I just had to say...

Sometimes I think that I post too much and scare people with too much information...

...Anyway its the second to last day of the shortest month of the year and I have already filled this month to the max with posts...either I have way too much to say, overactive desire to publish nonsense, or I am just really bored with my barely full time academic work load...all three?

Or maybe I am compensating for American Papist who seems to be suffering from Thesisitis.

Seminarian Perks

There are some very nice advantages to being a seminarian. One of which I received today in the form of a large care package full of all sorts of interesting goodies! When you have a roughly 100 parishes in eleven counties who are all doing their best to show their support for 13 seminarians...your bound to get some nice stuff out of it. Seminary life is not all rosy...but this is definitely the gilded edging. So far I have received two such care packages which included (among other things):

• Hot Chocolate mix
• Frito Lay Chips, Planters Peanuts and a large bag of Trail Mix
• Some "fun size" candy bars (to fatten us up)
• Dial soap (am I dirty?)
• A large brown paisley (ugly) colored box of Kleenex
• Many pens
• A pad of Paper and envelopes (along with the stamps for easy correspondence)
• Some dress socks (argyle too...lol...now I can look old!)
• Toothpaste (I didn't think that my teeth in my seminarian picture were that yellow)

The thing I like receiving most from back home, however, is the warm support offered in the form of brightly colored construction paper and the fun messages that little children think to put on paper. Here is a little 'illustration' of what I mean:

• "Dear Brendan Heffron, I hope that you get the chance to be a priest" (giving it my best shot Gabriel!)
• "We nou that becoming a priest isn't easy" (I made it easier for you to read by putting in spaces)
• "I hope when you become a preist you will have fun doing it!!!!! (I do too...and yes, all the exclamation points are originals)
• "I love God too. We pray to you every day." (Dear Lord I hope not!!!)
• "~~~~~~~~~~~~" (I think it was supposed to be cursive...seven lines of different colored squiggles!)
• "How is the life of a priest? Should I be a priest?" (Aha! Potential vocation alert!!!)
• "Do you know what Church you will go to?" (A Catholic one!)
• The above also had a nice self portrait of the author, who goes by Zach...potential church artist???
• "I hope you are a good priest and you come to our church." (workin' on that...)
• "I will be praying for you. One reason is that people like you are getting rare." (I think Nick may be getting the vocations poster mixed up with the Endangered Species list)
• "Is it hard to turn into a priest?" (Well I will have to see Harry Potter about that one...)

In all seriousness...I love these notes by the youngest members of what will become my future flock and I wanted to share that with you, my few dear readers. God Bless us all!GRAND RAPIDS ROCKS!!!

Arpnelptay seplnlig is not a big dael!

i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!

Church Bloopers...

They're Back! Church Bulletins: Thank God for the wonderful church ladies who type them. These sentences actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced in church services:

• The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.
• The sermon this morning: " Jesus Walks on the Water." The sermon tonight: "Searching for Jesus ."
• Our youth basketball team is back in action Wednesday at 8 PM in the recreation hall. Come out and watch us kill Christ the King.
• Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.
• The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been canceled due to a conflict.
• Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community.
• Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say "Hell" to someone who doesn't care much about you.
• Miss Charlene Mason sang "I will not pass this way again," giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
• For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
• Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.
• The Rector will preach his farewell message after which the choir will sing: "Break Forth Into Joy."
• Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
• A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.
• At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be "What Is Hell?" Come early and listen to our choir practice.
• Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
• Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be cycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
• Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.
• The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment And gracious hostility.
• Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM - prayer and medication to follow.
• The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.
• This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.
• Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10 AM. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B. S. is done.
• The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.
• Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the back door.
• The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare 's Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 PM. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.
• Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.
• The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new tithing campaign slogan last Sunday: "I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours"

Why Catholics Rock

The world has often lampooned the medieval browbeating of lent by Catholics. In a culture that is concerned only with giving people a false sense of "touchy-feely" happiness by not defining right from wrong and the political correctness of relativism and over the top self affirmation, what is lost is a worthy sense of personal shame and repentance. The Church, in her wisdom, knows that our human nature needs to feel shame for the wrongs that we have done every now and then. This not only helps us feel better about ourselves, because we admit our missteps and accept them as they are, but also acts a catalyst for improving ourselves.

If a person never bothers to reflect upon the wounds that have pierced their life through their own weakness...what you get is a person of utter and complete apathy. Every person knows that they have done wrong things, but if this is not reflected upon, it will fester in the back of the mind and make the person very unhappy. This is why Catholics should rejoice in the blessing of this season of lent. It is a time for us to examine ourselves, reconcile ourselves with God and come to peace with ourselves by correcting our personal faults and shortcomings. Lent it not so much about pain, suffering and making ourselves feel like worms, as much as it is a time to remind ourselves of our own frailty so that we can renew our life with Christ.

E Mare Libertas

The strange things that one does find after spending too much time on the Internet! Not long ago I came across something that I found both interesting and totally laughable. It was an article on the Principality of Sealand. A micronation (a self-declared but unrecognised state-like entity) lying in the international waters of the North Sea just off the Dover coast of England. The "nation" has issued its own currency, postage stamps, and passports (which are no longer recognized due to the fact that they were the county's major export). The country is ruled by Prince Roy I (no second yet...) and is a constitutional monarchy.

So why have you never heard of this interesting nation? Well for starters, it has a permanent population of about ten (largely consisting of the Royal Family) and has only been in existence since 1967. The land mass of the country is entirely underwater, with the only habitable part of the country being a platform rising out of the Atlantic on two large pillars or towers. The total area of the country is 550 meters squared!

Talk about delusions of grandeur...if you want to read more...and it's a pretty hilarious read...just follow the link !

The (Un)Dixie Chicks

Many of you know (and have voiced your disgust) that I am a country music fan. Well the biggest story from the Grammys this year is the Dixie Chicks. according to ABC News:

"The band's wry single "Not Ready to Make Nice" won the award for best song...The Dixie Chicks also won record of the year, song of the year and album of the year, in addition to best country album and country performance by a duo or group with vocal."

This is all over the news because the media is spinning it as the Dixie Chicks making a come-back after their infamous statement at a London concert in 2003;

"We're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas."

This comment sent off a loud cry amid country fans, resulting in the Nashville Country Music Awards banning the band from their awards this year. The fan base of the Chicks were mostly country folks, farmers and the like, from the Midwest and the South...basically the "Red" states. So its obvious that they would be ostracized for their comments...but what made it worse was that they did not say what they did in the United States (even though they are called "brave") but in a foreign European country (Great Britain). That does not take guts...cause why would they care...all it is is passive aggressive slight on out Chief of State in front of our allies.

What I find interesting about all this, is that many people now love the Chicks...people who never would have liked or listened to their music before their comments. The people who are real fans of their music, however, wish not to support them because they have a world view that runs contrary to good ol' fashioned American ideals. These new "fans" don't care about their music...just what they did. This new "Grammy Award Winning Album" has not sold as much as their previous albums...in fact far below the margin...and this is called a "comeback" and a "validation" of the band in the eyes of the American public?

This is just a shift in their fan base, and after this angry album, the band will have ridden the political wave of their appeal, and not needed anymore will sink into oblivion. This whole thing is not about free speech, but rather is a question as to what is traitorous action as public figures representing the core of American beliefs on foreign soil during a war. People need to relearn the distinction between speaking their mind on American soil and on foreign soil, and that as Americans they should honor and respect the Office of President and the virtues of their country. If they can't do that, then leave!

Hope Springs Eternal

This weekend I traveled down that all too familiar pathway taking me home to my kith and kin. My parents just got back from a vacation to the Eternal City...so they had much to share and I was very eager to listen. I thought it was pretty cool that I have taught myself enough about the Roman Churches that I was able to identify every church that they took pictures off...lol! Needless to say it makes you look smart in front of the parental units...which is always a plus.

Catching up on the news is a necessary part of coming home. Engagements, pregnancy announcements, death announcements, and birth announcements...are all very necessary. The small insignificant news of country life is laid out in full...as well as what is going on at the parish. Good News! The Catholic grade school at my parish is actually trying to live up to its name. The students are now being taught Latin and Gregorian Chant for the first time in...good Lord knows how long! But its so cool! I am happy that they are getting a rudimentary education in Latin...so important!

Spring is on the way friends! I of course mean that figuratively! The snow did not cease falling during my stay at home (it was light...nothing like Upstate New York) and we are expecting a snow storm to come along soon!

Oh...I ran into Magistra (Dr. Izzo) today! She was visiting with Dr. Wright...and she is doing well! Amo Magistra!

Well...this is what it said...

You Belong in San Francisco

You crave an eclectic, urban environment. You're half California, half NYC.You're open minded, tolerant, and secretly think you're the best.People may dismiss you as a hippie, but you're also progressive, interesting, and rich!

Where Does Your Inner Californian Belong?

Snow, Snow, Snow!!!

So...Here is a little photo montage of why I miss home so much (other than family, etc., of course)! Tonight there is a big snow storm/blizzerd happening at home and I am in lovely, warm, dull, boring SW Michigan...grrr. Oh well...hopefully when I get to go home next week the snow should still be there and I can take some pictures to share with you all!
This week's forecast (otherwise known as what happens when cold air moves over Lake Michigan and then passes over Grand Rapids way)

Notice the darker area known as Grand Rapids...and how it sort of fades as it comes over Detroit way

Lá Fhéile Bríde (St. Brigid's Feast)

St. Brigid of Kildare (fl. 451- 525) is the Patroness of Ireland and is revered almost as highly as St. Patrick. Unlike St. Patrick, however, Brigid is a native daughter of the Island and achieved a status in the early Irish Church on par with that of bishops (as far as authority goes...she was never a priest) in her Abbey at Kildare. Like St. Patrick, there are many legends about her life and customs associated with her feast.

There is little reliable information about the convent she founded around 470 at Kildare (originally Cill-Daire or 'church of the oak'), the first convent in Ireland, and the rule that was followed there. This is one of the ways Brigid sanctified the pagan with the Christian: The oak was sacred to the druids, and in the inner sanctuary of the Church was a perpetual flame, another religious symbol of the druid faith, as well as the Christian. Gerald of Wales (13th century) noted that the fire was perpetually maintained by 20 nuns of her community. This continued until the dissolution of the monasteries during the Reformation. Some have speculated that Brigid was a high priestess of a community of druid women, who led the entire community into the Christian faith…which would be awesome…however there is no real evidence of this.

Brigid is renowned for her charism of generosity: It was recorded that if she gave a drink of water to a thirsty stranger, the liquid turned into milk; when she sent a barrel of beer to one Christian community, it proved to satisfy 17 more. Many of the stories about her relate to the multiplication of food, including one that she changed her bath-water into beer to satisfy the thirst of an unexpected clergyman. Even her cows gave milk three times the same day to provide milk for some visiting bishops.

There is a legend that once she fell asleep during a sermon of Saint Patrick, but he laughingly forgave her. She had dreamed, she told him, of the land ploughed far and wide, and of white-clothed sowers sowing good seed. Then came others clothed in black, who ploughed up the good seed and sowed tares in its place. Patrick told her that such would happen; false teachers would come to Ireland and uproot all their good work. This saddened Brigid, but she redoubled her efforts, teaching people to pray and to worship God, and telling them that the light on the altar was a symbol of the shining of the Gospel in the heart of Ireland, and must never be extinguished, and in her church at Kildare, a flame still burns to her memory.

A widely recognized symbol of Ireland is the reed Cross of St. Brigid. The story of the cross goes that a pagan chieftain from the neighborhood of Kildare was dying. Christians in his household sent for Brigid to talk to him about Christ. When she arrived the chieftain was raving. As it was impossible to instruct this delirious man, hopes for his conversion seemed doubtful. Brigid sat down at his bedside and began consoling him. As was customary, the dirt floor was strewn with rushes both for warmth and cleanliness. Brigid stooped down and started to weave them into a cross, fastening the points together. The sick man asked what she was doing. She began to explain the cross, and as she talked his delirium quieted and he questioned her with growing interest. Through her weaving, he converted and was baptized at the point of death. Since then the cross of rushes has been venerated in Ireland. It is traditionally made on the day of her feast and was hung over the front door or in the thatch and protected the house from fire and those within from harm.
The relics of Saint Brigid are traditionally held to be buried at Downpatrick with those of Saint Columba and St. Patrick. A tunic reputed to have been hers, given by Gunhilda, sister of King Harold II, survives at Saint Donatian's in Bruges, Belgium; a relic of her shoe, made of silver and brass set with jewels, is at the National Museum of Dublin. In 1283, three knights took the head of Brigid with them on a journey to the Holy Land. They died in Lumier (near Lisbon), Portugal, where the church now enshrines her head in a special chapel.

When the mind turns off...

I had a rather interesting experience this morning. We all have dreams, good dreams, bad dreams, and the just plain weird dreams. It is rare that I remember my dreams other than to know when I wake up that I just had a weird dream...but its all so vague.

Today...I did remember my dream though, because it made me scream. Yes, I literally screamed...and in a hall full of guys, I know they will never let me live that down. I was dreaming about a completely white scorpion (looked like an unpainted plastic Toy...but it was alive) and it was HUGE (like about the size of a small cat). The scorpion was fighting, on the floor of my room, with something else that was white just like the scorpion...but seemed to resemble a Reese's Peanut Butter cup with legs (Peanut Butter makes everything evil). I was not concerned with them doing there thing...until out of nowhere...the scorpion jumps and lands on my back! At that point I screamed (and from the report...it was loud and very high pitched) and woke up with my heart beating a 1,000 beats a minute...and quite a few of the guys in my hall wondering around my door a few minutes later in full derision!

Why can't my life dull?