Cross Granted

H/T to Bill in Moscow


Over and over we take for granted.He came to show us the way.
The ultimate price to show us God's love.
Piercing, Stabbing, Thorns, Nails.
Oh, Lord what have I done to you.
Whipping, Bleeding, Battered, Falling.
I cry to see your shattered body.
To much to see, to much to bear.
Walking, Carrying, Weeping, Mocking.
You keep going.
Going on.
Please Lord, see my face, tears fall.
Hammer blows.
Sadness, Blood, Water, Death.
Mother holds. Accepts.

Book Meme

I have been Memed and I am overdue for a response to Anita. And btw, I think I have met this blogger. From her profile I glanced that she is a lawyer and she lived in Moscow, ID about the same time I went to school there. And I remember an Anita, who was a lawyer from St Augustine's in Moscow.
Temporary deviation from topic at hand: I want to try guest blogging so let me know if you'd be interested in posting on 50 Days After.
Back to the Meme...

1. One book that changed your life...
I know its cliche, and yes I know it is an anthology, but the Bible has changed my life drastically. I actually started reading it when I was in high school, because I was looking for cool quotes to use. I tried to use the author and He used me instead.

2. One book that you have read more than once...
I honestly have never read any book more than once.

3. One book you would want on a desert island...
War and Peace, cause it might be a looong time before help comes.

4. One book that made you laugh...
Father Joe

5. One book that made you cry...
I am not going to admit that any book made me cry, but The Jungle came close.

6. One book that you wish had been written...
Why My Opinion is Never Wrong :)

7. One book you wish had never been written...
Das Manifest

8. One book you are currently reading...
Utopia by St Thomas More

9. One book you've been meaning to read...
The Red Badge of Courage. I started to read it but I had to return it to the library and I have always wanted to finish it.

I tag anyone who wants to be tagged. And as another side note I woud like to share that it is -41 F here this morning.

Catholic College in Idaho?

I just found out today that Wyoming has a new Catholic College. I have wondered for some time why Idaho doesn't have a Catholic College and/or university. After all, if the least populated state in the union has enough support to have a Catholic College why don't we?
Montana has fewer people than Idaho, but they have TWO Catholic Colleges. A Catholic college near Moscow would be ideal since a college there could draw on the research and other academic infrastructure already in place at the University of Idaho and Washington State. Reciprocal agreements could allow Catholic students use of their libraries and there is the possiblity of taking some classes at UI or WSU.
Idaho has one of the top five fastest population growths in the US. With the recent explosion of people and business in the Treasure Valley it is more than possible to raise the appropriate support. Of course we only have one Catholic High School as well. I take that back, I know of two. Only one is approved by Bishop Driscoll. I understand that Summit Academy set itself up without his approval and I understand that that isn't cool. But with that said it still seems like Bishop Driscoll isn't very supportive of Catholic education in the diocese.
Boise is a missionary diocese and that's all the more reason to establish more Catholic education, to shine our light unto the rest of the state.

Another Catholic blogger meme

I got this meme from V for Victory

1. Do you attend the Traditional Latin Mass or the Novus Ordo? Usually the Novus Ordo

2. If you attend the TLM, how far do you drive to get there? About a block

3. If you had to apply a Catholic label to yourself, what would it be? Roman Catholic

4. Are you a comment junkie? I honestly don't comment as much as I used to.

5. Do you go back to read the comments on the blogs you’ve commented on? Yes, I am not one that always has to have the last word, but I like to add onto others's sentiments sometimes.

6. Have you ever left an anonymous comment on another blog? No, I would only do that if I was ashamed of what I put. If I am ashamed to put it though, its best to keep it to myself.

7. Which blogroll would you most like to be on? Definitely the Curt Jester

8. Which blog is the first one you check? Faith and Country then I usually check out Dominican Idaho or V for Victory

9. Have you met any other bloggers in person? I know a guy who used to have a blog, but alas I do not know any current bloggers. I'd like to meet the authors of Dominican Idaho, V for Victory and especially the Cavemen

10. What are you reading? Don't Tread on Me by H W Crocker III. He also wrote Triumph

Bonus Question! Has your site been banned by Spirit of Vatican II? If it has, who do you think Father Tim really is? I hadn't of the blog or its list of banned sites, but I am tempted to try for a banning.

I tag anyone who wants to be tagged.

Idaho Seminarians 07

Please pray for our Idaho Seminarians:


Noel Albiter
Bishop Treinen House of Discernment and Formation
804 North 9th Street
Boise, ID 83702

Bill Busz
Sacred Heart School of Theology
PO Box 61
Hales Corners, WI 53130
Pre-Theology II

Jose Guadalupe Calderon
Conception Seminary
P.O. Box 502
College II

Johnnatan Florez Carmona
La Ceja
Antioquia, Colombia,
College III

Francisco Conterares
Bishop Treinen House of Discernment and Formation
804 North 9th Street
Boise, ID 83702

Camilo Garcia
St. Augustine's Catholic Center
628 S. Deakin Ave.
Moscow, ID 83843
Internship

Jaime Gil
Pontifical North American College
00120 Vatican City State
Europe,
Theology I

Francisco Godinez
Mt. Angel Seminary
P.O. Box 512
St. Benedict, OR 97373
Theology I

Jose De Jesus Gonzalez
Our Lady of the Valley
1122 W. Linden
Caldwell, ID 83605
Internship

Juan Manual Guzman
Bishop Treinen House of Discernment and Formation
804 North 9th Street
Boise, ID 83702

Chase Hasenoehrl
Pontifical North American College
00120 Vatican City State
Europe
Theology I

Alberto Herrea
Sacred Heart School of Theology
P.O. Box 61
Hales Corners, WI 53130
E.S.L.

Jorge Moises Mac
Bishop Treinen House of Discernment and Formation
804 North 9th Street
Boise, ID 83702

Mariusz Majewski
Mt. Angel Seminary
Aquinas Hall # 216
St. Benedict, OR 97373
Theology III

Jose Luis Martinez
Bishop Treinen House
804 N. 9th St.
Boise, ID 83702
E.S.L.

Jeff Mattern
Mt. Angel Seminary
Subiaco Hall #5, One Abbey Dr.
St. Benedict, OR 97373

Brian May
Bishop Treinen House
804 N. 9th St.
Boise, ID 83702
Theology I

José Ramirez
Mt. Angel Seminary
P.O. Box 513
St. Benedict, OR 97373
Theology I

Miguel Ramos
Sacred Heart Seminary
P.O. Box 61
Hales Corners, WI 53130
E.S.L.

Saul Reyes
Mt. Angel Seminary
P.O Box 574
St. Benedict, OR 97373
Theology III

Cirilo Sanchez
Mt. Angel Seminary
P.O. Box 521
St. Benedict, OR 97373
College II

Marcos Sanchez
Bishop Treinen House
804 N. 9th St.
Boise, ID 83702
E.S.L.

Adrian Vazquez
Mt. Angel Seminary
P.O. Box 529
St. Benedict, OR 97373
Theology III

Julio Vicente
Pontifical North American College
00120 Vatican City State
Europe
Theology III

Eladio Vieyra
Holy Rosary Parish
145 9th St.
Idaho Falls, ID 83404
Internship

Thomas Wolter
The American College of Louvain
Naamesestraat 100
B-300 Leuven, Belguim
Theology I

Tom Wolter the Chaplain Candidate

I found this story on CatholicMil.org:

Wolter: Marine to Study for priesthood in Diocese, Military

For the first time, the Diocese of Boise is entering into an agreement with the United States Military Archdiocese to educate a man for priesthood who will eventually serve some time as a military chaplain.
Tom Wolter, a Marine helicopter pilot who recently served in Iraq and assisted with humanitarian aid in Liberia, will enroll at Mt. Angel Seminary, St. Benedict, Ore., in January as an Idaho seminarian.
"What the Military Archdiocese does to encourage priests to help out in the military is to offer a co-sponsorship for seminarians," said Wolter, son of George and Margarite Wolter, Sacred Heart Parish, Boise. "The Military Archdiocese helps out with the costs of seminary. Then upon ordination, the individual serves three years in the home diocese and then owes three years back in the military. At the end of that service, the bishop for vocations for the Military Archdiocese and the diocese of origin dialogue to decided where the greatest need is at the time. They develop a working relationship."
Wolter, who attended St. Mary's School, Boise, and graduated from Bishop Kelly High School, Boise, in 1991, attended a year at Gonzaga University, Spokane, and then went on to the U.S. Navel Academy. He graduated in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps. He went on to flight school and has served in a Marine squadron in North Carolina the last five years. He was deployed overseas twice. He has now resigned his commission and is with the Marine Corp Reserves.
While in North Carolina, he made up his mind to pursue priesthood. He contacted the Military Archdiocese and learned about the agreement that could be made with either a diocese or an order. Then he contacted Father Jairo Restrepo, Diocese of Boise vocation director, and Bishop Michael Driscoll.
"They supported everything I've done and encouraged me," he said. "Idaho is where I was raised, so I definitely wanted to come back here to work for our diocese. I've been with the military since 1992 and they have done a great deal for me over the years. I enjoythe lifestyle. I like their structure. I enjoy working with those serving in the military. They are very short on chaplains. Personally, I feel that I would like to return to the military for a time because I understand what those Marines go through and the military structure, and that would be very helpful for a chaplain.
It will take six and a half years for Wolter to complete his seminary training. After ordination, when he returns to the military after three years serving in the Diocese of lloise, he will go in as a Navy chaplain serving the Navy and Marines.
Woiters sees chaplains as a "necessity" is the military.
"Chaplains are much more that just a priest," he said. "They are there as 'force multipliers.' Chaplains offer an ability to assist and aid a commanding officer to be sure his Marines are being taken care of. The chaplains' work enables a unit to be closer and more effective. A good chaplain with a good commanding officer is what we call a 'force multiplier.' Chaplains are able to talk to individuals on a different plane than anyone else in the military. The chaplain can help military personnel work through their personal issues, problems and concerns in a different manner. That is why they are so important."

Tom has actually been a seminarian for a few years. He finished Pre-Theology at Mt Angel and he's now studying Theology at Louvein. He is also a Navy Ensign now, since all Marine Chaplains are actually Navy Chaplains attached to the Marine Corps. I knew him from my time as an Idaho Seminarian. He's a great guy and I look forward to his ordination.

St John the Evangelist Cathedral

Of course it would be wrong to show off Iceland's Cathedral without posting pictures the Cathedral in my home diocese, Boise. I had a good picture of the sanctuary, but I didn't like the Basque liturgical dancing in the picture.
This is St John the Evangelist Cathedral in Boise:

I have been told that the design was based on Notre Dame de Paris.

If the picture went a little more to the left you could see the Treinen House. Its a house of formation for seminarians, mostly for men who need to study English.

Capstone Missions blog

Capstone Missions, an organization based out of Idaho that donates money and labor to an orphanage in Tijuana, now has a blog up and running.
I first heard about them when St. Auggies organized an alternative spring break through these guys.

Caption Contest

The results are in for the latest Caption Contest over at Ironic Catholic. Its me and KaleJ. Btw, both of us are Idaho bloggers, at least I still consider myself an Idaho blogger even though I am stationed in Fairbanks.

Litany of the Vietnamese Martyrs

Dominican Idaho just posted a Litany of Vietnamese Martyrs along with a scanned copy of a letter from Bishop Michael Driscoll approving it for use in liturgy.
I thought it was neat that someone went to the trouble of putting together a litany for the growing Vietnamese population in Boise.
Holy Vietnamese Martyrs pray for the end of Communism in Vietnam and around the world.

Couer DAlene, II

I skipped last week, but I continue again this week.

Idaho is a large state with a quickly growing population. Both the size of land and the size of the population suggest its time for another diocese for the benefit of Idaho Catholics. Many places that are similar size or smaller have two or more dioceses, for instance Oregon has two and so does Montana. Montana is actually bigger but has fewer people.
If the Diocese of Baker, Oregon can be maintained, then it stands to reason that a Couer D'Alene Diocese can stand too. After all, it has very few people and surely with North Idaho's growth it will exceed the amount of Catholics in Baker.

New blog: Idaho Catholic

I discovered a brand new blog today called Idaho Catholic. Two of his total three posts so far are about the Diocese of Boise. I like his opinions and I highly recommend this budding new blog.

Coeur D'Alene Diocese

This is the first part of a series I am beginning. I will still post on other issues and my usual stuff but I will try to post once a week on different arguments for a second diocese in Idaho.


Idaho is a large state (larger than 37 others), but the faithful only have one bishop. He is in Boise, of course. Which means he must travel all over the state to try and meet the needs of his flock. This takes him to far away parts of the state in the east and north.
While Eastern Idaho has an interstate and other highways to facilitate his travel, Northern Idaho has only one highway connecting it to the rest of the state. There will never be another highway since on either side of the existing highway is federal wilderness land. The road is slow, often narrow and dangerous. It is a trip that can only be scheduled a few times a year, unless the diocese pays to constantly fly the bishop. Bishop Michael Driscoll is a good bishop but, to better meet the needs of the Catholic population in Idaho it would seem logical to have another diocese in Northern Idaho, based in Coeur D'Alene.
Couer D'Alene and the surrounding towns still inside Idaho comprise well over one hundred thousand people. Kootenai County's population density is only surpassed by Ada County (Boise), according to a population density map by the Census Bureau. Its a thriving city that is growing at an incredible rate (an estimated 14% since 2000) along with the surrounding towns.
Moreover, the counties of Northern Idaho (Idaho County and all counties north of it) have a very significant portion of Idaho's population. Idaho has 1.466 million people by the US Census's 2006 estimate and 307, 300 live in Northern Idaho according to that same estimate. That makes about 1 in 5 Idahoans.
A new bishropic will only become more probable and more needed as time goes on and the population of North Idaho swells.