Troubadors

Before he became a priest, St. Francis was really into the Troubadour's love poetry. He would listen to the ones who would come through Assisi with fondness. If you can read French, and I know you all can do so fluently, here is an example.

After he became a priest, St. Francis became a Troubadour for the Lord, he sang love songs to God. One of his most famous is Brother Sun, Sister Moon and if we listen to it, we can get a sense of the sort of sappiness that is so common in Troubadour songs.



Two thousand years later people started calling Bob Dylan a "modern day Troubadour." He would travel around the country singing song that weren't complicated and spoke to people's simplest values. During his (admittedly) short Christian period he recorded What Can I Do For You? Its one of my favorite Christian songs. Take a moment to listen and think about what Dylan is asking us in this song? What he trying to tell us about God?

Just a Reminder

On October 18 (next Sunday) we will be meeting at Hopewell Community Park at 1:30pm.

If the weather forecast for Friday is really bad we will meet at Fatima. If the weather forecast is bad I will call people and let them know.

Youth Ministry Digest for October 11, 2009

Guys, I slipped up this week and didn't have this in time for Friday. Sorry about that. Just the same, there's a lot of new stuff this week so pay attention.

Our First Two Youth Group Meetings
Fright Night @ Kennywood
Movie Night
The Red Door
December

Our First Two Youth Group Meetings
The Youth Group has had two meetings so far. The first meeting had 29 people show up. The breakdowns were like so:

• 26 from Our Lady of Fatima
• 3 from St. Titus
• 48% boys
  
• 52% guys

There were 31 people at the second meeting:

• 28 from Our Lady of Fatima
• 4 from St. Titus
• 48% boys
• 52% guys

Six people from the first meeting did not come to the second meeting, and eight people showed up at the second meeting who were not at the first.

Fright Night @ Kennywood
I realize that I'm sounding like a broken record here, but we are going to Fright Night at Kennywood on the 24th. You need to RSVP with me by October 14 (that's Wednesday). You can RSVP by leaving a voicemail on my office line (724)375-7940, emailing me or through the Facebook group.
The cost of the ticket $21 dollars. The bus is $5. You also need to have a filled out Permission form.
Meet at Our Lady of Fatima at 5pm.

Movie Night
On November 14 we are having Movie Night at Our Lady of Fatima at 5pm. You do not have to RSVP for this event and there is no cost, simply show up.

The Red Door
The Red Door is a ministry to the homeless in Downtown Pittsburgh. We will be making and distributing lunches. We will be meeting at Our Lady of Fatima at 8:30am on November 21.

There is no cost to attend, but we are asking for a $5 transportation fee. Also, I need a permission form.

December
We have scheduled two events for December. An Advent Day of Reflection on December 5 and the Our Lady of Fatima live nativity on December 21. I will be putting more information out about these events closer to when the occur, but at this time I can say that you have to RSVP for the Day of Reflection by November 22.

One final note, I'm on vacation this week so I won't be in my office. If there is an emergency, please e-mail me.

Peace,

Adam
Your Intrepid Youth Minister

p.s. Here is a picture of my dogs

In The Desert

When St. Anthony of Egypt (in the fourth century ad) was twenty he sold all of his possesion, and donated his land to other villagers, and gave all the money to the poor. He then went out into the desert and became the first monk. He did all this because the Gospel that was read in Church that day was the story of Jesus telling the rich man "'If thou wouldest be perfect, go and sell that thou hast and give to the poor; and come follow Me and thou shalt have treasure in heaven."

Its rather obvious to us that the Church does not expect us to sell everything that we have and give the money away. The rich man was told to do this because his money was standing in the way of his ability to follow God. St. Anthony was a rich man before he became a Monk (he owned almost three hundred acres of land). Clearly he saw himself as the rich man.

St. Anthony left the world behind and lived the rest of his life in the desert. The desert is where God sends people to be tested and cleansed. After the Israelites left Egypt God kept them in the desert instead of letting them enter the Holy Land. Additionally, Jesus entered the desert for forty days after he was baptized. St. Anthony had the same reasons for entering the desert.

Probably none of us will never enter the wilderness (on a permanent basis at least), but we should maybe think about how St. Anthony viewed all of his stuff. Anthony's possessions made it harder for him to focus his life on God, and things finally reached the point where he had to make a choice between the two. What do we have that maybe holds us back from God? What would we be better off without?

Blog on Hiatus

Because I am clearly awash with visitors, please note that there will be no updates to the blog this week. We are busy gearing up for our first youth group meeting this Sunday and as such I have bigger fish to fry.

Eco-Nun Strikes one for Nature

I came across this a few weeks ago and have been waiting for the right week to write about it. Its an article about the Sister's of St. Joseph in Baden and how they are doing all kinds of interesting things with sustainable farming.

I'll confess to thinking that nature, conservation and sustainability are important and I think what the Sister's are doing is worth thinking about.

Check it out here.

Youth Ministry Digest for September 19, 2009

Guys, lots of new stuff this week. So pay attention.

In this digest:
RSVP's
Office Hours
Upcoming Events

RSVP's
I realize that I have never explained this, but I want you all to know that I take RSVPing for stuff very seriously. It means that I can make sure I have enough chaperons and transportation for everybody who wants to go to go. It also means that when people show up I don't have to choose between the kids who already told me they were coming ahead of time and the ones who just show up to stuff.

Also, you can't RSVP for stuff with me in passing. If you RSVP for something I need it in a phone message ((724).375-7940), an email (titusfatimayouthministry@gmail.com), facebook or making sure I write it down when you tell me about it.

I only have 4 RSPV's for Kennywood (two on Facebook, two I wrote down). I realize that its a month away and that Youth Group hasn't really picked up yet, but if you know someone and they haven't RSVP'ed with me, get on their case about it.

OPEN OFFICE HOURS
Starting on Tuesday I'm going to start having open office hours on Tuesdays and Wednesdays 2-5pm. On Tuesdays I'll be at St. Titus. My office is in the old school building. You enter through the side of the building (where the principle's office used to be). On Wednesday I'll be at Our Lady of Fatima in the Religious Education office (in the school, ring the doorbell).

So why should you visit me during my open office hours? There are a couple of reasons:

1. You need religious counsel, I am a minister after all, and I do have an MA in Theology. So I can help you if you questions of a religious or spiritual nature.
2. If you need any other sort of advice, although I can't promise I'll know as much about other stuff.
   
3. Before I was your intrepid youth minister, I did enrollment management work for a University and that means I can help you get an insider's perspective on your college applications.
4. You saw a hilarious video on the Internet and you just had to show it to someone. (So long as it is PG)
   
5. You just want to hang out.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• October 4: Youth Group starts. 1:30pm. Fatima House. Our Lady of Fatima.
• October 24: Fright Night at KennyWood. 5pm. Meet the bus at Our Lady of Fatima. $21 for ticket; $5 for the bus. Permission Form. RSVP by October 14 or you can't go.

Good teamwork everyone,

Adam
Your Intrepid Youth Minister
titusfatimayouthministry@gmail.com
(724)375-7940
Facebook
Calendar

p.s. Here is a picture of a French guy