the class.

 On Sunday, May 29th, 1994, the other aspirants and I will make our novitiate promises at a special ceremony in the chapel [see photos below].  I have trouble believing that an entire year has passed since I entered the Marianist religious order.  So much has happened this past year and I have learned so much.  

On Wednesday, June 22, we will welcome our aspirant(s) from the class(es) of Chaminade and/or Kellenberg.  To be a little less vague, we have one boy graduating from Kellenberg who seems certain as to his entrance to our community.  We also have at least one student from Chaminade who is considering it, but has not come to any final decisions as of yet.  We are keeping both of them in our prayers and I ask you to do the same.

If you have not heard yet, we are making some major renovations yet again to Meribah [Retreat House], Kellenberg [High School], and Chaminade [High School].  At Meribah, we have already begun work on the extension of the Chapel and Dining Room areas, as well as new basement space under the new areas, which will be connected with the already existing basement.  At Kellenberg, we are hoping to have the entire front entrance way redone this Summer, with the addition of a new practice field.  And, at Chaminade, we are renovating the school library.  Plans call for new carpeting, some new furniture, and some new IBM computers.

So, all in all, it will be an exciting Summer.  I trust all is well with you, but I would not mind a response.  Please send all thoughts, comments, and/or snide remarks to me at CHS.  Hoping to see you some time soon!

Your Brother in Christ Jesus,

 Brother Sean Patrick Brennan, S.M.


"Brothers must have the courage to imagine new possibilities. This is a daring and dangerous part of our tradition, because brothers who have dreams have power."
Excerpts from a letter to my friend Brendan, written May 18, 1994:

I have had time lately to think a lot about my vocation and my presence in the Marianist community here at Chaminade. I have thought about whether or not I am happy and whether or not I wish to stay here. And, after serious thought, I have decided to stay here. I know that I have had some tough times thus far, but I have learned from each and every one of them. I have become a completely different person and my attitudes now of the world and of life as we know it are much better than they ever were before I entered.

Please don't think that I am saying that my personality has changed. As you and I both know, I'm still Sean, whether or not there are a few additional letters attached to the beginning of my name. I have learned, and I hope that you have learned, it is not the name "Brother" that makes a person who he is; it is the person himself who makes himself who he is. However, I do owe much thanks to the community for helping me actualize my true self and accentuate the positive aspects of my personality. Of course, my negative personality traits still surface from time to time, and they always will, but I feel that religious life has helped me to learn about and cultivate all of the good that is inherent in me.


From the Brothers of the Kellenberg Community, May 22, 1994


On May 29, 1994, the three other Young Brothers and I from the class of 1993 officially began our Novitiate Year. The photos below are from that day.




Our Assistant Novice Master, Brother Michael Gillen, our Novice Master, Father Francis Keenan, the four of us, and our Prefect, Brother James Williams




Coming Next Time: George Costanza, a White Ford Bronco, and my Monkiversary

 

From my Prefect, Bro. James Williams

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

4: Moving into a Monastery

Image
Chaminade High School and I share a sometimes bumpy but ultimately rewarding past. The very short version of the story, which I'll mention here briefly, is that I attended the school my freshman year before promptly failing out. I was crushed, and my life was over, as far as I was concerned. My three best friends went to Chaminade, and several more besides, so I felt like a total failure not just in school but in life as well. My friends were still on the inside, and I was now on the outside, no longer allowed to attend classes there. I was only 15 years old, a smart but very fragile kid, so the trauma of failing out scarred me good. Fast forward only three years later though, and that same shy boy who'd failed out and was told he could no longer be a student at the school was now about to live there, with plans to possibly teach there one day too. Talk about a quick turnaround. The inspirational story I'd one day tell my students was already half-written in my head.
Read more

10: The Hijacked Letter

Image
"Superiors and the Novice Master must always show towards the novices evangelical simplicity, kindness coupled with gentleness, and respect for their personality, in order to build up a climate of confidence, docility, and openness in which the Novice Master will be able to orientate their generosity toward a complete gift of themselves to the lord in faith, and gradually lead them by word and example to learn in the mystery of Christ Crucified the exigencies of authentic religious obedience." [from the Second Vatican Council, Instruction on the Renewal of Religious Life, 32. (2)] The above was part of many materials given to me for my religious formation, but was not, I'm sad to say, a healthy reflection of my actual experience with my Novice Master. Rather than encourage my confidence and show me kindness, gentleness, and respect, he instead treated me too often like an unwelcome stepson forced upon him against his wishes. When he was exceptionally kind and friendly
Read more

23: Letters from the Monastery

Image
Today I'm sharing parts of two letters I wrote to my friend Brendan in late winter and early spring of 1994. I've edited out some private info, but otherwise sharing the second one in full, and just a short exchange from the first, a story which hopefully shows how fun the monastery was at times. In between the two is a single line from a letter my friend wrote to me in April of 1994, one which is just as poignant now as it was then. I saved everything , so while I'm not sharing each letter I received or sent in that time, it's been really nice rereading old correspondence as I prepare these reflections. The name's Brennan. Brother Brennan. (Brother Sean more often though back then.) Quick refresher: I attended Chaminade High School as a freshman, failed out at the end of the school year, and then enrolled in Kellenberg Memorial High School the summer before my sophomore year. Both high schools are run by the Marianists (Society of Mary/S.M.), a religious order
Read more