“When one loves, one does not calculate.”

Today is the feast day of St. Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face. I have always had a bit of a crush on the "Little Flower." St. Therese of Lisieux and I would have been perfect for each other. I don't mean to be flippant or sacrilegious. Look, I accept that she was a Carmelite nun and that I'm a seminarian. I accept that she is 115 years older than me. But there is some major chemistry between us. We both love Jesus. We both love to write. We both have incredible parents who cared enough to teach us the Catholic faith. We both speak French. Un peu. Sort of. St. Therese and her intercessions have made me a better man. That's incredibly attractive.

(J'aime St. Therese.)

My devotion to Therese began in first grade. I attended Shrine of the Little Flower grade school in Royal Oak, Michigan. Under her watchful gaze, I forged lifelong friendships with my classmates and with Jesus Christ. I heard romantic stories of Therese doing "little things with great love" and showering the earth with roses from Heaven after she passed into eternal life. What a beautifully accessible spirituality for a child! In third grade, the relics of St. Therese made its way to the Detroit-area. I remember the Knights of Columbus processing through the shrine with her earthly remains as faithful men and women from the around the world venerated this great saint. In fifth grade, we organized a can drive to renovate a statue of St. Therese that had fallen into disrepair (Michigan gives you a $0.10 deposit per can. Its awesome). As you can see, I grew up knowing more about St. Therese than any other saint. The more I learned about her, the more I loved her.

(The Shrine)

Therese remained with me as my faith matured. In college, I wrote my senior thesis about the connection between the "Little Way" adopted by St. Therese and Blessed Mother Theresa and the "dark night of the soul" experienced by both of these women. I won't bore you with too many details. St. Therese and Mother Theresa were small in stature and status. They possessed an insatiable love for Christ. How did they reconcile their physical and social minuteness with their passion for the Gospel? They performed the most mundane tasks with great love for Jesus. St. Therese writes about the love she sought to exhibit while folding laundry and patiently enduring the ramblings of a fellow Carmelite sister. Mother Theresa never sought the notoriety she received  I mean, her ministry began with taking the terminally ill off of the street and providing them with a roof, blanket, and meal during the last hours of their lives. I wanted to instill this spiritual simplicity in my students, many of whom were at square one in their faith journey. When we started a "house system" at St. Thomas More Catholic Academy, I named my house "The Manor of St. Therese of Lisieux." It is legitimate. We have a shield and mascot and everything. Like I said, Therese has been everywhere in my life.

(Go Eagles)

At Mass this morning, Fr. Oxley talked about the perceived friction or incongruence between the "Little Way" of St. Therese and the "masculine" spirituality that so many of us possess. He has a point. I want my faith to look something like this:

(President Reagan defending the American Way with a Velociraptor and an automatic weapon)

(Was that caption really necessary?)

(Well there's Jack, standing tough in the face of martyrdom at the Coliseum!)

As men, we want our faith to be BIG and LOUD and COURAGEOUS and LEGENDARY. I want to calculate the impact of my Christian witness. How many people will I reach? How many basilicas will I build? How many souls will I save? While waiting for an major opportunity to take a stand defending the Church's honor or loudly proclaiming the Gospel, we often miss the little chances to love Jesus. As I fantasize about jousting against Satan and storming the gates of Hell armed with a lightsaber and riding titanium Shadowfax, I can forget to wish a good morning to one of my brother seminarians or thank a professor for an enlightening lecture. This is why St. Therese is so important to me. She reminds me that 99.9% of my life will be spent loving God through small acts of faith, hope, and charity. Most of these will not be seen by others.  Therese is a "Doctor" of the Church. This means that the Church has recognized her for a significant theological contribution to the Catholic faith. The Little Flower's contribution encourages us to LOVE 24/7/365. We are to love and praise God without ceasing. You have the opportunity to do that on your lunch break. You have the opportunity to do that while brushing your teeth. You have the opportunity to do that during happy hour. You have the opportunity to do that now. 

St. Therese is the patron saint of missionaries. Please continue to remember my brother Tom in your prayers as he continues his ministry in South Sudan. You can read his latest blog post riiiiight here. 

Putting the "Creative" in Creative Minority

I would say that normally it is the creative minorities that determine the future, and in this sense the Catholic Church must see itself as a creative minority. -Pope Benedict XVI 

Man, I love Papa Beni. "Hey Jack, what is he talking about?" Pope Benedict is referring to the Catholic Christian's role in the New Evangelization. If you are a follower of Christ, you are rapidly becoming a minority in a rapidly secularizing world. Take Europe for example. The continent once synonymous with "Christendom" is chock full of nominal Christians. They are good people who make delicious beer, design beautiful sports cars, and interrupt sporting events with great hilarity (do yourself a favor and look up "Jungle Bird US Open" on YouTube), but they are failing miserably in living their faith (nota bene: we all, myself more than others, fail to accept Jesus' Great Commission to spread the Gospel. This is not a judgment on our brothers and sisters, but a very real observation.). Catholicism is becoming more of a heritage. The faith is treasured during baptisms, weddings, first communions, and national feast days, but is disregarded in daily life. Enter this guy:   

(I Love My German Shepherd.)

Pope Benedict XVI reminds us that it is our obligation to confront this growing tide of relativism, secularism, cynicism, and straight-up apathy. But our methods must do our righteous intentions justice. As disciples and missionaries, if we are not culturally relevant, we will be culturally disregarded. I once heard a great story at Marquette about the Jesuits' first attempts to bring Christianity to China. This story may or may not be true, but it proves a point. The Jebbies built a chapel which featured an image of St. Michael slaying Satan, personified in the image of a dragon. GREAT image for Europeans. TERRIBLE image for the Chinese. You see, the dragon was a symbol of the emperor. The Jesuit missionaries were roundly criticized for their picture of a pale-faced angel stabbing the Chinese ruler.

(Badass Picture + Right Intention / Wrong Vehicle = Epic Missionary Fail)

The Jesuits learned from their mistake. They became a creative minority. Matteo Ricci traded in his cassock for the robes of a Chinese scholar and instantly commanded more respect from his pupils. It is important to note that while he changed his clothes, he did not change his convictions.

(You're rocking those scholarly robes, Matteo.)

Where does leave us? How can we engage the culture? Mad Men yourself:

(I did.)

The show's protagonist Don Draper is an amazing marketer. His genius is shown as he makes an advertising pitch to Kodak for their Carousel slide projector product. Check it out:

Smooth. But if you're like me, you are not nearly as articulate as Don Draper and his isms. Here's the great thing. We're not advertising for jai lai or Lucky Strike cigarettes. We are exclaiming the Truth! We are proclaiming Christ crucified, as Paul writes in 1 Cor. 1:23. St. Paul goes on to say that our faith in our crucified Lord (and even the life given to us through His Resurrection) is a stumbling block to Jews and a foolishness to Gentiles. The faith is constantly mocked and ridiculed. Just turn on your TV. So its clear that our message isn't always easy to preach, especially when "the harvest is plenty and the laborers are few." This is where the creativity comes in. Let me give you some examples of how different groups have marketed the truths of our faith.

1. Theology on Tap: This is an amazingly simple, yet effective concept. I participated in ToT sessions with a young adult group at St. Monica's parish in Milwaukee. The same group also sponsored a "Church Crawl" (church tours interspersed with drinks and food at local watering holes). There is an enormous appetite among young adults to discuss and debate values and religion in the pursuit of Truth. There is also an enormous appetite for socializing over beer(s). Throw in a dynamic, articulate priest and...ta-da! Instant evangelization!

2. Theology of the Body: Blessed Pope John Paul II wrote and spoke extensively on the divine beauty and wonder inherent in human sexuality. Sexual expression has been hijacked. Author and speaker Christopher West wants to right the ship. He has done an amazing job of making these teachings accessible to Catholics in the United States. No theology degree required. Along with the band Mike Mangione and the Union, West expresses the Church's liberating teachings on marriage and sexuality. He is helping Catholics "bring sexy back" by reclaiming a genuine understanding of God's gift of sex and how human beings participate in the very life of God through the marital act. Our society is sorely in need of this kind of evangelization.

3. 1flesh.org: Is it edgy? Mmhmm. Is it attention-grabbing? 10-4. Effective? Yup. Remember what I said about engaging the culture. While we never want to twist the pure to profane, it is important that we capture attention. 1flesh.org, created by the same Franciscan University student who writes at the blog Bad Catholic, thinks within the heart and mind of the Church. This website is designed to appeal to young couples using or thinking about using contraceptives inside and outside of marriage. Contraception is widespread, but the Church teaches that it denies the full expression of love between spouses. Most people have not thought of this. Most people wouldn't expect to find a really cool graphic with an amazing quote from Gandhi decrying the use of contraceptives. The website has taken knocks from some for being too "in-your-face." Let it be known that 1flesh does not sugar coat the Truth, but it cuts straight to the myths and dangers of contraception, points that are often overlooked by a culture lacking a clear moral compass.

4. Bakin' it to the Streets: My cousin Nick and his wife Carina are amazing parents. Do Carina a favor and boost her numbers by reading her blog, A Punk, a Pumkin, and a Peanut (click the "Reaching Out" tab to read more about Bakin' it to the Streets). You will not be disappointed in reading about her adventures in adoption, raising three boys, the culinary arts, and the faith of Jesus Christ. Carina came up with Bakin' it to the Streets after reflecting upon what she could do to share the love of Christ with the homeless and hungry of Seattle. So, she and her boys bake assorted goods, make lunches, and drive around the city providing food and fellowship for those hungry for physical and spiritual sustenance. What an amazing witness to the men and women they meet! What an amazing witness Carina gives to her children! I cannot begin to tell you about the beautiful simplicity in this idea. Anyone can do it. I was fortunate to Bake it to the Streets with my middle school students last year. It was an amazing experience. They will know we are Christians by our love. 

I challenge you to use these ideas to give witness to your faith. Creativity is necessary for the New Evangelization, but you do not have to reinvent wheel. Maybe these examples will help you develop your own methods of Evangelization. If so, great! Allow me to offer four simple steps to follow as you put the creative in creative minority. Remember "POET," or, if you prefer, "Penguins Operate Extreme Tanks."

(I can't believe I actually found a picture for this acronym. "Penguins Conquer All.")

P-Pray (Ask the Lord to help you make Him known, loved, and served through the use of your gifts.)

O-Organize (Invite some friends to join you. It is always more fun to minister as a group. Remember, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Make preparations. Communicate. Advertise your events.)

E-Execute (If it is worth doing, it is worth doing well. Be the face of Christ for others.)

T-Thank (Thank the Lord for His blessings and for the people you encountered. Thank God for sending His Spirit among us. Thank God for shedding light on those who may be in the darkness.)

Get out there, good Christians. Preach Jesus always. Be creative. Have fun. Use words if necessary. Let me sweeten the pot a little. I want you to post an idea for evangelization in the comments section. The best idea wins a gift of your choice from our Benedictine friends at Mystic Monk Coffee in Wyoming. This stuff is amazing! 

"Love Is...": Watching Rom-Coms with the Church

I hate admitting this, but you have been so kind to read my blog. Yeah, I watch chick flicks. Sometimes. Don't get me wrong, I prefer other genres. But every now and then, I'll catch myself watching "Just Friends" or "(500) Days of Summer" on Netflix. So maybe I'm more of a romantic comedy guy. My ACE roommates will tell you that I would often sit in the living room pretending to do my schoolwork while Mary, Lindsey, LeAnn, and Alyssa laughed (and cried) while watching "The Vow."  I didn't. I promise.

(Bravissimo)

Before you take my man card, let me explain myself. What is the appeal of these movies? As men and women, we are made from and for love. Created in the image and likeness of Love Incarnate, we can be certain that where love is, there also is the Lord. Seminarian disclaimer: there are indeed false understandings of love in a lot of these movies. Now that is off my chest, I can confidently say that the sappiest lines in these chick flicks reveal a greater truth. Through all the hijinks and missteps throughout the movies, the part that we really tune in for is the moment when one of the characters romantically, eloquently, awkwardly, and truly reveals his/her love for the other. Some examples:

• "I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible." When Harry Met Sally

• "The fame thing isn't really real, you know. And don't forget, I'm also just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her." Notting Hill

• "I love you. You complete me. And I just..." "Shut up, just shut up. You had me at 'hello.'" Jerry Maguire 

• "Our love is like the wind: I can’t see it, but I sure can feel it." A Walk to Remember

• "Take love, multiply it by infinity and take it to the depths of forever… And you still have only a glimpse of how I feel for you." Meet Joe Black

There is something historical, even Christian about these lines like these. No, I'm serious. Here, look:  

• "And what is a kiss, specifically? A pledge properly sealed, a promise seasoned to taste, a vow stamped with the immediacy of a lip, a rosy circle drawn around the verb 'to love.' A kiss is a message too intimate for the ear, infinity captured in the bee's brief visit to a flower, secular communication with an aftertaste of heaven, the pulse rising from the heart to utter its name on a lover's lip: 'Forever.'"  Cyrano de Bergerac

• "Come what sorrow can, it can not countervail the exchange the joy, that one short minute gives me in her sight." Romeo and Juliet

• "Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, love is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails." 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

• "Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you. You called, you shouted and you shattered my deafness." St. Augustine

Could you imagine the camera slowly zooming into Augustine's tearful face as he stands on a foggy train platform in front of a blonde (also crying) and says, "...and you shattered my deafness"? I can! Only...he was saying this to Jesus, who's unfathomable and inescapable love turned a sinner into a saint. We watch the movies and swoon over these lines because they appeal to our nature. They reflect our desire to love and be loved.

(An accurate summary of how St. Theresa of Avila felt about Christ )

I have mentioned the marital language used to describe a relationship between a priest and the Church. The seminary is a time for me to date the Bride of Christ. The beginning of a relationship is always thrilling. You meet someone special and, all of a sudden, you are willing to make just about any sort of excuse to spend time with her. I don't particularly enjoy coffee, rom-coms, and reading twenty text messages a day. Yet its funny how quickly I forget this when I start dating someone. 

Beginning seminary has been similar to the start of a relationship. Its exciting, awkward, and a little nerve-racking. This must mean that I have found someone special. My first dates with the Church have included waking up very (VERY) early in the morning to read the Word of God and attend Mass, adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, spending time at Her House with Her Mother (aka praying the Rosary in the chapel), listening to Her beautiful and liberating teachings, and talking to Her about EVERYTHING in the Sacrament of Confession (if you haven't gone to Reconciliation in a while, just go!).

Here is my point: there is a Christian connection between the genuine expressions of love quoted in chick flicks, the "butterfly-in-the-stomach" feeling we get when we begin a relationship with someone special, and love of Christ that surrounds us. Jesus' love for us is scandalous. What does that mean? I don't mean scandalous in a bad way. His love is so deep and complete that it overwhelms us. It offends our sensibilities that someone so perfect could love someone so imperfect. In short, we don't deserve it, but it is given to us anyway. Without reservation. It is scandalous that an image like this is appropriate for our churches and homes:

(Ecce, Agnus Dei)

Look at it for a second. That is a lamb. A cute lamb. Bleeding...into a cup? This is the scandal that I am talking about. Its almost cheesy, like one of those movie lines, right? Jesus loves us so much that He offers His very Body and Blood to us in the Holy Eucharist. He so desires to be with us that He scandalously allows us to literally consume Him.

I am falling in love with Christ right now. Am I positive that I am called to be a priest? No. While I am discerning the priesthood, I am also listening carefully to see if Jesus wants me to be a husband and father. That is what this process is all about. The refinement that is taking place within me leads to a win-win situation. I believe God has blessed me with gifts to be good at either vocation. God will make it clearer as I deepen my relationship with Him. If I make my prayers as romantic as the lines from chick flicks, if I make excuses to spend as much time with Him as I possibly can, then I will be molded into a better father, regardless of whether I am a priest or husband. Undoubtedly. 

(Fashioning my heart after His)

On the topic of dates, check out my brother Tom's blog: http://thomasrkelly13.weebly.com/blog.html

Tom took the Brothers and Sisters Kelly on "dates" this past week. He leaves for South Sudan this weekend. Tom will be spreading the Gospel by teaching with the Salesian Lay Missionaries for two years. I will miss him, but I am incredibly proud of my best friend. Please pray for him.

On Angels, Addictions, Jesus, and True Love Songs

I am a radio channel surfer. Honestly, its the only way I come across good music. I was driving my brother Robert (the Bruce) to soccer practice the other day, and this song came on:

(You need to play it for any of this to make sense.)

Beautiful. Maybe you have heard it. The song called "The A Team" by Ed Sheeran. I immediately started listening to the lyrics, a habit I only revert to when the song strikes my fancy. It hit me by the second verse. "Whoa. This song is about a prostitute who sells herself to pay for illegal drugs." Could I really like this song as much as I did? I felt a bit guilty singing along. I decided to pray about it...

As I pondered the lyrics, I realized that I heard them before in an unlikely place: the Holy Mass. More specifically, during the Proclamation of the Gospel. Follow along:

"Cause we're just under the upper hand..."

(Matthew Collecting Taxes for the Romans)

"...go mad for a couple grams..."

(The Gerasene Demoniac)

"...and she don't wanna go outside tonight..."

(The Samaritan Woman at the Well)

"...and in a pipe she flies to the motherland or sells love to another man..."

(Mary Magdalene Anoints Jesus' Feet)

"...its too cold outside for angels to fly."

(The Woman Caught in Adultery)

Mr. Sheeran masterfully sings about how the "worst things in life come free to us." Ladies and gentlemen, sin is attractive, pleasurable, and all-too-easy to commit. But it is not without consequences. Like the young woman in the song, sin completely wears us down, leaving us desolate and miserable. Worst of all, it is addictive. 

Sin affects all of us. Failure is one of the few things each unique woman and man has in common. Yet, we are so prone to judge others for it. Too often, we define are neighbors by their imperfections: "greedy," "alcoholic," "homeless," "fat," "slut" (to name a few). I'm guilty of this hundreds of times over. Our brother's and sister's misfortunes are easy to joke about. Take the "top ranked" comment on YouTube for this video: "Hello and welcome to Ed Sheeran presents: Crack Whore - The Musical!" Here's where the commentator is wrong: Ed never once called the subject of his song a "crack whore." I seem to remember him describing her as an angel. Ed's philanthropy reaches out to prostitutes and addicts. The song reflects on an encounter he had with a woman he met in a shelter.

This is a true love song. It is the same song Christ sang to Matthew, Peter, Zacchaeus, Mary Magdalene, you and me. Ed, like Jesus, takes tragedy caused from sin and weaves it into a beautiful melody. Suddenly, by looking through Christ's eyes, we see the dignity of this "angel." You see, we cannot love our neighbor while equating them with their sin. Imagine the song playing in our Lord's mind as He hung between Heaven and Earth for the very men who mocked, spat on, and struck Him.

What love songs are you writing for the suffering you encounter? Marquette friends, what is the melody you compose for the poor you see on your way to class? ACE DC friends, what are the lyrics  you write for the students who drive you absolutely crazy before they return to a broken home? Brother seminarians, what is the tune in our hearts when we encounter those who ridicule the Church? I pray that we can sing as wonderfully as our Lord and Ed Sheeran. 

Put Out into the Deep...Becoming a Renaissance Priest

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Praised be Jesus Christ! I promised many of you that I would keep you updated on my journey in the seminary. I hope this blog serves as a forum for musings and prayer. It is good, as Christian pilgrims, to share our experiences with one another. I want to thank you in advance for your continued prayers. Know of mine for you!

So what is this all about? Jack Kelly? A Priest? Believe me, this question is the first thing that crosses my mind in the morning (and has been for the past eight months). This Saturday, I begin to   answer this question as my official formation begins at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus.

The motto of the Josephinum (aka "Brosephinum" aka "the Josh") is Forming Renaissance Priests for the New Evangelization. I like this. I like it a lot. In short, a Catholic renewal begins with well-rounded men willing to give themselves completely to the service of Jesus Christ, the Church, and the people of God. Faith is infectious. Take the guy shaving. Blessed Pope John Paul II was the quintessential "renaissance priest." I speak for many seminarians in my generation when I claim JPII as the model and motivation for my discernment of the priesthood. Karol was an athlete, thespian, academic, and artist. As Bishop of Rome, the Renaissance City (yeah Florence, I said it), he used the world as his palette and the Word of God as his paint brush. He conducted a masterful, charismatic symphony of evangelization and charity. I desire to be a "Renaissance Priest" following his example. The holistic formation offered by PCJ represents an incredible opportunity. I am so ready to get started. 

Seminary formation is not a time for "discovery." A man should know who he is and what he wants to be when he begins formation. Rather, this is a time for refinement. The Renaissance master Michelangelo once remarked: "I saw an angel in the marble and carved until I set him free." I am entering the seminary because I see a priest within myself. More importantly, God sees a priest within me. Here is the great thing...Jesus is the sculptor! Its like the Lord says to the Prophet Jeremiah: "Indeed, like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, house of Israel" (Jer. 18:6)." While Christ chips away at the things I do not need, I have a role to play as well. I become supple through my prayer, studies, and pastoral work. It is comforting to know that I am called to cooperate with the Master Artist.

So what is this all about? Why become a diocesan priest? Didn't you go to Jesuit schools for eight years? Isn't your Confirmation name Ignatius? I love the Society of Jesus. I really love St. Ignatius. That said, I was attracted to the charism of the diocesan priesthood. I have always been a family man (see below). The diocesan priest has the unique opportunity to build a family as he builds a parish. There is a reason we call priests "Father." As my prayer and discussions with my spiritual director progressed, I learned that my natural desire to be a husband was not eliminated in the priesthood, but REALIZED in the priesthood. Think about it. A priest (masculine) is wed to the Church (feminine). Literally. The Eucharist, bread nourished in the womb of the Church, is given life by the words of consecration whispered by the priest. This is the ultimate act of procreation. Really romantic, but entirely true. Parish priests are with families throughout their lives: from Baptism to First Communion, from Matrimony to the funeral rite. When I was teaching in DC, I witnessed the difficulties families went through when Jesus was not invited into the home. A Renaissance Priest can affect change in a family's relationship with God.

So what is this all about? Why Toledo? Toledo is on the verge of a renaissance. Perhaps it has already begun. Those of you from Detroit, Milwaukee, or Pittsburgh have seen the decline in industry, population, and hope. Do not let your hearts be troubled, ye dwellers of the Rust Belt! Your cities are not going anywhere...except up! A strong city needs a vibrant faith life. Christ is calling me to minister to the city that was the cradle of my family. I have a fierce loyalty to all things Toledo. I love glass,  corn, Jeeps, Packo's, the Mud Hens, St. John's Jesuit, Schoens, and the good people of this diocese. God is calling me to "be strong for (Holy) Toledo." I love the opportunity God has given me to be a part of this town's resurgence. 

When Jesus called His first disciples (the first priests), He asked them to "put out into the deeper water." Deep water is unknown, mysterious, and sometimes dangerous. Notice what Peter says to Christ in the very next line: "Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets" (Lk. 5:5). Like Peter, I was quite comfortable when the water was up to my knees. Fishing from the shore is much easier than casting nets into the middle of the sea. Am I entering seminary without doubt, hesitancy, or even a little fear? No way! But there is something comforting in Jesus' invitation. It is my prayer that my trust in Christ fashion me into a fisher of men.

It is with great confidence (and humility) that I offer God the words of Our Blessed Mother found in today's Gospel: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for He has looked with favor on His lowly servant."

This is what it is all about.