Abp. Burke "Pleased with Response by Fr. Biondi"

In Friday's St. Louis Review (subscription required), I learned that Archbishop Burke received a reply from Fr. Biondi (president of St. Louis University) outlining St. Louis University's take on embryonic stem cell research (see my earlier posts for more background):

"Father Biondi’s letter gave me every assurance that St. Louis University has never been involved with embryonic research, and they have no intention of being involved," said the archbishop.

In addition, Archbishop Burke said, Father Biondi "agrees he’s completely coherent with the Church’s teaching with regard to the moral objectionability of embryonic stem-cell research."

Now, what remains to be seen is whether or not Fr. Biondi himself continues to uphold the dignity of all human life in his own actions. He has outlined the University's take on embryonic research and his comprehension of the Church's teaching—now I hope he will express his understandings visibly, through his words and actions, in our region.

Been Workin' on the Websites

First of all, I hope you'll notice a new seminarian blog on my sidebar; Michael Houser, a theologian at Kenrick, has started a new blog, " Ego vos elegi." Check it out!

Also, I've been working on my Computer Support and Mac Support websites. In addition to posting two new articles on my Mac Support Website and streamlining a few techical things, I've finished working on tech help articles for my Computer Support site's 'Mac/PC Computer Support' section:

• My Windows PC is running extremely slow
• My Mac is running extremely slow
• How do I clean my computer/laptop, monitor, keyboard and mouse or trackpad?
• How can I avoid spam, viruses, adware and spyware on my Windows PC?

I hope to get back on track with life soon, but for now, please pray for my Mom, who is having some health problems, and for Dawn Eden, who has joined RCIA and is on her way to becoming a Catholic.

Ecumenism Without Compromise: Catholicism / Protestantism

To all Protestant Christians and Catholics alike reading this blog entry: please listen to this 35 minute talk by Peter Kreeft: Ecumenism Without Compromise.

There are many gold nuggets in the above lecture for anyone seeking the Truth—that is—Jesus Christ.

This lecture, as well as many others, can be had for free (MP3 downloads) on Peter Kreeft's website. (I especially liked his lecture 10 Uncommon Insights Into Evil from the Lord of the Rings!).

In other news, Jimmy Akin has announced Catholic Answers Live is exploring the possibility of making their shows available for download (or podcasting)! This would enable me to listen to the show more often, as I am rarely near a radio during the times the show airs on WRYT, the St. Louis Catholic Radio affiliate.

Blog Reorganization, Computer and Photography Articles

In case you haven't noticed, I've reorganized and updated the blog links on the sidebar; if you know of a Seminarian, Priest or other person who has a blog that you would like me to link to, let me know. I've also added the Priestie Boyz' website to my links section.

I've also been working on my Computer Support site, adding more content and refining some of the Tech Help Guides. I hope to finish some more soon. So far, I've posted tech help guides for the following topics:

• My Windows PC is Running Really Slow
• My Mac is Running Really Slow
• Making Your Own Greenscreen/Bluescreen or Backdrop
• Keying Green Screens / Removing Plain Color Backgrounds in Photoshop

May I also remind you of my new 'Ask Jeff' email support service. Check it out!

PFL Seminarians Conference August 16-21

I would like to inform any seminarian reading this blog about the upcoming Priests for Life 4th annual Seminarians Conference from August 16-21, in New York City.

National Conference for Seminarians - Sponsored by Seminarian Life Link
August 16-21, 2005

Join with seminarians from around the country to reflect on the call to priesthood, the defense of human life, and healing and reconciliation after abortion.

Principal Speaker: Fr. Frank Pavone, Priests for Life

Some of the additional speakers...

• Bishop John W. Yanta, Diocese of Amarillo
• Bishop John W. Yanta, Diocese of Amarillo
• Fr. Tom Euteneuer, Human Life International
• Dr. Brian Clowes, Human Life International
• Kevin Burke, Rachel's Vineyard Ministries
• And others!

Location:
Archdiocese of Newark
Youth Retreat Center
499 Belgrove Drive
Kearny, NJ 07032

Cost: $300 per person (includes room & meals) - Sponsorship available!
Nearest Airport: Newark, NJ (15 min.)
Amtrak: Newark, NJ
Shuttle transportation provided

To Register: Send $50 deposit (make checks payable to Priests for Life) to:
Priests for Life -- Seminarian Conference
C/O Janet Morana Att: Dept. J
PO Box 141172
Staten Island, NY 10314

Priests for Life will process conference applications at:
Tel: (718) 980-4400 ext. 260
seminarians@priestsforlife.org
www.seminarianlifelink.org

I will not be able to attend this conference because I'll be attending World Youth Day in Germany, but my prayers will be with those seminarians able to attend. I hope that I will be able to attend next year, as a strong Pro-Life foundation in my priestly formation is very important to me!

Jeff's Computer Support - 'Ask Jeff' - Email Support

I have added a new service to my Computer Support site, which allows anyone to ask any computer-related support question. If the answer I provide is satisfactory, the person who asked me the question can choose to donate via PayPal to help me with my expenses (any amount helps, but I won't be angry if someone doesn't donate). I have aptly named this new service Ask Jeff.

In other news, I watched Napoleon Dynamite the fifth time tonight (this time with my parents), and it's actually becoming funnier. At first, it seemed to me a worthless and stupid movie, but I think I was taking it out of context. The movie doesn't really have a point, and can be frustrating to those looking for one. Rather, it is better if viewed as a 'collection' of humorous dialog. Another good aspect of this movie is the almost-absence of what I like to call 'negative content'—that is, scenes or lines that make me cringe because they are inappropriate. There are a few lines that make me a little uneasy, but this movie is one of the cleanest non-Pixar films I've seen in a few years!

"Abp. Burke asks Fr. Biondi to clarify stem-cell comment"

From the St. Louis Review:

Archbishop Raymond L. Burke wants St. Louis University president Father Lawrence Biondi, SJ, to clarify contradictory published remarks attributed to him about embryonic stem cell research, which the Church condemns.

For more info about this situation, please see my previous post on this topic. I truly hope Fr. Biondi will strongly declare his pro-life position on this issue, as he is the president of Saint Louis University—St. Louis' most prominent Catholic institution of higher education, as well as the institution in which I am currently enrolled.

Spanish Pro Life Wristbands ("Pro Vida")

I am pleased to announce that, within a month or two, a Spanish version of the popular PROLIFE Wristbands will become available. Vida Humana International affiliates will be distributing the wristbands, first to Latin American nations, and then, hopefully, to other nations. The new wristbands will be bilingual, pronouncing 'PROLIFE' on one side, and 'PROVIDA' on the other, and will be the same color blue as the original PROLIFE Wristband.

Over 100,000 youth and adult-sized PROLIFE Wristbands have been sold since my sister and I received our first 10,000 in November of 2004. For more information, please visit the PROLIFE Wristband website. Please pray that the success of these wristbands will help to spread and strengthen the right to life throughout the world, no matter what language a person speaks!

SLU President Fr. Biondi and Stem Cell Research

After reading the article " Biondi's presence at meeting on stem cells creates a stir" in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's 'Metro' section today, I didn't know what to think. It would seem that either Fr. Biondi (the Jesuit priest who is president of Saint Louis University, the University at which I take many of my classes) endorses embryonic stem cell research (the killing of an innocent human life to obtain stem cells which has not yet proven to be worthwhile scientifically or medically), or he endorses only adult stem cell research (the use of discarded stem cells in umbilical cords or other stem cells in which no human life is destroyed—this research has already produced medical success stories, and has proven to be very beneficial).

After reading this article, and some letters to the editor, it remains unclear what Biondi's stance is. If he endorses or embraces embryonic research, this is sickening. Judging from a few past incidents, most notably V-Day and some other questionable happenings permitted by Biondi, I am not quite comfortable attending a 'Catholic' instution if these anti-Catholic (i.e. against Church teaching and doctrine) activities and ideas are allowed or endorsed.

I hope that Fr. Biondi will offer his own words on this issue, as I am definitely interested in what he has to say. Will he stand up for the innocent babies who are wrongfully destroyed by embryonic stem cell research and champion the cause of those in favor of adult stem cell research, or will he shirk away from public attention and continue to 'create a stir.'

Well, I'm Glad That's Taken Care Of!

From NPR: New York Corrects Restroom Disparity

"it aims to bring potty parity..."

Interesting News in the World of Computers

In an interesting turn of events, Apple (the maker of Mac OS X—the world's best Operating System) has announced that they will not be using PowerPC processors anymore. Now they will be using processors designed by Intel (the company that designs processors used in most Windows-based PCs.

I don't yet know quite what to think about all this, for a few reasons. First of all, it would almost be insane for Apple to give up hardware production, so I don't think anybody will be able to install OSX on a run-of-the-mill piece of junk Dell computer. Second, Apple can't yet count on OS X sales alone to drive Mac acceptance, simply because not enough people know about OS X's advanced and far superior (than Windows XP, Longhorn, or any other PC operating system) abilities.

I would venture to guess Apple will use most of the same internal architecture for their computer hardware, replacing only the CPU and related chipsets and power supply circuits. This would allow Apple to transition hardware-wise easiest, and still maintain most of the important hardware-related code (i.e. for chipsets, hardware addressing, etc.) that makes Macs run so efficiently and speedily.

Apple announced that they've been developing Intel-compatible versions of Mac OS X for a few years now, so the software does not have any major hurdles to Intel compatibility, and Apple is also helping developers transition with a special package of tools for developers. Apple even displayed many demonstrations of Tiger (the world's most advanced OS) on 3.4 GHz Pentium 4 processors.

What I don't yet understand is how Apple will advertise this switch. With the G5, Apple went to 64-bit processing; will Apple take a step backwards to a 32-bit Pentium 4 processor, or does Intel have a good 64 bit chip that will be up-to-snuff for Apple's purposes? This will be an interesting transition to watch over the next few years, to say the least!

Priesthood Ordinations, Blog Name Changes, Vocation CD-ROM...

Lots of news today...

First of all, I'm back at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary for a week or so while we host the annual summer camp for youth and high-school aged men, Kenrick-Glennon Days. This year's event has been an awesome experience so far, and it looks to be running smoothly. I'm the 'tech guy,' and I've had a great time talking to high-schoolers, campers, and, of course, my fellow seminarians. I'll be sure to post more information about the camp as time passes.

Dana Christensen, formerly studying at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary, has now been ordained to the holy priesthood for the Diocese of Sioux Falls. In addition to an article on the Argus Leader website, you can read his now-renamed blog, " White Around the Collar" (it used to be named "The Meandering Mind of a Seminarian" in his pre-ordination days). I will pray that Father Christensen is able to bring Christ to many people in his diocese (and beyond, through the powers of the Internet!).

Finally, the St. Louis Office of Vocations, which hosts Kenrick-Glennon Days and other vocations activities, has released a CD-ROM with video and interactive features on it promoting priestly vocations. I've seen preliminary versions of the CD and its videos (I was even lucky enough to help with making a DVD and VHS copies!), and it is very well done. The CD-ROM is specifically targeted at parents, because, suprisingly (to me, at least) approximately 80 percent of Catholic parents would not encourage priestly vocations! Click here to read an article in the St. Louis Review about the CD. Click here to find out more about the CD-ROM, or click here to order one.

A last note: please again say a prayer or two for my Mom, who has been in the hospital again... thanks!