The Titanic & 10’ers

Jun 27, 2010 | Latest

GRADUATION 2010 — Mrs. Carroll’s Graduation Address 

As you know, we like to find historical significances.  The Class of 2010 has the significance of being Seton’s largest senior class.  And there are those who would say it is Seton’s best looking senior class.  But when I was thinking about what I wanted to say to you, I was wishing that this was the year 2012, so that I could make the historical connection with an event that happened in 1912, a nice round hundred years before 2012.  But alas it’s 2010, so we have to deal with an un-round 98 years.  98 years ago last month was the first, last and only voyage of the Titanic.  What does the Titanic have to do with the Class of 2010?  Nothing, directly.  But it has, I think, much to do with the world the Class of 2010 inhabits.

The Titanic is an apt metaphor for our modern society.  Think about it.  The ship had every conceivable luxury of the time.  It was glamorous, luxurious, modern in every aspect.  It was a completely self-contained world, needing nothing outside itself.   If anyone wanted anything at all-a meal or a drink or a cigar–he just rang for a servant and it was delivered.   And if by chance something did try to intrude from outside-an ice warning for example-the Titanic clearly didn’t need it and tossed it aside.  Was there anything greater than Titanic?  No.  After all, not even God could sink that ship.

Doesn’t that describe our modern world?  Glamour, luxury, modernity, completely self-contained.  If anyone wants anything at all, just click on the mouse and it will be delivered.  And our modern world has an advantage on the Titanic.  The Titanic had to rely on people coming aboard.  Our modern society has now reached the point where it can manufacture persons, according to specifications and with the required quality control.  And the various components for the manufacturing process can all be obtained online.  Titanic 2010 not only thinks itself greater than God; it thinks it is God-the arbiter of who will live and who will die.  The real God-but there is no real God.  God is a delusion, according to biologist Richard Dawkins.  We live as if we were the cause of our own existence, which-as the Class of 2010 knows-is the ultimate metaphysical absurdity.  And if something intrudes, something to make us question our self-sufficiency-a tsunami or an earthquake, for example, or an oil spill-we all too soon toss the warnings aside and continue as before, full speed ahead, with no binoculars in the crow’s nest.

Full speed ahead, and there aren’t enough lifeboats.  But wait, the analogy breaks down here.  Our world does have lots of puny little lifeboats-the toys and the time-wasters that won’t hold up for a minute in the North Atlantic.  But there is a real lifeboat.  There’s only one, but it’s big enough for everyone.  It’s a boat that is steered by the man who wears the Fisherman’s ring. 

And it truly is a LIFE boat. The people who built the Titanic thought they were better than God.  Little did they know that God was sustaining in existence every molecule of the too-thin metal plates and of the too-short waterproof doors and of the frozen H20 that would soon make a mockery of their boasting.  But He was also sustaining in existence every cell of every human being on that ship, every immortal soul that would soon be meeting Him.  Just as now He is sustaining in existence every immortal soul suffering in suspended animation in the concentration cans of the IVF factories.  And every one of the technicians who thinks God is irrelevant if He exists at all.  And every one of us. 

Yes, He is the Lord and Giver of Life.  Whether one likes it or not, that’s Who God Is.  And the successor of the fisherman, who steers the Life boat, can tell us what we need to do to stay safe.

Benedict the XVI was elected Pope in your seventh grade year, so he is the Pope of your years at Seton.  He’s written three encyclicals, which can help you stay in the Life boat, get others into it, and steer clear of the icebergs.  His most recent encyclical was Caritas in Veritate, Charity in Truth.  You won’t stay in the Life boat if you try to make your own truth, if you try to make reality conform to your mind instead of the other way around.  His second encyclical was Spes Salvi, Hope of Salvation.  The Life boat has a destination and it’s not the one the Titantic is steaming toward.  Knowing your true destination will help you meet all of life’s challenges.  Benedict’s  first encyclical was Deus Caritas Est, God is love.  God’s life, His very existence is Trinitarian love.  It is that love keeping all those molecules in existence.  It is that love holding all those manufactured babies in existence.  He is loving them, each one of them, with infinite tenderness.  Just as He is loving you.

So staying in the Lifeboat means knowing the truth, having the right goal, and being in love; faith, hope, charity.  Being in love.

But can we do anything about the Titanic around us?  We might be safe in the Life boat but we can’t ignore everyone else.  One of the questions on the final exam was “Can we change our culture of death into a culture of life?”  I could have put it another way:  Can we save the Titanic from the ice berg?  One of you wrote a wonderful 3-page answer to a 3-point question.  I wish I could read it all but here’s part of it:  “Oh, yes.  I know so many people who want to change the world.  Through fashion design, music, movies, literature, education, and maybe even start a moral mall.  It has to be done in a realistic way. Start by working with society; for instance get someone really talented to write a screen play and sell it to Fox movie stations.  Not an explicitly Catholic movie but a movie with heroes who die for others and spouses who are faithful.  Do the same with music, literature and entertainment in general.  We need to be in all walks of life, just living examples, to bring about a generation of teenagers who want to fight against immorality.  Basically we need a lot of good moral realistic people aimed at the same goal.”  That’s you, Class of 2010.

Your classmate is talking about you, the best looking class ever.  But you know what they say:  Beauty is only skin deep.  Well, they are wrong.  Beauty is soul deep.  Beauty is in the intellect that knows the truth.  Beauty is in the will that makes choices that point toward eternity.  Beauty is in the heart that has fallen in love with God.

Live up to these standards, Class of 2010, stay in the Life boat, and you’ll be very good looking indeed.

SSC & One Unknown Buckles Employee

Jun 16, 2010 | Latest

SSC & ONE UNKNOWN BUCKLES EMPLOYEE

  Arrival at Vintage 35 required a trek through the falling rain of Huntley to the security of the pavilion where the 250 attendees gathered in some of the finest smart summer casual clothes east of the Mississippi.

  [I decided to call a couple men’s clothing stores in the Greeley Mall (Buckle’s and Brooklyn Village) to ask what “smart summer casual” means.  Neither of the people I talked to had heard the term before, but the girl at Buckle’s gave it a shot.  She said that dark denim would seem appropriate with a button down shirt and a printed t-shirt underneath that.  She added, “Nothing too Saturday.”  I decided not to ask what that meant, and then I forgot to see what she thought about a golf club.   And I opted not to get her idea of what my girlfriend, if I had one, might consider wearing.]  

   The feasting began on the Red Hot and Blue Barbecue with all its Southern comfort. Barbecue can badly stain even something very Saturday, but the attendees were scrupulous in licking their fingers and kept their dark denim spotless. 

   The program’s MC was Vintage 2 Sean O’Hare.  This year, OurSeton honored Mrs. Haggerty-Schuller and Mrs. von Reyn who have retired from teaching:  Mrs. Schuller to head to the Midwest to her husband’s farm, and Mrs. von Reyn to go back to government work.  Mrs. VR, however, plans to continue at Seton as the Crab Bowl sponsor.  The standing ovations they received gave evidence to their contributions through the years to Seton. 

   Mrs. Carroll talked about the goals for the chapel through one of the heaviest downpours imaginable.  Detail plans for the construction are a thing of the future because Seton is currently working to acquire a piece of property to complete the already purchased area north of the school which would give more options to be considered for the chapel. 

   A video was shown emphasizing the difference Seton has made in her students’ lives.  Pledges were then made by the attendees to the chapel totaling more than $32,000.

   There were door prizes won by Bea Pennefather and Sean Garvey.

   The spectrum of Seton’s 35 years was represented by Holly Flagg from the early years of Seton to some of this year’s graduates.  Father Fasano and Father Searby represented priests who have served Seton from her beginning to the present. Their smart casual was dark, but not denim.  

    It seems that good journalism these days is supposed to contain controversy.  I have conflicting reports about who DJ’d the dance.  Was it alumnus Raf Perez soloing, or was it Raf with fellow alumnus Tim Heisler?  That’s as controversial as it gets at Vintage 35.

   Mary McCarron Heisler provides a great summary of the evening’s socializing.  “I was amazed at the faith, energy and desire to better the world shining through the alumni.  Our conversations inspired me with so much hope.”  Her husband Tim put it this way, “I had a blast.”  He added on that Mary and he stayed until 2 a.m. when the Cellars closed their doors and they were more or less forced to leave.     

  Earlier in the day, the alumni formed a lacrosse team to play this year’s Seton state qualifying team.  Current Conquistador coach Andy Cooper led the alumni to a 7-5 victory.  Having learned something about dress through Vintage 35, I assure you that lacrosse helmets are way too Saturday.

   In writing this, I was inspired to see what sermons/talks of Father Fasano and Father Searby I could find.  I listened to Father Fasano’s on Santa Claus and Father Searby’s on the Wedding Feast at Cana.  I also listened to Father Peffley’s Mother’s Day Sermon and Father Hudgins’ on the Prodigal Son.  How blessed is the Diocese of Arlington with these gifted priests.  By the way, I also learned that Father Searby used to work for the circus.   

   You might want to check out the summer newsletter at www.seton-school.org and read about the many summer happenings including new windows for the downstairs of the Old Building.  I will always associate the old windows with Maria Buser and Debby Lee who would look out them during English to count the # of people who went in and out of the house diagonally to the southeast of the school.  It was an amazing #.

   I have an interesting bit of news that relates to the posting of 9/14/09 that I will put in comments.

Jezu, ufam Tobie.    

From Riches to a Roman Collar

Jun 11, 2010 | Latest

The following is an interview of seminarian Michael Isenberg ‘99 conducted last year by Catie Bergmann for Seton’s school newspaper.  It is reprinted here without any permission having been given. 

 Inquisitor:  Tell us about the impact Seton had on your vocation.

Mike:  When I started at Seton as a freshman in 1995, I did not have priesthood in my mind at all.  I went to public school before Seton, receiving a good education, but I just was not happy with the friends I had.  I was looking for a school where I did not have to be embarrassed about living a moral life.       I did very well in math and science, but struggled in English and history!   Religion I had only been taught in CCD; therefore, I only had a basic understanding of theology before Seton.  I cannot say that religion was my favorite subject, but it definitely changed the way that I think and make decisions.      I began to understand why the Church teaches what it does.  This allowed me to think with the Church, which helped me when I left Seton.  Seton left me with the impression that the Faith is something reasonable and not just made up.  This later would prove very important because I am a systematic thinker and things need to make sense before I can understand or believe them.        One of the great inspirations that I had to the priesthood came in the form of a guest lecturer in senior religion, Fr. William Most.  He demonstrated a thorough knowledge and love for Holy Scripture, which I have not seen in anyone else.  I remember him reading his Greek Bible, translating it on the fly for us, and then explaining what it meant and how it applied to our life.  I still remember his explanation of the downward spiral of sin, which led to a great reflection later in my life.      I had a fleeting thought that maybe God was calling me to something similar, but I quickly dismissed it.  I wanted to be an engineer who lived the American dream.  I was content with this and planned college around it.      Simplicity of life was a constant theme that I found at Seton, from the appearance of the school to the low tuition.  Mrs. Carroll and the other teachers sacrificed many comforts in their lives in order to educate students in the Catholic Faith.  In my later quest for wealth, they provided opportunities for me to contemplate where true happiness is found.  I was living for the fleeting happiness of this world and not the eternal happiness found in God alone.  They all lived the Gospel and were not ashamed to do so.

   Inquisitor:  You went to Virginia Tech after Seton.  What was its importance in your life?

   Mike:   I graduated in 1999 and began the Engineering program at Virginia Tech.  I had made many good friends while at Seton some went to Tech with me, and others went to nearby universities.  Having these friends was helpful because I was not completely alone in a world of misunderstood freedom.  I had a group of moral friends with whom I could begin this new experience.       We would quickly realize that the Newman Center at Virginia Tech was not what we were used to from Seton.  As a group, we went to St. Mary’s in Blacksburg every Sunday.  In college it is extremely easy to slip away from the Church because it is not the cool or easy thing to practice the Faith.  Actually, I found that people make fun of you for not living on the wild edge of life.     I had a wonderful college experience despite the religious hardships that I went through.  I could not appreciate this until much later, but Seton prepared me to deal with all the problems in life because they taught me how to think with the mind of the Church.       I think the other thing that helped me stay out of trouble at VT was that Engineering was so difficult that I did not have much free time.  I was in the labs until 1 or 2 a.m. most weeknights, and classes resumed early the next morning .  One of the most valuable things that I learned while at Seton was how to study effectively.  I do not think I would have been able to manage my time and studies otherwise.        

Inquisitor:  What happened after college?  Obviously you didn’t go right into the seminary.

Mike:  I had some great summer internships in college.  For a couple summers, I worked at Micron Tech right here in Manassas.  But my last internship offered me a great job upon graduation.       Everything in the plan of my life was falling into place.  I now had a consulting job that involved traveling and an amazing salary.  I bought my first sports car while still in college with the down payment from the signing bonus.        My first project was in Manhattan.  My company paid for all my travel expenses including airfare, housing and food.  I lived in an apartment in Times Square.  During those six months, I was supposed to be happy and loving life; however, I was completely miserable.  I tried everything to fill a void within me.  I was making it to Mass on Sunday and I was living a moral life, but I was filled with the love of money and everything the world offered.  I did not have God in my life.      That project ended and I was sent to Tampa, for two years.  There I lived in a beautiful island in Tampa Bay.  The money began to pile up, so I decided that I needed a bigger, more expensive vehicle and a condominium next to Dulles to make traveling easier.  Life was supposed to be fantastic, but the HDTV and the fast, expensive cars were not making me happy.  I had a wonderful girlfriend and I still had this emptiness.  I was obviously missing God and prayer in my life, but I did not want to admit that I needed anyone but my possessions and myself.  I truly tought that I could buy my own happiness!

Inquisitor:  What happened to change things?

Mike:  Before my 24^th birthday, I started to think back to all the times I was happy and why.  None of this happiness was due to anything I owned but was from my experiences in prayer while at Seton and the friends I made there.  I knew that I needed to start praying again and started to go to adoration a couple evenings a week.  It was hard to do because I had to drive 30 minutes to find a Holy Hour.      My entire life changed at that point and material things began to mean less to me.  I had a compulsory feeling to go to daily Mass and found a church right next to my office.  I kept feeling drawn into the church through prayer and I could not explain why but I loved it.      This is probably the only time that I actually gave the priesthood any serious thought without immediately dismissing it.  In high school, my excuses were that God did not make me a good writer or public speaker; therefore, I could not do the job!  Through college and work I knew that I could do both of those well, so that was no longer an excuse.      My list of excuses was running thin, so I gave it some good thought for months and kept debating it.  A strange transformation happened and I began looking forward to the priesthood before I had even decided to enter the seminary.      It was not an escape from my life or job because I liked the work that I was doing and I was good at it.  I made a big jump, but I trusted in Divine Providence the whole way.  I cannot say that it was an easy transition from having everything to having nothing, but it has definitely been rewarding.    During Adoration in Tampa, I met a great friend who was there to help me through many of the tough decisions I had to make.  After theology, one of the most important things I learned from Seton was about what a true friendship is.  True friends are what got me through Seton, Virginia Tech and supported me on my journey to the priesthood.

Inquisitor:  You are now a seminarian in Rome – what is it like?

Mike:  Living in Rome as a seminarian is an indescribable experience, but I am going to attempt to do so for you.  The North American College is right next to Vatican City and from our roof there is a magnificent view of St. Peters and all of Rome.     When I was working, I traveled in the United States, but I never had a chance to travel anywhere else in the world.  It was incredible and overwhelming to arrive in Rome to the foundations of the Catholic Church and the home of the Ancient Roman Empire.  Even though I never did well in history class, I always found it thoroughly fascinating.      I have found it a tremendous blessing to be able to be able to attend a history or archeology class and then walk right down the road to where it all happened.  In this year of St. Paul, I have been able to visit the jail where Paul was imprisoned, ‘Tre Fontane” where he was beheaded and the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Wall where he was eventually buried.     At the Angelicum where I attend class, we have Dominican professors and religious students from all over the world.  Despite all of our differences, it is wonderful to gather in class to learn the one true Catholic Faith, which does not change, no matter where you are from or where you  are going.       I cannot forget to mention Pope Benedict XVI.  While I had not had an opportunity to meet him personally, he has had a great impact on me.  I love going to the Sunday Angelus to listen to him and to see pilgrims who have traveled around the world just to see him.  During the Easter liturgies, some pilgrims’ eyes were filled with tears at the sight of Benedict.  Seeing the faith of the pilgrims inspires me never to take for granted the incredible opportunity that the Church has given me.

The Right Move

Jun 6, 2010 | Latest

THE RIGHT MOVE

   1.  Why did Seton move its 2010 graduation to Holy Trinity at the last minute?   A.  Father Pefley promised to juggle flaming torches afterwards while Father Cilinski refused to do so……..No.  No more quizzes.  It is too hard thinking up wrong answers. 

   It is amazing to me that a major event so easily was moved to a new location in such a short time and apparently without a hitch.  This year at Holy Trinity, next year in Jerusalem.  Well, not Jerusalem, but the new All Saints Church, provided Father Cilinski learns how to juggle. (Side note:  Seton alumna Lisa Hadro’s August wedding will be the first one in the new All Saints.)

   From the e-mails I’ve received, the graduation was an event not to miss.

     Father Searby told of the beautiful statues on the top of the Milan Cathedral that were made for the glory of God and no other purpose since the sculptors knew they could not be appreciated by the general population.  This art work teaches us to do what we do first, and foremost for God’s glory.  Everything else is secondary. 

   Delegate Marshall’s address included research showing that the Founding Fathers believed that we have to rely on God and beg His providential care if we are to survive as a nation.  Mr. Marshall wanted the graduates to know that not only do they have a Catholic heritage, but also a Virginia heritage rooted in Christianity to live up to.  (Note:  The last time Mr. Marshall spoke at a Seton commencement there were 8 graduates; this year 8 times that.)

   Mrs. Carroll used the seniors’ theme that they have promoted throughout their high school years, that they are the best looking class ever.  (They would even get her to sign their class ads in the Spring Musical program book proclaiming this “fact”.)   Mrs. Carroll showed that the saying “beauty is only skin deep” does not apply to the Class of 2010.  There is a beauty within them that is far deeper than the epidermis.

   All Saints Church would have been bursting at the seams trying to hold the 64 graduates and those that came to honor them.  Of course, the crowd would have thinned out as the evening progressed as ambulances would have come at regular intervals to take the fainting masses away.  Perhaps most diplomas would have been distributed at the hospital.  Holy Trinity, on the other hand, held the crowd comfortably and coolly. 

   It has been suggested that Mr. VW arranged the move to Holy Trinity since it would be a Mr. VW sort of thing to see what Seton needed before anyone else did and make provisions for its completion.  Also, Mr. VW had two grandchildren (I typed “gradchildren” originally – Tim and Bridget are that too!) graduating and Holy Trinity was his parish.  (Note:  I e-mailed Father Crisman about using his sermon for the last posting and he e-mailed back saying, “I hope one day his [Mr. VW’s] heroism is recognized officially by the Church.”

   Some of you may have come here looking for a review of Vintage 35.  I’ll try to have that next time.  Probably like you,  I am most interested to see how “smart casual” was interpreted by the attendees.  I keep picturing the men leaning on golf clubs and the women holding tennis rackets discussing their 401K’s and like matters.  I haven’t found out what people wore, but once I do I should be ready to post.   I should also mention that Sean O’Hare has moved up from the 8^th place position he previously held in the Gala Analyzer Poll to take over the #1 spot.  This is the result of his comment after the previous blogic posting.  It would be an easy post to put the tributes to Mrs. Schuller and Mrs. von Reyn on here, so I might do that if I don’t get something else written before June 17^th.

   Mr. Koehr sent me a copy of the video that was shown at the 2009 Gala.  I had heard all about it, but I am telling you, there is nothing like seeing it.  It begins with Bryan Muench’s letter that he wrote to Mrs. Carroll three years after graduating from Seton.  That’s the way the video begins and that’s when the tears start to flow.  The video is an amazingly beautiful work.     

   A future posting may include the number of different kinds of Crest toothpaste that the local Wal-Mart carries.  I learned this interesting information from a man I was talking to in the cereal aisle (getting something for my supper) at the local Safeway. 

Jezu, ufam Tobie.

A special ending of the Year for the Priest edition of Blogic will appear on June 11^th.      

Holy Deaths and the Holy Ghost

May 28, 2010 | Latest

                                        Holy Deaths and the Holy Ghost

   On the Solemnity of Pentecost, my sister Wendy went to the 9:00 Mass at St. Helena’s in Fort Morgan.  The vocations director for the Archdiocese of Denver, Father Crisman, said the Mass.  He told two stories in his sermon.  The second story, he said, could sound like the beginning of a bad joke:  There was this black woman on a respirator with three women at her bedside:  one German, one Italian and one Irish.  Here is the real beginning of the story.

   Father was working at his computer when the phone rang.  It was the hospital asking for a priest to give last rites before life support was removed.  It wasn’t his turn to take emergency calls, but he decided to take this one. 

   When he arrived at the hospital, he was led into a room with a black woman hooked up to many machines including a respirator.

    He could see that the machine monitoring brain activity had a flat line and that all vital signs indicated that this woman’s earthly life was about to end.

     She was covered in a sheet up to her chin and was surrounded by three women, one Italian, one German and one Irish.  He asked them how they knew of the patient, and they told him that they were all sisters.  Father’s incredulous look led them to explain that they had all grown up together in a Catholic orphanage.    

   Father began.  He anointed the left hand and then reached across to put the holy chrism on her right hand when she suddenly bolted upright and tried to talk.  Father remembered that in the seminary he was told this would sometimes happen during an anointing indicating that there might be some unresolved concern left for the dying in this world. 

   Father asked the three women if they knew of  something that their sister needed to take care of before death came.  They all nodded.  The dying woman and her daughter had not spoken to each other in years.  This daughter had been called and was expected to arrive within the hour.

   Father finished the anointing as the monitors continued to show that her life was ebbing.  The daughter did arrive.  The two were left to themselves.  By the time the priest and sisters rejoined them, a reconciliation had taken place.  Without anyone removing any of the life supports, the woman closed her eyes in a peaceful death.

   The first story the priest told was another one of heroic strength being given to someone whose death was near at hand.  The circumstances were very different.  This story took place outside.  It was a story of a father and son who were together most of every day and who enjoyed each other’s company.

    There was no indication that either father or son was near death, but the situation quickly changed and both lives were put in great danger. The son survived because his father was given heroic strength to keep him alive, but within this gift was the father’s call to his heavenly reward. The son’s name was Joseph and the father was Tom Vander Woude.

   Completely different situations, but the same Spirit at work to give the needed strength to a parent for the good of the child.  The Third Person of the Blessed Trinity fills the hearts of the faithful, giving them the fire of His love.  He burned within the heart of a woman who grew up an orphan and had become estranged from her daughter, and He burned within the heart of a father in Nokesville who with his wife raised seven sons who were near and dear to him throughout his life.

   The Holy Spirit renews the face of the earth one heart at a time.  May our hearts glow with His divine love as we take inspiration from the Holy Spirit’s work in the life of a mother we do not know and in the life of a father whom we are proud to know.

Jezu, ufam Tobie        

With the latest great gathering of Our-Seton, I probably should be writing about that.  What I have been told about the evening, except for the rain, all sounds wonderful.  We will write about it soon, but I was very excited hearing about this sermon so I wanted to post about it before Trinity Sunday.  In a lazy, hazy, crazy summer mood, I feel like posting only when the spirit moves me.  However, we will keep to a schedule.  In honor of the 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit, we will post on the 7’s.  So we will see you again on June 7^th.