O, Felix Culpa! (Oh Happy Fault!)

When my nephew, Isi, came to visit me during my novitatiate, I toured him around the seminary premises. He was quietly listening as I patiently explained every details of religious life that could at least appeal to this young man’s imagination. I thought that I succeeded in showing him how fun my life can be, sans the beer and the… uhm, anyway, I later learned that he was just being polite. As soon as he arrived home, he had an interesting summary of what seminary life is like. My sister reported that he said, “Ang lungkot pala sa seminaryo. Kawawa naman doon si Tito Utoy.”
Kawawa?!! Kawawa?!! Lintek na yan, kawawa pa ako? Since we’ve got this daily one-hour adoration before the Blessed Sacrament, I had more than enough time to ponder my pamangkin’s comments.  Isi knows me well and I came to know him as observant and quite frank. Maybe, he’s right, we can say that our novitiate (like anybody else’s novitiate) is a pit, to the standards of the world. For those who do not know what novitiate is, it’s the time in the life of a seminarian when he’s not allowed to make phonecalls nor own anything more high-tech than an analog wristwatch, the time when he undergoes all those psychological and spiritual tests, which years later, I swore to be completely bull (except for some which were really cool, owing much to my equally cool novice master, a vegetarian and a choco-addict at the same breath). Truth to tell, short of hitting a co-seminarian on the nose every after luchtime, I enjoyed my novitiate. Really. Honest. Swear to God.
Then I graduated from the novitiate and I reached the studentate. The studentate is the time when we enrol to theological schools and do all the fun and adventurous things a seminarian dreamed to do inside the seminary. If only Isi can see me now. Kaya lang, he’s busy with his post. Now what are these fun things in the studentate? First, the food is alot better in the studentate . Second, we are now given monetary allowances! Third, the free use of the internet. Fourth, we’ve got free days, days when we can go to malls, to our homes or what-have-you. The implications? First, I get to indulge with my favorite vice: gluttony. Imagine gaining 15 pounds in three years. Second, I’m empowered to do things, like buy things I like, go to places I haven’t been to, indulge in the mindless fun of Friendster and finally make my own blog… Teka, may blog na ako?
Putek, may blog na nga ako! Thank you, Lord!
Teka’t magdadasal na kami. Till next post. I promise to make more sense next time. Puyat kasi, kapapanood ng pirated na DVD ng past episodes ng Heroes.
Panjeet, Jhoen, may blog na ako!