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Before going to bed, I typically check the weather forecast and radar image for the next day. Tonight I noticed the National Weather Service has radically improved the radar display (especially for the 'maps in motion' radar) on their website. It's worth a look - I like this radar much better than the Weather.com or AccuWeather.com radars, which are both full of ads and are sometimes too small.

But, you ask, "Why is he posting something about weather radar?" Well, let's just say I'm crazy about the weather, and I love checking up on what's happening in the atmosphere! (I'm even enrolled in a meteorology class this semester). Storms, clouds, the sun, the rain—all these weather-related things help to show the power and glory of God (in my humble opinion!).

Picture of exposition during 40 Hours at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary

This weekend, we have been participating in the 40 hours devotion at the Seminary. The Eucharist is exposed for 40 hours throughout the weekend (day and night), and reposed during Masses. In the United States, the 40 Hours Devotion has an interesting history:

"The first to hold [40 hours] devotions with any degree of regularity was Bishop John Nepomucene Neumann of Philadelphia. In 1857 Archbishop Patrick F. Kenrick obtained from Pius IX the modifications which are in use in the United States. A plenary indulgence is granted to all persons who, being truly contrite and having received the Sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist, visit a church in which the exposition is held on one of the three days and pray there for the intentions of the Holy Father."

I was emailed this news story this morning. Perhaps I should visit Vatican Radio with my cassock and surplice on, and see if they do the same for me (then I could listen to the Vatican Radio podcast on the iPod)!

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- A group of Vatican Radio employees gave Pope Benedict XVI a brand new iPod nano loaded with special Vatican Radio programming and classical music.

(Read more...)

I'm sure you don't need a reminder... but I thought I'd offer some encouragement.

Lent is a time of renewal, and a time during which many graces are poured out upon those souls who are open to them. The sacrifices and 'giving up' of something are not to be understood in a negative light—rather, you are giving praise to God and showing him that you are His. Lent is a time for humility and prayer.

Try to spend a few minutes in prayer in your day that you would normally waste doing something insignificant. Say a decade of the rosary for the unborn or for another worthy cause. In all that you do, remember that Christ has died for us, and that we should strive to deepen our faith in Him through acts of charity, penance and prayer.

Lastly, remember these Lenten regulations for Catholics:

Last week, there was a partly cloudy day that offered a beautiful sky against which I shot a few pictures of the Seminary's tower with my digital camera. Using some techniques I've picked up on from Shutterbug magazine and other sources, I converted the image to sepia using Adobe Photoshop. I thought I'd share the image with you (it's one of my favorite pictures that I've ever taken!):

I think it is awesome to live in a beautiful building that is now more than seventy years old. Our Seminary's main chapel is also very picturesque, offering a simplicity that draws the eye immediately towards the sanctuary and Tabernacle. See pictures of it on my Seminary Website Pictures page.

As I promised earlier, I will tell you more about Couch Potatoes. I have posted pictures from Saturday Night's show (pictures taken by my father—thanks, Dad!), in addition to the ones from Friday night.

Every showing (one on Friday night, two on Saturday) had something new in store for the audience, and I liked it that way. Each night, the acts would have minor variations—not necessarily making them better or worse, but making them different. This made watching the show three times (or, in my case, listening—I was the sound mixer) enjoyable.