Catholic Eye Candy

Here's the rear altar at Immaculate Conception - Mount Saint Mary's University in Emmitsburg, MD.

The Sunday evening masses here employ a guitar - and after attending these numerous times, I can alter my opinion of the use of guitars at mass. Now, there's a big difference between employing a guitar at mass and a "guitar mass". There's also a small choir that joins in, along with a violin and a piano. I think only the most ardent Traditionalist would object to what they hear.

Considering that the University mass is predominately college kids, with a few of us old farts thrown in to mix things up, the reverence they show is quite impressive. Before I went, I was thinking "This is going to be some sort of hootenanny".

It's a testament to the University and to the parents of these kids.

The ol' CCB can be tough on modern life, but I'll give credit where it's due. I'll miss this place over the summer, that's for sure.

Notre Dame FAILS (again)

I'm sure most of you have heard of the tragic accident last week at Notre Dame that killed a young man who was up on some scaffolding filming the football team. At Saturday's football game, the public address announcer asked for a "moment of silence". You'd think that a Catholic college would offer a prayer for his soul, especially at a public gathering. Nope - not at Notre Dame.

My daughter is a freshman at Mt. Saint Mary's University in Emmitsburg, MD. When we went to the orientation, the President of the University stated that they were "proudly Catholic", and that "The Mount" was a "Catholic University", not simply a University with a Catholic identity. That was reassuring to hear.

Shortly after the start of the school year, a freshman died tragically due to heatstroke. The Chaplain of the school, along with the President, held a public prayer outdoors for her soul, and to beg comfort for her parents, family, & friends. It was attended by a large contingent of the student body, and the local newspaper filmed a portion of it and posted it on their website. There was no "moment of silence", there was no embarrassment for their Catholicism, there no "neutering" of the prayers to avoid offense.

Quite a study in contrasts between a university that has the "veneer" of, and is embarrassed by, Catholicism (Notre Dame), and one that embraces and is proud of Catholicism (Mount Saint Mary's).

Please watch Real Catholic TV's Michael Voris talk about yet another Notre Shame episode:
http://www.youtube.com/user/RealCatholicTV?feature=mhum#p/a/u/0/_vSvu-7lAB8

And please remember to offer a prayer for the soul of that young man, even if Notre Dame would rather you didn't.