LIFE IN THE SEMINARY
The Eighteenth 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 Ramblers !

Greetings and a Happy New Year to all in 1980. I was able to see some of you at the Christmas Party on the 12th January, and that was a mutual pleasure for which I praise the Lord. 

In my last article I wrote that I had been accepted for final vows. Now I can
confirm that I made my final profession as a Divine Word missionary on January 15th. The ceremony was held at our novitiate chapel in Hadzor, Droitwich, in Worcs. There were some thirty of us, mostly confreres of the British province together with my brother and his family. The provincial, Father Kevin O'Toole, preached an excellent homily and then received my act of Profession (Perpetual vows). All then congratulated me. At Last, one might say, I had become a full member of the Society of the Divine Word. The liturgical ceremony was followed hy a hearty lunch accompanied by suitable liquid refreshments and a sharing amongst those of us who had not seen each other for some time. The day also happened to be the feast day of our founder, Blessed Arnold Jannsen, so we had good reason to be joyful. It is impossible to describe all the emotions one goes through at such a time.

Obviously it is different for each one. My feelings would not correspond to those of a much younger man. But it was a stepping stone and a great
occasion in my response to the calling of the Lord. I was just over four years in temporary vows and five years in the Society. For a woman religious final
Profeassion Is her greatest day. For one who is on the way to the ordained ministry, the priesthood, it must be the actual ordlnation day that Is his greatest. But I must say that my Final Profession was the first of the greatest day in religious life. There are three such for me: the first has just gone by, and this has been the gateway towards ordination. The next step will be in June when I shall be ordained to the diaconate, the last step being the completion of my ordination to the priesthood. 

But before the next two steps I have this semester to clear. It ie a light one for me: I am following two courses, both required for my Diploma in theology.
They are Christian Ethics and Philosophy of Religion. Christian Ethics might also be described as Fundamental Moral Theology. Beginning with Biblical Ethics which is split into Old Testament and NewTestament Ethics we will examine the derivation of our way of hehaviour from Tradition and the Magisterium. My professor in the 4th and 5th year Ethics, where we dealt with specific issues like the Ten Commandments, asked me if I was doing my courses backwards, hecause I should have done this present course in my third year. One has to laugh it off, for not all things go according to plan or as they ought. Fortunately that is not an ethical question just a practical one, though it might go against logic. In the Philisophy we are trying to see what that means. looking at its derivations from Natural Theology, Dogmatic Theology and Comparative Religions. Then we will study Monotheism and
its subsequent developments in Theism and the deviants from Theism like Deism, Pantheism, Panentheism and Process Theology. By the end of the course I hope to discover how this is going to help me in my preaching when I move into the pastoral ministry. 

Of course, I have to produce two essays. Praise the Lord, that should he the end of my assignments in the formal academic field. Already my thoughts are musing on the Prohlem of Evil, my essay for the Philosophy of Religion. You could say, I suppose, that I shall he soaking uo some E?vil thoughts !!

In addition to the above two courses I am following the second stage in the History of Philosophy, hut as an auditor, that is, without taking any exams or doing any essays. By June 1980 I will have worked my way through 36 courses, Next time you meet a priest you will have some idea of what he has had to go through to he ordained as a minister. Hope this leads you to pray for your priests; they need your care in prayer. Never cease to thank God for them ,and to pray for their perseverence. Life can be tough for them.

Our commlnlty at the London house has had a few further changes. Two of our priests are being moved, one back to Holland and the other to a parish in the East End of London. Another priest has moved in. He ia Father Michael Cleary and is working with the Westminster Adult Religious Eiucation at an office in Kensington. But he lives wfth us and is an asset to the community, especially in liturgical expression. One other addition has heen Brother Bernadine, who used to he at St. David's in Carrog, North Wales, where I made my novitiate. As the house is in the process of being sold Brother has moved to be with us. He is 75 years old, strong as an ox and looks after the garden. Already the back garden is unrecognisable: he intends to plant vegetables and has churned up the earth and cut down a couple of trees. He is Polish and speaks a patois of Polish, English and German, so is not
always understood. But he seems to he quite happy to be in London, and we are happy to have him with us.

Before my final profession I spent three days at the Benedictine Abhey at Ealing. This was a very good experience, a sort of retreat. I lived like one of the monks sharing their office in choir and their meals. It is a good regular life and the welcome was excellent. I hope to visit them again. Benedictine hospitality is first-class. This year is the 1500th anniversary of the approximate date of the birth of st. Benedict. There are to be celebrations throughout the year at all the Benedictine monasteries. It will be worth your while to get a programme and sample one or two of these activities. Did you know that St. Benedict is my patron, Benedict being my second name? Part of my preparation for ordination is to learn how to drive a car. I've been
advised to try and master this technique which I have unfortunately neglected. So, I am taking instructions and finding it very expensive and not so easy at my time of life. My reactions are somewhat slower than when I last tried to drive, which was seventeen years ago. But it is a challenge and will he necessary in my ministry in the parish, I helieve, where a priest may he called out at any time of day or night. 

Each ine of us in the student community in continuing in various pastoral fields. Mine is to get more imvolved in the sacramental ministry. In addition to the exercise of the lay ministries of acolyte and reader, I have taken on parish visitlng and hope to arrange adult education and discussion groups. I have also given a couple of talks for readers at the parish of the Transfiguration in Kensal Rise. This is a very go-ahead parish, quite new and in the care of two priests at the present time. For those of you who do read at the Liturgy here are a couple of points of interest and importance. At the recent Meeting of the Liturgy Commission held in Damascus House all present agreed that Readers of the Word should not use the missalettes in place of the lectionary or Book of the Gonpels. And it was thought that in the Liturgy of the Word not enough thought and care were given to how the word was proclaimed and to how the people responded. A further item that may be of interest is the question of Dress for readers. Should readers be vested? The consensus of opinion was - NOT. Readers come from the assembly - the congregation - and should visibly remain members of it when performing their function, There was no reference to woman readers, I'm afraid. I think the important thing here is that the ministry of reading is a lay ministry, so it isn't necessary to dress up as 'little clergymen'

When this article appears it should be Lent. May this season of preparation, for the glorious Feast of the Resurrection of the Lord he a holy time for all of you. May it he a time of turning again to the loving and forgiving God, If you remember the direction of Jesus to Peter who asked him how often he should forgive his brother: "As often as seven times? Jesus a.nswered, "Not seven, I tell you, but seventy times seven". Jesus was able to say that because he knew that that was how his Father forgave, that is without any limitations. So turn to that same Father, who is our Father and receive his
creative forgiveness as often as it is necessary for you. Praise the Lord!

Bye for now and God Bless all of you.

Until the next time

LEO COSHAN, S.V.D.

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