Last week, I had the perfect Wednesday.  Here goes the rundown:

8:30am - Mass

9:15am - Passion Play at Trinity Catholic School.  The Passion of Our Lord and Savior is acted out by the 8th grade students for the other students, family, faculty, friends, and FRATERNUS Missionaries (current and former - Mike Williams kindly dropped by).  Each student did a phenomenal job and I was highly impressed with their enthusiasm and reverence throughout.  When the play concluded and the other students returned to their classroom, I had the chance to spend some time with the 8th grade boys (aka “my boys”) outside laughing, joking around, playing tag, and jumping over the shrubs (Jason will be proud I didn’t call them bushes).

11:00am - Lunch at TGIF with a mother of a TCS elementary school student and a “spiritual” mother to me.

Noon - Return to TCS to pick up 4 of my boys to go golfing on their half day.  We stopped by What-A-Burger to grab a quick bite for lunch on the way to the the golf course.  We split into two teams and hit the course for 9 holes.  The weather was absolutely perfect - mid 70’s, sunny, gentle breeze.  I even got schooled by a 13 year old who is a 7 handicap.  We “bet” a Snickers bar on the last hole and he beat me by 2 strokes.

4:00pm - Myself and two of the boys who were on the golfing trip went to watch the Trinity baseball team take on Maclay, their rival school.  The Knights fought hard to comeback from an 8-1 deficit in the last two innings, but came up just short of the victory (the final score was 8-7).  I was able to spend more time with the two boys who accompanied me, visit with some parents of the boys on the baseball team, and see the baseball players as well.

7:00pm - Table Host meeting at Good Shepherd.  Though we had a lower than expected attendance, there was much excitement and anticipation for the 2nd Annual FRATERNUS Tallahassee Founder’s Dinner amongst those who were able to make it.  I left the meeting feeling very much encouraged and energized to attack this Dinner!

When I recounted the day to on of 8th grade boys in my foursome while golfing, he excited claimed, “I want a job like yours when I get older!”  Hopefully one day he will be taking my job, but until that time comes I will continue to “suffer” with Christ each workday.  After all, someone has to do it!

B-Rad

Are you a parent, friend, or fan of someone involved with FRATERNUS?  Are you confident that something vital is being carried our by this organization?  Do you want to help?  Today, I just wanted to offer a few ideas on ways you can do that:

• Pray.  Pray for the individuals involved.
• Pray for wisdom for the leadership.
• Pray for humility for the leadership.
• Offer a small sacrifice for the boys.
• Spread the word about fundraising efforts.
• Talk with interested people about it.
• Bring it up to people who might be interested.
• Tell stories about the things happening.
• Support FRATERNUS financially.
• Sponsor a Brother to go to summer Ranch.
• Recruit men to volunteer.
• Pray some more.
• Send a thank you note to people who need encouragement.
• Write a thank you note for priests who have helped bring FRATERNUS to their parish.
• Help bring food to FRAT Night (contact the local Commanders).
• Help set up or break down at FRAT Night.
• Show up to advertised ceremonies (with friends!).
• Pray some more.
• Mention it in editorials.
• Meet with local FRATERNUS leaders just to offer encouragement.
• Ask young men in the parish if they’re involved.
• If someone is on staff, join their support team (even just a little).
• Post comments on twitter and facebook with links to FRATERNUS.net.
• Send stories of boys’ conversions to leaders.

Any other ideas?

While roaming through the halls of the North American College in Rome several years ago, I came across this work of art by Caravaggio for the first time, entitled Doubting Thomas (1602-1603). The painting, of course, depicts the Risen Lord at the moment of Thomas’ belief and exclamation, “My Lord and my God!”

Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed, Jesus tells us. Blessed are those whose eyes dwell in faith, with confidence in the unseen.

When the Roman centurion thrust his lance into the side of the Lord Jesus, blood and water flowed immediately out. In the spirit of St. Faustina and the Divine Mercy, we are washed anew in this Water which makes souls righteous and filled by this Blood which is the life of souls.

And we do all things with eyes of faith. We come with great expectations and exclaim, “My Lord and my God!” as He reveals his wounds and invites us to hide within. With only one week left in the season of Lent, we gaze ever-more fixedly on the Passion. We raise our souls to the eternal sacrifice on Calvary, and we dwell supernaturally - that is, above our human nature - on the wounds of Christ. It is a time to recommit to our spiritual disciplines and go deeper into the desert with the Lord Jesus, to place our trust in his merciful wounds.

It is difficult not to be reminded of the great Anima Christi when looking at Caravaggio’s Doubting Thomas. Dating back to the early fourteenth century, the powerful prayer is often associated with St. Ignatius of Loyola but assumed to be written by Pope John XXII. It is a beautiful cry of the soul, particularly poignant when coupled with the Sacrament of Love, the Eucharist.

Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from Christ’s side, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O good Jesus, hear me.
Within Thy wounds hide me.
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee.
From the malicious enemy defend me.
In the hour of my death call me.
And bid me come unto Thee.
That I may praise Thee with Thy saints
And with Thy angels forever and ever.
Amen.

This morning I walked to work.

It was beautiful, simple and slow. I feel like over the past month my life has sped up to a point were I can not keep up with myself. The things most important to me began to appear as “tasks” and “things to get done” rather than relationships or experiences.

It seems like this “speed trap” is a lifestyle that not only adults get caught up in. I overheard a mother say to a friend that her sons have planned activities every single night of the week except Friday -every week. When is there time for life? To play outside? Go fishing? Sleep? Do nothing?

All these thoughts of slowing down bring me to the Ranch this summer. While it could be “another thing to do” - It really provides an opportunity to stop, slow down and refocus on what is most important. Relationships. A week away from our over-stimulated society to a safe haven in North Georgia. A week of adventure, spiritual nourishment and brotherhood.

June could not come any sooner.

T$

http://insidecatholic.com/Joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7817&Itemid=48

FRATERNUS was mentioned in the above article.  Do check it out.

I walked into the Fr. Ryan chapel this morning at 7:15 and could not have been more impressed when I saw five FRATERNUS brothers waiting for morning Mass to begin. After a week on spring break and a quick invitation one day in advance, these young men somehow knew (at least intuitively) where and how to begin their week… at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Over half of them were seniors about to graduate from high school, now preparing themselves daily for the great transition to college.

FRATERNUS in Nashville is now back to business (and ministry) as usual. After a week in the north Georgia mountains, the days of school visits, HAWC groups, and FRAT nights have returned. I am more convinced than ever of the great need for the brotherhood and accountability that FRATERNUS offers. This program is changing the lives of young men in Nashville (and Pensacola, Tallahassee, and St. Augustine), and this is only the beginning. Many more young men are waiting to be a part of something great… something that will call them out of themselves into authentic, Catholic manhood.

Two more HAWC groups, one more school visit, FRAT night, and then a much-needed Day of Recollection with the entire FRATERNUS staff. God is good!

While much focus in the abortion debate has centered on the life of the innocent unborn child, and rightfully so, I think some attention must be paid to women as well.  With feminist and anti-life groups like Planned Parenthood and National Organization for Women stealing the headlines of late supposedly (and by supposedly I mean not at all) standing up for the rights of women to “reproductive health care”, I feel that we need to debunk the myth that women are some how getting the short end of the stick by a limitation on abortion coverage.

As much as it pained me, I visited NOW’s website to get their take on the battle for “reproductive rights” and here’s what I found:

“NOW affirms that reproductive rights are issues of life and death for women, not mere matters of choice. NOW fully supports access to safe and legal abortion, to effective birth control and emergency contraception, to reproductive health services and education for all women. We oppose attempts to restrict these rights through legislation, regulation or Constitutional amendment.”

NOW and all other feminist and anti-life organizations are promoting an agenda to reject authentic femininity under the guise of women’s rights.  While a husband and wife together have the special role of being co-creators with the Creator in bringing about new life, it is women who have the unique gift of bearing life within their womb, of nurturing this new life inside them.  That is the gift and beauty of femininity - to receive life and bear it forth in the world, whether physically or spiritually.  I speak for every man when I say there is nothing more beautiful than a pregnant woman.  That’s what makes women truly women!  To reject this gift, to reject the invitation to bring about new life within the womb, is to reject what is truly feminine.  To reject femininity is to reject yourself as a woman.

We, as a Church, are constantly demanding that the dignity of each human life be upheld, especially for those within the womb who cannot defend themselves.  We cannot, however, forget to demand respect for the dignity of each woman and her uniquely feminine gifts as well.  Let us, especially us men, pray for all women, that they may come to embrace and cherish those gifts, especially the gift of bringing forth new life.

B-Rad

Peer pressure.  Our habits are often formed by what we see others do around us…..   Wait.. I’ll just tell the story.

There’s a young man - actually a handful of them - who come to FRAT Night from a home for young men  not in school for behavior reasons and basically in between foster homes.  I’ve been around this home.  Often you hear boys fighting, screaming and seeking alpha male position.  Sometimes their fights break into basketball games outside, but then digress back to fights.  They’re good boys (that one was for you St John Bosco), but they aren’t sure how to use this desire for adventure and yes - even a fight.

Enter FRATERNUS.

I’ve heard it called "catholic voodoo" by non-catholics.  I’ve seen non-catholic friends look at me wide eyed as I do it (especially being a convert).  When anyone does it, you know they’re a catholic.  Oh yeah, you see it on ball fields a lot.

And this boy (from the above home) saw other boys doing it.  He wanted to know how.  He came up to me and said, "How do you do that thing?"  "What thing?" I said.  He looked over his shoulder then back to me, "That thing," and then he touched his forehead.

The sign of the cross!  He saw the other boys doing it and wanted to learn.  Something about it was.. I don’t know … cool.  He felt a pressure to be like these boys, and I think that’s OK.  So I grabbed a Senior Brother (high school FRATERNUS member) and told him to show him how.  The Senior Brother loved it.  The boy loved it.  I sure as heck loved it.

What a small but beautiful moment!  Was that a start to something?  Is that small gesture going to lead to much more?  God knows.  But I like to picture him walking up to his next foster home, taking a breath, and signing himself with the cross as he enters.  Maybe not.  But maybe.

J Michael Craig

Because this past Sunday was the Gospel reading of the prodigal son, and the Holy Father brings that up in this quote, I propose this tidbit from his Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI:

Yes – we all try to bring the Gospel to young people, because this is the answer we have been waiting for. It is evident that many heavy burdens exist in out modern western society, driving us away from Christianity. Faith and God appear to be far away. Life itself is full of possibilities and tasks. First, one wants to grasp life on one’s own, to live it as fully as possible. I think of the "Prodigal Son" who thought his father’s house was boring, who thought he needed to take life on by the full, to seize hold of it and to enjoy it - until he noticed that it is really empty, and that he was free and great when he lived in his father’s house. So I think that, in any case, among young people the sentiment is spreading that all these diversions we are being offered and the entire leisure industry, in spite of everything that one does and can do, buy and can sell: This cannot be everything, that there must be something more about it. In this regard I believe that there is also a big question which could also be the essential one. It cannot be all, what we have or what we can buy. That is the reason why the so-called "market of religions" exists, which offers religion as a product and, hence, degrades it. But it is a sign that this question exists. To really understand this question and not just talk around it - not to put aside Christianity as something out of date or sufficiently exhausted, but precisely to let it be recognized as a possibility, because it came from God himself and is hence always a fresh possibility, it always carries and brings about new dimensions. The Lord says: He will lead you into things which He cannot tell you now. Christianity is full of undiscovered dimensions and it shows itself fresh and anew if one poses his questions again fundamentally. In other words: It is the meeting point of the question which is there and the answer which we are living, and through the question we receive it anew. This should be the event of the encounter between the proclamation of the Gospel and young people. "

It was a wild day with fellow FRATERNUS brothers and captains - over five miles of hiking, a full game of Monopoly, Mass with Nick Sabin, intense competition on the basketball court, and Liturgy of the Hours coupled with push-ups and crunches.

A small group of us drove to the north Georgia mountains for our spring break “Leadership Summit.” Over the next week, we will build cabins, pray holy hours, hike through woods, eat well, go to daily Mass, and engage in constant manly adventuring. I could not be more excited.

During our “man talk” last night, we discussed the lies about masculinity spoken by popular culture and the truths preserved by the Church and manifested fully in the Person of Jesus Christ. We spoke of a manhood that defends beauty and protects truth, that sacrifices for love of another yet understands deeply the struggle with concupiscence.

Pray for us as we enter into prayer and brotherhood over the next seven days. It’s going to be life-changing for us all. Paratum cor meum Deus… paratum cor meum Deus!