Vocation News
Will Tarraza inqured of us in November 2009 and will be entering his senior year as a Theology major at Catholic University this fall. Will spent the past five months in Salmanca, Spain and shared his experience with us. His story follows...
God blessed me with the opportunity to live in Salamanca, Spain during a study abroad program with the American Institute for Foreign Study. I could write a novel about the time spent in Salamanca, however, I will keep this fairly short. The article brought to light two major changes in my life: first, I had to change the default language on Microsoft Word back to English from Spanish, and second, I referred to myself as a senior in college.
Writing in Spanish was a challenge for me. I cannot say that I have returned to the United States with perfect grammar and a vast variety of Spanish vocabulary; though, I can say there has been an immense improvement in my ability to use the language correctly. I have discovered, as many of my peers discovered, that although the University of Salamanca was fruitful in terms of education in a classroom, the city and culture of Salamanca provided as much knowledge. My time abroad may be characterized by the freedom from the daily routines I possessed in the United States and the obliteration of any expectations I might have had before embarking on my journey. The comforts of having typical Spanish meals prepared twice a day by my host “Madre” and the joy of daily Mass at one of the many historical churches made the transition to the foreign lifestyle much easier than I expected.
As mentioned, expectations could not exist if I desired to experience the real Spanish culture. Everyday seemed to provide a new lesson, a new cultural difference, a new face, but most importantly: a new challenge. I traveled with a non-religious affiliated program, which meant I would have to venture outside the comforts of being “Catholic at Catholic.” I have been in Catholic school since high school. Consequently, it would be a new experience to show my Catholic identity among the group who may or may not have been religiously affiliated, and also among the Spanish culture. I believe it was a blessing to be able to share with my friends about our faith.
I grew very close with my family abroad: a single woman in her fifties standing about 4 feet, 9 inches and two other Americans from the same program as myself, one from Chicago and the other from Western New York. We had an interesting way of life, for each week, my Madre would host different students from around Europe, mostly under the age of 18, as her means of income. This was a wonderful opportunity to meet students who merely wanted a taste of Spanish culture and would travel at times 20 hours or more on a bus to take a week of classes in Salamanca. Our family bonded over evening discussions of current events around Europe at the dinner table or interactions with the foreign students. My host mother became my “mother away from home.” She provided more than the expectations of our program and allowed my roommates and me to get a true understanding of the lifestyle of a single-woman in Spain.
European education is extremely different from education in the United States. Basically one’s grade depends on a midterm and a final exam and perhaps one or two short essays. The exams were typically based on class lectures; therefore there was not much work to do outside the classroom. Fortunately, Salamanca is a city with a deep, rich history that allows endless explorations to see the whole city. It was also very typical to get a coffee with friends or sit and read a book in the Plaza Mayor (main plaza of the city) and “people watch.” With all the extra free time, it’s very easy to get lost in the expectations one may have had in the United States. The free time allowed me to reflect on my life and my possible vocation. The free time allowed me to become independent from a schedule and listen to lives and experiences of not only Salmantinos, but also fellow Americans. I was able to become more patient, quiet, and relaxed without the extreme opposite lifestyle in the United States. It seems that change can be for the good or for the worse.
My experience abroad aloud me to journey outside my comfort zone and push myself to learn a new language, to discover a deeper relationship with Christ, and open myself up to students from all over the world. As I keep my Microsoft Word in English and embark on my senior year, I hope to be reminded of the tranquil lifestyle in Spain. I hope to use the quiet, tranquil lifestyle as a means of discovering God’s plan in my life. I will continue my journey here in Europe for 5 more weeks as I have the blessing to spend the time with my sister in the north of Europe, obtaining as much experience as possible and seeing God in all people and all things. Thank you for reading this brief overview of my time in Spain. If there is one thing I would like to leave you with, it is this: Whatever you embark on in life or wherever God calls you to be, do so with a smile on your face, without expectations, and with tranquility in your heart, for you never know what you will find, who you will meet, or who you will impact on any given day. I found that everyday during this experience, I learned something new about life. I only hope that someone learned something from me as well. Amen.
On Thursday, May 20, 2010, The Province of St. Mary, New York/New England, accepted two candidates into the Postulancy program. With gratitude to God, we offer our heartfelt congratulations to Alex Prado (top left) and Scott Surrency (bottom left). Alex is 28 years old from South Ozone Park, New York. While discerning with us and contemplating whether to begin a social work degree, Alex was working as a case work aid specializing in assisting dysfunctional families to keep their children in the home rather than have them institutionalized. Scott is 37 years old from New York City, New York. He has a doctorate in Italian Literature and came to first discern with us after visiting Assisi during his studies. Scott taught for 4 years at Penn State University and then came to reside in New York City in order to spend more time on his discernment. We thank Our Good Lord for such wonderful individuals and wish them many blessings.
We also offer our blessings and fond farewell to our brothers, Matt Giles, O.F.M., Cap., and Ron O’Keefe, O.F.M., Cap., who recently left Saint Michael’s Friary to continue on with the next phase of their formation; participating in an Interprovincial Program at Saint Fidelis Friary in Victoria, Kansas, which begins on May 30, 2010.
We wish them well and continue to offer them our prayers for their continued growth in faith and fraternity.
Andrew Skonieczny inquired of us in April 2009 and is a first generation American with strong ties to his family in Poland. He traveled to Poland this past October and decided to share his experience with us. His story follows...
I was really looking forward to traveling to Poland. Most of my family lives there. Having dual citizenship with Poland is great. I can visit my family anytime I want. Other than spending a summer with my family I had a wonderful opportunity to make a few pilgrimages.
Within a few days in Poland we made our first pilgrimage. This was my second time in the national shrine of Czestochowa. This is something that I have been looking forward to for a long time. When I entered the church with the image of our mother of Czestochowa I couldn’t take my eyes off the golden vault door that the image is kept behind. Waiting for the moment when it is lifted and the image is revealed. Praying in this place is something you experience only here. I wanted to visit Czestochowa for no other reason than to ask our mother Mary to pray for me with me, for my discernment to the Capuchin Franciscans.
When the image was being revealed, the trumpets playing, praying the rosary in that holy place brought me to tears.
That day will always be in my heart. I was in the very front of the church. I received Holy Communion on the altar. This was a rare experience. Usually the area in front of the altar is not open to the public. Since that day I believe that Mary is guiding me in my discernment. Mary helps everyone that goes there in some way. They have a wall where people leave gifts to Mary, thanking her for the help she gave them. That wall has everything from rosaries to crutches from the people that were healed. Long story short, the pilgrimage to the shrine in Czestochowa was really moving and strengthened my discernment to the Capuchins.
Czestochowa was not the only pilgrimage I made in Poland. There were a number of Marian sanctuaries that I had an opportunity to visit, some such as Pasierbic, and the Fatima sanctuary in Zakopane. All of them were just as moving and strengthening as Czestochowa. I also had an opportunity to go on a week long retreat in Zakopane. This retreat was not just any retreat. When I arrived I found out that this retreat was organized by a religious order. They were not the Capuchin Franciscans. They were the Chrystusowcy. This retreat was for guys in discernment to them...a small problem for someone in discernment with the Capuchins. They were very excited to find out I was from the states.
Their mission is to work with Polish people in other countries. This was a time to seriously think. But I soon came to realize that the Capuchin Franciscans are the right choice. The convent where we were staying was filled with Franciscans. Paintings and figures of Franciscan saints and of St. Francis were everywhere. By chance we also visited the hermitage of Brother Albert, a Franciscan saint. This retreat with the Chrystusowcy strengthened my discernment to the Capuchins.
Back in my home town of Kroscienko my discernment was also affected. About half way through the summer a group of visiting Franciscans came by with a group of kids, some sort of retreat. I noticed after a mass. There was some new priest at our parish and after mass I saw him in a Franciscan habit. Then for a few weeks I saw him walking around town and in the church. I don’t know if it is just me but the signs are everywhere and I have Mary of Czestochowa to thank for that.
Poland is always fun for me. Half the town goes to church daily, something you don't see too often in the states. I have an opportunity to go to church everyday in Poland. It's more difficult here. All the churches only have morning masses and I wouldn't be able to make it when I have school. Poland in itself is strengthening. In my town of Kroscienko it feels different when people look at you funny when you don't go to church, where as here in the states people are more likely to look at you funny if you do go to church, especially in school.
Other than my discernment and the wonderful religious experiences I had in Poland, I did lots of other stuff too. My stay in Poland would not be complete if I would not go hiking. I’m surrounded by mountains. I managed to climb a few peaks that I have been waiting to climb for a long time...one such is Giewont. I climbed Giewont when I was on my retreat. This is a great peak; it has a huge cross on the peak. I did a few local activities such as mushrooming, and farm work.
To top it all off my stay in Poland was great, to me Poland is another home, and I don’t consider myself a tourist there. Whenever I visit Poland it always strengthens my faith. This time not only was my faith strengthened but so was my discernment.