Summary
This is my personal blog (weB-LOG) about my life at seminary.
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Random Thoughts
Deleted Scenes
Thursday, January 31, 2004, 1:02 AM
I have discovered that the two photos from my October 22, 2003 post never made it on-line. These snow-free, warm weather pics are now available for your visual enjoyment: Conversation and Investigation.
A Walk-In Junk Drawer
Saturday, January 31, 2004, 12:03 AM
Our floor captain has sent out a email organizing a clean-up operation for our storage room. Pray for us.
But seriously, there's several points of interest in this photo that was sent around. For instance, you can see where I iron my shirts. I tend to avoid this time-consuming task by favoring the use of my wrinkle-resistant shirts, but sometimes aesthetic and laundry factors prevail.
The pink paper showing in the bottom right is an "out of service" sign attached to our vacuum cleaner. I don't have carpeting, so this is only a bother when I have to use another floor's vac to clean the elevator.
On the left side of the picture you can see part of the refrigerator from which I buy pop at 25 cents apiece. Remember last year when I started collecting cans because everyone was saying my room looked sparse? I now have 113 colorful containers filling a shelf. Rest assured, I intend to cut back on my intake this semester.
Second Thoughts
Thursday, January 29, 2004, 2:50 PM
A very good friend of mine here at seminary has begun his own weblog. You can expect good things from him.
A Happy Memory
Thursday, January 28, 2004, 1:29 AM
My favorite memory of our former bishop comes from the day he blessed the site of our future parish, now complete, St. Raymond's. We had an outdoor mass under a tent and after the service my family and I were chatting with the bishop. That's when he asked me about my life, or perhaps what I was planning for the future.
I was rather confirmed I would attend seminary once I had graduated, but only privately. I had not definitively announced my plan to my family. The bishop knew that I had been in previous contact with his Director of Vocations, so he was inquiring with particular interest. I feared that informing the bishop before my parents, at that moment in their presence, would have caused embarrassment for them or me. So, I simply told the bishop the majors I was going for at the time and when I expected to graduate.
Upon hearing this, he wished me well in my studies but he looked crestfallen as he said it. He had concluded that I had no intention of going to seminary at all and his disappointment was evident. I felt terrible for causing this man pain. As soon as my parents had wandered off a little and the bishop had finished another conversation I shared with him my plan.
His countenance quickly brightened as a sun comes out from behind a cloud. He confided to me, quite pleased, that he always prays that young men will follow vocations to the priesthood. As badly as I had felt before, that much I now pleasured in his heartfelt and happy response. He will be missed.
The End of the Line
Tuesday, January 27, 2004, 4:14 PM
Sunday, the day before the installation, we attended evening prayer at the cathedral basilica with the bishop. That impressive church contains the largest collection of mosaics in the world. Incidentally, this marked my first time out in public with a cassock, surplice, and Roman collar, all of which were borrowed.
After the service the archbishop-elect had a receiving line. We seminarians waited until the line had died down and went to greet him as a group. He saw us and said, "My sons," then added, "Well, at least for another day anyway." Later, an employee at the cathedral told us that had watched the bishop greet everyone and that his biggest smile had been with us.
Installed
Monday, January 26, 2004, 10:38 PM
Having delivered our bishop, we are now back safe and sound at seminary. More tomorrow on our great trip.
Programming Notice
Thursday, January 14, 2004, 12:39 AM
Tomorrow I plan to fly to St. Louie, MO with several DB's for the installation of my outgoing bishop as archbishop there. You can watch the ceremony on EWTN on Monday, Jan 26 at 2:00 PM Central or catch the encore showing at 11:00 PM that night. The broadcast of the ceremony is scheduled for three hours.
Look for us in the choir pews. We might be there in cassocks and surplices. In preparation for this eventuality I have had to borrowed clothes from others. Tonight I practiced putting on a Roman collar for the first time. I found it to be much harder to do than you would think.
Highlights from the March for Life
Saturday, January 24, 2004, 12:21 AM
Early Wednesday morning we hit the road. I enjoyed seeing the fine landscapes of those mountainy eastern states. On the way we watched The Longest Day and a documentary called The Case for Life. Incidentally, in the latter piece a mother told the advice she once gave to her daughter. 'Find a man who loves God more than he loves you.' Such a man, she said, makes a truly loving husband. I remarked to another seminarian, "She's sending them after us."
After dinner we went to the vigil mass at the impressive Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Several of us sat together in an archway where there were no seats between the adoration chapel and the sanctuary. Every so often we had to make way for the thurifer (the swinging incense guy) to walk through. Our view was mostly obstructed, but we were close in proximity and there together. Our kneeling spots were best of all as Jesus was poured into the chalices on the table before us. The music was great, the homily was solid, and a letter from President Bush was read. That mass was greatly moving. That night I slept on the floor of a side chapel in the basement of that beautiful church with the college seminarians.
The next day we had a mass at the MCI Center with a reported 15,000 people in the arena. We had seats on the floor section which was entirely reserved for seminarians. This was mass was more youth geared with upbeat worship music before hand. Cardinal McCarrick, who visited our seminarian last year, presided.
After that the crowd made their way through the streets to the Ellipse. We grabbed some Subways for lunch on the way. Myself and some others, who knew from previous experience that it would be some time before the march began, headed over to the Lincoln Memorial. Along the way we saw the U.S. Treasury, just like on the back of the $10. I held up the bill for comparison but the others were unimpressed. We also saw the White House from the gate, the Vietnam and Korean War Memorials, and the World War II Memorial now under construction across the reflecting pool.
Then we made our way back and waited quite some time for the march to start. A friend remarked, "I love coming to the Stand for Life." We sang songs, prayed, and then we were underway. I have no idea how many tens of thousands of people were there. The typical age of crowd was younger than I expected. I imagine the youth are free from other responsibilities. On the other hand, polling indicates that the new generations are increasingly pro-life. It bodes well for the future of the pro-life movement. Though we never made it to the vicinity of the Supreme Court, I did not see one pro-abortion protester.
We left Washington, twice, because we made a wrong turn and had to come back into the city. We drove into the night with Mike our wily driver and watched Keeping the Faith and The Goonies on the way. We got home, exhausted, around 1:30 Friday morning. It was a great trip.
Keeping the Faith
Friday, January 23, 2004, 10:34 PM
On our return trip from Washington we watched Keeping the Faith. It turned out to be an endurance test for the bus load of seminarians as we watched the priest character fall in love with a childhood gal-pal. We groaned as we watched Edward Norton's character make one imprudent decision after another. In one scene we see him trying to decide what to wear before going to visit her. He stands in front of the mirror uncertain, alternately holding up a black Roman collared shirt and a causal dress shirt below his chin. All the while we're yelling at the screen, "No," and, "Wear the clerics," but he makes the wrong decision anyway.
The most annoying flaw of this movie about a rabbi and a priest is clearer upon reflection. Though the story features religious externals without mocking religious faith, it does not take the content of religious faith seriously enough. For instance, the priest never prays in the midst of it all. Neither does he reflect on the importance of keeping his promises to God or consider the harm that his choices will cause his parishioners. The rabbi, for his part, has a sexual relationship with the gal with the stated intent never to marry each other. The wrongness and unloving nature of this relationship never occurs to him.
The only time Jesus gets mentioned is when the rabbi says, "Jesus (as in, you've got to be kidding me)." And this is the movie's greatest flaw: Keeping the Faith forgets about God. I walked away from this movie with an even greater appreciation of the obvious, that Christianity without Christ is vanity.
(At the end of writing this I came across this review from Christianity Today. Our opinions on the movie are much the same.)
Teaching About Sin
Monday, January 19, 2004, 1:14 PM
A friend has asked me a question very close to this:
I have the impression that the Catholic Church is very vocal and outward about declaring sin publicly, especially in the media (abortion, homosexuals, cloning). I believe that telling people their sins is counterproductive to the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19); the Holy Spirit is the one who should convict people of sin through the truth.
Do you think that so openly reminding people of their sin is productive to the Kingdom of God? Do you think that the general non-believer sees such criticisms as said out of love and a desire for Holiness or as a threatening accusation?
I reply that the Church must clearly present moral truths. In the Great Commission Jesus insisted upon it.
"Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you." (Matthew 28:19-20)
The light of truth should not be kept secret, like a candle under a basket. The truth must be professed, and spoken in love. As one of my favorite quotes from the Catechism reads:
"The whole concern of doctrine and its teaching must be directed to the love that never ends. Whether something is proposed for belief, for hope or for action, the love of our Lord must always be made accessible, so that anyone can see that all the works of perfect Christian virtue spring from love and have no other objective than to arrive at love." (CCC #25)
The Church condemns no one. Truly, the Church hates sin, not people. For instance, (contrary to your suggestion) the Church does not condemn homosexuals, those who experience same-sex attraction. As the Catechism teaches, "They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity." The Church opposes homosexual acts for their great harm to souls. "Homosexual persons are called to chastity."
(CCC #2357-9)
Perhaps a reason that Catholic teachings like this are so misunderstood is because people often learn about them second-hand through the media. When a moral issue arises in the culture, such as stem-cell research, the Church responds. Unfortunately the media reports poorly on ideas, especially those it opposes. The Church's reasoned and compassionate presentation gets reduced to soundbites.
Another problem is that the media does not report on the Church's full teachings but only those pertaining to the issue of the day. When was the last time you saw a report about the Church's views on love, forgiveness, or salvation? If you really want to know what the Church believes and why, I encourage going to the source. For this, the Catechism is a treasure.
Do I think that openly reminding people of their sin is productive to the Kingdom of God? If it leads to repentance, absolutely. When I feel guilt, it is probably because I am guilty. "Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away" (Acts 3:19) The Church always has and always will receive a penitent person with joy.
Do I think that the general non-believer sees this teaching as said out of love or as a threatening accusation? Often the latter, I imagine. Our fallen nature repels against correction and its source, even from a close friend. But the alternative, for the Church to maintain silence on moral issues, would be no kindness. “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”
High Notes and Low Notes
Sunday, January 18, 2004, 10:44 PM
Today was a day of multiple embarrassing moments. It was as if I had been saving them up for awhile so I could use them all today. For instance, I sang well at vespers this evening... during a mistaken extended solo. I trust there are good purposes at work.
A Church Leader
Thursday, January 16, 2004, 10:41 PM
Tonight I watched my out-going bishop give an extended live interview on EWTN. For awhile they could not establish an audio feed via satellite. I feared they would not be able to have the interview. After a pair of lengthy commercials they returned to air and conducted the interview. The bishop spoke very well.
The bishop recently issued a notification that Catholic politicians who publicly support abortion or euthanasia by their voting should not receive communion in the diocese. This act has received much attention in the media and adulation from the Catholics in my circles. Together with the first document, the bishop released a succinct pastoral letter On The Dignity of Human Life and Civic Responsibility to address the issues surrounding this action.
The show's host commented on the great number of phone-in callers they were getting. A few of the people who got on the air didn't really have questions to ask, they just wanted to thank the bishop and praise his move. At the close of the interview there was this amusing live-tv moment. As if the man wasn't busy enough already.
But the bishop is sincere in making that request. He privately asked the same thing of me at our last parting. I gladly try to help.
Exciting Travel Plans
Wednesday, January 14, 2004, 8:10 PM
Next Wednesday, January 21, most of the seminarians here will be departing for Washington, DC. The next day we will be walking in the March for Life (against abortion) on the 31st anniversary of the Roe vs Wade decision. We expect to be cold, tired, and weak, but I'm still looking forward to it as my first time in attendance. Last year I watched EWTN's coverage of the event. They looked cold.
Soon after our return on the bus, six DB's from my diocese and I will be flying Saturday to St. Louis, Missouri. We will be there for the installation of the new archbishop on Monday. I was initially hesitant to go, I don't like spending money, but then I heard we had found round-trip tickets for $125. I figured, "What is money for if you don't use it for good things like this?"
Word Association
Wednesday, January 14, 2004, 8:02 PM
Catholic Thoughts has risen in prominence at Google, in my view the internet's best search engine. Currently, when you search there using the words catholic thoughts Google lists this website as first "of about 1,040,000".
Being a computer nerd, for me that rates as "really neat-o". I suppose I should remember that people who live along the Mississippi River are commonly surprised by the junk that floats up to the top.
In With the New
Wednesday, January 14, 2004, 2:24 PM
The start of semester, in college or seminary, is a wonderful time. You get to see all of your old friends again. The classes are all fresh and new. For just a little while you are free of homework. Due dates and test dates all seem to be in the oh-so-distant future. It is good to be back to daily masses and a more disciplined prayer life. As I remarked on the way back from retreat, it's ideal for an activity to be both required and desired at the same time. That prevents excuses from getting in your way.
Speaking of the retreat, if you're reading this as someone who knows me, then I probably prayed for you there. I feel I enjoyed the experience, especially the church we had the pleasure to frequent. The silence was all right on me. It helped in quieting and focusing one's thoughts, but I was not sorry to see it end. I wasn't spiritually blown away at the time, but I predict I'll be unpacking the fruits of this retreat in the months to come.
Back Again
Tuesday, January 13, 2004, 9:55 PM
I'm back from retreat. Tomorrow I begin the first day of classes for this new semester and hope to share some reflections on my experience.
They Say the Darnedest Things
Tuesday, January 13, 2004, 8:33 PM
I received approximately 20 Christmas cards this season because I am a seminarian. Receiving them was nice, although replying to them will be... character building. I'd like to share with you the text of one of my favorites:
"Do you have kids? I hope you do. But there a hand fole. I hope you're a good prsin."
My Spring Schedule
Tuesday, January 13, 2004, 8:22 PM
Ecclesiastical Latin I
TTh 1:00-2:15
Ancient Philosophy
MWF 9:30-10:20
Ethics
MWF 10:30-11:20
Jesus Christ and the Church
MWF 3:00-3:50
Speech
MWF 6:30-8:20 pm
The Lamest Post Ever
Thursday, January 8, 2004, 9:29 AM
I'm back at seminary. I got in last night, but now I'm off to a silent retreat until the 13th. I promise that, upon my return, my postings will be more numerous and less lame.
Read Last Month's Posts
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