That Religious Blog

Oi, Brasil!: Pre-Departure Pensamentos

2013-06-02T18:51:00.000-07:00

It's that characteristic nasal bounciness. That animated affrication which renders certain phonemes simply amusing to pronounce. That abundance of closed vowels (â, ê, ô) which caps the vocabulary of its Brazilian variant like the wide-brimmed hats of the gaúchos of Rio Grande do Sul. That sunny warmth and passion embodied by Brasileiros. That new cache of conjugations waiting to be mastered.

Maybe it's all these signature characteristics and then some which attracted me to study Portuguese in the first place. Regardless of the one trait that drew me to the mother tongue of over 178 million people, I agree with author Pedro Teixeira Neves who says that "Language is a continual voyage through oceans never before seen or sailed." It still amazes me to think about how languages have developed, how we have assigned specific meanings to specific sounds thereby creating words. Fortunately, I'll have the opportunity to take my musings further and experience Portuguese firsthand over the summer.

Thanks to the Center for the Study of Languages and Cultures and the Kellogg Institute for International Studies, I am set to study Portuguese in Brazil. Over a span of 56 days, I will have the good fortune to share in the daily life of the Holy Cross Brothers, who have graciously welcomed me to study and live at Colégio Notre Dame de Campinas, as well as help with Campus Ministry, volunteer at Centro Comunitário Irmão André, and participate in World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro. It goes without saying that summer 2013 will be rather eventful.

Through the supportive generosity of the Nanovic Institute for European Studies, I was able to travel to France in January for the first (and hopefully not last) time, enabling me to finally make extensive use of my 6 years of French. My subsequent sojourn to London also awakened in me a thirst for travel. For a kid from Stockton, a city where opportunities for international excursions are few and far between, the chance to have just a small taste of Europe helped me understand the importance of dreaming big and striving for those grands rêves. According to St. Augustine, "The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page." There's so much more to ponder and muse out there, beyond our hometowns, the veritable prefaces to our lifelong adventure autobiographies that they are.

I hope that my time in Brazil will bear many fruits. By the end of the summer, I would like to be able to garner a greater grasp of verb conjugations and a wider expansion of vocabulary words. I will work towards a strong command of liturgical Portuguese and an ability to express my ideas and opinions about current events or topics in a fluid manner. I recognize that fluency is not a terminal goal but a normative one. I have no naïve notions that I will somehow be an advanced Lusophone after a mere eight weeks in Brazil, but I will certainly attempt to be one in the future.

Aside from improvements to my Portuguese, I want my experiences in Brazil to help me enhance my religious discernment. Last summer at the annual seminarian gathering at LaPorte, the Provincial Superior of the Congregation of Holy Cross in the United States Province, Rev. Thomas J. O'Hara, C.S.C., encouraged us to take advantage of study abroad opportunities and cultural exchanges as a way to understand the internationality of Holy Cross. Holy Cross maintains an active presence in 16 countries on five continents. The Congregation is therefore more than the University of Notre Dame or its U.S. apostolates. In order to understand Holy Cross better, I have taken it upon myself to explore the different experiences of its religious priests and brothers from other countries. By sharing in their life and work, I will come to a greater appreciation for the mission and spirit of this community of educators in the faith.

In my program rationale, I explained that language study abroad complements my vocation in Holy Cross because both facilitate my intellectual growth as a global citizen as well as raise my awareness of the problems facing other areas of the world, allowing the mind to not be cultivated at the expense of the heart. My desire to develop myself as a global citizen is best described by the Brazilian proverb "Cada um sabe onde o sapato aperta," which translates to "Only the wearer knows where the shoe pinches." Holy Cross religious pride themselves in being men with hope to bring, the hope of Christ's Passion and Resurrection expressed by his cross. How can I strive to be such a man if I'm never open to sharing or witnessing the struggles of different people? Every person carries a cross and it's a grace whenever we can bear the burden together, like with Simon of Cyrene and Jesus on the road to Calvary. Helping with the work of the Holy Cross Brothers and the dedicated laity who operate the Centro Comunitário Irmão André, an institution which serves local youth, will therefore be a vital part of my Brazilian journey.

I am definitely willing to throw myself into my studies and service work in Brazil. It won't just be an extended linguistic fieldtrip but will also double as a quest to find myself. As cliché as that sounds, I think the concept of "finding oneself" resonates with many of us who are currently at or will be departing for our respective summer placements. Whether you're doing an internship in a foreign country, serving at an ISSLP or SSLP site, or taking a summer job at home, we're all trying to gain new experiences and figure ourselves out in a way. We might expect that the people we meet or what we do over the next couple of months will help us discover new things about ourselves. And that curiosity is what motivates me this summer, pushing me to take that step tomorrow afternoon on board that American Airlines flight to Brazil.

"A sorte protege os audazes."

"Luck protects the daring ones."

Tchau!

June: The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

2013-06-01T17:13:00.000-07:00

One of the stained glass windows in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at ND

Last fall semester, Old College had a retreat out in LaPorte regarding the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a cherished devotion in Holy Cross spirituality. Hailing from a background in the French School of Spirituality, Bl. Basile Moreau consecrated in 1841 his Auxiliary Priests, the future Holy Cross Fathers, to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. On a more humorous note, it can be said that ever since then, Holy Cross Religious have been naming schools, parishes, and churches after the Sacred Heart (either that or “Holy Cross” and “Notre Dame”).

As a part of our liturgical schedule at Old College, we pray the Litany of the Sacred Heart every Friday after lauds. The concept of a “litany” comes from the Greek word for “request.” Litanies are historically connected to processions and pilgrimages associated with the saints. They are composed of repeated invocations, which allow individuals to “lose themselves” in prayer. Under the wrong mentality, litanies can be recited in a mechanical way, thereby losing the element of continuous conversion that is so integral to these devotions.

I’m afraid that at times, I took this approach to the Litany of the Sacred Heart. It’s not that I didn’t get anything out of the devotion, but that I wasn’t appreciating each of its components. Most of the time, I would merely focus on the invocation of “Have mercy on us” which is repeated after every title of the Sacred Heart (e.g. “Holy temple of God,” “Glowing furnace of charity,” etc.) Therefore, I only recognized this particular litany as a penitential one. The fact that we recited it on Friday, a day traditionally reserved for fasting and sacrifice, only heightened this mentality.

"Behold this Heart which has loved men so much, and yet men do not want to love Me in return. Through you My divine Heart wishes to spread its love everywhere on earth."- Jesus to Saint Margaret Mary

During my summer break in Utah after freshman year, I began looking into the history of the devotion to the Sacred Heart. I read about St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, the 17th century mystic who was so vital in promoting devotion to the Sacred Heart that she came to be known as its “Beloved Disciple,” and St. Jean Eudes, a French priest who authored several works on the Sacred Heart. Coupled with my volunteer work with the Daughters of Charity and the Sisters of the Holy Cross, I began recognizing the overwhelming aura of love that this devotion evokes. It wasn’t just meant to be a penitential recitation but is a request for growth in charity for others. The litany itself is a call to love and I made sure to try and apply this call to my work with the youth of McPolin Elementary in Park City.

"There is in the Sacred Heart the symbol and express image of the infinite love of Jesus Christ which moves us to love in return." - Pope Leo XIII

Fast-forwarding to the night before the OC retreat, I happened to look up at my bookshelf to find Rev. Francis Larkin’s book, Enthronement to the Sacred Heart, which I had purchased at a used-books sale two years ago. Fr. Larkin was the first American-born priest of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. I realized that I could have been reading his book after lauds the whole week in order to mentally prepare for the retreat! But like most college students before an exam, I decided to opt instead to cram as much information as I could from his book before we left that evening.

From Fr. Larkin’s book, I learned that the motif of a heart represents different things. Fr. Larkin describes how the heart functions as a “sign or symbol of the whole person (e.g. ‘I give you my heart’)” and as a “symbol of the kind of person you are (e.g. ‘He is warm-hearted’).” Christ’s Sacred Heart is “a symbol of His Person and His nature, which is love.” Essentially, God is all love and all heart.

It’s a tradition at Old College to hold nocturnal Adoration during retreats. After our conference on the history of the devotion, we were asked to meditate on a specific invocation in the Litany of the Sacred Heart during our Adoration time slot. Adam Booth, C.S.C., a temporarily-professed seminarian who serves on our formation staff, explained that through meditation we will be able to personalize a specific piece of the litany. Whatever invocation we contemplate will have more meaning to us whenever we pray the litany at OC. I liked the image he used: the litany will become like Jacob’s ladder to heaven, with each invocation being a step towards God.

I was almost sure that I was going to meditate on the concept of the Sacred Heart as the “Glowing furnace of charity,” a title which had always jumped out at me with its fiery connotation. Instead, however, I was drawn to ponder the Sacred Heart as “House of God and Gate of heaven,” an image which hearkens to Jacob’s words in Genesis after a vision during his journey to Mesopotamia.

I thought about the title in terms of its separate parts. With “House of God” in mind, I imagined how the Trinity dwells in love while being itself love. The “heart” is a symbol and manifestation of this love, which is a domestic and familial one. After all, like the old saying goes: “Home is where the heart is.”

To me, “Gate of heaven” signifies how we attain salvation through the Sacred Heart of Jesus, through love. We bring about heaven on Earth by performing acts of charity. If heaven is a state of perfect unity with God, who is love, then heaven is naturally a state of perpetual love. His Sacred Heart is then an image of this love which opens itself to all by virtue of salvation being a free gift.

God is just and almighty and therefore entering into communion with Him as a sinner makes more sense via His Heart, which represents His living mercy and affection. Yet, God also desires to be consoled, making our relationship with Him not one-sided. The devotion to the Sacred Heart is a way for us to console God by offering Him acts of reparation. The actions of a sinful world ultimately hurt Him, much in the same way that the actions of a disobedient child would sadden a dedicated parent.

I’d say that I learned a lot from the retreat and clarified my understanding of what this devotion means for me as a Holy Cross seminarian. I hope to deepen my understanding of the Sacred Heart during June, the month traditionally dedicated to it. The Sacred Heart is not just about cheesy images of love or even gloomy thoughts of our fallen human nature. In a way, it’s a mixture of both sentiments. As Fr. Steve LaCroix, C.S.C., our rector put it, “the Sacred Heart shows us a pledge of who we are supposed to be.” Thus, the devotion to the Sacred Heart is a living devotion which seeks to animate our lives through love.

“Tremble at the thought of the Sacred Heart because of its unsettling image but also because through it God renders Himself vulnerable and exposed.” – Fr. Larkin, SS.CC.

Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Congregation of Holy Cross Directory of Devotional Prayer

Lord Jesus, Redeemer of the human race,
look upon me humbly before Your altar.
I am Yours and Yours I wish to be;
to be most surely united with You,
I ask You to see me in my weakness,
as I desire to consecrate myself today to Your most Sacred Heart.
Many indeed have never known You;
many too, rejecting Your precepts, have turned from You.
Have mercy on them all, most compassionate Jesus,
and draw them to Your Sacred Heart.
You are the King, Lord,
not only of the faithful who have never forsaken You,
but also of those prodigal sons and daughters who have abandoned You;
grant that they may quickly return to your Father's house so that they will not die alienated and unreconciled.
You are the King of those who are misguided by erroneous opinions, or whom discord keeps far away.
Call them back to the holiness of Your truth and unity of faith,
so that soon there may be one flock and one shepherd.
Lord, grant to Your Church assurance of freedom and immunity from harm;
give peace and order to all nations,
and make the earth resound from pole to pole with one voice.
Praise be to the divine Heart that won our salvation;
to You be glory and honor forever.
Amen.

Sophomore Happenings: A Year in Review

2013-05-28T16:31:00.001-07:00

Compared to bright-eyed freshman optimism and the celebratory indifference of senioritis, the second year at university can be considered the awkward middle child of one's undergraduate career. The slump that is sophomore year tends to be a gloomy period of apathy and self-doubt. But why is that? Maybe it's as elementary as the fact that the alluring glimmer of college life is no longer as shiny as it once was when your parents dropped you of at the start of your first year away from Main Street, U.S.A. After all, you knew after your first glance at that Golden Dome that Notre Dame was truly a Catholic Disneyland, a utopia of football, leprechauns, and dorm Masses. But as a sophomore, you realize that maybe you can't do everything you ever wanted to here, that you might not be able to reach those high academic standards which you merely hopped over in high school. The blandness of a daily life composed of classes, eating, and studying (with the occasional kickback or late-night La Fun trip for snacks thrown in) becomes more evident and therefore more unbearable. By December, you might just be wishing for this Notre Dame Bubble to burst so that you can get some fresh air back at home, where everything seemed to be better, where the past's suburban lawn seemed to have greener grass than the fairy tale fields of any of the Quads combined.
Yeah, sophomore year can suck. But looking back, it actually was kind of awesome.
From my experience, I can say that sophomore year was definitely a memorable one, albeit full of bittersweet memories, some more bitter than others. Yes, tears were shed, regrets were entertained, and trips to the Grotto for Our Lady's comforting help were made more frequently, but I'd be lying if I said there wasn't anything good that came out of my second year of seminary and college.
For one thing, I am proud to say that my devotion to Our Lady experienced great growth this past year. I think it's only fitting that I'd develop a love for the Rosary and a greater understanding of the Blessed Virgin's role in my spiritual life at Notre Dame, her University. Judging from the intensity of the Total Consecration devotion espoused by St. Louis de Montfort, it's also only fitting that I experienced a series of trials at the end of last Fall semester. I know now that those crosses that I had to bear (some of which I continue to carry) were Our Lady's way of helping me grow in holiness. If I didn't undergo periods of emotional turmoil, I might not have matured in my trust in Divine Providence. I guess that's the greatest lesson I learned: that of the importance of having the humility to accept God's will and recognizing that I can't always rely on myself. I was blessed to have had such a caring network of people, friends (*cough* Andrea, Steven F. *cough*) and family, who helped support me when I needed to be the most.
For those who know me, it's probably surprising that I can write all this without cringing, seeing that I'm emotionally-lactose intolerant when it comes to cheesy situations. But of course, certain events during sophomore year helped me to relax by being open to the process of self-knowledge. It takes a great deal of humility to accept that you actually do have to deal with your problems and not just pretend like everything is okay. And letting go might just be the most difficult step of that self-development because you're afraid you might actually be losing a part of yourself.
In light of Christ's sacrifice, however, we never just carry our crosses merely for the sake of carrying them. We always have to see the hope contained in every cross, in every burden. Every struggle has a story and we have to labor with the Holy Spirit so that it concludes with as close to a happy ending as God permits (even though it may not be the outcome we would have wanted). Suffering can bear fruit, a bittersweet one, whose flavor makes us cringe at first but rewards us with a mellow finish.
But enough with the imagery. It's time to review some of the good moments of sophomore year!

Awkward smile at the opening year Transfer Brunch with my mom and two friends, Jonathan and Christina (not pictured but on a side-note she's now discerning with the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist in Michigan!)

First of all, I actually got into Notre Dame! Woo! I was wait-listed freshman year (I think because I accidentally didn't send in all of my documents...) but accepted to Old College, which meant that I was still able to live, eat, sleep, pray, participate in clubs and activities, and even take classes at ND as a freshman. But it was awesome to finally be able to say that I attend ND and I'm hoping to share that same satisfaction as a Leader on this upcoming Transfer-O.

Wolf Pack: Paul the Runner, Joe the Philosopher-King, Michael the Innocent One, Me the Heretic, Steven the Muscle, and Charlie the All-American

We also got our cassocks this year! Yeah!

This year, we were also able to welcome the newest member of the Wolf Pack, Steven, who transferred from Arizona State to enter Old College. So the rising juniors of OC (formerly known as the Sophomores) were and will be the largest class in the House (although the entering freshman class might give us a run for our money with five guys). Steven balances our class out; he's the laid-back, strong man of the group. Yet possibly his greatest muscle is his faith (cheesy line I know haha). He always has a word of support to give and he inspires me to better my discernment. Not to mention that Steven led two interhall sports teams to near victory, proving an athletic Old Collegian is a valuable free agent. We're going to have a great time helping lead the Latino Freshman Retreat together.

ND beat Purdue 20-17 on my birthday, which just so happened to be the day I made my Total Consecration to Mary. Yep. Pretty cool.

Despite the rain before the Michigan game, we did make some money for the House and for the Missions (and we also happened to make the yearbook with this photo).

Our signs also made it onto College GameDay.

And who can forget Notre Dame's unexpected uNDefeated regular season, made even more unforgettable since I was able to take my little brother to his first college football game, where he mastered all the cheers?
The random assortment of campus activities also brought a lot of good times:

A Lyon's dance with my friend Sara (which happened to have the ND vs Oklahoma game playing throughout, causing massive reactions to touchdowns like this)

Campus going berserk at Stonehenge when we found out ND was ranked #1 in the country

Starred as le Maître de Philosophie in a PMcD rendition (en français of course) of Molière's Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme

Made it onto a print at the University Photo Store for being at the Notre Dame Right to Life Club led March for Life in Washington D.C.

Hockey yeaaaaaa. Never thought I'd spend so many weekends watching college hockey haha

Getting to serve at Holy Week liturgies with the Class

Attending Final Vows Weekend as well as Ordinations Weekend

Had breakfast with His Imperial and Royal Highness, Archduke Rudolf of Austria, whose grandparents just so happen to be Bl. Karl of Austria and Servant of God Zita of Bourbon-Parma

Helping coordinate the Annual Eucharistic Procession with two cool cats, Charlie and Steven F.

Uniting as a House to build a boat named the Stella Maris

And then beating one of Fisher's boats in the Regatta (before suffering defeat from Moreau's boat)

"Learning" to swing dance during AnTostal, but really just flailing my limbs around for the most part

Playing dirty at Muddy Sunday

I also had the opportunity in January to travel to France to conduct research on the French School of Spirituality thanks to a grant from the Nanovic Institute. Whilst there, I stayed with the Holy Cross priests and brothers in Le Mans and was able to visit several historical sites.

Made some amis in Le Mans

Met up with my Brazilian pen pal who was studying English in London

And I managed to find the Eiffel Tower on my last day in Paris... Embarrassing I know but true nonetheless

Ultimately, like any year, sophomore year had its ups and downs. It only seemed extra-terrible because I had A.) been comparing it to freshman year, B.) had a lot of room to grow, and C.) tended to resist opportunities for growth. As I prepare to leave for Brazil in a couple of days, I wanted to take a look back at the year and appreciate everything and everyone that happened to me. You read that correctly. People don't just drop into your lives out of the blue. They happen, which is to say that they come about as result of your decisions and end up eliciting their own effects onto your life. So before we all embark on our respective summer adventures, let's try to reflect on from where we're coming so that we can better see where we're headed.

Besides, the nostalgia won't kill you. Trust me. I'm a rising junior and we just happen to know everything.

An Adventure in 2nd Grade CCD

2013-05-27T21:10:00.001-07:00

Rev. Brian Ching, C.S.C., one of the newly ordained Holy Cross priests and an Associate Pastor at St. Joseph's

As part of their second year in formation, the men of Old College are assigned different Holy Cross parishes in town in which to serve as catechists for the next nine months. During the past academic year, I was given the opportunity to help teach a 2nd grade CCD class at St. Joseph Catholic Church.

Aside from the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, St. Joseph's can be styled as one of the flagship parishes operated by the Congregation of Holy Cross in Indiana. After founding the University of Notre Dame, Fr. Sorin, C.S.C., established St. Joseph's as a mission chapel (initially called "St. Alexis Chapel") in 1853, making it the oldest parish in South Bend. For 160 years, the priests, brothers, and sisters of the Congregation of Holy Cross have conducted the parish, educating generations of men and women to be leaders within the community.

Luckily for me, I wasn't going to lead the class on my own. I would be serving under the direction of Ms. Pam Brown, a Notre Dame alumna and a mother of two. She is a great example of a caring teacher and introduced me to new techniques in explaining the sacraments to the 2nd graders. Each week, we organized different activities for the kids. My favorite one was teaching them about the Liturgy of the Word at Mass by planting apple seeds in Styrofoam cups, which they were all able to take home. By the end of May, our 2nd graders had made their first Confession and received their first Holy Communion. I was so proud of my group of kids and was fortunate enough to serve at that particular Mass where they received Our Lord for the first time.

Serving as a catechist at St. Joseph's has been a great experience. I have gained more confidence in my abilities as a teacher and have enjoyed learning about the value of patience and humility in education. The greatest challenge in working with 2nd graders has been finding out how to condense the grand truths of Catholicism for young minds. I have learned that in order to be an educator in the faith, one must first be grounded in theology. I made sure to use simple metaphors and examples to illustrate complex concepts. To be an educator in the faith, however, I find that one must also ultimately serve with the faith that the kids will understand and remember their lessons. Trusting them is half the job and trusting that I can be a conduit for the Holy Ghost fills the remainder. I therefore made it a point to pray for myself and my class before teaching as a way to remind me that I am only a channel for and not the source of truth for those under my care.

With junior year rolling around, I hope to continue my role as a catechist in some function by either teaching CCD again in a parish or helping with Confirmation classes offered by ND Campus Ministry. Teaching has definitely been a rewarding part of my discernment with Holy Cross, this great band of servant-scholars.

Trinity Sunday at St. Stephen the First Martyr

2013-05-27T20:19:00.000-07:00

I had the great pleasure to attend High Mass at St. Stephen the First Martyr in Sacramento. The parish is conducted by three full-time priests in residence from the Fraternal Society of St. Peter, a Clerical Society of Apostolic Life of Pontifical Rite which strives for the sanctification of the clergy, the formation of strong parishes, and the promotion of the New Evangelization via the celebration of the Sacraments according to the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. Being a self-professed "traddy," I was needless to say excited at the opportunity to attend an EF in California again.

Trinity Sunday was the first time I ever set foot in an FSSP parish (I'm more familiar with the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest). One of the first features of community life at St. Stephen's which I noticed was the numerous young families lining the pews. By the start of Mass, the church was brimming with individuals. It was also refreshing to be inside a church where the only sound before the liturgy was sacred silence, which seems to be an identifying attribute of parishes with the EF. Not having to deal with unnecessary chatter or a cacophony of instruments before Mass enabled everyone to focus their attention on adoring the Lord housed in the tabernacle. Sacred silence is definitely something we should all try to cultivate, whether it be in our respective home parishes or in our spiritual lives. If there's one thing I learned from my retreat with the Community of St. John in Princeville last year is that sometimes the best prayer is composed of no words at all, just the contemplation of God.

Probably the most gratifying thing to see was the amount of people in line for Confession. The kids resembled my second grade CCD students at St. Joe's parish, silently waiting to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. As I stood in line with my fellow penitents, it occurred to me how great it would be if more parishes would start offering Confession before Mass. If so many people before this one Mass needed the Lord's mercy, how many more in every parish on that Trinity Sunday were of the same spiritual state? And how many more would choose to receive the Lord without a proper examination of conscience? As I was slowly nearing the front of the confessional line, the bell rang and Fr. Hugues Beaugrand, F.S.S.P., processed in, trailing behind the neat pairs of altar servers. I guess it was just a particularly spiritually-charged day for me but as I saw him clothed in his embroidered Roman-style vestments, I was just reminded of the majesty of Christ the King processing into Jerusalem. It was the perfect religious juxtaposition: the glory of the Mass and the shame of the sinner.

How could I have been so negligent in my spiritual life? How could I, in the tattered rags of mortal sin, be so close to such a holy celebration? And just as these thoughts rushed into my head, the confessional door opened and I entered, only to come out of that Divine Tribunal a child thankful for his Heavenly Father's patient forgiveness.

My ramblings aside, it was a pretty good Trinity Sunday and I'm definitely going to go back to St. Stephen's whenever I'm in the area again next summer.

At that time Jesus said to His disciples: All power is given to Me in heaven and on earth. Going therefore, teach ye all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world. (Matthew 28:18-20)

Happy Mother's Day

2013-05-12T21:09:00.002-07:00

"Throughout history the great men of the world have given their credit for their achievements to their mothers. [The] Holy Church recognizes this, as does Notre Dame especially, and Our Lady who watches over our great institution."

- Francis Earl Hering, recognized as "The Father of Mother's Day" and a Notre Dame alumnus who proposed in 1904 the idea of the "setting aside of one day in the year as a nationwide memorial to the memory of Mothers and motherhood" to an audience of the Fraternal Order of Eagles in Indianapolis

Happy Feast of St. Joseph the Worker!

2013-05-01T18:36:00.000-07:00

"Since Joseph is the visible leader at Nazareth, it is to him, who is the master of the house, that one goes to recommend a work, present a complaint, and obtain a favor. It is therefore through Joseph in his carpenter shop that one arrives to Mary and Jesus. Such is the hierarchic order followed and established in the exercise of the piety of the family of Holy Cross."

- S. Exc. Mgr. Albert-F. Cousineau, C.S.C., former Superior General of the

Congregation of Holy Cross (1938–1950)

One of the votive candle reliefs at l'Oratoire Saint-Joseph
"Saint Joseph - Model of Workers"

Words to remember

2013-03-22T12:27:00.001-07:00

I recently purchased a 1947 edition of the Directory of Devotional Prayer of the Congregation of Holy Cross (on Ebay of all places). As I opened it, I found that my copy's owner had written his information on a corner of a page:

John H. Miller, C.S.C.
Colegio di Sancta Croce
Rome, Italy

Then on one of the last few pages, he had written down these words in descending order:
______
Humility
Charity
Modesty
Meekness
Silence, Recall
Recreation + Con
Community Spirit
Poverty
Zeal
______

I kind of believe that he may have wanted to remind himself of characteristics he thought are important to have for a Holy Cross religious. Now, the words he wrote in 1947 or 1948 will help encourage me in my own discernment in 2013 and beyond. Thanks, Fr. Miller. Requiescat in pace.

El Papa Francisco

2013-03-14T13:45:00.000-07:00

"A while ago, I baptized the seven children of one woman, a poor widow who works as a maid and had her children by two different men. I met her on the feast of Saint Cajetan. She said to me, 'Father, I am in mortal sin, I have seven children and have never had them baptized, I don't have the money for the godparents and for the party … I saw her again and after a little catechesis I baptized them in the chapel of the archepiscopal residence. The woman said to me, 'Father, I can't believe it, you make me feel important.' I said to her, 'But madam, what do I have to do with it? It's Jesus who makes you important.'" - Then Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, S.J., 30 Nov. 2009

My esteem for His Holiness is growing more and more.

¡Viva Cristo Rey! ¡Viva el Papa Francisco!

Viva Papa Francisco!!!

2013-03-13T12:43:00.000-07:00

‎"And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." - Matthew 16:18

Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, a Jesuit priest and the 76-year-old former Archbishop of Buenos Aires, is the new Pope, the new Bishop of Rome, and the new Servant of the Servants of God. First Jesuit Pope. First Latin America Pope. He has taken the name Francis and is the 265th Successor of St. Peter!

May God bless Pope Francis! Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom, pray for us! St. Joseph, patron of the Universal Church, pray for us!!!

Habemus Papam!

2013-03-13T11:40:00.001-07:00

Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum:

HABEMUS PAPAM!

I announce to you a great joy: We have a Pope!

WHITE SMOKE!!! VIVA IL PAPA!!! DEO GRATIAS!!!

End. Of. The. World. (Apparently)

2012-12-20T19:59:00.000-08:00

Uh-oh. Just checked the weather for tomorrow. Looks like it's going to be fiery with a chance of a sketchy New Age apocalyptic interpretation of a Mesoamerican long-count calendar. Good times ahead!

Note: World will not end. Just in case though, go to confession and hear Mass.

Gaudete Sunday

2012-12-16T09:22:00.000-08:00

Rejoice in the Lord always.

I shall say it again: rejoice!

Your kindness should be known to all.
The Lord is near.

Have no anxiety at all, but in everything,

by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,

make your requests known to God.

Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding

will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4-7

The gift that keeps on praying

2012-12-09T18:15:00.001-08:00

As an early Christmas present, copies of the new Directory of Devotional Prayer of the Congregation of Holy Cross and The Charism of Priestly Celibacy by Prof. Cavadini were distributed to the house :D

So stoked to start praying with the Directory, which "invites us to contemplate the lives of our holy predecessors in Holy Cross ... [, calling] to mind that our life in Holy Cross is a genuine way of holiness and that in our journey of faith we are not alone as we come before the Lord in prayer." Coolio.

2012-12-09T13:20:00.002-08:00

"The future of the congregation depends on you; it is good that you know it and that you are convinced of it ... First, while you are in the houses of formation, you must labor seriously to prepare yourselves for the future. It is here a personal task, which is to say, that this work will not be completed if you do not apply yourselves; you must pursue it with perseverance and support it with energy according to the knowledge of asceticism and of the experience to which spiritual authors expose you. Submission to authority, which alone can foil the snares of the devil and dissipate his illusions, will guide you on the right path."

- Rev. Fr. Philéas Vanier, C.S.C.,

Moreau et Mollevaut: Extraits Divers (1923)

2012-12-09T13:09:00.000-08:00

"Mary, my good Mother! Your humility drew the Word of God but once into your virginal breast, while every day the priest draws the Word of God down on the altar by virtue of his all-powerful words ... Lord, my soul glorifies you, because in me you have wrought such great things."

- Bl. Basile-Antoine Moreau, C.S.C., Juxta Crucem

Home under the Dome

2012-11-25T14:28:00.000-08:00

Photo Credit: Jeremy Dela Cruz

Dome sweet Dome.

Ah, it's nice to be in a world where Notre Dame Football is uNDefeated and back on top. Happy Solemnity of Christ the King, everyone!

Time to get ready for Finals!

Gladiators of God vs Trojans

2012-11-24T09:30:00.000-08:00

In 1930, G. K. Chesterton composed a poem entitled "The Arena" about the first football game in the newly constructed Notre Dame stadium, describing the Fighting Irish as "the Gladiators of God" who "shock the whirlwind Of the World of dust and dazzle" and thrice "cried like thunder

On Our Lady of the Victories."

There's no better imagery for today's game than this: in a few hours, the Gladiators of God will play against the Trojans (of Satan) in the L.A. Coliseum of all places. In a few hours, we'll know who has triumphed once the dust settles. In a few hours, we'll know whether Notre Dame will have a shot at the National Championship. LET'S GO IRISH! BEAT TROJANS! Stay uNDefeated! 12-0 here we come!

Miraculum Dominae Nostrae MMXII

2012-11-20T11:34:00.000-08:00

When Sports Illustrated needs a Latin translation, they apparently contact Holy Cross Religious (among them one of our beloved formators):

Miraculum Dominae Nostrae MMXII -
Notre Dame Miracle 2012

Educators in the Faith, Men with hope to bring, and Sports Illustrated experts. The Congregation of Holy Cross has so many apostolates haha. (and on another note: GO IRISH! BEAT TROJANS!)

Photo Credit: Sports Illustrated

Notre Dame is #1

2012-11-20T11:29:00.000-08:00

“God is #1 just like Notre Dame is #1.” - A 2nd Grader on Sunday in my CCD class explaining what the First Commandment means

When Catholicism and football come together, you get Notre Dame. When Oregon and Kansas State lose, you get an uNDefeated Notre Dame ranked as the BCS No. 1 team in college football (as well as a Stonehenge flooded by an electrified student body) GO IRISH!!! Things just keep getting better and better.

A little thought for Obama

2012-11-07T09:42:00.000-08:00

‎"It is the role of leaders to think always, before everything else, about the general welfare and the future ... The exercise of leadership is an apostolate, better yet, an apostolate of love. It is an effective and necessary medium for serving the collective and for helping those who are subject, in coordinating all the individual strength towards the common end. That every superior, curé, priest, brother, or sister be convinced that he or she is not but an instrument. They do not have the choice of their attitudes or words. It is the will of God they must express with their people."

- S. Exc. Mgr. Albert-F. Cousineau, C.S.C.
translated from Principes de Vie Sacerdotale et Religieuse

Jesus Christ 2012

2012-11-06T17:39:00.000-08:00

Tired of all the talk about Romney and Obama? Had enough of debates with your politically polar opposite roommate? If yes, then we at the Old College Political InAction Committee would like to invite you to come and support a better candidate for Divine Office: Jesus Christ.

He's the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings, and the errm... President of Presidents? He's running on a transubstantiation platform founded on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, which is change you can really believe in! Come and see Him live and in-person at tonight's Log Chapel Mass held at 9 pm. Afterwards, join us for a soirée at Old College!

He fed the poor, healed the sick, and gave His life for us all. Who else should we have faith in? Jesus Christ 2012! The Messiah you can trust!

66th Anniversary of Religious Profession

2012-10-21T17:57:00.000-07:00

Old College celebrated Br. Edward Luther's, C.S.C., 66th anniversary of religious profession at Bruno's Pizza tonight.

66 years ago, Br. Ed professed first vows in the Congregation of Holy Cross. Since then, he has served his confrères and the people of God in a variety of functions over the years, most notably as house manager at Moreau Seminary, rector of both Morrissey and Fisher Hall (he helped start the now famous Fisher Regatta), and as Procurator and formator at Old College.

His life and work is a great witness of what it means to be a Holy Cross Religious and what it means to be a man with hope to bring. Br. Ed is certainly a model for all of us in formation to emulate and admire.

The Fall Not-So-Break

2012-10-16T12:30:00.000-07:00

"Let us work. Let us work a lot and work well, without forgetting that prayer is our best weapon. That is why I will never tire of repeating that we have to be contemplative souls in the midst of the world, who try to convert their work into prayer." - St. Josemaría Escrivá, Furrow, 497

This has been a productive Fall break so far. I finished my article about the Apostolic Nuncio's visit for The Irish Rover, gave the last touches to a post for the vocations blog, sent an email to a guy who might be interested in Old College, finished some essay questions for an upcoming application, and served at Mass during the last two mornings.

I still have to study for Hebrew, memorize my lines for Le Burgeois Gentilhomme, finish my presentation on Paul Verlaine's "Monsieur Prudhomme," and start thinking about the brewing storm of papers which will greet me after break, all while preparing for a retreat with the Community of St. John in Princeville, IL with Paul. Exciting.

Fall Break: A break from some but not all school work :D

Notre Dame Council #1477

2012-10-02T20:33:00.002-07:00

Charlie, Michael, and I just became 1st Degree Knights of Columbus with the Notre Dame Council #1477, the Oldest and Largest College Council!

All three of us went on the same Come-and-See weekend, entered Old College, and became Brother Knights together too. We're so cool haha

I am so excited to get involved with the Knights on campus and to grow as a Catholic gentleman through service.

Notre Dame Council #1477 was founded in 1910 and is a chapter of the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal society dedicated to community service and the teachings of the Church. John Francis Cardinal O'Hara, C.S.C., was actually one of the original charter members of the council. In addition to helping found the Bengal Bouts and setting up a scholarship for minority students, this council is also rumored to have coined the famous motto "God, Country, Notre Dame."

Since 1910, the Notre Dame Council has formed thousands of men to be servant leaders and hopefully we'll join their ranks too.