My Jesuit Life in Pictures: First Studies

Jesuits have a lengthy formation process in which the road to ordination takes approximately 11 years, although sometimes it depends on a Jesuit's situation. The steps to ordination are: the novitiate (2 yrs), first studies(2-3 yrs), regency (a time a full-time work, usually at a high school; 2-3 yrs), and theology (3-4 yrs). As I just finished my first year of studies, you can see that I have quite a long ways to go. But, for me, the journey is just as important as the destination--the time is meant to form us into becoming our best selves for the Church and for our world. I'm young, so I still need a lot of forming =) You don't even know

Well, most have the pictures I took this year in New York are touristy pictures that I think I have shared in the past. But, I have a picture of the scholastic community: Ciszek. Ciszek is where I started blogging, so I thought I'd throw in a blogging picture of me holding a book on Augustine. Also, one of my favorite places to go in the Bronx is the Botanical gardens, so I threw in some photos that I took while there. As you might tell, I love nature shots.

I hope you've enjoyed the pictures this week. It was fun for me!

My Jesuit Life in Pictures: First Vows

After two years in the novitiate, novices take first vows where we become more fully incorporated into the Jesuit Order. Typically, this takes place around the Feast of the Assumption--approximately a month from now. This was a very joyous time for me, and I'm sure it will be so for many of the upcoming novices taking vows around the country.

My Jesuit Life in Pictures: Colombia

The Oregon Province has a twinning relationship with the country of Colombia. Many novices/scholastics traveled there last year to study Spanish and to be immersed in a different culture and environment. Currently, there are 3 Colombian Jesuits here in Spokane studying English. We recently went to watch the movie Transformers, which they, understandably, felt was pretty incomprehensible.

We were in Colombia when the rescue of Ingrid Betancourt took place. Here, the Colombians took to the streets against FARC, one of the primary groups responsible for kidnappings.

(There's an old Jesuit community here right next to presidential palace. We had a good view)

(Bogota in the background)

My Jesuit Life in Pictures: The Experiments

In the novitiate, novices are sent out on a number of experiments. These photos were taken in: Pendleton, OR, where I helped out at the mission church there; in Tacoma, WA, where I had my L'Arche experience; and Spokane, WA, where I helped the choir director.

(I took a picture while at the pulpit!)

My Jesuit Life in Pictures: The Novitiate

Here are some pictures of the novitiate and surrounding area in Portland. The curia is right next door, and they say if you want the latest gossip in the province, you go to the novitiate =p

My Jesuit Life in Pictures

Over the course of this week, I'd like to share with you some photos that captures different aspects of my Jesuit life thus far. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so I won't elaborate too much--only to offer a caption or two.

I took these photos recently at our villa in Hayden Lake, ID. Here, the beauty of nature spurs many a retreatant's dialogue with God. The 3rd photo is a mother bird and her two chicks, nestled at one of the corner windows, that I often looked at and pondered during my last 8-day retreat a little over a month ago.