Yesterday I witnessed the beautiful ordination of four men to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of St Louis: Fr David Skillman, Fr John Mayo, Fr Eric Olson, and Fr Mark Chrismer. Click here for photographs of the ordination, taken by Jeff Geerling. Today I attended the first Masses of Fr Skillman and Fr Chrismer in their respective home parishes. It's always inspiring to see these men I've lived and studied with begin their ministry as priests.

Right now I am packing my stuff for the long drive back to North Dakota for the summer! It's exciting. I haven't been home much the last two years because last summer was spent in Omaha at the Institute for Priestly Formation. This summer I will be living and working at St Leo's Parish in Minot.

-Jason

P.S.: The picture above is from July, 2003, west of Mandan, ND. It reminds me of home.

Today I spent a few hours upgrading this blogging software.

I've upgraded to the latest version of b2evolution, the blog software I have been using since about 2004. It had been three years since I last upgraded the software, so I thought it was about time. The new version relies more heavily on CSS than the old version, so I had to recreate my template to make this page look like the rest of my web site. It took a while, it's still not perfect, but it's close.

Speaking of the rest of my web site, I realized today that the graphic layout of this site has not changed since 2001, when I first designed it. It could use a reworking, I suppose. But it still functions. Time flies!

If you notice anything that's broken, let me know.

-Jason

Exactly one year ago, I was pedaling my bicycle from St Louis, Missouri, to Council Bluffs, Iowa, along the Adventure Cycling Lewis and Clark route. It has taken me a really, really, really long time, but I have finally completed the online travel log. Click the image above or select "lewis & clark" under the cycling menu, above, to read my journal. You can also look at dozens of photos or listen to my audio journal. For the first time, I brought along a voice recorder.

It's a lot of work to put these travel logs together, but years later I am always grateful that the work was done. I enjoy reflecting back on my trips. And I hope you all find something entertaining or useful in them as well.

Now, time to start work on the travel log from my trip across part of Texas last December!

-Jason

This beautiful sculpture is the “Lion of Lucerne,” located in Switzerland.¹ It commemorates Swiss Guards who were massacred in 1792 during the French Revolution, when revolutionaries stormed the Tuileries Palace in Paris, France. The guards were hired as mercenaries to protect the royal family, and they did so to the point of offering their lives. Mark Twain described the monument in this way:

The Lion of Lucerne [is] the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world. … The Lion lies in his lair in the perpendicular face of a low cliff — for he is carved from the living rock of the cliff. His size is colossal, his attitude is noble. His head is bowed, the broken spear is sticking in his shoulder, his protecting paw rests upon the lilies of France.²

I became familiar with this Lion while, oddly enough, riding bicycle across Missouri. I encountered an imitation in a cemetery for Confederate veterans:

I was moved by that monument as I stood amidst the gravestones. But the original, in Switzerland, is far more beautiful. The photograph alone has moved me.

As I see this Lion, I am not idealizing the Swiss Guard or French royalty. Rather, I am thinking of Mufasa in The Lion King. I am recalling Aslan in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. In truth, I am pondering Jesus Christ, the prototype of all of these.

The Lion, wounded in His side, dies in a battle against evil. He fought nobly, obediently, and for the utmost of causes, that of saving mankind. He was given a task to do, and he did it without question, out of faith and love, because of Who had given him that task.

The anguish of the Lion’s face fuels my desire to fight the battle. As I stare at the anguish of the Lion’s face I desire to be a better man, stronger in virtue and faith, more free from sinful inclinations, and more willing to offer my life, to the point of death, for Jesus Christ and the People of God.

That sounds dramatic, and it is. But my choice of words is not inappropriate. Jesus said, “I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another” (John 13:34). Christ commands us to love one another as he has loved us. And how is that? The Lion is speared in His side. Aslan was offered on the Stone Table. Mufasa gave his life for his son. And Christ died upon the Cross:

-Jason

¹ See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion_Monument for more details about the Lion of Lucerne.
² Mark Twain (1880). "Chapter XXVI: The Nest of the Cuckoo-Clock". A Tramp Abroad. Retrieved on May 16^th, 2009.

Tonight Kenrick-Glennon Seminary celebrated their annual "Convocation," which is a fancy way of saying "graduation," in the St Joseph Chapel. Pictured above are all the men who have just been handed their masters degrees. In the bottom left Bishop Hermann congratulates the graduates, in the lower left. Included in that crowd is none other than Deacon Russ Kovash, seminarian of the Diocese of Bismarck, and soon to be ordained a priest. Tonight Russ and his classmates each received a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in Theology. Here are a few snapshots from the event.

This is Father Lawrence Brennan, the academic dean and vice rector of the seminary. Fr Brennan has been a pillar of the seminary community, working to prepare men for the priesthood in this institution for 22 years. This is is last year at Kenrick, and he will be dearly missed. Next year he will be working for the Diocese of Colorado Springs.

Pictured here are Bishop Hermann, the Archdiocesan Administrator of Saint Louis, and Monsignor Wojcicki, our seminary rector, congratulating the men who received degrees. Marco DeLoera, wearing the white surplice, is also pictured here. He acted as a master of ceremonies during the event.

Here is Deacon Russ, receiving one of his graduate degrees.

And this is Russ, happily departing, degree in hand.

This is Russ and I after the ceremony. I've enjoyed studying and living here with Russ over the last few years. He has been a great example and mentor for me. When I first came to Kenrick, Russ showed me great hospitality. He will be a wonderful addition to the presbyterate in the Bismarck Diocese.

Congratulations to Russ and to all of those who are receiving degrees this season.

-Jason

Recently Corey Nelson, a Bismarck Diocese college seminarian studying at Cardinal Muench Seminary in Fargo, flew down to Saint Louis for his interviews here at Kenrick Seminary, where he will be attending for graduate studies beginning in the fall. While he was here in Saint Louis, us Bismarck seminarians tried to show him a bit of Saint Louis. In this picture are, from left to right, Deacon Russ Kovash, Thomas Grafsgaard, Corey Nelson, Jason Signalness, Matthew Wanner, and Kregg Hochhalter.

While touring the city with Corey, we stopped at the St Francis de Sales Oratory in South Saint Louis. It is a very beautiful parish, called the "Cathedral of South Saint Louis." The Oratory is run by the Institute of Christ the King. For more info, visit http://www.institute-christ-king.org/stlouis/.

And, of course, no tour to St Louis would be complete without a trip up the Arch.

This is Corey as we ride up to the top of the Arch in the tiny space-capsule-like elevator/amusement ride.

This is Deacon (soon to be Father) Russ Kovash checking out the view from the top.

We look forward to studying with Corey next year. He will be graduating from college soon and beginning his graduate studies with us next year.

-Jason

Or, better yet, try e-sword, which does not cost 8 easy payments of $999. In fact, it's free! Download it here: http://e-sword.net/

-Jason

Fellow Bismarck Seminarian Tom has pointed out that New Salem Sue, the World's Largest Holstein Cow, has been mentioned in an article on CNN. Click here to read it.

This is the fourth, and last, homily I will be delivering in my homiletics course (a course on preaching) here at Kenrick Seminary. It's a homily meant to be delivered during a baptism ceremony celebrated outside of Mass. In this homily, I'm baptizing a hypothetical infant Tim, named after my neighbor who was the first to hear this homily in a practice run. The goal was to keep it to 3 minutes because the rite calls for a "short" homily. In any case, I ran a bit long but am satisfied.

Please, if you listen to the homily, post a comment or e-mail me constructive criticism.

-Jason

P.S.: Five days of class left in the semester!