Continuing the Baseball Theme...

Since we're on a baseball kind of theme around here right now, here's a video of some baseball memories of mine growing up. The late 70's and 80's are filled with memories of going up to Cincinnati to watch Reds games, spending most weeknights at the old Cardinal Stadium watching the Redbirds play, or stopping to catch the occasional UofL college game over at the old Parkway Field. Here's a few pictures I've come across of them all:

Reds: NL Central Division Champs!

What a game it was last night. Won on a solo homerun by Jay Bruce in the bottom of the ninth, the Reds clinched the National League's central division for the first time since 1995. It's their first season in 9 years to have a .500+ winning percentage. Finally, it feels good to be a Reds fan again! I guess that little shrine my sister set-up did the trick...





ahh, remember when...

The Magic Number is ONE!

I can't believe it... barring any last-minute horrendous disasters, my Reds look to have made the playoffs! The last time this happenned: 1995. And I was there. The Reds swept the Dodgers in round one of the NLCS, lighting up Hideo Nomo in the last game of the series in Cincinnati before getting miserably handled by the Atlanta Braves. Now all they have to do is beat the Astros TONIGHT!

Props to my sister Katie for her (frightening?) shrine she has built for tonight's game:

When will it happen at my Alma Mater? (An Extraordinary Form Rant...)

Three-plus years now after the promulgation of the motu proprio "Summorum Pontificum," it still amazes me how the now-called "Extraordinary Form" of the Mass has seen such tremendous growth. And who says things don't change quickly in the Church? I mean this not only in the number of Extraordinary Form Masses taking place on any given Sunday in parish churches across the country and world, but also by the greater "normalcy" that is given to its celebration. Gone it seems are the days when the "Tridentine Mass" (as it was called) possessed such a stigma. Just last week I celebrated a Mass in the Extraordinary Form for a group of students here at CUA over at the National Shrine. Such things are relatively normal nowadays.

I remember my own days in seminary (not too long ago now) when - God forbid - the seminary faculty discovered that you were not disgusted by the mere thought of the Mass in Latin! Such was grounds - if not for dismissal - at least for intensive psychotherapy... aimed at purging one of their dangerous, radical, anti-establishment tendencies. How surprising it still is for me - given my own experiences in seminary - to hear word and see pictures of the traditional Mass being celebrated with reverence and devotion in seminaries! Seminary faculty members are now celebrating it in the chapel. Bishops are attending in choir. Seminarians are being encouraged to understand and participate in that form of the Mass! It was hardly more than 15 years ago now that the words of consecration at the seminary Mass were (and sadly, I quote:) "Except for the raisins, This is my Body." Amazing...

And what brought on this rant of mine, you ask? I just came across a post over at the New Liturgical Movement blog about a Mass celebrated in the Extraordinary Form at Notre Dame seminary in New Orleans. The post is HERE.

So: WHEN WILL THIS HAPPEN AT MY ALMA MATER???

Fr. James Lichtefeld, R.I.P.

I ask your prayers today for a priest back home who just passed away: Fr. James Lichtefeld. A consummate character, I will always remember Fr. Jim as the pastor of the parish where I grew up. An intimidating man, the pronunciation of his last name was always sure to spark a debate with him. I remember how, upon hearing of the (ahem) "alternate pronunciation" (think "lick your face") that the grade schoolers had developed for him, he marched from room to room (from first grade to the eighth) where he gave a 15 minute lecture on how to correctly spell and pronounce his last name (L-I-C-H-T-E-F-E-L-D!). I was in seventh grade at the time. Years later, after I was ordained, he swore to me he never did that... oh well. Underneath his gruff exterior was a good man and a good priest. It took me some time to realize that, but thank God I did. During a turbulent time in the Church's history, Fr. Jim proved faithful, and there's a lot to be said for that alone. I've come to think over the years that there is no priest who does everything well. Each has their own particular thing that they are better at and enjoy the most. For Fr. Jim that was hospital visitations. Many, many people would recount how faithful he was at their bedside during a time of illness. Or how he was so good with their parent or spouse who lie dying. He was a tremendous help at our tribunal, too, where he functioned as a Defender of the Bond. So, say a prayer for this good man who today went to his reward. May God forgive his faults, and grant him the reward of his goodness. Amen.

UPDATE: arrangements for Fr. Jim include visitation on Thursday, September 23 from 1-8PM at Ratterman's (3800 Bardstown Rd.), with Funeral Mass on Friday at 11:00AM at St. Stephen's.

Anyone for a carriage ride?

This must be the season to celebrate parish anniversaries. St. Vincent DePaul in New Hope, KY (one of the prettiest churches in the archdiocese, in my humble opinion) just celebrated their 190th anniversary. Now that's what I call arriving in style...



Read the article from The Record HERE.

Chant Recordings from the Abbey of Gethsemani...

Continuing our Kentucky Catholic theme, I came across some recordings (done in the late fifties) of the Trappist monks of the Abbey of Gethsemani (not far from Bardstown).





A short video of the bells ringing at Gethsemani:

Catholic Kentucky...

Most people up here in DC are more than a bit surprised when I tell them that Louisville is not only an archdiocese (not a diocese), but that it is the oldest inland diocese in the United States. Many of their dioceses were once a part of mine! We celebrated the two-hundreth anniversary of the founding of the diocese back in 2008, in conjunction with the papal visit that year. Most people seem to think that because Kentucky is largely considered a Southern state, that there are hardly any Catholics there. But quite the opposite is true. When the Catholic migration to this country began in earnest, most came from England to the Eastern shore of Maryland. Of that group, a significant number continued West, over the mountains, and into the then-Western frontier of Kentucky. Along the way they encountered much difficulty and hardship, not least of which was the continual threat of Indian attack. The Catholic pioneers settled an area surrounding Pottinger's Creek in 1785. A small log church was soon constructed at the small crossroads in 1792. In 1823, under the pastorship of Fr. Charles Nerinckx, the current church structure was completed. Fr. Nerinckx was a Belgian, who was educated at Louvain. After enduring four years of persecution by the French, he fled Europe and arrived in the United States in 1804. Bishop John Carroll assigned him to assist Fr. Stephen Badin - the only priest serving in Kentucky at the time and the first man to be ordained a priest in the United States.

My reason for bringing all this up you ask? Well, a friend of mine (Charlie) just recently posted some pictures of Holy Cross parish's 225th anniversary celebration. Enjoy:







Some Suggested Further Reading:
An American Holy Land (A History of the Archdiocese of Louisville), Clyde F. Crews, 1987.
The Catholic Church on the Kentucky Frontier (1785-1812), Sr. Mary Ramona Mattingly, M.A., 1974.
Cathedrals in the Wilderness, J. Herman Schauinger, 1952.

It's Friday...

And you know what that means...



On an exciting note, I actually caught a fish on one of my own flies that I tied: an eight inch brown was caught on a size 16 elk hair caddis. I tried to get some video of it without dropping the phone in the river (check it out at :50)...

High Flows on the Gunpowder...

Water releases from the upstream dam on the Gunpowder last week have the river flowing at 350cfs (more than double its normal flows...). Makes for some difficult fishing, but I still managed a couple trout yesterday:

Fly Tying...

I gave in... After several years of buying my flies with which I fished, I gave in to the temptation to learn how to tie my own. Yeah, yeah, yeah, the whole romance thing about catching a fish on a fly you tied yourself. Right, I get it. I have come to the conclusion that, even with all the different places I've fished over the past two years, the flies I use that consistently are successful only add up to about 6 or 8 in total. I can learn how to tie these few flies, right?

I purchased an inexpensive beginner's kit and set it up on my desk. Well, I hope I'm not premature in my opinion here, but I am surprised by how fly tying looked so difficult but really isn't that bad. The kit I purchased came with a handy-dandy instructional book with the basic information/skills you need, plus detailed instructions on how to tie 8 of the most common fly patterns (only three of which are included in the 6-8 that I regularly use).

So, I just spent 30 minutes fiddling around with it (taking a break from reading canon law all day, mind you...). I figured: what the heck, let's jump in the deep end of the pool and try tying a pattern that I know I'll use, but isn't one of the ones in the book with the step-by-step instructions and all the pictures. I can figure this out, right? Well, I'm surprised by how well it turned out. Not perfect, by any stretch, but not bad for a first attempt. Check it out:

While we're at it...

Oh, what the hey... since I'm posting video...

Ireland Video...

Just got the opportunity to upload a video I put together over the summer from the Ireland trips of '04, '05, & '07. For those who were on these trips it will bring back some good memories...

First Friday of the Semester Back at the Gunpowder River...

The first Friday of the semester signals my return to the Gunpowder River just North of Baltimore for a day of fishing. This has become the tradition over the past two years, since we most often do not have classes or other obligations on Fridays. After a summer of exploring new waters (mostly in East Tennessee and Southwestern Virginia) it was nice to return to familiar waters: the river where I have really learned how to fish. Had a good day, with about 9-10 fish caught, the highlight being a nice 12" brown trout.

The beautiful Gunpowder River:

Opening Mass for the New School Year...

Today was the opening Mass for the new school year here at CUA, which took place over at the Shrine (and was broadcast on EWTN). Another good turnout on the part of students and faculty. I Concelebrated with about 50 or so fellow priest-students and faculty members. The university posted some pics. Here you go...

Another full shrine:


The faculty procession:


The undergrads were there in good numbers:


Can you pick out yours truly?