And at the end of the day…

September 14, 2012 10:28 am

… we all meet for the silent adoration of the Holy Sacrament. After a day of dealing with loads of substantial details, described so thoroughly (with the precision of milimeters) that you can feel overwhelmed, you need to meet the Master of Life. Meetng Him in silence makes it possible to contemplate the mystery of life from the right perspective.

And the Lord must be really pleased to watch the doctors and practitioners studying Creighton Model, who come here to be with Him. And probably their future success starts just here.

Tomorrow the students will be taking their last test. After tha,t they’ll start a 4-month internship. They’ll come back to Education Phase II in February – to make further progress with their knowledge.

Let’s continue to support them.

Fr Jay

Who is here

September 13, 2012 2:20 pm

When I talk to the Program participants, I’m amazed by the wide array of their jobs and activities. Yesterday you could read a post penned by our Michael, a husband and father, working as a vet, but I’ve met here also a geologist, microbiologist, primary and secondary school teachers, wives and mothers, midwives, nurses, the graduates of our Department for Studies on the Family, and many, many others. Not to mention the doctors of various specializations.

There’s an extraordinary diversity of potential of people who share the same wish to help the others.

The Program is very difficult. It demands a lot of work for now, but also for the whole year. The final exam will be held in November next year, but even then probably not everyone will be ready to take it. The effort have to make results from the weight of their future responsibility: their assistance should be most substantial and professional.

I look at them from behind the altar with so much admiration and respect. And as I did every day, also today I am asking you to offer your prayer for them.

Your Chaplain

From an EP participant

September 12, 2012 11:13 am

I’ve been to many conferences. In some of them – even several hundred participants took part. The speakers came from all over the world. But there is something in the Education Program here which definitely makes a difference. We’ve come here to acquire some knowledge, of course. But we are united by the fact that we want to use this knowledge for something bigger than just ourselves. We would like to build a better world. The world in which problems are never sold at the cost of another human being.

Nobody feels more important than another in that process. The Head of Gynecology Ward from one of the hospitals is eager to share his experience with me. Another doctor approaches me to ask where my medical practice is. And, as usual, it ends with an outburst of laughter. I have to admit that most of my interlocutors have problems with the “VMD” before my name on the badge: Veterinary Medical Doctor. The other doctors have just MD! When I give them explanation, we laugh together.

I’ll repeat after Father J: we’re asking for your support.

Michał

fathers with children

September 11, 2012 10:07 am

I’m particularly moved at the sight of the fathers who have come here with their wives to look after their children during the Program. So there are the daddies walking with their little babies along the corridors, asking their wives out for breast-feeding sessions and – during the Mass – standing next to their spouses who may then hold the babies to their hearts.

As there is no parenthood without a couple, the same way with the service of a doctor or a practitioner: they all need  help from their wife or husband who work “backstage,” but in fact they make that service possible at all!

So today I’m thinking with special gratitude about all the wives, husbands and children who are staying and home and missing their beloved ones that came here to take part in EP. They know that this time of separation will bear fruit not only to the others, but also for their own families. Because “…whatever you did to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you have done it to Me…”

May God bless you,

Fr Jay

To restore God's image in man

September 10, 2012 10:31 am

Today we had a visit from Bishop Stefanek who came to celebrate the Mass especially for the Program participants.

In his homily he emphasized the idea behind our Faculty for Studies on the Family to serve human being through all fields of science, including medicine. As Jesus in the Gospel restored health to a profoundly deaf man, NaProTechnology is striving after restoring beauty and truth of man who became mute and deaf in the area of fertility. We are not the masters of life, but its servants. NaProTechnology restores God’s likeness to each person and makes it possible for God to speak through them with the gift of a new life.

It’s such a joy to look at the participants, who came from so many places, left their everyday activities and many tasks, just to give their attention to the beauty of the gift of life. And who have overcome so many difficulties to be able to learn to serve the married couples better.

We are aware how many people are praying for us. Thank you with all our hearts. In that silent way you become the co-authors of this endeavour.
I’ll see you tomorrow at the “Harbour”.

Always with heartfelt prayer,

Fr Jay

First thing first

September 9, 2012 5:00 am

So Day 1 is behind. It turned out that the Program really is in English. All announcements in English, slides in Elnglish, materials in English… Even Poles, as lecturers, speak English only. What a relief that the Mass was in Polish! With the homily both in Polish – and in English.

So the students might be thinking: “Why on Earth have I come here? This is more than I can handle! I should have learnt more! No chance for me to pass the exam! Those Americans  speak terribly, you just can’t understand them!…” And you could go on like that for an hour or so.  😉

Well. Apart from the sympathy there is the awareness that most of us who have already taken part in the program – survived!

Which does not change the fact that the first day is difficult. Tomorrow it will be probably even more difficult. But in a while the medical terms will become more familiar, the accent won’t be so disturbing and the words will flow into sentences.

And we should remember about the students in our prayers. So that they don’t give up. And if your Guardian Angel speaks good American, you can send Him to help them.

Good luck, People!

Fr Jay

 

Ready, steady, go!

September 8, 2012 2:56 pm

Guests from various cities and states started arriving at Łomianki yesterday at 6 p.m. They carried on their conversations in their native languages, but from the next day on they’d need English. The Poles ask a student from Slovakia to switch to Polish and Slovakian. They’ll understand one another somehow. But they will grow confident in speaking English for sure.

Croatia has sent a team of 7 people. They stick together – for the time being. In a week’s time, when the Education Program ends, they’ll be all one big family. You cannot love life and stay alien to one another. It’s just impossible.

I meet the acquainted doctors from the Catholic Association of Gynecologists and Obstetricians. It was on one of their meetings when we’d heard  about something called NaProTechnologyfor the first time. It feels as if it was yesterday, and so much has happened ever since.

Today we have the opening ceremony. And no more excuses – from now on all communication in English only! To start from how to get to the Chapel or where to eat lunch and to finish with where to wash your hands.

During the first hour of the Program the students were provided with all the necessary information. The second hour is already a lecture given by Dr Hilgers.

The Education Program has started! And I’m asking you, Dear Readers, for support in your prayers. The Program participants need it VERY MUCH.

Your reporter,

Fr Jay