A Catholic Teen's POV (VibrantCatholic's first Blog Series!)

     For those who have looked at my blog before, you may have realized that there is not a specific topic in which I discuss in my blog posts. I tend to find certain things that are interesting or sometimes annoying me and I will rant on them.
     I have decided to create a new blog series: A Catholic Teen's POV. I intend for this series to explore certain issues and popular events available in the common Catholic teen's lives. For example, I recently wrote on my personal experience at a Lifeline at NET Ministries.  Some topics that I have thought of writing on include, but are not limited to; Steubenville Conferences, Kairos retreats, abortion, charismatic prayer and other forms of prayer, etc.
     It's also important to note that I will not speak on behalf of every Catholic teen, but I will only give my opinion which may be the same or different than others. I hope everyone will anticipate my blog series! Oftentimes it seems as certain experiences that "every Catholic teen loves" are very inaccurate in that truth, but more of an advertising device.

Thank you for reading this short notice, and please read about my first experience at Lifeline to have a glimpse of how I'll be writing.

I'll keep you all in my prayers, God bless you!

If you have any topics I should write on, please let me know in the comments or in any other way of contacting me! :)

Gregorian Chant and Organ Music?!

     I was able to attend a pipe organ workshop recently, and although it was at a First Presbyterian church and led by an Episcopalian organist, I was able to realize something very important about Catholicism. I'd just like to say that I am not incredibly knowledgeable about pipe organ music (I've only been playing for about 2 1/2 years) or the official Catholic Church documents music on Vatican II and related documents on music in the liturgy.
     Near the end of the organ workshop, the presenter spoke on Vatican II and I was incredibly impressed by his knowledge on it. He talked about how Gregorian chant and other traditional hymns were greatly used before Vatican II, and although Vatican II did not specifically say on the topic, those beautiful forms of music tend to have been forgotten after Vatican II in many places. At this moment, me, being the youngest person there and also being a Catholic thought to myself, "Wow, this guy has more respect for Pre-Vatican II church music than most Catholics do!" On a more serious note, that is a problem.
     Many Catholics today have been embedded to think that the only music that should be played at mass is Praise and Worship or songs written by David Haas and Marty Haugen. My own parish has about one traditional hymn a month, and about 85% of our songs are modern songs. There is little to none of Gregorian chant and organ music at my parish and surrounding parishes. We're so used to not having those beautiful types of music, that we now think they shouldn't be at mass.
     Now, I understand it'd be impossible for every Catholic church with NO around the world to immediately turn back on the P&W songs and other similar music, and begin to use correct Gregorian Chant and Latin at mass. But, in no way does that mean we shouldn't try. It can be doing one more traditional hymn every month, but please liturgists, I beg you, show your parishes the beauty and reverence of Gregorian chant and the phenomenal capability of the pipe (or electric) organ. There is so much power and wonder in those two traditional ways of liturgical music.
     Being an organist and pianist myself, I believe that other instruments such as piano, guitar, and drums should be used less at mass. The mass isn't about trying to engage the congregation since the mass is in no way, a performance or a concert. I just wanted to say Gregorian chant and organ music can bring much more respect and reverence for the Blessed Sacrament than any other forms of music at mass.

First Lifeline Experience

Yesterday was the first time I attended a Lifeline at the NET Center. I mostly wanted to go because I wanted to hear Fr. Mike Schmitz who was the speaker yesterday. I do want to point out that I am not someone who particularly likes Praise and Worship music, and I don't believe it should be present at mass either.

The First Things

The first thing I noticed as I walked into the building was "Wow, it's really loud. Oh, we're going to be in a gym." I have gone to masses in gyms before since when my parish church was renovating, masses were held in the gym. When it was about 5:15 pm, we were able to go in and the people I went to sat nearer to the back of the gym. One thing I was waiting to see was whether we'd kneel during the Eucharistic prayer or not. 

We started out with a countdown and then continued with Praise and Worship music. Now this is when I started questioning a few things. First of all, one of the singers from the band said, "Worship is essentially praying and singing together," which is definitely not true, but I was extremely glad when Fr. Schmitz later emphasized "Worship is about sacrifice." I also found the song "God's Great Dance Floor" by Chris Tomlinson to be very strange since I don't see any theological reasoning behind the song as to why God would have us on his "great dance floor." 

I almost forgot, there was a lip-syncing competition at the introduction. One person lip-synced to Adele "Hello," and another person did "Drag Me Down," and let's just say I didn't appreciate all the head banging/flipping of the second. Those performances seemed inappropriate to have in front of the altar. We hadn't even gotten to the mass, yet...

The Mass

The mass? Actually, I was impressed with certain things. The space between the rows of chair was very limited, so I was unsure if we were going to kneel at all. But after the Sanctus, everyone (except those on the risers) knelt down between the crowded area. We continued kneeling until after the Great Amen, then knelt again after the Agnus Dei. Even after communion, people returned to their seats and knelt again, although some sat when the priest returned to his seat, many still remained kneeling until the priest said, "Let us pray." I thought of other places where I've seen people have much more space between the chairs and wouldn't kneel, but in this small area, everyone knelt. 

Fr. Mike Schmitz was a wonderful celebrant for the mass. His homily connected everything that we heard about and genuinely inspired us all. One of the best parts of his homily for me was when he said that God doesn't want our 90%, but God wants our last 10% since it's that last 10% that makes a difference in the world. He had great reverence for the Eucharist and it was shown through the way he celebrated the mass. 

Music during the mass was 40% alright for me...there was a chant psalm, and there was another song that I was used to and not too much Praise and Worship. The songs were alright, but the mass parts were something I wanted to complain about. I didn't like the Gloria, at all. And what is the reason behind "Allelu," during the Alleluia, I was definitely confused on that since I didn't think that was correct. The Agnus Dei had some Latin in it, such as "miserere nobis" and "dona nobis pacem," but that was about all the Latin I heard. The P&W songs that were used were not horrible (as in super upbeat), and there wasn't any clapping until the closing song. 

The Talk

Then we had the talk, which was honestly my favorite part of last night. I took down a whole page filled with great quotes from Fr. Mike Schmitz. I'll list a few of my favorites:

God has a vision for your life, for you to become a saint. Nothing more or less than that.

Where you are right now is the result of choices. Who you will be is the result of your choices.

Intensity did not get me here, consistency got me here...consistency will beat intensity every time.

They don't choose greatness one time, they choose greatness every time.

A small 'Yes' today can be a great 'Yes' tomorrow.

Adoration 
After his talk, we had adoration. And...it was incredibly hard for me. It was somewhat reverent, but we only had a few minutes of quiet adoration. The deacon processed around with the monstrance and it was the first time I saw people reaching their hand(s) and arms out toward the Blessed Sacrament. When the monstrance was finally on the altar, the band had played multiple songs. I tried praying, but that didn't work, I tried closing my eyes, but it was still very difficult to pray. I tried listening to God's voice, but it was extremely hard to do so with the music, even if it was softer. People would get out of their seats and head towards the area closer to the altar and kneel there, while others like myself stayed at our spots kneeling. The only two songs played during that time that I like were "Down in Adoration Falling (Tantum Ergo)" and "Lord, I Need You." 
Final Remarks
Although I mostly went to hear Fr. Mike talk, I didn't think it was a terrible experience. I was especially amazed by the kneeling, since we don't even do that at my school with more space between the rows of chairs. There's a sixty percent chance that I'll go to another Lifeline, and part of the reason of why I would return would be that there was still some reverence in certain parts of it. If anyone wasn't sure whether to go or not, I'd say go, but just know that there's a lot, A LOT, of Praise and Worship music. 
Feel free to share your own experiences at Lifeline in the comments below! :)

True Happiness of the Soul or an Empty Worldly Wish?

This was a parable I had written for my sophomore Christology course. I decided to share it on here since I still have a writing block...

There was a man who lived quite happily with his family and was surrounded by love, but one day that all changed when he was presented with a temptation. One day, he met a person who began conversing with him. The two talked and time seemed to stop, until the other person questioned the man if he had everything he wanted. The man had a lovely family; a beautiful wife, and a child who he so dearly loved, but there were times he was greedy and wanted more things in his life. He replied that he was very grateful for all he had, but also admitted to the other things that he wished he had; Money, power, fame, and all things related to vice.

    After hearing the man’s answer, the other person nodded and remarked, “Would you be willing to give up your soul for those things?”

    “Well, I don’t know about that,” the man uneasily replied.

    The other person smiled and said, “I think your actions and thoughts will answer my question.”

    Then quickly disappearing into the night, the other person left the man standing still, trying to comprehend what had just happened. He walked to his car, an older model with a few things that could be fixed, but only if they had the money. Driving through the town, he noticed the high buildings and the glamorous lights that surrounded the elite. When he arrived home, he had noticed that his wife and child were already asleep, so he sat down on the couch and looked out the window while imagining a better life for himself.

    It was only a few days later that he was in an argument with his wife, who had been so enraged by his surprising negative attitude, that she had taken their child and was planning on driving to her parents’ home. He sat alone once again thinking, letting the thoughts of his wife and child quickly come up in his thoughts, only to be pushed away by the attractive idea of an investment he was thinking of making. His wife and child remained at his in-laws home, and he had not apologized for his actions, but instead, slowly pushed them away when they made any attempt at communicating once again.

    Time had passed, and while his wife and child were away, he had been successful in his new investment, upgrading and living a life filled with vice. He received a call though, one day, the call had left him in shock, his wife and child were reported to have died because of an automobile accident. Contemplating his life, he was in a state of utter confusion and chaos.

     His useless thoughts drove him to insanity and he took his own life, not valuing the importance of life itself and his likeness in God’s image. By choosing worldly possessions and refusing the virtuous way to live, he became tangled in a life that would promise him nothing everlasting.

Starting the Day Off

     The best way for me to start the day is by going to mass. Well, truthfully, my morning schedule is; wake up, pray the rosary, maybe pray the morning office, then get ready for the day. That's my schedule for the school year during the weekdays, at least.
     When it's the weekend during the school year or summer, I find something inspiring about going to daily mass in the morning. Ever since third grade to eighth, I've been attending morning daily mass for mostly everyday. People assume morning mass is for the elderly, but let me tell you that it's not entirely true. For example, I see young parents bringing their children to daily mass since they were little whenever possible. I also witness young men and women who take part of their day to celebrate the mass before heading off to their busy work lives. But then of course, you can also see loving elderly couples going to mass together every morning, and it definitely makes you feel something moving in your heart at that sight. How about middle-aged folks, aren't they there? Of course they are! Middle-aged people definitely go to daily mass, some bring their family intentions to mass, while others also go to have a meaningful start of their day.
     It's not just lay people that go to these daily masses, though. Often, I see religious sisters from several different orders. I've seen missionaries, Rochester Franciscans, Nashville Dominicans, Schoenstatt Sisters, and even a Handmaid of the Heart of Jesus. There's also been seminarians from my diocese and others. There's something beautiful about seeing those choosing the religious life and the priesthood at mass. I've witnessed the inspiration that they have brought to me and to others.
     Me? At first I was just a child who was told by my parents to go, and so I went. On days when there wasn't mass, I was a little happy. But, that was a few years ago...before I realized the importance of the mass in my life.
     While I am in high school, it's not possible to go to morning mass since it starts after the beginning of school. I still go on Saturday mornings and of course, I will attend Sunday mass. During the school year, about every two weeks we have an all-school mass that everyone is required to attend, and every Wednesday there is an optional mass before school. There's something I must say, as a student, if you're at school early, why don't you take spend some time with Jesus instead of standing around in the halls talking about worldly things? I don't mean to be hypocritical, but it's heartbreaking to see a maximum of 4-5 students at an optional mass on Wednesdays, when the school has over 400 students.
     Why go to morning mass? I can't give you a definite answer, but I'll tell you my personal experience. I've received so many blessings known and unbeknownst to me. I've experienced tiny miracles that I give all credit to the Eucharist. That is the main reason why I go to mass, to receive the Eucharist. Although at times, it seems like there's better things to be doing. I guarantee you, going to mass brings a peace and wellness to the rest of your day. I've had terrible mornings, but when I entered into prayer in the mass and received the Eucharist, I was open to the goodness of more things.
     Morning mass is something that I treasure very deeply. When I could go all the time, I took it for granted, but now when I can't go everyday, I long for the days that I can. So, I sincerely hope that anyone that is able to go to mass everyday, to take this opportunity and attend morning mass. It'll make a difference in your life, I promise.

Being an Informed Catholic Teen

     I'd say about 85% of the Catholic teens I know are not informed about Catholicism as much as they could be. I'm not saying I'm well-informed either, just that we all can take time and resources to improve our knowledge on Catholicism. The majority of Catholic teens probably cannot quote scripture and cite it, or be intellectually aware of the differences between the Novus Ordo mass and the Tridentine mass.
     At this point, you're probably wondering, "Well, why aren't they aware?" If you're also a teen yourself, maybe question how acknowledgeable you are of the Catholic faith. The importance in being an informed Catholic teen especially in the 21st century is crucial for the world. If the amount of informed Catholic teens in the world decrease rapidly or slowly, it can still cause damage to the Church. When issues such as the sex abuse scandal or the topic homosexuality appear, Catholic teens need to be able to firmly respond correctly and in accordance with the Catholic teachings. For example, many people have an inaccurate view of Catholicism possibly because the Catholics they have met are misinformed and have misspoken about the faith.
     Many teens might not even understand the seven sacraments or be able to accurately state why all human life is sacred. This is concerning. This isn't the fault of a certain person or group of people. The reason is partly due to religion seen as a "negative" in the media, and that other things are more important. This whole idea takes away from the true discovery and education of Catholicism. If only more people understood what the Catholic Church stood for and taught instead of the misconceptions, then Catholicism would definitely take another step in the journey to save as many souls as possible. We're all at fault here, I would personally say that I'm accountable for someone being a less informed Catholic teen.
     In my opinion, I don't think we lack any resources, especially in first-world countries. We have TV channels and radio stations, films/media, books, music, etc. It's unlimited! But it comes down to the individual teen, many are lacking that push to actually find out resources about the faith. It's to the point when we see Catholic teens supporting Planned Parenthood, some even posting IG pictures of products of companies (largely Starbucks) that support Planned Parenthood. We also see many claiming to be "Catholic," but then not understanding the Catholic teaching on homosexuality and marriage between one man and a woman.
     The big question is how can this be fixed? I honestly have no idea, I'm still trying to become an informed Catholic teen myself. But that's the first step, to understand that we lack knowledge in at least one aspect of the Catholic faith, and to change that by taking the initiative to expand our wisdom. If every Catholic teen would take fifteen minutes everyday or more to learn something new about the Catholic faith that they didn't know before, it would not only benefit them, but the entire Catholic Church.
     So other Catholic teens out there, are you an informed Catholic teen? What other things can you do to improve your current position? There's many questions you may have, but there's definitely answers out there.

Good luck to all of you, and please keep me in your prayers as well.

VibrantCatholic

St. James Coffee: Catholic Coffeehouse

     If you happen to follow me on any of my social media, it'd be very likely you've heard about St. James Coffee. But if you haven't heard of St. James Coffee, let me tell you about it! Who doesn't love coffee? Well, I suppose some people don't, which is why I'm here to tell you St. James Coffee also offers others drinks such as teas or smoothies. And you don't have to be Catholic, everyone that goes there is respected and welcomed! Conversations about faith are always welcomed, though!

     How about a little history on this lovely coffeehouse, shall we? It was an idea by a priest when he was still in the seminary, and the idea came to fulfillment in the summer of 2012. It is now a non-profit Catholic coffeeshop in Rochester, MN in the Diocese of Winona. Something really awesome about this place, is about 90% of the hours are covered by volunteers, me (VibrantCatholic) being one, too! How could I have forgotten?! There's a chapel there, too! Although it's not fancy or intricate, it's simple and has Jesus, which I think is more important than anything else.
   
     Now for a little testimony, I just wanted to say that this place has absolutely transformed me to become a better person. Not just because of the physical surroundings in the coffeeshop, but the people I've met there. At St. James Coffee, I've spoken with people who have helped me to grow in my faith and to also see my vocation a little bit more clearly. During this summer, I was going through some personal difficulties and didn't have much hope, but I was also started volunteering around that time, and working there and interacting with those there gave me more hope. I was also able to spend more time in the presence of Jesus and that has definitely been a plus!

Here's the website if you'd like to see it: stjamescoffee.com
Also, please give St. James Coffee's Instagram account a follow! (It may or may not be that I'm one of the people managing it) St. James Coffee Instagram