Hi all, Merry Christmas! Please include in your prayers our son Mike, who received his habit on Christmas Eve at the vestition ceremony at the Norbertine's St. Michael's Abbey in Silverado CA and has received his religious name, "Frater (Brother) Silvan." Mike's abbot was pleased to give him the name "Silvan," both in honor of St. Silvan (named "Silas" in Acts of the Apostles, and "Silvanus" in St. Paul and St. Peter's letters) and in honor of Fr. Silvan Rouse, CP, a dear old Passionist friend of ours who was well known to the Norbertines there and passed away recently. This was a wonderful Christmas blessing for us and we hope to be able to travel out to California this winter to see him (my wish for my 50th birthday in February.) God bless all here! Brian View attachment 3956
Congratulations to you and your son. Best Christmas present ever I'm sure. I finished the St Andrew's novena for you too. Hope you have a happy and healthy 2016 and that your birthday wish comes true.
Hi Brian, You have a most beautiful young son in Mike, 'Brother Silvan', he looks so joyful. A real credit to you and your wife, congradulations to Mike and also to you his parents, for he is a testament to your commitment and Love of God! I will pray for him and for you and your family. May I ask for your prayers for my children. Especially for my youngest son Daniel. God bless you and your family.
Brian, That is awesome. What a precious gift to have a vocation in your family! Does the taking of the habit represent entry into the novitiate or is it a step further along in Mike's formation? God bless all the Norbertines! A beautiful fruit of faithful parents! Does your upcoming trip mean your health has taken a turn for the better? Merry Christmas and God bless you, your wife, and the whole family! Safe in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary!
Thanks! Frater Silvan (Mike! - that's a hard thing to get used to) was a postulant for 4 months, and this vestiture marked the beginning of his 20 month novitiate. He'll be able to come home for a couple weeks for a visit after his first 24 months. We're hoping to go see him in February simply because we miss him, a lot. We homeschooled all our children K-12 and his college (Christendom) was less than three hours away, so we always saw him frequently. If we lived nearby we could visit one afternoon a month for a couple hours, but since he's 2500 miles away we only get to talk by phone. I hope my health is getting better but I'm having chronic pain and weakness in my left hip since the stroke (minor inconvenience compared to what so many suffer) and I came down with shingles and subsequent pain in my right hip recently. This trip is going to be a challenge - if we can pull it off financially. Driving is going to be cost prohibitive due to fuel costs and time away from my patients, and I don't think I could sit for a 2500 mile drive each way. But I'm not looking forward to flying on cramped cut rate airlines either. My youngest son wants to check out the new JPII The Great Catholic University in Escondido CA while we're there, which is about an hour southeast of Mike's Abbey, so we'll try to kill two birds with one stone on this trip.
Brian, I wished I would have known. I could have been there... as the Mog ambassador What a great order.,.lots of spiritually strong saints. God Bless You and Your Family...You have raised a strong Saint. Brother al
How beautiful! What a great gift to you and ultimately to the Church. Will be keeping Brother Silvan in prayers during his formation.
Thanks to all for your kindness and prayers. The Norbertines have a lengthy and very thorough formation program for their priests. It usually takes 6 to 8 years or longer after college for their ordination to the priesthood. Mike majored in philosophy and minored in theology for his BA so he already has a lot of his prerequisites covered. They currently use the seminary run by the Oratorians in Toronto.
The first thing I thought of when I saw his face in the photo was "oh, they are missing him so much". He has such a light in his eyes. Well done brother Brian. I'm sorry you have the shingles, I have heard they are very painful. I had an uncle Floyd who got shingles and he was told by another family member that "when they meet in the middle you die". This of course is not true but it scared the wits out of poor Uncle Floyd. I have a terrible family, they keep me busy in prayers. Dear Jesus, please send your Holy Spirit to embrace your son Brian and heal his body so that he can continue to serve you with his whole mind, spirit and body, Amen. God bless, pcj
Thank you Jill. Mike has always been a special kid, set apart his whole life. Really bright but humble and magnanimous. Here he is in early August, just three weeks before he flew out to the Norbertine Abbey, still in his heavier build from playing rugby at college, and full beard. (The Norbertines stay clean shaven as a form of penance.) He lost 53lbs since he arrived in late August through prayer, fasting and exercise in preparing for his vestition. We were pretty shocked when we first saw his picture in his habit above on Christmas Eve, his looks have changed so dramatically. (He looks years younger! But he's still got those blue eyes,) View attachment 3964
Since my two oldest boys joined the Legion, passports became an instant necessity. I forget that most people don't actually possess one. And yes, Frater Silvan has undergone a remarkable transformation! Safe in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary!
I had a passport years ago when I went on mission trips to Haiti but it has long since expired. Time for another. My wife's immediate reaction on seeing his new photo at the Abbey? "You need to eat more cookies!!!"
