Mount Angel Seminary Journalism

Dr. Kleiman Model's Natural Lifestyle - Part One

noreply@blogger.com (Hilda Kleiman, D.Min) — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 17:23:00 +0000

by Dominic Sternhagen

Dr. Kleiman’s bag is filled with surprises. But no, that’s not because its magic; rather her bag is an integral part of her effort to live a more intentional and natural lifestyle, which has been in large part inspired by the work of Katy Bowman.

This bag is just a small part of what has, for Dr. Kleiman, become a way of life, and its contents illustrate some of the core values that Dr. Kleiman tries to model. In the bag are a steel lunchbox, a steel mug, three mesh bags and a cloth napkin.

The bag itself is made of durable quilted cotton, but more significantly, it was purchased at Live Local Marketplace in Silverton. “Live Local carries only locally made products, mostly from within about 20 miles of Silverton” Dr. Kleiman told me. This is an example of one of her fundamental principles: shop local.

Dr, Kleiman's Bag

The bag also illustrates another principle: move more. Its use helps avoid outsourcing movement. In the link above, Katy Bowman explains how many modern health problems can be traced back to the lack of movement enabled by our convenience culture. When we outsource movement, we pay to use machines such as cars or pay for preprocessed goods to avoid expending energy on moving, without perhaps considering the consequences this has on us and on our world. Dr. Kleiman transports all her groceries from store to house exclusively with this bag!

Dr. Kleiman's Coffee Cup

Dr. Kleiman's Lunchbox

Dr. Kleiman's Produce Bags

The third principle is: avoid plastic. Plastic can be harmful and polluting. In an effort to minimize its use, Dr. Kleiman uses a steel reusable cup and a Cal Tiffin stainless steel lunch box, and, to avoid wasting paper, cloth napkins made by her mother. It does not get much more local than that. The mesh bags are a part of this same effort, as they easily replace any need to use plastic produce bags. Ever!

Dr. Kleiman's Cloth Napkin

Oh, and if you take your reusable cup to The Press, you get a discount on your drink!

Brian Morin Serves Mount Angel Seminary as Full-Time Librarian

noreply@blogger.com (Hilda Kleiman, D.Min) — Tue, 10 Oct 2017 20:32:00 +0000

Brian Morin is not your average Mount Angel Seminary student and alumnus. After graduating last year with a Master’s degree in theology, Brian is now enrolled as a lay theology student in the Doctor of Ministry program. Brian, however, is not only a student on the hilltop. He is also a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy reserves, a full-time librarian at Mount Angel Abbey Library, and a husband and father.

Brian in the stacks of Mount Angel Abbey Library

Mount Angel Seminary was certainly not originally in Brian’s sights. In 2014, after finishing ten and a half years on active duty in the Navy, he was transitioning to the reserves. Thanks to the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 Brian was eligible, given his years of service, to receive funding for education. He was looking for a degree that was academic but also flexible, and library science seemed a great fit. He found an online degree in library science offered by Drexel University in Philadelphia and finished it in a year and a half with a dual concentration in digital libraries and archives.

Brian was, however, looking for something more. “I had always wanted to get a degree in theology,” he said, “to pursue God more and more.”

Brian in the archives of Mount Angel Abbey Library

He had more than fifty percent of his GI bill funds remaining and began to consider theology programs but did not find any good fits. One day, while he was searching, his wife pointed out to him a Portland seminarian poster as they were leaving their parish church, St. Mary's Catholic Church in Albany. He saw Mount Angel Abbey written on it and was intrigued. Until then he had not even known there was a monastery or seminary in the diocese, but after some research, he found that lay students could enroll, and he did so.

From the beginning, Brian felt right at home in the hilltop community. “It’s been wonderful, a real honor,” Brian said, describing his experience of studying in a seminary. “Having that opportunity to study shoulder to shoulder with future priests, as well as the connection to the Benedictine community here, this is something that cannot be replicated anywhere else.”

This sense of connection and communion has been at the core Brian’s experience of the seminary and hilltop community. “Abbot Jeremy’s class Introduction to Theology was a centering experience,” Brian explained. “It all centers on the Eucharist. The idea of communion ecclesiology brings together this entire hilltop.”

Brian sees this sense of communion extending beyond the seminary and monastery communities. He explained that the library is not only a “repository of encyclopedic knowledge, but it is an icon to bring and mold us into the image of God. Here at the library I view us as engaging in that enterprise.”

With his background in library science, Brian became not only a full-time student but also an intern at the Mount Angel Abbey Library, working in the archives. In 2015, he began to work as a student employee in cataloguing, and in January of 2016 was hired as a part-time member of the library staff. Just this past summer he joined the library team full time as a theological librarian working especially in reference and archives.

“One of the big joys working in this library,” Brian said, “is that the librarians and staff here all feel like a family, and that’s rare to find in the workplace.”

Melinda Holderness, who is in charge of circulation and works alongside Brian in the library, is very excited to have him on the team. “He’s just a real asset to the library,” she said, “because his theology studies are fresh, and he is very organized and fast, as well as being very personable.”

Although Brian considers his work in the library to be more than a job, he also serves his local parish in various capacities. Brian helps with RCIA, and he formed and leads a group dedicated to adult faith formation called the Adult Catechesis Seminar. This seminar is focused on formation for all the parish catechists, but is also open to anyone who wants to deepen in their faith. He also helps with adult confirmation classes. He had found that his Master’s degree in theology from Mount Angel Seminary has already been a great help in this ministry, and he hopes that his work for the Doctor of Ministry program will enable him to be of even greater service.

Off-Hill Supervisors Honored at Appreciation Dinner

noreply@blogger.com (Hilda Kleiman) — Fri, 26 May 2017 19:22:00 +0000

by Phillip J. Shifflet

On Tuesday, April 25th, Mount Angel Seminary hosted its annual Appreciation Dinner. This dinner is meant to honor and express our thanksgiving toward the pastoral ministry supervisors, the pastoral intern supervisors, and the seminarians’ spiritual directors.

Each year, seminarians are assigned a field education placement, and once a week they go off-hill for various ministries. Food banks, RCIA programs, parish youth groups, prisons, and homes for the elderly are among the many opportunities that seminarians have to serve the wider community.
MAS Polyphony, an a capella group consisting of second-year theologians from five different dioceses, performed a rendition of Ubi Caritas, featuring Myrna Keough, the seminary’s Coordinator of Music and Liturgy. Viane Ilimaleota, a seminarian from the Diocese of Samoa-Pago Pago, also sang two songs accompanied by a guitar.

This year’s dinner was coordinated by seminarians John Mosier (Diocese of Boise) and Ethan Alano (Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon). Mosier prepared a short video presentation highlighting some of the school year’s major events and photographs of seminarians doing ministry.

Established in 1889, Mount Angel Seminary is the largest seminary in the western United States, forming men for the Catholic priesthood. Founded by the monks of Mount Angel Abbey, the seminary serves both graduate and undergraduate seminarians from the western United States, Canada, the Pacific Islands, and as far away as Hungary, as well as seminarians from various religious communities and many lay students.

Seminarians and Faculty Honored at Annunciation Dinner

noreply@blogger.com (Hilda Kleiman) — Mon, 22 May 2017 18:02:00 +0000

Story by Phillip J. Shifflet

On Tuesday, March 21st, students, faculty, staff, and guests of Mount Angel Seminary gathered in the Aquinas Dining Hall to celebrate the annual Annunciation Dinner. At the dinner, guests shared fellowship and honored particular members of the community for their contributions and achievements. The awards and their winners are listed below.

The Saint Benedict Award for outstanding progress in both graduate and undergraduate human formation was presented to graduate student Deacon Nathan McWeeney (Theology 4) of the Diocese of San Diego, and undergraduate student Dustin Busse (College 4) of the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon. The award is given to those seminarians who best exemplify the highest formational ideals of the seminary, who model the Benedictine charism, who live the values of the Kingdom and actively proclaim the Good News, who love the Church, and who manifest servant-leadership in the seminary community.

Deacon Chad Green (Theology 4) from the Archdiocese of Seattle was presented the Saint Michael the Archangel Award for his special contributions to the seminary and its programs. This award is given to a student who has contributed significantly to the life of the seminary by establishing something new and beneficial or, through exceptional fidelity, commitment, creativity, and good will, has furthered something already established.  

The St. Anselm Award was presented to John DePalma (Pre-Theology 1) of the Archdiocese of Seattle, in recognition of that philosophy student whose love of learning, excellent academic record, appreciation of philosophy and the liberal arts, rigorous self-discipline, active classroom participation, and outstanding leadership ability have gained him the respect of the faculty and the admiration of his peers.

  The Saint Thomas Aquinas Award for outstanding academic achievement from a theology student was presented to Deacon Joseph Walsh (Theology 4) of the Diocese of Reno. This award is given in recognition of that student whose love of learning, excellent academic record, outstanding ability to articulate Catholic theology, rigorous scholarly research, active classroom participation, generosity with time and talent, and strong leadership ability have won the respect of the faculty and the admiration of students.

Deacon Andrés Emmanuelli Peréz (Theology 4) of the Diocese of Sacramento received the Saint Paul Award for outstanding progress in developing preaching skills. The award is based on the ability to proclaim the Word of God, call to conversion those who hear the Word, and the ability to possess a comfortable presence at the ambo.

The Saint Bonaventure Award for outstanding contribution from a faculty member was presented to Dr. Shawn Keough, associate professor of theology and Church history at the seminary. The award is based on the ability to teach effectively and generosity with time and talent which have inspired students and won the praise of colleagues. This is the second time that Dr. Keough has won this award since joining the faculty; he also received this award in 2013.

Deacon Zani Pacanza (Theology 4) of the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon received the Bishop Connolly Prize for his essay entitled “The Two Facets of Christ through the Eyes of John.” Given in honor of the Most Reverend Thomas Connolly (d. 2015), former bishop of the Diocese of Baker, this prize is awarded to a seminarian whose submitted project best represents the theme of the theological symposium. Most recently, the topic of the theological symposium was “Issues in Christology,” and was given by noted theologian Rev. Thomas Weinandy, OFMCap.

Mount Angel Seminary began forming men for the priesthood in 1889 and is now the oldest and largest seminary in the western United States, and the only seminary in the West that offers both a college and a graduate school of theology. Since its inception 128 years ago, MAS has educated and formed thousands of priests, and many qualified religious and lay men and women as well, for service to the people of God in nearly 100 dioceses and religious communities across the country and around the world.

CRS Offers Short Talk on Water

noreply@blogger.com (Hilda Kleiman) — Mon, 01 May 2017 19:28:00 +0000

by Hilda Kleiman

On Tuesday, April 18, the seminary community received a lunch-hour talk by Mr. Paul Hicks, the Senior Technical Advisor for Water Resources at Catholic Relief Services. He has worked for Catholic Relief Services for 18 years and was able to come to Mount Angel Seminary on his way to a specialty coffee conference in Seattle.

Mr. Hicks titled his talk "Integral Ecology: The Confessions of a Catholic Development Worker." In his talk he spoke on how he has been inspired by Pope Francis and his encyclical Laudato Si and shared three lessons he has learned as a development worker.

Lesson #1 - He and agencies such as CRS cannot solve other peoples problems for them. Hicks described CRS as a relationship agency that may assist communities with developing the relationships within their own communities that will enable them to address their own problems.

Lesson #2 - He has learned to embrace conflict, to understand that the way toward a better situation is often by working through conflict rather than avoiding it.

Lesson #3 - Development work is inherently political and includes advocacy, particular concerning the common good and natural resources.

The Irish Community Celebrates with MAS

noreply@blogger.com (Hilda Kleiman) — Thu, 27 Apr 2017 22:57:00 +0000

by Garrett McGowan

On March 12th, the Irish community of Mount Angel Seminary held their Saint Patrick’s Day celebration. This is the second party the Irish community has held, and this year the Irish community has now become one of the official cultural communities of the seminary. Everyone is welcome to join the Irish community, regardless of heritage.

Many people joined in for a night of Irish music, dancing, and poetry, along with corned beef with cabbage and Irish beer. Irish soda bread with Irish butter was part of the meal, with some desserts. One seminarian made a traditional drink similar to Bailey’s with egg in it.

The celebration was held at the bookstore located on Mount Angel Abbey’s hilltop called The Press. The seminary’s Vice Rector for the College, Fr. Terry Tompkins, and Fr. William Dillard, the Director of Spiritual Formation, told Irish stories and jokes. Deacon Bill Zondler sang songs with the Irish band, which was organized by Deacon Nathan McWeeney and Michael O’Connor. The Irish tricolor was proudly displayed in the center of the room were the acts were being held.

One of the focuses of the Irish community is to give people a look at Celtic spirituality and to bring all the different communities on the hilltop together. With many Catholics in America being of Irish decent and many seminarians of Irish decent at Mount Angel Seminary, they wanted to share their heritage with everyone. The Irish have elected new officers for next year and are looking forward to a third party for next year’s Saint Patrick’s Day.

Dr. Cummings Takes a Sabbatical

noreply@blogger.com (Hilda Kleiman) — Thu, 27 Apr 2017 22:43:00 +0000

by Garrett McGowan

This year Dr. Andrew Cummings, the associate dean of the college and a professor of philosophy at Mount Angel Seminary, has been on his sabbatical to work on his new book.

He is taking a six-month sabbatical from teaching to complete his new work. A sabbatical is a paid period of leave for a college professor, taken approximately every seven years, for them to focus on a field of work, study, or travel related to their field of expertise.

The content of the book will follow a debate between two famous philosophers, Georg Hegel and Friedrich Schleiermacher. The conversation that took place between the two men was how to know what the essence of Christianity is. Dr. Cummings said, “Their problems are our problems today.” Dr. Cummings has been doing research on this subject for some time. He said that you must study other peoples’ works to find your own voice and to know what experts are saying. Extra motivation for this was for Dr. Cummings to keep himself on top of philosophy.

Each philosopher takes a different stand. Hegel is on the side of concepts, coming at faith from a logical standpoint. Schleiermacher believes that faith comes from feelings, that there must be something deep down in the soul. Dr. Cummings sees this argument as a question that still troubles many people today. He doesn’t have a title yet. However, he is considering using a quote from Hegel, “Is a dog a Christian?” that is coming from the concept that dogs act off emotions.

The type of philosophy that this would fall under is two kinds: philosophy of religion and metaphysics. Dr. Cummings says that there is a touch of theology in there as well. Another reason that Dr. Cummings chose this subject to work on is because both of these men are Lutherans, and in time Dr. Cummings thinks it would be interesting to research the Catholic Church’s response to their viewpoints.

Dr. Cummings also is hoping that seminarians will read his book in order to get them interested in these questions. Dr. Cummings asked, “How can you know something without pursuing it yourself?” He said he hopes that this book will be published. In order for that to happen he will need a minimum of 200 pages before moving on to the next step.

The writing process for Dr. Cummings is not one that is set in stone, meaning that he does not have a specific goal for what he will do when he gets up in the morning. He does, however, believe that you have to set your mind on getting something done, even if it’s a page or a sentence. Dr. Cummings said, “You have to move forward.” He refuses to leave his desk until something has been done. He says “Push yourself, force yourself.”

Seminary Community Honors Vietnamese Martyrs

noreply@blogger.com (Hilda Kleiman) — Fri, 13 Jan 2017 19:21:00 +0000

by Phillip J. Shifflet

On Friday, November 18, in St. Joseph Chapel at Mount Angel Seminary (MAS), the Rev. Joseph Nguyen, OSB, a monk of Mount Angel Abbey, celebrated a Mass in honor of the Vietnamese Martyrs, St. Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions. The seminary community was joined by many others from the Vietnamese community in the Salem and Portland areas.

After the altar was incensed at the beginning of Mass, Fr. Joseph and the newly-ordained deacon, Br. John Vianney Le, OSB, offered incense before an icon of the 117 Vietnamese martyrs, who were canonized in 1988 by Pope St. John Paul II. The act of offering of incense is a sign of respect and reverence in the Vietnamese culture.

Commenting on the Gospel passage proclaimed at Mass (Matthew 10:17-22), Fr. Joseph noted that with these words, “Jesus announced the persecutions that his disciples would have to undergo. He spoke to his apostles and to his disciples of all times. He spoke very frankly, telling them what they may expect if they choose to follow him. Jesus did not present to his followers any false promise, but in the fullness of truth that always accompanies his words, he prepares his disciples for the words: Brother will hand over brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise up against parents, and have them put to death.”

“What Jesus announced in the Gospel reading today,” Fr. Joseph continued, “happened in the apostolic times and has been repeated in different ages of history in various locations. That is also what happened in the time of the religious persecution of the Vietnamese Christians. Since 1533, . . . throughout three centuries, with some periods of tranquility, the Church in Vietnam has undergone persecution . . . Over 130,000 Vietnamese Catholics were martyred.”

“You and I may not be called to shed our blood because of our faith in Jesus Christ,” he concluded, “but we are all called to be witnesses of the Gospel message. Each day we are challenged to be faithful to the vocations which God has given us. Each day we are called to live with Christian integrity, to speak the truth with love, and to be sacraments of God’s presence and love to one another and to the whole world.”

Mount Angel Seminary began forming men for the priesthood in 1889 and is now the oldest and largest seminary in the western United States, and the only seminary in the West that offers both a college and a graduate school of theology. Since its inception 128 years ago, MAS has educated and formed thousands of priests, and many qualified religious and lay men and women as well, for service to the people of God in nearly 100 dioceses and religious communities across the country and around the world.

Day of Recollection Focuses on Four Last Things

noreply@blogger.com (Hilda Kleiman) — Fri, 13 Jan 2017 19:12:00 +0000

by Phillip J. Shifflet

On Wednesday, November 2, 2016, Mount Angel Seminary (MAS) hosted its bi-annual day of recollection for all diocesan seminarians. Seminarians attended the morning Mass in the Abbey Church, so that the hilltop community could celebrate All Souls Day in common.

Two conferences were given by Fr. Thomas Reeves, OCD, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Fr. Thomas, an alumnus of Mount Angel Seminary, serves as a spiritual director for the seminary and the rector of the House of Studies for the California-Arizona province of the Order of Discalced Carmelites in Mount Angel, Oregon.

Fr. Thomas began his conferences with a quotation from Cardinal John Henry Newman’s sermon, “The Second Spring,” noting that the Church invites us during the month of November to pray for the souls of the dead, but also to never despair of God’s mercy. Responding to this invitation, his conferences focused on the traditional four last things: death, judgement, hell, and heaven.

In the morning, he reflected on death and judgement. “The reason that we have hope when facing death,” he said, “is because Jesus Christ has given new meaning to death . . . And now the souls that walk through the door of death with Jesus will have the light of life.”

“In the presence of Christ,” Fr. Thomas said of judgment after death, “the truth of each man’s relationship with God will be laid bare. The Last Judgment will reveal, even to its furthest consequences, the good each person has done or failed to do during his earthly life. And everyone will see the grace of God’s design and his plan for humanity.”

In the afternoon, he reflected on hell and heaven. “In the Book of Genesis the Lord asked Adam after he had sinned, ‘Where are you?’ And that’s a question we’ve tried to answer today . . . Where am I personally in my relationship with Jesus Christ? We began this morning by reflecting on death and judgement that we shall all pass through; and this afternoon we’re concluding with the two possible ends, either life with or without God; and we go now to the rest of the evening considering where we are.”

The day was spent in silence to encourage personal prayer and devotion. Fr. Thomas was available throughout the day for individual spiritual direction.

Reflecting on Movie Reviews with the UGP

noreply@blogger.com (Hilda Kleiman) — Fri, 16 Dec 2016 18:33:00 +0000

Editor's Note: After completing his final centerpiece for the Unfamiliar Genre Project, Br. Jesus Romo also composed this final reflection in which he shares his overall experience with this major component of the journalism class at Mount Angel Seminary.

A Final Reflection on the Unfamiliar Genre Project

I often had the experience of feeling out of context when members of my religious community were discussing movies because I did not know much about the components of a movie. There are two aspects that I wanted to learn from this project. First, I wanted to learn how to identify the key elements of a movie. Secondly, I wanted to learn how to be able to think critically about movies and give my own opinion. I will say that throughout this journey, I learned more than simply these two elements.

The first step I took in the project was to look for samples of movie reviews. I remember going to the library and asking for the Statesman Journal, a local newspaper. Since they did not have it, my first attempt at researching the topic was not very positive. The next time that I had the journalism class, I went back to the library with Dr. Kleiman, my journalism professor, hoping to find the newspaper, and it was not there. We looked at other journals, and we did not find any movie reviews in them.

Another option for my research was the internet, so I signed up for the New York Times website and I found many movie reviews there. However, since I wanted to see a greater variety of reviews, I looked for more at the Catholic News Service web page and at rogerebert.com, and there I found what I wanted. Although, the experience did not seem positive at the beginning, I learned later on that everything I did was part of the journey, and every step was important.

I chose to look at movie reviews of films that I had already watched in order to have a better understanding of the review and how it related to the movie. Once I chose the samples that were of interest, I began to read them. I had not read any movie reviews before, so it was a new experience for me. Some of them had vocabulary that was unfamiliar to me, so it took me longer to read and understand them, but I knew, from my experience at the beginning of the project, that it did not matter how much time I was going to spend because everything was part my journey.

From reading the samples, I learned that there are different rhetorical devices that I could use to write my own movie review, such as questions that help to engage the audience and comparing the movie with another movie of the same genre. I also learned that I need to be patient and see the value of every step that I take on any future project because everything is part of the learning process.

After my research and reading different samples of movie reviews, the next step was to choose a movie that I wanted to review. I had a couple in mind. One was the classic story Gone with the Wind, written by Margaret Mitchel, and the other was Peaceful Warrior, a film based on a true story, written by Dan Millman and Kevin Bernhardt. After thinking for a while about which one to choose, I decided to do my review on Peaceful Warrior because it is a story that I identify with. I identify with the story because the transformation that Dan Millman, the main character, went through is similar to the process that I am going through in my formation as a Missionary of the Holy Spirit and as a future priest.

The next step in my project was to put into words what I had learned from my research, from reading movie reviews samples, and from watching the movie. I did not know where to start, but as soon I began to write, I remembered what I learned in journalism class. The questions who, what, why, how, when, and where should be answered in a narration. These questions served as a guide for my writing, but I found some other difficulties.

One of the difficulties that I had was thinking critically about the movie. I believe that because of my personality I find it difficult to judge other people’s work and give my own opinion about them, especially when I have to refer to a negative aspect of their work. In the first revision of my paper, Dr. Kleiman encouraged me to include more of my own opinion in some parts of my review. Although it was difficult, I did it, and it helped me to express what I thought about the movie.

Another skill that I was able to practice in the process of writing my review was being open to receive feedback and corrections. Fr. Alex Rubio, MSpS, a member of my religious community, helped me by making grammatical corrections and he also helped me to choose words that better express the ideas that I wanted to communicate.

Now that I have finished my project, I feel pleased with the work that I did and with everything I have learned throughout this process. Now I am able to more clearly identify the key elements of a movie; therefore, I can be more critical when I watch a movie and be part of movie conversations.

Reviewing Films with the UGP

noreply@blogger.com (Hilda Kleiman) — Thu, 15 Dec 2016 19:38:00 +0000

Editor's Note: This semester journalism student Brother Jesus Romo choose to focus on movie reviews for his Unfamiliar Genre Project. The review below is the final centerpiece of his project.

* * *

Reality Vs Fiction: A Movie Review of Peaceful Warrior

Peaceful Warrior
Cast: Scott Mechlowicz as Dan Millman, Nick Nolte as Socrates, Amy Smart as Joy, Tim DeKay as Coach Garrick, Ashton Holmes as Tommy, Paul Wesley as Trevor, B.J. Britt as Kyle

Directed by Victor Salva

Written by Kevin Bernhardt

Based on the book Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman

Genres: Drama, Romance, Sport

Rating: PG-13

Running Time: 120 minutes

June 22, 2006

If this movie is based on a true story, why does it have many scenes that could never happen in reality? The movie Peaceful Warrior is based on the book Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman, which is based on a true story. Within the fiction scenes in the film the author wants to show the reality that Dan Millman, played by Scott Mechlowicz, was experiencing throughout his internal transformation in order to inspire his audience.

In the first scene of the movie we find Dan Millman having a nightmare. In the dream he is doing gymnastics when he falls and his leg breaks off into many pieces. Socrates, played by Nick Nolte, appears in his dream sweeping up the little pieces of Dan’s leg. This scene is important because it is a foreshadowing that the author uses to highlight another scene that will come later in the movie.

After the nightmare Dan cannot fall back asleep so he goes to a gas station, and there he meets Socrates who is the gas station attendant. When Dan exits the gas station’s store, he turns back and sees Socrates on the roof. Given that there is no way for him to have gotten up there so quickly, Dan is amazed, and he asks Socrates how he got up there. Why does the author use this supernatural event at this moment of the movie? Perhaps he wants to represent a striking experience for Dan which makes him come back to Socrates, but, it would have been more inspiring if the author had stuck more to reality.

After the encounter at the gas station with Socrates, Dan begins a process of inner transformation. He is a prideful person. Dan believes that he has everything he needs in life: he comes from a wealthy family, he has good grades in college, he is a good gymnast, he has friends, and he can have as many girls as he wants to sleep with him. Here, Mechlowicz could have done a better job portraying an arrogant character, so his transformation process and his role as a dynamic character would have been more noticeable to the audience.

Since he is not able to sleep at night, he goes to visit Socrates again at the gas station. Here the author shows that Dan is looking for deeper meaning in his life. Dan thinks that he knows everything, so he tells Socrates to ask him anything he wants; therefore, Socrates asks him if he is happy. Dan does not feel comfortable and does not know what to answer because this question moved a deep feeling of emptiness inside of him.

The relationship between Socrates and Dan helps us to see that we need the guidance of others in our searching for happiness. Nolte does a remarkable job performing as Socrates. He is like a wise father that knows what is better for his son. Socrates has the wisdom and the experience to know what is better for Dan, but Dan have to discover it for himself, and Socrates is there just to guide him in his journey.

This film is worth watching especially by youth who feel empty and do not find meaning in what they do. In this way Peaceful Warrior is similar to the movie Good Will Hunting (1997) written by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. They are both based on a true story, and the main characters think that they can do anything by themselves until they find someone who questions them and accompanies them in the important decisions of their lives. This movie is also worth watching by youth because it shows that we do not always have the control over our own plans for life. About halfway through the movie, Dan is driving a motorcycle, and he hits a car at an intersection. His leg breaks into seventeen pieces, and pieces of glass from the car fall onto the floor, which is reminiscent of the opening scene. The doctor tells him that he will be able to walk again, but he will not be able to compete in gymnastics again.

There are some scenes in this movie that are confusing because it is hard to tell what is actually happening or what is simply the imagination of a character. For instance, there is a scene where Dan is following Socrates, and he enters into the gym where his coach and his companions are. Socrates is already seated on a rafter that supports the roof of the gym; Dan climbs up to where Socrates is, and he begins to hear everyone else’s thoughts. Socrates wants Dan to be aware of how thoughts can take control over him if he does not focus on the present. At that moment, Dan falls from the rafter, and all of a sudden, they both appear at the gas station. I was surprised and confused by this unexpected shift of scenes, so this feelings made me focus my attention on the teaching that Socrates was giving Dan.

The soundtrack is proper for the events that are happening and helps the audience to get more engaged with the movie. It also helps the audience to figure out that a significant event is about to happen. For example, the soundtrack that is used when Dan is going to crash on his motorcycle allows the audience to imagine that a tragedy is going to occur.

Peaceful Warrior is worth watching because it shows the value of true friendship and true love. When Dan is going through this crisis, Joy, played by Amy Smart, Dan’s friend and a college student who studies at the same college that Dan does, gives him unconditional support; along with Socrates, she accompanies him in these difficult moments.

One of the most intense scenes in the movie --and a key moment to Dan’s transformation-- is when he intended to commit suicide. Dan goes to the top of a tower intending to jump from there. There he encounters another person just like him who is a part of himself that he has to let go. I supposed that this person represents his own pride. This is also one of the confusing scenes because we do not know if Dan actually went to the tower or if it was happening internally. When he let go of this part of himself he suddenly appeared on his bed. Because this film is a based on a true story, the author could have made a more clear distinction between the things that physically occurred and those that happened internally.

The author leaves the audience with the question of whether Socrates is real or if he only represents Dan’s intuition. Near the end there is a scene where Socrates and Dan are at a bar and Socrates tells Dan that he was the one who chose him. Dan asks him if he is saying that he made him up and Socrates just smiles. By the end of the movie, Dan wants his coach and his companions to meet Socrates, so he goes to look for him at the gas station, and Socrates is no longer there; someone else is working in his place. I do not know what the author’s purpose for doing this was, but it leaves the audience with uncertainty and curiosity.

College Students Help with Food Drive

noreply@blogger.com (Hilda Kleiman) — Wed, 09 Nov 2016 17:29:00 +0000

by Anthony Rizo

On October 8, the College One seminarians went to help Silverton Area Community Aid (SACA) sort food for those who are in need in their annual food drive. The process was simple, with people bringing in bags filled with different kinds of food, including cereal, canned soup, rice and pasta. There were also some personal items like soap and toilet paper.

We sorted the products into categories and placed them at a table labeled for those products One person was at each table placing the products neatly into a box, and we had one person going around collecting these boxes and bringing them to the packaging table. There the boxes were taped up and labeled. Finally, a person with a trolley stacked a couple boxes and took them downstairs to be organized. We did this until noon, and during our time there, we talked with the locals of Silverton and became familiar with the community.

As we were working, all of us noticed that the people were part of different religions; but we all had the same goal to serve those in need. The community was nice overall and asked us about seminary and why we chose this path. After the food drive, we met at a park close by to talk about our experience during our ministry. We all got the same out of it, knowing that helping someone in need is beautiful. Even though we could not see who we were helping out, the thought of someone receiving food just made us happy.

Guardians Face Off Against COCC

noreply@blogger.com (Hilda Kleiman) — Wed, 26 Oct 2016 16:50:00 +0000

Photos by Conor Baer

The MAS Guardians soccer team traveled to Bend this weekend to play again Central Oregon Community College. An game earlier in the season again COCC resulted in a win for the Guardians, but this weekend's game was a defeat.

Isaac Allwin (center) and David Pandero (right) working against COCC.

Alex Nelson with goalie Peter Murphy

Brody Stewart attempting to capture a kick from COCC.

Hernan Wences working in front of the MAS goal.

A Brief Reflection on the Year of Mercy

noreply@blogger.com (Hilda Kleiman) — Wed, 05 Oct 2016 17:06:00 +0000

by Dominic Sternhagen

Editor's Note: One of Mount Angel Seminary's Theology One students, Dominic Sternhagen studying for the Diocese of Salt Lake, offers this reflection on the Year of Mercy. It will also be published in Utah's Catholic paper, Intermountain Catholic.

What is your favorite image of mercy? The prodigal son? An image of the Good Shepherd? Christ feeding the multitudes, or welcoming children?

All of these are beautiful, and I love them all, but my personal favorite is the cross. The cross, because here we see mercy that holds nothing back, that gives everything, even life. Christ did not do some nice things, he did everything he could for those whom he loved.

Saint Teresa of Kolkata, the saint of this Year of Mercy, said in her acceptance speech on receiving the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize that we have to give until it hurts.

True love, true mercy, is not easy. Love means becoming vulnerable to others, putting oneself at risk. But without love, there is no mercy, only tolerance. In my experience, it is relatively easy to give money, but much harder to give of ourselves, to look the people that are left for dead by the sides of our streets in the eye and love them, as the good Samaritan did.

But this is the mercy that we are called to give this year: to reach out, reach out to those whom we left by the roadside of our lives, estranged family or friends. To mend relationships, give of ourselves to those most in need. Love.

The cross hangs, often forgotten, in the shadows of our churches and our lives. Too often I see only an ornament and forget the magnitude and the love of that sacrifice. I know how far I am from following the example of love without limits that is contained in the image of those simple crossed beams and that broken body, but I am inspired by it. I am inspired to follow it, inspired to give everything I can, or at least to try, like Him, to become mercy.

Mount Angel Seminary Celebrates 127th Commencement Exercises

noreply@blogger.com (Sister Hilda Kleiman, OSB) — Tue, 24 May 2016 21:21:00 +0000

by Phillip J. Shifflet

“The fields are ripe! O bless the Lord, our God!” echoed through the Abbey Church as Mount Angel Seminary (MAS) celebrated its annual Baccalaureate Mass and Commencement Exercises at the end of its 127th year of forming men for the priesthood of Jesus Christ.

On Friday, May 13th at 4pm, students, faculty, staff, family, and friends of the seminary gathered with the monastic community to celebrate the Baccalaureate Mass in the Abbey Church. The Reverend Stephen Clovis, Vice-President for Administration and Director of Pastoral Formation, served as the principal celebrant and delivered the homily. Myrna Keough and the Seminary Liturgical Choir provided music for the Mass, which included Kevin Allen's polyphonic composition of "Domine Non Sum Dignus."

Fr. Clovis opened his homily with an oft-repeated saying of Pope St. John Paul II: "In the plans of Divine Providence, there are no coincidences." He quoted from the late Roman Pontiff because the Gospel reading used for the Baccalaureate Mass was not specially chosen for the event - rather, it happened to be the reading from the Lectionary for the day. In the reading from St. John's Gospel, Jesus asks Peter three times, "Do you love me?" Fr. Clovis further commented, "It's a Gospel that's incredibly rich, offering us a deep source from which to draw great spiritual insight."

In his homily, Fr. Clovis reflected on the importance of three words from the Gospel reading, "words that elevate the exchange between Jesus and Peter from what might first appear to be an interrogation of sorts, to a level of personal encounter with profound implications." These words were "you," "me," and "my." Seemingly insignificant, but rich with meaning. Fr. Clovis ended his reflection by exhorting both the graduates and congregants: "May all you do, may all you are, may all you proclaim in word and deed be a resounding 'yes' to the one who calls you in love to care for those he calls his own. And in all things, may God be glorified in you."

The Commencement Exercises were held the next day, Saturday, May 14th at 10am.

The Most Reverend J. Peter Sartain, Archbishop of Seattle, delivered the commencement address. He began his address with a question: "Who's wise?” “Wisdom," he went on to say, "is not necessarily the product of a lot of education... Sometimes wisdom is expressed in eloquent words, and other times it's expressed in silence." Given these considerations on wisdom, one might rightly ask: where, then, does true wisdom come from? Archbishop Sartain gives the answer: "True wisdom comes from relationship with Jesus, one that's fed by prayer and humble ongoing conversion." He ended his address on a hortatory note: "Your conversion will demonstrate your wisdom, who is Jesus. Your conversion will make you hunger and thirst for a deeper understanding of what you have learned at Mount Angel... May Jesus be praised and glorified in all we do. And may our serving and striving after him make us wise."

G.P. Palestrina’s composition of “Sicut Cervus” was performed as a musical interlude by Mount Angel Polyphony, an a capella group comprised of seminarians Ethan Alano, Tim Meurer, Raymond Philip Napuli, Phillip Shifflet, and Luke Stager. The Reverend Mister Anthony Ahamefule, a graduate of the seminary Theology program for the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon, delivered the annual senior farewell. Msgr. Betschart gave the final remarks, and the Right Reverend Jeremy Driscoll, OSB, the newly-elected Abbot of Mount Angel Abbey, imparted the final blessing upon the graduates and congregants.

Mount Angel Seminary offers undergraduate degrees in Philosophy, with possible double majors in Literature or Religious Studies. At the graduate level, the seminary offers the Master of Divinity degree and Master of Arts degrees in Philosophy and Sacred Theology, as well as the Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology degree offered in affiliation with the Pontifical Athenaeum of Sant’ Anselmo in Rome, Italy. This year, the seminary granted 17 undergraduate degrees and 29 graduate degrees to seminarians, religious and lay students from around the United States and the Pacific Islands. Additionally, three seminarians received certificates of completion for the pre-theology program.

Mount Angel Seminary, established by pioneer monks, began forming men for the priesthood in 1889. MAS is the oldest and largest seminary in the western United States, and the only seminary in the West that offers both a college and a graduate school of theology. Since its inception 127 years ago, MAS has educated and formed thousands of priests for service to the people of God in nearly 100 dioceses and religious communities across the country and around the world.

Mount Angel Seminary – Graduating Class of 2016

Bachelor of Arts:
Oscar Luis Anaya Cuevas - Fresno
Huong Dinh - Oakland
Ryan Paul Dixon - Fresno
Gerson Alfonso Espinosa Velasco - Portland in Oregon
Emilio Gonzalez - Fresno
Jesús Gonzalez - Reno
Neil Giancarlo Frivaldo Guan - Las Vegas
Randy Hoáng - Portland in Oregon
Br. Timothy Kalange OSB - Mount Angel Abbey
Brian Kim - Orange
Walter Martinez - Fresno
Br. Rudolfo Martinez Guevara MSpS - Missionaries of the Holy Spirit
Peter Joseph Murphy - Boise
Luis Alejandro Núñez Lara - Monterey
Nicholas Lee Paige-Schneider - Baker
Eseese Filipo Tui - Honolulu
James Wallace - Juneau

Pre-Theology Certificate of Completion:
Joshua Daniel Falce - Boise
Junghoon Park - Seattle
Br. Benjamin Dinh Tran OSB - Mount Angel Abbey

Master of Arts (Philosophy):
Ethan Kevin Alano - Portland in Oregon
Br. John Cannon III OCD - Discalced Carmelites
Cheeyoon Timothy Chun - Orange
Joshua Thomas Keatley - Portland in Oregon

Master of Divinity:
Anthony Chijioke Ahamefule - Portland in Oregon
John Janer Becerra - Portland in Oregon
Alexander A. Estrella - Sacramento
Arjie Dacua Garcia - Portland in Oregon
Edgardo Josué Garcia Valazquez - Sacramento
Br. John Vianney Lê OSB - Mount Angel Abbey
Juan Jesus Maldonado - Fresno
Joseph Huân Nguyen - Orange
Cody Lane Ross - Seattle
Cesar Solorio Maldonado - Fresno
Derek Wayne Twilliger - San Diego
Mark W. Uhlenkott - Boise
Tetzel Ballogan Umingli - Portland in Oregon
Leon J. Vigil - Santa Fe
Cody J. Williams - Helena

Master of Arts (Theology):
Anthony Chijioke Ahamefule - Portland in Oregon
Andres M. Emanuelli Perez - Sacramento
William Bradley Hall
John Kucera - Boise

Joe Paddock: "Prison Ministry Creates an Oasis in Jail"

noreply@blogger.com (Sister Hilda Kleiman, OSB) — Fri, 13 May 2016 17:07:00 +0000

by Rodrigo Llorente, SSJ

Since September of 2015 students of Mount Angel Seminary started working in the Oregon State Penitentiary. Every Tuesday and Thursday seminarians from Mount Angel Seminary drive to the prison to carry on activities of evangelization and formation inside the prison. Joe Paddock, a seminarian for the Diocese of Helena, was interviewed on his experience and impressions on his time of ministry in the prison.

When Mount Angel students arrive at the prison, they go through multiple check stations, where they are scrutinized due to security reasons. Paddock shared about the place: “It's cold and sterile. It's weird, when you go the bar gate opens and then closes behind you and then you have this guy asking questions: what are you bringing in there? They have to make questions but you are not used to this. The assumption there almost is that you are doing something wrong until you prove that you are not. I suppose they want to make that stance because they want to make it a safe place.”

After going through several bar gates they arrive to the room where they hold their meetings. Paddock was surprised by the inmates’ reaction to them: “Once I got in the room my impression was immediate acceptance. The guys are just incredible! They are very on fire and they are very hungry. They’ve been praying for us at least for a month before we even got there!”

Paddock highlights the heroic faith of these men: “These guys a lot of times are persecuted because they are faithful. Some of them are amazing. What do they do when they go back to their cell? They read the Catechism. There is one guy that is studying Greek and translating. They have a lot of prayers books. They are studying the Bible and they hold them as precious gifts that they got from our group. And they are really devout. A lot of the other prisoners look at them and think how these guys think that they are holier than us! It’s tough for them to be faithful. I have a lot of admiration for these men.”

The meetings consist in a communion service followed by a catechetical session. Paddock really values the opportunities for talking one-on-one with prisoners: “Sometimes a guy has a tough day so we go out in the hall to talk. They need to take something out of their chest because there is a lot of bad stuff going on there. This is clearly an oasis for them. Away from all that! Is a beautiful time where they can relax.”

When asked about what has impacted Joe the most, a word quickly popped up: “Conversion. These guys had hit rock bottom and now they have opened their hearts to Christ.”

This impacted his way of viewing and approaching the prisoners: “These people look like good people that made a mistake and now they are atoning for them. To really get to know these guys on a personal level made me take a really humble approach and seeing them as children of God.”

Paddock testifies with confidence about God’s action in the prison: “It is amazing what Christ is doing in these people’s lives. We receive 10 times more that those guys get from us.”

Reviewer Offers Final Reflection on the Unfamiliar Genre Project

noreply@blogger.com (Sister Hilda Kleiman, OSB) — Fri, 13 May 2016 17:01:00 +0000

by Chi-Nhan Vo

Editor's Note: MAS Journalism has also published Chi-Nhan's restaurant review.

I chose to work on a food review as an unfamiliar genre primarily because it sounded fun to do, even as a class assignment: combining writing, food, and meticulous analysis into one package is a dream come true for me. Even my sister used to poke fun at me when we’d try new foods, calling me “Gordon Ramsay” as I tried to use important-sounding words to describe a meal, but despite this predisposition to the assignment I’ve never formally done a written review of anything. The UGP sounded like a perfect opportunity for me to try something new.

On starting my research, my enthusiasm only grew. More and more these days, user-driven aggregators like Yelp or Google Reviews are the big players in the game, where people always turn to in deciding on a restaurant. It makes sense, really: professional reviews don’t have the advantage of providing an averaged opinion of a place, and are susceptible to bias or even bribery in extreme cases. Most damning is the fact that they’re unavoidably longer: when someone’s deciding on this place or that, what they need is the down and dirty, as quickly as possible.

This trend in restaurant reviews makes for a great opportunity for me to do a traditional one. Looking at all the different reviews I could find, I found that there was a lot more variety in tone, style, organization and focus than the image of the traditional point-by-point breakdown that I had pictured. These days, an in-depth review has to have something unique about it to draw people in.

My own review ended up being structured fairly basically, not too far from that uninspired point-by-point formula; considering that this is my first time with reviewing, I suppose that’s to be expected, although it doesn’t mean I’m happy about it. At the very least, I hoped to mitigate the tedium with vivid detail in all five senses, as well as with personal detail about the restaurant, emphases which I borrowed from my collected reviews.

Sitting down for an extended, professional interview was probably the highlight of the research process. I didn’t find anything particularly different about researching the writing process of a food review from any other academic problem, but conducting an interview, looking someone face-to-face, is a whole different sort of problem that can’t simply be researched. Thankfully I’d had brief experience asking single questions to people on the hilltop in my work for the journalism blog, but that didn’t stop my nerves during the interview. It wasn’t unpleasant in the end, though, and I think I could do it much more easily if it ever comes up again. The quotes I got ended up being a great help in writing my review as well. I’m sure there will be a next time, so when it comes I want to have more interaction: rather than simply moving from question to question as written, I could have done a better job of drawing out more information in a natural, conversation-like manner from the interviewee’s responses.

There was also an issue of integrity in the writing process. After all, one bad review can wreck a business in extreme cases, and I certainly didn’t want to do that to people that I’d met face-to-face. But on the other hand, I couldn’t cover up any flaws in good journalistic conscience. My solution was to be honest, but phrased gently. Thankfully this wasn’t a huge issue seeing as how I genuinely enjoy the restaurant, but in one particular case regarding the restrooms my word choice was pointed out to be unfairly inaccurate. By simply using honest, concrete descriptions, I was able to balance my interests as well as improve the quality of the writing itself, as I exemplified when I spoke on the bathrooms: rather than simply calling them “filthy,” I described them as being “dim, cramped and scarred with discoloration” to paint a much more accurate picture.

I quite enjoyed writing this restaurant review as part of the Unfamiliar Genre Project. I didn’t experience any major bumps along the way, and by working continually with Sr. Hilda I could continually refine my project into something worthwhile. I was able to practice research skills and descriptive writing, and I also was able to get new experience in conducting an interview and professional courtesy. My bank account doesn’t share my satisfaction, of course, but my very happy taste buds provide some needed balance.

I would recommend this project highly to any seminarian, for the simple fact that it allows ample room to tackle something interesting while still pushing the bounds of comfort. Not only did it provide an opportunity to practice writing skills, it forced me into learning interviewing skills, both of which are highly useful to a student. Moreover, the hands-on nature of the project breaks up the tedium of lecture classes. It was a great experience for sure.

Journalism Student Explores Restaurant Reviews

noreply@blogger.com (Sister Hilda Kleiman, OSB) — Thu, 12 May 2016 21:32:00 +0000

by Chi-Nhan Vo

Editor's Note: This semester, journalism student Chi-Nhan Vo chose to do the Unfamiliar Genre Project with a focus on restaurant reviews. MAS Journalism is pleased to publish his final centerpiece, a review of a favorite local restaurant.

Thai Dish: A Seminary Favorite

Chef and owner Manos Jantarasri serves up traditional Thai favorites in a small but homey space.

It’s a quiet Thursday evening in Mount Angel, as most evenings are: cold and rainy, just begging for a warm meal to bring it together. Thankfully, there’s a perennial favorite next door in Silverton’s Thai Dish, a cozy, unassuming hole in the wall that’s played host to years of hungry seminarians. Some seminarians and I decided to take a closer look at the restaurant that’s so often recommended to hilltop newcomers.

Thai Dish is the work of Mr. Manos Jantarasri and his family, who moved to Oregon and opened his restaurant in 2001. Mr. Jantarasri had worked and studied at various other restaurants in California, where he’d first come in the US, to learn how to conduct a business.

He gives all the credit for his love and skill for cooking, however, to his mother, a journey that he’d begun long before he’d come stateside. “Since I was 8, everything she did, I watched and I did it too,” he says, reflecting back on his childhood in Thailand with a smile. “I was always asking questions. It was hard work, very tiring, but I liked it.” 

This homegrown, down-to-earth background seems to be the driving force behind the restaurant’s creative energy, including the décor. Many newer Thai restaurants in Portland are lavishly decorated from floor to ceiling with ornate paintings and bronze and gold statues. Thai Dish, on the other hand, is rather humble in comparison: its modest space is peeling with paint in the corners, and the hallway and restrooms around the back aren’t much more impressive, dim, cramped and scarred with discoloration. 

However, its walls and tables are collaged with pictures and clippings of Thai people and places, mixed in with crayon drawings collected from the restaurant’s younger patrons through the years. When these sights come together with the wonderful sounds of relaxed conversation and sizzling plates, it’s clear why such a place has become a town fixture. “[Since I first opened] many people have moved to this town. It’s very safe, good for kids,” says Mr. Jantarasri. “Many of my customers are families.” 

The food itself exemplifies the same sense of pleasant intimacy. “A lot of other restaurants, they . . . change to a more American taste,” notes Mr. Jantarasri as he describes the sweeter, saltier palate of American-oriented cooking. “I try and make very traditional Thai style.” The menu isn’t short by any means, filled with all the old Thai standbys of curry, rice, stir-fry, and noodles, and a fair variety of drinks, appetizers and desserts, but it also isn’t needlessly long: there’s more than enough to be able to pick and choose without being overwhelmed. Most dishes also have the option of choosing a degree of spice, anywhere from barely-noticeable to fire-in-the-mouth. There’s also usually a choice of meat, all of which are delicious, although the seafood options are rather pricey.

Service at Thai Dish is very friendly, doing a good job of checking in through the meal without being overbearing. Only one server is usually operating at a time, though, so service can be somewhat slow depending on how full the restaurant is. Orders do come out surprisingly quick, though, just enough to get settled and comfortable before the plates arrive. 

A number of visits allowed us to sample through a good portion of the menu. As in other southeast Asian cuisines, a soup is often the first portion of a meal, most famously the spicy and sour Tom Yum. Thai Dish’s version comes out on an impressive flaming burner that keeps it warm and turns eyes as it makes it way to the table. The broth, while not short on sour citrus flavor, is a little less complex than other restaurants’, but goes down easily without sticking heavily in the throat as the usual Tom Yum does.

Curry is usually the first dish that comes to mind with Thai food, and is a great measure of the restaurant’s quality as a whole. The red curry at Thai Dish is nothing short of amazing, boasting a host of vegetables like eggplant, green pepper, and bamboo that manage to retain individual taste and texture amongst the rich, flavorful curry. The smell, too, hints enticingly at the curry’s complex flavors without hanging pungently in the air. If anything, the only problem with it is that it’s a rather small portion relative to the price: even including the rice, a college-aged male could down two helpings without much trouble. 

Another centerpiece of the Thai restaurant is sweet, silky-smooth Thai Iced Tea, which Thai Dish does quite well: it’s definitely on the sweeter end of the spectrum, but it’s not overpowering, and the finish is relatively light. The presentation of layers of red and orange under the cover of perfectly-sized ice is quite appealing as well. The smaller size is proportionally expensive, which is a great excuse for upgrading to the almost-too-large size.

Stir-fried dishes are some of the restaurant’s most popular, and for good reason, as with the fried rice which exemplifies traditionally complex, multifaceted Thai flavors like savory, sour, and sweet: every bite has something new, bursting with chaotic flavors that somehow form a cohesive whole. The uneven textures are somewhat jarring, though: large slices of tomato and tiny bits of onion, peas and carrots don’t mesh well together. Both the satisfying pad Thai and crispy rad nah noodles are favorites of ours, which have a more unified taste and texture that is no less delicious. There’s no more satisfying sight to greet hungry eyes than a plate of rad nah, a deep-fried crown of golden perfection and laden with earthen greens and browns. All of these are fair portion sizes for a hungry seminarian, and nothing at Thai Dish disappoints for taste.

“Maybe I am going to retire soon, take a break,” reflects Mr. Jantarasri, rubbing his shoulder as he thinks back on the years of hard work he’s put into establishing Thai Dish. “But my customers keep [coming] back,” he says wryly. With such a homelike taste of Thailand in the middle of Silverton, Oregon, who’s to blame them?

Thai Dish
209 N Water St # A, Silverton, OR 97381
(503) 873-8963 
Hours: 11-10 Sat & Sun, 11-9 all other days
Environment: small, but cozy and down-to-earth dining room
Service: quick and competent, although prone to bottlenecks
Taste: great range of traditional Thai flavors
Options: plenty for vegetarians, especially with tofu, although ubiquity of eggs makes it tougher for vegans
Price: mid-range, not especially cheap or too expensive

MAS Faculty Presents Her Musical Sabbatical

noreply@blogger.com (Sister Hilda Kleiman, OSB) — Wed, 11 May 2016 17:40:00 +0000

by Sister Hilda Kleiman, OSB

The afternoon of May 10, Kathy Akiyama, an associate professor at Mount Angel Seminary, offered a Shakespeare lecture recital to the seminary community as part of her 2015-2016 sabbatical. She performed with Debra Huddleston, a collaborative pianist.

Ms. Akiyama offered four sets of songs from the plays of Shakespeare, and between each set she offered a short talk in which she explained the place of each song in its given play. 36 of Shakespeare's 38 plays include songs, many of which would have been familiar to Shakespeare's contemporaries.

Along with her musical work, Ms. Akiyama's sabbatical has included work on book on themes of love. She will return to teaching in the fall.

Writing Center Sponsors Successful Write-In

noreply@blogger.com (Sister Hilda Kleiman, OSB) — Mon, 09 May 2016 16:42:00 +0000

by Sister Hilda Kleiman, OSB

The evening of Sunday, May 8, the staff of the Mount Angel Seminary Writing Center hosted another end-of-the semester Write-In at the Press for the seminary community.

All students were welcome to bring their final essays and other projects to the Write-In. Writing assistants Philip Shifflet, Matthew Knight, and Isaac Allwin, and Sister Hilda Kleiman, the faculty coordinator for the Writing Center, were available for consultation and assistance.

Both college and theology students took part in the Write-In. The assignments they brought included those for Research Writing, various literature classes, philosophy classes, and church history classes.

Write-In events are also planned for the the 2016-2017 school year.

MAS Celebrates Saint Peter Chanel

noreply@blogger.com (Sister Hilda Kleiman, OSB) — Sun, 08 May 2016 21:09:00 +0000

by Dean Marshall

Saint Benedict, Ore. – On April 27, 2016, the Mount Angel Seminary community celebrated a votive Mass in honor of Saint Peter Chanel, missionary to Futuna and patron of Oceania. Father Andrew Schwenke, O.S.B., of Mount Angel Abbey was the main celebrant, accompanied by concelebrating priests from the Mount Angel Seminary faculty.

Saint Peter Chanel, known as the “proto martyr of the South Seas,” spent his time as a missionary traveling to the Canary Islands, Wallis, and other islands, before finally settling on Futuna. On his eventual martyrdom as a result of the local king’s jealousy, Fr. Schwenke said, “St. Peter Chanel's blood is the seed of the Church and the witness of God's Word that converted the whole island of Futuna.”

The Mass commemorating St. Peter Chanel also included several traditional symbols of Pacific Island culture, including the use of the traditional Samoan “ifoga,” an act of reconciliation that took place during the penitential rite of the Mass. The Mount Angel Seminary Samoan and Pacific Island community, led by Ace Tui of the Diocese of Honolulu, organized the celebration.

Mount Angel Seminary, in operation since 1889, hosts a diverse community of seminarians studying for dioceses in the Western United States, Canada, the Pacific Islands, and Hungary, in addition to seminarians from various religious communities and several lay students as well.

A Healthy Start for MAS Weight Loss Group

noreply@blogger.com (Sister Hilda Kleiman, OSB) — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 18:37:00 +0000

by Garrett McGowan

At Mount Angel Seminary, seminarian Kurt Zelkie from the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon has decided to fight obesity here on the hilltop. Kurt, a former army medic, has started a weight loss group at the seminary called “He Must Increase, But I Must Decrease,” for which he won the seminary’s Saint Michael the Archangel Award this year. The Saint Michael the Archangel Award is given to a member of the seminary community who establishes something new for the benefit of the seminary.

The main focus of this group is to get seminarians to change their lifestyle, to change what they eat, and to also get into an exercise routine. Members write out a plan on how they will lose weight and hand it in to Kurt to help them with their routines. Weekly meetings are held every Friday afternoon. Seminarians step on the scale and record their weight in a logbook as soon as they get in. Kurt does blood pressure tests and blood glucose tests. There is a tape measure available to check waist sizes.

At the meetings, discussions are held on weight loss tips. Kurt shares information on food and diets, and other seminarians are welcome to share information. Kurt said, “If God made it, eat lots of it; if man made it, eat less.” Some of the members have already lost over twenty pounds with the help of the new group.

The seminarians hold each other accountable by sitting together at meals and looking at one another’s plates. If something doesn’t look good the member will be told to rethink his decision. Chad Hill from the Archdiocese of Seattle said, “One of the main focuses of the group is making a lifestyle change, not just going on a diet. This is so that you won’t just lose the weight and then gain it back when you go off the diet."

There are no requirements to join the group; anyone is welcome. This is not just a group for those who need to lose weight; it is also for those who may be thin and yet have diabetes or high cholesterol. If there is a health problem caused by certain foods, this group is dedicated to helping seminarians get on the right track.

Annual Symposium Focuses on Technology

noreply@blogger.com (Sister Hilda Kleiman, OSB) — Tue, 22 Mar 2016 16:57:00 +0000

by Dean Marshall

On March 7-8, 2016, Mount Angel Seminary held its annual formation symposium, which seeks to expound on a topic of particular relevance for future priests and those involved in priestly formation. This year’s presenters, Sister Mary Timothy Prokes, FSE, and Fr. William Holtzinger of the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon, presented on the topic “Social Media and Virtual Reality.” Presented in three sessions over the two days, the symposium consisted of lectures, small-group sessions, and feedback sessions amongst the entire seminary community.

Monday morning’s session, hosted by Sister Mary Timothy, covered the current state of social media and technology in society, as well as its impact on ministry. Asking the question, “How are we changing as persons and how does that [impact] our relationship with the Divine Person…with truth?”, Sr. Timothy noted that social media and related technologies have affected how people relate on the personal level.

Noting authors such as Sherry Turkle, Sister Mary Timothy demonstrated how new forms of communication can result in a split persona, divided between digital and real-life identities. She noted that to combat this and to ensure that social media is used in a positive manner, society needs to use it as a way to enable “better face to face contact” and more meaningful communication, rather than communication that is hampered by a divided identity.

Immediately following this session, small groups were able to discuss their own experiences, covering topics such as recognizing the reality of being a public person, how to use social media as a communications and evangelization tool, and how it can be used for recognizing the profound human need for not just communication, but rather genuine communion.

On Monday afternoon, Fr. William Holtzinger, Pastor of St. Anne’s Parish in Grants Pass, Ore., presented on the topic, “Effective Uses of Media in the Parish Setting.” Fr. Holtzinger noted that “technology will help us continue that journey of communion” referenced during the morning session. He proceeded to highlight several tools that have proved useful in his own work as a parish priest, including technologies geared towards social media outreach, website design, administrative planning and scheduling, and personal productivity.

Recalling the words of Pope Francis, Fr. Holtzinger reminded those gathered that “technology can be both a help and a hindrance.” He demonstrated that in order to be successful, technological tools need to allow ministers to “serve better and reverence persons, increase communication, [and enable] better time management.” According to Fr. Holtzinger, technology is, at its core, a tool to “help ministers journey with and encounter people.”

Concluding the formation symposium on Tuesday morning, Sr. Timothy moved beyond the present state of technology and looked to where it may take society in the future. Recognizing the constantly changing state of technology, she invited the seminary community to ask, “What is happening to us, as a people and as a church, in the way we use these instruments?”

Sr. Timothy examined topics including robotics, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, and genetics, drawing on Pope St. John Paul II’s teachings on Theology of the Body to show how to keep the focus on the reality of the human person and the necessity for genuine love. Noting that as future priests, those gathered would have to answer many difficult questions in the future, a greater value needed to be placed on “face to face and eye to eye” communication, thereby allowing an enduring respect for both the physical and spiritual aspects of the human person.

The annual symposium provides an opportunity for those gathered to examine topics that would not normally be addressed at length in the classroom, allowing for discussion of a wide variety of matters pertinent to priestly ministry. Established by the monks of Mount Angel Abbey, the seminary serves both graduate and undergraduate seminarians from the United States, Canada, the Pacific Islands, and as far away as Hungary, as well as seminarians from various religious communities and many lay students.

College One Seminarians Serve Portland Underprivledged

noreply@blogger.com (Sister Hilda Kleiman, OSB) — Thu, 03 Mar 2016 18:51:00 +0000

by Chi-Nhan Vo

On February 11, 2016, the Mount Angel Seminary College I class underwent their second-semester of pastoral immersion at St. Andre Bessette Parish in downtown Portland, Oregon. Through the Red Door Retreat day program that St. Andre Bessette offers, the seminarians served free meals and conversed with guests, in addition to performing other duties, and reflected upon their experiences in group prayer.

The seminarians arrived at St. Andre Bessette at 7:00 in the morning and were welcomed by Ms. Becky O’Neil McBrayer, Director of Community Programs, and a number of other regular volunteers, who quickly set the group about at their tasks.

The majority of seminarians worked to serve food, sharing coffee, a hot meal, and fellowship with all who came through the parish doors. Others worked behind the scenes in the kitchen, in the food pantry, the clothes closet, and in the arts room. “When we finished we were able just to speak to the homeless people,” said Alex Valtierra, Jr., seminarian of the Diocese of Sacramento. “It showed how they are hungry- hungry for communion with other people. To be treated the same.”

After finishing the service at around noon, Fr. John Patrick Riley, C.S.C., Pastor of St. Andre Bessette, led the seminarians in celebrating Mass in the chapel below the dining hall. “What was really interesting and powerful for me was that this wasn't just any normal soup kitchen for the homeless, this was a parish,” said Andre Sicard, seminarian of the Diocese of Salt Lake City. “As you walk in, the tabernacle, the altar, the church is right there . . . next to the place where the mission of the church is happening with the guests. It really made a vivid image of what Pope Francis calls for, ‘a Church for the poor, of the poor.’” 

Mass was followed by a short walking tour of the area surrounding St. Andre Bessette. Seminarians were introduced to the MacDonald Center, the Sisters of the Road Cafe, and the Blanchet House, all of which provide similar support services for those in need.

Finally, the group returned to St. Andre Bessette for group reflection. As a whole, the group expressed their pleasure in being able to serve and, through that, to be served, but also disappointment in not being able to do more to aid the poor. However, seminarian Thien Hoang of the Archdiocese of Portland commented, “Sometimes we aspire to do something big and great to help others, but a lot of the times, doing the simple thing, such as helping the poor directly through institutions such as St. Andre Bessette, can make the biggest difference.”

St. Andre Bessette parish has operated out of its current location at SW 5th St. and Burnside St. in Portland since 1971. It was founded in 1919 as the Downtown Chapel by Mr. P.J. Hanley in order to provide relief services to those veterans returning from World War I.

Since then, the Chapel has strived through depressions and wars to, in the words of its mission statement, “welcome all people – rich and poor, housed and homeless, healthy and ill- to share in the love of Christ through [its] Hospitality.” The parish runs many community programs in order to support Portland’s large homeless population, many of whom are unemployed and suffering from mental illness.

Seminary Community Supports Blood Drive

noreply@blogger.com (Sister Hilda Kleiman, OSB) — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 21:00:00 +0000

by Garrett McGowan

On Jan. 26th the American Red Cross came to the Damian Center at Mount Angel Seminary for a blood drive. The team stayed from 11:00am to 4:00pm. This was done with the help of the Peace and Social Justice Chairs of the seminary, Luis Fernando Trujillo and Joe Paddock. The Red Cross is the largest supplier of blood for those in need of it.

Mount Angel seminarians helped the Red Cross reach their goal for this donation. The Red Cross was hoping to get thirty-four units of blood. Seminarians and teachers helped them get forty-two units of blood, eight units over the goal.

This time around there were seven new donors. Mr. James Sisley, a member of the seminary faculty, was one of them. He realized that there is a great need for blood and decided to help. He said, “It’s my first time; I’m embarrassed to admit it.” Luis Fernando Trujillo is trying to get more people to donate. There will be another blood drive on April 12th. Everyone is encouraged to come.

The Red Cross was very grateful to those who donated. Luis Fernando described the blood drive as “giving life in a pint of your own blood.” The Peace and Social Justice Chairs are hoping that this will help people remember those that are in need of blood. For anyone who interested in donating blood, it is recommended they be attentive to the twenty-four hour board in Anselm Hall.

The Red Cross sent a letter to Luis Fernando expressing their gratitude to the seminary. In their letter to the seminary they wrote, “We are so grateful for those people who donated because despite all the advances in modern medicine, without life giving blood many people would not survive.”