Marching Orders
The day has finally arrived...
I have been holding back on making this known as there were uncertainties and no confirmation on what will take place yet - until now. The time has come to take a bow and pack my bags for another phase of life that will call me out of this parish and, for a while, even out of the country.
I have just been given marching orders to pick up studies in Rome. Yes, the eternal city itself! I was first told of this and to prepare for it earlier this year. It comprised of having to take up a course in Spirituality. It wasn't naturally my first choice but, hey, because the course is in English, I am not complaining. My other choosing, Dogmatic Theology, would have me slogging it out in Italian...
The deal is for me to do the Spirituality course in Rome's Angelicum University and after 2 years, to come back and be consigned into our local Seminary to train/torment/form/<insert own adjective here> the seminarians for an indefinite time frame.
It is therefore a farewell to the parish that I have been in the past four and a half years *sniff* Before you all say, "crocodile tears!", let me assure you that it was still 4+ years of good exposure and experience in all things a parish can do to a priest which I will not forget in a long, long time. Really!
I am schedule to leave the country and travel halfway to the other part of the western world on the 25th June 2007. Now, I am in the midst of packing and getting all the necessary documentations and forms done up so that I can leave the country and get there in one piece without:
a. being mistaken as a terrorist
b. having to be put through a strip search at the airports
c. loosing any of my baggage
d. being mistaken as an illegal immigrant
e. losing any sleep on where to go and how, when I get there
Meanwhile, the clock is ticking and my days are numbered here in Holy Family. The following entries to come will chronicle my remaining days of, perhaps, hectic activity to get ready for the departure and hopefully be a peaceful one!
My replacement? I'm sure we all will know in due time! ;-)
I have been holding back on making this known as there were uncertainties and no confirmation on what will take place yet - until now. The time has come to take a bow and pack my bags for another phase of life that will call me out of this parish and, for a while, even out of the country.
I have just been given marching orders to pick up studies in Rome. Yes, the eternal city itself! I was first told of this and to prepare for it earlier this year. It comprised of having to take up a course in Spirituality. It wasn't naturally my first choice but, hey, because the course is in English, I am not complaining. My other choosing, Dogmatic Theology, would have me slogging it out in Italian...
The deal is for me to do the Spirituality course in Rome's Angelicum University and after 2 years, to come back and be consigned into our local Seminary to train/torment/form/<insert own adjective here> the seminarians for an indefinite time frame.
It is therefore a farewell to the parish that I have been in the past four and a half years *sniff* Before you all say, "crocodile tears!", let me assure you that it was still 4+ years of good exposure and experience in all things a parish can do to a priest which I will not forget in a long, long time. Really!
I am schedule to leave the country and travel halfway to the other part of the western world on the 25th June 2007. Now, I am in the midst of packing and getting all the necessary documentations and forms done up so that I can leave the country and get there in one piece without:
a. being mistaken as a terrorist
b. having to be put through a strip search at the airports
c. loosing any of my baggage
d. being mistaken as an illegal immigrant
e. losing any sleep on where to go and how, when I get there
Meanwhile, the clock is ticking and my days are numbered here in Holy Family. The following entries to come will chronicle my remaining days of, perhaps, hectic activity to get ready for the departure and hopefully be a peaceful one!
My replacement? I'm sure we all will know in due time! ;-)
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