Thoughts and opinions from a Priest in the PNCC
The Buffalo – Pittsburgh Diocese is hosting Convo 2024 with the Theme from 1 Corinthians 9:24 “Running the Race.” Convo 2024 will be held at Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pennsylvania from July 22nd through 26th.
You can find information and registration documents as well as other information below and at the Convo 2024 website.
What kind of
Amazing Grace?
Brothers and sisters: You have not approached that which could be touched and a blazing fire and gloomy darkness and storm and a trumpet blast and a voice speaking words such that those who heard begged that no message be further addressed to them. No, you have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and countless angels in festal gathering, and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven, and God the judge of all, and the spirits of the just made perfect, and Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and the sprinkled blood that speaks more eloquently than that of Abel.
The writer of the Letter to the Hebrews is asking his Jewish listeners to fully perceive the fork in the road they had come to.
The Children of Israel once stood at the foot of Mount Sinai as Moses ascended the mountain. The mountain was covered in cloud, with lightning, fire, and various terrors. The earth quaked, and the trumpet of heaven sounded The Law was given. The people stood in terror and covered their ears.
Facing God, the people understood their own limitations. They knew they were sinful and unworthy. Isaiah had a similar experience. In meeting God, Isaiah says: “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.” Isaiah didn’t know that he was such a bad guy and had a dirty mouth, but then he saw God in all His holiness. The instant he saw God’s holiness, he was aware of his own sinfulness. Even his smallest sin was terrifying.
God’s plan was that we should not live in fear and dread forever. Those moments, however, are instructive to us for we do not realize the extent of our sin before a holy God. The journey of Israel is meant to teach us the vast difference that Jesus has made. Thus the writer shows the Jewish people and us our choice. Do we chose to live back there, in fear and dread, under the Law, only recognizing that Amazing Grace has taught my heart to fear or instead that Amazing Grace my fears relieved.
God’s Law was His first offer of grace and His Son’s coming was the fulfillment of all grace. Jesus has changed all and now we stand in a new place. Yes, recognizing our utter lack of worthiness before the Father but also recognizing that when the Father looks at us He sees Jesus salvation. We stand in a new place, on Mount Zion.
We honor this day as Youth Sunday in our Church. We all face choices. Do I live in fear and dread every day of my life or do I live in joy and the glory of Zion. The world or law cannot offer this joy, only Jesus can. Let us stand together choosing to accept Jesus’ amazing grace, knowing His joy.
Great gifts and
promises.
“Would that all the people of the LORD were prophets! Would that the LORD might bestow his spirit on them all!”
Today we celebrate a very special day in the life of our parish and the Holy Church. Two young people will receive from the Table of the Lord for the first time. Our readings and Gospel discuss the importance of receiving from the Lord.
God is so gracious to us and in His infinite graciousness He has set forth gifts and promises we can take hold of.
God saw that Moses needed help in leading the people. He asked Moses to assemble seventy worthy elders. God took some of the spirit that He had given to Moses and bestowed it on those elders. This was an incredible gift. God’s spirit of prophesy, leadership, and authority that He had given to Moses would now be shared with more people. These elders, including the ones who had not gone to the meeting tent, received God’s spirit. They immediately acted on it. They began prophesying in the camp. God shares His gifts with those He has chosen so they can do His work.
In our Gospel the apostles hear of people doing wondrous things in Jesus’ name. They got concerned and John came to Jesus saying: “we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.” Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me.”
Jesus knew that His gifts were for all who believed in Him. As such, we too are empowered with His gifts to do marvelous things.
Paul shows us that the opposite is true of those who place their trust and belief in the world – in power, money, and things… Those things will rot away and they will devour those who have put their trust in them. If we are misled we will have no real power. We will miss out on God’s gifts and promises. Imagine the greatest treasure we could possibly obtain and we walk by it to get a plastic replica.
Eden and Erickaa receive from the Table of the Lord for the first time. In doing so they accept the greatest gift a person could ever hold – a treasure not made of gold – a treasure made just for us. Jesus!
We have Jesus. The greatest gift ever. In receiving Him we hold within ourselves the fullness of His graciousness and promises. We are joined all together in His greatest gift.
His gift is His promise. We have true life, real life, great power, and a gift that will never fade or rot away – all in Him. We have life forever and His power. Let us live always as faithful and thankful receivers of His gifts and promises.
A call to be
changed.
I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.
Today we celebrate a call to be changed, to offer ourselves to God in all we do, and in doing so to make His kingdom a reality.
How will we make this change real? How will we respond and get to work? What will we do to be transformed into people completely focused on carrying out God’s will for humanity?
Our Holy Church has designated this Sunday as Youth Sunday. Our youth will be returning to school. They will study and grow in knowledge so that they may take their place in society, contributing their work and effort – but to what end?
If their studies are self-focused, if they are taken up without due consideration of God’s call to be changed and to change the world, they will only make their lives small and self-serving. They may achieve earthly success, but in the process lose their souls. If however, their study and growth remain focused on God’s call to change and affect change in accord with His call, their lives will be glorious and complete. They will use what they have gained to come into union with God and to carry out His will. We must help them by our example, prayer, and support. Our duty is to continually assist them in realizing that everything they learn and do is a gift from God and requires a response to His call to change.
This weekend we also celebrate Labor Day. Our work and labor must also been seen in light of the call to be changed and change the world. Paraphrasing our organizer, Bishop Hodur: ‘The time will come when our heroes emerging from the homes of farmers and laborers will sweat and sacrifice not for kings or the rights of the privileged or a single class, but will battle and work for freedom and the rights of man. Let us gather and strive to be first in good and last in wrong. Then shall we bring ourselves, our nation, and the whole world closer to happiness and salvation.’
We are thus called to change ourselves and the world, to transform life away from the money-driven values of this world to the bringing of the kingdom of God.
We are called to make change real in the lives of our youth and in our lives. This is true worship: “offer your bodies as a living sacrifice” Do not live the status quo. It is not enough! Jesus put His body on the line for us. So we must put our lives on the line, changing them for Him and working for the coming of His kingdom.
From the New York State Alliance for Arts Education
Uncommon Approaches to the Common Core 2
August 12- 13, in Albany. Hear an inspiring keynote on inquiry-based learning from Barbara Stripling. Participate in experiential labs where you’ll learn how to create compelling lessons using cultural resources to meet the Common Core Learning Standards. Explore inquiry as a professional discipline. Network with colleagues in your region. And, to close the conference, hear from James B. Short, Director, Gottesman Center for Science Teaching and Learning at the American Museum of Natural History. Register today!
Summit on Transforming Education through Creative Practices
Move this World, a global non-profit that uses creative expression to address and transform conflict and bullying in communities worldwide, invites you to participate in its 5th Annual Global Summit in Transforming Education through Creative Practices! They are calling on a global network of educators, youth workers, thought leaders, creative arts therapists, students, artists and social change advocates to connect and collaborate in New York City, August 22 – 24.
Aesthetica Art Prize 2014
Entries close August 31, 2014.
The Aesthetica Art Prize 2014 is now open for entries, offering both budding and established artists the opportunity to showcase their work to an international audience and influential figures from the arts sector. Celebrating and nurturing outstanding contemporary art from across the world, the Art Prize welcomes all forms of art in the following categories:Photographic & Digital Art, Three Dimensional Design & Sculpture, Painting & Drawing and Video, Installation & Performance.
Prizes include a 12 week group show; up to £1000 in cash; publication in the Aesthetica Art Prize Anthology and editorial coverage in Aesthetica Magazine (readership of 140,000 worldwide); art supplies and art books; and Q&As on the Aesthetica Blog. There are two main categories to enter: Main Prize and Student Prize. There is a winner for each main category. Entry is £15 and permits the submission of two works into any one category.
Grammy Foundation Supports Music Research and Preservation Projects
Deadline: October 1, 2014 (Letters of Inquiry)
Funded by the Recording Academy, the Grammy Foundation’s annual grant program provides support for music archiving and preservation efforts and scientific research projects related to the impact of music on the human condition. The research projects grant program awards funding of up to $20,000 to organizations and individuals working to research the impact of music on the human condition. Examples include the study of the effects of music on mood, cognition, and healing; the medical and occupational well-being of music professionals; and the creative process underlying music. Priority will be given to projects with strong methodological design as well those designed to address an important research question.
Ucross Foundation’s Spring 2015 Artist Residencies
Deadline: October 1, 2014
Founded in 1981, the Ucross Foundation provides uninterrupted time, work space, and living accommodations in Sheridan, Wyoming, to competitively selected visual artists, writers, and composers. Nearly thirteen hundred individuals from every state in the U.S. as well as Germany, France, Scotland, England, Poland, Egypt, the Netherlands, Canada, and Thailand have spent time at Ucross since it first opened. Currently, the foundation is accepting applications for its 2015 Spring Residency program, which runs from late-February to mid-June.
YoungArts Applications for 2015 Open
Deadline: October 17, 2014
YoungArts identifies and nurtures emerging artists ages 15-18 (or in grades 10-12) in the visual, literary, design and performing arts. Winners in cinematic arts, dance, design, jazz, music, photography, theater, visual arts, voice, and writing are provided once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, significant access to scholarships and national recognition, including:
Chamber Music Residency Partnership Program
Application Deadline: October 31, 2014
Chamber Music America’s Residency Partnership Program supports ensembles and presenters in building audiences for classical/contemporary, jazz, and world chamber music through residency projects. Funding is specifically aimed at activities that take place in community settings and that are not part of a regular concert series. These activities may include, but are not limited to, clinics, interactive classroom programs, and lecture/demonstrations in libraries, hospitals, senior centers, or similar venues. Projects must take place in the U.S. or its territories. The length of the residencies ranges from a minimum of three days to one year. Grants support up to 75 percent of expenses directly connected to the project. The balance must be drawn from other sources, such as cash from other grants, earned income, or an allocation from the organization’s general operating funds. For information on applying, please see their website.
Infographic on Arts Education
This one page document from the Indiana Youth Institute summarizes some valuable research and information on the value of arts education.
Website for Lesson Sharing
Share My Lesson is a free platform, developed by teachers for teachers, that gives access to high-quality teaching resources and provides an online community where teachers can collaborate with, encourage and inspire each other.
Good things happen when the community gets together! Come join in a Community Meeting and Discussion focused on Taking Action for Mont Pleasant Middle School on Sunday, February 9th at 2:30pm. This meeting will be focus on community action to encourage our youth, promote success, stop violence, and get the resources our children deserve!
This meeting is for Parents, Families, and Community Members. All are invited to come and hear from educational experts and ask questions. Coffee, Soda, and Desserts will be served.
Join fellow community members and educators on Sunday, February 9th at 2:30pm at Holy Name of Jesus Church Hall, 1040 Pearl Street (between Crane Street and Chrisler Avenue in Mount Pleasant), CDTA Route 353, Pearl Street Stop.
Make February 2014 – the month of love – a month to win in more ways than one!
2014, will be a big year for the youth of our Church and our parish. This summer we will once again be sending our young people to the annual KURS summer encampment and to CONVO 2014 at Heidelberg University in Tiffin, Ohio from July 21st through 25th. The 2014 CONVO theme is “In the beginning….”
We need your support to give our young people a great beginning in 2014. To start them off right we are holding a month long Outrageous Valentine’s Raffle this coming February to support our youth. Each raffle ticket gives the purchaser a chance to win up to $1,180. The Outrageous Valentine’s Raffle will include drawings for $40 daily prizes and a $100 daily prize on Valentine’s Day. The raffle is drawn each day of the month, giving the ticket holder 28 chances to win! Winners are returned to the raffle bucket, making them eligible to win again and again. Your support will help cover our young people’s summer expenses with the ultimate goal of paying their way completely.
Tickets cost only $10 each. Feel free to contact Deacon Jim at 518-372-1992, Stephanie Dominy at 518-369-1346, or any parish member to purchase a ticket.
We thank you for your support of Youth Ministry and the School of Christian Living at Holy Name of Jesus parish in Schenectady and wish you good luck!
Let them praise his name with dancing,
making melody to him with timbrel and lyre!
For the LORD takes pleasure in his people;
he adorns the humble with victory.
Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing for joy on their couches. — Psalm 150
The following interviews feature National United Choirs Scholarship winner Adam Sniezek who is Eastern Michigan University’s senior drum majorand is from Our Savior PNCC in Dearborn Heights, Michigan. If you listen, between the lines, you see the impression faith makes on the lives of our youth – placing others first, living as part of community.
Poland has showed marked success in education. The World Bank recently reported that Poland now ranks 9th among all countries in overall reading scores on the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) test, the only transition country to go from being below the OECD average on PISA to above average. The most recent The Education First (EF) English Proficiency Index ranks Poland as 8th in the world (high proficiency) in English language skills among adults.
Several articles note the basis for this success. See Poland: Education’s superpowers have a new kid on the bloc from the Sydney Morning Herald; Wittmeyer: Want to find an education miracle? Look to Poland from Newsday; and Poland imparts lesson on education to U.S. from the The Coeur d’ Alene Press. Here’s any interesting take from the Dallas Morning News: Will Texas follow the Poland model?
I want to move to Poland.
Really.
The just-released PISA exam — the Program for International Student Assessment – shows that Polish students finished ninth among developed nations in science. They also finished 10th in reading.
And the U.S. finish in those subjects? 28th and 24th, respectively.
To be sure, all these rankings can wear you out. And Wendy Kopp, the who started Teach for America, was right to suggest in her Wall Street Journal piece this week that we should not use these particular rankings as a rallying cry to go clobber other countries. Instead, we should learn from each other.
What we could learn from Poland is this: The country’s schools once were in the dumps. But Poland started using standardized tests to assess students, elevated academic rigor, wouldn’t accept poverty as an excuse and gave local schools more autonomy.
None of those reforms were put into place easily, but over time Poland’s scores went up. That includes on the PISA exam, which the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development administers. The exam focuses on applying classroom knowledge to real world problems.
There certainly is a Texas element to this story about Poland’s success. As this newspaper reported this week, the state has a
troubling number of high school students who have failed one or more end-of-course exams. As an example, 182,000 students have yet to pass last year’s English I writing exam. They get one more chance to do so this month.The question is, what should we do about perennially failing students? Or ones who just keep struggling?
By raising this, I don’t mean more tests. The Legislature has made it clear they aren’t interested in additional end-of-course exams.
Rather, how shall the state respond to a large number of students who are behind? And how can the state keep students in the future from ending up in the same spot, assuming they don’t have learning disabilities that keep them behind?
Poland’s answer is you don’t give up on kids. It faced enormous poverty after suffering through decades of deprivation under the reign of communism. But it didn’t accept the notion that kids born into poverty couldn’t meet higher academic standards.
Amanda Ripley, author of “The Smartest Kids in the World,” noted in a recent Point Person interview that “Of all the changes Polish officials made, the one that seemed to matter most was that they held all students to more rigorous academic standards for a longer time period.”
In other words, they didn’t lowball expectations, even though plenty of students were struggling. Polish authorities even tried to get more kids out of our equivalent of vocational education.
Of course, raising expectations requires adequate resources to help teachers best reach students. The Texas Legislature must make sure that it spends smartly but adequately on students. But as Ripley also noted, Poland spends about half of what U.S. schools spend on their students. So, money alone is not the answer.
And Poland isn’t the only nation to do better while raising expectations. “Globally, the longer students stay together in demanding classes,” Ripley observed, “the better the whole country seems to do.”
So, there’s a roadmap here for Texas, or at the least start of one. The state could ease up on expectations. As an example, we could suggest that more kids go into vocational education, as some legislators pushed for this year. On the other hand, the state could keep encouraging kids to set their sights higher, as in for college or at least a two-year degree.
Poland went the high-bar route when conditions suggested otherwise. Will we?
Public Review of the Draft High School Core Arts Standards
Please join the public review of drafts of the High School national core arts standards for Dance, Media Arts, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts beginning September 30 and ending October 21, 2013. Draft high school music standards for secondary ensembles will be included in the September 30th release; standards for additional music course sequences (guitar/keyboard and composition/theory) will be released later. Watch for details and information on their wikispace or Facebook page.
October 1 Deadline: Art Education Grants
The National Art Education Foundation (NAEF) annually invites applications for the Ruth Halvorsen Professional Development Grants, Mary McMullan Grants, NAEF Research Grants, SHIP Grants, and Teacher Incentive Grants. Grants range from $500 to $10,000 depending on the grant category. The Foundation was established as an independent, sister organization to the National Art Education Association (NAEA) to provide support for a variety of art education programs. Foundation grants are made only to NAEA members, including student and retired members, state/province associations, and recognized affiliates. Full info can be found here.
October 11 Deadline: NYSCA’s Musical Instrument Revolving Loan Fund
The loan program is competitive and allows access to eligible non-profit symphonies, ensembles and music organizations to apply for a low interest loan to support the purchase of musical instruments and certain equipment related to presentation and teaching of music. The purpose of the funds is “to stimulate the professional growth of musicians and symphony orchestras which provide a vital educational and cultural service to the citizens of the state. To review the MIRLF guidelines and application visit the dedicated web page.
November 1 Deadline: Award to School Board Providing “Outstanding Support”
Online nominations are now being accepted for the Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts Education Network and National School Boards Association Award (KCAAEN and NSBA Award). This award recognizes a local school board for outstanding support of the arts in education. The winning board receives a plaque presented at the NSBA Annual Conference, along with a cash award of $10,000 to use for their arts education programs. Full details and nomination materials can be found online.
November 14 Deadline: Grants for Dutchess, Orange & Ulster Counties
Projects can be in any artistic discipline and may include (but are not limited to) workshops, exhibitions/studio tours, performances, community music festivals, multi-discipline collaborations and public programming whose central focus is the arts. The maximum funding request for an organization is $5,000. Arts Education Grants support residencies by artists and/or cultural organizations in a public school, and focus on sequential, skill-based knowledge. These awards are administered by the Dutchess County Arts Council. Please see their website for the complete 2014 application, guidelines and list of informational seminars.
December 15 Deadline: Inspirational Teacher Award Nominations
The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is seeking nominations for the 2014 Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Awards, a series of annual grants that recognize inspiring teachers in the United States.The awards were created in honor of American composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim, who frequently attributes his success to the teachers in his life. The awards are presented each year on Sondheim’s birthday, March 22, to a handful of teachers, kindergarten through college, who are nominated via the Kennedy Center Web site.
CRAVE Creators Conclave & Festival weekend, September 20-21, 2013, Syracuse, NY
Join artists in all disciplines, arts administrators, educators and students, presenters, curators, economic development stakeholders and the public for this statewide gathering. CRAVE is a unique creative gathering to inspire, explore and reward new ideas for audience engagement and empowerment. Sample Syracuse’s Connective Corridor cultural district, learn from national leaders, share best practices from your community, and see global artists like DJ Spooky. For more info and to register, please click here.
NYSTEA Educators Conference, October 4-6, 2013, Queens, NY
Register here for the annual NYSTEA Educators Conference “Making Connections: From School to School.” Enjoy 5 different workshops, welcome reception at the Roundabout Theatre Company with guest speaker writer/composter Joe DiPietro, awards luncheon, vendors and networking with like-minded professionals from across the state.
Municipal Art Society 2013 Summit, October 17-18, 2013, New York, NY
Taking Place at Jazz at Lincoln Center, the fourth annual MAS Summit for New York City will explore the themes of Innovation and Leadership. Participants will discuss the challenges that face New York, and topics will explore new and innovative ways to continue the city’s role as a global urban leader, while also covering issues of resilience and the city’s livability. Please see their website for more information.
National Guild’s annual Conference for Community Arts Education, October 30 – November 2, 2013, Chicago, IL
This gathering will bring together more than 500 arts education leaders from 350+ organizations nationwide. Join this dynamic learning community of staff, faculty, trustees, and teaching artists to forge the future of arts education in America. The conference will feature nationally renowned speakers and dozens of professional development and networking opportunities designed to help you increase participation and impact, raise more money, sustain and grow key programs, and advocate for equitable access to arts education. Register online.
National Artist Teacher Fellowship Program
The Center for Arts in Education invites arts teachers from public arts high schools to apply for funding for artistic development through its National Artist Teacher Fellowship Program (NATF). The NATF program provides grants of $5,500 to enable selected arts teachers from all disciplines to rejuvenate their own art-making. A complementary grant of $1,500 is awarded to each Fellow’s school to support post-fellowship activities in the classroom. Applications will be available online by September 27.
October 2 Deadline: Student Entries for Rochester Student Showcase
The Arts & Cultural Council for Greater Rochester announces the Student Showcase 2013 call for entries, an opportunity for its student members to submit their original work to a juried exhibition at The Gallery at the Arts & Cultural Council. Students from all visual art disciplines are encouraged to submit their work for consideration. Exhibition dates will be November 1–26. Use this on-line entry form.
October 18 Deadline: Young Arts Award
YoungArts provides emerging artists (ages 15-18 or grades 10-12) with life-changing experiences with renowned mentors, access to significant scholarships, national recognition, and other opportunities throughout their careers to help ensure that the nation’s most outstanding young artists are encouraged to pursue careers in the arts. Support is offered in ten artistic disciplines: cinematic arts, dance, design, jazz, music, photography, theater, visual arts, voice and writing. Students should apply here.
By applying to the YoungArts program, winners are eligible for:
Access the newest and freshest jobs available to professionals seeking employment through NYSAAE’s JOBlink.