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homily notes: 5th Sunday of Easter
Published on 2012-05-05 14:02:00
[I'm away from my computer today, so I typed this out on my phone. Remind me to never do that again.]I've never been a huge car person. I mean, yes I'm interested in them and I know which ones I like, but I don't know entirely how they work or how to fix one.However, I've become better educated because of a show called Top Gear. It's a British show that looks at all kinds of cars, some that are very normal and some that are outrageous. These have things like computer controls that allow you to [..] > read more
Have you hugged your Protestant friend today?
Published on 2012-05-03 16:19:00
Until I went to college, I didn't really know any non-Catholics. Well, I knew some, but not on the level where we discussed what we believed and what was different because I went to a Catholic church and they did not.Once I was at MUC I encountered and got to know lots of Christians who were strong in their faith. We shared a lot - I shared what I believed as a Catholic and they shared what they believed. We challenged each other but also built each other up, praying together and working as one [..] > read more
Listen To This
Published on 2012-05-01 00:38:00
1. I've been slowly enjoying Blunderbuss, the new solo album from Jack White. My favorite track right now is the catchy and soulful "I'm Shakin."2. Switchfoot just released a bunch of remixes of songs from Vice Verses, cleverly titled Vice Re-Verses. The highlight for me so far is "Afterlife (Neon Feather Remix)."3. If I haven't mentioned it before, David Crowder Band's requiem Mass album, > read more
Away Game
Published on 2012-04-29 21:35:00
I spent this weekend at another parish in our diocese. As the only parochial vicar in this area, I tend to be asked to cover for other priests fairly frequently. Sometimes its for a medical reason while at other times it's just so they can go on vacation.For me, it's a pretty enjoyable experience - and one I did not really have in mind coming into the priesthood. Though I don't like being away from my parish for whole weekends, it's a great chance to experience different parishes and different p [..] > read more
homily notes: 4th Sunday of Easter
Published on 2012-04-28 01:31:00
How many times have you had to explain your faith to someone?Maybe they asked why you have ashes on your forehead on some random Wednesday.Maybe they saw that you have a rosary hanging from your rearview mirror.Or maybe you have a statue of Mary in your front yard.Our faith provokes questions - from other Christians and from people who don't believe in God at all.Those questions deserve answers.And so we have to ask ourselves: "Why am I here? What brings me to church today? What makes me call my [..] > read more
snapshot: four twenty four
Published on 2012-04-24 22:40:00
What's going on?After a busy weekend, I've been on my own for the past couple days, with my pastor away at a conference. It's always interesting when I'm here by myself. We have a decent sized staff, so it's not like there's a big change in my "workload," but there is the experience of being the > read more
Vatican II
Published on 2012-04-23 12:06:00
A great article on the legacy of Vatican II by William Doino Jr.:No sooner had the final session of the Council ended than dialogue gave way to worldly adaptation: Priests started abandoning their collars and nuns their habits, if not their orders. Large portions of the Catholic laity, flushed with a sense of unbounded freedom, stopped going to confession and Sunday Mass. Consciences once formed in the light of Catholic teaching began to morph into self-interest. The Church’s teaching against [..] > read more
"If the robots win we'll have to listen to techno."
Published on 2012-04-23 11:04:00
1. I already knew that I loved Daft Punk's soundtrack for TRON: Legacy - It's got a great mix of orchestral music and electronica that fit that movie perfectly. I just recently discovered a remix album of the soundtrack called TRON: Legacy Reconfigured > read more
Homily Notes: 3rd Sunday of Easter
Published on 2012-04-21 14:29:00
There's a word that appeared twice in our readings today. And when something stands out like that, it's a good sign that it's worth looking at.That word is "witnesses." It appears in the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles as well as the story from the gospel of Luke.In Acts, Peter and John had gone to pray in the temple. There, Peter healed a crippled beggar and a crowd > read more
five things (vol. 5)
Published on 2012-04-20 20:58:00
1. I am liking "How It Starts" by The Features. I heard it in the new Mustang commercial.2. Speaking of music, Fr. Dwight has an interesting post - Why is "Christian" music so Awful?Why is it that so often Christian music is so awful? I think there are a couple of reasons. The first is that the musicians and their audience mistake a worthy message for talent. Then they get a martyr complex if they’re criticized. “You’re obviously not very spiritual if you can’t enjoy my music! > read more
Lost in the Woods
Published on 2012-04-19 17:42:00
This is just a funny story.Holy Week is, as you would expect, the busiest time of year for a priest. There are penance services, Chrism Masses, and lots of planning leading up to the Triduum. I knew this going in, so (inspired by my spiritual director) I scheduled some time off/away with a priest friend for the three days after Easter.We spent part of our vacation/retreat at St. Thomas More House of Prayer, a fantastic retreat center in Pennsylvania. If you're looking for a quiet place to spend [..] > read more
The Aftermath of Easter
Published on 2012-04-18 22:48:00
I'm such a bad blogger.I had a schedule at one point - remember that? I didn't follow it too well.Well, I want to renew my efforts. I will post tomorrow, I promise. > read more
I love the Chrism Mass
Published on 2012-04-04 10:20:00
Here's why:- Our diocese has a strange shape, so we have two Chrism Masses in two of my favorite places.- It's always good to get together with the priests of the diocese. When you're a seminarian, it helps you get to know them. As a priest, I don't see many of them all that often.- I've lived in several different parts of the diocese, so I know people from many different parishes. It's amazing to see them all together in one church.- Since we have no bishop, one of our retired bishops was the c [..] > read more
homily notes: Palm Sunday
Published on 2012-04-01 08:47:00
It's a powerful experience to read the words of this story.It's different from reciting MacBeth in high school English. It's different than any other > read more
SEARCHing this weekend.
Published on 2012-03-24 23:22:00
I am currently down in Ironton, the southernmost part of our diocese, helping with a retreat for high school kids.I've never been on a SEARCH retreat before; it's been interesting. The two most powerful parts so far have been hearing confessions (as usual) and reading letters written by their parents to the kids. The experience was intense and emotional - I felt a little like I was eavesdropping. It was a good one for the kids.Tomorrow I will be covering Mass for the pastor down here (he's cover [..] > read more
with the hunger games rapidly approaching ...
Published on 2012-03-21 21:31:00
... here are some thoughts:If you don't know the story, this sums it up nicely - A Parent's Guide to The Hunger Games.I read the whole trilogy this year and I'm slightly conflicted about it.First, they were definitely exciting, interesting books. The stories pulled you in - and this is partly because of how horrible it all is. Witnessing what Katniss & co. go through, the horror of what their society accepts, makes you really feel invested in seeing it through, regardless of how depressing it is [..] > read more
this weekend's homily
Published on 2012-03-17 19:02:00
We have a permanent deacon at our parish who usually preaches two weekends a month. He is on this weekend, so I didn't prepare a homily or even really look at the readings.Then on Friday, I got a call from a local priest asking if I could cover for him on Saturday because he was not feeling too well. As I'm the only parochial vicar in the area, I usually do this sort if thing - and am happy to do it! - but suddenly I realized, "I need to write a homily!"Combine that with the Jr. High dance I cha [..] > read more
homily notes: third sunday of lent
Published on 2012-03-11 00:40:00
If I asked you the question "why did God make you?" I bet some of you would have a very specific answer. It's an old answer, from the Baltimore Catechism, but I think it's still a good one.So why did God make us? To know, love and serve him in this life, and to be happy with him in the next.It's a sort of summary of what we know about God. That's what everything comes down to - the point of everything we do and believe.If we understand that - why God made us - we can make sense of what he does a [..] > read more
homily notes: second sunday of lent
Published on 2012-03-02 23:42:00
Do any of you like movie previews?I'm not talking about commercials - the kind of things you see on TV - but real previews, that give you a little glimpse of what an upcoming movie going to be like.I love previews - they hold a lot of potential. This movie could be really great. A lot of previews are actually better than the whole movie because they only show you the good parts.We have previews in our lives as well.We watch siblings and friends graduate from high school. We see our loved ones ge [..] > read more
"changed for the better"
Published on 2012-02-27 23:02:00
The pastor of my home parish, Msgr. George Yontz, died last week.He had been at St. Peter since 1995, so I had known him as my pastor for a huge chunk of my life. It's only really hitting me know that Msgr. Yontz was the model of the priesthood for me. And his funeral this morning confirmed that for me.The church was absolutely packed, and that included the sanctuary where 40 priests from our diocese and elsewhere gathered to honor a brother.It was a beautiful Mass - the best possible way to cel [..] > read more
homily notes: first sunday of lent
Published on 2012-02-26 00:29:00
In the gospel of Mark, Jesus seems to come out of nowhere.John is preaching and baptizing people, and then suddenly Jesus is there getting baptized with everyone else. And when he come out of the water, the heavens are opened and the Spirit descends on him like a dove and we hear the Father say that Jesus is his beloved Son.Then we hear today's gospel: The Spirit, the same spirit who descended upon Jesus in his baptism, drives Jesus out into the desert for 40 days where he's tempted by Satan; he [..] > read more
homily notes: seventh sunday of ordinary time
Published on 2012-02-18 13:55:00
What do we mean when we say, "I believe"? To say, "I believe in God ... I believe in Jesus"?The idea of faith can be a kind of vague one. We as Christians don't claim to have some scientific proof for the existence of God or some sort of irrefutable evidence of who Jesus really is; BUT we do claim that what we believe is true.We aren't Catholics because it makes our lives easy! What's easy about knowing that I'm not perfect and that, no matter how much I try, I'm still going to make mistakes? Wh [..] > read more
homily notes: sixth sunday of ordinary time
Published on 2012-02-11 14:12:00
[This weekend is World Marriage Day and our diocese sent out some great notes on this weekend's readings, so I used those as my starting point.]This weekend we celebrate World Marriage Day and, as it's not a specifically liturgical feast day, our readings are just the normal ones for the 6th Sunday of ordinary time. In that, they remind us of the readings we've been hearing - Jesus healing someone.But today's healing holds a special significance.In the first reading, we hear what the Law of the [..] > read more
snapshot: two seven
Published on 2012-02-07 21:58:00
What's going on?After covering for a priest on vacation this weekend, I made an overnight visit to my seminary alma mater to visit my brother and some friends. Since the Super Bowl was on, it was a great chance to hang out (and eat). On Monday I got to do some praying, visited with my old spiritual director and celebrated Mass for the seminarians - I was a little intimidated but it went well.Listening to:I've been trying to get through two albums in their entirety: David Crowder Band's requiem M [..] > read more
homily notes: fifth sunday of ordinary time
Published on 2012-02-04 14:10:00
That first reading is a tough one.And that's because the Book of Job is not an entirely happy story. It's the story of a righteous man who is tested by God; it's about suffering and our response to it.Job loses pretty much everything: his family, his home, his belongings. So it's natural that he has a bleak outlook on life. He sees life as a drudgery, he's just killing time, feeling restless and miserable; and thinking that this is the way it's always going to be.That's a very sad image, but it' [..] > read more
homily notes: fourth sunday of ordinary time
Published on 2012-01-28 14:13:00
For the people of Israel, Moses was and is a vitally important figure.He was the Hebrew boy who was raised as an Egyptian who was called by God to lead his people out of oppression in Egypt towards the promised land. But that wasn't Moses' greatest achievement.Moses was special, he was important, because of his relationship with God. When the people of Israel reached the mountain, he went up into the presence of God to receive the Law; and when he came down, he was so changed by being in the pre [..] > read more
march for life 2012
Published on 2012-01-24 21:39:00
This year, as a high school chaplain, I led a group to DC for the March for the first time.I must admit that it was stressful to prepare. There are a lot of little details to plan and things to pay for: a bus, tickets to the Youth Rally & Mass, image waivers from the Archdiocese of DC, permission slips from the diocese, snacks, etc.But, in the end, it went well. Yes, we got wet and were cold and tired, but everything went smoothly.I especially enjoyed being a priest at the Youth Rally & Mass. Af [..] > read more
homily notes: third sunday of ordinary time
Published on 2012-01-21 14:14:00
We all know the story of Jonah, right?He was this guy who God called to go on a mission for him. He was supposed to go and preach to the people of Nineveh, warning them that God was going to punish them for their sins.Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian Empire - this was an empire that ended up conquering the kingdom of Israel and sending its people into exile. It was not a place that Jonah wanted to go.So, we get to the famous part of the story: Jonah gets in a ship heading the completely o [..] > read more
preach like an artist
Published on 2012-01-19 22:30:00
Earlier this year, I discovered the work of Austin Kleon, writer/blogger/artist. Through his blog and twitter feed, I've been introduced to things like sketchnotes and been inspired to write and doodle more; but the thing that caught my attention in the first place is "How To Steal Like An Artist."It's a blog post of a talk that is coming out as a book in March.The piece has some great points and I've been thinking about how they apply to me as a preacher, as well as anyone else in the "business [..] > read more
finished a book: The Context of Holiness
Published on 2012-01-18 21:05:00
My spiritual director recommended The Context of Holiness by Marc Foley, OCD. It's a look at the life of St. Therese from a psychological angle. At first I was wary of the whole idea - how can you analyze St. Therese? But Foley does a fantastic job showing how Therese's life - her struggles, weaknesses and strengths - were the context in which she became a saint.A couple of great quotes:Therese's experience of the ocean could have been only an aesthetically pleasing experience. But it was more t [..] > read more
homily notes: 2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time
Published on 2012-01-14 14:17:00
"What are you looking for?"If I asked you that question, you could have any number of answers: a place to sit in the church, a page in your missalette so you know which words to say, your cell phone ...But when Jesus asks that question it takes on a whole new meaning, a deeper meaning.It goes to the heart of today's gospel. But let's start at the beginning ...We find ourselves with two disciples of John the Baptist. What were they thinking about the course of their lives. They were following thi [..] > read more
I highly recommend ...
Published on 2011-12-30 19:16:00
... The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien.If you are a big fan of Lord of the Rings, Middle-Earth and Tolkien in general, this collection of letters is a fascinating look into the mind behind it all.I loved getting a glimpse into Tolkien's personality - his relationships with family and friends, his great attention to detail in his work and, especially, his Catholic faith.Reading this has shown me, more than I ever suspected before, what an achievement LotR, and all the stories of Middle-Earth, truly ar [..] > read more
something I need to learn
Published on 2011-07-03 21:51:00
From the Art of Manliness:How to Remember a Person's Name (And What to Do When You Can't)In short:Commit to listening and remembering.Repeat early, repeat often.Have them spell it out.Use a mnemonic device.Visualize the person's name on their forehea > read more
movies in disguise
Published on 2011-07-03 18:52:00
I haven't done a movie review for a while and, since I am the only one in the rectory tonight, I went to see Transformers: Dark of the Moon.I have a conflicted relationship with this franchise. I always liked the whole Transformers idea when I was yo > read more
and all the rest
Published on 2011-06-07 19:10:00
1. Two good posts from the always good Adam's Ale:First, his thoughts on and remembrances of his ordination.Second, something that I've encountered lately: what to do with your eyes during the Mass.I try to make it a point to either look at the book > read more
I love lists.
Published on 2011-06-07 19:04:00
1. The 7 Habits of People Who Place Radical Trust in God.2. The Three Temptations of Facebook.3. 20 Ways to Make Today Unforgettable. > read more
is a bad blogger
Published on 2011-06-06 23:36:00
Well. More has happened to me in the past few weeks than most of the rest of my life. I don't think any one blog post could summarize my ordination/first Mass weekend. As I just heard Sufjan sing in my earbuds, "words are futile devices." It was over > read more
returned
Published on 2011-05-16 18:50:00
It's been crazy. There was the last week of classes, my friend's diaconate ordination, finals and graduation. It went fast.Once I got home, I headed out on a backpacking trip with my bishop, two priests and two seminarians. I enjoyed the trip, though > read more
helpful hints
Published on 2011-05-01 15:48:00
As I come to the end of my time in seminary, I've been thinking about everything I've learned. Some of those things are more profound than others. I've learned about my relationship with God, the teachings and history of the Church and many other thi > read more
too many bookmarks
Published on 2011-04-26 08:08:00
1. "Rebuild my Church" - On the retirement of Fr. Mike Scanlan. And this bit is priceless (and true):The Most Reverend R. Daniel Conlon, bishop of Steubenville, once jokingly “thanked” Father Mike that whenever he travels he has to correct people > read more
usccb: the big time
Published on 2011-04-25 23:21:00
This USCCB article mentions me (and my brother) but gives me an extra name:In the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana, two brothers, Matt and Terrence Coonan, will be ordained to the priesthood on June 11. June of this year marks 60 years since > read more
I can't believe ...
Published on 2011-04-25 16:21:00
... I didn't blog during my two weeks in the parish.I meant to, but kept putting off. That worked out ...Anyway, it was a busy, educational, enjoyable, beneficial time.I headed down there two fridays ago and helped chaperone a youth group event where > read more
on the brink
Published on 2011-04-07 19:04:00
... of a lot of things.Tomorrow will mark the beginning of my spring parish practicum. After class, I'll head back to Ohio until after Easter. My time in the parish will be busy too: chaperoning the youth group's homeless awareness event (they're spe > read more
I am a notebook addict.
Published on 2011-04-02 21:35:00
What I mean by that is this: I love the look and feel of a notebook. I love blank ones and I like writing in them. Recently, I've become interested in the many ways people use notebooks - it's becoming a kind of trend to abandon electronic ways of or > read more
yes oh yes
Published on 2011-04-02 21:11:00
1. Why your kids won't stay Catholic. One word: practice!2. How modern art led me to God. We know what beauty is.3. I watched the first three episodes of The Confession - a series of short videos about a hitman talking to a priest. The music is a lit > read more
blog with a view
Published on 2011-04-02 21:07:00
Blogger is offering five new ways to look at blogs. Just add /view to the end of a blog address, for example: www.mike2theg.blogspot.com/view. I particularly enjoy the timeslide option. > read more
these hands
Published on 2011-03-31 08:18:00
Fr. Dwight on the hands of a priest. Read it, it's a great meditation.The hands of the priest are the sign of the priest--in the ordinary the extraordinary is seen. Through his humanity God's divinity wants to shine. This is the mystery of the sacra > read more
just things
Published on 2011-03-31 08:10:00
1. Why the footnotes in most Bibles stink.2. "There's no such fing as grace!" - On anger in the Church.3. A great story about the pilot who flew JPII when he visited the US in 1979.4. Peter Jackson is changing The Hobbit. Big surprise.5. David Malki > read more
Sometimes good TV wins
Published on 2011-03-25 08:33:00
Fringe was renewed for a fourth season! > read more
church and church
Published on 2011-03-24 13:22:00
1. Want to wear the same socks as Pope Benedict?2. Interesting: John Paul II wanted confession during Mass.3. Fr. Dwight Longenecker: Do beautiful churches produce vocations?I can say for myself that my experiences of the beauty and mystery of the li > read more
the arts
Published on 2011-03-24 13:01:00
1. Flanner O'Connor on banning books in schools - This is a very reasonable take on the issue. Students should read the classics so that they know how to read more modern literature.2. An interview with Bear McCreary as he scores The Cape - a bad sho > read more
history
Published on 2011-03-24 12:52:00
Here's the creator. > read more
civil wars sxsw ep
Published on 2011-03-21 13:40:00
Get the EP of The Civil Wars live at SXSW. It's only $3.99 and has three songs you can't get anywhere else. I particularly love "From This Valley" and their version of "Disarm" by Smashing Pumpkins. > read more
Sydney Opera House - "All Delighted People"
Published on 2011-03-19 23:13:00
Sydney Opera House - "All Delighted People" > read more
sing it
Published on 2011-03-12 22:02:00
1. A great remix of Sufjan's "Impossible Soul." [Thanks, Matthew]2. A great article on Pomplamoose and their place in the music industry.3. The Carnival of the Animals: The Aquarium by Camille Saint-Saëns - Mysterious and cool.4. A Pomplamoose colla > read more
spring break happened
Published on 2011-03-12 20:37:00
So, following this post, the rest of my spring break:On Tuesday I went back to Latrobe and met up with one of my classmates for dinner.The next morning, after Mass, we got in our rented Ford Escape and left for Alabama. It took 13 hours to get down t > read more
learning experience
Published on 2011-03-12 20:00:00
I preached tonight and will be doing it again tomorrow as well. My focus was on how Jesus' temptation in the desert recapitulated (I love that word) the Israelites' own journey through the desert.After I delivered my homily, I kept thinking of other > read more
spring break happenings
Published on 2011-02-28 22:16:00
Today was my only full day at home for this break and it was a good one.Me and my brother went to Mass at Franciscan and saw a whole bunch of people we know. It's always good to hang out on campus - it takes me back to summers working there, going to > read more
crazy weekend
Published on 2011-02-28 10:01:00
... which means, for me:Leading two hours of retreat on SaturdayPreaching all of the MassesParty with the bishop, priests and seminarians of the diocese.Driving back home and watching Road to Perdition.Today:MassLunchMaking dinner > read more
quickly
Published on 2011-02-24 11:48:00
I was thinking about this blog today. I feel like I think about it in terms of "what interesting links can I share" a little too much. I end up bookmarking a huge amount of articles, blog posts and videos - and then never really getting to them.Basic > read more
it's a wednesday sort of day
Published on 2011-02-23 17:26:00
1. "I Am the Prodigal" - New music from Kevin Heider with a clever video.2. Every #1 song until 1992, 5 seconds at a time. It might take longer than you imagine.3. The interesting history of Armed Services Edition books.4. Illusion! Escher's Waterfal > read more
between the states
Published on 2011-02-23 17:18:00
Some stuff from The Civil Wars:1. Four songs live at Paste Magazine, including a cool cover of "Disarm" by Smashing Pumpkins (here's the original).2. A whole concert at Joe's Pub.3. An audio interview with some live songs. > read more
Sufjan in Australia
Published on 2011-02-15 22:49:00
Watch Sufjan Stevens perform "Too Much," "The Age of Adz" and "All Delighted People" at the Sydney Opera House.Last month, I ordered two Sufjan albums (Michigan and Illinois) on vinyl. It took forever for them to ship and I was wondering what happene > read more
The angel of the Lord declared ...
Published on 2011-02-15 14:52:00
The meaning and origin of the Angelus prayer.I first learned the Angelus at Franciscan University of Steubenville. I didn't go there but I worked there over many summers and had the opportunity to go to daily Mass on campus. The Angelus is prayed rig > read more
Charity
Published on 2011-02-15 14:41:00
A man goes above and beyond to help an elderly woman stranded in a Chicago airport. Beautiful!"She is somebody's grandmother," Germeyer said. "And to slide this piece of paper across the desk and say, 'Here is your voucher, good luck,' when she hasn' > read more
inside pixar
Published on 2011-02-15 14:15:00
four things
Published on 2011-02-11 21:38:00
1. I love Roadie #42's blog about Coldplay's recording process. It's a unique look into the world of some talented and creative songwriters.Often, when talking about working in studios, people say "God, I couldn't stand it, listening to people playin > read more
Fr. Barron on "exorcism movies" and me on The Rite
Published on 2011-02-11 21:24:00
Fr. Barron gives a great evaluation of the spiritual themes in The Exorcist - some that I had never recognized. However, he was not a big fan of The Rite.I, on the other hand, thoroughly enjoyed it. Having read the book a few years ago, I wasn't too > read more
and what?
Published on 2011-02-10 18:28:00
1. An interesting interview with composer Bear McCreary.2. House of Fallen Timbers - A man chronicles his work of building a cabin from "dead trees and found materials."3. From AoM: Unleash the Power of the Nap - Actually pretty fascinating.4. The My > read more
I miss LOST
Published on 2011-02-10 18:17:00
1. LOST Answers - A scientist cleverly (and often sarcastically) answers all of your questions about the mysteries of the show. Like me, he enjoyed the ending and refuses to apologize for it. 2. Check out this awesome t-shirt: > read more
disciples make disciples
Published on 2011-02-10 17:55:00
Fr. Damian J. Ference on "Why vocations programs don't work."Read the whole piece. Here are a few of the things that standout:The root of our current vocation problem is a lack of discipleship. Of course, a disciple is one who encounters Jesus, repen > read more
meditatio
Published on 2011-02-10 14:30:00
1. Bultmann's New Clothes - Fr. Dwight Longenecker on "de-mythologizing" the Bible.What Bultmann wanted to do was to steer around the historical accounts of the miraculous--to leave them in place as 'marvelous stories' but assuming that the supernatu > read more
interesting and beautiful teaching
Published on 2011-02-08 15:24:00
Bishop John Brungardt: Ordination Remarks from Rocco Palmo on Vimeo. > read more
"we are three now"
Published on 2011-02-07 18:50:00
Kari, from Mythbusters, makes a great point about Valentine's Day, marriage and family:In Valentines past, I have gone to extraordinary lengths to show my love and be romantic with my husband. Back when we were starving artists I even got a job deliv > read more
"good plain food"
Published on 2011-02-06 22:15:00
One of my favorite paragraph's from The Lord of the Rings:They were washed and in the middle of good deep mugs of beer when Mr. Butterbur and Nob came in again. In a twinkling the table was laid. There was hot soup, cold meats, a blackberry tart, new > read more
I love BXVI
Published on 2011-02-02 09:21:00
thoughts on things
Published on 2011-01-31 22:19:00
1. I recently finished The Complete Stories of Flannery O'Connor. It was a great read, but a tough one. The stories can be fairly bleak and very few of them are what I would consider "happy."I had never really read much of her work before but I had h > read more
A smaller world
Published on 2011-01-31 21:59:00
The League of Bearded Catholics captures exactly what has bothered me about the Chronicles of Narnia movies.… the Narnia in which the children find themselves is just... smaller than the one in the books. Not geographically, but less grand, less no > read more
duly noted
Published on 2011-01-31 21:41:00
1. The USCCB has put out an annotated version of the new translation of the Mass. It shows where all of the Scripture references came from - and there are plenty!2. From frat boy to priest - a great story of one man's priesthood.3. I heard about St. > read more
what devilry is this?
Published on 2011-01-31 21:21:00
1. Why the Devil uses abortion to eliminate Down SyndromeAfter spending years on the streets as a Police Officer and witnessing how the devil quickly invades and corrupts people, it is priceless to be in the presence of a soul that cannot be compromi > read more
purge
Published on 2011-01-31 19:50:00
1. Bear McCreary writes good music: The Cape's Main Title Theme. The show, however, isn't as good.2. Kevin Heider has a free (podcast) download of his catchy song, "Annie of the Sea" available on iTunes.3. Tracking down my online haters - A sportswri > read more
talking heads
Published on 2011-01-28 11:28:00
Fr. Cutie: Fallen Priest Gets Own Show . . . on FOX!I guess it's not that surprising. Just frustrating.He left the priesthood (and the Church) ... fine, whatever. But now he's profiting from it and being given a forum to share his ideas about whateve > read more
beautiful
Published on 2011-01-24 20:14:00
Solemn Profession of a Poor Clare Nun from St. Louis Review on Vimeo. > read more
what a weekend
Published on 2011-01-23 20:50:00
What I planned: Preach on Saturday, head to the March for Life on Sunday morning (with a group from the diocese), come back here Monday night, go back to school Tuesday morning.What happened: The cold that has been lingering since before Christmas ca > read more
this is demonic
Published on 2011-01-19 15:35:00
Philadelphia Abortion Doctor Charged With 8 Counts of Murder An abortion doctor who catered to minorities, immigrants and poor women was charged with eight counts of murder in the deaths of a patient and seven babies who were born alive an > read more
three for the evening
Published on 2011-01-17 21:26:00
1. Check out I Will Lower My Net, a vocations blog by a priest from the Diocese of Erie, PA who was still in school here when I started. 2. A fairly good piece on the place of exorcism in the Church. 3. Some good points on evangelizing teens.Lesnefsk > read more
impressive
Published on 2011-01-17 21:21:00
music: good and free
Published on 2011-01-17 21:13:00
Currently I am enjoying the music of The Civil Wars. They have a great blue and folk driven sound. Plus you can get a live album and their newest single for free! > read more
Sancta Missa
Published on 2011-01-13 15:34:00
An extremely helpful and informative website about all things Extraordinary (Form).They have the entire Latin missal, videos, tutorials ... and a nice design! > read more
Justice & Mercy
Published on 2011-01-13 15:21:00
Fr. Robert Barron on True Grit. He makes some great points:Finally, Mattie frees herself and shoots to death her father’s murderer, but the recoil on the gun is so strong that she is pushed into a snake pit, where she receives a bite on the hand. > read more
And all the rest.
Published on 2011-01-13 14:58:00
1. The Ironic Catholic says that we don't have a vocations crisis, we have a recognizing the Holy Spirit crisis.2. The Art of Minimalism on getting out of a funk.Find your core principles.Destroy your Day Planner.Tell a few buddies.Amp up the excitem > read more
Remember LOST?
Published on 2011-01-13 14:53:00
Here's a great poster with symbols for each episode of the last season. > read more
some music
Published on 2011-01-13 14:42:00
1. The c60 music player is a physical way to listen to digital music. Very interesting!c60 Redux from IDEO on Vimeo.I got a record player for Christmas and lately I've been thinking the way we listen to music. There's something special about holding > read more
two ...
Published on 2011-01-13 14:37:00
... Catholic women doing great things and being featured in the National Catholic Register:1. Audrey Assad has an amazing voice and good taste in books.2. Leah Darrow is a former model and an advocate for purity. > read more
The Hype
Published on 2011-01-13 14:30:00
Why the News Makes Us Dumb - Joe Carter on the artificial hype we see in the 24 hour news machine.As a Christian, I’m expected to take an eternal perspective, viewing events not only in their historical but also in their eschatological context. But > read more
The (almost) 365 Photo Project: new year, new laptop
Published on 2011-01-10 00:19:00
A picture every day ... except for the ones I've already missed. RIP Dell Inspiron > read more
It's a new semester.
Published on 2011-01-10 00:08:00
It's my last one too.I will be studying Mariology, the Catholic Church in the U.S., Priesthood Prep, Sacraments (the ones we didn't cover last semester) and Biomedical Ethics.It will be a tough, exciting and surely fast semester. Please pray for all > read more
Steven Greydanus on True Grit
Published on 2011-01-01 17:47:00
I agree with this review, especially this evaluation of the ending:Is there justice? Does the Author of all things see? In an opening monologue Mattie declares: “No doubt Chaney fancied himself scot-free, but he was wrong. You must pay for everythi > read more