A Deo et Rege

I was thinking back to some of my good friends from university and am amazed how little I actually see them if at all. It’s incredible how far away some of them have moved. Last I checked Tom was in Greece and Jason was in Portugal. I would often see Tom at the Classics honors fraternity happy hours. Most people talk about girls and sports in this setting, but we would often get on other topics. Once I remember discussing the Venerable Bede. Ah, nothing like liberal arts nerds. I used to play squash alot with Jason. Since we were the only Americans who played at our university workout center, we used to joke about being Team America. We never actually did play the British or Arab students, however. And then there was Robbie, a really great guy studying to be a Methodist minister. I used to go to Robbie’s house to study Greek. More often than not, it would mostly consist of eating his great cooking (especially his sweet potato casserole), playing a racing computer game, and generally just hanging out. Some of my best memories are of not studying Greek together. It’s a shame how quickly we can lose contact with people whose friendship was once so important and with whom we shared so much of our lives  I’m going to be visiting Robbie this weekend and can’t wait. It’s about time.

A British doctor has determined that, for a variety of reasons, January 24th is the most depressing and worst day of the year. He has created an equation:

"The model is: [W + (D-d)] x TQ

                          M x NA

The
equation is broken down into seven variables: (W) weather, (D) debt,
(d) monthly salary, (T) time since Christmas, (Q) time since failed
quit attempt, (M) low motivational levels and (NA) the need to take
action."

All of these variables, when plugged into his model, point to tomorrow (Jan. 24th) being the worst and most depressing time of the year. So, try to have a good day tomorrow.

Read the whole article for more information and to see the quotes above.

Photo taken by yours truly

Normally, I try to avoid alot of personal discussion on my blog, but I have a feeling that I’ll be unable to resist talking about my experiences in bringing my fiancee to America. I’m creating a new category called "immigration" for two reasons: 1) to get alot of the immigration stress off of my chest and 2) to act as a resource (however small) for those trying to bring their future spouse over on the fiancee/fiance visa. So, for regular blog readers, you’ll learn more about the immigration process into the USA than you ever imagined!

I’ve finally hired an immigration attorney and he is going to take me through all of the steps necessary to bring my fiancee here. We decided that the best route would be the fiancee visa, but it could realistically take 10 months or longer. That is not pleasant news, but at least with his help we won’t be making any annoying errors which could end up costing us more precious months. I’m sure I’ll be posting more on this issue as we move along the process.

Godspy has published a great interview with Lindsay Younce, a fine young actress who plays St. Thérèse, in a new movie aptly titled Thérèse. Not only that, but Lindsay is also Catholic, a convert from the Quakers who at one point believed Catholics weren’t Christian and after searching for the Truth was led to the Catholic Faith. Good quote:

I was 16 or 17 when I realized I couldn’t be Quaker in good conscience
as I read about Jesus commanding His disciples to baptize, eat His
flesh and drink His blood, and adhere to the leaders of His Church. I
felt without a home because I did not want to be Catholic. But I prayed
in Catholic Churches all the time. I loved the ambiance—the silence,
the reverence, and mystery. I took two trips to Europe where I was
exposed to a lot of Catholic culture and history. As I desperately
sought after Christ’s Church, I started to read the early Church
Fathers and was amazed to see they were writing about infant baptism,
the Eucharist, the authority of the Church, and even relics. I was
praying the Lord would guide me to Truth and He had. Even though I was
frightened by the idea of becoming Catholic, I realized that it was the
very Church He had led me to. I was baptized and confirmed Catholic in
May of 2001, when I was 19. It was heavenly and still is.

Read all of Lindsay Younce: A Godspy Interview by Tony Rossi.

I’ve discovered how long and painstaking the process is to get someone into the USA either a) to marry them or b) as a husband or wife. I appreciate the diligence and precautions exercised by our nation, but I also can now sympathize with those people who legitimately want to come to America and are frustrated by the bureaucracy. Not only that, but it seems that talking to different people in the government often yields different answers about time frames and other matters. I’ve decided that I need to consult an immigration lawyer so that I can make the process of getting my fiancee here as quickly and painlessly as possible. Please say a prayer for us.

January 18th begins the octave of Christian unity, an eight day period of prayer that the Church may be visibly one as Jesus prayed. As many of you know, my brother and I run a website which has a goal of fostering better Orthodox-Catholic relations. We are remembering this year’s octave as a time to pray and work for unity among Catholics and the Orthodox, so that the Church may "breathe with both lungs" as the Holy Father has described it. For more information go here.

It seems another Anglican "bishop" admits he doesn’t believe in God after all. Yawn. Um, the shock value has kind of worn off, mate. It’s hard to be shockingly progressive after "bishop" Spong. He sort of ruined it for every closeted liberal atheist in the Anglican Communion. I think what would be truly shocking is if their respective ecclesial communities actually de-frocked these guys.

Thanks to the Pontificator for the link

Most readers of this blog may ask: Gaudí who? If I hadn’t visited Barcelona, Spain about 3 years ago I would’ve asked the same question. Anton Gaudí was a famous modernist Spanish architect who created some of that country’s most beautiful buildings, including the church of the Sagrada Familia (Holy Family), the photo at the left. Today while reading Godspy Magazine I discovered that Gaudí was not only a brilliant architect, but also a devout Catholic who is on the path to beatification. It seems that his canonization, while enthusiastically supported by Rome, is less popular in secular Barcelona which is embarassed by the strong faith of its famous architect. Gaudí knew true Beauty, something the Catalonians should learn more about. Here is the article, Gaudi the Blessed by Austen Ivereigh.

Photo to the left was taken by either myself or my brother during our time in Barcelona.
 

Thanks to all who prayed for my dad! He has been discharged after docs determined it was not his heart, but gastric issues. He’s on medication for that and is resting at home. Praise God!

My dad went into the hospital today with chest pains and difficulty breathing. The doctor is hopeful that it isn’t a heart attack but a gastric issue. If that’s the case he should be home by tomorrow. For all who come by this blog, please offer up a prayer for his well-being and health. Thanks!

In the Catholic Church, we have entered into "Ordinary Time" since Christmastide ended with the Baptism of Our Lord yesterday. It was a wonderful Christmas for me: getting engaged, my first Christmas mass as a Catholic, family and friends, etc. I must admit I’m a little sad as I put away my CDs, take down the decorations, and box up my creche to be stored away for a year. I love Christmas so much and it’s hard to believe it’s over. Although many people around town still have their lights up, I don’t really feel much like looking at them knowing that the Christmas season is officially ended. I think the challenge of our faith and life in general is making the most of the ordinary times and finding fulfillment there.

Well, my fiancee left today and it’s an awful feeling. It feels terrible each time one of us has to leave the airport, but now that we’re engaged it’s even harder. What keeps us going is the thought of another visit in April and then, God willing, marriage in August. Long distance relationships are tough, but the internet through email, chat, etc. makes it more possible than in the old days. I do miss her terribly, though. So, for me it’s back to the "old" old routine. I preferred the "new" old routine my girlfriend and I developed: Liturgy of the Hours together, mass together, morning, afternoon, and evening coffee together (yes, we like coffee), Judge Judy together (ok, forgive us we enjoy her too!), movies together, walking together, etc. Now, I’ll still be doing all of the above things, just without the love of my life…and that is a bummer!

On Wednesday night, my fiancee and I watched the movie, the Polar Express. It is still Christmastide  and we both like to enjoy the season as much as we can even though the secular world forgot about Christmas on December 26th.  It was a fun movie with a somewhat thin plot, but visually spectacular. I love 3D graphic websites and this film was like seeing a whole movie done in that style. The depiction of the North Pole particularly impressed me as the way it would look if Santa really lived there: old buildings with modern intrusions like conveyor belts, speakers, and electric Christmas lights. The plot was typical Christmas movie fare, but emphasized more than most the theme of believing and faith (even if it was in Santa). It is definitely a movie I’ll watch at Christmas, especially once I’m married with little ones, if only to be amazed anew by the evocatively beautiful animation.