Jesuit reading.

As I prepare to drive to Massachusetts tomorrow to spend Christmas with my family, I'd like to make brief mention of two new Jesuit blogs that may be of interest to some readers. One is the work of a Jesuit novice who hopes to profess First Vows this coming year, while the other is written by a Jesuit priest who will soon begin tertianship, the stage of formation which prepares Jesuits to profess Final Vows in the Society of Jesus. Taken together, these two blogs provide a glimpse of Jesuit formation at both "ends" - during the novitiate, and during tertianship.

The first blog, Going Forth, is the work of John Roselle, a second-year novice of the Wisconsin Province. In his posts so far, John has written about life in the novitiate in St. Paul, Minnesota and has offered sundry reflections on topics spiritual and theological. In January, John will begin his Long Experiment working in campus ministry at John Carroll University in Cleveland; I'm sure that John will write more on that and other topics in the coming months, so keep an eye on Going Forth for updates. More importantly, please pray for John Roselle and his brother novices as they continue their discernment and prepare to apply for First Vows in the Society.

The second blog, simply titled Fr Jack SJ MD, is the work of Father Jack Siberski, a Jesuit of the New England Province who will begin the seven-month experience of tertianship in Australia in January. Jack began his Jesuit life later than most - he was just short of 48 when he entered the novitiate - and he came into the Society after two decades as a practicing physician. A geriatric psychiatrist by training, Jack has spent the last seven years at Georgetown teaching in the medical school and seeing patients regularly at the university hospital. Jack is also a friend of mine, so I'll be following his adventures in tertianship with particular interest. As with the novices, I ask you to join me in praying for Father Jack Siberski and his fellow tertians as they go through the 'third probation' of tertianship.

Finally, I offer my prayers for you, readers, at a time of year that many find hectic, draining and maybe even somber as well as (or perhaps rather than) joyful and restful. Please pray for me, too, as I prepare to take to the traffic-clogged highways of the Northeast during one of the busiest travel periods of the year. AMDG.