I Am Published

I am officially published! You can check out my article - The Geribah: Our Advocating Queen Mother on the website: www.motherofallpeoples.com 

I am in the July 18 issue. 

It's Been A Long Time Coming

Some will think that I forgot about my blog here, but in reality I never forgot about it, I just never had the time to write with my studies in Graduate Theology here at Franciscan. My last posted was dated December 6, 2008. So much has happened to me since then, I really have no idea where to start. 

The first semester ended very well and I was happy with most of my grades. There was one that I was disappointed in, but I still passed the class and did not effect my GPA overall. I am not really sure why I am so worried about my GPA since I am not going on to work on a Ph.D. Going home for Christmas was great and spending time with my family was very enjoyable. 

I returned to Steubenville in the beginning of January and started a semester that confirmed with nearly a "Papal Bull" that being at Franciscan is the place I should be at right now in my life. I learned quite a good deal about Tommy Perna between January and May. For the second year in a row, I attended the March for Life in Washington, D.C. It was yet another great experience even though the most Pro-Choice President in the history of this country now sits in the Oval Office. We must pray for his conversion. 

Lent this past year was probably the best Lenten Season I had in a very long time. I worked on some serious faults and even though I still struggle with them, Lent allowed me to see that I can fight them with the grace of God. It is not through my ability, but only through the love and grace of Jesus Christ. The sacraments are so important in the daily life of a Catholic Christian. I realized, maybe for the first time in my life, that when I received the Holy Eucharist daily, the perpetual sins and concupiscence are weakened to the point where I can fight them with the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-20). 

Furthermore, throughout the semester and leading into this summer, I learned that I have many strengths, but many more weaknesses.  I am grateful for two friends here who charitably told me things I need to work on in my life. Pride is such a major sin of mine! I rarely ever want to admit that I am wrong. I have been praying for humility in my own life. I often know what the right choice is, but more often than not, I choose the wrong thing to do. I now understand what St. Paul was speaking about in Romans 7:13-25 and what Czeslaw Milosz writes about in his poem, A Confession (This poem is posted on here from last year - look it up! It's worth it). 

It was through my studies in the Spring Semester that I realized being in the Graduate Theology Program here at Franciscan was the place I needed to be in my life at this time. Although I loved all of my classes (Theological Foundations with Dr. Scott Hahn, Principles of Biblical Studies 2 with Dr. John Bergsma, and Mary in the Modern World with Dr. Mark Miravalle), it was the last class that really had the most impact on my life. My relationship with the Blessed Virgin Mary has dramatically changed my life. Not only have I learned the Theology of Mary (Mariology) in great detail, I have come to see her as my own Mother who intercedes for me to Jesus. I go to her for nearly everything. Of course I still have great devotions to the saints too, but she is my Queen Mother (1 Kings 2:19-21). For this course, we had to write a 20 page paper on the Blessed Mother and her role as Mediator. The title of my paper was - The Geribah: Our Advocating Queen Mother. Dr. Miravalle asked to me submit it for publication. At this time, I am still waiting to hear if it will be published or not. If is not, I will post it on here. 

I just finished taking Historical Foundations with Dr. Alan Schreck. We went through 2,000 years of Church History in three weeks! Let me tell you, it was a lot of history for three weeks. I learned a great deal about the history of the Church and throughly enjoyed yet another course here at Franciscan. I wrote two papers for this course, but the paper on St. Gianna Molla was my best (First paper: The Council of Trent). She is an amazing certain saint! If you do not know about her, go to this link - www.saintgianna.org (see recommended books below on her life)

In a few weeks, I begin the Nature of Love with Dr. Michael Healy. I hear that this course will change my life in other areas. I look forward to it greatly since we are going to read John Paul II, Dietrich von Hildebrand, and other great minds of the Church. 

I am going to make a very good effort not to go another 6 months without writing on here. I will write more this summer since I have more time to do so. Before I end this post, there are some very good books I would like to recommend.  Most of these books can be purchased on Amazon.com -- 

1. The Spirit of Catholicism - Karl Adam (As a cradle Catholic, I was pumping my fist in the air).

2. First Comes Love - Dr. Scott Hahn 

3. Introduction to Mary - Dr. Mark Miravalle 

4. The Nature and Mission of Theology - Card. Joseph Ratzinger (now Benedict XVI) 

5. The Compact History of the Catholic Church - Dr. Alan Schreck

6. Saint Gianna Beretta Molla - A Woman's Life - Giuliana Pelucchi 

7. Saint Gianna Molla - Wife, Mother, Doctor - Pietro Molla & Elio Guerriero 

Through the Immaculate Heart of Mary to the Sacred Heart of Jesus! 

FINAL EXAMS

It's been some time since I have written anything on my blog, but what I am asking for today is PRAYERS. We are now in Final Exams. I have a final exam in my Vatican II class in two hours. Please pray that I remember the information I need to remember for this test. I also have a final on Tuesday and one on Wednesday. Please pray to St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Augustine for their intercession. 

Snow in October?

Yes! There is the potential for snow this evening and tomorrow. Snow in October. I spoke with some friends in Phoenix and they said it was going to be 91 degrees today. Please pray that my thin Arizona blood can handle the winter here in Steubenville, Ohio.  

I also want to thank my blog readers for your prayers. I did very well on my two midterms. I received an "A" on my PBS 1 (Old Testament) midterm. This is by far my favorite class of the three. I have learned so much about the Old Testament. I love going to this class every Tuesday and Thursday. In my Vatican II class, I received a "B+" on my midterm. I missed an "A-" by a few points. 

I am currently working on a paper that is due next Tuesday, but I need to finish it by tomorrow night since I am going to Washington, D.C. on Thursday for our four day "fall break." This paper is how the Gospel of Matthew is considered the "catechists gospel." I have spoken already about Christ as the one true Teacher. He is the fulfillment of Moses as Teacher. You have to love typology!! Once this paper is turned in next week, I will begin writing a major research paper for my Vatican II class. I am going to write a paper on Gravissimum Educationes - Declaration on Christian Education. 

I hope and pray that all of you that read this blog are doing well. Please continue to pray for me. 

P.S. I am very glad that I decided to come to Franciscan to get my Masters in Theology. The Catholic Church's teachings are so wonderful. To study them in depth is a real blessing from Christ. 

Midterms

I don't have much time, but I wanted to write a little something today. It's been a few weeks since my last post. I was hoping that I would write weekly on here, but with the demands of graduate school in Theology, it's just not possible.   

I have two midterms coming up in the next week. My first is in Principles of Biblical Study I (Old Testament). This test is on Thursday, October 9th at 3:30 pm Eastern time. My second and final test is on Monday, October 13th at 1o:00 am Eastern time. This test is in Teachings of Vatican II. It's been a lengthy time since I last took midterms exams. All of you who read this blog, please keep me in your prayers. Pray for the intercession of St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Bonaventure, and the Blessed Mother.  

Also, I have decided to apply to study in Rome during the Spring of 2010. Franciscan University will send me to Rome to study theology at heart of the Church. As details unfold, I will post more information. Fr. Steve Lopes, a friend from the St. Ignatius Institute at USF is working in Rome for the CDF.  At least he now has time to spiritually prepare for my arrival. Ha ha ha! 

Please pray for me as you all are in my prayers. 

One Month in Steubenville

Today is September 14 and it marks my first 30 days in Steubenville, Ohio. Being here these past 30 days has been such a blessing. I have read more in the past 3 weeks of school than I have read in the past 11 years. I love my courses and the professors are stellar. I did drop one of my classes though. I have decided not to do the Catechetical emphasis, but to just focus on a systematic approach to Theology. I have found that my love is scripture. My Old Testament class with Dr. Bergsma (it's comedy hour with an OT Biblical scholar) is my favorite class to date and a close second is Vatican II with Fr. Dan ("Papa, Papa, Papa" - joke in the class).  

I am dropping the Catechetics emphasis not because I don't have a passion for teaching, I very much do and I am missing the high school classroom, but because I need and want theological content.  The Lord has blessed me with the ability to teach the faith in a variety of arena's. This has been made known to me because all of my superiors have told me that I am an excellent  teacher. Will I return to high school teaching when I am finished with my studies here? That is a question that still remains unanswered.  I am hoping to take classes on the Patristic Fathers and Doctors of the Church. Dropping the catechetical emphasis opens the door to some excellent elective choices in the theology department. 

Besides my classes, I am making wonderful friends here at Franciscan. I told my Dad the other night that it's very easy to make friends here at Franciscan. It's easy because we all have a similar belief system - Jesus Christ is the savior of the world who redeemed us by his blood on the cross and that is Bride, the Catholic Church is the one true Church that he established with Peter as the Rock (read Matthew 16:13-20) with help from the 11 apostles. Actually that is more than I told him, but now that I think about it, it's the main reason why it's easy to make friends here. I can tell that many of my friends here will be friends for my the rest of my life on this earth. So many of us are going into the same field and will be support for one another when we re-enter the world to spread the gospel message (Read Lumen Gentium - Chapter IV). Some good friends already are: Paul, Huck, Craig, Campbell, James, the Turk, Erin aka Pupper, Haley, and Breanne. There are others, but I would say this is the main group that I ROLL with here in Steubie. 

On a side note, the weather in Steubenville changes like people change their socks. It's been nice and humid. Some rain, but overall the cold stuff hasn't really hit us yet. However, I have been told many times...it's on the way. 

Please continue to pray for me and my friends here at Franciscan as we embrace our two years of theological discoveries. 

Letter of Recommendation

I wrote this letter of recommendation for a student at St. Mary's High School. One of my friends thought I should post the letter on this blog. I hope you enjoy the letter. 

December 19, 2006


Mr. Dave Stapleton
Head Baseball Coach
Grand Canyon University
3300 W. Camelback Road
Phoenix, AZ 85017


Dear Mr. Stapleton,


I am writing this letter of recommendation for Gabriel Servin, a senior at St. Mary’s High School in Phoenix, Arizona. I have known Gabe since his freshman year at St. Mary’s, where I teach freshman and sophomore theology. There are so many good qualities and characteristics to say about this student, I hardly know where to begin.

I can honestly say that Gabe has developed from a young boy into a responsible, passionate, and genuine man. He has the strength and integrity that all people should strive for in their life on this earth. Although a reserved man, Gabe walks with the presence of a prince and is one of the most humble high school students I have ever encountered. In every endeavor he takes on, Gabe puts his whole heart and person into the project. For every project Gabe is involved in, he is the foundation and cornerstone. I have yet to see him do anything halfheartedly. From his work as President of the Senior Class, his responsibilities as an athlete on the football and baseball fields, to his work with the Columbian Squires, and his work in his youth group, Gabe is a natural born leader and truly is an adult among adolescents. He is responsible and his work ethic is unprecedented.

Not only is Gabe a hard worker, he is a genuine and sincere person. As I have watched him grow into the man he has become, I can say with my whole heart that God is present within him. He tirelessly places other before himself and does all that he can when asked to help others. In a year where he has been through some family difficulties, Gabe remains strong is his faith to God. He is a virtuous man with heroic qualities and the Kingdom of God will notice him and be grateful because he is among the saints in heaven.

I hope and pray that Grand Canyon University will allow this student to be an integral piece of your family for the next four years. If given admission to your university, Gabriel Servin will impress you as he has impressed me and every other teacher at St. Mary’s over the past four years.


Sincerely,



Thomas J. Perna

Freshman and Sophomore Theology Teacher
Moderator – Sophomore Class and Columbian Squires