For those that find blog entries too long to read…  you can follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/CatholicYMBlog or by watching the twitter widget on the left column.

A few weeks back, for my kids, I wrote up my own commencement speech (not that it has not been decades since I have actually given one,)

This blog’s chaplain, Father Austin, was a bit grumble-y that I posted the concepts before he actually had a chance to deliver it.  In the end, he delivered a great sending-forth working upon the themes found in Night at the Museum 2.  It’s worth checking out here here.  (Beside, it affords me the opportunity to post an Amy Adams picture on the blog.) 

Father Austin does really good stuff in tying in modern culture into his presentation of faith.  Look how he uses Beyonce’s Halo for a wedding!

Today, the family’s youngest graduates high school. YEA!

Today, the family’s middlest graduates advanced training as a medic for the US Army. HOOAH!

Today, the oldest pair are celebrating the process of gaining house ownership, being “employee of the month,” and/or the spokes-model of their organization. WOW!

It is such a gift to watch them all respond to a life’s dare to do better.

As we start summer, we will be conducting an internet tour (on Mondays through Fridays) of primarily diocesan web sites alphabetically.

If there is a good blogger or parish site deserving of attention, we’ll add that along as well.  Now, you can help in advance by calling our attention to it via e-mail.  And, certainly, comments will be open as well.

So, pack your bags, make sure to hit the bathroom, and load up…  We are off to Alabama on Monday

Canada’s Macleans magazine reports: Reginald Bibby, the University of Lethbridge (Canada) sociologist who heads up Project Teen, says the gray zone of those who believe in God, but don’t regularly practice an established religion, is rapidly emptying out, leaving behind two distinct camps: teens who are very religious and actively practice their religion, and those who don’t believe in God at all.

“For years I have been saying that, for all the problems of organized religion in Canada, God has continued to do well in the polls,” Bibby writes in The Emerging Millennials, a new book based on Project Teen’s latest findings. “That’s no longer the case.”  Read more here.

In another report, Bibby claims “I am filled with hope.” The reason? “Teens in Canada are still mostly morally healthy, decent folks whom you would want as a neighbor.” 

Is that enough?

For that trip, program, and/or orientation, you’ve probably got a parent meeting coming up. Over at Group’s YouthMinistry.com, they have developed a top ten list of keys things they need to know about what matters most in youth ministry. It includes:

10—When/Where/How Much?

8—Parents are the primary influence in student’s lives. As you know, We are an influence, not the influence

6—Verify anything your teenager tells you.

1—Take the Lord seriously.

Read all ten here.

and, we are back!  Miss me?

We left on a Harry Chapin note, so it feels bookend-ish to return with one.

(Let the video load for a bit to skip ahead, the first 1:50 is band intros

“Unfortunately, his presentation was not up to contemporary professional standards. His voice lacks the range of tonal color necessary to make it consistently interesting.”

When I took my break, I felt as if I was walking out on such a hot streak, which is all the more sweeter, because, like Mr. Tanner, like you, I’ve experienced criticism.

Yet, it’s the Mr. Tanners that are worth noting not the critics.  Theodore Roosevelt said: “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”

Vacation was not only important, it was necessary! I’m ready to strive to do the deed, willing to dare greatly.   Good to reflect upon the enthusiasm before reentering the arena.

So, sing it, Harry: Music was his life, it was not his livelihood, and it made him feel so happy and it made him feel so good. And he sang from his heart and he sang from his soul. He did not know how well he sang; It just made him whole.

(Oh, yeah, and as with the Where You Are posting below… For the sake of context for those potential critics playing along at home, this was posted on Wednesday, May 27th and written Wednesday, May 20th so, please don’t read drama into what has almost always been a drama-free blog.)

Above is a Wordle.  They are great to check to see if you are “on message” as they generate “word clouds” from text that you provide into their widget. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text.  Above are my previous ten posts before today and, yes, the bigger words indicate the stuff that I care about.

The New Diocesan Directors (of youth ministry) Institute begins today in Washington, DC. It is a great program and Margaret from our offices will be attending this year.  Please keep all the participants and the program team in your prayers.  Read more about it here.