Zeal for Your house will consume Me profile picture

Zeal for Your house will consume Me

The Lord is risen, just as He promised! Let us rejoice and be glad, alleluia!

About Me


Check out my alternate MySpace page:
Catholic Evangelization
Prayer of Consecration (Militia of the Immaculata):
O Immaculata, Queen of Heaven and earth, refuge of sinners and our most loving Mother, God has willed to entrust the entire order of mercy to you. I, Noah J, a repentant sinner, cast myself at your feet, humbly imploring you to take me with all that I am and have, wholly to yourself as your possession and property. Please make of me, of all my powers of soul and body, of my whole life, death and eternity, whatever most pleases you.
If it pleases you, use all that I am and have without reserve, wholly to accomplish what was said of you: "She will crush your head," and "You alone have destroyed all heresies in the whole world. " Let me be a fit instrument in your immaculate and merciful hands for introducing and increasing your glory to the maximum in all the many strayed and indifferent souls, and thus help extend as far as possible the blessed kingdom of the most Sacred Heart of Jesus. For wherever you enter you obtain the grace of conversion and growth in holiness, since it is through your hands that all graces come to us from the most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
V. Allow me to praise you, O Sacred Virgin
R. Give me strength against your enemies
~ MI article: Behold our ideal- the Immaculate
TOTALLY YOURS (TOTUS TUUS)
Immaculate Conception, Mary, my Mother-
Live in me. Act in me. Speak in and through me.
Think your thoughts in my mind. Love, through my heart.
Give me your dispositions and feelings.
Teach, lead and guide me to Jesus.
Correct, enlighten and expand my thoughts and behavior.
Possess my soul. Take over my entire personality and life.
Replace it with yourself.
Incline me to constant adoration and thanksgiving.
Pray in me and through me.
Let me live in you and keep me in this union always.
~~ St. Maximilian Kolbe ~~
~ Novena in honor of the Immaculate Conception (by St. Maximilian Kolbe)
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. AMEN.
~ New Advent encyclopedia- How to recite the Holy Rosary
~ 15 Promises of the Virgin Mary regarding the Holy Rosary
Learn more about true devotion to Jesus through Mary:
~ Saint Louis de Montfort- Jesus living in Mary
~ Saint Louis de Montfort- True Devotion to Mary
~ Saint Louis de Montfort- The Secret of Mary
More about the Blessed Virgin Mary:
~ Fr. John Hardon archives- Mariology
~ EWTN Catholic teachings- on the Virgin Mary
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ABOUT ME:
My name is Noah (you can call me "Noah J") and I'm 24 years old. I'm a Roman Catholic seminarian with the Archdiocese of Dubuque . I am currently attending the Saint Meinrad Seminary for studies in sacred theology and am in the program for Priesthood Formation .
As an undergraduate, I majored in Philosophy with a minor in Business Administration. I have a strong passion for philosophy. I tend to philosophize quite often and spend time in thought contemplating the big questions in life. I love discussing all sorts of issues and general topics such as philosophy of mind, philosophy of religion, ethics,social and political philosophy, epistemology, metaphysics, and a number of other different and specific fields. If it's related to philosophy, I probably have an interest in it. Although these days, I'm a little more into theological discussions.
I love studying, researching, and generally finding out more about my authentic Catholic faith. I consider myself an "Orthodox Catholic." I am very passionate about my Catholic faith and strive to be an steadfast defender, promoter, adherent, and witness to authentic Catholic Christian faith in the course of my daily life. I believe that I may have a possible vocation to Catholic priesthood and am thus studying for the priesthood with the Archdiocese of Dubuque. I am still in discernment as to whether or not I am actually right for Catholic priesthood, so please pray for me in that matter, that I may be lead by God to serve Him and His people faithfully and zealously in whatever direction the Lord will lead me, whether it be priesthood or marriage or religious life. Whatever my vocation may be, "to God be the glory!" In your kindness, please continue to keep me (and all men thinking about priesthood!) in your prayers as I go through discernment. May God bless you!
Coat of Arms for the Archdiocese of Dubuque and St. Pius X seminary
Major Seminary options for the Archdiocese:
~ Pontifical North American College, Rome
~ St. Meinrad School of Theology
~ St. Paul Seminary school of divinity (formerly; now, not used)
~ University of Saint Mary of the Lake- Mundelein Seminary
Archbishop Jerome Hanus, OSB- Archbishop of Duque
Groups on MySpace about discernment of a religious vocation:
~ Vocation and Discernment
~ Priests and Nuns vocations group
~ Catholic seminarians on MySpace
~ Priesthood and Religious life discernment
I love my Mother Mary and all the grace she's shown to me. My devotion and love for her increases every day as she continues to pour out the graces of her Son, Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, upon my life. I am consecrated to Mother Mary, the Immaculate Virgin, as a member of the Militia of the Immaculata and allow myself to be used as her Knight for the sake of the reign of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in all the world. She is truly my Mother, my Queen, and my Advocate as she leads me to the throne of her Divine Son, Jesus Christ, the Lover of my soul, for He is my soul's true love and my heart's delight. I am also a Knight in the Knights of Columbus, and therefore, as a Knight, try to be a faithful member of the Church and work for the good of the Church.
~ MI Article: The MI and the K of C- knights of a higher rank
I love reading God's word, the Holy Bible . It is, to me, a light shining in the darkness, a source of insight and revelation, a source of inspiration and guidance, and a source of understanding what God wants to speak to His people. I am interested in Catholic apologetics, that is, in defending the faith with arguments from Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition, though I am not necessarily always very good at it myself. I love spending time with friends and even though I can say that I have quite a few, I really only have a few people that I consider very close friends. I'm single (celibate for the sake of the Kingdom of God), loving it, and just looking for people I can connect with, laugh with, and enjoy life with.
WHY AM I CATHOLIC? (great video!)
..
As a side note, I do try to reply to ALL e-mails and comments sent my way if for no other reason than to show my respect for the sender, whether I know the sender or not. If I do not answer a message or a page comment right away, it is probably because I did not have time at the moment I read it or happened to forget about it (unfortunately!) or a response is inappropriate. If you send me e-mail or comments, I do my best to respond promptly. I get A LOT of e-mail and all of it is very important to me and I do my best to respond to it promptly :) I do it at least to be courteous, and I appreciate it when others show me the same courtesy back, when and where possible and appropriate. I would appreciate finding out more about you if you're interested! I like to make an effort to personally be at least acquainted with the people on my friends list. An e-mail in connection with a friend request if often appreciated, and it helps me to get to know you a little better :) You can find me occassionally on AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) under screen name ApostleNoah. Talk to you later, and GOD BLESS!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
About My Catholic Identity:
I am firmly and devoutly Roman Catholic. Some might call me an "Evangelical Catholic" because of my tendency and desire to evangelize and witness to the Catholic Christian hope I have in Jesus Christ and in the Church in which He founded on the rock of St. Peter. I am what you might call a "Charismatic Catholic" because of my involvement in the movement called the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, a renewal started by the Holy Spirit that brings about a spiritual renewal of the grace of Pentecost in the life and mission of the Church and in the individual members of the Church. I consider myself faithful to authentic ("orthodox") Catholic faith and to the teachings of the Catholic Church through the Magisterium. I have a deep appreciation for my personal Catholic heritage and for the rich history and depth of the Catholic Church. I fully affirm the primacy of the Pope as the Vicar of Christ, the Successor of Saint Peter. I have grown up in the period after Vatican II and see the Council as a legitimate council called into session by a legitimate Pope (John XXIII) and then continued by his successor (Paul VI). There were needed reforms that needed to take place so that the Church may continue to speak to the hearts and souls of the people of the world. I can and do appreciate "Traditional Catholicism" to a high degree, but must steadfastly oppose any viciousness that comes from Traditionalists, especially those traditionalists who end up being schismatic and break off their union with the Church of Rome, the Successor of St. Peter (the Pope, the Bishop of Rome), and the true apostolic tradition connected to the Church. I believe in the normative authority of Sacred Scripture and in the authority of Sacred Tradition which interprets Sacred Scripture and deciphered what was the inspired Word of God from what was not the inspired Word of God. All in all, I try to be a good and faithful Catholic man, abiding by the grace of Christ and His Church, and living in spiritual union with my fellow brothers and sisters throughout the world. If you have any questions about where I stand on other issues, please ask, and I'll be happy to tell you. Take care, and GOD BLESS YOU!
About my Catholic groups on MySpace:
I have several groups on myspace devoted to various things regarding the faith. Subjects included Spiritual Warfare, the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, devotion to the Divine Mercy revelation, the Passion of the Christ film, popular Catholic prayers and devotions, Sacred Scripture, and Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. All the groups are devoted to staying true to authentic Catholic faith, and are filled with prayers, scripture, links to outside sources, and lots of opportunity for dialogue in the forums. If you're interested and the Spirit compels you to join, please do! I'd love to see you there! Below are links to my groups on MySpace:
+ War of the Spirit: Catholic Spiritual Warfare
+ Life in the Spirit: Catholic Charismatic Renewal
+ The Divine Mercy of Jesus Christ: Message and Devotion
+ The Passion of the Christ and Catholicism
+ Popular Catholic Prayers and Devotions
+ Catholic devotion to the Holy Word of God (Sacred Scripture)
+ Catholic devotion of Jesus Christ's Real Presence in the Holy Eucharist
+ Pope John Paul II's Theology of the Body
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Didn't grow up Catholic? Ever wonder what all those crazy Catholics believe in, anyway? Here's a taste. Enjoy!
The Nicene Creed:
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God,
begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures;
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. AMEN.
Thinking of converting to Catholicism?
Having you ever considered converting to Catholicism? Conversion to Catholicism can be a difficult thing, especially if you feel an attraction, but don't know much about the Church. The good news is...OUR ARMS AND HEARTS ARE OPEN! Jesus loves you, wants to embrace you, and wants to bring you to the Church He founded on the rock of St. Peter as a living sign and testament of His love and salvation open for all of humanity. Find out a little bit more about conversion, Catholic faith, and what to do at the Coming Home Network website. Don't be afraid to look for the truth! Jesus is waiting for you! If you have questions about converting to Catholicism, please don't hesitate to ask! God bless you!
Resources for conversion:
~ Catholic Answers- How to become a Catholic
~ EWTN's Catholic Faith Frequently Asked Questions (& Answers)
~ EWTN- Introduction to Catholic faith teachings
Topics in EWTN Library:
~ EWTN Library homepage
~ EWTN Library- Apologetics
~ EWTN Library- Canon Law
~ EWTN Library- Catechetics
~ EWTN Library- Christ and Church
~ EWTN Library- Doctrine
~ EWTN Library- Papal Encyclicals
~ EWTN Library- Episcopal Documents
~ EWTN Library- Liturgy
~ EWTN Library- Mary and Saints
~ EWTN Library- Papal Documentss (all Popes)
~ EWTN Library- Prayer
~ EWTN Library- Priests, Religious, Vocations
~ EWTN Library- ProLife Encyclopedia
~ EWTN Library- ProLife Issues
~ EWTN Library- Scripture, Revelation
~ EWTN Library- Spirituality
Catholic Topics/Issues:
The following topics (a work in progress) are brought forth because they are important issues and because we must never be afraid to speak the truth, but must always be prepared to do so in conformity with the kind of love our Lord Jesus Christ and His Church calls us to live out in our lives. Thus, these topics, some of them highly controversial, are here to help inform people on the issues facing us today and how we might respond to such issues in a manner consistent with the essence of the faith, hope, and love of our Christian faith.
Human Sexuality/Homosexuality:
~ JPII's Theology of the Body
~ Christopher West homepage
~ An introduction to JPII's Theology of the Body
~ JPII's general audiences on Theology of the Body
~ Courage Apostolate
~ Catholic Answers- Homosexuality
~ Letter to Bishops on the Pastoral Care of homosexual persons
~ Catholic Update- what the Church teaches about homosexuality
~ Catholic Medical Association- Homosexuality and Hope
Human Rights, Social Justice:
~ Network- a national Catholic social justice lobby
Family, Life issues:
~ Natural Family Planning Outreach
~ Couple to Couple League
Catholic Social Teaching:
~ USCCB- Sharing Catholic Social Teaching
~ Catholic Social Teaching (archdioces of St. Paul and Minneapolis)
~ Theology Library- Catholic Social Teaching
~ Ten Building blocks of Catholic Social Teaching (article)
~ Wikipedia- Catholic Social Teaching
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Become one of OUR LADY'S KNIGHTS! Check out the Militia of the Immaculata! (international abbreviation: MI)
About the MI:
~ MI homepage- consecration.com
~ What is the MI?
~ Who is St. Maximilian?
~ What is Consecration?
~ MI Prayer of Consecration
~ Wear the Miraculous Medal
~ How do I enroll in the MI?
~ MI Frequently Asked Questions
~ Militia of the Immaculata archives
Various articles from "Immaculata" magazine:
January, February, March 2006
~ The maxims of St. Maximilian Kolbe
~ Christ is the Light
~ Aborion and the Preamble to the Constitution
April, May, June 2006
~ Christ has Risen......Alleluia!
~ Pope Benedict XVI and the Eucharist
~ The Sorrows of Our Lady
~ Do not weep for Me; weep for yourselves
January, February, March 2005
~ On the Year of the Eucharist
~ Expressions of Love
~ MI Canada: Lady Dressed in Blue
~ The Intercessory Power of the Eucharist- testimony of saints
April, May 2005
~ The Intercessory Power of the Eucharist- vocations
~ A Shining Similarity
July, August, September 2005
~ Eucharist as "Thanksgiving"- tribute to JPII
~ The Media of the MASS
October, November, December 2005
~ Eucharist and Word- manifestations of Christ
~ Catholic Youth Revolution
~ Graces will be abundant
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Popular Catholic Prayers:
These are absolutely beautiful prayers....true essentials for every Catholic's personal prayer life! Please pray often and fervently, for the greater glory of Almighty God!
THE LORD'S PRAYER (OUR FATHER)
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done,
on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil,
for Thine is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory, both now and forevermore. AMEN.
~ Gospel of Matthew 6:9-13
THE MAGNIFICAT (Song of praise of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
"My Soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for He has taken regard of His handmaid's lowliness.
Behold, from henceforth all generations will call me blessed;
for He who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is His name.
His mercy is upon those who fear him in every generation.
He has shown the strength of His arm,
He has scattered the proud in their conceit,
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
but the rich He has sent away empty.
He has come to the aid of His servant Israel,
for He has remembered His promise of mercy,
the promise He made to our fathers,
to Abrahman and to his descendants forever." AMEN.
~ Gospel of Luke 1:46-55
THE DIVINE PRAISES
Blessed be God. Blessed be His Holy Name. Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true Man. Blessed be the Name of Jesus. Blessed be His Most Sacred Heart. Blessed be His Most Precious Blood. Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. Blessed be the Holy Ghost, the Paraclete. Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most Holy. Blessed be her Holy and Immaculate Conception. Blessed be her Glorious Assumption. Blessed be the Name of Mary, Virgin and Mother. Blessed be St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse. Blessed be God in His Angels and in His Saints. AMEN.
ANIMA CHRISTI
Soul of Christ, sanctify me. Body of Christ, save me. Blood of Christ, inebriate me. Water from the side of Christ, wash me. Passion of Christ, strengthen me. O Good Jesus, hear me. Within Thy wounds, hide me. Never let me be parted from Thee. From the evil enemy, protect me. At the hour of my death, call me, and bid me to come to Thee, that with Thy saints I may praise Thee for all eternity. AMEN.
THE GLORIA:
Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth! Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
PRAYER TO SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL
Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in our day of battle. Be our defense against the deceit and wickedness of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And you, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, banish into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who roam through the world seeking the ruin and destruction of souls. AMEN.
~ Original prayer to St. Michael the Archangel
~ MI article: Saint Michael, Healer of the Sick
EXORCISM PRAYER (Medal of Saint Benedict)
The Holy Cross is my light. The dragon will never be my guide. Begone, Satan! You won't persuade me to do evil. What you offer me is evil. Drink your poison yourself! AMEN.
~ About the Medal of Saint Benedict
~ "Begone, Satan!" By Rev. Celestine Kapsner
~ SpiritDaily.com- Prayers for Deliverance
THE SALVE REGINA (HAIL, HOLY QUEEN)
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our light, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!
V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. AMEN.
~ Catholic Encyclopedia- the Salve Regina
THE MEMORARE
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, we turn to thee, O Virgin of virgins, our Mother. To thee we come, before thee we stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, do not despise our petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer us. AMEN.
THE ANGELUS
The Angelus is a daily prayer of the Roman Catholic Church. The prayer is traditionally recited morning (6:00 a.m.), noon and evening (6:00 p.m.) throughout the year except during Paschal time, when the Regina Coeli is recited instead. It is said in honor of the Incarnation and consists of three repetitions of the Hail Mary together with verses and a prayer.
V. The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
R. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary, etc.
V. Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
R. Be it done unto me according to thy word.
Hail Mary, etc.
V. And the Word was made Flesh.
R. And dwelt among us.
Hail Mary, etc.
V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us Pray:
Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts, that we to whom the Incarnation of Christ Thy Son was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same Christ Our Lord. AMEN.
~ Catholic Encyclopedia- the Angelus
REGINA COELI
Queen of heaven, rejoice. Alleluia.
For He whom thou didst deserve to bear, Alleluia.
Hath risen as He said, Alleluia.
Pray for us to God, Alleluia.
V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, Alleluia.
R. Because Our Lord is truly risen, Alleluia.
Let us Pray:
O God, who by the resurrection of Thy Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, hast vouchsafed to make glad the whole world, grant, we beseech Thee, that, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may attain the joys of eternal life. Through the same Christ Our Lord. AMEN.
~ Catholic Encyclopedia- Regina Coeli
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ QUIZ ON THE NATURE OF MY CATHOLIC FAITH:
Was the Catholic Church founded by Jesus Christ? The Catholic Church is the same Church founded by Jesus Christ on the rock of St. Peter
Are Catholics Christians? Absolutely!
Do Catholics worship Mary? Absolutely not! Catholics give Mary the highest level of veneration (honor), but worship belongs to God alone
Do Catholics ignore the Bible? Absolutely not! The Liturgy of the Word is part of every Catholic Mass!
Do Catholics have superstitious practices? No, the Church does what it does with good reason
Do Catholics want Christian unity? Yes, the Catholic Church is devoted to ecumenical dialogue with other Christians
How does one convert to Catholicism? Find a parish, get enrolled in the RCIA program, and prepare to be received into full communion with the Catholic Church
Do Catholics baptize someone already baptized when they convert? Not necessarily, but it depends on whether or not the Church sees the previous baptism as valid or not. If they're already Christian, and their original baptism is valid, there is no need to be re-baptized
Can a Catholic go to Protestant things? Sure, but avoid whatever form of "communion" the particular Protestant church has to avoid any confusion about the real meaning of Holy Communion/ Eucharist
Why do Catholics believe in the real presence of Jesus in communion? Because of the words of the Lord in Sacred Scripture, and because of the witness of Apostolic tradition
Why do Catholics value Sacred Tradition? Without Sacred Tradition, there would be no Sacred Scripture. Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition are necessary elements which must exist together for a legitimate Christianity such as Catholicism
Do Catholics believe once saved always saved? Catholics believe they were saved in the past, are saved now, and will be saved in the future. Salvation is a lifelong effort of maintaining one's faith in Christ and remaining a part of the Church
Do Catholics worship statues, medals, and pictures? Absolutely not! These things are outward signs and symbols of one's inward faith
Why do Catholics use crucifixes? Catholics use a crucifix as the image of "the greatest love" which Jesus Christ showed to all of humanity by His death and furthermore by His resurrection
Why do Catholics confess to a priest? Priests are legitimately ordained by a Bishop, who is a successor of the apostles, to whom Christ said "Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained." (John 20:23)
Can women be involved in the Church? Yes, the Church allows for some levels of ministry by women, both lay and religious
Is the Catholic Church the whore of Babylon? Absolutely not! Such a thing is a malicious invention of those who have obvious prejudices against the Catholic Church
What is Purgatory? Purgatory is a place of purification from sin, since heaven is without sin, and one cannot enter heaven when one has not been cleansed of all sin and impurity- it is a sign of God's great mercy
Do Catholics believe in the Second Coming of Christ? Absolutely! It is part of our essential profession of faith, the Nicene Creed
Do Catholics think sex in marriage is only for procreation? Nope, it is an expression of love between a man and a woman, but should not inhibit life
Can a Catholic ever use birth control? Yes! It's called abstinence (from sex) :)
Do Catholics fast? What is abstinence? Yes, Catholics fast from eating food. Abstinence is generally defined as refraining from doing some action
May Catholics marry non-Catholics? Catholics should marry each other
What summarizes essential Catholic beliefs? the Nicene Creed
How do Catholics view the Bible? Non-fundamentalist
Why can't priests marry? Celibacy is a mandate of the Church for Catholic priests, but freely chosen by those priests...it is also a sign of a future reality of the celibate state in the afterlife
Do Catholics believe salvation is a free gift from God based on faith? Yes, but salvation is in part a combination of faith and works
Is the Da Vinci Code true? Nope, it is definitely a work of fiction, though it may falsely be portrayed as true
What do Catholics read for spiritual help besides the Bible? The writings of the Saints, good Catholic literature, Papal encyclicals, etc.
How do Catholics feel about the sex abuse scandal? The sex abuse scandal is a horrible, shameful thing that reflects negatively upon certain priest, but the vast majority of priests are good, holy, and faithful men
CREATE YOUR OWN! - or -

My Interests

I'm very interested in the following (things, people, activities, etc.):

~ Philosophy
(philosophy interests: metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, philosophy of mind, philosophy of religion, the history of philosophy)
~ Theology
(theology interests: Christology, moral theology, eschatology, dogmatics, Scripture studies, Mariology)
~ Jesus Christ- my one and only Lord and Savior
~ Eucharistic Adoration
~ The Holy Spirit- my divine Advocate and Comforter
~ Catholic Charismatic Renewal
~ Blessed Mother Mary- my Queen and Mediatrix of all graces
~ praying the Holy Rosary
~ Praise and worship music
~ contemporary Christian music
~ Spiritual Warfare
~ Catholic Bible study
~ all forms of Christian prayer
~ God's holy Saints and Angels
~ Chatting on AIM ocassionally
~ running and working out
~ playing basketball
~ playing volleyball
~ writing song lyrics
~ Reading good books
~ watching good movies
~ hanging out with friends

I'm interestined in a lot of different things. You could just talk to me, e-mail me, or IM me to find out more ;)

Links to great websites: (in progress)
I support all the websites I post on my profile though I do not guarantee that their content/views/etc. are necessarily my own or the official views of the Catholic Church. Please exercise discernment in reading so as to determine and decipher between what is true and from God and what is, conversely, not true nor from God. Enjoy and use these links to your own benefit :) GOD BLESS!

The Holy Eucharist:
~ Ecclesia de Eucharistia (encyclical)
~ The Real Presence: basic Q & A
~ The Eucharist and Christ's Real Presence

The Holy Bible and Catholicism:
~ Scripture Catholic homepage

Marian Devotion:
~ Our Lady's Warriors
~ Apparitions of Mary
~ All for Mary
~ The Mary Page
~ The Fatima Network
~ The Medjugorje Web
~ Redemptoris Mater (encyclical)
~ Rosarium Virginis Mariae (letter)

Marian Devotion II (shrines, etc.)
~ Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine
~ Basilica of the Immaculate Conception

Catholic Resources:
~ Catholic Encyclopedia
~ Catechism of the Catholic Church
~ Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church
~ Code of Cannon Law
~ ..s of Vatican II

Pro-Life Movement:
~ American Life League
~ Priests for Life
~ Life Issues
~ Human Life International
~ Humanae Vitae (encyclical)
~ Evangelium Vitae (encyclical)
~ Life Site

Catholic Websites: (news, info, etc.)
~ Inside the Vatican
~ Our Sunday Visitor
~ Catholic ..
~ Catholic Answers
~ American Catholic
~ Catholic.net
~ e-Catholic 2000
~ Catholic Info Network
~ Catholic Exchange
~ National Catholic Register
~ Catholic News Service
~ Catholic News Agency
~ Catholic Culture
~ Catholic World News
~ Catholic pages
~ About Catholics
~ Catholic FaithRaiser
~ Catholic Spiritual Direction
~ GodSpy.com

Catholic Theology:
~ Theology Library
~ EWTN library- theology

Catholic merchandise:
~ GetFed Discount Catholic store
~ JustCatholic store
~ The Catholic Shoppe
~ Catholic Home
~ Aquinas and More
~ Ignatius Press
~ St. Joseph Communications
~ Discount Catholic store
~ Free for Catholics
~ EWTN religious catalogue
~ Marianland resources

Various Catholic Resources:
~ EWTN audio library
~ EWTN .. library
~ Catholic Action Principles

Catholic Evangelization:
~ Presentation Ministries
~ Michael Cumbie homepage
~ National Catholic Evangelization Association
~ ChristLife evangelization ministry
~ One Bread lay apostolate
~ USCCB Secretariat for Evangelization

Catholic Life and Education:
~ FOCUS ..
~ Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities
~ National Catholic Educational Association
~ Catholic University of America
~ Ave Maria University
~ Franciscan University of Steubenville
~ University of Notre Dame

Catholic Mysticism:
This is a highly-debatable topic, but I've tried to find some good resources that may adequately reflect what Catholic mysticism and mystical experiences are all about in the midst of the many lies out there regarding mysticism. Enjoy!
~ New Advent- Mysticism
~ New Advent- Mystical Theology
~ The Metaphysics of Mysticism
~ Mystics in Love (essay)
~ SEP- Mysticism
~ Catholic mysticism
~ Contemplation- a treatise on mysticism

"Traditional" Catholicism:
Let me preface what I'm about to say by saying that I myself am a bit of a "Traditional Catholic." My favorite Eucharistic Prayer is Eucharistic Prayer 1, otherwise known as the Roman Cannon, the only Eucharistic prayer used in the Mass of the Council of Trent or the Tridentine Mass. I love litanies and statuary and stained glass and incense and sacred music and so much more. What I want to avoid is schismatic tendencies associated with the thought of people who have taken their love of the traditions of the Church to the level of extremism, which is completely wrong and counter-productive. However, though people belonging to the "traditional" camp of Catholics have tended to be schismatic and suppressive of the Vatican II council and the results and efforts of such council, they are nonetheless part of worldwide Catholic faith. The following links are some examples of Traditional Catholicism. Our Catholic Tradition is a beautiful and holy thing which we must preserve and treasure! But we must always strive to stay in union with the Pope, the Holy Father, and the Church under his supreme apostolic and pastoral care, and never separate ourselves from the one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church. Please exercise careful discernment in reading the following material and/or websites, as some of them are good, and some of them manifest schismatic tendencies, which are not good. As Saint Paul says, "Test everything; retain what is good." (1 Thess. 5:21).
~ Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter
~ Fish Eaters: traditional Catholicism
~ Catholic Tradition
~ Roman Catholic Traditionalism?
~ Traditional Roman Catholicism
~ Traditional rites and prayers
~ Traditional Roman Catholic Network
~ Traditional Catholicism.net
~ Wikipedia- Traditionalist Catholic
~ Reference.com- Traditionalist Catholic
~ Society of St. Pius X (SSPX)
~ Traditional Catholic site
~ Defending Traditional Catholicism
~ Latin Mass Magazine
~ Traditional Catholic Apologetics
~ Traditional Catholic Information
~ Seattle Catholic journal
~ The Remnant newspaper
~ Traditional Catholic Reflections
~ "The DailyCatholic" website

Special Interest:
~ Patrick Madrid and Envoy Magazine
~ Word Among Us publication
~ America Magazine
~ U.S. Catholic magazine

About the other Catholic rites:
Since there are other rites of the Catholic Church (rather than just the "Latin" or "Roman" Rite most popularly known), these links are here to put you in touch with some of the other rites of the Catholic Church who are wholly and completely Catholic and in communion with the Church of Rome, and furthermore, the Bishop of Rome, the Pope.
~ Byzantine Catholics
~ Byzantine Catholic Church in America
~ Eastern Rites of the Catholic Church
~ Catholic Rites and Churches
~ Catholic Encyclopedia- Eastern Churches
~ Eastern Catholicism
~ Religious Educators- Eastern Catholic Rites
~ The Rites of the Catholic Church

I'd like to meet:



I'd love to meet all the faithful and holy saints of the Catholic Church who shown us, by their example, how to live a life of sincere and abiding love for God and for humanity. They are models of faith for us, examples from whom we can learn true devotion and faith, and they act as spiritual guides as we journey towards Jesus Christ and towards our Promised Land in the Kingdom of Heaven. The following saints (or people of faith) are among my favorite:

~ Saint Thomas Aquinas
~ Saint Augustine of Hippo
~ Saint Joseph, husband of Mary
~ Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina
~ Saint Therese of Lisieux
~ Saint John of the Cross
~ Saint Francis of Assissi
~ Saint Dominic
~ Saint Benedict
~ Saint Ignatius of Loyola
~ blessed Mother Theresa of Calcutta
~ blessed Pierre Giorgio Frassatti
~ Saint Maximilian Kolbe
~ Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska
~ Saint John, the beloved Disciple
~ Saint Polycarp
~ Saint Peter, the Prince of the Apostles
~ Saint Ignatius of Antioch
~ Saint Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles
~ Pope Saint Pius X
~ Saint John Vianney, the Cure' d'Ars
~ Saint Irenaeus

I hope to see the following people beatified (as Blesseds) and cannonized (as Saints): Father Michael J. McGivney, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, Pope John Paul II, Pope Pius XII

Praise God for all the wonderful examples of faith and devotion and love for God and for others that our Mighty Lord has blessed this world with!!

I'd like to meet people who enjoy talking about philosophy and theology as much as I do. I'd love to meet faithful and active Catholics who have a passion for the faith and who are committed to standing by the faith, no matter what. If that's you, I'd love to meet you! Make a friend request of me! GOD BLESS YOU!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Your results:
You are Superman Superman 80% Green Lantern 70% Robin 69% Spider-Man 55% The Flash 55% Supergirl 47% Wonder Woman 42% Hulk 40% Iron Man 35% Batman 30% Catwoman 10% You are mild-mannered, good,
strong and you love to help others.
Click here to take the Superhero Personality Test
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Check this out!! This is the best amateur lightsaber duel EVER!! (Yes, I am a bit of a Star Wars nerd, it's true :-P)

object

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Check out this inspiring (music-only) video, called "Vocation."

object
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A tribute to Pope John Paul II

object

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am a voice (crying for MERCY)

object

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

view more videos:
Please note that I am only supporting the main video that shows up on the page. There are many videos that may also be featured that I am not necessarily supporting. Thank you for understanding!

~ Eucharistic music video
~ "A Salvation Prayer" music video
~ Duel of the Seminarians (just for fun!)
~ A tribute to John Paul II
~ The Rosary
~ The World's Greatest Secret
~ The Truth about Catholic Priests

Music:

I'd like to use my "music" space to talk about something that is very near and dear to my heart....Catholic Priesthood! Below I have a bit of scripture and links about the vocational calling to Catholic priesthood and issues of interest pertaining to Priesthood and seminary life. Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ALL ABOUT CATHOLIC PRIESTHOOD:

USCCB:
~ Priestly life and ministry
~ Vocations and priestly formation
~ Basic Plan for the Ongoing Formation of Priests
~ Program of Priestly Formation- 5th ed.

The Holy See:
~ Pastores Dabo Vobis
~ Congregation for the Clergy

SEE ALSO:
I highly recommend viewing the "Fishers of Men" vocations video put out by the USCCB! This film is a MUST SEE for EVERY Catholic, but especially those discerning a possible vocation to the Priesthood!


Buy "Fishers of Men" video and more from the GrassRoots Films homepage!

More Videos from "YouTube":
~ Priest pleads for holy vocations

Vocations Resources:
~ Prayers for Vocations
~ Questions for Discussion and Reflection
~ Frequently Asked Questions
~ Vocation.com
~ New Advent- Priesthood
~ Real Presence Association- the Eucharist and the Priesthood
~ National Coalition for Church Vocations
~ Vision vocations guide
~ Catholic pages- Priesthood and Religious Life

Articles, special interest:
~ Celibacy and the Priesthood
~ Bishop, Priest, and Deacon
~ Call no man "Father"?
~ On the Catholic Priesthood (encyclical)
~ Catholic Update- on Vocations
~ Priestly vocations in America

More special interest:
~ First Things journal ..
~ "eBreviary"- Liturgy of the Hours

MY ADVICE:
There are many different individual Dioceses and religious orders all over the world. Each different Diocese and religious order probably has it's own website. If you're interested in pursuing a vocation to Priesthood or religious life, I encourage you to consider making an inquiry with the Vocations Director of the Diocese you're interested in or seeking out contact with a religious order of your choice. The first step towards pursuing a religious vocation is to make a show of outward interest in finding out more about where you want to go and what you feel God may be calling you to in your life. Listen to God's call! He's faithful to lead you to His will for you if you set your heart on following Him!

Various Religious Orders for Men:
~ Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
~ The Fathers of Mercy
~ Marians of the Immaculate Conception

So I exhort the presbyters among you, as a fellow presbyter and witness to the sufferings of Christ and one who has a share in the glory to be revealed. Tend the flock of God in your midst, {overseeing} not by constraint but willingly, as God would have it, not for shameful profit, but eagerly. Do not lord it over those assigned to you, but be examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd is revealed, you will receive the unfading crown of glory."
~~ 1 Peter 5:1-4 ~~


"Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith."
~~ Hebrews 13:7 ~~


Movies:

I enjoy a variety of movies. For genres, I like action and adventure, suspense and thriller, some horror films (depends on style), inspirational and epic films, comedies (including some "romantic comedies"), and science fiction types of movies. So, really, I enjoy movies of a great variety. Here are some particular movies that I enjoy:
Good philosophical movies:
~ The Matrix trilogy
~ Minority Report
~ Fight Club
~ Vanilla Sky
~ Equilibrium
~ Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
~ I heart Huckabees
~ The Island
Good spiritual movies:
~ The Passion of the Christ
~ Jesus of Nazareth
~ The Exorcism of Emily Rose
~ Therese
~ The Exorcist
~ Exorcist: the Beginning
~ Constantine
~ The Devil's Advocate
~ The Lord of the Rings trilogy
~ Gandhi
~ City of Angels
~ The Green Mile
Good "epic" movies:
~ Gladiator
~ Saving Private Ryan
~ Braveheart
~ The Star Wars trilogy
~ The Indiana Jones trilogy
~ Cast Away
~ A Beautiful Mind
~ Pirates of the Carribean
Good comedies:
~ Bruce Almighty
~ Zoolander
~ Ten things I hate about you
~ Liar Liar
~ Ace Ventura (1 & 2)
Good "superpowered" movies:
~ Spider-Man (1-3)
~ The Hulk
~ Daredevil
~ Elektra
~ The X-Men (1-3)
~ The Fantastic Four (1 & 2)
~ Batman Begins
~ The Chronicles of Riddick
~ The Blade trilogy
Good action/adventure movies:
~ The Negotiator
~ The Recruit
~ Face-Off
~ The Rock
~ Armageddon
~ Swordfish
Basically, I enjoy movies of all sorts. I like when movies make me think and make me examine my perspectives on life, love, faith, and more. Movies that deal with philosophical issues are of great interest to me (thus, why I've listed some of the movies I've listed). I'm a bit of a movie lover (and an amateur critic). Any suggestions for good movies?? I'm always up for them!!

Television:

EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network) is my favorite television network......they have great programming on there that really can aid in coming to a greater understanding of all things Catholic. And not only that, they have a great website too (see link below). Other than that, I don't really watch a whole lot of TV, other than perhaps FOX NEWS. The following are some internet links that I thoroughly recommend checking out:

~ Official website of the Holy See

~ United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

~ EWTN Global Catholic Network

~ The Militia of the Immaculata

~ Knights of Columbus

~ Zenit News- the world seen from Rome

~ SpiritDaily homepage

Books:

The Holy Bible...it's the bestseller all over the world....never to be topped. It is truly the inspired Word of God, a source of light to shine in the darkness and bring forth God's plan of salvation into the heart and soul of humanity. Some of my other favorites include the following:
~ True Devotion to Mary by Saint Louis de Montfort
~ Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
~ The Catholic Warrior by Robert Abel
~ With Jesus: the Story of Mary Co-Redemptrix by Mark Miravalle,
~ Spiritual Combat by Lorenzo Scupoli
~ Gift and Mystery by Pope John Paul II
~ Unbound: a practical guide to deliverance by Neal Lozano
~ The Lamb's Supper by Scott Hahn
~ Hail, Holy Queen by Scott Hahn
I especially enjoy books related to my Catholic faith. Even though I don't read altogether as often as I'd like, I've always got an eye open for a good book! Any suggestions? Send them my way!

Heroes:

Jesus Christ, My Lord and Savior, is my greatest and primary Hero. He came to show us how we should live. He is my heart's desire and my soul's true love. There is no greater hero than Him. "Jesus I trust in You!"
Blessed Mother Mary, my Holy Queen, is my second greatest hero. Her example of faith in God and trust in His will through both the joys and the hardships is the greatest human example we have of discipleship to the Lord. She is my Mother, my Queen, and my Advocate, and I call her "Mom" and I love her dearly as she helps direct me to her Son, Jesus Christ.
Our beloved late Holy Father, Pope John Paul II , is a great example of faith and discipleship. I love his devotion to Mary, his love for the Church and his great concern for the flock that was entrusted to his care. I greatly look forward to his beatification and cannonization. "John Paul II, we love you!"
~ EWTN mini site- Pope John Paul II
~ EWTN library- JPII
Our current Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI , is a wonderful Pope! He is intensely intelligent, an amazing theologian, and a great representative of the Lord Jesus Christ. I look forward to seeing the fruits of his pontificate.
~ EWTN mini site- Pope Benedict XVI
The most immediate influences, my beloved parents, are wonderful people and have helped to make me the man I am today. I'm sure I owe more to them than I can fathom for all their love, care, and support.
My influences in heaven, God's holy saints and angels, are wonderful and inspiring examples of faith and love for God and for humanity. They are truly the inspiring and shining examples for all of us to learn from as we aspire to greater holiness in the course of our everyday lives.
This world has produced far too many spectacular souls of influence and greatness than is possible to list. Yet, they all speak to us of things essential that we must learn in this life and our walk with the Lord. They inspire us to overcome the difficult, work through the pain, find faith in doubt, and trust in God through it all. They are the ordinary heroes of everyday life to whom we owe more than we can know. They deserve our honor and our respect for the example they show us.

My Blog

Taking JESUS to the STREETS!

Hey fellow myspacers :)  I hope ya'll are doing well out there!  I write this short blog, for one, because I love this video, and secondly, because I don't feel we "take JESUS to the streets" often en...
Posted by Zeal for Your house will consume Me on Tue, 13 May 2008 06:56:00 PST

Vatican official says liturgical renewal on an "irreversible path"

Vatican official calls liturgical renewal 'irreversible path'By John ThavisCatholic News ServiceVATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Liturgical renewal launched by the Second Vatican Council is an "irreversible path...
Posted by Zeal for Your house will consume Me on Thu, 01 May 2008 04:12:00 PST

Pope Benedict’s video message to the United States

Benedict XVI’s Message to the United States "I Am Coming, Sent by Jesus Christ, to Bring You His Word of Life" VATICAN CITY, APRIL 8, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Here is the text of the video-message th...
Posted by Zeal for Your house will consume Me on Tue, 08 Apr 2008 12:18:00 PST

simple thoughts for Divine Mercy Sunday

  Hello friends!  Tomorrow is the Second Sunday of Easter, and also known as Divine Mercy Sunday.  It was a request of Our Lord to Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, of the Sisters of Our ...
Posted by Zeal for Your house will consume Me on Sun, 30 Mar 2008 08:25:00 PST

Weird, but definitely "Cool": Ice-Man

Iceman on Everest: 'It Was Easy' Wim Hof's Amazing Abilities to Withstand Freezing Temperatures By JOSEPH ANGIER March 7, 2008 It's a bitterly cold winter day and students on the University of Mi...
Posted by Zeal for Your house will consume Me on Sat, 08 Mar 2008 05:24:00 PST

St. Padre Pio’s body exhumed

Popular Italian Catholic saint exhumed 40 years on Mon 3 Mar 2008 By Philip Pullella ROME, March 3 (Reuters Life!) - The body of the mystic monk Padre Pio, one of the Roman Catholic world's most reve...
Posted by Zeal for Your house will consume Me on Tue, 04 Mar 2008 07:54:00 PST

Meditation for Eucharistic Adoration

Hello myspace friends!  Last night we had an event here at the seminary that we like to call "Late Night Adoration."  It's Eucharistic Adoration and it goes from 8:30-10:30 p.m.  We hav...
Posted by Zeal for Your house will consume Me on Sat, 01 Mar 2008 12:47:00 PST

Meditation for 3rd Sunday of Lent

Hello myspace friends!  I keep a journal that I write in daily, and this is the meditation that I wrote last night in meditating on the readings for today.  I wanted to share it with yo...
Posted by Zeal for Your house will consume Me on Sun, 24 Feb 2008 11:15:00 PST

Readings for 3rd Sunday of Lent

..> Third Sunday of Lent ..> Reading 1Ex 17:3-7In those days, in their thirst for water,the people grumbled against Moses,saying, "Why did you ever make us leave Egypt?Was it just to have us die her...
Posted by Zeal for Your house will consume Me on Sun, 24 Feb 2008 10:39:00 PST

Lent is coming up fast: Pope Benedict’s Lenten Message

Benedict XVI's Lenten Address "Almsgiving, According to the Gospel, Is Not Mere Philanthropy" VATICAN CITY, JAN. 29, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Here is the text of Benedict XVI's message for Lent, dated Oct....
Posted by Zeal for Your house will consume Me on Thu, 31 Jan 2008 07:30:00 PST