You don’t choose a life, dad. You live one.

Today we enter onto a brief pilgrimage to NCYC.  Earlier this week, I went to watch The Way, Emilio Estevez’s lovely and sweet movie starring his father, Martin Sheen. It is a story of a father looking for answers after he receives news that his son has died on El Camino de Santiago, the Way of St. James. He takes up the pilgrimage in order to complete it for his son.

As I had learned earlier, the movie tales the tale of how one often enters a pilgrimage as an individual but completed the journey in community. As an introvert, I find myself challenged by the large group experiences such as WYD and NCYC. I much rather fly solo rather than in formation.  As a weary introvert, it is likely to be even more of a challenge.

Yet, I am entering into this pilgrimage seeking out how I might I engage the experience to the fullest. I don’t want to just survive NCYC, I desire to live it.

Most pilgrims on The Way carry a document called the credencial, which is a pass which gives access to inexpensive, sometimes free, overnight accommodation in refugios along the trail. 

May the blog serve as credencial over these next days. May our our pilgrims truly live the experience. We’ll post as we can, documenting our travels along the way.

Tuesdays have been a day where we post a YouTube video You can Use with young people.

Well, the kids are going to get their fill this week from NCYC, so we thought we’d offer something for their folks. Feel free to pass it along (Video provided by the Catholic Review’s Matt Palmer)

The blessing / scripture is from the Book of Numbers 6:22-26:

The LORD bless you and keep you!

he LORD let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you!

The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace!

For parents and those unable to travel to NCYC, the NFCYM will offer live streaming of the general sessions and parent workshops. We will post the schedule on Thursday.

You can forward the kink to this post by using www.CatholicYMblog.com/2011/11/15/the-lord-bless-you/

Over the next days, we will be posting as time and opportunity allow.

If you are in Indy, please do come up and say Hi

Prayers for safe travels to all NCYC pilgrims.

Over at Slant 33, Tash McGill, Adam McLane, and your blogger were asked Where Do You Draw the Line on Social Media Interactions with Srudents?

Tash makes a pitch for social media as an entry point towards deeper relationship while Adam in concerned about violating privacy with waiting for invitation… and I’m somewhere in the third way of an either/or…  calling for seeking the high value in the non-virtual relationship… Here my section below, but read the asked other opinions, too.

UPDATE:  On Wednesday morning, I was interviewed on the Son Rise Morning Show with Brian Patrick on EWTN Radio

SonRiseMorning111611 by CatholicYMblog

Here’s the posting: When I read the slate of topics for which I was contributing posts, this is the topic I looked most forward to writing. I have something to say. But this was also the one I was most hesitant about having published. I’m not sure most youth workers will, to use a Facebook term, “like” it. Here’s why: As a personal policy, I do not friend young people under the age of eighteen, and I think that is a policy other youth leaders should take.

(more…)

Mark Oestricher, of the Youth Cartel, has been pushing the envelope regarding the future direction of youth ministry. Yet, he recently caught himself in a moment, where he went right down to the basic. He wrote:

let me be clear about the three things that are necessary for great youth ministry:
1. you like teenagers.
2. you are a growing follower of Jesus.
3. you are willing to live honestly in the presence of those teenagers you like.

I recently taught an Equip class and, despite some good information and statistics, I wish I had broken it down that clearly. As we hit the buses for NCYC this week, what a simple and lovely reminder regarding why we do what we do.

Here’s the (video of the) prayer before yesterday’s Peen State / Nebraska game. (h/t Ed Stetzer) Sort of keeps the previous week in perspective. We must continue to do all that we can to protect children,  We must remember the victims in our prayers.

Our prayer on this day, the Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Lord, we are in such awe of You. We are blessed by the fruits of your handiwork. We believe that we are favored.

Lord, we know quite well that Your day, our days in the Reign of the Lord, will come.

Lord, we have been blessed with the very prosperity of Jerusalem, may we reach out our hands to the poor and extend our arms to the needy.

May we walk in Your ways as children of the light and children of the day. We desire to be Your good and faithful servants, faithful in small matters, worthy of your trust with great responsibilities.

Send forth Your Spirit with fortitude that we might remain alert and sober, ready for You. We do not want to fear You as a surprising thief at night. We stand in awe of You, Lord, and desire, rather to share in the Master’s joy.

Last weekend, I became a supporter of the kickstarter campaign for Grilled Cheesus, an electronic sandwich press that toasts the face of Jesus onto your sandwich bread! 

Glee fans are well aware that I’m bringing a little bit of that show’s sense of humor home.

Although this post is categorized in the Funsies section, this is not a prank.  If this sort of thing catches your own sense of spiritual whimsy (is that not a generally accepted theological term?) as it dd mine, then I encourage you to check it out and sign on as a backer

(and, yes, Gene David Monterastelli, Mike Patin, and Alison Griswold – - I am talking to you.)

Look up top…   We are now featuring rotating banners!  Ain’t they loverly lookin’? Clink on an image and get the link!

The Desire for God

is written on the human heart.

Catechism of the Catholic Church 27