STAY TUNED

I'm not really blogging this week.  I was on a retreat and am taking a break until next week.  HOWEVER, I did want to share with you this:

Don't worry . . . they will have the game on before and after . . . 

COFFEE, FRONT PORCHES, AND CHURCH WHISPERS

If you would have asked my Mom, the breakdown of everything is directly attributable to the loss of real front porches on houses and that we drive everywhere.  People do not walk as much in their neighborhood because now they zip around in their cars.  And even if they did walk, nobody is sitting out on their front porch that no longer exist to offer a howdy do and hand on the latest neighborhood talk.

When I was growing up (Oh, here we go - I am getting old) everybody in my neighborhood went to the same parish, worked in the same places, belonged to the same social clubs, hung out in the same parks, bowling alleys and like places.  So when you went to Mass, you didn’t need a gathering space to gab and have coffee, you did that all the rest of the week - sometimes to the point of desiring to get to Mass to not have to do that anymore.  Now we don’t see each other as much (or so it seems to me) and so when we get to Mass, there is a constant hum of chatter - not in praise to God, but about what Mable did last week and how the kids are and can you believe the price of bananas.

Older churches (like St. Sebastian) have gathering spaces about the size of a broom closet.  More modern spaces (St. Hilary) have gather spaces that rival the size of the church building in which you could throw an inaugural ball (or at least a rocking donut Sunday.)  It seems the reality is, that church is now also a social center - no longer just the spiritual center of a community, but the all encompassing source of the Christian Catholic community itself.  

Many of our Protestant brothers and sisters have this idea down in spades.  Often drawing from a huge geographical area, they know they must create a community when they have their congregants.  Catholics parishes (particularly in this area) have boundaries.  Our draw is much smaller (in theory.)  We are the parish of the neighborhood or town.  But now we feel we have to be the social center also which has it’s upside and its downside.

If we want to keep people, particularly younger people, we have to provide opportunities to form community in a way that was once (again in my limited experience) almost automatic.  Yesterday we had an example of this which is very popular in many places: we had Theology on Tap, Akron, an event and place for persons (primary in their 20s and 30s) to come and socialize and hear a great Catholic talk (thank you Mr. Brownfield!)  I’ve heard some criticism about meeting in a bar but please remember that my parish, in the 40’s, ran its own bar with the preaching from the pulpit, “Remember, if you are going to drink, drink at your parish!”

Anyway, here are some shots from our modern front porch:

Ladies and gentlemen, our MC for the evening:  Rocco

Lots more space and parking here!

 Our speaker Mr. Brownfield:

And making a surprise appearance, the newly ordained Fr. Anthony Simone, parochial vicar at St. Sebastian.

For more information about Theology on Tap, Akron go HERE.  Next event: July 12th

For more information about Theology on the Rocks go HERE.  Next event: June 19th

THEOLOGY ON TAP, AKRON: OH WHAT A NIGHT

Less than 48 hours ago I looked out my window and saw THIS:

Today I look out my window and see THIS:

It's a beautiful world isn't it?

That is why I've not been blogging.  It is not good to get sand in your computer.

Anyway, I got back just in time for my day away from the parish.  (See how that works?)  But it was still a busy day around the office.  It was Theology on Tap Akron Day and Mother Theodora was coming to speak.  So before hand (they were coming all this way after all) I decided to have the nuns from Christ the Bridegroom Monastery over for dinner along with some priests and seminarians.  It began with the social hour: 

Then we moved in to the dinning room where Marcy and her outstanding crew made us a delightful dinner.  Terri even made cookies with the parish seal on them - and she made the table cloth - and the arranged the flowers.  It was awesome because if I had taken care of it, we would have ordered pizza.

In the above picture to the far right is Sara Lynn who was just accepted as a postulant!  Congratulations!  Please keep her in your prayers.

Below is Mother Gabriella practicing a song a tap number that she was about to perform.

Okay, I was COMPLETELY kidding about that.

Here is most of the gang that was here yesterday.

Then we moved on over to the church where they sang Byzantine Vespers for us.  The parish and community was invited to join us.  It was beautiful.

Then we jumped into our cars and drove out to the Winking Lizard in Peninsula for Theology on Tap, Akron!

There were a lot of priests and seminarians there.  Thanks for coming out guys.

The reason that I really like THIS picture . . .

Is because it reminds me of THIS picture.

Mother gave a great talk to a packed house.

Fortunately we had a little more room this time because the restaurant moved us to a larger room!

I hope you are able to join next time on March 8th when Fr. Marty Miller will be speaking.  Also, on February 20th, I will be speaking at Theology on the Rocks at D'Agnese's on White Pond for those of you who are adults but not necessarily with the adjective "young" before it.

Thank you to Eric Eirmann, Rocco, our MC, and everybody who helped make it a great night.  

Thanks also to Visitation Parish for sponsoring the evening.

Thanks to St. Joseph Parish, Cuyahoga Falls for letting us borrow their sound system.

ToT Akron is a ministry of St. Sebastian Parish.  If you are interested in sponsoring a night, please contact me!

LAST MINUTE THINGS

I'm not going to be able to post for a couple of days (at least I think) but there was a couple of things I wanted you to catch if you didn't already:

Wednesday, February 8th, Mother Theodora will be speaking at Theology on Tap Akron at the Winking Lizard in Peninsula.  Doors open at 7:00PM.  ToT Akron.

Just before that, 5 or 6 of the nuns from Christ the Bridegroom Monastery will be at St. Sebastian to pray Byzantine Vespers (or Evening Prayer) at 5:45 and YOU are invited!  Please come and join in prayer as they chant the prayers for and with us.  For those who are interested, there will be time then to jump into our cars and head out to Peninsula for Mother's talk.

The Akron Beacon Journal ran a great article on the front of the Lifestyle section last week about ToT Akron.  If you missed it or want to see more pictures go HERE.

Theology on the Rocks kicks off in February.  It is for adults with no prefaces (such as young or old.) It will be on Monday, February 20th at D'Agnese's on White Pond, Akron.  Doors open at 7PM.  Cost is $10.  Fr Valencheck will be the first speaker.

TUESDAY QUOTE OF THE WEEK CCCCLXXVI

FINDING TRUTH WHEREVER IT MAY BE FOUND:  "[It is] easier to fix a bad credit rating than a bad credibility rating."  from David Mitchell's "Slade House"

QUOTE II:  "War is ends justifying the means."  same source

IN OTHER NEWS:

The Last Theology on Tap Akron, sponsored by St. John the Baptist Parish & a ministry of St. Sebastian Parish was a hit at the Winking Lizard.  The room was set for 70 and we started turning people away at 100.  (SORRY!  Next month we are to have the larger room.)  Here is a shot from the back of the room (where I was because it was S.R.O.  Unfortunately I was next to the food table.  Huge mistake.)  A great talk was given by Fr. Thomas from St. Francis de Sales Parish.

Above is the up and coming talk by Mother Theodora of Christ the Bridegroom Monastery in Burton, Oh.  If all things work out, some of the sisters will be at St. Sebastian before hand to pray Byzantine evening prayer and you are all invited.  More information to follow.

Below is our next speaker!  Fr. Marty Miller - long time friend of St. Sebastian Parish.

Feeling left out because you no longer fit in to the young adult category?  Never fear and mark your calendars for Monday, February 20th when St. Sebastian will begin Theology on the Rocks (for those of us who are just plain "adults.")  More information will follow soon.

Come celebrate St. Sebastian weekend with us by attending a free, one hour concert beginning at 3:30 PM with renowned classical guitarist and teacher Stephen Aron.  Professor Aron will be performing classical guitar favorites along with newly composed pieces. Don't miss this rare opportunity to hear Prof. Aron play locally!  Free and open to the public.

This may be way to difficult to see but Sebastian and I ran in to a couple of fox this past Sunday in Snyder Park as we were rounding the Julie Billiart School.  The fox is the brown spot dead center of the picture.  Eventually we saw a couple of more.  Sebastian desperately wanted to go play but that didn't seem quite safe.

Here is one of my FAVORITE albums!  I highly recommend it for your next dinner party:

THEOLOGY ON TAP II

Another great night for Theology on Tap! Thanks for all that were there or helped out. Awesome job to seminarian Dan Samide.

IN OTHER NEWS: Today, the Feast of St. Leo the Great, is the 7th year anniversary of Bishop Lennon assigning me as pastor of St. Sebastian (though didn't celebrate it until the 8th of December.)

THEOLOGY ON TAP AKRON

Today is just more of a report on what happened in Catholic Akron last night.

We had our inaugural Theology on Tap Akron at the Thirsty Dog Brewery Co!  Theology on Tap is a discussion series for Catholic young adults and their friends, married and single, in their 20s and 30s. Goals: ... Provide adult-level updates on topics of current religious or cultural  interest.

It was sponsored by Thirsty Dog and St. Sebastian Parish and was chaired by Mr. Eric Eirmanne and the young adults of the area.  There are two such programs up toward Cleveland that regularly get about 100 people but I was warning them not to expect too much.  It was new to Akron, not the easiest place to find, and was a little different.

So the set up began.  Here is where one would register and get a ticket.  $5 covered the food provided and helped cover other costs such as the speaker and so forth.

It couldn't be all done in one room so this room was used for food and the bar.

And this rooms was set up for the talk.

Then the people started pouring in.  And pouring in.  And pouring in.  I was expecting (hoping for) 50 people.  In the end, there was about 150 people present.  It is nice to be wrong sometimes.

I get excited by nun friends.  I am so glad they were there!

Fr. G David Bline, classmate, amazing priest of the great parish of St. Francis de Sales gave the first ToTA presentation.  He was wonderful as always.  It was nice to see so many of his parishioners coming to support him.  

ToTA will continue as a program running out of St. Sebastian Parish but we are looking for parishes and Catholic organizations to sponsor nights.  As sponsor, your parish/organization will be present on advertising, there will be the opportunity to present materials of upcoming events at your place that those in attendance might find interesting (we let people know about our 5K, concerts, the Academy, and such) and be given a couple of minutes to speak about those events during the night.

Sponsorship is $500 and helps defray the cost of the food, keep ticket prices down, pays for the speaker, tip, advertising, and other costs.  If you cannot cover the cost of the whole evening, you might be paired with another parish/organization.

Congratulations folks!

See more HERE on Facebook.