Thursday, April 27, 2006
Hooray for Clark
Tonight is the office’s Annual Recognition Dinner.  One of the award recipients is my son Clark and I will be offering comments on his award.  You can find them here. [friends & family]

  Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Hooray for Japan
A group of young Japanese Catholics had decided to find the roots of Christianity in Japan by organizing meetings and pilgrimages across the country. The Shinsei Kaikan Youth Centre in Tokyo organized the first such event, a pilgrimage to places where its first representatives suffered martyrdom, to better understand the origins of Japanese Catholicism. Read more here. [youth ministry]
the ipod pope
Jay Leno has a faux video related to Benedict owning an Ipod.  See the short film here. [pope]
On Condoms: Breaking News
Amy Welborn, in a ironically named blog entry, has called my attention to a John Allen report indicating that "a forthcoming Vatican document is set to state that use of condoms by a married couple, where one partner is infected with HIV/AIDS and the other is not, can be acceptable to prevent the transmission of the disease." It would be pastoral, but also perceived as a theological crack in the door. . . we’ll see. [church]
refocusing catholic youth ministry
Excerpt from Chapter Seven: Young and Dangerous – Therefore, it is time to increase the ante and the stakes regarding our work with vocation.   The work of encouraging vocations is not just about encouraging priesthood, although this is essential to our Church.  We need to encourage young people is discern the ways that they will build a lifestyle around their baptismal promises. 
We can no longer be satisfied with ministry that duplicates itself.  True ministry anticipates that the ministry that is replicated from our efforts will advance and improve.  We can no longer be satisfied with a ministry that remains comfortable in place.  We must recognize that something has sadly died in a ministry that has participants in the same place twenty years later doing the same things.  Read Chapter Seven Countdown to Pentecost: 39 days.  [book]

  Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Hooray for Bollywood
Having fun with a pretend BYCC promotion.  See the short film here. [youth ministry]

  Monday, April 24, 2006
Being wireless-less
I was up ay O’Dwyer retreat house this weekend.  They have no internet connection available to me.  I’ll be up there also three of the next four weekends.  Being wireless-less has obviously affected my health, as I suffered a massive head and chest cold and limped with a bum knee most of the weekend.  The weekend retreat was great but more effort through hacking and being gimpy.  I must be 67 years old. [blogging]

  Friday, April 21, 2006
Report from SRI LANKA
In  the view of Father Marius Fernando, national youth chaplain, the church needs to provide "a lot of space for youth," recognizing that they represent the future of the church. "Unfortunately, the parish priests here have a tendency to encourage the passive and mediocre youth who fall in line with their way of thinking," Father Fernando said. "This is wrong, as it is the strong-spirited and pushy youth who should be given a chance to learn new activities and bring new vision," he told UCA News. Read more here. [youth ministry]

Thursday, April 20, 2006
it’s the ecology, stupid
Ten months before Hurricane Katrina left much of New Orleans underwater, Queen Elizabeth II had a private conversation with Prime Minister Tony Blair about George W. Bush. The Queen’s tradition of meeting once a week with Britain’s elected head of government to discuss matters of state—usually on Tuesday evenings in Buckingham Palace and always alone, to ensure maximum confidentiality—goes back to 1952, the year she ascended the throne. In all that time, the contents of those chats rarely if ever leaked.
So it was extraordinary when London’s Observer reported, on October 31, 2004, that the Queen had "made a rare intervention in world politics" by telling Blair of "her grave concerns over the White House’s stance on global warming." The Observer did not name its sources, but one of them subsequently spoke to Vanity Fair.
"The Queen first of all made it clear that Buckingham Palace would be happy to help raise awareness about the climate problem," says the source, a high-level environmental expert who was briefed about the conversation. "[She was] definitely concerned about the American position and hoped the prime minister could help change [it]."
Read more of this Variety Fair article. [culture]

  Wednesday, April 19, 2006
life of rock stars (the Shout-out entry)
Work up this morning- grabbed a great breakfast at the CNN Center- caught up on the Tom-Kat birth, and then strolled over to the workshop room. It was warm. humid, and close after a long walk to get to the room.  All attendees were offered water upon their arrival (it was a full-service workshop) John Campbell’s Bridgeport contingent was a third of the room (they do love John!).  It was a good workshop.  Followed my workshop with Mike Patin’s- he was entertaining and challenging.  Then to the Baltimore booth, followed by a stroll in the exhibit hall (Talked with two publishers.) and a hang-out time with boss Mark Pacione, Tom Zanaig, Mike Carotta, Jim Knowles, and Patin.  Off to the airport (Here come what Gene Montracelli would describe as the life of rock stars). A two hour security breach translated into a crowded airport, a 45 minute security line, a two hour delayed flight which was then cancelled, jumping standby on the last flight out, and then blogging about the whole thing upon my arrical home at 2:00 am.  A good, albeit long, day.   [blogging]

  Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Charting the Future of Adolescent Catechesis
Off to Atlanta today for the National Catholic Education Association convention (moved to here from New Orleans due to Katrina).  Presenting a workshop tomorrow entitled Carpe Manana which can be found here. Looking forward to helping promote NCEA 2007 in Baltimore as well as to running into some national contacts. [work day]

  Monday, April 17, 2006
AN Internal revenue poem
Tax his cow, tax his goat;     Tax his pants, tax his coat.
Tax his crop, tax his work;    Tax his ties, tax his shirt.
Tax his chew, tax his smoke;    Teach him taxing is no joke.
Tax his tractor, tax his mule;     Tell him, "Taxing is the rule."
Tax his oil, tax his gas;            Tax his notes, tax his cash.
Tax him good and let him know     That after taxes, he has no dough.
If he hollers, tax him more;        Tax him ’til he’s good and sore.
Tax his coffin, tax his grave,     Tax the sod ‘neath which he’s laid.
Put these words upon his tomb:     "Taxes drove him to his doom."
After he’s gone, we won’t relax;    We’ll still collect inheritance tax. [funny business]
refocusing catholic youth ministry
Excerpt from Chapter Six: Live as Disciples – In the movie Fairy Tale, the Houdini character at one point admonishes, "Never try to fool children, they expect nothing and therefore see everything." Adolescents see everything as well; our task in forming disciples is to form their world-view. "Catechesis is an education in the faith of children, young people and adults which includes especially the teaching of Christian doctrine imparted, generally speaking, in an organic and systematic way, with a view to initiating the hearers into the fullness of Christian life." What does the world look life if you are attempting to grow up and become a disciple with a Living, Explicit, and Fruitful Confession of Faith? Read Chapter Six Countdown to Pentecost: 48 days.  [book]

  Sunday, April 16, 2006 (Easter Sunday)
Alleluia!
Christus resurrexit! Jesus Christ is risen today. We all win today. [church]
Purrrrrr-fect
Daughter Nichole received the "Purr-fect Paw-formance Award" at the Maryland SPCA. I’m not sure what makes me more excited- a) that she is thriving at her career choice, or, b) that her current career choice utilizes awful puns to celebrate their employees! [friends & family]
bunny ears and cake
Today, Pope Benedict XVI celebrates his 79th birthday. Send an e-greeting card. [pope]
refocusing catholic youth ministry
Excerpt from Chapter Five: Something Better – After listening, when the “right to be heard” has been earned and achieved, the stranger responds with information that the disciples may have  been previously taught. Now hearing it in the light of their experience, it has taking on new meaning.  This Content is neither watered down or delivered even softly and gently. But, the content is clearly delivered in response to the experiences, needs, and openness of the recipient. Content assists the young disciple in making connections. Read Chapter Five Countdown to Pentecost: 49 days.  [book]

  Saturday, April 15, 2006 (Holy Saturday)
Al Gore – Movie Star
Yikes!  The preview is unsettling, and not for Al Gore.  There is a movie coming out this summer on Global Warming called An Inconvenient Truth that could rock the world. An Inconvenient Truth is not a story of despair but rather a rallying cry to protect the one earth we all share.  "It is now clear that we face a deepening global climate crisis that requires us to act boldly, quickly, and wisely," said Gore. View the trailer here. [culture]
refocusing catholic youth ministry
Excerpt from Chapter Four: R U my Other? – Dancing is nerve-racking stuff.   It takes a certain amount of confidence to be able to sing along and a vast quantity of courage to be able to step away from the obscurity and security of the wall. The actual fear of being out of step far outweighs the potential joy of attempting to be in step. Passion, love, and intimacy are unclearly defined for young people and will only become less confusing with familiarity and experience.
Discipleship, therefore, should not be presented as an easy road to be taken.  The invitation to discipleship should be recognized as “risky” as often an invitation to dance seems.  There is the risk of mis-steps, rejections, uncomfortable intimacy, and outright embarrassment.  Discipleship must be recognized as a path that risks the pain and suffering of the Passion of the Christ while also the way towards the truth and the life resurrected at Easter. Read Chapter Four Countdown to Pentecost: 50 days.  [book]
Should Moussaoui be executed?
An analysis of the morality of the death penalty can be found in Cardinal Avery  Dulles’ April 2001 First Things article Catholicism & Capital Punishment. His careful and nuanced analysis concludes by extracting 10 theses from the Magisterium:

1. The purpose of punishment in secular courts is fourfold: the rehabilitation of the criminal, the protection of society from the criminal, the deterrence of other potential criminals, and retributive justice.
2. Just retribution, which seeks to establish the right order of things, should not be confused with vindictiveness, which is reprehensible.
3. Punishment may and should be administered with respect and love for the person punished.
4. The person who does evil may deserve death. According to the biblical accounts, God sometimes administers the penalty himself and sometimes directs others to do so.
5. Individuals and private groups may not take it upon themselves to inflict death as a penalty.
6. The State has the right, in principle, to inflict capital punishment in cases where there is no doubt about the gravity of the offense and the guilt of the accused.
7. The death penalty should not be imposed if the purposes of punishment can be equally well or better achieved by bloodless means, such as imprisonment.
8. The sentence of death may be improper if it has serious negative effects on society, such as miscarriages of justice, the increase of vindictiveness, or disrespect for the value of innocent human life.
9. Persons who specially represent the Church, such as clergy and religious, in view of their specific vocation, should abstain from pronouncing or executing the sentence of death.
10. Catholics, in seeking to form their judgment as to whether the death penalty is to be supported as a general policy, or in a given situation, should be attentive to the guidance of the pope and the bishops. Current Catholic teaching should be understood, as I have sought to understand it, in continuity with Scripture and tradition.

The sentencing phase of the Moussaoui trial should involve the Catholic church advocating her pro-life stance. If we ignore 7 and 8, the terrorists will win and will seem justified in their own minds for continued retribution.  [church]
refocusing catholic youth ministry
Excerpt from Chapter Three: My Dear Young People, It Is Your Turn – Because of his affection and esteem for young people, Pope John Paul II had spoken and written to young people throughout his pontificate. In doing so, he has set an agenda- not only for young people but also for those who serve with young people. Pope John Paul from the earlier days of his pontificate understood that a church that chooses to recognize and minister to young people will only benefit itself.  He said, “The Church looks to the young; or rather, the Church in a special way sees herself in the young -in you as a group and in each of you as individuals. Read Chapter Three Countdown to Pentecost: 50 days.  [book]

  Friday, April 14, 2006 (Good Friday)
refocusing catholic youth ministry
Excerpt from Chapter Two: Dreams and the Next Generation – The Millennial Generation follows in the footsteps of their grandparents and great-grandparents. In his book The Greatest Generation, Tom Brokaw celebrates today’s senior citizens as a generation that shaped the future of the country. His reports highlight how much the will and determination of a united populace can accomplish in bringing American culture to the forefront of world politics, science and art.
The Millennial Generation have the promise and potential of being the next “great generation.” They have the qualities and characteristics of a heroic generation. In Millennials Rising, Neil Howe and William Strauss suggest “the Millennial future is what America is destined to become — and soon.” Our challenge as a Church is to respond to the spiritual needs of a generation while nurturing renaissance. file removed Countdown to Pentecost: 51 days.  [book]

  Thursday, April 13, 2006 (Holy Thursday)
oh brother, where art thou?
Just saw a map of where the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic live in the US.  It’s fascinating.  It gives a strong case for why the National Catholic Youth Conference needs to remain in and around Big 10 land with occasional dips into the deep southwest.. More maps to be found here. [church]

  Wednesday, April 12, 2006
god or the girl
Early prediction-  the majority of folks who watch God or the Girl are gonna be Catholics looking to be outraged.  The title is clearly exploitive. FoxNews reports on it here.  "The way "God or the Girl" is executed is as a serious documentary about the difficult journey involved in choosing a life devoted entirely to God — but with a reality-show feel to it to keep it interesting. "The name seemed controversial, but the show isn’t as controversial as the name," said one of the show’s executive producers, Darryl Silver. "It’s about these four guys who are struggling with this very internal decision, and on the show they externalize the decision. They really love the Catholic Church, but they have just as strong a love for family. They’re stuck between a rock and a hard place."  As for me on Sunday, I’m watching Leo’s funeral on "West Wing." [culture]
god or the general
"My sincere view is that the commitment of our forces to this fight was done with a casualness and swagger that are the special province of those who have never had to execute these missions – or bury the results." Marine Lt. Gen. Greg Newbold, former director of operations at the Pentagon’s military joint staff, writing in Time magazine. Newbold resigned four months before the invasion of Iraq, but has only now gone public with his criticism of the war. [culture]

  Tuesday, April 11, 2006
ghost of pilgrimage future
The Archdiocese of Sydney now has the 2008 World Youth Day site up and running.  See it at www.wyd2008.org.    [church]
the other fellow’s religion
"We must respect the other fellow’s religion, but only in the sense and to the extent that we respect his theory that his wife is beautiful and his children smart." – H. L. Mencken. [culture]

  Monday, April 10, 2006
post-pilgrimage
It was cool, wet, and breezy.  Nonetheless, 900 souls braved the conditions and "walked the walk" of the annual Archdiocesan Youth and Young Adult Pilgrimage.  The day was themed around the four marks of the church: One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic.  Son Clark was recruited to address the topics of Apostolic.  Hear that presentation here Cardinal Keeler, despite having had hip surgery in the past few years, bravely and determinedly, made the last leg of the walk with the young people. [youth ministry]

  Saturday, April 8, 2006
pilgrimage
As Cardinal Keeler and our three bishops gather with 900 youth and young adults today, Pope Benedict XVI is also celebrating World Youth Day in Rome. Photos can be found here. [pope]

  Friday, April 7, 2006
countup to pilgrimage
My eyes are numb from counting out hand-out materials for each pilgrimage participant.  This has been our non-stop activity along with occasional moving days to get stuff into place. Probably won’t post  immediately but do promise pictures. [work day]

  Thursday, April 6, 2006
true love
As an early riser, I do not often get to spend much time with my future wife.  Now that she is taking the evening shift, I have greater hopes.  [culture]

  Wednesday, April 5, 2006
refocusing catholic youth ministry
Excerpt from Chapter One: A New Morning -  It has been suggested that there is a certain sense of malaise in the catechetical world.  Concerns have been offered regarding the  how are many of the faithful, but especially young people, are inadequately prepared to have an adult faith. Questions are being raised regarding if we are really “getting it” about what the Eucharist is really about, what the church is really about, what Jesus was and is really about.  
Malaise is an odd little word. It describes a feeling of illness or depression. It suggests the image a couch potato in front of a television screen with 300 channels and “nothing to watch. That couch potato is, by impact of mood and dis-comfort with one’s life situation, unmotivated and incapable of any progressive movement beyond flipping the remote control.
The use of “malaise” evoked memories of the end of Jimmy Carter’s presidency.  It was the 1970’s- gas lines were long, sweaters were worn in the Oval Office as the thermostats were turned down for energy conservation, and yellow ribbons were wrapped around trees in anticipation of the return of Americans held hostage in Iran. The nation’s attention seemed to be focused on overcoming a common perception of depression and gloom. Sound familiar?   file removed Countdown to Pentecost: 60 days.  [book]
countdown to pilgrimage
On Saturday, 900 Catholic young people, including Meghan Miller, will be walking through the streets of Baltimore in anticipation of Holy Week.  Our office has been in full buzz on this for the last few days. [work day]

  Tuesday, April 4, 2006
My kids can beat up your honor Students
It was a 3-for-3 parenting night last night.  Meghan calls and shares that she has tested and been accepted (as a high school freshman) to participate in college courses courses next year.  This is a combination advanced-placement course work as well as actually attending college classes. Clark’s effort at developing WikiCath (which you read about here first) was recently profiled in another’s blog. The lad is becoming an internet superstar. Finally, Nichole (with Johanna and the other Nicole) attended the Jesse Manibusan concert last night.  It was cool that she came.  It was cool that she came with friends.  It was very cool when Chole told Jesse that her dad is cool. An awesome night! [friends & family]
putting yourself out there
Many of us have seen Jesse pour out his heart and soul in front of hundreds, thousands, and tens of thousands.  Last night, Jesse gave a Lenten reflection for about 40 at Loyola College.  It was the same spirit, intensity, intimacy, and effort.  Man, is he a gift from God or what? [friends & family]
putting themselves out there
There is a blog dedicated to the Archdiocese of Indianapolis’ 2006 Spring Break Mission Trip to Biloxi, Miss. — a weeklong event with more than 100 young people participating this week. Read more here. [youth ministry]
if God is for us
why are we still here?  Turns out that those who believe are likely to live longer. Read more here. [church]

  Monday, April 3, 2006
it is the little things
Tomorrow at two minutes and three seconds after 1:00 in the morning, the time and date will be 01:02:03 04 – 05 – 06. [blogging]

  Sunday, April 2, 2006
The difference
You live, basically, by yourself. It’s a quiet weekend.  You catch a nap.  The phone rings.  Daughter comes over.  She’s pleased that you discovered her dirty laundry hidden in the spare closet and restocks up on some clean underwear and work clothes. You two swaps stories. She leaves.  You attempt to return to nap.  Son calls.  Dinner? God bless George Forman burgers. You two swap summer and future plans. You’re watching something with him on TV.  You’re breathing heavily, somewhere in that zone between conscious and deep asleep.  Off he goes.  Your nap becomes an overnight sleep- shorten by the switch to Daylight Standard Time and the overnight security shift calling from the mall where your daughter dropped her phone last night.  You shower and get dressed. Off you go to the mall to pick up the phone. . . The difference?  Love those kids and treasure every minute spent with or for them. Next weekend the youngest arrives.  [friends & family]
in memoriam
Pope Benedict XVI remembers: "On the first anniversary of his (John Paul II’s) return to the Father’s House, we’re invited tonight to welcome in a new way the spiritual inheritance which he has left us; among other things, let us be renewed to live in searching untiringly for the Truth which alone satisfies our hearts. Let us be encouraged to not be afraid to follow Christ, to bring to all the proclamation of the Gospel, which flourishes in a humanity more fraternal and unified. From heaven, may John Paul II help us to continue along our path, remaining docile disciples of Jesus to be, as he often repeated to the young, "sentinels of the morning" in this beginning of the third Christian millennium." [pope]

  Saturday, April 1, 2006
you’ve got to wonder
If Dodgeball is really a good choice for a christian camp or if you have a certain temperament. Read more here. [youth ministry]
learning about happiness at Harvard
We can learn gratitude as a way of life. Change: Just do it – You can’t make a change in theory. View more about it  here. [culture]
confirmation
Here are two sets of articles related to the Sacrament of Confirmation. This first is found in Catechist’s Connection ) and the other is found in it’s sister publication of Parish Life. ) [youth ministry]
freedom and the catholic church
With an eye to the reopening of the restored Basilica of the Assumption in Baltimore — US Catholicism’s mother church — this coming November, the current holder of the Premier See, Cardinal William Keeler, gives an interview to 30 giorni on the basilica, the pioneer bishop John Carroll, and his see’s place in the wider prism of the American tradition of religious freedom.  [church]

before there was a “studio,” it was just me, a mic, and a computer.