Imbibing the Spirit

Quite a Long Recess!

2012-01-05T06:59:00.000-08:00

Hi All,

ColaYACS (Columbia Young Adult Catholics) will be meeting twice in January in the back room at Delaney's in Five Points (Columbia). We'll meet on Monday, January 9th at 6:30pm for a social and again on Monday, January 23rd at 6:30pm for a regular meeting. We encourage Catholics ages 21 to 35 to attend!

Hope to see you all there!

First Meeting After the Summer Recess

2011-09-09T06:50:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

Our first meeting will be on Wednesday, September 21 at 6:30 PM. Please join us at Delaney's Music Pub in Five Points!

The evening's topic of discussion will be the New Translation of the Roman Missal. Our featured speaker will be Fr. Bryan Babick, SL. L., the vicar for Divine Worship and the Sacraments for the Diocese of Charleston.

We will also discuss the direction that YACs will take for this upcoming year.

See you all next Wednesday!

Zach

May 4 Meeting at Delaney's

2011-05-04T13:21:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

A few links that may be helpful following our discussion this evening:

The process of canonization since 1983: http://www.catholic-pages.com/saints/process.asp

Vatican's page about John Paul II's beatification: http://www.vatican.va/special/anniversario_gpii/documents/index_en.htm

As mentioned in the email, the topic of Osama bin Laden will surely be discussed. Please seeFr. Lombardi's, the Vatican spokesperson, statement following the announcement of Osama bin Laden's death:

Osama bin Laden, as we all know, bore the most serious responsibility for spreading divisions and hatred among populations, causing the deaths of innumerable people, and manipulating religions for this purpose.
In the face of a man’s death, a Christian never rejoices, but reflects on the serious responsibilities of each person before God and before men, and hopes and works so that every event may be the occasion for the further growth of peace and not of hatred.

Penance Service Times and Penance Guide

2011-03-18T06:31:00.000-07:00

Hi All!

The following Penance Services are set for the Columbia and surrounding areas.

Monday, March 21 Our Lady of the Hills

Monday, March 28 St. Peter's Parish

Tuesday, March 29 Transfiguration Parish

Wednesday, March 30 Our Lady of the Lake

Thursday, March 31 St. Joseph

Tuesday, April 5 St. John Neumann

Thursday, April 7 Corpus Christi Parish

Thursday , April 14 St. Martin de Porres

All Penance Services will be held at 7 PM

The following are a couple of helpful guides for the Sacrament of Reconciliation

The Sacrament of Reconciliation and The Examination of Conscience

A Guide for Confession

Lenten Series

2011-02-17T05:18:00.000-08:00

Hi all,

I wanted to bring everyone up to speed on the YACs Lenten series.

We plan to use Why Go to Church as a way to help us during our Lenten journey and as a means of encouraging discussion during our upcoming meetings (the book can also be purchased from Amazon or Barnes & Noble).

We will meet on the following Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 8 PM at DeLaneys in Five Points, March 2, March 16, March 30.

New Year for YACs Kick-Off

2011-02-06T05:05:00.001-08:00

Hi All,

Our first meeting will be next Wednesday, February 16, at 6:30 PM to 8 PM. We will meet in the back room of DeLaney's Music Pub. This meeting will be primarily social and will introduce the upcoming months of our YACs activities.

We look forward to seeing you all!

YACs Planning Board

Advent Bible Study

2010-11-22T10:49:00.000-08:00

Hi All,

Join your fellow Young Adult Catholics on the four Wednesday's during Advent at 7 PM!

Courtney will be leading our Bible study and has provided the following description for us:

The four weeks leading up to Christmas mark the beginning of the Western Church's liturgical year. The Church stresses that Advent is a time of reflection, meditation and preparation. This study will follow the Catholic Scripture Study format, but will concentrate on the Sunday lectionary readings and incorporate the ancient method of Lectio Divina (praying the Scriptures). During Advent we should be focused on preparing ourselves for the coming of Christ. Are we ready for the King? Are our hearts ready to receive our Savior?

Please use the follow this link to purchase the book that we will use for the bible study.

Christ's Peace,

Your YACs moderators

Next Month's Meeting

2010-10-14T07:01:00.001-07:00

Hi All,

Great social last night!

For next month please read the "The Rite" by Matt Baglio for a general introduction to exorcism. Baglio tells the story of a priest who was selected to be the diocesan excorist.

A direct link to Amazon, Barnes and Noble and the publishers website.

Christ's Peace,

Zach

Vespers for Michaelmas

2010-09-20T07:05:00.000-07:00

Ss. Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel

In Catholic tradition September 29ths is regarded as the Feast of the Archangels or Michaelmas in more Anglophonic cultures. For more information about the history and significance of the feast please read this article from Catholic Culture: Ordinary Time, September 29th. To learn more about the three Archangels please read Proper Names of the Angels

To honor this good tradition, once again YACs will gather, this time at St. Thomas More, to celebrate Vespers communally at 7pm. Please plan to join us!

THIS Sunday: St. Rafka's Maronite Church

2010-07-12T14:34:00.000-07:00

The Second stop for the YACs Summer Liturgy Series is St. Rafka's Maronite Church on July 18. Please RSVP on the facebook events page, or e-mail colayacs@gmail.com by July 16 to confirm that you will be joining us on our visit to St. Rafka Maronite Church.

It's approximately a 2hr drive so we'll need to hit the road around 8:45. If you're going and interested in car pooling please meet (once again) at the meters in front of Richland County Public Library by 8:30. Invite your friends to come along! We'll be doing lunch afterwards!

Divine Liturgy begins at 11am

www.strafka.net

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IMPORTANT: YACs Survey

2010-06-27T07:43:00.000-07:00

Click here to take survey

We're trying to improve our outreach and programming for YACs please fill out the (anonymous) Survey to help us better serve you and our greater Columbia Catholic community. Thank you for your participation and concern!

Pax,

Matt Butler

Click here to take survey

Pictures from Vespers and Matins

2010-06-24T14:41:00.000-07:00

These were pictures from last night's Vespers and Matins in Vigil for the Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. Fr. Marcin of St. Thomas More presided. Soprano Amanda Sharko sang solo Ut queant laxis and with Alto Amy Deal in duet Te Deum, Laudamus.

Join us July 7 and 21st for Vespers at St Thomas More Chapel at 7pm.

Evening Prayer I / Matins in vigil for the Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist

2010-06-20T17:22:00.000-07:00

We're praying Vespers and Matins in vigil for the Solemnity of the Birth of St. John the Baptist. This Vespers and Matins in Vigil service is open to the greater Catholic community of Columbia as a gift from YACs -- St. John the Baptist is the Patron Saint of our diocese as well as an important figure in our salvation history.

I hope you all can attend and join us at St. Peter's Catholic Church Wednesday June 23 at 7pm (we start promptly at 7pm, please arrive before then) as we pray the universal prayer of the church. Children are welcome.

You can preview the liturgical aid here - though keep in mind it's formatted for booklet printing.

Photos from our Last Meeting

2010-06-02T13:43:00.001-07:00

Thanks to Marwan for taking the time to discuss some of the history of Christianity in Iraq and his experience of being Christian both in a Muslim country and a predominantly Christian country.

Here are the photos from our last meeting:

Melkite Catholic Church Visit

2010-06-02T12:54:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

The July meeting will add a new twist to our standard meetings. Instead of inviting a guest speaker or having one of our experts talk, we are headed to St. Ignatios of Antioch Catholic Church in Augusta, GA.

The Melkite church is part of the Byzantine rite of the Catholic Church. They are descendants of the early Christians from Antioch (Syria). The name "Melkite" or "King's Men" comes from the Aramaic word "melek" meaning "King". But why was this group called the "King's Men" in the first place?

The term "Melkite" originally applied to those who chose to follow the Byzantine Emperor Marcian against those who denied the human nature of Christ. In 451 AD, the Fourth Ecumenical Council, the Council of Chalcedon, declared that Christ was both human and divine against Eutyches, the archimandrite, or superior, of a monastery outside of Constantinople during the fifth century. Eutyches was spreading what became known as the Monophysite heresy, although he was not the originator of this heresy (he is associated with the heresy because of his great influence in and around Constantinople).

The Monophysite heresy contended that Christ did not have a human nature or was not truly human which directly contradicts the Council of Chalcedon. Monophysites claimed that Christ's divinity and humanity were so united, that his human nature was dissolved into his divinity. Emperor Marcian followed the teaching of the Catholic Church, against Eutyches, as did many of his subjects who became known as the "King's Men" or "Melkites."

I will let the liturgy speak for itself and forgo any descriptions of the liturgy until our group participates in the Divine Liturgy at St. Igantios on June 13. I look forward to seeing all of you there!

Please see our facebook page for carpooling details and to RSVP.

Christ's Peace,

Zach

Chaldean Catholics and Summer Liturgy Series

2010-05-17T08:54:00.000-07:00

Hi YACs Folks!

Join us this Wednesday, May 15, from 6 to 8 PM at Delaney's Music Pub & Eatery in Five Points.

This will be the kick-off meeting for our Summer Liturgy Series, YACs Goes East. We plan to visit a few different churches and rites that are in communion with Rome in an effort to show the diversity of our Church.

For this meeting, we will be joined by a Catholic of the Chaldean Church. He will discuss some of the aspects of the Chaldean liturgy with us and also discuss his experience of being Christian in a Muslim area (our guest is a native of Iraq).

Our meeting will also serve to introduce some of the upcoming ideas and field trips that the YACs plan to undertake!

Christ's Peace,

Zach

Next meeting, April 21

2010-04-18T12:15:00.000-07:00

Christos anesti! Alithos anesti!

Christ is risen! Truly, he is risen!

We hope everyone had a blessed and holy Easter, celebrating the resurrection of our Lord with friends, family, and good cheer. This month we decided in honor of Easter, not to hold our regular meeting. But we're still meeting. Back in March we decided to try something new. In addition to our regular meetings we'd also hold Vespers.

We've had two occasions to pray Vespers together, that first meeting in March, and then last during Holy Week. This week the opportunity will be upon us again as we gather Wednesday night at St. Thomas More Chapel on the campus of USC. (see the Facebook event). This week we'll be praying in honor of St. Anselm who's feast is Wednesday. Prayers begin promptly at 7pm, so get there a little early. After prayers (which don't take more than 10-20 minutes) as a group we'll go have dinner at a restaurant, location to be determined that night.

See you all there!!!

Follow-up to Centering Prayer

2010-03-26T09:04:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

I found a few more resources that address centering prayer and a few other helpful resources when discussing the spiritual life.

The first article, Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on Some Aspects of Christian Meditation, was mentioned by Robert during our last meeting. This letter was approved by Pope John Paul II in October 15, 1989.

Some interesting points:

#3: "Christian prayer is always determined by the structure of the Christian faith, in which the very truth of God and creature shines forth. For this reason, it is defined, properly speaking, as a personal, intimate and profound dialogue between man and God."

#10: "the Fathers [bishops, priests, etc from the first centuries of the Christian Church] insisted on the fact that the soul's union with God in prayer is realized in a mysterious way. [...] Moreover, it can even be achieved through experiences of affliction or desolation [...] these are not necessarily a sign that the Spirit has abandoned a soul. "

#11: "The meditation of the Christian in prayer seeks to grasp the depths of the divine in the salvific works of God in Christ, the Incarnate Word, and in the gift of his spirit."

#15: "A consideration of these truths [Jesus is God Incarnate, the Holy Spirit dwells within after baptism, etc] together brings the wonderful discovery that all the aspirations which the prayer of other religions expresses are fulfilled in the reality of Christianity beyond all measure, without the personal self or the nature of a creature being dissolved or disappearing into the sea of the Absolute."

#16: "one can take from them [non-Christian religions] what is useful so long as the Christian conception of prayer, its logic and requirements are never obscured."

#19: "The great Doctor of the Church [Augustine] recommends concentrating on oneself, but also transcending the self which is not God, but only a creature. God is 'deeper than my inmost being and higher than my greatest height."

#24: "There are certain 'mystical graces,' conferred on the founders of ecclesial institutes to benefit their foundation, and on other saints, too, which characterize their personal experience of prayer and which cannot, as such, be the object of imitation and aspiration for other members of the faithful, even those who belong to the same institutes and those who seek an ever more perfect way of prayer."

#31: "The love of God, the sole object of Christian contemplation, is a reality which cannot be 'mastered' by any method or technique."

This still doesn't clear up the difference between meditation and contemplation. The Catechism of the Catholic dedicates several paragraphs (CCC #2705-2719) to the meaning of each:

"Meditation is above all a quest. The mind seeks to understand the why and how of the Christian life, in order to adhere and respond to what the Lord is asking. The required attentiveness is difficult to sustain. We are usually helped by books, and Christians do not want for them: the Sacred Scriptures, particularly the Gospels, holy icons, liturgical texts of the day or season, writings of the spiritual fathers, works of spirituality, the great book of creation, and that of history--the page on which the 'today' of God is written." (CCC #2705)

"Contemplative prayer is silence, the 'symbol of the word to come' or 'silent love.' Words in this kind of prayer are not speeches; they are like kindling that feeds the fire of love. In this silence, unbearable to the 'outer' man, the Father speaks to us his incarnate Word, who suffered died, and rose; in this silence the Spirit of adoption enables us to share in the prayer of Jesus." (CCC #2717)

St. Thomas Aquinas also discusses contemplation in his Summa Theologica (ST, II-II, 179), specifically his reply to objection 3:

It is true that contemplation enjoys rest from external movements. Nevertheless to contemplate is itself a movement to the intellect, in so far as every operation is described as movement; in which sense the Philosopher [Aristotle] says that sensation and understanding are movements of a kind, in so far as movement is defined 'the act of a perfect thing.'

Thomas' discussion on truth is also quite interesting (ST, I, 16):

But if we speak of truth as it is in things, then all things are true by one primary truth; to which each one is assimilated according to its own entity. And thus, although the essences or forms of things are many, yet the truth of the divine intellect is one, in conformity to which all things are said to be true.

Perhaps some of this will develop into further discussion!

Christ's Peace,

Zach

Centering Prayer on March 24

2010-03-18T08:23:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

We have invited Greg Carbone and Karen Beidel from St. Peter's parish to join us to discuss Centering Prayer.

Centering Prayer was developed following the Second Vatican Council by three Trappist monks, Fr. William Meninger, Basil Pennington and Thomas Keating. Drawing from the Church's ancient tradition of contemplative prayer and lection divina, the three developed a simple method of silent prayer for contemporary people.

From the "Contemplative Outreach" website:

Centering Prayer is a method of silent prayer that prepares us to receive the gift of contemplative prayer, prayer in which we experience God's presence within us, closer than breathing, closer than thinking, closer than consciousness itself. This method of prayer is both a relationship with God and a discipline to foster that relationship.

Centering Prayer is not meant to replace other kinds of prayer. Rather, it adds depth of meaning to all prayer and facilitates the movement from more active modes of prayer--verbal, mental or affective prayer--into a receptive prayer of resting in God. Centering Prayer emphasizes prayer as a personal relationship with God and as a movement beyond conversation with Christ to communion with Him.

The source of Centering Prayer, as in all methods leading to contemplative prayer, is the Indwelling Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The focus of Centering Prayer is the deepening of our relationship with the living Christ. The effects of Centering Prayer are ecclesial, as the prayer tends to build communities of faith and bond the members together in mutual friendship and love.

We look forward to seeing you all on Wednesday, March 24 at Delaney's Music Pub & Eatery in Five Points from 6 PM to 8 PM.

Christ's Peace,

Zach and Matt

next meeting: March 10

2010-02-26T16:14:00.000-08:00

Hey folks YACs is doing something new starting in March. In addition to our regular meeting at Delaney's on March 24th (we'll have a post about that coming up soon!) we're meeting on Wednesday March 10th at St. Thomas More Chapel near USC to pray Vespers.

Vespers, also known as Evensong or Evening Prayer is one of the Liturgical Hours. These prayers traditionally sung by religious (monks, nuns, priests in community) are a part of our rich Catholic patrimony. Since the Second Vatican Council the Church has encouraged the laity to participate as a community in these prayers of the church. And that is what we plan to do!

So join us March 10 and experience the richness of our Catholic Spirituality.

For more information on the Liturgy of the Hours check out these links:

Laudis Canticum - Encyclical by Pope Paul VI

General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours

Wikipedia

February's Meeting: Sacra Musica

2010-02-05T16:43:00.000-08:00

For February's meeting we're going to mix things up a bit. Instead of meeting at our usual locale, we're meeting at St. Peter's on Assembly Street.

Mark Husey, the Director of Music and Liturgy, has graciously agreed to talk with us about the Music of the Church. From ancient hymns to classical works by the greats and the songs we hear today Mark will share with us from his vast repertoire of musical knowledge. We'll hear not only about the music of our Catholic tradition and it's role and place in our liturgy, but of protestant hymnody as well and how they've influenced each other and moved hearts and souls towards God.

Who knows maybe we'll even get to go into the choir loft and hear Mark play.

So join us at 6:30pm on Wednesday February 24th at St. Peter's, located at 1529 Assembly Street.

Oh, and some intersting links: St Peter's Catholic Church, and the Choir Ministry's YouTube Page.

-Matt

Janaury 2010 Meeting

2010-01-11T12:36:00.000-08:00

Hi All,

We will meet at DeLaney's Pub in Five Points on Wednesday, January 20 at 6 PM.

Join us as we discuss Pope Benedict XVI's latest Encylical, Caritas in Veritate ("Love in Truth"). This encyclical continues to develop the Catholic Church's teachings regarding the basic rights of the human person in light of current world events.

Please see the US Bishop's site primer on previous encyclicals at the USCCB Media Blog.

Christ's Peace,

Zach

November Meeting

2009-11-04T14:43:00.000-08:00

Hi All,

Join us for our discussion, "East Meets West." We have invited Fr. Mark Mancuso from St. Elizabeth the New Martyr Russian Orthodox Church to come and speak about Eastern Orthodoxy. This will be an open discussion exploring some of the similarities and differences between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches.

We will meet on Wednesday, November 11 in the back room at DeLaney's in Five Points from 6 to 8 PM.

Christ's Peace,

Zach

October Meeting

2009-10-02T10:16:00.001-07:00

Hi All,

Our next meeting will be on Wednesday, October 7 at 6 PM at DeLaney's in Five Points. Please note the change of venue for our meeting! We will be in the back room at DeLaney's.

For this month we will discuss the ordained priesthood and how different priests have lived this out. We have tried to invite a group of priests, of different ages and from different backgrounds, to discuss their experience of being a priest. This should be a good meeting and a chance to talk with priest more candidly than perhaps you have in the past.

Come and join us!

Christ's Peace,

Zach

Vocation of Marriage

2009-09-09T08:19:00.000-07:00

Hi All!

Our September meeting will be next Wednesday, September 16 at 6 PM at Jake's Bar and Grille in Five Points.

This month we will discuss a topic that is very pertinent to many in our group: the Sacrament of Marriage.

We have invited several couples to discuss the meaning of marriage as a vocation and it's sacramental implications for all of us. This will of course be light-hearted, but information filled meeting and should be beneficial to us all; whether married or single.

Come prepared to discuss!

Christ's Peace,

Zach

Holy Mary, Mother of God

2009-07-28T13:52:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

Our next meeting will be all about Mary!

Mary receives a great deal of, often misguided, criticism, but what is the basis of such insidious remarks by those who feel that we as Catholics place to great an emphasis on Mary? Why is Mary important when discussing Christ, salvation or grace?

So, come join us for a lively discussion on August 12 at 6 PM at Jake's Bar and Grill on Devine St.

Christ's Peace,

Zach

Apologetics Follow-Up

2009-07-16T07:45:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

Here are the much anticipated links as mentioned at the ColaYACs meeting last night. This list is not exhaustive and can certainly be expanded!

One caveat, the majority of links will be to Amazon for the sake of consistency (the links are not an endorsement for Amazon, you can certainly go to your own favorite book store to find these books; and don't forget St. Francis Catholic Shop on St. Andrews Road).

Apologetics:

The Beginning Apologetics series was put out nearly twenty years ago, but is still very good in helping to provide a firm grasp of the Catholic faith (the titles can be ordered separately or all together).

Where Is That in the Bible? is also a great little guide for cross referencing Catholic belief with Scripture. Please understand that this is a small book, so I strongly suggest using this with the aid of a Bible.

The Truth of Catholicism is more of a general read, but George Weigel does an excellent job of explaining some of the thornier issues that people have about Catholicism.

Catholic Answers is an excellent online source for Catholic apologetics.

Bible links:

The Catholic Study Bible. I recommend this edition because it has room to take notes, has a decent commentary on Scripture and it is the same translation that we use at Mass (the New American Bible).

The NAB is also available here.

The Jerusalem Bible. This translation is from a 1966 French translation. It is also considered more poetic. As an aside, there is also a The New Jerusalem Bible, but I do not recommend this version because it tries to use inclusive language at the expense of confusing language.

The Revised Standard Version - Catholic Edition. This is the standard academic version that most mainline Christian theologians use.

Bible Study Aids/Guides:

Understanding the Scriptures: A Complete Course on Bible Study. This is a great book for background information on the Bible.

More in depth "study guides" are the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible series put out by Ignatius Press (the link is only for the study guide on Acts; there are many other New Testament titles!). Although this series lacks specific books about the Old Testament.

Catechism:

Catechism of the Catholic Church. This is something that every Catholic because it is "a sure and certain standard for the teaching of the faith" (John Paul II). I recommend this specific version because it contains excellent footnotes, a glossary, index, Biblical cross references and church council cross references. The hard cover version is also easier to use because it's more durable and will stay open when you lay it on a desk.

The Catechism is also available online here.

The Compendium: Catechism of the Catholic Church is not a substitute for the larger full version of the Catechism, but is a convenient and concise little guide similar to the Baltimore Catechism that our parents used.

Thank you all for an excellent meeting! Please don't forget to email me or post some meeting topic suggestions on our blog or on facebook.

Christ's Peace,

Zach

There is no need to apologize...

2009-06-30T09:15:00.001-07:00

Hi All,

We've all heard the questions, "Why go confess to a priest when I can just confess directly to God?", "What's the difference between an annulment and divorce?" or "Why do Catholics think Mary is so important?". But how many of us can answer those questions for non-Catholics?

Therefore...

We will discuss "Apologetics" at our next meeting on July 15 at 6 PM at Jake's. We probably won't cover all possible questions that people will have, but this should be a fairly informative, if not lively, discussion about important questions that we all eventually encounter.

See you all on the 15th!

Addendum: Inevitably the topic of resources will come up, therefore we will provide a list of resources after our next meeting. We will have it listed on the blog the week after our meeting for anyone interested in learning more.

Next Meeting on June 17, 2009

2009-05-29T17:11:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

Our next meeting will be on Wednesday, June 17, 2009 beginning with casual discussion at 6 PM. We usually end around 8 PM, but this all depends on how well the discussion goes! We will also meet at Jake's again.

We plan to discuss the influence of Catholicism on society--sometimes subtly, sometimes not! We intend to cover topics ranging from media's coverage of Catholicism to the impact of Catholicism on the government.

We look forward to seeing you all!

Upcoming Meeting, May 13 at 6 PM

2009-05-03T12:27:00.000-07:00

Hi All!

Our next meeting will be held on May 13 at Jake's in Five Points at 6 PM till late (officially just 6 PM to 8 PM).

Our theme for the evening will be "evanglization", Catholic style. Obviously, this word has a negative connotation for many people, but don't let that scare you, we do not mean "proselytezation". Instead, we mean the Catholic definition of "evangelization": the proclamation of Christ and His Gospel by word and the testimony of life, in fulfillment of Christ's command. We will discuss what this actually means to us as young adult catholics.

Since the Second Vatican Council there has been a great deal of ink spilled over how Catholic should evangelize and a great deal has been put into practice. We will look at these and discuss what we can actually do. And not, this does not mean going to door to door peddling the Catholic faith!

See you all on Wednesday!

Zach

Rosary in the St. Thomas More Chapel

2009-03-17T06:17:00.001-07:00

Hi All!

We will gather tomorrow evening to say the Rosary in the St. Thomas More Chapel at 7 PM as part of our Lenten devotions.

Please try to arrive about 10 minutes early or so.

Parking can be found down the street in the nursing lot (the building across the street from St. Thomas More).

See you all tomorrow!

Zach

February 11 Meeting

2009-01-27T11:00:00.001-08:00

Hi All,

Our next meeting will be on February 11 at 6 PM at Jake's Bar & Grill (note our new location!).

This time we will discuss some issues pertaining to young adult Catholics. For example, the Vatican recently released a new bioethics statement, which we will discuss.

We will also take this opportunity to discuss any other questions from previous meetings which may still linger.

We hope that February's meeting will set the direction and tone for the topics that we will discuss for the rest of this year!

Advent party

2008-11-30T10:17:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: You can RSVP through this Wednesday December 10, 2008 for the party Saturday December 13.

Join us for our Advent party, on December 13 at Chris and Elizabeth’s house in West Columbia. This will be a night of fine food, drinking and fellowship! We ask that couples or individuals bring a side dish and beverages. The main course will be provided. Please RSVP to colayacs@gmail.com by December 6 10. Directions will be mailed once we receive your RSVP.

Hope to see you all there!!!

It's All About the Majority: The Catholic Laity

2008-10-21T14:15:00.000-07:00

Hi folks!

Our upcoming meeting is all about us! We will discuss the role of the laity in the Catholic Church.

Since Vatican II there has been a lot of confusion regarding the proper role of the laity regarding their role in the Church. Many of you may remember our first meeting, where we briefly touched upon this topic--now we will devote a whole evening to discusing our role!

Just who are the laity? According to Lumen Gentium, a document from Vatican II, the laity should be "understood to mean all the faithful except those in holy orders and those in a religious state sanctioned by the Church" (#31). In other words, most of the people in the Catholic Church!

So, if most of the people in the Catholic Church are part of the laity, shouldn't there be more lay ministry and/or power sharing with the clergy? It would seem the role of the laity needs to be strengthened within the Church and that there needs must be a greater level of power exerted by the laity since the majority are not ordained or leading a professed religious life. In the name of collegiality, shouldn't the laity have more power? Just what is the proper role of the laity?

Perhaps we should follow the advice of Paul Lakeland:

The laity must take on an adult role, claiming accountability and responsibility
for their work and ministry. This means everything from democratically participating in decision--making to selecting bishops, collaborating with ordained ministers at the parish level, and working at diocesan and national levels to carry out the church's mission.

Or perhaps we should follow the reasoning of Hans Kung, who supports a greater role of the laity in terms of Church heirarchy. Kung is also an advocate of democratizing the Catholic Church.

So, come join us Tuesday, November 5, as we look at the role of the laity in the Catholic Church!

October 8 Meeting: Catholic GOTV

2008-09-15T16:41:00.000-07:00

G.O.T.V. - it's an acronym in political parlance that means Get out the vote. For Catholics Christians voting is more than a right granted under the U.S. Constitution or a privilege given by the state, it's a moral obligation. As such we are bound to make sure we're informed on the issues that we face individually, as a community and nation when we step into the booth.

How do we make sure we're "well informed" and what exactly does that mean? Well it means making decisions based on your Conscience (CCC#1778) by employing the virtue of Prudence (CCC#1806).

The Church for her part does not dictate for whom or how one is to vote, but does seek to assist her members in forming consciences and right judgement in light of the teachings of Christ as they have been traditioned through the Church. We are people of both faith and reason and as such "are called to bring truth to political life and to practice Christ’s commandment to love one another (Jn13:34)."

For their part the Bishops, in their capacity and authority as teachers, have released a document called The Challenge of Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship. In it the Bishops say:

A consistent ethic of life should guide all Catholic engagement in political life. This Catholic ethic neither treats all issues as morally equivalent nor reduces Catholic teaching to one or two issues. It anchors the Catholic commitment to defend human life and other human rights, from conception until natural death, in the fundamental obligation to respect the dignity of every human being as a child of God.
Catholic voters should use Catholic teaching to examine candidates’ positions on issues and should consider candidates’ integrity, philosophy, and performance.

As such the bishops have highlighted seven themes from Catholic Social Teaching to illustrate the importance of keeping our focus on our common humanity and the sanctity of that humanity.

So we know what the church considers to be important - which is a broad range of issues. But where do the parties stand on these issues amongst the many others? We've heard from the pundits, the media and the folks all around us that this years election is perhaps the 'most crucial election in our lifetime.' So for our October meeting we're going to find out just that - in as much as the constraints of our meeting time allows.

In order to do this more fully, we've invited a person from the two major parties to come and speak with us.

Representing the Republican Party will be Wesley Donehue. Wesley is a political strategist and owner of Under The Power Lines a political consultancy firm. He's worked on many campaigns including the SC State Senate Republican Caucus and Sen. Jim DeMint.

See the Republican Party platform here (it's a .pdf file)

And for the Democrats we've got Joey Oppermann. Joey is the third Vice Chairman of the Democratic party, he's a recent law school grad and is currently working on democratic campaigns in the upstate of South Carolina.

See the Democratic Party platform here (also a .pdf file)

In the end though, as we conclude our evening's session we must remember what else the Bishops remind us to do. "We must look beyond party politics, to analyze campaign rhetoric critically, and to choose their political leaders according to principle, not party affiliation or mere self-interest” (USCCB, Living the Gospel of Life, no. 33), in our efforts to discern who we're going to vote for come November, not just for President, but all the way down ticket to dog catcher.

So we look forward to seeing you all at Delaney's in 5pnts October 8 at 6pm for some beer and food and great conversation. Until then!

~Matt

Follow-up from Sept. 10 Meeting

2008-09-11T06:57:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

I just wanted to include a few follow-up comments for folks who may have a few more questions.
In our discussion about the Holy Spirit, the question that many seemed most interested in was "What instances or when do I pray to the Holy Spirit?" It may help to think of the Nicene Creed in order to understand when it is appropriate to pray to the Holy Spirit:

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets.

Let's take a look at "the Lord, the giver of life." Without the Holy Spirit there would be no life. The Holy Spirit must be present to, but not present in everything (this idea should make more sense by contrasting the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament versus the New Testament).

Someone mentioned Gen. 1:2 - "the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss, while a mighty wind swept over the waters" [sometimes translated as "a wind from God" or "God's Spirit"]. Once that mighty wind sweeps over the waters life began creating, that life force, or Who gives life, is the Holy Spirit.

The Psalms also reaffirm the importance of the Holy Spirit: "When you [God] send forth your spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the earth" (Ps 104:30). Life continues because the Holy Spirit is here to support.

By saying "proceeding from the Father and Son" we are witnessing to a dynamic relationship between Father, Son and Spirit. A relationship that many have tried to discuss in the past 2000 years of Christianity, but one that we will never fully understand until we meet God face to face.

Because the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and Son the Holy Spirit must also be divine and He must have some role to play in the life of every living thing. For instance, how did Christ become man?--"The angel said to her [Mary], 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you" (Lk 1:35). Through the Holy Spirit Mary conceives and she gives birth to both God and man.

The Catholic church, since the time of St. Augustine, has understood the Holy Spirit to be the Love shared between the Father and the Son. This Love is so great that it is another Person. Hence why we say that he proceeds from the Father and the Son.

But very important to any discussion of the role or distinction of the Holy Persons is our understanding that God is above or outside of time. So by saying proceeds we do not mean to imply subordination (Fr. Bernard touched on this briefly). In other words, by saying the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father or the Son, we do not mean to imply that the Father existed and then created the Holy Spirit! Instead we are simply trying to show a relationship of distinct persons that are God.

Because the Holy Spirit is God, it only makes sense that we should worship and glorify Him!

So, we come to our last point of the Creed, "He has spoken through the prophets." All true prophets are empowered by the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament the Spirit would give a prophet what he needed at a specific time but would later leave; think of Samson, Saul or David . And don't forget what happens once the Spirit withdraws from them!

In the New Testament we learn that the Spirit must open our ears to hear the Son and that He, the Holy Spirit will lead all to Truth (1 Cor 2:9-13 and Jn 14:26). Remember that anything true must come from God.

Hopefully this clears up a little of what we discussed last night. Please feel free to comment and ask questions!

I also found this video clip about the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, thanks to Dcn. Jack, that may be of some interest to you.

The International Catholic Charismatic Renewal website (there is music in the background).

A succinct answer about baptism in the spirit can be found here.

Next Meeting! Sept 10

2008-08-28T09:24:00.000-07:00

Hey folks, this meeting we've got to special guest lined up to speak with us about Catholic Spirituality especailly as it relates to the Charismatic Movement. Rev. Jack Crocker, Deacon and Fr. Bernard Oniwe, OP will be presenting.

Remember that the meetings are from 6-8ish with the first half hour as a time to socialize, have a beer or two and order some good food.

See y'all at Delaneys!

Next Month's meeting Catholic GOTV

Catholicism and Islam

2008-08-02T11:28:00.000-07:00

Hi Folks!

This week's meeting topic will focus on interreligious dialogue among Catholics and non-Christians. The main point of discussion will be our relationship with Islam.

I'm sure that you may all be familiar with Pope Benedict's quotation from a 14th Century text about Islam in a speech from September 12, 2006: "Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." But, how many people read the rest of the speech?

Benedict certainly apologized for making the remarks and made clear that the remarks did not reflect his personal opinion. Still, many are left wondering how, as a Catholic, we should understand our relationship with the Mulsim world?

We will take a look and dicuss the document Nostra Aetate, the Vatican II document that outlines the church's relationship with non-Christian religious. In addition to that document we will also discuss what other popes have said about Islam. We will also look at some of the positive outcomes following the Regensburg lecture.

With this in mind, we look forward to a spirited discussion on Catholic and Muslim relations at Delaney's from 6 to 8 PM on Wednesday, August 6!

Schedule for the Rest of the Year

2008-07-13T06:12:00.000-07:00

OK folks, we've got our schedule of meetings worked out - location will be the same, except for perhaps the December meeting, and the times - we'll let you know about the dates and times in each "meeting post."

Comments are more than welcome and encouraged.

All meetings will take place at Delaney's in Five Points from 6 to 8 PM (except for the Advent party--TBD).

August: West meets East, Catholicism and Islam - we're working on getting someone to come speak to our group.
September 10: Holy Mary Mother of God!:Catholic Spirituality, devotionals, prayers, practices - this is going to be a two part series with the second half in the new year, for this meeting we're going to discuss the Charismatic movement in the Church and have a guest speaker come to discuss Charisms and practicing the faith charismatically.
October 8: Catholic GOTV - we're going to look at the Bishops voter guide and have some one from both the Democratic and Republican party (anyone know an official with the Libertarian party?) come speak to us about the upcoming election and where there candidates stand in relation to the issues.
November 5: It's all about 'we' - a discussion on our role as lay persons within the Church and more importantly within our communities.
December 12 (TBD): Happy Advent and Merry Christmas - the first annual YACS Christmas party, do communicate over the next couple of months a time and location.

Check back soon for the next "meeting post" for August's meeting.

Who is Cathol and what are his teachings? (Part 1?)

2008-06-08T11:29:00.000-07:00

Catholics and Catholicism are at the receiving end of a great deal of startling vituperation in contemporary America, although generally, those responsible never think of themselves as bigots... What is striking about [anti-Catholic comments] is not any individual phrase or accusation, but the completely casual way in which these views are stated, as if any normal person should be expected to share these beliefs.... Complaints about anti-Catholicism are likely to provoke counter charges of oversensitivity, much as complaints about racism or anti-Semitism did in bygone generations. As Andrew Greeley writes, anti-Catholicism is so insidious precisely because it is not acknowledged, not recognized, not explicitly and selfl-consciously rejected. The attitudes are so ingrained as to be invisible.

-Dr. Philip Jenkins,

The New Anti-Catholicism

From the above quote, it should be fairly clear to what July's meeting is about.

We live in a pluralistic society. In the market place of ideas, it's very often that the values of any one person or group are going to be debated, that sometimes toes are going to be stepped on, it's inevitable. But sometimes debate moves into derision, and for much of our history and experience Catholicism has suffered such derision albeit subtle or nuanced. It's how we handle such situations that matter most.

Unlike African Americans and the Jewish Community, two groups where such derision has come to be termed bigotry and looked down upon, Catholicism isn't an immutable quality of biology as in the case of race, and for better or worse is not a single monolithic culture as with the Jewish Community - it's a free association, though an association that carries qualities not unlike both.

As the quote above notes, because one's Catholicism isn't an immutable fact of your nature nor is Catholicism limited to a cultural minority AND because Catholics haven't, unlike African-Americans or Jews, been overtly oppressed it's considered OK to take it further than friendly debate - without any regard or deference afforded as to other groups in that very market place of ideas.

Interestingly enough as Catholics the assault is three fold, we get get chided from the Left - usually associated with Atheists, pro-Identity groups (Feminism, Gay Movement are only two examples); from the Right - from Protestant Religious Groups, the "Gun Lobby" (an umbrella term here), Capitalists, and anti-environmentalists , and then again from the inside - from the person in the pew over who may subscribe to any of the above listed ideologies and more.

Being attacked from all sides and even under friendly fire it begs the question how do we handle such situations? Since our Religion is a free association perhaps the first (two part) question to ask is -

Why am I Catholic and what does being Catholic mean to me?

After we determine the answer to that question we can then address the discourse, debate, and mud slinging that is coming from all around us. Whether it's a Pastor demeaning Roman Catholicism as the whore of Babylon, or your Protestant friend asking you if you've been saved. Whether it's a co-worker who says that Catholicism denigrates women because she won't ordain Women and is anti-abortion, or perhaps the cousin who believes that the church is anti-gay.
What about the "NeoCon" who believes the church protests too much about waging war, Or the local NRA chapter questioning why the Church cares so much about guns. The list of supposed grieved goes on and on and on.

This folks is the art of apologetics.

So we look forward to seeing you all on July 9, 6pm for drinks and discussion at Delaney's in 5 points. Cheers! ~ Matt

PS: So after all that seriousness - here's the reason for the title of the post and what made me think of the "Apologetics" theme for this meeting - Eddie Izzard "picking" on the Church of England.

First Meeting Pics

2008-06-05T14:23:00.001-07:00

Thanks so much to everyone who came out last night for the inaugural meeting of "Imbibing the Spirit!" We had a great time and here are a few of the pictures! See you all in a month, if not before! More posts to come soon.

"Getting to Know You"

2008-04-16T14:48:00.000-07:00

Hi Y'all!

Our meeting on June 4 will be a Getting to Know You session where we will introduce ourselves to one another and discuss the direction that this group will take in the upcoming months. The first couple meetings have already been planned out, so that we will actually have something to discuss.

The theme is Who is Cathol and what are his teachings? (trust us the title may be irreverent but after we break bread and discuss it'll make a lot of sense!!!)

Your collective responses to these introductory gatherings will guide the direction future group meetings--Thank You Holy Spirit.¹

So, come and join us at Delaney's Pub on Saluda Ave in Five Points on June 4th from 6 to 8 PM.

The first beer is even on us!

Click on Delaney's for more information on food and beverage selection!

And for your viewing pleasure, because you know you were reminded of it with that snazzy title (thanks Matt) here's the scene from The King and I.

Matthew 18:20 - For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

Details About the New Group

2008-04-12T13:41:00.001-07:00

This group will be exclusively run by young adult Catholics! And is open to all young adults Catholics in Columbia from ages 21 to 35!

The Young Adult Catholics of Columbia will meet monthly or bi-weekly for fellowship and discussion. We anticipate meeting for drinks and dinner followed by discussion of our meeting topic. Topics will range from the basics of belief to current events.

So please stay tuned to this blog and our email list, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/colayacs, for future updates!

Zach and Matt