The Silent Holocaust

Abortion is a problem that is very deeply rooted in the moral fabric of our country. America seems to view life as a expendable. Our warped views of sexuality lead to a mentality that sex is for pleasure and not necessarily for the purpose of creating life. We have separated the very purpose of sexual intercourse from the act. Things like contraception and abortion only add to the problem, encouraging those who weren't 'planning' on having children to decide that they simply won't, even if God had other plans for them.

There's obviously a lot to say on this topic, but I'm going to try to keep my thoughts focused. I recently re-watched a favorite video clip of mine: an abortion survivor named Gianna Jessen addressing the Parliament in Victoria, Australia. She has some very unique perspectives on the topic of abortion, almost hauntingly claiming that "The Silent Holocaust did not win over me," as well as some stellar thought-provoking lines. I'll give a few of them, but I really encourage you to watch the videos.

"I know in the age that we live in, it is not at all politically correct to say the name of Jesus Christ in places like this, to bring him into these sorts of meetings, because his name can make people so terribly uncomfortable...But I didn't survive so I could make everyone comfortable. I survived so I could stir things up a bit."

That reminds me of the quote from Pope Benedict XVI, "The world promises you comfort, but you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness."

Attacking the claim that abortion violates women's rights: "If abortion is merely about women's rights, then what were mine? There was not a radical feminist standing up and yelling about how my rights were being violated that day. In fact, my life was being snuffed out in the name of women's rights."

And lastly, referencing the argument that children with the potential for disabilities should be spared from living a life of suffering, she states: "There are things that you will only be able to learn by the weakest among us. And when you snuff them out, you are the one that loses. The Lord looks after them, but you are the one that will suffer forever."

Like I said--a lot of thought-provoking stuff. If you've got 15 minutes free, take the time to listen to it. It'll definitely give you an interesting perspective on one of America's greatest spiritual battlefields.

Friendships on the Threshold of Change

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a huge people person. I've always said that my friends are my drugs, and I suppose that what I really mean is that one of the greatest ways I experience God is through my relationships with people.

After this summer, I was left questioning where some of my greatest friendships were going. You see, after my senior year of high school, I was very curious to see if my friends that I had grown so close to in high school would stay close. We seemed inseparable in high school, and despite the great excitement I felt for college, I couldn't help but feel as though I was leaving something else behind.

Much to my enjoyment, things didn't seem to change much after we all got in college. After the first couple of years of school, we seemed to remain close, and while our relationships were necessarily different because of our experiences away at school, we were all still able to come back home and build upon what we had always had.

However, after this past summer, I couldn't help but feel as though we were beginning to grow apart. Again, that's not necessarily a bad thing. And from what I could tell, most of it was healthy and natural. Many of us, including myself, were away with internships, summer jobs, and amazing opportunities for our futures. But being myself, I was slightly saddened by the fact that it was happening. Once the greatest of friends, we seemed to be drifting away.

As I came home for Thanksgiving break, I wondered to myself whether we would be together again. Not surprisingly, the night after we all arrived home, the mass invitation was sent out. I wondered how many of my friends would attend and whether things would be different, especially having not seen each other for nearly the entire summer.

Things were good. It's actually amazing for me to see how each of our lives are headed along different paths. Though we've experienced drastically different circumstances over the past few years, we are still able to come together and celebrate the relationships we began building so long ago. Sure, we're all different from the people we were in high school, but we've been able to embrace who we've become.

It did me a lot of good to be able to see our interactions after our time apart--to see how they've changed and how they've stayed the same. Whether a priest or a faithful lay person, I will inevitably be led to friendships with different people in different places in different periods of time in my life. I need to foster friendships with a healthy realization that friends do grow apart. However, I will always be a firm believer that our human relationships are a way to experience Christ in our earthly life. And as such, I look forward to every opportunity to invest myself in someone else's life. I look forward to every opportunity to catch up with an 'old' friend, to share an experience with another, and to build new relationships everywhere I go.

As graduation grows ever closer, I find myself thinking a lot about these things. Where will I be in a few years? Will I remain close with all of the people I know and love in college? If not, will I be presented with the opportunities to keep in touch? I find it very difficult to think that I may never see--or worse, speak to-=some of my greatest friends after I graduate. Nevertheless, I have full faith that God will provide for me. I must constantly remind myself that the friendships with which He has blessed me have greater purpose, and ultimately, I must carry with me the things that I have learned no matter where I go.

A Long Time Coming...

Well, I've been away from this for a while. Let that be a testament to how busy my semester has been. And that's no complaint. I absolutely love what I'm doing, at least 95% of the time. School has been a challenge this semester, mostly because of the difficulty of my classes, but aided by the fact that I cannot really see myself working as a chemical engineer in nearly any capacity. Don't get me wrong, I still actually kind of enjoy what I'm studying from time to time, and I wouldn't trade my time at the University of Illinois for anything, but it all keeps me praying for perseverance, to say the least.

Since I haven't written since September, it's easy to think of a lot of things that have gone unsaid in my blog. I'll try to bring out a few of the more important things, but I'll inevitably forget some very important things...

My brother has been seriously discerning religious life for a while now, and he finally made the move to get that process underway. This fall, he decided to drop his college classes, given that it was going to take him a significant amount of time to finish up his degree. He called Conception Abbey, which is the monastery that ran his seminary when he attended seminary college, and asked them what it would take. After some talking, they arranged for him to come and live with them for a month. He just got back tonight from working and praying with the Benedictines for a month, and I can only say that he's as happy as I've ever seen him. Hopefully, God willing, he'll be joining sometime after the beginning of the year. While I can't say that it won't be difficult to live so far away from my brother, I'm incredibly happy for him in every possible way. It's amazing to have an example in my life of someone who's so willing to radically follow God's call in his life. I only hope that I'm as willing to put aside my wants and desires and abandon myself so fully to God.

Aside from that, things in my life have been going pretty well. As of October 29th, I have officially applied to be a seminarian for the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. I can't even say how great it felt to get the application finished. I felt like I was finally doing something about what I felt God had been writing on my heart for quite some time. Now I wait as they begin to review my application. Eventually I'll be called in for an interview and at some point I'll begin the process of applying to the seminary itself. Exciting times, no doubt. I just have to keep reminding myself to keep focused on my vocation at present, which is student.

The weekend after I turned in my application, I had the opportunity to visit the University of St. Mary of the Lake, Mundelein Seminary. My diocese sends to this school, along with a couple of others. The place is absolutely stunning. The grounds are gorgeous and the entire place breeds peace and serenity. The weekend I visited happened to be deaconate ordination, and I was blessed to be able to sing in the choir for the celebration. Afterwards at the hors d'oeuvres reception, a friend of mine who goes to Mundelein introduced me to some of the very important figures associated with the seminary. I shook hands with Francis Cardinal George and a couple of bishops, the rector of the seminary as well as a couple of the deans, and some very intriguing professors and religious. After somewhat of a whirlwind weekend, I was fortunate to get to spend some time in the main chapel and then driving around the lake. (Funny, my camera ended up deleting the pictures I took.)

I'm incredibly eager to get started with my discernment in seminary. I have a ways to go before I get there, but things are definitely coming together.

St. Charles Borromeo, pray for us!

Coincidence or Providence?

So last night we had the first of our FOCUS Bible Studies. Upon revealing that I was a senior, much to the surprise of a couple of the guys that were present (I'm not sure how old they thought I was...I was afraid to ask.), one of the kids, somewhat cautiously asked me 'what I wanted to do.'

I told him that I was studying Chemical Engineering, but planned on walking away from my degree once I was graduated (a somewhat light-hearted response I like to employ). He prompted me to go further...to actually explain what it was that I planned to do instead.

So I replied that I was pretty sure I was applying for seminary.

He jumped up and yelled, "I KNEW IT!!! I COULD JUST TELL!"

Seeing as I was just sitting there (in sweatpants, no less) talking completely normally, I was a little surprised at his surety. Nevertheless, I couldn't help but smile at his response.

I don't know what it was about me that had "possible future seminarian" written across my forehead, but regardless, I felt honored to even give off that impression. I've known quite a few seminarians in my day, and they have been without exception some of the most honorable Christian men I know.

Falling off the Wagon...

I predicted this would happen. I come back to school and I get slammed with 'stuff.' Granted, at this point in the semester, I don't even have that much homework. That's quickly changing, especially given that I'm in my senior Design class that is sure to kill me because of all the work (the professor even acknowledges that).

I've been busy with a whole bunch of other things. A friend and I have already started work on the Koinonia retreat that we'll be leading in February. Service Team and OXE meetings, FOCUS Bible Study, and choir practice have already started. On top of that, I started spiritual direction this week. That was quite an experience. Hopefully I'll get a chance to post about spiritual direction later in the semester...we'll see about that.

But for now, suffice it to say that I'm quite busy. Blogging will be a welcome relief to such a busy semester, but prayer and Mass are most definitely my first priority (alongside my student duties). For now, though, I figured I'd at least say hello!

Oh, in the midst of catching up with some blogs I follow, I've read a few posts from a fellow Totus Tuus missionary from this summer. He has a pretty amazing outlook on things, so I'd recommend checking out his blog.

That's all for now! God Bless!

It's Great To Be Back!

I love being back in Champaign! After an intensely long move-in process to my new apartment (which I also really like), I got the opportunity to return to Newman after long last. It was exactly what I needed. I love being surrounded by the positive atmosphere of people who share my faith. I've noticed in the past few years of my life that the friendships I have that are built on or around Christ are the strongest friendships I've had. And for good reason.

This summer, through Totus Tuus, we taught the older kids what a virtuous friend is. It's pretty much exactly what it sounds like: a relationship whose ultimate goal is to achieve heaven for both parties. Pretty sweet. 'Virtuous friends' are definitely the people that I feel I am most connecting with at present, and I have no doubt that they will be an important part of my future faith journey.

As an extreme people-person, a huge part of my discernment process has been that of figuring out where I could use my talents to help people. Through some great conversation tonight with a great friend of mine, I'm struck with thought about how appealing a life of evangelization truly is. Upon telling him of my experiences this summer, I was overwhelmed with a feeling of joy at the thought of a room full of fully attentive junior high and high schoolers listening to you talk about God--and then asking questions! Seeing that light go on in someone's mind is an experience I cannot begin to explain, but it's certainly one that I wouldn't mind dedicating my life to. More often, I find myself thinking: "We are the Church Militant, let us be soldiers for Christ."

What have we done on the battlefield lately?

Senior year is going to be one of the most rewardingly challenging and enjoyable years of my life thus far. Godspeed to all, and let's take the world by storm.

I Love Quotes.

The other day, I found myself watching Sister Act (and Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit). Despite the fact that I watched both of these movies a mere 3 months ago, I couldn't help but want to watch them again. If you've never watched them, you should. They're not spectacular movies, but I find myself drawn to that type of innocent, musical, uplifting humor.

One line caught my attention in the second movie (okay, like 400 lines caught my attention, but this one had meaning): "If you wanna be somebody, if you wanna go somewhere, you better wake up and pay attention." How true. In today's world, you better hit the ground running, or you're more than likely going to get run over. But that's not what I found interesting. There's something a little deeper there, at least I think.

God is a reality in this world. Whether or not you want to admit it, He's there, and He'd love for us to acknowledge that. The line, quoted above, seemed to me like more of a calling. "If you wanna be somebody, if you wanna go somewhere, you better wake up and pay attention." We're all called to be saints--holy men and women of God. If we want to end up sharing in the eternal life promised us by God, then perhaps we should step up and pay attention to what shelf we placed God on. Perhaps you should consider this: God's the bookshelf, not something to be placed on it.

Today I watched Letters to God. The movie was pretty predictably cheesy and cliche (How do you make this thing do accents?). But overall, the meaning was there. I could talk about the movie, but again I'd like to highlight a quote that I heard in (of all things) the previews. It said: "God doesn't expect you to be successful, just faithful."

Again, how true. We're quite obsessed with the perception of success in our lives--more specifically, others' perception of our success in our lives. But the ultimate test of our life is not how much money we earned or whether or not we've gotten some kick-ass job that will make everyone else envious. While I find even myself thinking about what my monetary situation will be like after school, I remind myself that God doesn't call everyone to that million-dollar profession. During my car ride to Ohio, I was talking to my cousin about what she would like to do for a living. She's changed majors (who hasn't?), and she's being pressured to choose the money-making job over what she thinks might otherwise make her happy. What a shame. Nevertheless, it's a pressure we all face. It's a real disappointment that we cannot put aside our concerns about money and success and think about what really matters: our faith. Try not being successful if you've followed Christ throughout your whole life. While society might not consider your life a success, I guarantee, you'll end up the victor.

My brother and I will be driving to Tulsa, Oklahoma tomorrow for the wake of Andrew Dever. Please pray for our safe travels (it's a 7-hour drive and we'll be returning after spending only a couple of hours in Tulsa). Pray also for Andrew and his family in these difficult times. Letters to God was successful in provoking several strong emotions within me: one of which is how extremely difficult it must be to watch your child suffer or die. We must only rely on God for comfort.

R.I.P. Andrew Scott Dever

Please join me in praying for the repose of the soul of Andrew Scott Dever. Andrew was a dear friend of my brother's, who attended Conception Seminary College alongside him for several years. He passed away Saturday from causes yet unknown. Needless to say, his death was tragic and unexpected, as any 29 year-old's death would be. Rest in peace, dear brother, and may the light of Christ shine on you now and always.

"Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest..." -Mt. 11:28

I'm Back!

On a positive note, I'm back in Illinois and very much enjoyed my time visiting my cousin in Cleveland. Her apartment is right on the lake and has a beautiful view of downtown as viewed from across Lake Eerie. We also saw Dinner for Schmucks with one of my favorite actors, Steve Carell. It was incredibly funny, which frankly far exceeded my expectations of the movie. I'm almost positive that part of the hilarity of the movie was the fact that I saw it with my cousins and my brother; let's face it, not a single on of us can keep from busting up laughing at the slightest thing, so putting the four of us in a dark movie theater watching Steve Carell was bound to be an entertaining experience.

I'm excited to have a few more days of rest before I go back to school, but I am more than excited to get back. More and more frequently I find myself pacing around my house hoping for something exciting to do. Now at least in the next few days that can hopefully lead to some productive packing. It's only a shame that I can't move in a little sooner so that I can actually enjoy a few days up there before those dreaded classes start....

Cleveland or Bust

I haven't posted in a couple of days. The reason is simple: my life is a little more boring while I'm at home. I enjoy my time at home, but there simply aren't 700 things pulling me 700 different ways like they do at school. And thus, there's not too much to write about.

I do have one (heh, at least) exciting thing on the horizon, though! Tomorrow, hopefully at a decent hour, my brother, my cousin, and I will be leaving for Cleveland, OH to see my other cousin! She's recently graduated from St. Louis College of Pharmacy with her PharmD and has moved on to a residency there in Cleveland. She told me that her apartment is right on Lake Eerie, so I have high hopes.

Seeing as I'll be in a different state, I probably won't be posting until next Monday, at the earliest. That being said, I probably won't have all that much to say even then.

Kathleen Madigan

She's the funniest comedian ever. Well, at least I think so. She's from STL, so maybe that has something to do with it. But she's pretty great. Check this out. That's all for now.

Fr. Louis

My brother just got back from the Abbey of Gethsemani (yes, they spell it with an 'i') in Trappist, Kentucky. As evidenced by the name of the town, the abbey is home to Trappist monks. From what I gather, the grounds are gorgeous, the monks are vegetarian, and the spirituality is intense (that's a good thing). In typical Daniel fashion, he brought back gifts, which included the four-volume set of the Liturgy of the Hours for his one and only brother. What can I say? I'm spoiled...

The Abbey of Gethsemani was home to Thomas Merton, otherwise known as Fr. Louis. I don't know much about the man personally, but I am a big fan of a prayer by him that my brother showed me a couple of years ago. Coincidentally, Msgr. Ketcham read the prayer in his homily during K-Mass on Saturday. I figured I might as well just chalk it up as providential and share the prayer:

My Lord God,

I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

-Thomas Merton, Thoughts in Solitude

Barn Owl Webcam

One of the interesting benefits of technology...

I was looking around some different science news articles and I stumbled across this webcam, coming out of San Marcos, California. It's focus is a 'common' barn owl (known by the rest of the US bird-watching community as JUST a Barn Owl, or Tyto Alba for the Latin enthusiasts/birding nerds out there), whose host-family has affectionately named her Molly.

Aside from the fact that its becoming an internet sensation (with over 15 million viewers?! sheesh.), it's pretty interesting to see. I don't guarantee that you'll want to watch it for anything over 5 minutes, since it's a tad boring in the minute-to-minute sense; but I find it cool. Here's a link.

Fun fact, which I can almost guarantee no one will care about: the first--and only--Barn Owl that I have seen was in Hereford, Arizona at the San Pedro River Inn. It, too, was in a nest box, and my family was only made aware of its presence by the owner of the inn. Although Barn Owls are native to pretty much the entire United States and a large portion of the rest of the globe, they aren't incredibly common in most areas and being nocturnal, they aren't usually seen unless they live in your barn. It was pretty exciting getting to see the Barn Owls in Arizona, and this webcam just brings back the pleasant memories....

7 Hours in Champaign

So today I spent a whopping 7 hours in Champaign. That's three hours of driving back and forth, meaning I left my house at noon and got back around 1 am. But it was great...and it only got me pumped up even more for my senior year of college. I can already tell that this year is going to FLY by, and I'm going to be left wondering where my college years went.

Regardless, my reason for coming into town was two-fold. First, I had to turn in the keys to my apartment in the Tower at Third. It was kind of weird saying goodbye to the place I called home for the past two years, but again, it made me that much more eager to move into my new place, a few blocks further away from campus.

The other reason for me to be in town was for the final K-Mass of the summer. I can honestly say that I wasn't all that excited to attend, especially since I didn't think that many people would actually show. I was pleasantly surprised, though, and as always, I walked away thanking God for the opportunity to celebrate in such a wonderful sacrament with friends.

In the tiny convent chapel across the street from the Newman center, I found what I haven't had all summer. I found a tiny, but nonetheless substantial, group of incredibly faithful people who share the fire that I have for Christ. It's really incredible; I hadn't realized that I've even missed it that much, considering the WONDERFUL time that I had this summer spreading the Word. But I missed it, even when I didn't realize it.

And that's when I realized how blessed I am. Newman, despite its obvious flaws and occasional downfalls, is an incredible community. I thank God everyday for the faith that I've found in the middle of one of the larger secular universities in this country. It's truly incredible to look back on the past few years and remember the people that I've met, the places Newman has taken me, and the 'spiritual slams' that I've encountered because of the community there.

As Monsignor preached about faith, I realized how much my faith had grown because of Newman and the Koinonia community. I most definitely wouldn't be where I am today without them. It would be easy for me to be sad about having to leave such a wonderful place in a few short months (and believe me, that will happen), but I'm encouraged by the fact that I believe God is calling me to take that sense of community with me--to places that might otherwise not know how great it is to have a spiritual support-group, if you will.

Another pleasant surprise: I got to have dinner with a great friend while I was in town. The conversation began, as all do at this time of year, with a simple discussion of our summers. But we ended up talking about friends, how relationships change over time, and learning to let go. How appropriate as I go into my final year of college.

As I mature, be it spiritually or otherwise, I'm finding that I'm able to cope more with my almost-desperate need to stay connected with old friends. Luckily, we live in an age where reaching people is as easy as logging onto Facebook or shooting off a text. Regardless, I can see myself gradually letting go of former relationships. People change and so must relationships. But I have faith that God will keep me close to whomever He sees fit. If anything, I'll have one hell of a network of acquaintances. :c)

A Whirlwind Summer, To Say the Least

I dedicated this summer to a program called Totus Tuus. The program, absolutely amazing in nearly every aspect, was much what I needed; hopefully I managed to enlighten a few children along the way, as that was the primary goal...

Here's a segment of the basic plug we gave every Sunday for 8 weeks, explaining the program's name: "Totus Tuus is Latin for 'Totally Yours' and was used by the late Pope John Paul II as his papal motto. The Holy Father used the phrase in reference to his total dedication to Mary, through which he achieved union with Christ. Our team likes to refer to Totus Tuus as the way we give ourselves totally to the children of the parish, in the hopes that the children give themselves totally to Christ...."

As the work of the eight missionaries (yes, we were missionaries; we lived out of suitcases and shoved all we owned into the back of a coupe every week) is now over, I can only hope that the work we did inspired some kids to actually think about their faith, perhaps as more than just something that one does on a Sunday morning for an hour.

Our basic program dealt directly with the Our Father, the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary, and Prayer. I can honestly say, throughout the entirety of training (in South Dakota!!!), I have never given that much thought to the Our Father. And I couldn't have EVER spouted off as much information about the Annunciation, Visitation, Nativity, Presentation, and Finding as I can now. Really, I'm not sure who benefited more from the summer: the kids or me.

If you asked me before the summer began whether or not I was excited, you probably received some beaming response about how or why I was doing it. The summer lived up to just about every single one of my expectations. I had a LOT of high hopes for this summer. And yet the program seemed to take every single one of my expectations and bring them to fruition. I suppose I should give credit where it's due, though...I know God had his hand in that.

I really cannot even begin to explain how or why or even with what this program was helpful. Suffice it to say that it was. Again, now I only pray that for every benefit I received, the kids got all that much more.

For the greater glory of God!

The Beginning of an Era...

So I've been interested in doing this for a while, but I've just worked up the mental energy to do it. I'm hoping that my attempt at entering the blogosphere isn't quite as big of a fail as my attempts at joining Twitter. Sorry, I'm just not a big fan...

I'm planning on making this blog a random spattering of whatever comes to my mind. The posts will probably be some mix of religious posts, exciting news, interesting things I've encountered, and other questionably interesting things. Don't count on it being daily.

We'll see how it goes...