An Imaginary Seminary

If this blogger had been assigned to start a seminary from the ground up under an order that is not yet in existence, then he has one that is all set to go in his imagination.  He even has a vague idea as to what color the tunic would have and how the tunic would look, but is uncertain about the cap that goes with it.  It would be similar to a Coptic monk's koulla but without the stitching in the middle and the six crosses on each side representing the twelve apostles.  Instead, it would have a design that could be extremely controversial but when one is unknown to the world, there would be no controversy, perhaps just passing curiosity.

So far, nobody is there at the seminary, not even this blogger has the courage to enter its imaginary doors and wear the imaginary tunic and cap.  If this place ever comes into existence and the doors open, he will probably be the only one occupying it.  Both the seminary and the new order will one day disappear from the face of this earth just as he will, and all will be forgotten, as if neither the person nor the idea nor the structure had ever existed.

Where on earth will this place be he has no clue, but probably in a country that is not only tolerant of Christianity but also accepts it as an integral part of the fabric of society.  This will exclude many countries with a large secular population that is indifferent to the one and only Triune God and the Immaculately conceived Blessed Virgin Mary.

What will the seminary look like architecturally?  A two-level donut-shaped building with arches and a retractable roof that is frosted to diffuse the sunlight.  How large will it be?  That all depends.  Optimistically, it will be large enough for twelve residents, and no more than twelve.

The building will also have a place for a small "chapel" on the second level that will be called the "upper room."

And what will the seminary teach?  Two things only, and it will be a self-study curricula: first is the two most important commandments from the three Gospels, namely the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 22, 37-40, the Gospel of Mark, Chapter 12, 28-34 and the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 10, 25-28, and second is how to wash and dry one another's feet according to the Gospel of John, Chapter 13, 1-20.

Once a seminarian perfects these lessons, he graduates with an invisible distinction that can only be recognized by the people he serves and God.  It is called love, a love that is devoid of any hint of pride or of hypocrisy.

From there, seminarians will either choose to stay as contemplative monks or go everywhere and apostolate (used here as a verb - to repeat the exact words of Christ in the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 22, 37-40, and the Gospel of Mark, Chapter 12, 28-34, and the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 10, 25-28.)

Unlike many seminaries that only recruit unmarried young men from certain geographic areas with a majority of them having certain ethnicities, this seminary seeks all unmarried, chaste men and converts of all ages from all backgrounds, from all continents of the world, from all Christian churches, who have unwavering faith in the one and only Triune God and the Immaculately conceived Blessed Virgin Mary. [1]

Any one who enters this imaginary order will pray for himself, his brethren, non-Christians and Christians, lay and religious, including monks and priests, especially those who sit in their respective ivory tower constructed out of error based on a subjective sense of superiority, a variation of pride, who sin continually, unutterably and hypocritically in secrecy, despite what they wear, where they live, how often they pray and what they perceive themselves to be, true representatives of Christ, representatives that have attached no heart to the meaning of the word "love" and have not knelt down, washed and dried the feet of their peers in humility.

On that note, this blogger is still waiting for the day when Francis I kneels before Benedict XVI, washes and dries his feet, and for Benedict XVI to kneel, wash and dry the feet of Francis I.



[1] If by some miracle this imaginary seminary and order become a reality and flourish, the same blueprint can replicated across the globe.