Author: Deacon Nick

Vice President Biden

Spirituality / Writing

Does Ridicule Have a Place in Catholic Discourse?

Last week I commented on the blog of a popular Catholic apologist when he seemed to ridicule Vice President Biden.  Though it appears I misunderstood his blog post, the comment began a brief discussion about the place of ridicule in public discourse.  I wrote, “I’d like Biden out of office, too, but not by ridiculing him out.  Let’s raise our level of discourse and not lose our souls to gain the whole world.” Here is what he had to say in response: …I guess I have to disagree...

Kids and apps

Teaching / Technology

Catholic School Students Combat Epilepsy with Science

As the father of a child with epilepsy and a teacher in a Catholic school, the following story really touches my heart. Some sixth grade students from a Catholic school in Lake Mary, Florida, are hoping to help people with seizure disorders with their new invention: a seizure detector. Check out the following video for details: There are few things more gut-wrenching than watching your child experience a seizure. Thanks be to God, we haven’t had to live through that horror for quite a few years now. Maybe...

Adora Svitak

Spirituality / Teaching

Unless You Become Like Children…

Matthew 8: 1-6 At that time the disciples approached Jesus and said, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me. “Whoever causes one of these little ones who...

iBrevary iPhone App

Books and Reading / Spirituality / Technology

iBreviary – Using Your iPod to Consecrate the Day

  iBreviary is the perfect app for anyone who desires the pray the Liturgy of the Hours but has a difficult time finding the correct readings in the four thousand pages that make up the printed prayer books.  The four volume set of books that makes up the full text of the Divine Office is beautiful to behold, but is also heavy, cumbersome and costs well over one hundred dollars.  iBreviary, on the other hand, is as light as your iPod Touch or iPhone, fits easily in your...

iMissal

Technology

Catholic iPod Apps – First in a Series

In a recent Twitter conversation with JaredDees and BarbinNebraska, the subject of iPod apps for teachers came up. I don’t use too many apps for teaching yet, but I use several Catholic apps regularly, so I thought it might be helpful to write a series of articles about them. Apps are small programs that can be purchased in iTunes and synced to an iPhone or an iPod Touch. Many of the apps are free, and most that cost money are 99 cents. I download apps to my iPod...

Classical Artists for Haiti

Music

A Fitting Use of Angelic Talent

When angels sing, the heavens rejoice, and when angelic voices sing, we should should do the same–especially when those voices sing for those in need. Some of the most beautiful voices of our time have come together for Haiti in this gorgeous rendition of “The Prayer”: Information about how to obtain a copy of the recording and help raise money for Haiti, visit this link. Thanks to Deacon Greg Kandra for sharing.

Fiction / Writing

Black – A Short Story

Black by Nick Senger Johnny wore black to school every day. Black pants, black t-shirt, long black trenchcoat. “You’re a nice boy, Johnny,” his teacher would say. “Why do you always wear black?” “It suits me, Mrs. Parker,” Johnny always replied. “I’m nobody.” “No one’s nobody, dear,” she said. “God has plans for everyone.” “Not me.” As Johnny went through junior high Mrs. Parker would see him on the playground or in the detention room, always wearing the black pants, the black t-shirt and the long black trenchcoat....

Patrick O'Brian

Books and Reading

Rare Patrick O’Brian Interview

As some of you know, I am a great fan of Patrick O’Brian’s series of Napoleonic-era naval stories featuring Captain Jack Aubrey and Doctor Stephen Maturin. Patrick O’Brian was a very private man, and interview footage of him is hard to come by, so I was thrilled when I recently discovered that C-Span has posted the interview O’Brian gave to Walter Cronkite in 1999.  C-Span is not allowing the video to be embedded on other sites, so you’ll have to follow the link to watch it, but it’s...

Our Father

Prayer / Spirituality / Theology

Notes and Resources on the Lord’s Prayer

Last night’s RCIA presentation on the Lord’s Prayer went better than I could have ever imagined.  It’s amazing how much the Holy Spirit can do with our own imperfect efforts. For those that are interested, here are some of the quotes I used in preparing for the talk: Run through all the words of the holy prayers [in Scripture], and I do not think you will find anything in them that is not contained and included in the Lord’s Prayer. (St. Augustine) The Lord’s Prayer is the most...

The Accolade

Books and Reading / Spirituality

A Glimpse of Heaven Through Mythopoeic Literature

Having just finished Peter Kreeft’s book Heaven: The Heart’s Deepest Longing, I find myself aching for the numinous: Have you ever felt it–the haunting of the world?…The haunting has been called the sense of the “numinous.”  It is the sense that the world we see is haunted by something we do not see, an unseen presence.” Kreeft goes on to discuss this haunting in the human face, romantic love, pictures, stories and music.  I think I have lost touch with the numinous in my daily life as practical...

Awareness Test

Spirituality

How Aware Are You?

In our limited human language, we have used many images to attempt to describe God: an old white man with a beard, a dove, a pillar of fire, a gentle whisper.  Here’s a new one: God is like a moonwalking bear. Let me explain. But first, if you haven’t seen it yet, you need to watch this YouTube video: God is always present in our lives, but we often fail to see him.  We are too distracted by the many details and concerns of life.  We get caught...

Catholic Education / Prayer / Teaching / Technology

Using Technology to Get Teens to Pray

How can we use cell phones, mp3 players and social networks as tools to get kids into prayer?  That was the question I addressed yesterday in my presentation at our annual diocesan inservice for Catholic teachers. I began with a quote from Jean-Pierre de Caussade: Today God still speaks to us as he used to speak to our ancestors at a time when there were neither spiritual directors nor any systems of spirituality…Religious devotion had not become a science crammed with precepts and detailed instructions.  Nowadays, no doubt,...