Last Tuesday I had the chance to work at one of our more unique ministries: the bakery. On the Rise Bakery opened in 2009 as an extension of the R.O.P.E. program - sponsored by the Capuchin Soup Kitchen in Detroit. The program provides a place for men, coming out of prison, to deal with issues of substance abuse, anger management, and the life skills to succeed in the world.

For my Intro to Communications class at SXU, I was asked to team with another classmate and conduct a test of nonverbal reaction to a specific event. The experiment was simple. In a semi-controlled setting, use one or more nonverbal expressions and record the reactions of the sample. The project was an introductory look at doing field research as well as preparing the documentation.

My partner and I thought about what to do an experiment on. One group did theirs on eating chips in a "quiet area" of the school, another did theirs on body positioning in an elevator. After brainstorming ideas for a bit, we came to the obvious decision: reactions of students when I wear my habit to school.

What follows is the form, experiment, and findings of one friar's experience of wearing a religious habit to a Catholic university.

For years, Mozilla has worked to provide free and open access on the Web for people around the globe. Even as a non-profit organization, the Mozilla Project (as they call themselves) has provided sound applications without cost to the users - most notably the Firefox web browser.

 In a field where competition and profit-making are so prevalent, how is Mozilla able to operate and compete with other developers? While reading The Mozilla Manifesto, it's clear that their focus is not on making money, but allowing open access to the Web for all:

This week marks the release of the new blog site for the Capuchin Franciscans of St. Joseph province. For the past few months I've worked with our Vocations Director  Fr. Bill Hugo, OFM Cap. on a social media project to help build a web presence for the Province while also providing more information, experiences, and events. The overall goal: to allow everyone to get a better glimpse about our Order, how we live, and how we live out our Franciscan charism.

The site isn't 100% complete, but in true Capuchin fashion, we're learning as we're developing.

In the wake of the Blogmeet that took place on May 2 in Rome, there have been several areas to reflect and pray on when incorporating the blogosphere into the Catholic faith. The meeting touched on some very important points, however there is further encouragement to look at areas of growth for this type of ministry. As a friar in formation with the Capuchins, I have a list of important thoughts when it comes to blogging about the Church.

While not able to attend the meeting this year, I've still had the opportunity to look at a lot of the information and discussion that took place during the May 2nd meeting.

The Ironic Catholic Blog has a beautiful write-up about the events from Monday, and Rome Reports News Agency sent me the piece they put together for the event.

Sometimes the life of a religious friar means that you have to turn down great opportunities, even when they come from Rome. 

I was invited to the Bloggers Conference on May 2, a gathering of 150 bloggers to discuss the Church and evangelization in the blogosphere. And while I was selected to attend this very important meeting, I regretfully had to pass. There's still a sinking feeling in my stomach about missing the opportunity, but I am proud to have been considered. And while I won't be able to attend, it's another lesson in what it means to be a friar.

While its hard to find time to blog these days, especially with the end of classes coming soon, it's not because I've stopped focusing on web development. In actuality, I've built several websites since January, both for school and others. Here's a look at some of the projects I've worked on, as well as a rumor about an upcoming blog for the St. Joseph province of Capuchin Franciscans.

"Hey, aren't you the friar guy?"

This was the question posed to me while walking the halls at college. I continue to wear my habit to SXU on Fridays and while most students just look and stare, others are beginning to ask questions about it.

Perhaps what surprised me the most about this encounter was the he approached me on a day when I wasn't wearing my habit.

Most people have already heard that on May 3, Starbucks will offer a Trenta size 31 ounce cup for coffee. The human stomach only holds 900mL; the Trenta will max it out at 917mL. But what you probably didn't know is that there are other horrible things for your body, too.

While searching through alternet.org for a homework assignment, I stumbled on to an article: 5 Ridiculous Fast Food Creations That Should Never Have Been Invented.

I don't eat the healthiest...any of my brothers can tell you that. But looking at some of these food choices makes me wonder if we hate our bodies so much that we're willing to buy into some of these outrageous food choices.

Maybe I'll just eat a banana for lunch.

Enjoy the article!

www.alternet.org article

As people continue to explore the sacred nature of technology, a recent iPhone app has made a lot of buzz in the news. The Confession App released last week claims to be the "perfect aid to every penitent." What is the Confession app exactly, and how can it benefit Catholics?

We'll take a look at exactly what the Confession app is...and more importantly what it isn't.

Around noon today, we were informed that the university would be closed until Thursday. 3PM was the expected time for the storm to hit, dropping an expected 24+ inches of snow on the city. Since then, I've steadily watched the snow build outside our friary window.