LIFE IN THE SEMINARY
The twelfth in a series of articles by Leo Coshan, describing his experiences testing his vocation in the Societas Verbi Divini (S.V.D. Society of the Divine Word)

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 Hello Ramlilers!
When you read this the summer should be well and truly with us. As  I write the sun is shning on a glorious day in late April. After the round of snow and rain this is very welcome. Here's a thought to start off this letter whltch comes fromour SVD calendar for June 1978: "If you keep  your nose to the ground trying to ferret out the scent of"the adversary, and your ear to the ground listenlng for the distant rumblings, before you realise  it you will have
forgotten how to stand upright to gaze on the face of God and rnan with 
love". It is the same message as "Seek first the kingdom of God •••• " (Matt 6,33) from the Sermon on the Mount. The Mattean synthesis of the great sayings of Jesus probably spoken on several different occasions and compounded in one great sermon.

Well,what's new that might be of be of interest to you? Our corrnnunity: here at Teirnmouth Road has been further depleted by the departures of two p.iests, Fr Peter McHugh to our Generalate in Rome, and Fr. Henry Koestar to Germany In pIace of the latter Fr Jan Holman from the Netherlands has joined us. He is a Scripture scholar and is currenfly lecturing on Old Testamenr exegisis exegesis at the Missionary Institute. one of our students, Ed Mignet recently received the lay  ministries of Reader and Aoolyte thus authorising him to assist in the distributior of Communion when required. Father JohnMeehan, who was ordained last 'year, is now hard at work in Ecuador, and liking it very muoh. Fr John Smith has been waiting so long for his visa to Brazil that he has been given a new assignment: he, is hoping to go to the Philippines shortly.

Two weeks ago a dance was held in North Finchley to raise funds for us SVDs. It was a great sociial success; the accounting has yet to be completed. Just before Lent a (dance was held for the Missionary

Institute at Highgate. That, too, proved a success.

No, we haven't gone iinto the entertainment business. These were exploratory ventures by some of the students who seem concermed about costs. But it can prove time consuming. 

Most of our tIme, of course, is taken up just now with academics: lectures,
study,  essay writing, preparation for, Seminas and Tutorials, and, next month, exams. All very demantling, but none the less enjoyable. The Public Speaking course is proving quite a lot of fun. There is a variety of interests 
that form the topics of the talks we have have to give. I'm aiso doihg a Communications courae under Father Agnellus Andrew, and we have had to do a couple of projects; a presentatioh for a specific audience on a theme of Holy Week or Easter (mine is entitled: breakfast with Jesus, based on John 21) and also a talk lasting just one minute on any subject. This was quite a problern. I gave in one on Healing.

Our new Superior General, Fr. Henry Heekeren, has just issued his first
letter to the Society. It is called 'Witnessing to the Word' and is a report
of the last General Chapter. The lntetesting part for me was the strong emphasls given to prayer. Groups came ,together during the chapter for shared prayer, for,charismatic prayer meetings and reflectlon. It seems obvious that the fruits of what took place at Rome  last November are being realised and have yet to be more fully realised in the months to come.

Two of bur priests, both of the Vocations : Directors team,participated in the

recent week of Renewal at Hopwood Hall, near Manchester. There were 450 priests all of whom sought the Bapyism in the Holy Spirit at the end of the conference. Cardinal Hume was also present to concelebrate a Mass. There's no holding the Holy Spirit  when he gets going.

Our prayer group down the road has been growing. At each meeting new people arrive and it is possible that we might have to seek new and larger premises. We're hoping to begin a series of Life in the Spirit Seminars In the next few months, as there are requests for this. For those who may  wonder what this is it is a sequence of teachings on our relationship with God based on a programme similar to the catechumenate. It leads up to a 'praying over' for the release of the Spirit in one's life. All of us need to try to understand the workings of the Holy Spirit, God's gift to us in Baptism and Confirmation. Too often we just stifle him in our selves. And according to St Paul, we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit, God himself in this manifestation of completing Love, who enahles each one of us to stand upright and gaze on the face of God and man with love.

Due to my pastoral work on Sunday mornings I have not been able to get out on rambles; I am sorry to have missed the Day of Recollecton. As I am doing my second novitiate, before taking final vows, I have to make my own private recollections once a month at Southwell House, the Jesuit residence in Finchley Road , Hampstead. That and the fortnightly spiritual conferences keep me busy. But, though there must he many of you who do not know me, you are regularly in my prayers. 

I could write much more, but l must leave room for the other contributors. I hope you all read the Westminster Pastoral Paper No.1 and took action on
it. The second one should he out soon. I will close as Paul did his second letter to the CorInthians - The Jerusalem Bible translation, though not always of of the best, is good in this instance: 'In the meantime, brothers, we wish you happiness; try to grow perfect, help one another. Be united; live in peace, and the God of love and peace be with you. Greet one another with the holy kiss. All the saints send you greetlngs. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of Cod and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.(2 Cor. 13,11-13)
Praise the Lord

LEO COSHAN, S.V.D.

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