Tag Archives: CUA

Saying Goodbye

27 Friday Apr 2012

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Well, here we are, at the end of another semester. Only, for me, this is not only the end of the semester, but also the end of an era, the end of an experience. You see, God-willing, I will graduate on May 12th, and officially possess a Bachelor of Arts in History. I have had many great expierences here at CUA, along with some not-so-great ones as well. However, let us remember the great ones, and grow from the those which weren’t so great.

To my friends, you have all been supportive of me these past four years in ways that I could never imagine, and I hope I have been just as supportive to you. Without my friends, my roommates, my professors, the priests, the occasional 2 x 4, and yes, even the work, my experiences here at CUA would not have been the same. It wouldn’t be the family that I love so much. And so, maybe this post shouldn’t be “Saying Goodbye”, and should be, “Until Next Time”.

The same goes for you, my loyal readers. While I hope that I will continue posting on a regular basis, without the weight of the class on my shoulders, chances are that I will forget, or can’t, for one reason or another. And so, until next time,

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Godspeed, and Good Luck!

The Catholic University of America: The Groups

26 Thursday Apr 2012

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Here at CUA, I have been blessed to take part in many different activities, and be a part of many different organizations.  These organizations have all been a part of my family  It is because of the members that I have stayed in all these different groups.

I will be completly honest.  I almost left Esto Vir after my freshman year, thinking it wasn’t for me because I had my issues with the leadership, and thought everyone who was in charge was like that.  What kept me?  People like Ryan Gebhart (even though I didn’t know him that well at the time) or Chris Anderson.  People like Jimmy Kimmel and and Kieran Kelly.  People who had truly become something that we all strive for, and something that Esto Vir is based on:  Brotherhood.  It is these because of these friends, nay, these brothers that I stayed in Esto Vir.

My Brothers in Esto Vir carrying me through the ropes course on a brotherhood weekend.

The Knights of Columbus, on the other hand, doesn’t strive for brotherhood, but fraternity.  It is with the knights as well that I found brothers.  People like Drew, and Alex.  People like Tim and Ryan.  Father Frank has always been there when needed (Thanks again for that ride home from Providence Father!)  People like Tim and Brett, like Victor, Ajani, and Andrew.  It was with these great group of guys that I was able to liturgy-geek it out all the time.

These Groups have also been found in other places.  It was through RENEW that I became great friends with a great group of people.  Steve, Bridget, Nora, Marley, Kathleen, and (the ever occasional) Joe and Conor.  It was with you all that I grew deeper in my faith, that I really started to expand my eyes and insight into the Gospel (when we actually read it) outside of my own small understanding.

Last, but certanitly not least, out of all  the groups I have been a part of here at Catholic, World Youth Day has certainly been one of the best.  It was an ecclectic group of people, and everyone there clearly knew a few people, but not everyone, and we all turned into one big family through all of the trials we were put through, from our first flight being cancelled, to loosing our bags at JFK, and having to wear the same clothes, to the long days and hot nights of Madrid, we all got to know each other very well.   I became great friends with some great people that trip, and being thrust back into CUA without the same people that I was living with for the past 2 weeks was rather weird.

Some of the group outside of the Prado, in Madrid

It is with these great groups that I developed my family, grew into great relationships, and will certainly miss every day I am not here.

The Catholic University of America: The Shrine

24 Tuesday Apr 2012

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In 1909, Bishop Thomas Shahan, the Fourth Rector of The Catholic University of America, applied for Permission to Pope Pius X to build a National Shrine to the Blessed Mother…

In 1921, Bishop Shahan received a letter from a woman named Mary Downs…

In 1932, the first chapel dedicated outside of the Crypt Church, the Chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes, was dedicated…

Above the east doors is a mosaic depicting Creation.  In the center is the hand of God, below the hand of God Adam and Eve, and below Adam and Eve is a mound of dirt.  Within the mound of dirt is a 21-week old baby in it’s mother’s womb…

These statues are of saints that are  known here as the nobody saints, and they remind us that we all have a chance…

You may be asking yourself, “What do all these statements have in common?”  Well, they are all various different statements about the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.   Mary’s House has really become a second home to me throughout my four years there.  Whether the Sisters, or Fr. W or Fr. B, or the Rector.  I have stayed overnight there, I have helped there through thick and thin, and will truly miss it.  I will grieve over moving away from this family.  The office has been amazing, even during all of the trials.  I will miss giving tours, sharing this beautiful building with the rest of the world.  These statements have all, in fact, come from various parts of the tour!

Most of all, I will miss the part that truly has been the physical “house”.  The sanctuary.  The Sacristy.  The liturgy office.  It is this part where I feel that I truly felt at home.  It is in the sanctuary where I served God through the Mass, the sacristy where I spent time with the Sisters, who have become like second, third, fourth, and fifth mothers to me, and the liturgy office where I learned that I do not know how to say no.

The Shrine has been like a family to me, and it is a family that I will miss.

The Catholic University of America: The People

23 Monday Apr 2012

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My good friend, and classmate, Kieran, wrote a post on why he loves CUA.  I thought it to be a very fitting post as we both are coming to the end of our undergraduate careers here at CUA, and then being propelled in to bigger and better things and places, all because of what we learned here at CUA.

So, why do I love CUA?  There are many different reasons.  It not only has been place of residence for the past four years, it truly has been my home.  I have grown here more then I ever dreamed possible.  I have learned who I really am.  I have never once feared returning g to CUA.  In fact, I looked forward to returning to CUA after every break.

The Catholic University has become my home for many different reasons.  First off, CUA has amazing people, amazing groups, amazing offices, and an amazing Church right next door! (In  fact, I’m writing this by hand in  that amazing church!  Why am I writing this down?  I know not, but I digress…)

Lets start with some people.  I got to know my friends, people who I really do think I will be friends with for the rest of my life here at CUA.  People like Drew, and Kieran.  People like Chris, Chris, Ryan and Jimmy.  People like Tim, Ryan, and Zachary.  People like Frs. Frank, Vito, and Weston.  People like the Sisters.  These are all people who have influenced my life in a huge way.  I would  not be the person I am today without them.    I met them all in different places, through different things, at different times.  Whether at Freshman retreat under Bertha, or Esto Vir or Knights of Columbus, or even the Basilica, I am extremely grateful for the chances that I got here.

From Bertha, to Morality Pie, to Goffart, I will miss my home away from home.  I will miss all these fun times we have had together, but I will never forget.

The Bells of Brookland

21 Tuesday Feb 2012

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In 1921, a student by the name of Anna M. du Brul penned a poem about life in Brookland, and how it is run by the bells.  I came across this poem while writing my Senior Thesis, and recently ran across it again.  I thought it would provide a nice reflection this day before Lent.

The Bells of Brookland

When dewdrops glisten in each flower
O’er earth the sun holds sway.
It is the Angel’s glad reveille
The birds are on the wing;
God gives us yet another day,
The Bells of Brookland ring.
 
And then again at high noon hour
They bid us stop to pray,
To thank God has His blessings shower
Upon us through westay.
O Come adore, twas at mid-day
They crucified the King,
And bend thy knee to homage pay,
The Bells of Brookland ring.
 
At eventide all wee things cower
Each deepening sunset ray
Reflects the Great Creator’s power
Brings rest from work and play.
The Angelus once more today,
And now ‘tis evening
And “De profundis, Domine”
The Bells of Brookland ring.
 
O monks, who mark the day
By Aves as you sing,
Reminders of His service may
The Bells of Brookland ring