Beati/Saint of the Week

To force myself to be better about blogging regularly, I have decided to take on the project of a Saint of the Week - we'll see how it works out!


---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Since the school C works at is known for engineering, I thought I would begin with a Beatified Martyr, Blessed Vicente Vilar David.

Born 1889 in Valencia, Spain, he was trained as an Industrial Engineer for his family's ceramics factory.  When his father passed away, he and his brothers ran the family business, and he assisted his parish priest in ministering to the community, especially to the poor and Catholic youth groups.

When priests and religious began to be persecuted in the 1930s, he sheltered them and spoke out on their behalf.  Also, he was known as an advocate for social justice in fair treatment of his employees.  For standing up repeatedly to the authorities, then refusing to denounce his fate, he was sentenced to death and executed by shooting on February 14, 1937.

Venerated by Blessed Pope John Paul II in 1993, Beatified 1995.


For the full story, visit:
http://saints.sqpn.com/blessed-vicente-vilar-david/

"Small Steps Together: Gentleness in the Real World" OR How to be open-hearted to others and spread the light of Christ!

http://www.elizabethfoss.com/reallearning/2011/06/gentleness-in-the-real-world-1.html#tp

This is a truly AMAZING article about being open-minded and open-hearted to others and resisting the urge to judge, especially on first impressions.  Elizabeth Foss discusses the flaws in thinking that can lead to a "holier-than-thou" attitude toward others, and how to avoid these DAMAGING paths of thought. 

Please read ALL the way down.  It's long, but it is VERY good.  Don't view the embedded video without reading the lead-up, or it doesn't make sense what her message is.

Enjoy!

"Why vocation programs don't work" by Father Damien J. Ference - not your typical article on vocations...

Why vocation programs don't work

This may well be the most wonderful, direct, no-holds-barred description of the issues within the church in regards to how our programs can miss the mark by misdiagnosing the actual problems that need to be addressed! 

Thank you to a friend in Campus Ministry who linked this on his Facebook page - I will now be looking for further work by Father Ference!

...Oft Go Awry...

As with any ministry, there are days when you want to walk into the middle of your church hall after Mass and scream "REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEALLY?!?!?!?!" and see if anyone even notices.  Today is one of those days...

We have a new Pastor coming to our Parish, and he was originally supposed to start on a different weekend, but then his first Sunday got moved to July 3rd.  So, C and I modified our holiday vacation plans to be there for the reception Sunday after Mass, though we had to be somewhere else for Mass due to a family commitment. 

So, having prepared EVERYTHING in advance for the reception ourselves, since the community had not coordinated anything itself to the knowledge of ANYONE who works at the Parish, we attended the family Mass, then flew (insert swooshing air noise here) back to our parish for the reception.  To our SHOCK, we arrived to find a fully stocked reception in progress with only the cake we had prepared on the table, but surrounded by a table FULL of items from the community, which apparently coordinated a reception without thinking to include C....What a day!

I mean, I'm thrilled that they're being welcoming and wanted to pitch in together to greet the new Pastor properly, but I wish they'd taken 30 seconds to email C about it.  But c'est la vie, I guess...

WORD OF THE DAY WEEK MONTH: Communication n. a : information transmitted or conveyed b : a verbal or written message

SOUTHERN-FRIED CATHOLICISM: Preparing to celebrate Blessed John Paul II

SOUTHERN-FRIED CATHOLICISM: Preparing to celebrate Blessed John Paul II: "For many Catholics my age, memories of Pope John Paul II are part and parcel of our Catholic identity. He was, after all, the third-longest ..."

WHOA! Where did January go?

As you can tell, I've been WAY too silent thus far this year.  C and the Leadership Team have so many activities going on (even above and beyond last semester) that I haven't been able to set time aside to write out what has been floating around in my head.  However, I am going to try my best to remedy this over the coming weeks.



When C and I were students, I didn't really take notice of which event topics drew the largest crowds, but then again, I wasn't doing head counts at the time either.  One thing we've noticed this year is the topic which seems to draw the largest crowds is - drum roll please - Relationships.

Now, some of you may say "Wow, did he really not expect that?", but I just didn't realize how many students would take time out of their pre-Spring Break Mid-Term mayhem to show up for a Wednesday Student Night.  Our average attendance for one of these at this point in the semester is around 25-30, and 40 were here the week before Break!

We have been blessed this semester with a wonderful series of speakers and discussions focused around relationships in their many forms, beginning with an INCREDIBLE speaker the week before Valentine's Day who had 50+ students so engaged in serious discussions mixed with moments of laughing-to-the-point-of-crying, that no one noticed his 1-hour talk had turned into a 2 1/2-hour dialogue!!  It was the most open, direct, and free-flowing exchange of ideas I have ever experienced with such a large group, and the fact that he addressed friends and family before talking about dating, marriage, etc. told me just how in tune he is with the needs of college students as they search to find themselves and their place in the social web of those around them.

Everyone who came to that Student Night left with much to think about, and the dialogue our speaker started continued the following week when our Faith Over Food discussion revolved around his talk and a video titled "Ache of Singlehood" by Jackie Francois, a Catholic musician from the West Coast.  In this message, she speaks about the longing many young adults feel  to be with another person and explains why we must place this in the hands of God and trust Him to steer us on the proper path.  It is a very well-spoken reflection, especially for its length (just 6 1/2 minutes).  And, by the way, this was the largest Faith Over Food this school year with about 20 students there (usually 8-10).

The Wednesday before Spring Break, we were blessed with a married couple who came to speak about the joys and challenges of marriage across faiths.  Once again, we drew a large crowd and were able to get the students engaged in discussions about their beliefs and how to actively live their faith. 

It makes C and I so happy to see students with their hearts lit afire, taking ownership of their faith and carrying it with them throughout their daily lives!  This is the reason she does campus ministry, to help the students to embrace and live their faith, to get them to answer the questions "What is it that sets you afire?" and "What is it the Lord asks of you?"

Sometimes they're surprised by the answers...

Guess Who's Back...Back Again...CCM's Back...Tell Your Friends!

Welcome back to school for the spring semester, Everyone!

I hope you all enjoyed your break, got some well-deserved rest, and are ready for this round of courses! 

After getting together with all your friends to compare crazy holiday family stories (don't try to pretend you don't),  block out some time in those new class schedules for God each day, so you can make Him part of your life all semester, not just during exams.  Also, remember to check your local CCM website for Mass schedules and all the other awesome activities they have planned for you! 

Say hello to your Campus Ministers and Leadership Teams, because they look forward to seeing you at any events you can go to, and it makes their day when students ask how they're doing.  They live to serve your needs as students of faith, and while the Christmas Break was relaxing for them too, believe me when I say they got bored without their students.  I was able to join a wonderful group of them for a few days at the Catholic Campus Ministry Association conference two weeks ago, and while they've enjoyed their time off, they were missing you all, so let them know that you missed them too!

May God bless you, and May God bless all your endeavors this semester!

Oops...

I apologize for going AWOL in December! 

With the end-of-the-semester craziness on campus, and traveling to see family for Christmas, the post I was working on did not find its way onto the blog.  It was about the persecution of Christians for their faith around the world, but I will draw from it for a future post.

Thank you all for your visits and your thoughts these past months and I hope you continue to visit during the upcoming year!

Pax et Bonum,
The Assistant

Positivity

A friend of a friend of a friend of mine was on the Today Show this morning, telling the story of how her life changed in a split second earlier this year.  She was paralyzed below the collar bone after getting pushed into a pool during her bachelorette party in May, and through sheer determination and the support of her family and friends, she has regained the use of her arms and is learning to live with her new state of being.  It is a tremendously inspirational story of love, will power, and positive thinking.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/40312492/ns/today-today_people
http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/11/20/north.carolina.paralyzed.bachelorette/index.html?hpt=C2

Rachelle, we pray for your continued healing.  Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family as you continue to learn and grow in your abilities.  And may the grace and peace of God be with you all in this difficult time.  May He help you to overcome the obstacles between you and your marriage to Chris.  Amen.

Burn Your Bushel Basket...

One flaw in our understanding and living God's plan for our lives is our human reluctance to embrace the challenges He places in our path.  We want everything to go easily and to go the way we think it should, not always keeping in mind that He places these challenges in our journey as an opportunity to grow in love and understanding of His purpose for us in this world.

When times are good, we behave as Christ says in Matthew 5:14-16,

     "You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house.  Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father."

We tend to be very open about the "good" things that God has done for us in our lives, but are reluctant to talk about the "bad" things for fear of what others might think of us.

Our humanity feels the pressures of society to "be successful" and to "do well" all of the time, so when students are having difficulty handling what God has laid out before them, they come to C to talk about how to deal with these things.  They fear being ridiculed when they don't feel they are doing well at something, whether it be getting low grades in school, trouble with a long-time friend, problems with their boyfriend/girlfriend, or having arguments with their family.  They are afraid to let challenges be seen by others, even when this may help others to see how to better live their own lives, by learning how to approach these same problems.  The first thing C has to do is get them to step back and think of what their witnessing to the tests God has placed in their lives can do to help others better understand and know Him.

We all have our tests and troubles, but we must remember that He is with us, and we are all in this together, as the Body of Christ.  When we pretend to be "successful" all of the time and do not let our "failures" be known, others begin to believe they are the only ones with these problems, but it is impossible for anyone to be "successful" one-hundred percent of the time.  At some point in their lives, even the most accomplished people in the world have fallen, and it is only through courage they were able to get up, continue on, and reach where they are now.

But how do we find courage, you ask?  Through faith in God, that He will bring us over whatever obstacles we have in our lives and help us continue along the path He has chosen for us.  It says in Psalms 91:13-16,

"You shall tread upon the asp and the viper, trample the lion and the dragon.  Whoever clings to me I will deliver; whoever knows my name I will set on high.  All who call upon me I will answer; I will be with them in distress; I will deliver them and give them honor.  With length of days I will satisfy them and show them my saving power."

He will deliver us from all our troubles and bring us to Him by guiding us in our corporeal and spiritual journeys in life.  We must have faith in Him, and we must let others see how He has challenged us in our lives, that they may grow and learn from these same obstacles.  Just as we are not to hide the light of His glory as seen in the "good" in our lives, neither are we to hide the beacon of His truth as it appears through our daily challenges.

Use the flame of your faith in Him to burn your bushel basket and let ALL His works be known...


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Full Passages for Reflection:
Matthew 5
http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/matthew/matthew5.htm
Psalms 91
http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/psalms/psalm91.htm

The Not-So-Lazy River

If you have ever been whitewater rafting, part of the safety talk before you get on the water includes the guide saying that if you fall out of the boat to:
1) cross your arms on your chest,
2) point your toes up at the sky,
3) aim your heels downstream, and
4) enjoy the ride.

I believe there is a similar concept in ministry:
1) fold your hands in prayer,
2) point your heart toward Heaven,
3) follow whatever path He sets before you, and
4) hang on for the ride.

Many days you might not have a set schedule, but at least an agenda, such as an upcoming retreat, student night activity, or school break trip that needs your attention.  The amazing thing is how many times this agenda changes on the fly despite your best efforts to keep the day from spiraling out of control.  The biggest challenge to C is those days of the week that are notorious for bringing the unexpected: Sundays and Mondays. 

Sundays, due to the sheer number of Masses and other activities, are always hectic, to say the least.  Throw on top of that the various students asking to set up meetings for the following week, and time between Masses can quickly vanish.  And occasionally, there is a situation which can not wait and C ends up needing to meet with someone that same afternoon or evening.

Then Mondays roll around and all of the items that came up on Sunday have to be researched, prayed upon, and/or fixed during the day.  When the night rolls around there is a series of several CCM events that usually end up overlapping.  So this leads to a long, crazy day.
 
In the midst of all this craziness and confusion, it is sometimes hard to maintain your focus on what it is you are doing and why it is so important to the students you serve.  Sometimes I have to help C remember to step back and reflect for a moment on how her work, with all of its stress and madness, draws the students closer to God.  Her work behind-the-scenes to make things happen is usually unseen, and often under-appreciated, but it is absolutely necessary for students to get the opportunities they do to join in communion with God and with one another.  This is what you have to focus on when the days get long, or there are short, high-stress periods in the day, so you do not burn out, but instead offer the stress up to God and remember steps 1 through 4 (especially #4).

Hello World!

Let me begin this as we should all times of reflection, with a prayer:

          Good and Gracious God, I ask that you bless this endeavor to share
     the work we do in your name.  Bless my mind that I may know your
     truth.  Bless my heart, that I may understand your truth.  Bless these
     hands, that they may write your truth.  Amen.


Now, onto the blog with some background!

My wife, C, and I are recent college graduates.  I was blessed with having a job open to me in this sparse economy, and jumped at the opportunity.  C was unable to find an open position, and went for some months with only a few interviews (the Lord works in mysterious ways).  When she found out about the campus ministry position she was very interested, but was unsure whether a married person would be accepted.  A few weeks later we were speaking with Father H after Mass, and he asked if she was applying for the postion.  When C voiced her concerns about being married, he let her know that it was not of concern.  She applied, interviewed, and was given the position.

Fast-forwarding to today:

C has been ministering since the start of the fall semester, and we have both learned much from the experience.  When I get off work in the evenings, I go to the campus ministry center and do what I can to help her, and to get to know the students there, because they have helped us learn and live our faith as much or more than we have helped them.  She has supported my work, and I try to do everything I can to support her fully in her ministry.

These are the stories of the campus ministry...



DISCLAIMER: ALL NAMES, LOCATIONS, AND IDENTIFYING FEATURES HAVE BEEN MODIFIED TO PROTECT THE INNOCENT (AND THE GUILTY) FROM ANY BREACH OF PRIVACY, TRUST, OR SAFETY.