A New Year

January is already here!  It is so hard to believe that I have been away from the United States for eighteen months.  However, I am trying my best to not start a countdown until I return this summer.  From what I have heard, that would make this upcoming semester last forever.  Therefore, I am instead focusing on things that need to be taken care of in the mean time.  As many of you have already heard, Oklahoma City will be installing a new Catholic archbishop on February 11, 2011.  Archbishop Paul Coakley is currently the bishop of Salina in Kansas and was named by Pope Benedict XVI to become the next Archbishop of Oklahoma City in mid-December 2010.  We will all miss Archbishop Eusebius Beltran as he phases into retirement.  Please keep both bishops in your prayers.

The Christmas Break was long this year.  I was out of school for three weeks and traveled a lot.  I began the break at Aviano Air Base in Northwestern Italy.  I was asked to organize a trip for any interested seminarians from the North American College to explore the possibility of serving as a military chaplain in the U.S. Air Force.  Thanks to many people involved, the trip was a great success and allowed us to spend five days with the many courageous men, women, and families stationed at Aviano Air Base.  After the official trip was completed, I remained at Aviano Air Base through Christmas to help with the Christmas Masses and to spend a few extra days with the great Catholic priest that is currently stationed at Aviano.

The following week took me to Cork, Ireland.  I spent last Christmas in Cork and really wanted to return to spend some quiet time in a great Irish town.  I traveled there with two of my friends and met up with five other seminarians from the North American College who were also staying there.  It was a great week to relax and enjoy some quiet time.

I ended the vacation in Paris, France, with the pastor of my home parish, the pastor I will be assigned to work with this summer, and a graduate student from the University of Oklahoma that is currently the music director of my parish.  The three of us had a great time touring the City of Lights.  This was my first trip to Paris, but it now ranks as one of my favorites.  There is something really cool about looking at the Eiffel Tower with my own eyes!  I also really enjoyed wondering around the Louvre Museum and seeing Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa.  I look forward to visiting Paris again soon!

Brian Buettner and Fr Joesph Jacobi at Miraculous Medal Chapel in Paris

For now, I am back at the college and currently recovering from the flu.  I should be back up to normal by the end of the week, but prayers are always welcome!  I hope to be able to update the webpage more often, but my number one priority will always be priestly formation.  You would all be shocked by how busy things are here, but it keeps things exciting and makes the time fly by quickly.  Anyway, now I am just rambling.  God Bless!