Lifeteen Christmas Party

Hey Everyone,
We will be having our Lifeteen Christmas Party on Sunday Dec. 18th. All are asked to bring a 2-liter of your favorite soft drink and if you would like to play Dirty Santa please bring a gift no more than $5.00.

Birthday Party for Jesus

Our final Service Project for the Fall Semester (Birthday Party for Jesus) is going to be held this Saturday (Dec. 17th) from 12-4pm in the Holy Spirit Parish Hall.  If you still need service hours for Confirmation, Key Club, NHS, or if you just want to come join us as we provide a service to our community please come volunteer with us this weekend.  For more information contact Mr Bravata.

Teen Cafe Christmas Party

Hey Everyone,
We will be having our Teen Cafe Christmas Party on Wednesday Dec. 7th.  All are asked to bring a 2-liter of your favorite soft drink and if you would like to play Dirty Santa please bring a gift no more than $5.00.

DECEMBER SERVICE PROJECTS

Hey Everyone,
I have plenty of Service Opportunities for the month of December.  For those in the Confirmation program who have not done their 20 hours of service for the Fall 2011 semester please pay attention b/c this will be a great way to get a chunk of your hours completed.

December 2:  Pictures with Santa Set-up 6-8pm (Holy Spirit Parish Hall)
December 3: Pictures with Santa 8am-1pm (Holy Spirit Parish Hall); babysitting, games etc.
                      Birthday Party for Jesus 12pm-4pm (St. Bede FLC); babysitting, games, etc.
December 17: Birthday Party for Jesus 12pm-4pm (Holy Spirit Parish Hall); babysitting, games, etc.

It is important that as many teens participate in these events as possible on account that this is our Christmas Parish Community Give Back Project.  If you would like to attend please let me know.

Theology of the Body Seminar

Attention Everyone,

I am writing to inform you that Fr. Dan Good had an unforeseen scheduling conflict for the seminar and will have to shorten the conference.  For now, the conference will only be on Saturday from 8am-6pm.  Repeat, the part of the seminar that was supposed to be on Friday night has been cancelled and now the seminar has been shortened to a one day seminar.  If there are any questions please feel free to call me at 334.797.5139 or email me.  I am sorry for any inconvenience that this may have caused.

In Christ,

Ryan

Theology of the Body Seminary

Attention all high school students: On Friday Nov. 18th from 6-9pm and Saturday Nov. 19th 8am-6pm, Teen Cafe and Lifeteen will be hosting our first annual Theology of the Body Seminar in the Holy Spirit Parish Hall.  The conference is free and dinner will be provided on Friday as well as lunch on Saturday.  This year's conference will be led by Fr. Daniel Good, Chaplain of McGill-Toolen Catholic High School, Dan Johnson, Campus Director of McGill-Toolen Catholic High School, and his wife Lauren Johnson.  While this is a requirement for the City-Wide Confirmation Program, all high school teens are welcome to attend.  For more information please contact Ryan Bravata at 334.797.5139 or by email at rosaryinmypoket222@gmail.com.

Community Service Project: November 5 @ CSS

On Saturday, November 5, Teen Cafe and Lifeteen will be going to Catholic Social Services next to Our Lady Queen of Mercy for our November Service Project from 9:00am-12:00pm.  We will meet there and lunch will be provided.  For more information please contact Ryan Bravata at 334.797.5139 or by email at rosaryinmypoket222@gmail.com.

POPE'S HAUNTED FARM

On Saturday October 29th Teen Cafe and Lifeteen will be going to Pope's Haunted Farm. The cost for the trip is $30.00 per person which will cover your entrance into the four events on the farm. If you would like to attend please let me know as soon as possible so that i can make travel arrangements for everyone. Permission slips and money can be turned in the day of. Also, they have concessions for dinner so please bring $10.00 to cover your food.

Community Service Projects for Sunday Oct. 23rd

Community Service Projects:  Hey everyone, we have two different community service projects coming up this Sunday.  First, we have the Teen Cafe/Lifeteen Carwash which will be held from 7:00am-2:pm this Sunday.  this project will serve as a fundraiser to help us fund our youth events.  Second, I need 10 students to go to the 11:00am Mass at Holy Spirit to help pass out programs and direct traffic for the Installation Mass of Fr. Driscoll by Archbishop Rodi.  See you there.

The Eucharist Makes the Church: The Sacrament of Unity

          If you were at Christ in the Capitol last night then you heard me mention that it is the Eucharist that is the source of unity for the Church, so in this month's blog reflection I wanted to talk about what that really means.  Throughout the scripture there are constant references to the Church being the Body of Christ.  The most explicit example occurs in 1 Corinthians 12 where in writing to the Church in Corinth St. Paul says "you are the body of Christ" (verses 12-31).  Thus, in speaking of the Body of Christ, there is constant mentioning of the unity that exist within the members of that body which in other passages is equated with the Church.  One such example occurs in Colossians 1: 18 where St. Paul states, "He is the head of the body, the church.  He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent."  From this we can infer that the unity that was meant to be in the Church was supposed to be a visible unity because bodies are visible.  St. Paul did not call us the soul of the Christ, but he called us the body of Christ; therefore, our unity is much more than just some invisible spiritual reality.  Our unity was never meant to be just poetic word usage on the part of St. Paul but from the establishment of the Church, Christ had always intended for the Church to be one because if Christ is the head there can only be one body.
         Now that we have established the Church to be the Body of Christ, how does one become a member of the Body of Christ?  Well, in the most simple of terms, one becomes incorporated into the Body of Christ simply by being baptized in accordance with the right form and matter (form--"I Baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirt", matter--with water).  While this is the truth of how one becomes a part of the Body of Christ, we must remember that the waters of baptism only become efficacious (effective) by Christ's sacrifice of himself upon the Cross.  In other words, if Christ had not died for us upon the cross then the waters of baptism would be meaningless.
          Okay, so that is great and all, but if we were to stop here then it would seem as if waters of baptism is the source of our unity.  Where does the Eucharist come in?  To answer that question we must return to the sacred scriptures.  On the night of the last supper, Jesus turned to his Apostles and said "'This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me.'  And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you (Luke 22:19-20).'"  At first glance through the lens of our contemporary mindset, these words may seem meaningless.  To fully understand what it is Christ is saying we must get into the mindset of a Jew in that time period and seek to understand what is meant when Christ uses the term "covenant."
          Looking in the Old Testament, a covenant was a promise/oath that was sworn between two parties--God and man, and from a liturgical context, whenever a Jewish person offered a sacrafice in the temple he is recalling the original covenant that was made between God and Man.  For example, whenever a Jew was to celebrate the Passover (sacrifice of the lamb in the Temple) he in a sense was making the original covenant present at the current sacrifice.  This is not say that it was a new covenant but it was a re-presenation (to present again) of the sacrifice that had already been established.  It is through this lens that Catholics look at the Eucharist; namely, not as merely a representation (symbol) but as a re-presentation (to make present again).  It is no coincidence that Christ uses the terminology "new covenant" within the celebration of the Passover liturgy (Old Covenant).  In doing this is Christ is saying to the Jews, "Hey guys, this is super important, you might want to pay attention here, because I am about to do something super awesome."  Thus, whenever, Christ establishes the "new covenant" with the Apostle and by telling them to do this in remembrance of me, Christ is telling them every time you celebrate the Eucharist you are making my original sacrifice on the cross present.  It is for this reason, that we call the Eucharist the source and summit of our faith.  It is the source because, being the same sacrifice as that of the cross, it makes all of the other sacraments efficacious, and it is the summit because it is the aim that all of the other sacraments are directed towards.  In other words, it is the Eucharist that gives the sacrament of baptism the necessary grace to unite us to the body of Christ and it the Eucharist to which our life in Christ is directed and by which our life in Christ is nourished.  In other words, it is the Eucharist that makes the Church. "Those who receive the Eucharist are united more closely to Christ. Through it Christ unites them to all the faithful in one body - the Church. Communion renews, strengthens, and deepens this incorporation into the Church, already achieved by Baptism. In Baptism we have been called to form but one body. The Eucharist fulfills this call[.] (CCC 1396)."

         

C.O.P.E Service Project.

hey everyone, as you all know we are going to COPE this weekend (Oct.15) in order to do some service work from 9:00am-1:00pm. as promised i was going to post the address so that we can all just meet up there. so here it is: 2158 Madison Ave, Montgomery, AL 36107.  Also, below you will find the direction from St. Bede.  see you there.

1.	Start out going east on Atlanta Hwy towardPerry Hill Rd.	0.08 mi
	2.	Make a U-turn onto Atlanta Hwy. If you reach Mitchell Ave you've gone about 0.1 miles too far	1.6 mi
	3.	Atlanta Hwy becomes Madison Ave.	0.2 mi
	4.	2158 MADISON AVE is on the left. Your destination is just past S Pennsylvania St If you reach S Maryland St you've gone about 0.1 miles too far

March For Life

Hey guys,
as you have probably heard, we will be attending the March For Life in Washington, D.C., from January 21-24.  In case you don't know what the March For life is, it is a annual march in which pro-lifers from around the country gather to protest the legalization of abortion in our country; thus, it is kinda a big deal that we have been blessed with an opportunity to attend this year.  if you would like to attend, please pick up a registration form from me or, if you attend MCPS, your religion teacher and turn it in along with a deposit check of $100.00 made out to Holy Spirit Catholic Church.  The total cost of the trip will be $300.00 which will include transportation, room, all meals but two, and a t-shirt.  Remember space is limited so please respond early.

NET Retreat

Hey everyone,
If you were at Teen Cafe last night i mentioned a retreat that will be happening in next weekend at Camp Chandler.  if you were interested here is the information:

NET Retreat for 9th-12th graders
Begins: Friday, Oct 14, 7 pm
Ends: Sunday, Oct 16, after lunch (2-ish?)
Where: Camp Chandler
Cost: $100 per person


If you are going through the confirmation program this retreat will also count as an acceptable retreat for this school year. if you are interested contact me ASAP so that i can let the them know that you will be attending.

Community Service Opportunity

Hey everyone,
I know this is short notice but I just found out about a service opportunity in which you can earn 4 hours towards your "Confirmation 20" for this semester.  On this Sunday (October 2)  from 1:00 till like 4:00pm the St. Bede Council of the Knights of Columbus will be holding their Silver Rose Ceremony and then need like 5-10 kids to help serve food during that time.  I will not be able to attend because we will be doing the Life Chain at MCPS, but please let me know if you are going to attend and please have one of the knights sign off on your hours and then bring it to me so that I can give you credit in my books.  Thank you so much for your help.
In Christ,
Ryan

Upcoming Service Projects

Attention Everyone:  As part of our youth program, we strive to help out our community since it is from them that we are even capable of having a youth program to begin with.  So, as part of this post i am including a list of upcoming service projects so that we can show our support to our local community.  For all those who are a part of the confirmation program please remember that you are required to do 20 hours of service a sememster for a grand total of 80 hours by the time you reach the 11th grade.  Also, all those needing hours for NHS or Key Club this is also an excellent opportunity to  get hours. Lastly, if you wish to attend the Jamaica mission trip this summer, remember that doing community service in your own community is a coponent to being accepted to attend the mission trip.  The reason being, if you are not willing to do service in your hometown then I am not going to take you to do service out of the country.  Thus, I ask that you please strongly consider participating in some if not all of the following service projects: 

1. St. Bede Canned Food Drive: please come before all masses this Sat. and Sun. (Sept 24/25) to help collect canned food for the St. Bede Food Pantry.  For every mass that you help collect for you will receive one hour.

2. Holy Spirit Baby Goods Collection: please come after all masses at Holy Spirit on the weekends of October 1/2 and 8/9 to help collect baby good for COPE.  For every mass that you help collect for you will also recevie one hour of community service.

3. Life Chain: on Sunday Oct. 2 from 2:30-3:30 please meet in front of MCPS on Vaughn Road to help protest Abortion.

4. Service Project at COPE: On Oct. 15 from 9:00am-1:00pm will be meet at COPE to help do odd jobs for their ministry.

5.  St. Bede Fall Festival: On October 16, we will need volunteers to help run the concession stand for the St. Bede Fall Festival.  Specific times TBA.

I look forward to seeing all of you there.  God Bless

WHO AM I?: Musings on the Quest for Identity

          Growing up I would often reflect upon my first name, Ryan.  In that reflection I would find myself frustrated pondering about why my parents chose my name for me.  I mean from a purely pragmatic standpoint, I would think, "Why would they name me Ryan?  Didn't they know that everyone from the moment of my birth would call me Brian merely because Brian is a much more common name?"  While I admit that isn't the best of objections to my birth name, there were others that often ran through my head such as:  No one in my family is named Ryan, there are no canonized saints in heaven named Ryan, or with a last name like Bravata wouldn't it have been super cool to be named after a Ninja Turtle or something else super Italian.  Now the first objection to my parents choosing my name can be overlooked because in our modern society it is not that strange to have family members not named after one another, and in terms of being named after a Ninja Turtle, while awesome, it still remains irrelevant to the discussion.  Rather, it is in the second point that we can leave room for discussion.  
          Now before we move farther it is relevant for us to understand the purpose of the name.  When one gives a name, from a biblical standpoint, the person therefore is exercising dominion over the person or thing being named.  For example, when parents give a name to their child they are declaring this is my son or daughter.  He/She belongs to me.  This phenomenon of naming can be seen from the very opening of the scriptures in Genesis 1 & 2 where God names Adam, and in turn, as part of being made in the image and likeness of God, is given dominion over creation.  Namely, he is told to name all of the creatures.  Another example of this is found in the Book of Exodus.  Now, we have all heard the story of the burning bush and, while we can all admit the fact that a bush not only burned and wasn't consumed and that God spoke from it is super awesome, most may miss the "naming" dimension of the story.  At the beginning of the story, God does not call Himself by any particular proper name; rather, he tells Moses, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob (Ex 3:6)."  Later, Moses in turn questions the Lord and asks what it is he wishes to be called when the people of Israel ask him; however, instead of giving Moses an actual name He tells him to tell them that "I AM WHO I AM" sent him (Ex. 3:13-14).  This very action has great significance and says a lot with few words.  In this very phrase, the Lord is telling Moses, "You do not have authority over Me, For I AM the one who bestows existence over everything in the world."  So in a sense Lord is and isn't giving him a name, but in the process, the Lord, in revealing Himself to the people of Israel shows that He desires intimacy with His people while, at the same time, maintaing the reverence and worship that is owed to Him.
          So as we can see in the Old Testament, the act of bestowing a name was more than just a practical means of distinguishing between person.  In fact, it was a way in which a person bestowed authority over another and in the human sphere a means to living out man's imago dei (Image and Likeness of God).  On the surface, this may seem like a lot of Trivial Pursuit information, but it is important to understand that it was under this cultural norm that Christianity was formed.  In the same way that St. Peter and St. Paul were given new names upon entering into the New Covenant, early Christians, upon their baptism where given an additional "Christian Name" as a form of piety and devotion to a man or woman who lived a life of exemplary virtue in Christ.  This practice has been continued to today and is documented in the Catechism of the Catholic Church #2156 where it states:

•  In Baptism, the Lord's name sanctifies man, and the Christian receives his name in the Church. This can be the name of a saint, that is, of a disciple who has lived a life of exemplary fidelity to the Lord. The patron saint provides a model of charity; we are assured of his intercession. The "baptismal name" can also express a Christian mystery or Christian virtue. "Parents, sponsors, and the pastor are to see that a name is not given which is foreign to Christian sentiment.

          Before I continue, I would like to mention that my parents did give me a wonderful patron at my baptism in the person of St. Joseph the husband of Mary and foster-father of Jesus so for all intensive purposes my parents did not go against the catechism or canon law (Canon 855) because all that is required is that your first or middle name be after a saint.  That being said the purpose of this reflection is to further look at my first name and how under the guidance of the Holy Spirit it has earned for itself great significance in my understanding of who I am as a son of God.  But to get to know this one must explain what my name literally means.  If you were to look at my name in its Gaelic (Irish) origins you will find out that it translates as "Little King."  Now when I first read this I was like well that is awesome I'm named king, but it was not until much later would I come to understand the significance behind this name.  
          As I came to understand the spiritual significance of my name, the first step of the progression took place while studying philosophy in college seminary.  As part of the curriculuum, we would read St. Thomas Aquinas and learn about the principle of likeness.  According to this principle something can be said to be like something else when there is a similarity in the communication of its form.  This communication can be either perfect (two of the same thing) or imperfect (similar objects) (ST I, Q.4, a.3).  For example, a candle and sun can be said to be like one another:  both give off light and heat, both can burn something, etc.; however, while they are similar they are not the same.  Rather, the candle can be said to be an imperfect reflection of the sun in the sky.  It is from this very principle in which I would come to draw a greater understanding of my identity in Christ.  In the same way that you might refer to a candle as a "little sun,"  I, by my name have been called a "little king" who is destined to reflect and image the true King, The Son of God, Jesus Christ.  From the moment of my creation this has been the calling that I have been called to, a calling unbeknownst to my parents which would be sealed in my person when at the last minute they decided to change my first name from Nicholas to Ryan.  Thus, while my parents did not name me after a saint, it was the Lord's will that I be named after Him in his Kingship.
          Now that we have gone through a long reflection about the first name Ryan, one might ask what does this have to do with all those who are not named Ryan? In short the answer is everything.  Regardless of whether or not your first name is Ryan, each of us has been called by our Baptism to live a life of holiness that is rooted in the person of Jesus Christ.  As St. Paul says in the Letter to the Galatians, "for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ (Gal. 3:27)."  In other words, by the act of our baptism we "put on Christ" so much so that we bear it in the name of Christ in calling ourselves Christian ("Christ-ian")  Thus, by the very act of our baptism, we must all learn to be likenesses of the king in our daily lives.  God Bless.


In Christ,
Ryan
          

Kayaking

Hey Everyone,
If you attended Christ in the Captiol (which was awesome by the way) last night, you probably heard about the Kayaking trip that we will be taking on September 17th.  If you would like to go, you MUST TELL Me BY FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 9TH.  The reason for this deadline is b/c they need to know a week in advance how many boats they will need, and who is riding with who so that it doesn't take us like three hours to get on the water.  Anyway, if you would like to attend I need the following information:
1. IF you would like ride a canoe, double kayak, or single kayak
2. how much you weigh
3. Kayaking Experience
4.  if there is a specific person you want to ride with
5. Coosa Outdoors Liability Form
6. Archdiocesan Liability form

The cost for the trip is pretty simple Doubles $20 per person; Singles $25.
contact me here or at rosaryinmypoket222@gmail.com

God Bless and hope to hear from you soon.

Christ in the Captiol

Hey Everyone,
On August 31st, we will be holding our first Christ in the Captiol Event for the 2011-2012 school year.  Come join us as we gather at St. Bede Catholic Church for a night devoted to praise and worship of our Eucharistic Lord.  The night will begin in the Family Life Center Ballroom at 7:00 for some fellowship and pizza. Invite your friends all are welcome to attend.

Snack-A-Palooza, Some Praise and Worship, and a Parking Lot Party!!!

Hey Everyone,
This is the first week of Youth Group Events aka, the much anticipated series of Fall Kick-Off Parties.  First, on Wednesday August 17th we will be hosting our annual Snack-a-Palooza party at the St. Bede Family Life Center from 7:00-8:30pm.  All who come are asked to bring a 2-liter of your favorite soft drink and a bag (to share) of your favorite snack food.  Next, On Saturday August 20th, a group will be gathering at the Shakespeare Park, near the bridge on the Vaughn Rd. Entrance @ 6:00pm for a impromptu Praise-and-Worship jam session.  Lastly, life Teen will be having a "Parking Lot" Street Party after the 5:30pm Mass.  Please gather in the parish hall first.  All are invited to tell your friends to come join in on the fun.

A Blog for the New Evangelization

Hello Everyone,
if you are reading this then you have happened upon the newest blog for the Catholic Youth Evangelization Programs for the City of Montgomery.  As baptized Christians, all are called to a life of holiness and that new found life in the Church calls all to help spread the message of the Gospel whether it be at home or abroad.  As Bl. Pope John Paul II stated in Redemptoris Missio, "Those who are incorporated in the Catholic Church ought to sense their privilege and for that very reason their greater obligation of bearing witness to the faith and to the Christian life as a service to their brothers and sisters and as a fitting response to God" (RM 11)."  Reading this quote and reflecting upon the nature of the Catholic Church in Montgomery, it is my hope that the youth here in Montgomery will become a vehicle for the New Evangelization.  Thus, as you are reading this blog, I ask that you consider this a challenge to live out heaven now.  Don't wait until tomorrow, but be saints for today.  
       As you read throughout the scriptures, you will see that is is the young who were challenged to influence the nations.  One such example of this radical evangelization by the youth would be the prophet Jeremiah.  In the very first chapter of The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah, we see the Lord calling Jeremiah to become his prophet and preach his gospel to the people of Israel.  Now some might say man that would be super cool; however, Jeremiah did not feel the same.  In fact, he looks to God and says, "Lord I can't be a prophet for I am too young."  The Lord could have been like okay if you don't want to do this you don't have to; rather, he responded "Say not, 'I am too young.' To whomever I send you, you shall go; whatever I command you, you shall speak.  Have no fear before them, because I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD (Jeremiah 1:7-8)."
      If that wasn't enough, another youth who would eventually change the course of all of history was none other than Mary, the Mother of God.  At the age of 14 she was asked by God to bear a Son and name him Jesus.  As we all know that Son would become our Savior, the Redeemer of all mankind and all it took to change the world was the "yes" of a young girl from Nazareth.  As you can see, it is the youth who have the power to change the world and as Bl. John Paul II said to the youth at World Youth Day in 1989 in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, "Do not be afraid to be saints!" Again in 1993 at World Youth Day in Denver, Colorado, Bl. John Paul II elaborated on how the youth are to become saints to effect change in the world by stating, "Offer your youthful energies to building a civilization of Christian love. Be witness of God's love for the innocent and the weak, for the poor and oppressed."  The challenge has been laid out, with the help of this blog and the youth programs in Montgomery, I pray that you will take up the challenge.