Battlestar Galactica

Perhaps my favorite show, BSG is going to be over in a few weeks. The concept is that they are searching for Earth, and they've found it now, but there are lots of loose ends to tie up. I think I will go through BSG withdrawl when it is over! Here's a quick synopsys of what has happened so far:

The new story begins with 2 episode MiniSeries nearly lasting 3 hours and shocking enough to make you yearn for more. (This yearning will be addiction later on) The MiniSeries starts with all 12 colonies of human population nuked and just one Battlestar and few civilian ships left behind. So, Galactica is the remains of the 12 colonies start their journey in search of the 13th colony which has dwelled to an unknown planet called "Earth".

The series deals with a question scratching your brain "What defines a human being?" The cylons which have their own feelings, thought, beliefs and motives, leaving you thinking of "how can a human life be more valuable than a cylons?" The main axis of the story is walking around this confusing and one of the favorite question of science fiction. (My favorite movie Blade Runner also approached this question)

The characters of the series is strongly developed. Main character Adama is the one of the strongest charact ers ever written, a man who can stand solid even when whole human population is about go extinct. Starbuck is a wild character that can't be tamed. (In the original series the character was a man but now a woman for the reasons I will explain in following paragraphs) Lee Adama, son of admiral is trying to prove himself (which is kind of hard for being the son of most solid character ever) and we analyze the father-son relation evolving through out the series. Laura Roslin is the president of 12 colonies who became president as only remaining government official. She is the only one who can challenge the authority of Adama. Through out the series we are told the story by analyzing the relationship with those main characters.

The plot is built in a co mplex structure which differs from reality that the series are simulating world in different conditions, making us think "What if the world was like ...". We can say that there are signs of matriarchy in the series where president Laura Roslin is a strong woman like Starbuck who is displayed as a woman unlike the original series. The concept of God is highly present in BattleStar Galactica. The humans are polytheist, they believe in 12 Gods representing colonies while cylons are monotheist believing in one and only God. BattleStar Galactica has many references to

the real world. The names of the twelve colonies resemble the 12 zodiac signs: "Aerelon, Tauron, Gemenon, Canceron, Leonis, Virgon, Libris, Scorpia, Sagittaron, Caprica, Aquaria, Pykon". The name of characters are resembling myths; Adama for Adam (First man) , Helena Cain for Cain (first murder in the Bible).

So that all being said (I did have some help from the internet) there are many moral questions to consider about Galactica, which I'll add as time moves on!

Kabbalah

"Kabbalah is a 4000 year old living wisdom that is meant for everyone, regardless of their religious background, nationality, or level of study."  

             ~from The Kabbalah Centre International

I have been studying Kabbalah off and on for years--even before Madonna espoused the practice.  It is not a religion; it is a technology, a way to learn about our Creator and getting in sync with the light which emanates from the Creator.  There are no restrictions on who can study Kabbalah.  It's teachings have come out of hiding in the 20th century because the world has reached a critical mass...globalization.  We are coming to realize that we need each other.  What I do here in St. Paul somehow affects someone in China, and vice-versa.  Until we all realize this we will not know peace.

Currently I am taking a free online class in Kabbalah at the Bnei Baruch Learning Center.  The class meets twice a week for an hour and a half each; the first lesson is a technical lesson, and the second is a philosophical lesson.  If anyone is interested the link is provided here at the right.

Last week sometime, I bounced some Kabbalistic ideas off some friends, and they had NO idea what I was talking about; I could have been from Pluto for all they knew!  But, somehow this is a sign to me that I'm actually starting to understand some of the information I'm studying.  They say that even within one minute you will totally grasp an idea and in the next moment be completely lost...which is true.  The purpose of me sharing this at this time is that it is giving my life balance.  A couple weeks ago I attended a workshop hosted by The Kabbalah Centre called Kabbalah: The Best Kept Secret--Wisdom to Transform Your Life.  It was held at the Hyatt, downtown Minneapolis.  Truly great stuff!  I enjoy the partnering of the Kabbalah Centre and the Bnei Baruch Learning Center.  The first is a little less technical.

At the same time as studying Kabbalah, Isaac and I are studying Hebrew on the Shalom Channel On Demand.  This has been a blast as well, studying with Isaac.  He is picking up the Aleph-Bet faster than I am!  Leave it to young minds...I only wish I had that opportunity when I was his age.

I will post some things that I have learned here and there in this new blog, primarily for my own processing and learning.  I will include Franciscan thought, Kabbalistic thought, Christian thought, and other ministerial reflections I may have...Thanks for reading!

February 23rd

It was 24 years ago (I think) to the day that Molly and I started dating. I remember sitting up talking all night, walking all over La Crosse, and ending up watching the sun rise by Brophy Nursing Center at Viterbo. Ah, how romantic. I even remember eating Lay's sour cream and onion chips in the lobby of Marian South sometime that evening. We met in band the previous year; we served as president and vice-president of the band for the last 2 years of college. I remember Earl wanted to be the one who ended up dating Molly, but I guess it was my charm (ha ha) that won out in the end. We married on April 26th, 1997. We have two boys, Isaac William who was born on April 2nd 1999, and Samuel Aaron who was born on February 12th 2001. Currently they are in 4th and 2nd grade at the school that Molly teaches in St. Paul.

We moved from La Crosse to the Twin Cities in 2001 when I took a job at Faithful Shepherd Catholic School in Eagan, MN. I was the music teacher/band director there until leaving a year and a half ago--I've already mentioned these circumstances.

Becoming a Franciscan, Part 2

OK, so after leaving the Cappuchins, and Molly and I started dating again, I decided to become an affiliate of the FSPA's. A sister became my spiritual director with whom I met every month for about a year. After the year was up I was eligible to apply to become a covenant affiliate, or AFSPA, which I did. I took my vows of poverty, chastity and obedience according to my own state in life for a period of three years. Subsequently I renewed two more times for a total of 13 years. My local group changed several times over the years, but my last one was probably the one that I felt the closest to. When we moved up to the Twin Cities, it was difficult to get into another local group simply because of distance, so I let my last AFSPA covenant expire.

After a couple years of floundering I realized that I really need to have an official Franciscan focus in my life. I looked at several options, including the SFO's, all of which I just wasn't quite interested in, so I kept searching. I found a group from Rocky Hill CT which I was interested in; I read everything on their website and made contact. Thus began a new chapter in my Franciscan journey. I now feel as though I'm heading in the right direction. My group is called the Franciscans of Divine Providence, an open and affirming non-roman affiliated Franciscan group under the protection of the Trinitarian Catholic Church (see link at right for the FDP website).

I've been journeying with another friend from the parish that I work at who is considering becoming part of the group as well. I officially finished my novitiate year last August and am ready to take my temporary vows, but I'm looking for a community to host the celebration.

I don't know where God will lead me ten years from now, but I do know I won't be where I am at right now. Life in the Roman church is a bit too concervative for me, let alone working for it. Molly and I have lots of things to talk through but priesthood isn't out of the question for me.

Becoming a Franciscan, Part 1

Becoming a Franciscan has been a process that started back in college...or even before. When I was little, my grandmother had a profound influence on my spirituality. She was Catholic and we grew up Lutheran. However whenever we stayed over at her house on Saturday nights, we got to go to church with her in the morning. This had a profound affect on me.

When I was a junior in high school I decided to check out Viterbo College, a Catholic Franciscan school in La Crosse WI. I wasn't sure that was where I was going to go though. I also checked out SIU Carbondale, and WIU in Macolm where I had been to at least 5 music camps. I think it was "Divine Providence" that I ended up at Viterbo.

When I was there I explored two things: a relationship with my present wife, Molly, as well as joining the Capuchin Franciscans. I was in formation with them for a long time--I went to many places in the St. Joseph's Province for retreats and ministry days, including St. Francis WI, Milwaukee, Chicago, and a number of other places. These were good times in my life.

Through a turn in events I ended up leaving formation with the Caps and I continued dating Molly. It took her three times to say yes to marrying me, but I guess the third time is the charm.

Purpose of my Blog

I created this blog to post some of my current thoughts, ramblings, and frustrations of a Church worker who is irritated with the current state of affairs.  I have worked for the Church all of my professional career, and just can't seem to get away from the politics. 

The parish I worked at for the longest time was a great experience.  We had an incredible pastoral team; we worked hard, played hard, and prayed hard.  It started crumbling towards the end of my 17 years there when I asked for a raise (I was working a second job to make ends meet).  I was flatly denied by the business administrator.  So painfully, I left.

The next place worth mentioning is a Catholic high school where I was on the religion faculty as well as music faculty adjunct.  The principal was a jerk.  I left there after 4 years.

Next I worked at a Catholic grade/middle school for 7 years.  We had 4 principals in the time I was there, and except for the first one, they were all tyrants as well.  Because of finances they cut my music program in half, and offered no benefits.  So I left--again.

Finally, I am at a church in the Twin Cities.  I've been there for 1 1/2 years now.  God willing I will be there in 3 months--we were just told that someone on the staff is going to be cut because of the bad economy.  Here we go again.

For a long time I was an affiliate of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, based in La Crosse WI.  When we moved up to the Twin Cities I lost my local group, and finally let my affiliation expire.  After a couple years I realized I missed the companionship of a Franciscan community so I started exploring, and found a group in Rocky Hill CT, the Franciscans of Divine Providence, and have been working with them for almost two years.  I finished my canonical novitiate year last August and I'm looking for a local community to do my temporary vows. I found a progressive Catholic community, but unfortunately it fell through two weeks before it was to happen.  I'm getting tired.  I needed a place to vent.

That's all for now.  I'll probably vent a couple more times this evening until I get it all out of my system...