Introduction to the Seminary Life

Introduction to the Seminary 

 Welcome to Community Life 

► Silence is the general atmosphere of the Seminary.
► By exterior silence, the soul is better disposed for interior silence – the means by which God speaks to us.
► Silence is also an act of charity towards other members of the community.
► “Grand Silence” lasts from Compline until morning Low Mass. During these times, a more strict silence must be observed.
► Always remain silent inside the stairwells & corridors, regardless of the time of day.
► Speaking is permitted during recreations, between morning classes, and after the table reading at lunch and dinner. If it is strictly necessary (i.e. it is so important that it cannot wait until the next recreation), then you may speak softly at a neighbor’s door. the silence after the High Mass up until lunchtime. This means that socializing with the faithful or upper-year seminarians after the class feast with a “Sunday” schedule), all first-year seminarians (Humanities and Spirituality), must keep Community Relations
► Bishop = “Your Excellency”
► Deacon = “Reverend Mr. N.”
► Brother = “Brother N.”
► Seminarian = “Mr. N.” You may use first or last names to address fellow seminarians, but nicknames are not to be used. Community Life • Shirt & tie with suit-coat or sweater • Standard work clothes for manualia assignments (if necessary) • Hats off inside the building
► Meals – All members of the community must attend every meal and eat what is served. If you should happen to arrive late, do not enter or walk through the refectory during the blessing or the reading of the Gospel. If you are late, you must say your blessing in - Private grace is always said at breakfast; after finishing, take your dishes to the kitchen. - If you have a “Meal Job” (i.e. breakfast prep, kitchen floors), then you may leave after the conclusion of the reading to begin your work. • Practice self-control. Do not grab food voraciously. Show courtesy to others. Respect the hierarchy by offering the food to the highest ranking seminarian first. When finished eating, pass your plate, saucer, glass, and silverware to the end of the table to ease the burden of the waiters who collect the dishes. • After the Angelus is prayed, do not waste time moving from the chapel to the refectory for lunch and dinner. • The daily coffee break is in silence from 3:30-3:45, on Saturdays from 4:30-4:45, and Wednesdays & Sundays from 4:30-5:00.
► Classes & Conferences – Always raise your hand when wishing to ask a question. It is not necessary to stand behind your chair before speaking. Seminarians should always bring their pen and paper to any class or spiritual conference. Not only is this a good habit, but it is a mark of respect for the professor.
► Permission – Anything which is not specified in the rule or is directly contrary to the rule requires permission. To obtain authorization, you must ask the Rector. If he is unavailable, ask the vice-Rector.
► Trips to Town – Permission from the Rector or priest in charge is mandatory (even on free afternoons). This permission is to be asked exclusively during the evening recreation of the previous day.
► Seminary Cars – Before driving a Seminary vehicle, ask permission to ensure your name is on the Seminary insurance policy. For the use of community vehicles, permission is mandatory from the Rector or the priest in charge. Remember that airport- runs and mission-circuits have priority over all personal usage. • Drive safely and sensibly. The cars are not your own. If you speed recklessly, the Seminary will not pay for your ticket and you may be penalized by having your driving rights removed. Keep the vehicles clean by removing any trash. • None of the priests’ cars can be driven by the seminarians unless they are driving a priest or retrieving a priest from the airport. In the case of a shortage of vehicles, the Rector’s authorization is required to take a priest’s car. • Always return the cars with at least ½ tank of gas. If the tank is below ½ tank on your return to the Seminary, fill it up at the local gas station (unless you are with a priest). See Guest Department sub-prefect regarding airport runs and gas station fills.
► Recreations – Each day there are two 45-minute recreation periods. These periods are mandatory and must be spent to practice virtues learned in the classroom. You may not be in your room during this time. - Wednesday and Sunday → 1:15 – 4:00 all seminarians must be outside during this time for at least 2 hours, unless the Rector says otherwise; from 2:00 – 4:00 silence must be kept within the Seminary building → 4:00 – 4:30 all seminarians may once again speak inside of the building → 4:30 – 5:00 coffee break → 5:00 – 5:30 silence resumes inside the building, though you may continue to recreate outdoors
► Airport Runs – Always remember to sign out the car before leaving and take the appropriate cell phone. Call the airline before you depart to ensure the flight is on time. It may be cancelled or delayed. - All seminarians within the Year of Spirituality are not permitted to do airport runs.
► Note & Marker Board – Always check the boards in the atrium, especially regarding your house jobs which change each Saturday. Also check for updates regarding changes in the schedule, new seating charts, and the Mass serving schedule.
► House Jobs & Manualia – Manual labor is conducted three times per week for Spirituality and Humanities. All work must be done in silence unless speaking is absolutely necessary. • The Manualia schedule is as follows: - Tuesdays and Thursdays (Humanities and Spiritualities only) from 1:30p.m. – 3:30p.m. - House jobs are assigned each week – Morning house jobs are done after breakfast until 8:55 (if not completed, they are
► Community Property – Care for as if it were your own. Community property is from the alms of the faithful, and ultimately belongs to God. It is only for our use. Always return items that have been used or borrowed. Anything damaged or broken must be reported in person to the Rector.
► Showers – Do not leave articles in the showers. Take care of the plastic curtains by leaving them open to dry. Hang up the shower mats; do not leave them on the floor.
► Laundry – A laundry schedule is posted and must be followed.
► Phones – All personal calls are limited to 10 minutes. Office phones may be used for seminary business during the afternoons. In the evenings, they may be used for personal calls. All personal calls are to be made with a phone card unless it is a local call within Boston, KY.
► In Chapel – Seating assignments are periodically posted. Follow the rubrics in choir. Be conscious of raising and lowering your seat in choir gently. If dropped, they can make a tremendous amount of noise. Listen closely to the pitch when chanting the Divine Office. If you are unable to match the pitch, sing softly. Over the course of time, your pitch should improve with practice.
► Seating – The refectory seating chart is posted every Saturday. All changes will take effect each Sunday at lunch.
► Sunday Schedule – Breakfast is permitted at 6:40, but the official rise still remains at 6:30. There is absolutely no running water permitted in your rooms before 6:30. The exception to this is that if you eat breakfast, you may rise at 6:15 and, with a minimum amount of noise, you may dress. No one may enter the refectory to eat before 6:40. Showers are tolerated at 6:15, but this is not encouraged and should not be the weekly norm. Shower fans are not to be run before 6:30. Throughout the whole of Sunday morning, pay special attention to the noise in the hallways, while opening and shutting doors.
► Punctuality – Be on-time for all community functions. If you are late for any exercise, you must excuse yourself to the priest or the seminarian in charge. Community infractions (i.e. Office, Spiritual Conference, Rosary, etc.) must be excused, in
► Tardiness – Should you arrive late for Prime, you must sit in the back of the chapel (in the pews) for the remainder of the day – unless it is a Sunday or Holy Day. If you are late for any other office or liturgical ceremony, you need only sit in the back for that one office or ceremony. In addition, a personal and prompt excuse must be made to the Rector.
► Final Note – If you do not know how to do something, or have questions regarding the schedule or Seminary Rule, do not hesitate to ask your “Guardian Angel”, your fellow seminarians or the priests. If you see a problem or a project that needs attention, please write a note to the sub-prefect of Maintenance or the sub-prefect of House jobs. “Now this I say: he who soweth sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who soweth in blessings shall also reap blessings. Every one as he hath determined in his heart, not with sadness or of necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver.” II Cor IX, 6-7 to be finished after lunch) – Meal jobs are done during or after the meal; check the job book for details.

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