Archive for the ‘Church’ Category

  • 24 Mar

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    Catholic Podcasts…

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    I’ve been meaning to post this for some time. While I do need to catch up on some life’s happenings, as well as some reflections from a six-week retreat that I’m taking part in – but I’m still struggling to find some time. I would like to share in an email that I wrote a few weeks back to a few friends of mine, and expand on this a bit. And give you an idea of a latest technology obsession of mine…

    Friends of mine may know that I have been listening to a PodCast put on by Fr. Roderick Vonhögen, a diocesan priest from the Archdiocese of Utrecht, the Netherlands. For the last year, Fr. Roderick has been producing Catholic Podcasts (starting with the Catholic Insider) taking place in Rome. Fr. Roderick was in Rome during John Paul II’s death, as well as the Papal Conclave and offers some audio accounts of those events. Currently Fr. Roderick hosts a podcast called The Daily Breakfast, a 25-minute show that includes music, Catholic news, reflections, Entertainment Reviews (including shows like 24 and Lost), Health tips and lots of other information! It’s a really interesting PodCast and I find myself starting my mornings with this show. The Daily Breakfast is entertaining and reaches a vast audience, including many non-Catholics. One of my favorite segments Fr. Roderick does is called “The Peculiar Bunch” which “answers all those questions you have about Catholics, but are afraid to ask”.

    The Daily Breakfast isn’t necessarily intellectually or spiritually challenging, but it’s incredibly entertaining, and it offers a lot of Catholic perspective on everyday happenings. This is an amazing example of how the church can offer ministry over the Internet. Essentially Fr. Roderick has created a virtual faith community. For Catholics like myself who are searching for a meaningful faith community, this is a wonderful opportunity to hear daily reflections and dialog with a Priest on many pop-culture issues, but also taking part in this Internet community as well. Fr. Roderick is also busy forming the StarQuest Podcast Network, a network of Catholic Podcasts and currently features some other entertaining shows.

    I’d like to invite you to take some time and listen to a few episodes and see what you think! You don’t need an iPod to listen to a Podcast. “Podcast” is simply a term for a radio/audio show that can be downloaded on your computer, then moved to an iPod or MP3 player – but they can remain on your computer and you can listen to them as well. A great program to download & year Podcasts is Winpodder – http://www.winpodder.com/ , but you can also use iTunes as well – http://www.apple.com/iTunes . To subscribe to a Podcast simply visit the web site and click on the “Subscribe” links on the top right-hand side of the web page. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me!

    The Daily Breakfast Show – http://www.sqpn.com/scripts/dailybreakfast.php
    Catholic Insider Show – http://www.sqpn.com/scripts/catholicinsider.php
    Catholic Insider Site – http://www.catholicinsider.com/ – More information about both The Daily Breakfast and Catholic Insider, as well as information about Fr. Roderick
    SQPN Network – http://www.sqpn.com

    One update that I think is fun. A few weeks back. Fr. Roderick asked his listeners from around the world to send postcards of where you’re from. I ended up sending him a postcard, and he actually read it on the air – too cool! To listen to that Podcast, download DB#88 – March 10th’s and listen towards the end of the Podcast!

  • 13 Feb

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    Philly Pics!

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    Before I go to bed I need to do one last thing – post and link my pictures from the Philly trip before things get too late. I included a few pictures of interest here, and if you’re part of the NCSC (or just really bored) you can go to all of the pictures at my Flickr site!


    This is where I stayed while I was out here – the Christian Brothers Conference "Jeremy House", so we did stay at my house This house was huge!


    As you can see I’m continually battling my disorder that prevents me from taking pictures with a straight face – I’m improving…


    During our meeting we have a gift exchange where we get everyone on the National Team a gift with a $1 spending limit – so we basically all go to dollar stores. My good friend Erin was very happy with her gifts


    I sat by Erin and Andie during dinner, which produced many interesting photographic moments…

    And finally, no trip to Philly would be complete without having a Philly Cheese-Steak!

    So those are some pictures of a great weekend! I’ll need to tell the "Flux Capacitor" story while it’s still fresh in my mind…

  • 08 Feb

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    Finding acceptance in unlikely places…

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    Back in Colorado… The rest of Philadelphia was a blast, and for as much time as I spent on my laptop last week, it’s surprising that I actually didn’t get another entry onto here… I have pictures on their way, as well as some funny stories I’d like to share, but first I would like to reflect on some events in the last two days…

    Coming back from Philadelphia my re-entry has been good, but non-stop. I’m a bit behind in school, the Collegian is a little behind schedule, I have a mountain of NCSC work, "work" work has piled through the roof and I’m trying to catch up on sleep.. All throughout this time an NCSC presentation I was supposed to give at J23 has been in the back of my mind. This was supposed to be part Conference reflection, part NCSC general education (to a largely new and uninformed audience), and part NCSC outreach to my local University Ministry. I had the help of great friends of mine, yet his was something that was really getting put off. Partly due to circumstances and scheduling these last few weeks, but part of it is that I didn’t really want to think about it. Of course I want to share my NCSC experiences and involvement with my local student group, but given the whole fiasco with renewing our membership did I seriously expect them to be open to what I was offering?

    I was completely blown away by these last few days.

    On Monday afternoon the three NCSC’ers met with our University Ministers. I wasn’t really sure why they wanted to meet or what we were going to get out of this meeting, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that not only were they welcoming, but I had this sense of genuine interest and openness to the NCSC and the three of us who have felt particularly alienated by the UM program. The questions they asked were sincere, the suggestions they offered where valuable – a true dialog took place. When we walked out my good friend turned to me and said "This is the best feeling I’ve had after a meeting in the [Student Commons]." I completely echo’d that sentiment. After well over a year of conflict, I finally left a meeting feeling positive and supported. I actually was getting very excited and a bit nervous about making this NCSC presentation.

    Tuesday rolled around and along with it came the TNT presentation. We put in a lot of work on Monday. I had five different hand-outs and pieces of information, we put together an awesome photo slide-show, and I actually put together a PowerPoint presentation explaining the basics of NCSC. We came into it pretty well prepared.

    Overall the slide show went very well. The audience was a bit small, but they were attentive. We threw a lot of information at them, and they seemed to take it pretty well. I think we may have overloaded them a little, but considering this may have been our only opportunity to appeal to the student group this semester, I felt pretty good about how things went. Again the campus ministers were completely receptive, and it made a great difference in the presentation. It was a very successful night, and in many ways offered some healing and reconciliation for what’s happened with University Ministry at J23…

    There was one small part that bothered me… During the presentation we talked about the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s) and the NCSC’s commitment to promote them through our International and Programming efforts. One student (one of the FOCUS bible study leaders), raised his hand and asked, "These goals look good and fine, but how exactly are they bringing Jesus?". He offered the scenario that if these goals are met Extreme Hunger and Poverty would be gone, but "they still wouldn’t have Jesus…" We tried to address some of his issues, explaining that the MDG’s were one of many resolutions, efforts and programming that are being offered – perhaps it’s what he meant.

    What I fear is that this student may truly feel that the only way to offer compassion and social justice is through evangelization. I would like to believe that this student doesn’t have this mind-set from his FOCUS experience – I don’t have the information to say one way or the other. However, if his perceived mindset is the case, then I really struggle with that vision. It was as if this student had no concept of Catholic Social Teaching, or the call of charity, compassion and service that Christ calls all to do. Is the perception of "bringing Jesus" so narrow that one feels the only meaningful way of accomplishing this is by direct evangelization (and in many ways proselytising to a person). Do your acts of justice and compassion not reveal Christ’s love, offering a personal encounter with Christ? I struggle because it was just two weeks ago when the Pope addressed this very issue in his Encyclical Letter, in which he beautifully stated:

    "Charity, furthermore, cannot be used as a means of engaging in what is nowadays considered proselytism. Love is free; it is not practised as a way of achieving other ends. But this does not mean that charitable activity must somehow leave God and Christ aside. For it is always concerned with the whole man. Often the deepest cause of suffering is the very absence of God. Those who practise charity in the Church’s name will never seek to impose the Church’s faith upon others. They realize that a pure and generous love is the best witness to the God in whom we believe and by whom we are driven to love. A Christian knows when it is time to speak of God and when it is better to say nothing and to let love alone speak."

    This was a relatively minor issue, but it was one that did stick with me and felt the need to process a bit. In the end, I was really glad for the experience and opportunity to once again address the University Ministry… A great start to a good, but hectic week….

  • 01 Feb

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    Philadelphia Greetings – Does the Goat Go?

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    I got into Philly safely this morning. The over-night flight was a bit hard, but much better than my original 6am flight (meaning that I would have to leave my house at 3am). I rolled into the place that I am staying (coincidentally called "Jeremy House") at 6am and after a bit of location confusion, I managed to get in and get some sleep… I am partially rested this morning, but am ready for a few long days of good meetings, hard work and fun times.

    For those who don’t live close to me or haven’t seen me in the last few weeks, you may be surprised to know that I shaved my goatee after the Broncos loss last weekend. After 5+ years of having the goatee, it’s been a bit of adjustment for both myself and people around me. To top it off I also cut my hair pretty short last weekend (it’s been growing pretty long for almost three months), so it’s been a bit of a change.

    Right now the jury is still out about whether or not I keep. I have committed to keeping myself clean-shaven at least until the Super Bowl, but right now I’m leaning to going a bit longer.

    What triggered this thought was last night on the plane when I ordered my drink. My drink of choice in the error is a tomato juice, but with the goatee I used to cringe whenever drinking it. The juice is so thick that more ends up on the goatee than in my mouth, and the little cocktail napkin they give you does no good… But last night was a completely different story – I barely had to use the napkin at all! It was awesome!

    Which leads me to want to create a Pro’s & Cons list about not having goatee and being clean shaven:

    Pro’s

    • Don’t have to worry about trimming it and getting all shaggy
    • No random hair ends up in the mouth
    • Easier to kiss with a smooth face (I think Bethany appreciates it too)
    • People say I look younger
    • Orange juice with pulp is drinkable
    • The little cocktail napkin on the plane is enough for the tomato juice

    Cons

    • The shape of my face has lost definition – it feels rounder
    • I can no longer stroke the goatee when pondering things

    Does anyone else have any pro’s or con’s? I would appreciate any suggestions you may have. I’ll post a picture of myself later on…

    I’ll also break out the camera later today to show you some pictures of Philly. We’re not going to see much in terms of sights, but the places we’re staying and meeting at are beautiful!

  • 23 Jan

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    Pastoral Council Retreat & Broncos Defeat

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    Ah yes, so another week has passed and another week of neglecting my blogging… Do you see a pattern now? As I’m writing this, I’m still getting over the shock of the Broncos losing the AFC Championship and watching our trip to the Super Bowl go down the drain. In some ways I’m glad I didn’t blog about my excitement earlier this week, because now I don’t have to compare it to the disappointment I have now… Last week the build-up was amazing. In honor of Jake Plummer’s grizzly beard I decided to stop shaving and grow my own beard. By Sunday morning I was beginning to get pretty hairy, and I was imagining what the beard would look like by Super Bowl, but now that hope has passed, and I went home and cleaned my painted face and shaved the whole face, including the goat… It feels weird, but so does not winning the Championship game and going to the Super Bowl… Argghh….

    A few pictures though:


    Emily, Bethany & I in front of Mile High before the game


    Bethany and I at the end of the game, being "Sad Bronco Fans"

    Of course this week has been busy with all sorts of activities…

    Pastoral Council Retreat

    So it’s official, I am no longer in Pastoral Council!! My tenure as Pastoral Council Chair and as a student representative ended last weekend with the Pastoral Council Retreat. To finally be done with Pastoral Council – I cannot convey the level of relief that I now feel.

    Please don’t take my relief and excitement as a negative reflection of Pastoral Council, or the members that have been and are currently part of the group. I think the intentions of Pastoral Council are noble, and the Council is lucky to have the members they have today. There are many great minds around that table, and I’m privilege to have been a part of that. However after 3 & 1/2 years on Council my departure was long overdue, especially after some of the events that transpired during my time on the Council. The leadership hardship and struggles that took place over the last three years have resulted in my ultimate disenfranchisement of the decision-making process at John XXIII. I have attempted to reconcile my struggles and feelings, but ultimately I think what will be best for both myself and PC is my bowing out.

    Throughout our retreat this weekend I spent a lot of time thinking about where things are going – the opportunities and the potential struggles that exist. I do admit that part of me will miss being informed on the issues, participating in the discussions and deliberations and the idea of shaping our Parish. However my feelings of relief were reinforced by an event that happened on Saturday morning:

    One of the primary goals of this retreat was to better understand how exactly leadership in our Parish works with our Pastor, and to define the process and expectations as to what Pastoral Council will do and what capacity they will function in. We had a facilitator graciously give of his time to come mediate the discussion, and offer guidance on how we go about defining our leadership structure. The morning started off with great potential – the discussion was very fruitful. However when we got ready to do a round table brainstorming session of our expections of each other, the Pastor got up and said "Well, [the other Priest] and I need to go hear Confessions at [another Parish]. We’ll be back later."

    You have got to be kidding me! Here we have 25 people that gave their early Saturday morning to be here, and you essentially made the rest of the morning meaningless! How can we define the appropriate expectations of leadership between the Pastor and leadership groups when the Pastor isn’t present to take part in the discussion.

    I appreciate the efforts of the facilitator and the group to continue the brainstorming session. I thought the discussion was very fruitful and the participants definitely benefited from the discussion. At the same time, because the Pastor wasn’t there leads back to the same problem of lack of communication which leads to making uninformed decisions and not communicating them!

    Obviously I’m not suggesting that a Priest should not offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation, but when he agreed to volunteer for the other Parish did he not think about the impact of this decision? We planned this date in the early fall for the sole purpose of offering a time that would work for everyone. If you’re going to schedule around this retreat then the least you can do is inform us with more than a 10 second notice! By double-booking this event and not informing anyone, I interpreted this action as a statement about Pastoral Council’s value in the leadership process. It’s actions like these which convince me that things are not going to change at J23 any time soon, and remind me that one can only bang their head against that wall so many times before you can’t get up.

    I’m going to keep praying for Pastoral Council, the J23 staff, the Pastor and everyone involved in this leadership process. I see the potential, enthusiasm and energy that was present throughout the weekend – and I realize how much my experiences have caused me to lose those qualities. I hope that a change occurs while Pastoral Council is still abundant in those gifts. Right now – I feel at peace with my departure…

    On the other hand, my NCSC Involvement continues to be life-giving and a positive source of energy. Since Conference it seems like things have been fast-paced with no signs of stopping. I still feel comfortable with the workload, and I only get more excited with all of the projects we have ramping up. Something interesting : I am 22 days into being the PR Chair and as of tonight I’ve sent 124 emails. By comparison for the entire year as Western Regional chair I sent 678 emails. I don’t think it’s so much that I’m busier, as much as that I’m shifting the kind of work I’m doing. I am now spending a lot of time on email though…

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