Friday, September 30, 2005
NEXT….
Following an instinct, I made a call from the road where I heard of the following e-mail message:

NEW NFCYM DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP SERVICES
We are very pleased to announce that Michael Theisen will join the national staff as Director of Membership Services. Michael has been the Director of Youth Ministry for the Diocese of Rochester for thirteen years. Prior to his diocesan experience, Michael served for eight years at the Church of the Epiphany in Richmond, VA. Michael has a Masters Degree in Social Work and a Masters Degree in Religious Education. Through Saint Mary’s Press, Michael has authored/co-authored twelve books in youth ministry.
As Director of Membership Services, Michael will have primary responsibility for NCCYM, significant responsibility for the program at NCYC, and coordinate NDDI and Second Wind. Michael will also be the NFCYM representative in the inter-organizational Adolescent Catechesis Initiative. Michael begins his new role on November 1, 2005.

I passed along my greetings to all the appropriate parties.  << Youth Ministry Stuff >>

  Thursday, September 29, 2005
where has it gone?
It is almost 2pm.  I’ve been in the office almost 6 hours already.  I’ve solved some world problems and built more power points (wait until you see the NDC!!) Nonetheless, my e-mails and to-do list are piling up.  (Have not even got to voice mail yet!)  Where has the day gone? Tomorrow is no help.  It is a service day tomorrow for the office, we are building a playground.  But it is the end of September…  I’ve been employed by ArchBalt for almost 100 days. I had some much to get done early. Where has my month gone?  My youngest child reminded me that she is a 13-year-old young woman. My son has replaced me as a parish catechist. Where has my life gone?  If you find my day, month, or life, please send it back to me.   (Maybe I lost it all in Atlanta?!?!)  << Blogging >>

Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Hot-lanta
It was a back-and-forth trip to Atlanta today…  checking the wonders of the city our delegation’s attendance at the National Catholic Youth Conference.  Me and the MARTA have become very close.  << Work Day >>

  Monday, September 26, 2005
Sorry about that, chief!
Don Adams died today. << Culture >>

  Sunday, September 25, 2005
Common Perceptions about the Church
Dan Kimball is wrapping up a book for Zondervan called "They Like Jesus, but Not the Church". It is based out of a series of interviews done with people (primarily those in their twenties) who either dropped out of the church, or grew up outside of the church and want nothing to do with church.
The list below is the primary things they have said are their perceptions of the church and Christians – which keep them away from the church (not in any order).
* The Church is an “Organized Religion” with a political agenda
* The Church is Judgmental and Negative
* The Church is Male Dominated and Female Oppressive
* The Church is Homophobic
* The Church Thinks They Have the Exclusive Way to God (and everyone else is wrong)
* The Church takes the Bible too literally and are “Fundamentalists”
Interesting stuff, eh???   << Church >>

  Saturday, September 24, 2005
inner PEACE
From my spam mail files today: "By following the simple advice I heard on a Dr. Phil show, I have finally found inner peace. Dr. Phil proclaimed: "The way to achieve inner peace is to finish all the things you’ve started." So I looked around my house to see all the things I started and hadn’t finished, and before leaving the house this morning, I finished off a fifth of Crown Royal, a bottle of Merlot, a bottle of Bailey’s, a bottle of Kahlua, a package of Oreos, the remainder of both Prozac and Valium prescriptions, the rest of the cheesecake, some saltines and a box of chocolates.
You have no idea how freaking good I feel."  << Funny Business >>

  Friday, September 23, 2005
it’s a big church
Nuestro ministerio debe servir muchos rostros en la casa de Dios  << Church >>

  Thursday, September 22, 2005
Rita could equal $5 Gas
Remember when gas spiked to $3-plus a gallon after Hurricane Katrina? By this time next week, that could seem like the good old days. Weather and energy experts say that as bad as Hurricane Katrina hit the nation’s supply of gasoline, Hurricane Rita could be worse. (See the Money article)  << Culture >>

  Wednesday, September 21, 2005
STORMS a’COMING
in my e-mail inbox today:
CNN Breaking News (5:10 pm, yesterday)– Hurricane Rita expected to reach category 4 in the Gulf of Mexico by 2 p.m. ET Wednesday, forecasters say.
CNN Breaking News (2:06 am)– Hurricane Rita, moving westward away from the Florida Keys, has become a Category 3 storm with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph.
CNN Breaking News (7:48 am) — Hurricane Rita now Category 4 storm with top sustained winds near 135 mph, according to National Hurricane Center.
CNN Breaking News (4:09 pm) — – Hurricane Rita reaches Category 5 status with maximum sustained winds of 165 mph, the National Hurricane Center says.  << Culture >>

  Tuesday, September 20, 2005
APYM
Spent to day with the Archdiocesan Profession Youth Ministers association, a local variation that precedes the National Association of Catholic Youth Ministry Leaders. It brought to mind the ‘reputation’ of the field of Catholic Youth Ministry and this recent article, Escape from Gilligan’s Island, (its a pdf) which discusses how many actors work hard to avoid being typecast as a specific character for the rest of their professional careers, especially if it’s a role like Gilligan. Many youth ministers, however, continue to perpetuate a Gilligan-like persona, not realizing how it may be hindering their effectiveness.  << Youth Ministry Stuff >>

  Monday, September 19, 2005
NDC QUOTABLE QUOTE
"We bishops hope this National Directory for Catechesis will be a source of inspiration for catechesis in the diocese and parishes of the United States and an important reference point for the formation of catechists and the preparation of catechetical resources." (#5) << Church >>

  Sunday, September 18, 2005
The Baltimore Ravens
Thanks NFL for an early bye week coming up. My team did not get a first down in the first half and gained only 23 yards in their seven three-and-punt possessions. My team was penalized 10 times for 73 yards, which exceeded their total yards rushing by five times. My team gave up a stupid safety because they were so backed up towards the end zone that it was impossible to kick.  Perhaps, I will be cheering for the Redskins on Monday night. << Friends and Family >>

  Saturday, September 17, 2005
Evangelization, catechesis, and shall we dance
Sorry, it another reference to the  "Morning" presentation as a vision for adolescent catechesis. In slides 48-54, I’m making a stretch reference between evangelization, catechesis and the movie Shall We Dance.  In it, Susan Sarandon has a great monologue regarding marriage.  Replace marriage with christian community or church (and in our faith, it IS the same thing) and you get:
"We need a witnesses to our lives. There’s a billion people on the planet… I mean, what does any one life really mean? But in a marriage church, you’re promising to care about everything. The good things, the bad things, the terrible things, the mundane things… all of it, all of the time, every day. You’re saying ‘Your life will not go unnoticed because I will notice it. Your life will not go un-witnessed because I will be your witness’."  << Church >>

Saturday, September 17, 2005
Fahrenheit 9/11 KATRINA, THE JOKE
Question:
What’s President Bush’s position on Roe vs. Wade?
Answer:
He doesn’t care how people get out of New Orleans.
and from the Boondocks by Columbia’s Aaron McGurder:
<< Funny Stuff >>

  Friday, September 16, 2005
National Directory for Catechesis
Attended the mid-Atlantic Regional Workshop for Diocesan Personnel on the Implementation of the National Directory for Catechesis. The best compliment for the process was that it was worth the near eight hors in the car to get to beautiful Saddle Brook, New Jersey.  What made it worth the ride was sharing the ride with folks who, like me, just had to go see.  This site will likely be seeing a list of NDC quotable quotes.  Here’s the first:
"The service of catechists to God and to the Church is truly irreplaceable.  No catechetical materials, resources, or tools—no matter how excellent—can replace the catechist." (#66) << Church >>

  Thursday, September 15, 2005
GOOGLING MYSELF
So, put my name in on Google images and you get these guys:
All righty, then, life could have been worse!  << Funny Stuff >>

  Wednesday, September 14, 2005
COUNTING TO 31
It was a good day today. The New Youth Ministers’ Orientation brought some fresh faces into the office.  I shared slides 42-47 of the "Morning" presentation as a vision for adolescent catechesis and that seemed well received.  Our staff was complimented that "we must all be a ‘hoot’ to work with each other." I picked up two more speaking gigs today which I enjoy. This evening involved Hunan and some killer cribbage competition (of which I only report because. . .  I won!) << Friends and Family >>

  Monday, September 12, 2005
Fahrenheit 9/11 KATRINA, FINAL WORD
CNN Breaking News at 12:05 pm – - – "President Bush says he takes responsibility for the federal government’s failures in responding to Hurricane Katrina." << Culture >>
tHE DREAm
It’s back to work day following post World Youth Day recuperation time. It is as good as anytime to reflect upon what is motivating.  It is good news that the waters are receding in the south.  It is good news that the Israelis have receded from the Gaza Strip. Revisions on the book draft will be finished this week and sent to some readers before expanding my potential publishers list. Beside a slightly messy office, the task list is seeming in order and ready for a busy and active fall. The Ravens looked at least a little credible last night. Relationships are not an impossible dream. Windmills are on the horizon, let’s go! << Blogging >>

  Friday, September 9, 2005
Between the plumber and the baseball game
The pun-apparent after a visit from Len the plumber and an evening game at RFK was going to involve both dealing with stuff going down the drain, but the evening ended with a Nationals’ come from behind victory 8-6 over the Atlanta Braves. CHARGE!! Could this be the start of a late surge for the wild-card? << Friends and Family >>
Fahrenheit 9/11 KATRINA, INTERNATIONAL EDITION
. . .In the early hours after the storm there was similar concern (to 9/11), especially since Katrina triggered memories of the recent Asian tsunami. As events unfolded, however, many observers were quickly dumbfounded by how ill-prepared American authorities seemed to be; this is not how the richest and most powerful country in the world is supposed to function.
Then, as images of chaos played out on television screens, the inescapable fact that many of the hardest-hit victims are poor, minorities, and the elderly began to reinforce some of the worst stereotypes many overseas observers already harbor of America.
Critics have long charged that the United States is a cut-throat culture with little sense of community, one in which the poor and minorities are largely left to fend for themselves. Here, it seemed, was dramatic proof of the point, as large pockets of already vulnerable people appeared to be literally abandoned.
Le Monde, the largest paper in France, said that the hurricane had "highlighted the country’s social inequalities."
"Despite the economic and military strength it is prepared to deploy overseas, the United States has shown itself incapable of dealing with a catastrophe of this dimension at home," Le Monde said.
La Repubblica, a leading Italian daily, offered similar comments.
"The catastrophe placed before the eyes of the United States and the world the reality of extreme inequality, and extreme degradation," one of the paper’s editorialists wrote. "It has also shown the extreme fragility of the leading country of the Western world, and of the values it wants to export and of which it pretends to be the main source, but which are absent in its own country a century and a half after the war of secession."  From today’s The Word From Rome by John Allen.    << Culture >>

  Thursday, September 8, 2005
THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO HMMMMM
I’ve been reading this article and the accompanying links on Second Chair Leadership.  Hmmmm. I’ve been on a creative jag- having revised seven of the nine chapters of my book draft.  Hmmmmm. I’ve been back in the gym four of the last five days.  Hmmmm. (Grooooan) I’m presenting tonight. Hmmmm.     << Youth Ministry Stuff >>

  Tuesday, September 6, 2005
Fahrenheit 9/11 KATRINA, PART II
"Voters will forgive a president many mistakes but no leader can survive a public judgment that he is unsure of himself and hostage to events. . . We’ve thought for some time that Mr. Bush’s reticence was hurting him on Iraq, and that he needs to be both more visible and more assertive in making his case to Americans. After Katrina, we’d say that is imperative."  From this morning’s Wall Street Journal.    << Culture >>
yOU’VE GOT TO SPEND SOME MONEY TO MAKE SOME MONEY
Last night, the kids came over requesting a pancake dinner.  Monopoly followed.  Jo, the wheelbarrow, had the purple properties and opted to buy houses.  She thought about buying two each, but, cautiously bought one. The picture captures everyone’s next roll. For the record, I was out first. It came down to Clark beating Nichole. << Friends and Family >>
Attracting young people back to the parish

<< Funny Business>>

  Monday, September 5, 2005
PROMISE KEPT
As mentioned previously, the power point regarding Beloit College’s Mindset List has now been posted up. You’ll find it here.   << Youth Ministry Stuff >>
Fahrenheit 9/11 KATRINA
Getting political for a moment, I am aligned with this cartoon and this this Time magazine article. I’m just saying…     << Culture >>

  Sunday, September 4, 2005
VICTORS
Archbishop Alfred Hughes of New Orleans was on the Today show this morning.  He spoke of transforming ourselves from victims into victors analogizing the tragedy in the south with the story of Calvary. When you get your 90 seconds on national TV as a church leader, this is the sort of stuff you should be doing.   << Church >>
HANG ON… IT’S GONNA BE A BUMPY RIDE
For those in the church who watched the fiscal impact of 9/11 and child abuse scandals on the diocesan youth ministry, it is important to note this CNN/ Money news article: "Bulls returning from the long holiday weekend should best be prepared to hit the ground running. Although light on news, the week ahead may be heavier on intrigue, as investors delve into September, traditionally the worst month on Wall Street, and continue to assess the economic impact of one of the worst hurricanes on record."  << Church >>

  Saturday, September 3, 2005
BELOIT COLLEGE MINDSET LIST
For the seventh year, Beloit College has distributed to its faculty and staff the Mindset List, which identifies some facts of life that distinguish this generation from those that preceded it.  One of its primary purposes has been an attempt to slow the onset of “hardening of the references” experienced by some faculty.  Realizing that this is the second promise of a power point within three blog postings, there will be a version of this posted up within the week. << Youth Ministry Stuff >>
SPORTS WEEKEND
After a post-All Star drought of sports events, I had two (almost three) in a row. Along with delightful company, I went to the Nationals vs. the Phillips, a game which should have been heated by the  wild-card race.  Unfortunately, it was 7-1 Phillies by the top of the fourth inning and that was the final score. I had considered the Maryland-Navy game tonight, but opted to visit my brother’s new home in southern Pennsylvania.  Listening to the game on the way home, I realized that I missed a near upset and a very close game. << Friends and Family >>

  Friday, September 2, 2005
NATIONAL DIRECTORY FOR CATECHESIS
Within a few weeks, there will be a power point available on this site related to the NDC.  In the meantime, the Diocese of Wilmington has made one available here << Youth Ministry Stuff >>
LOSING MY RELIGION

<< Funny Business >>

  Thursday, September 1, 2005
WHY WE STAY UNTIL THE END OF THE GAME
Last night, there was an important life lesson learned between father and son at the pre-season match up between the Redskins and the Ravens.  It truly was an awful game.  There were more flags seen than at World Youth Day. There were nearly as many penalties (26) as first downs (29).  It was just ugly.  Best lines overheard:
* At halftime, when the Ravens band was introduced as playing Chuck Mangione’s "The Land of Make Believe," a fan shouted, "This is the theme song for the Raven’s offense!"
* After a single play where three Ravens were flagged for penalties, the field announcer has an accidental open mike and said, "unbelievable!"
* After the very same play, I yelled out "Let’s have a round of applause for the eight Ravens NOT penalized on that play!"
The Ravens entered the fourth quarter down 17-6.  At the six minutes remaining in the game mark, with the Birds still down by 5, we discussed leaving as well over 80% of the crowd already had.  But, we made a choice to stay.  What a choice!
The Ravens staged a last minute drive, scored a touchdown, got an extra point that was ESPN Top Ten Play of the Day worthy (#4).  The Redskins, with a minute left, drove down for a field goal.  The remaining 10% of the fans made enough noise for a delay of game penalty, but the Skins finished regulation with a long game-tieing field goal.
Clark and I raced down the the lower bowl for better seats and saw, with less than three minutes into overtime, Randy Hymes pulled in a pass from Derek Anderson past midfield and break away from coverage, ending the game with a 66-yard touchdown reception. All this and a Goose sighting.  Not a bad night! << Friends & Family >>
LET’S REVIEW
Hundreds, maybe thousands, dead in five coastal states.  The City of New Orleans, and others, may not see the waters recede for over a month, power  and running waters will take much longer. Gas prices just jumped through the roof over night. 965 pilgrims were drowned or trampled to death and 465 were injured in the crush on a bridge in north Baghdad.   Life is certainly looking to be tough all over night now. And, yet, these lyrics from White Christmas echo in my head…

When I’m worried and I can’t sleep
I count my blessings instead of sheep
And I fall asleep counting my blessings
When my bankroll is getting small
I think of when I had none at all
And I fall asleep counting my blessings.  << Culture >>