In the end, FRATERNUS wins….

Let me explain:

The goal of FRATERNUS is nothing new to Christianity.  We want our efforts to bring people closer to the Lord and for Him to reign in the end.  Now we do that through teaching boys the value of virtue through powerful mentorship, but it’s still the same "goal" of Christianity - just more focused - for Christ to reign in the end.

So in the end we win, because Christ will reign in the end.  The perfect justice of God will arrive in the end.  God is God and there’s nothing we can do about it.  He will "win" in the end.  Even those who completely reject God and seek to destroy are working in vain. The problem is they make it a real hell for the rest of us while we’re here - but again, in the end they loose.  And that knowledge is the virtue of hope - what philosopher Peter Kreeft calls the "forgotten virtue".  I think the word is one of the most misunderstood in the vocab of Christians: "I hope that works out", "I hope this happens", "I hope I can stay on this diet".  Thats not hoping - that’s wishing.

"The Holy Spirit is richly poured out on the Christians through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, they might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." [Titus 3:6-7] (C.C.C. # 1817)

Hope is the sure knowledge that Christ will fulfill his promises.  Hope is the yearning for heaven.  True hope is grounded in this reality that may not be visible or manifested yet (but’s on the way!).  Through prayer, FRATERNUS staff and volunteers strive to grow in this virtue by "practicing" it.  When we have this virtue, it affects everything.  We primarily practice it in our prayer lives.  When we approach our Lord daily in the tabernacle, we grow in hope.  Many claim that the thought of tabernacles filled with the substantial presence of Jesus Christ restricts the mind to the silly thought of "God in a box".  If you think that, you don’t have hope yet.  God is not trapped in the box, we’re trapped outside!  We long for the day when God’s presence is known to us in the fullness of heaven - that’s what’s present in the tabernacle.  When we’re in adoration, we try to enter into the mystery of Christ.  In a sense, we want in the tabernacle!

Anyway, in the end… we win.

….Were the words running through my head on the final leg of a triathlon I competed in this past weekend. It was hot, not only was it hot, but it was humid and there was not a square foot of shade to be found within 73 mi on AIA. Your saying, "It’s Florida, get use to it." I’m still saying its hot. At 10:30 in the morning the thermometer read a balmy 95 degrees with a heat index of 104. Not an average June day.

So what does triathlons and hot weather have to do with FRATERNUS. Nothing directly, but everything indirectly.

As I was cruising down A1A with 20 mi left on the bike portion, I had a moment, "I started to think of FRATERNUS… (I know, even in my free time), I was thinking of where we have come only in a year, and that each little step this past year that the brothers, staff and volunteers have taken is one step closer to our goal…

Providing spiritual formation for every young man we come in contact with….

Our "OFF SEASON" as Chris Rush spoke about yesterday is also like riding that bike in blazing heat with 20 miles to go and no one is watching. No fans, no excitement, just hard work without the thrill. Every document that is edited, developed, fundraising, curriculum development, planning, organizing, training, moving. When looking at each little task it seems mundane, but in light of everything else it becomes essential to a successful implementation in the fall!

Cheers to everyone who made this year a success.

Grease your engines this summer and get ready for 2009-2010!

FRATERNUS!

T$

Sooo…..

Welcome to the FRATERNUS offseason.

Except there’s no such thing as an offseason in FRATERNUS.  It’s kind of like the NFL.  Sure, there’s no actual football being played between the February Super Bowl and the August pre season games…but there sure is a whole lot going on behind the scenes.

As soon as the team’s season is over, it’s time to asses the roster.  What do we need to do in free agency?  Which of our free agents are we going to resign?  Are there any restricted free agents with low enough tender offers?  What about the draft?  Which coaches did the owner fire and now need to be replaced?  The moment free agency opens, there’s a flurry of activity as players try to get the best deals possible from hosts of teams who want to sign them.  Things move at a breakneck pace, and don’t slow down for a couple of weeks.  While this is going on, the entire staff of coaches and scouts puts together comprehensive scouting reports on hundreds of draft eligible prospects by visiting them at their schools, bringing them in for private workouts, and watching hours of game tape.  Then they all come together for a week in Indianapolis for the annual scouting combine, where they are all weighed, measured, prodded, photographed, timed, and worked out.  All of that just so that each team can spend and entire weekend picking one player at a time in 10 minute windows.  As soon as that’s over, the football side of the team immediately begins preparing for the coming season with rookie camps, organized training activities, optional mini camps, and training camp, where the coaches get the players ready for the coming season.  During this time, the business side of the team is busy negotiating contracts with all of the team’s rookies, in order to get them signed by training camp so that they don’t miss any valuable development time.  Before you know it, training camp is almost over, you still don’t know who your starting quarterback is, and your first preseason game is next week.

All of this to say:   There’s no real off season in the NFL, and there certainly isn’t one in FRATERNUS.  My football description was boring enough, so I won’t get into all of the behind the scenes goings on in FRATERNUS (plus I want to keep my job), but suffice it to say:  there may not be any FRAT Nights going on, but we’re still busy!  I’ll give some more sweet examples in my next blog (so that Kevin will be satisfied).

Rush

PS:  I’m engaged!  nndeeerrrr (That’s Tommy’s FRATERNUS noise, by the way)

Day 1: Sunday June 7, 2009 8:00pm

Mike Williams: " We are about an hour out, see you soon."

TVH: "OK, We will be ready to roll…"

So I thought. Months of preparation were about to be tested by 55 FRATERNUS brothers and 15 volunteers and staff. I continued to look through all the notes and double check everything. There was nothing left. The preparation was done. I looked across the ‘rustic’ bunkhouse to my fellow camp staff (Joey , Nick and Brother Paul Kostka ) with a look of anticipation. I tried to confidently exclaim, "I think that’s it guys, its just waiting now"

I walked outside into the refreshing Carolina evening. My heart was racing. Thoughts of doubt began too creep in,

" I have never done this before. I never went to summer camp as a kid, I never helped with a summer camp. How will I successfully lead a summer camp? What is summer camp? How did I end up here? Hey, did I leave the iron on?"

I could not afford to believe my doubts. I tried to give myself a little pep-talk…

"God is bigger, God is bigger, this is going to be sweet. We can do this. I can do this. Maybe I should get a puppy"

9:01pm

The 55 passenger bus somehow managed to squeeze in between the North Carolina Pine and into Camp Swannanoa (aka the FRATERNUS Ranch) right at dusk. We had 15 minutes of light left. I jumped on to the bus, my heart was racing. "They are here". "OK…start speaking" I thought to myself.

"What’s up…..are you all ready for the best week of the year?"

There response was overwhelming… something to the effect of

"RUSSSSSSSSSSSSSS"

I took that as a yes. "OK", I thought to myself "here goes nothing". We hoped off the bus, ran down to the field and played a quick game with the light we had left. After getting situated in their cabins, I offered a brief list of "Strong Suggestions" and an introduction to the theme of the week (Gideon, Judges 6-8) the brothers then headed to their squads for some small group discussion. Cabin time and bed soon followed. While the brothers went to sleep the captains and I meet briefly to discuss a few items and then it was finally bed for us.

Day 2

I woke up to Beethoven Symphony No 5. on my phone. Threw my shoes on and walked out in the still summer morning for a little morning exercise. I was surprisingly refreshed by the short night’s rest. There was a sense of peace in my heart. "Today is going to be good..really good". We began early with mass. Father Joe set the bar high and challenged us to strive for the same level of holiness that we expect of our priests. A breakfast of scrambled eggs, cereal and fruit followed and then it was off to the first round of camp activities that included high ropes, low ropes, climbing tower, the gau gau pit (no, there were not any sacrifices), hiking, ranch work, archery and riflery. It was amazing to watch the brothers work together in there squads. The rest of the day progressed with camp activities only to break for lunch and the Angelus. After dinner we headed down for the first of many talks that dove deeper into the theme of Gideon and God’s call for each of us and then squad time for personal reflection and sharing. It was a gift to see the guys take this oppurtunity and run with it. The night concluded with an intense game of 2-touch football/ ultimate frisbee / basketball.

As I am sitting here writting this, I am thinking "There is no way I can adequately describe the week in the alloted space I have…but I will attempt to hit the main points….

Day 3

Tuesday the highlight was Sliding Rock. After a hour bus riding winding through the hills around Brevard, NC we squeezed into the park to find the infamous 60′ natural water slide. After testing the water with my pinky toe, I announced that water is probably somewhere in the mid to upper 50’s (good thing I learned to take the temperature with my toes in college). Needless to say it was cold, especially for a bunch of Florida guys. By the time I made it down to the water’s edge behind the group I heard shouting and hollering as Father Joe courageously lead the brotherhood down the falls. They were stoked. Initially each brother was going solo down the falls, but after the lifeguard announced we could go down in groups we had trains of guys plunging into icy waters. This helped to cut the waiting time in line down to about 45 seconds which ment there was no time to warm up in the sun, I think I was shaking for the remaining 1.5hrs, but it was too much fun to think of cold…I was sliding down a giant rock with 70 of my closest brothers. After we all had our fill of cold water, wet granite and a sore back end we loaded up and headed back to camp for dinner then Talk #3 on Gideon.

Day 4

The last day at camp was by far the most intense. Guys were pushing the limits at everything. It was amazing to see where the squads progressed to in only a few short days. I spent most of the day running in between activities to catch the brothers in action on the ropes course, in the gau gau pit and scaling the mountains. We ended the day with Talk #4 and small groups. Due to a nasty gully washer (rainstorm) capture the flag was canceled, but it turned out to be blessing in disguise as we had extra small group and cabin time that included deep discussion, group push ups, cards and extra sleep.

Day 5

Mass. Breakfast. Pack the bus and we were off to the races by 9:59am (1 minute ahead of schedule). We headed north on the Blue Ridge Parkway where we had over a hour of scenic vistas and lookouts on our way north. We finally made it to Mt. Mitchell just in time for lunch, but do to the weather our view on the highest point east of the Mississippi River was limited to about 35 feet. We made the 2 mi. hike down the mountain to find warmer weather and clearing skies. After a short stop, we loaded the bus up and headed west into Tennessee. 4hrs later we pulled into our campsite on top of a mountain overlooking Lake Ocoee. The night ended with talk #5 and squad time. It was perfect…until all hell broke loose at 2am when it started to pour. Needless to say half of the brothers were swimming in their tents that night, but thanks to the courageous efforts of a few HAWC Brothers from Pensacola, everyone found a dry tent for the remainder of the night.

Day 6

The guys were up by day break (5:45am) due to the wet conditions. We kicked the morning off with mass, breakfast and then loaded the bus for rafting. The rest of the day was spent bumping, sliding and flying down the rapids of the Ocoee and Hiawassee River. It was awesome…one of the boats even lost their guide for a period of time. After rafting and a bite of grub in town we headed back to camp, broke camp, took a group pic and headed home. I am not sure who was more tired on the trip home…the brothers or captains!

I want to give a special thanks to (in no particular order)

Fr Joe, the brothers, the captains, my fellow FRATERNUS missionaries and staff, our camp doctors (Mark Kummer and Chris Wilkinson), the camp cook (Harvey Jones), the camp staff (Br.Paul, Nick and Joey), Jimmy (the bus driver), and the parents for making this trip possible!

Thanks be to God for an awesome and safe adventure! I cant wait till next year!

- T$

“I don’t want you guys to think summer camp is the end of something good, rather, it is the beginning of something AWESOME!” I’m leaning over the back of a bus seat talking to my squad I had for the last week at summer camp, Hope B. As I leave for the front of the bus and sit down I have time to actually reflect on what just happened for the last week.

Most weeks I have trouble thinking of things to write, now I feel I could write for a week.

We’re heading back from the FRATERNUS Ranch 2009 and I’m exhausted, I can’t remember the last time I was in bed for more than 6 hours. Yet, I’m smiling. This week has shown me alot of things.

A few things personally struck me this week. First is the rapid growth of my small group. I’ve lead small groups of guys and and girls before. I’ve lead small groups of just guys before. I’ve never lead a HAWCish group before for an entire week. My squad was the size of a HAWC group, grew as a HAWC group does, and consequently wants to be a HAWC group together this summer. Anyways, mid-week I’m leading a small group and I’m trying to get anything flammable to spark (metaphrocially of course) my squad and get them to talk about how we are stregthened by God. I might as well have been talking about theoretical math based on the looks on their faces. A mere 24 hrs later we are talking about being stregthened by our fathers and everyone is talking now, even talking over each other because everyone has something to say. One of them makes a comment “We’ve changed so much since yesterday, we didn’t say anything in small group yesterday!” I know…I was there. The following day, all I have to ask is “So what did you think of tonights talk?” and they could not wait to tell me what struck them about the talk.

The next thing that was really awesome was the growth of my group in brotherhood. We initially get on the bus and everyone is sitting with who they know. By the trip home they are sitting in their squads. The prospect of being with the same group for the entire week initially left them shaking their heads, wondering how they would survive. By the bus ride home, I would have thought they have known each other for years with how inseparable they are. “You can DO IT! C’mon, put your left foot on the hold by your left knee!” They’re all encouraging each other on the rock wall. This encouragement, the support, leads to one of my squad members climbing up both negative inclines on the rock wall, a feat that (i’m pretty sure) he was the only Sr. Brother to do. They ate together as a squad. They prayed together as a squad. They grew closer together as a squad.

This week has given our guys a chance to climb a rock wall, experience a high ropes course emphasizing teamwork, watch their captains get thrown from their rafts in level 4 rapids, play Gau Gau (ask them), listen to the witness of their squad leaders in the talks, see Tommy play basketball, and experience the power of Fr. Joe’s daily homilies. They spent the night enduring a rain storm in Tennessee. They heard “Tallahassee vs. Pensacola!!!!” as the four Tallahassee squad leaders (including me) wrestled Chris Rush in our tent at 12:37, minutes after yelling at the other squads to be quiet in their tents. Everyone had the chance to experience the frigid 60 ft. sliding rock of NC, lead by our camp priest Fr. Joe. Most importantly they experienced the truth that God is calling them to something bigger than themselves and he doesn’t expect them to do it alone, he gives them brothers to strenghten them.

Not bad for our first attempt at this.

God Bless

KWess

Hello,

Before I give my update blog from camp, I think a special thanks needs to go out to Mike Williams as he steps down today and follows God’s calling in his life. As I looked around the bus on the way home at the 23 brothers we had from Tallahassee, I reflected on how none of them would be there without Mike. Mike undertook the task of starting a new chapter in Tallahassee last fall and this year has been a success because of him. I came in at the last minute (January) and helped him improve it, but all thanks needs to be directed to him.

Goodbye Mike Williams, you will be missed.

-KWess

Well…

It may seem quit on the blog lately, but it’s not as quiet as the office is for me.  I’m the only FRATERNUS employee not at the Summer Camp.  There’s even someone there that’s been hired but hasn’t started yet!  Needless to say, it makes the office quiet.  No calls.  No updates.  Nothing.  I have been able to make huge strides on getting some projects done, but really I am constantly wondering how camp is going…

Well…

I’ve heard something!  I’ve had a few hurried calls that gave me information like "It’s going great, but I’m hiking now - we’ll talk later!"

But now I have an email update from Kevin Wessa, missionary in Tallahassee.  I thought it gave a good update so I’m provding it here for your enjoyment (or relief if you’re a parent):

"Hello Parents!

Greetings from Camp Swannanoa, North Carolina!!!

First things first, the one line that all you parents have been waiting for:

Nobody’s been hurt.

Now that you can breathe again, we’ll get on with some of the more
interesting happenings of the past few days….

The Bus ride up was somewhere between arduous and grueling, but (believe it
or not) it actually went by pretty quickly.  Excitement ( and noise level)
remained high through fourteen hours of open road.  We pulled in to our
destination at around 9pm eastern time.  That first night was a whilrwind
for all of us.  A quick game, a gathering, and introduction to our theme for
the week (Gideon!  Judges 6-8), and a dispersal into our cabins.

Everyone slept great.

The next day we had a full schedule of camp activity. The swannanoa staff
has been awesome at guiding us through high ropes, low ropes, a rock wall,
archery, riflery, and the gau gau pit (you’ll have to ask your son when he
comes home).  The day was packed with activity, and after inhaling some
dinner, we gathered for our evening activities:  A talk on our theme by one
of the adults, some small group time, and a bonfire with s’mores and some
praise and worship.

And that was just the first day.

Our second day featured some ranch work, as well as a trip to sliding rock,
a 60 ft. natural water slide.  Fr. Joe lead the charge, as the first member
of FRATERNUS (can you believe it??) to launch himself down the slide and
into the cold freezing sub-zero (did I mention it was cold) water.  We
stayed there the perfect amount of time before heading back for another
evening full of activities.  The brothers LOVE playing football with our
newest Tallahassee missionary, Brad, who played college quarterback backing
up Joe Flacco (moms, you can ask dad who that is).

Today we are heading on to evening in day three, and we just finished our
busiest day of camp yet (which is our last day).  We are getting ready to
pack up since tomorrow we’re heading out to climb the highest mountain in
Tennessee before arriving at our campsite.  We’ll be there tomorrow so that
on Friday we can hit those rapids.

Well, it just started raining, and we’ve got about 55 damp, hungry dudes to
feed.

Please keep the prayers coming

We’ll see if we can fire off one more update before the week is out, and
we’ll probably be making some phone calls with and updated ETA sometime
during the day on Saturday.

Thanks parents!!"

50 years ago, we would have called today Whitsunday which derives from the white garments worn by the newly baptized.  It was also the first day in the Octave of Pentecost (which was suppressed with the 1969 calendar issuance).  We don’t have those things today, but it is still the feast day of St Justin Martyr!  No, this is not another post about our courageous founder who shares the illustrious name of Justin, as much as I love those posts.  Rather, I wanted to point out a great parallel between St Justin and our FRATERNUS H.A.W.C. groups.

Justin Martry takes his name from the fact that he was indeed martyred for the Holy Catholic Faith - cool huh?  In the Roman Martyrology, which was originally ordered by Pope Gregory XIII and last updated by the order of Benedict XII in 1700’s, simply describes this saint with few words: "At Rome, St. Juventius, martyr".  I know… very descriptive.  But if anything was going to be written about you, doesn’t that say it all?

It mentions Rome.  Rome had a society and culture that was almost completely the antithesis of the Christian Faith, yet produced heroes like St Justin.  How?  Strength from Christ, that’s how.  Our H.A.W.C brothers (high school boys in discipleship groups with the missionaries), are in a culture - high school - that is very hostile to the Faith.  But there they are, fighting against the deadly riptide by seeking holiness.  They seek the strength of Christ.  It’s truly courageous.  Today, in our "progressive" society, we thankfully lack dusty amphitheaters where crowds jeer at violent spectacles of human cruelty - right?  I don’t think so.  The cruelty is still there.  The hurt and pain caused in our high school is deep.  There’s videos online of groups of high school boys harassing and beating a mentally handicapped girl for hours.  There’s videos praising the "good work" of various school shootings and the shooters.  Hate reigns in high school.  It’s sobering.  But our H.A.W.C. brothers stand tall like St Justin.  Justin was a philosopher and after his conversion stood tall for Christ in the world of philosophers.  Our H.A.W.C. brothers do the same.  Whether they’ve had a new conversion or have practiced the Faith for years, they remain in their culture, but with the strength and truth of Jesus Christ.  Only St Justin could take the message of Christ into the world of Roman philosophy, and our brothers can take the same message with them every morning.  Pray for them.
It’s up to you to google more about this Saint, but I think the Martyrology says it all.

((In case you’re wondering, the Martryology was read during Prime, which was the first of 7 “hours” prayed in the Breviary every day.  It was long before the sunrise, so it gave you an example for the day.  It was also suppressed and replaced with the optional “Office of Readings”, one of 5 hours prayed daily in the modern Breviary.))