The Chronicles of Narnia

Inspired by the movie The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, I read the Chronicles of Narnia for the second time in my life (I also read them during middle school), and I thought I'd offer a few thoughts, as well as a couple of links for further reading.

In my opinion, these books are very insightful, entertaining and easy to read. I read all the books within a two week period (granted, I didn't have too much homework during that time), and the conclusion of The Last Battle was better than I expected (don't worry, I won't spoil it—yet!). I have read other people's reviews and opinions of the books, and sometimes people say the books are simplistic or chauvinistic, but these allegations are simply not true. Anyone who says so is ignorant of the wonderful Christian tradition the books were written in.

The imagery with Aslan, Narnia, and our own world is simple enough for a child to understand, but it also contains enough material for much thought. I often put the book I was reading down to think about a theological aspect of the story or try to apply something one of the characters learns in the story to my own life. The conversations between Aslan and the characters are especially enlightening.

(WARNING: Possible Spoiler!) One question stuck in my mind as I finished the books, though; what happens to Susan? Obviously, she is not 'damned to Hell,' as some reviewers seem to think, because of her 'silliness' and infatuation with youth, but the reader is left to wonder what will happen to her after she finds that her family has died in a train accident. I, the optimist, hope she returns to her belief in Aslan and Narnia, and finds herself one day in Aslan's kingdom... but that's my opinion. I found two very good articles online concerning this very topic: Article 1, Article 2.

I encourage anyone with the least bit of interest in any kind of fantasy novels, or even in short, entertaining novels, to read these books. You will not be disappointed!

New Look: Optimized Graphics, Better Code, Etc.

After many months of procrastination, I finally decided to go ahead and radically change the look of my blog. I have always wanted the links column on the left-hand side of the page, but I have been using a template using CSS (cascading style sheet) coding that I did not fully understand, so I could not change it.

I finally had the time to go through all the code on my blog's templates, finding all the nuances that make it look as it does, then I changed them to my liking. There are still tweaks to be made, but I think I'll be able to make them soon enough. I liked the look of the reflection on the logo that I did on my iWeb test website, and I decided to use the new logo I designed as well (the cross is actually a letter 't' with the bottom part edited off from one of my fonts).

I will try to make the site even better, and I am open to any suggestions you may have; just leave a comment here, and I'll see what I can do!

(To all geeks out there: My blog, and most of my other sites, are now almost all XHTML 1.0 Transitional compliant. I still have some cross-browser issues (most notably with IE) with some elements of my sites, though...).

"Hooters to Receive Blessing - From Priest"

I did not believe the headline until I read the story. I'm still quite shocked, though...

Blessings are part of the Catholic tradition,” said Rozycki, who is pastor of St. Martin's Church in Tours. “You bless the building so it will be a safe haven, so that the families that enter will be blessed, so the employees will be blessed É as they support their families.” ( Read More...)

Seminary Variety Show - Couch Potatoes: Twice Baked (Edited)

Details are now posted online about the upcoming variety show, Couch Potatoes: Twice Baked, produced entirely by seminarians and faculty of Kenrick-Glennon Seminary. Tickets cost $5 and can be purchased in advance or at the door. Shows will be at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, February 24 and at 2:00 and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 25. The priestie boyz and Holy Mountain Music will be there!

More info to come soon as it is available.

2006 March for Life - The March and Final Thoughts

I returned to the Seminary about two hours ago, and now that I have most things back in order, I thought I'd finish with a few more thoughts from the 2006 March for Life. You can view pictures from the March by clicking here.

Youth Mass and Rally at MCI Center

After the Mass with Archbishop Burke, many Seminarians went to the MCI Center for the annual Youth Rally, Mass and March leading up to the March for Life later in the day. I was unable to attend, but I was told that many youth groups were turned away due to the whole center being full of youth ( reports say over 15,000 youth were present, along with over 700 seminarians). Then entrance procession at the Mass was about fifteen minutes long.

After this Mass, all the youth marched from the MCI Center to the area where the March for Life began (at Constitution and 7th street, on the Mall). I witnessed most of this March for about 45 minutes, while gathering with the rest of the Kenrick-Glennon Seminarians at Pennsylvania and 9th, and I was amazed by the huge number of youth! There were so many, and they kept on coming, even after we left to go to the March for Life rally grounds.

Here's a picture of a very small portion of the youth March:

The March for Life

Once we arrived on 7th street (as a side note, the march was half as long this year, as there was construction blocking some of the route from 14th street to 7th), we were quickly ushered to the sidewalk by the Virginia Knights of Columbus, who were parade marshalls. After about 45 minutes, the March for Life began, and we were lucky to be right at the beginning of the March, about one hundred yards behind the 'March for Life' banner:

We marched from 7th past the Captiol building, then turned right and proceeded to the Supreme Courthouse. We prayed the rosary toward the end, and walked mostly in silence; this year's March was too short for much more, though, and the overwhelming number of youth caused a bit more of an optimistic attitude (there was one group with a full marching band). At the Courthouse, one of our Kenrick-Glennon alumni (Fr. Blessing) took a picture of us:

Interestingly, I saw not one 'pro-choice' supporter on the whole march; in year's past, I've always seen at least ten or so on the sides of the street here and there. Apparently, my eyes must not've been open, according to the picture below in the print edition of this St. Louis Post-Dispatch article (it makes it look like there was a March for Abortion going on, and we were there to try to put it down!).

(from Alex Wong of Getty Images - STL Post-Dispatch Jan. 23, 2005 page A2)

Conclusion

We finally went to Union Station then boarded our bus after a couple of hours. The ride home was very relaxing, as we stopped only twice, and for only short periods of time (this was the first time I had ever slept on a bus for nine hours!). We are now back at the Seminary, praying as hard as ever for an end to abortion and all other attacks on human life.

Also, as usual, most of the mainstream media has done a reprehensible job reporting on the March for Life; not only are their numbers excessively inaccurate, but also their pictures and wording are deceiving and intentionally so.

2006 March for Life - Mass with Archbishop Burke

After about five hours of sleep, my brother seminarians and I left for Mass with Archbishop Burke and many St. Louisans (including many who were taking the grueling 'drive to D.C., march, then drive back to STL' trip) at the Mother of the Rosary Shrine. The Church is beautiful as it was last year, and the liturgy was made even better, as the seminarians who were in choir led many prayers while an organist from the parish played on the Shrine's pipe organ.

Archbishop Burke reiterated some of the facts about abortions, and gave us cause to be joyful, while also reminding us that prayer and fasting are the two most effective weapons against great evil such as abortion. Afterwards I was able to meet with a few relatives and other people I knew from around St. Louis.

I am now in my hotel room, packing and preparing to leave for the March for Life. Please pray that it will not be raining, and that we can change the hearts of many people through what we are doing today. More to come (including pictures of the March) on Tuesday afternoon!

2006 March for Life - Pictures and Other News

Today I have a few hours in which to pack, post a few more pictures, and get ready for the March (which begins early this afternoon). I decided I'd share some of my experiences so far with anyone reading my blog (which may only include my Mom, but that's okay with me!).

The Bus

This year, the Seminarians and I rode on our own chartered bus straight to D.C., with only three short stops. This allowed us to not only arrive in Washington about four hours earlier than expected, but also to get to bed earlier than one or two in the morning (if at all) because of the quiet atmosphere during the night. Those who were praying for a safe journey to D.C. may rest assured knowing those prayers were answered; we encountered little more than a slight fog on the way here (unlike last year's large snowstorm!).

Arrival in D.C.

We arrived, as I earlier stated, about four hours early, so we had time to explore D.C. in the morning, starting around seven A.M. on Sunday. The Seminarians and I split up into smaller groups and did different activities. My group ate breakfast at McDonald's, then went up and down the National Mall on an abbreviated sightseeing tour. For the first time since its construction, I viewed the new World War II memorial on the end of the reflecting pool, and, I must admit, it turned out much better than I originally expected—it fits right into the surrounding buildings and monuments, and is a moving display honoring our WWII veterans.

Vigil Mass and Visit to T.C.

After sightseeing, we checked into the hotel, took naps (and showers!), then went to eat dinner with two of our St. Louis seminarians studying at the Theological College here in Washington, D.C. After a quick dinner, we took the Metro down to the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, which is one of the most beautiful churches in our country (IMHO).

The experience at that Mass was unforgettable. I have been to the Vigil Mass twice before, as part of the congregation, and I remembered how packed it was... but processing in as a Seminarian was such a different experience! Not only were there 20 minutes worth of Seminarians, Priests and Bishops processing in, there were also so many people (especially youth) in every 'nook and cranny' (as Archbishop Burke put it) that you could not see the floor of the Shrine anywhere (besides around the altar). There were so many Seminarians that many of us sat down behind the high altar on some steps (see the picture below).

After the Mass, we visited the Theological College with many other seminarians who were staying there, talked to our brother St. Louis seminarians, prayed Night Prayer, than took the Metro back to our hotel for a short night's sleep.

Click here to see pictures from the March for Life.

2006 March for Life - Photos and News

Pictures have been posted from some of my wanderings around Washington, D.C. on my Seminary Website, and I will be uploading more pictures tonight or tomorrow, along with a couple of entries with information about the Vigil Mass tonight and the March tomorrow (which, I've learned, will be about half the length it usually is, starting at 7th street instead of 14th (where the Washington Monument is located).

Silent No More Awareness Campaign in St. Louis

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 6, 2006

Silent No More Awareness Campaign

Missouri Women Participate in International Campaign Addressing the Reality of Abortion

Breaking the silence that surrounds the personal experience of abortion (Roe v. Wade) women from Missouri will tell their stories on January 18th, at Noon, at the Missouri state capital and on January 22nd, at 9:00 a.m. at the St. Louis Arch. This Missouri event is one of 20 happening throughout America and in Washington D.C. in January as part of the Silent No More Awareness Campaign, which is co-sponsored by NOEL and Priests for Life.

“The real experience of abortion is quite different than the rhetoric we’ve heard for 33 years,” said Amy Martin, event organizer. “Our voices have been locked in silence due to pain, shame, and fear of judgment. But now it’s time for us to be silent no more about the real problems we’ve dealt with after having abortions.”

Silent No More Awareness is a Campaign whereby Christians make the public aware of the devastation abortion brings to women and men. The Campaign seeks to expose and heal the secrecy and silence surrounding the emotional and physical pain of abortion. Since officially launching the Campaign in January 2003, 3123 people have registered online, 110 Gatherings have occurred in 4 countries and 44 states with 1682 participants sharing their testimonies, and more than 5000 spectators have heard the message. For more details, visit www.SilentNoMoreAwareness.org.

DATE and TIME

WHO: Silent No More Awareness Campaign
WHAT: Event to break the silence of abortion and let women testify to the damage abortion has caused them.
WHEN: January 22, 2006 at the St. Louis Arch in St. Louis, MO

New Pilot Test Website on .Mac Using iWeb

I've been playing around with iWeb, one of the included applications in Apple's iLife '06 suite of digital media and content creation programs, and I am working on some ideas for 'modernizing' my blog, my homepage, etc. (and possibly consolidating a lot of info into a smaller space). Click here to see those ideas (I especially like the new blog logo and notebook...).

I've encountered a few usability issues with iWeb; I've found it to be an amazingly simple way to create simple, yet beautiful-looking websites, but it lacks a few features that I really need to make it part of my web development kit (right now I use Adobe GoLive for everything but my blog, which I maintain using Thingamablog). I create my graphics in Photoshop (and sometimes Illustrator or something of the like), and iWeb doesn't play nice with them.

iWeb will likely mature into a much better product, but until then, my 'pilot test website' will remain just that. Although I will be dabbling a little bit in podcasting to see how that works out (GarageBand 3, another app in iLife, has been quite amazing with it's built-in podcast creation studio as well as it's ability to work on soundtracks of videos (not only iMovie videos, but any videos!).

Other than that, school has started and is going well, and the Seminarians will be leaving for D.C. Saturday afternoon. I will be posting pictures and news whenever I get a chance (most likely not until next Tuesday, but who knows?).

Archbishop Burke on EWTN Life with Fr. Pacwa

I have just learned that Archbishop Raymond Burke will be a guest on EWTN Live this Wednesday (Jan. 18) at 7:00 p.m. This show will be hosted by Fr. Mitch Pacwa.

On an interesting note, I and my brother college seminarians met Fr. Pacwa this past Sunday at St. Raymond Maronite Co-Cathedral in downtown St. Louis (we were there to experience the Maronite liturgical rite of the Catholic Church, and he was a concelebrant). He gave a very inspiring homily on vocations, and I look forward to viewing his interview with Archbishop Burke!

God in Empiricism (Philosophy Paper)

Today I finally had a little time to post a paper I wrote during one of my philosophy courses during my previous semester at Saint Louis University:

In this paper I originally wrote for my Philosophy of God class at Saint Louis University, I outlined major Empiricist philosophers' ideas and conceptions of God. The main philosophies I explored were those of Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, David Hume and John Locke.

The main purpose of the paper was to explore how the Empiricist thought of God has developed historically, and what impact this thought has had on modern conceptions of who or what God is, as well as the question that exists today (in some people's minds) of whether God exists at all.

Click here to see the paper.

Defenders of Archbishop Burke

Today I received the following in an email:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Members of the new lay Catholic group Defenders of Archbishop Burke will be attending the installation Mass of the new Polish pastor at St. Agatha Catholic Church on Sunday at 10 A.M.

The group’s spokesman, Bill McKenzie, will be available before and after Mass for statements to the press.

For information or statements call Bill McKenzie at (314) 962-6304 or email at defendabpburke@sbcglobal.net.

St. Raymond of Peñafort

Let us pray for our Archbishop today as he celebrates his feast day. We pray for the intercession of St. Raymond of Peñafort, a priest who produced a collection of canon law and was general of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans). Let us always remember that, when we pray for someone to make the right decisions or to do what is right, we ask for God's Will, not ours, to be done.

I return to the Seminary on Monday, and I am hoping this will be a great semester. Our main Chapel (the St. Joseph's Chapel) has been rennovated, with pews in the whole chapel, two new confessionals, and a re-worked choir loft. The Priestie Boyz are about halfway through recording their first album, Lost in Ecstasy, and the annual Seminary variety show is only a couple months away. There is much to be excited about!

For the Birds...

The birds are obviously enjoying our St. Louis weather today (high of 58°F). I found this one on the bird feeder in my backyard this morning: