The Beginning of the End

As you may know, this is the final season of the masterpiece that is LOST. This decision was set back a couple years ago when the complaints of "They're just making this up as they go along" became overly vociferous. As the season began and is now progressing, the advertisements were all in the vein of "This is the Beginning of the End". We had Confirmation this weekend for our 8th graders and as they were getting anointed on their foreheads, I could not help but think-with a only a couple months left-this is the beginning of the end of my time at IHM.

In reflecting on this reality, it's daunting and joyous. Daunting in that we have to wonder WTH we are going to do next year-let alone our lives. That thought alone put me in a funk for weeks and paralyzed me into complete self-doubt. Some people can sit well with uncertainty during transitions. Others cannot. I apparently was in the latter category. It was terrible to now know what I was going to do and it was like standing on a precipice with seemingly no direction to go towards. The best analogy I could give was college application time-all these choices but in reality only one. As I was getting ready to wean myself off of a formal connection to the University I love, I found that I was not ready at all.

But it's also joyous for it's a chance to celebrate but also to go out with a bang. After weeks of grappling with it, I am finally there-thrusting my energies into finishing this year strongly and joyfully no matter what the future may hold. I don't think I ever shook as many hands and took as many pictures as I did yesterday. The only thing missing from it being a political campaign was kissing babies. Several people said that I deserved a raise (I told my pastor that I want to enter a new tax bracket) and asked how I don't have a big ego with how much the kids love me (Jonathan Lewis' Asian jokes and Anna Waechter's humility help with that). The chances to be a role model and more importantly, a "celebrity" are abundant. The Lenten series on learning about other faiths that I thought of and organized has been drawing 30-40 people each event when my mentor thought that 5-10 for each one would be a success. I've been laying the groundwork for a couple articles that I hope to finish by May 28. There are more parties and free dinners to attend. It's been a blessing.

So as I reflect on how it may seem like these last few months are the beginning of the end...it may in reality be more of the end of the beginning.

Woah, three posts in one day!

Keep it up guys.

MISSING - LOST IN THE MAIL!!!

A very important envelope containing the only existing deck of distance 500 cards has disappeared.
Last seen at the Newark, DE post office March 1st.
If spotted, contact one of the three Echo 5 card girls.
Thanks.

Dreams and Visions

You are probably familiar with the name Bill Huebsch. He has written many books on pastoral planning and whole community catechesis and some would probably say he's a big deal (people know him, he probably has many leather-bound books and his apartment smells like rich mahagomy). Many of us at my parish are now reading Dreams and Visions by Mr. Heubsch. It started with the Pastoral Council, then expanded to the finance council, other councils, and Department Heads. We are to read it in preparation for our Leadership retreat coming up at the end of this month. Those actively involved in our parish have a true desire to make St. Andrew's a great parish, and they're even thinking more about whole community catechesis.

What caught my attention in my reading of this book (I'm still on the first chapter), were several questions posed: What do you want the outcome of all your efforts to be in your parish? What do you want people to take away from their encounter with the parish? What do you want to happen as a result of your ministry? (pg 9).

I'm sure we've come in contact with similar questions before, but if you're like me, we sometimes forget the importance of asking ourselves these questions and evaluating where our programs are going. Is it really important that the high school students in religious ed learn the nuts and bolts about our faith, or is it ok if they do not retain much of the information, but instead they actually have an encounter with Christ? I know we know this, but sometimes it's nice to be reminded that conversion comes before catechesis.

Happy catechizing!

Quote of the Day

"Umm... Anthony... it's not a big deal or anything... but why in the world do you have a headless clown...?!" -Allie Greene (visiting ND Vision-ista)

A Good Lenten Practice

We used this as our opening prayer at our staff meeting today, and I thought it was worth sharing. I think it's a worthy challenge for Lent. Start fasting/feasting!

Fast from worry -- feast on God's Word for those who trust in Him

Fast from complaining -- feast on appreciation

Fast from negatives -- feast on affirmatives

Fast from unrelenting pressures -- feast on the power of prayer

Fast from discontent -- feast on gratitude

Fast from anger -- feast on forgiveness

Fast from hostility -- feast on harmony

Fast from bitterness -- feast on acceptance

Fast from idle gossip -- feast on deep purposeful silence

Fast from judging others -- feast on the Christ within

Fast from self-concern -- feast on compassion for others

Fast from words that pollute -- feast on phrases that purify

Fast from emphasis on differences -- feast on oneness with God

Fast from thoughts of illness -- feast on the healing power of God

Fast from suspicion -- feast on the trustworthiness of people

Fast from thoughts that weaken -- feast on words that inspire

Fast from the inconsequential -- feast on the essential

Fast from facts that depress -- feast on the truths that uplift

Fast from problems that overwhelm -- feast on God-given opportunities

Fast from feeling alone -- feast on God's loving presence always

We are all looking for jobs

If there is anyone out there in the Internet world who is reading this blog, just about everyone in the Echo class is looking for a job.  Here are some of the location and interests:

• Ohio
• Indianapolis, IN: 1) Youth Minister/DRE 2) legal secretary/work for the tribunal
• Washington DC Area (multiple people)
• Ft.Worth, TX (and metroplex area): Youth Minister/Young Adult Minister
• Seattle area
• San Francisco, CA
• Portland, OR
• Greater Boston Area (preferably accessible via public transportation): theology teacher/high school campus minister/youth minister/adult minister

If you are interested in hiring an Echo apprentice as full time minister (youth minister, adult minister, child minister) or teacher/catechist, click on a contributor on the right hand column there and one of us will get you in touch with an apprentice who is looking for a job in your area.

Each apprentice is expected to receive a MA in theology from the University of Notre Dame at the end of THIS summer.  In addition to the experience we have gained as an apprentice catechetical leader, most of us have multiple years of experience in ministry prior to entering Echo.

Blessings,
Isaac