Dear Lord,

     This year has been a test for my faith and I have learned much about myself.  I have learned that the more I trust in others and in myself to be a saint the more I am left unsatisfied.  It is critical for my holiness that I continue to place all my trust in You and hope for the best.  The Salesians have been a great aid in my life for the last three years of my life.  They have taught me the spirit of Don Bosco and how to see the world from a new perspective.  With all the joy they have brought about I cannot fail to mention all the struggles that they have brought about as well.  This notion calls to mind the quote by St. Teresa of Jesus, “It is certain that the love of God does not consist in experiencing sweetness or tenderness of heart but in truly serving God in Justice, strength and humilty.”  I have certainly not felt the sweetness of the Lord with all the disagreements I had with some of the Salesians about my vocation.  However, this has compelled me to put more trust in the Lord.  No matter what I say, the Lord knows me and my calling in life better than I do.  I am now embarking on a new journey in my life where I will be faced with new joys and struggles.  The Salesians have taught me the essentials of my faith and I am going to learn more about the Jesuit spirituality.  Perhaps, the Jesuits are the ones who can help me to become a saint!    I know that they are responsible for forming men of great character.  I will major in Biology at Loyola in Maryland and hopefully with God’s grace I can become a doctor.  If God wills it, I would like to become a priest someday.  My vocation is the now and I must worry about tomorrow because today has enough adversities of its own.  I will never forget the Preventive System and the Spirit of Don Bosco.  I will never forget all the friends I made and the happiness there is in this spirituality.  In addition, I will never forget the conflicts and have learned that at the end of the day the only oppinion that matters is that of God.  Oh God if it is your will I must become a priest and the world cannot do anything about it.  First, the diocese said I would make a bad priest and then some of the Salesians did not want me to enter because of an issue with my family.  With Your help and Grace I will figure out my vocation.  The greatest Saints throughout history struggled with the politics of orders and dioceses but they overcame it with your aid.  St. Damien of Molokai: the great advocate of lepers was looked down by his superiors for following his vocation but he trusted in God and he was canonized!  The day I figure out who I am and what my purpose is in this world is the day I allow myself to give everything to You.  That is also the day that I would discover a deeper love for You.  For now, my duty is to enjoy life and forget the past.  The past is done and I have the whole future to prove to the people that doubted me that I will be successful.  Finally, I would like to end with thought by St. Ignatius of Loyola: “Let us work as if success depended upon ourselves alone, but with heartfelt conviction that we are doing nothing, and God everything.” 

In Christ,

Vinny

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