Blogging and magazines

I generally get the feeling that blogging has lost some of its luster, and a number of blogs I check are being updated with less frequency.

I’ve been blogging since the summer of 2003. It’s starting to get a bit old.

I’m also a bit depressed knowing that Queen of All Hearts–a Catholic magazine dedicated to the Blessed Virgin–has ended its run of over 50 years. This means Immaculata is the last of a dying breed in the U.S.–i.e. magazines primarily focused on the Blessed Virgin Mary. There are still other magazines published in other countries such as Madre di Dio, but not all that many.

Still there is hope for the future. The ezine Mother of All Peoples continues to publish online, and perhaps there will be more like it in the future.

B16 on Youth and Volunteering

Source:  Papa Ratzinger Forum, Q&A WITH DIOCESAN PRIESTS OF ALBANO ON 8/31/06

"I think that the concept and experience of volunteer work is very important. Young people should not be left merely to indulging their diversions, but they should be given tasks in which they see that they are needed, in which they have a sense of doing something good for others.

"If they feel this impulse to do something good for humanity, for someone, for a group, then they will have a reason to involve themselves and will even find their own positive way of
getting involved, their own expression of the Christian ethic.

"It is very important that they find tasks that need their involvement, that enable them to render positive service inspired by Christ’s love, so that they themselves will look for the sources they can draw on to find the strength and the commitment for these services."

Preparing for school

Ironically, I’m preparing for school, but I’m not going to attend any classes!  I’ll be helping out with sacramental ministry at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, however.

Meanwhile, I also have some time to enjoy listening to LPs of classical music.  Most recently, I listened to some Vivaldi.  Yes, he was a priest, but apparently he wasn’t very focused on sacramental ministry.  He might have had some sort of allergy because he complained of a constriction in his chest after celebrating Mass, and thus was apparently given a dispensation from the requirement to celebrate.

The ability to celebrate Mass is quite a gift.  Even the angels can’t do this.  It’s too awesome for words.  Poor Vivaldi.  His music is beautiful, but it doesn’t hold a candle to the ability to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Mary on a Pedestal

I was reading an article that told me I should avoid the mentality that puts Mary on a pedestal.

In other words, she’s just like me?

If that were the case, we would be in a lot of trouble.  To be the Mother of God, she couldn’t be "just like me."

Mary is sinless, and I am not.  In fact, none of us are.

Thanks be to God that Mary is sinless, and thereby very different from me.  She is a sign of sure hope.

It’s possible to be sinless, but nobody except Mary has received this gift.  That’s ok.  It’s enough to know that it happened to one of us.

Mary is higher in rank than all the angels and saints.  Thanks be to God.

I don’t have to put Mary above me.  God already has.  She IS NOT just like me.  If she was, I couldn’t look up to her.  She is Queen of heaven and earth.

Ya know it’s true.

I’m not the only Fr. Larson???

I knew that already, but I didn’t know there was a Fr. Jan Larson in Spokane.  He wrote some complaints about the way Mass is celebrated at EWTN  in an article in the Diocese of Spokane’s Inland Register.

To clear up any possible misunderstanding–I’m Fr. John Larson, M.I.C.  I have never been to the state of Washington, but I have been to EWTN and was on EWTN a few times.  I think EWTN’s liturgy is A-OK.

Not as busy now

The (future) postulants are off to Stockbridge, MA, for a retreat.  They will officially become postulants on August 15.

I’m still in Steubenville with some small projects to work on, including lots of food procurement.

Recently watched on TV via DVD:  "The Man Called X", a show from the 50s featuring a secret agent fighting enemies of the U.S. — mainly Communists.  Leonard Nemoy was one of the bad guys on the episode "Speech" from November of 1956.

Busy time

The new postulants (actually, I should say candidates, because they will not become postulants officially until August 15) are adjusting to religious life in the midst of an extreme heat wave.  None of the bedrooms have air conditioning, although our chapel and dining room do.  My room was 90 degrees today, and I think some may have been higher.  This is definitely a time of penance.

I am off to the store for some more food.

A time of preparation

It’s getting close to the time when the postulants are to arrive.

Today’s Feast Day–St. Sharbel–was easy for me to celebrate, but it’s not easy to think about what’s happening in the Middle East now.  This is certainly a time to pray.

A podcast find:  Audiocave–Spoken Word Records

Also, you can watch an episode of the corny old 50’s sci-fi show:  Flash Gordon 

Hope you are doing well.

200 Years

Here’s an interesting entry:  American Catholicism is 200 Years Old.

Yes, the first Cathedral was dedicated 200 years ago in Baltimore.

Meanwhile, the last of the Franciscan Youth Conferences here in Steubenville is in progress.  I just attended the Holy Hour tonight.  There was plenty of crying, sobbing, and stuff like that, as Jesus in the monstrance was carried around the Fieldhouse by Fr. Stan Fortuna.  Crying may sound bad, but it’s all good.  There was plenty of praise and worship too.  You have to go to one of these to understand what they are like.  It’s quite hard to explain them.

Busy time

Preparations are in place for the new postulants…  We have 6 postulants coming in this year.  Here’s a definition of "postulancy" from our own marian.org:

Once a man has completed the stages of vocational discernment and has been accepted by the Provincial and his Council, he enters the first stage of formation called Postulancy. During this period, he is associated more closely with the Marian community, its work, prayer, and community lifestyle. This allows him to become more intimately acquainted with the Marian way of life.

As a postulant, a man is not a member of the congregation, but he begins to learn about becoming a member, and lives the life of a Marian.