Also stay tuned for two weeks from now, there could be some potentially HUGE news in terms of my social networking/blogging/journalistic endeavours…

To that my answer is always a resounding NO. As I wrestled with the idea of entering the seminary one of my biggest issues and reasons why I decided to enter was trying to find a balance between living out my Catholic faith at the same time as my passion for journalism.

I did some work for mainstream coverage of religion as well as Catholic Press. Up to this point what I have discerned is that the best way for me to approach journalism would be as a Catholic priest. I feel that this way there are no hidden biases or anything like that, and I can freely live out my faith, while at the same time continuing to produce journalism product.

Obviously right now I don’t know exactly how that will play out, but that’s not my biggest concern. I know that I will have the opportunity to use my gifts and passion for journalism to help better the church.

Fortunately, I will still have the opportunity to practice and develop some of these skills while at Conception. The school has a quarterly magazine, Web site, and Facebook page. After meeting with the Director of Communications for the Abbey/Seminary yesterday, I was very excited.

There is a team forming of students who will cover all seminary events, just as journalists would cover events for a local paper. We will then send all photos and stories to the Director who will determine where to publish them, with most of them ending up on the Web site.

To me the idea of being able to give these gifts back to the Church for the purpose of New Evangelization, the term used by previous popes and my role model John Cardinal Foley, of Philadelphia, brings me great joy and peace.

As with all of my other previous journalistic endeavors, I will post links to stories here on this site so that you can see some of the work that I will continue to do here at the seminary.

Also, this was the first time I used flickr, for whatever reason the captions don’t appear in this video, but if you click on the photos, you will be able to find them, I’ll have that problem resolved the next time around.

This past weekend I went to Kansas City for that specific reason. I had never gone to a game at Kauffman Stadium, affectionately known as “the K” The trip brought my total number of stadiums to 11, not a ton, but definitely more than some.

Here’s the list:

Busch II

Busch III

Wrigley Field

Fenway Park

“Old” Yankee Stadium

Shea Stadium

Veterans Stadium “the Vet”

Citizens Bank Ballpark (replaced the Vet in Philly)

Camden Yards

Nationals Stadium

Kauffman Stadium

The next ones that I’d like to visit are in Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, mainly just because they are on the way as I drive back and forth from New Jersey and Missouri.

This morning I was visiting my favorite of those three sites, FreeRice, when I made a discovery.

FreeRice is my favorite of the sites, because you do more than just click on a button to donate food. The site is also an educational tool.

For the past couple years I have always used the site to brush up on English vocabulary. I tell younger students to use it to prepare for their SAT vocabulary, while helping a great cause at the same time.

This morning I noticed this link right above where you answer questions

So I clicked on the link and discovered this page. Which has a list of subjects and languages you can use on FreeRice. Included on the list are World Capitals and World Geography, which I know my parents would love.

I was very excited and happy to see this because it gives me an opportunity to work on my Italian. While I already know English and Spanish (Plus a semester of Latin). The next language I am working on is Italian. Last summer I downloaded free podcasts and would listen to them after work, while I didn’t think I learned a lot, every time I hear others speaking Italian I’m always surprised at how much I am able to understand.

However, during the school year I have been too busy to work on my Italian, and this summer, I don’t know, until Today, I haven’t done much.

Either way I was really glad to see that great Web site has expanded, and now plan on using it even more to continue learning Italian.

Also if you find any more Web sites for donating food, please send them my way.

In the last couple of months I have often thought after experiences like these, are you willing to give this up?

And the answer is always a very quick, and definitive, YES.

Not that I haven’t enjoyed my time here at Mizzou the last two years, but nothing is more powerful than the sense of peace I have felt ever since deciding to apply/enter the seminary.

Right now I just try to enjoy these types of experiences, knowing that sometime in the future I will be able to look back on these years and smile.

As my first day of seminary draws nearer and nearer I certainly try to cherish these moments with my friends. Some of whom I won’t be able to see as much the next couple of years.

The other day I spoke of simple moments that make life great, today that moment was my trip to the diner with my friends.

Today that moment occurred when I was driving back from the famous Nickel Pavilion at Cosmo Park after spending the evening at a picnic/BBQ with the Knights of Columbus.

I turned on a 4 lane road, and was in the left lane, there was a slow moving car in the right lane that was swerving a little bit and drifting into my lane so I could not pass them. At first I was angry, I got frustrated and may or may not have muttered under my breath.

When I reached a red light I looked over to see who was driving  so slow and drifting into my lane.

What did I see?

I saw an elderly African-American couple each enjoying large scoops of ice cream. I immediately felt like an idiot, and smiled.

Clearly this man driving the car had been enjoying his ice cream and was just trying to be cautious as he drove. I was so unnecessarily angry and jumped to conclusions.

I also thought about this couple who were elder and looked as though they couldn’t be happier in the world than to be together and have ice cream on a wonderful summer evening.

I think God provides us with these moments in our lives to remind us that no matter what is getting us down, life’s gonna be ok. These moments can make your day or they can just make it a little better. When I saw that couple tonight, I got a big smile on my face. That was an hour ago and I’m still pretty happy. The next time you have one of these moments, do me and more importantly, yourself a favor, and simply cherish the moment.

I hope you all have a happy, enjoyable and blessed weekend!

As a part of my journalistic adventures I have contributed to numerous blogs. Including one blog that I wrote anonymously and others than were more public.

Due to my heavy involvement on twitter I have been able to connect with some fellow seminarians across the country. During this Year of the Priests, two seminarians from Florida thought it would be a good idea to create a blog to help discerners.

In the past, I had a anonymously run a blog that did just that, but I decided to stop posting on that site for a variety of reasons.

However, I really like the idea that these two seminarians had, and as a discerner, I would love for more resources to be available on the Internet. It is for that reason that I have decided to do a little contributing for their new site titled:

Whispers of the Spirit – Susurrationes Spiritus

I will be contributing for them from time to time, as many hands make light work, and I just have a passion for writing.