On Application letters

Last night, I was the last person who went to bed in the novitiate house. I was finishing my application letter (for the first vows) which I needed to submit in our Mass this morning.

I made drafts of the letter some weeks back, but I was not satisfied with the outputs. And so, I had to set it aside for some time until yesterday. But since I needed to submit it today, I was left with no option but to come up with a final draft.

Last year, when I applied for novitiate, I also encountered the same dilemma. But that was worse. On the eve of the submission of our letter, we were not permitted to extend to finish our letters when the lights were put off. And so, we woke up an hour before the rising to rush the letter. Imagine, I did that letter minutes before the submission! I remember uploading that letter here.

But what's worst was my experience some years ago when I was not fully decided to apply for the next stage. I thought that it would be better to prepare two letters: "application letter" if in case I'll be applying or "thank you letter" if I'll be leaving the seminary. During the meditation (minutes before the Mass), I decided to apply since my "application letter" was well-written than the other one.

This year, I was not in such dilemma (thanks be to God!), but something else bothered me. It was a “concern” which I did not think would come. But I was thankful that it did for it made me open my mind and heart to possibilities.