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Christopher West & “Theology of the Body” (day 2)
Today was day #2 (see day #1 here) of the highly anticipated lecture by Christopher West, titled “Priestly Celibacy and the Redemption of Sexuality.” It was a presentation of Pope John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body” directed for us seminarians in our journey toward priesthood. It was very rich in theological language, yet applied to our immediate lives, especially in the area of our personal sexuality. It was very well received.
He used a lot of song references from the 80’s to highlight points. I wrote some points for my reflection as I was trying to keep up:
- Theology cannot only be “in the head” … it must be “in the will” as well
- mysticism or neurosis
- Carl Rainer, “Christianity will be mystical or nothing at all.”
- Ephesians 5 is the summa.
- Marriage is liturgy and liturgy is marriage.
- A married man can become a priest, but not vice versa.
- First choose between marriage or a consecrated celibate … then discern priesthood.
- Sang Steve Winwood’s song “Bring Me a Higher Love“
See day #1 of lecture, with links on Theology of the Body & video of Christopher West.
Christopher West & Theology of the Body (day 1)
Today was the highly anticipated lecture by Christopher West, titled “Priestly Celibacy and the Redemption of Sexuality.” It was a presentation of Pope John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body” directed for us seminarians in our journey toward priesthood. It was very rich in theological language, yet applied to our immediate lives, especially in the area of our personal sexuality. It was very well received … and this was only day #1.
He used a lot of song references from the 80’s to highlight points. I wrote some points for my reflection as I was trying to keep up:
- 80’s song “Blinded by Science” –> science has blinded us; our bodies are theological, not only biological
- U2 song “Desire“
- Peter Gabriel’s song “In Your Eyes” lyrics demonstrate a “twisted mystic” that hints at “Song of Songs”
- In seminary, we learn to “inseminate” the “bride” (Church)
- Bruce Springstein’s song “Everybody has a Hungry Heart“
- Bookends of the Bible begins with Adam & Eve and ends with the NEW Adam (Jesus) & the NEW Eve (Church). This is a great analogy of how “God wants to marry us”
- Are we eating from “fast food” or a “starvation diet”
- “Idolatry of body” verses “Iconography (window to heaven) of body”
- Devil is the “enemy” of human nature (body & soul union). He wants to separate. Horror movies show this with ghosts or corpses.
- On the Cross, the giving “flow of blood & water” is the giving of “His seminal flow” (from St Augustine)
- Eve “takes” the apple (gift) denying the trust of “receiving” the gift
- Lust “extorts the gift”
- Even my will is “grace.” “All is grace.”
Weblinks to Theology of the Body resources:
Pjanoo + SJVCS music video
I found this song a couple weeks ago and every time I listen to it, I picture a music video of seminary life here at St John Vianney College Seminary. It’s like a flying video camera visiting dormlife, meals, Mass, communal prayer, sports, fellowship, studies, staff, manual labor, social trips and the beautiful grounds. It changes each time I listen, but the only thing that doesn’t change is the elevation of the Blessed Sacrament in a monstrance by Fr Michael (rector) during our Wednesday Holy Hours … that happened at the 4 minute mark in the song. I just had to post it … it keeps me focused!
This is “Pjanoo” (Original Mix) by Eric Prydz. Enjoy and be holy!
CCD: Christian music
APOSTALIC WORK — Today in 10th grade CCD class, we tried to review some things we’ve discuss so far by adding some discussion on application. We used some mainstream Christian songs and studied their lyrics to bring a Christian perspective to practical life issues. Here are the songs we used …
Life, sin, shame, forgiveness … “Dare You to Move” by Switchfoot
Heaven … “I Can Only Imagine” by MercyMe
Effectiveness of prayer … “This is a Call” by Thousand Foot Krutch
Dating relationships … “Gone” by TobyMac
Parable of the Lost Sheep (Mt 18:10-14) … “Leaving 99” by Audio Adrenaline
John Adams (HBO mini-series)
Tonight, I started watching a 7-part HBO mini-series, John Adams, with a few seminarian brothers. I heard good things about it over the summer and the first episode was great!
John Adam (HBO mini-series trailer)
John Adams (HBO mini-series makers’ comments)
tropical storm Fay
With tropical storm Fay on us, schools are closed Monday & Tuesday. Occational wind and rain, but nothing too bad in Broward County. Started packing up to return to seminary this Thursday.
Smart People (poor 2008 movie)
Watched “Smart People” … not good (Dennis Quaid should of given that away).
The Dark Knight (movie)
The Dark Knight (2008 movie)
Saw with D+T … a vice comparision.
Wanted (movie)
Wanted (2008 film)
Spent some time with a local seminarian friend. Saw Wanted … pretty good.
Hancock (movie)
Hancock (2008 movie)
Sex and the City (movie)
Sex and the City (2008 movie)
Voltron homily
MASS – (Fr Santos) — today’s homily mentioned Father’s favorite anime cartoon growing up (and mine) as Voltron, Defender of the Universe. He followed with a story about a child that thought he could fly … and even tried “flying” out the second floor window … caught by his father working in the garden below … but the father got more hurt than the son he sacrificed for … a great connection to how complete our Heavenly Father’s love is for us … “God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not die but have eternal life” — John 3:16
— plus, any mention of Voltron in a Mass homily is worth noting … lol
Elvis on Univision
Tonight at 10pm, we watched Elvis, one of our brother seminarians from the Archdiocese of Miami, in an interview on a special featuring the Catholic Church and vocations on a Spanish show on Univision. It also featured our Miami Vocation Director, Fr Manny Alavarez along with some video of our campus and small groups of our brother seminarians. — Elvis is famous! I tried to find a video clip to put here, but couldn’t find it.
RCIT + Christian IPhone
Since we were so close to my home parish of St Bernadette in Hollywood, FL, I stopped in to see the high school RCIT class preparing for Confirmation this year @ 4pm. I saw this cool poster that one of the catechists made and had to take some pictures. It’s a poster of an Apple IPhone, but with Christian buttons. — Some great details
rapping priest, Fr Stan Fortuna
Here in South Florida, down the street from my home parish, was a concert featuring Fr Stan Fortuna C.F.R., the “rapping priest.” The evening concert was today @ St. Boniface Catholic Church (8330 Johnson Street, Pembroke Pines, FL 33024) from 8pm until 11pm. Tickets were $10.00 per ticket. — I didn’t get a chance to go, but I’m sure he was great … I’ve seen him a couple of times already … blessing all he encounters.
Here are some You Tube video with him, if you don’t know him. Lost of video on You Tube … just search “Fr Stan Fortuna.” They don’t really do him justice … you need to see him live.
Eucharistic music video + simplicity
I found this Eucharistic music video on You Tube. It’s a collage of pictures arranged to music by a New Age band called Era (chant of an imaginary language close to Latin). This tune is called “The Mass,” I think …
DOTS — Narnia, Lion, Witch, Wardrobe movie, part 2 (in Spanish) — dish washing duty — Rector’s Conference on “Simplicity of Life” — LOST rerun — Night Prayer 4
care packages from IL kids + LOST 9 ball
SEMINARIAN CARE PACKAGES — After dinner, the Rector randomly gave out a dozen Easter cards written by some elementary school kids from Illinois. They also contained gift certificate cards in them, for gas and more. — WOW … blessings all the way from Illinois … thank you (even though I wasn’t a lottery winner). 🙂
DOTS — worklist (McCarthy House) — worklist 2 (clean our Pre-The house) — Holy Hour (Fr Michael) — brother seminarian’s father dies (CL) — 9 Ball (3 losses) — LOST S2.7n8
David Crowder Band – “O Praise Him” (song)
Since morning prayer, I’ve been singing “O praise Him, Alleluia …” and tried to find a video with it, but found another favorite by David Crowder Band called “O Praise Him” with a simple, but interesting video. Here it is:
DOTS — Narnia, Lion, Witch & Wardrobe (in Spanish) part 1 — Pauline Epistles & Theology in New Testament class — washing dishes duty — Enchanted — (Irish reporter movie?)
(video) “When God Ran” by Phillips Craig & Dean
On our first day of Holy Week break, our rector, Fr Michael, sent an email with a You Tube video link. It features clips from The Passion of the Christ movie to the Phillips Craig & Dean song “When God Ran.” — a powerfully good focus for reflection for entering Holy Week.
“Though he was in the form of God, Jesus did not deem equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself and took the form of a slave, being born of human estate, and it was thus that he humbled himself, obediently accepting even death, death on a cross!
“Because of this, God highly exalted him and bestowed upon him the name above every other name, so that at Jesus’ name every knee must bend in the heavens, on the earth, and under the earth, and every tongue proclaim to the glory of God the Father: JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!” — Philippians2:6-11
SJVCS Seminary Life Album
July '09 -- hospital chaplains @ IPF
Easter '09 -- Miami SJVCS friends
the Son always finds a break in let the clouds
Feb '09 -- school vocation talks @ AMHS
Feb '09 -- cold breakfast with brothers (Matias, Fenly & Randy), now at SVDP and Imad (at SJVCS)
Superbowl '09 -- eating great @ SJVCS
Sept '08 -- Worklist Coordinators?
St Raphael Chapel mural @ SJVCS
Sept '08 -- retreats @ SJVCS
"It's not easy being green"
Catholic Kermit 
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