One of my fellow RCIA classmates asked me what my first positive response to anything catholic was, and for some reason i couldn't think of one. Then on the way home my ipod played Harry Connick Jr.'s rendition of Ave Maria. As usual my heart swelled, i had goosebumps, and was on the brink of bein' all teary eyed. Something about that song gets to me everytime. It's not just Harry's suave voice, nor his immaculate talent, this happens with every version of the song i have ever heard.

Later in the week i visited a site my friend recommended and found some clips of an octet singing in polyphony... i think... if i understand it correctly. They apparently are called Farther Along.

Biebls' Ave Maria



Palestrina's Sanctus et Benedictus



Amours, Partes

You could consider rummaging through people's homes and typing up lists of their nick nacks, furniture, and three week old groceries as what i've been up to as of last time i posted here, but enough about my work. While this job may take up the majority of my day, what happens at home may be much more intriguing.

Recently i joined the RCIA program (that is the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) at my local parish St. Catherine of Siena. Where i don't really learn anything new, but it's great to talk to other people that come from different backgrounds that are finding out exactly what Catholicism is. The majority of the class is made up of couples, one person joining because of the other. I talked for a while with one guy who has come from many denominations trying to find truth only to find out, in his thirties and with a family, that non of them square with the Church Fathers or the Apostles for that matter.

I think the hardest teaching to accept for myself has been the veneration of Mary and the Saints, not because i didn't think it was Scriptural or warranted, i had already read arguments that showed otherwise, but because it has not been part of my culture, if you will. So much so that i felt uncomfortable in the store where i bought my rosary. Even the idea of wearing a simple cross or having pictures of Jesus or Mary or even any Saint was frowned upon by family and friends as idolatrous. It took me several attempts to even walk into the store.

Daily mass is a great way to start any day. 7:00 am and still waking up, reflecting on what could have been better the day before, giving up that extra hour of sleep. I feel so guilty when i don't make it to daily mass.

When i'm not at the Church i spend a lot of time with Brittany, the girl i've been seeing for the past year and a half (almost). Mostly playing with her cat Groucho, who i named after Groucho Marx. Cat's go nuts for laser pointers, and this one actually plays fetch with little plastic jingly balls. Anyone else have a cat that plays fetch? Brittany isn't Catholic. She comes from a Baptist family and while changing her religion isn't a priority for her, she enjoys listening to what i've learned over the years and occasionally asks questions.

And if i'm not there, then i'm with Jeff, a hippie guitarist that i jam out with every now and again, oh and who i also live with. I say it like that because, really, i just sleep, change, and jam out there. It's not much of a place to live, but it's a roof and very cheap.