Daily Summary - 9/28

Oral Communications
Speech preparation in computer lab.
Speech round #2 begins Wednesday.
Speech forms and handouts:
• Speech evaluation form
• Outline sheet
• Speech structure checklist
• Soyouwanna Deliver an Effective Speech (from soyouwanna.com)

Happy Feast Day!

Today is the feast day of one of my patrons, St. Vincent de Paul. My middle name is Vincent after my grandpa. Vincent de Paul was a French priest who lived in the 1600s. He was know for his charity work with the poor, and he started two religious orders that to this day are both dedicated to works of charity. He is in fact the patron of all charitable works.

The picture is of his actual body as it looks today. He has remained incorrupt since his death in 1660. If you ever get a chance to visit his church in Paris you can view his body just as it appears above.

If you don't mind, please say a prayer today for me, for all other Vincents, and for all those who do works of charity.

Daily Summary - 9/27

Scripture
Discussed the Covenant between God and Noah. (Handout)

Religious Studies
In-class and homework assignment: Pg. 48 in textbook
The Monk interview assignment has been moved to Tuesday, Oct. 2, because some students have had problems arranging a time to meet with the monks.

Oral Communications
Oral Com A - Discussed extemporaneous speaking and notes
Oral Com B - Began preparation for Speech #2 in computer lab

Sad news from the Diocese

You might be seeing in the news today the story that six sisters from Hot Springs, Arkansas were formally excommunicated by the Catholic Church yesterday. I wanted to take a second to explain a few things about excommunication.

To be excommunicated requires the person in question to choose excommunication. It is not a forced punishment, but the result of a person's choice to stay on the wrong path.

In this particular case, the sisters belonged to a Canadian group that the Church had declared to no longer be in communion with the teaching of the Church (i.e. ex-communicated). The diocesan administrator, Msgr. Gaston Hebert, gave the sisters one week to consider their choice between membership in the society or in the Church. If after one week they still chose the non-Catholic society, they would be considered excommunicated.

The Church never wants to resort to excommunication. The Church always hopes that when this choice is presented to someone, that person will choose the Church. But just as with any group, if a member is not willing to follow the guidelines of that group, they have effectively removed themselves from it. The Church is saddened by these events, but if we hope to maintain the integrity and unity of the Church, it is sometimes necessary.

Here are several links if you would like to read more about this particular case:
• Arkansas Catholic Newspaper Article
• Diocesan Press Release
• Declaration from the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith

Daily Summary - 9/26

Scripture
Discussed the Flood as a New Creation. (Handout)

Religious Studies
Took Hail Mary Quiz
Continued discussion of the Trinity. (Handout)
The Monk interview assignment has been moved to Tuesday, Oct. 2, because some students have had problems arranging a time to meet with the monks.

Oral Communications
Oral Com A - Finished watching videos of speeches.
Oral Com B - Discussed extemporaneous speaking and notes

Blog Notes

If you would like to leave a comment, after clicking on the comments link, when it asks you to "Choose an Identity," please choose "other." You will then be able to enter your name rather than posting as "anonymous."
__________

Please bear with me as I become more familiar with Google Docs. I realize that some of the links to class handouts do not look as good as they should. I hope that they will get better with time. Parents please know that the handouts the students are given in class look much nicer.
__________

Somehow the "View My Complete Profile" link was turned off recently. It is now back on and should work fine.

Why no new posts?

It is a shame that on the day that I was finally able to invite you all to visit this blog, I was not able to post for two days. My wife and I have both been sick for the last day and a half, and I was not able to come to school yesterday. I should be able to get back on track now. Thank you to all who have visited and posted so far.

Bonus Points Anyone?

To kick off the use of this blog, the first person from each of my 5 classes to post a comment saying one thing he likes about this site will recieve a few bonus points. Please add these to the comments section on this post.

Please don't stop there though. Browse around and check out the site some more. I hope you will find something useful.

Interesting Noah's Ark Website

The website is called World Wide Flood.com, and it has almost anything you ever wanted to know about Noah's Ark. Not the story, but the actual boat. Using the blueprints for the Ark in Genesis 6, they have done everything from draw cross-sections, to wave testing scale models.

If you are a math/engineering/construction type, you'll enjoy it.

Daily Summary - 9/21

Oral Communications
Watched and discussed recorded speeches.

Have a good weekend! Go Trojans!

Do you use Windows Vista?

For anyone who uses Windows Vista and wants to use Vista files on computers at school, you need to save your work in a certain way. When you save documents in Microsoft Office on Vista you need to save it in a Microsoft Office 97-03 version. If you don't do this, your file will not open on any of the school's computers, including the one in my classroom. See the photo below, and click the photo for a larger image.

Mid-quarter Averages

The class averages for the mid-quarter are:

Religious Studies A - 81%
Religious Studies B - 90%

Congratulations Class B!
Class A, you beat them on the Our Father Quiz. It's up to you to regain the title.

Daily Summary - 9/19

Scripture
Test

Religious Studies
Continued discussion of the Trinity. (Handout)
Hail Mary quiz is on Tuesday, Sept. 25.
Monk interview assignment is due next Thursday, Sept. 27.

Oral Communications
Continued first round of speeches.

Daily Summary - 9/18

Scripture
Review for test tomorrow.

Religious Studies
Discussed last night's homework.
Began discussion of the Trinity. (Handout)

Oral Communications
Continued first round of speeches.

Daily Summary - 9/17

Scripture
Jesus vs. Sin (Handout)

Religious Studies
Finished discussion of how the Academy's Mission Statement applies to students' lives. (Handout)

Oral Communications
Began first round of speeches.

Our Father Quiz

The averages for the Our Father quiz are:

Religious Studies A - 95%
Religious Studies B - 93%

Congratulations Class A!
Class B, do you think you can beat them next time?

Daily Summary - 9/11

Scripture
Began discussion of Jesus vs. Sin (Handout)
Interrupted for class pictures

Religious Studies
Discussed how the Academy's Mission Statement applies to students' lives. (Handout)

Oral Communications
Final wrap-up/review before speech round #1.
Speech forms and handouts:
• Speech evaluation form
• Outline sheet
• Speech structure checklist
• Soyouwanna Deliver an Effective Speech (from soyouwanna.com)

The Bourne Ultimatum

I am a big fan of all three of the Bourne movies. I believe though that the final installment is my favorite. In a movie about an assassin, there is bound to be death. This is certainly the case with this movie, and the series as a whole, but it is Bourne’s approach to death that is most important.

Bourne has been trained to end lives, but throughout the series, he gradually realizes that each time he takes a life, he loses a part of his soul. Of all the murders that do take place throughout these movies, it is those that Bourne chooses not to commit, which have the most profound impact on himself and the audience. He has begun to realize how dangerous it is to have such little respect for life.

Bourne comes to the full realization of this when he states in frustration to a peer, “Look at us! See what they make you give!” As he utters this line, which he in fact heard from a fellow assassin in movie #1, you realize that he finally understands, that those who trained him to kill, and expected him to kill, have tried to take from him the goodness of his soul. Something which, he realizes, no one should ever give up.

The film contains much intense and fierce violence and intermittent profanity. The United States Bishops Conference rates this movie “A-III.” The MPAA rating is PG-13.

Daily Summary - 9/10

Scripture
Discussed Marriage in Creation and the Fall of man into sin.
Handout

Religious Studies
Finished saints discussion
Assigned Monk Interview - Due Thursday, September 20

Oral Communications
Dr. Kenney worked with students on voice projection and enunciation.
Remember:
• Explode on beginning and ending consonants
• Elongate vowels
• Have steady airflow when speaking

Happy Birthday Mary

Today is the day we celebrate the birth of Mary. Why? In Church tradition we believe that Mary, by God's grace, was conceived without sin, which we call the Immaculate Conception. We celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8th. Today, we celebrate Mary's birth exactly 9 months after her conception.

Wish Mary a happy birthday today!

Why do Catholics do that?!?

Just like in my classroom, if you have any questions about what Catholics do or why they do it, just ask. Please click "comments" below to leave any questions. As soon as I can, I will post the answer. Also, the links below are the answers to questions that have already been asked. Please contribute as much as you want. I never get tired of answering questions about the faith.

If you would like more information that what I have given in the answers below, the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Catholic Encyclopedia are excellent resources.

The following questions have all been asked by high school age boys, either in class or on this website, and are questions that are relevant to that age. Some of them regard mature topics.
Previous questions:

• Mr. Pohlmeier, why do you teach something so boring?

The Church
• What are some differences between Catholics and Protestants?
• Why can’t women become priests?
• Why is there a pope?
• Do Catholics believe in Evolution?
• Why do Catholics make the Sign of the Cross?
• What is the meaning of the clothes the priest wears at mass?
• Why does the Catholic Church excommunicate people? Why can’t you just believe what you want?

God
• Is it possible for God to do anything?
• What is “fear of the Lord?”
• Why is the Holy Spirit a dove? Why can't he be something else?

Mary
• How is Mary the mother of God?
• Did Mary die? Did she go to heaven?
• Why do Catholics pray to Mary?

Miscellaneous
• What is the Apocalypse?
• Do Catholics believe in Evolution?
• What does it feel like to be in heaven?

Morality (Sexual morality is listed separately below)
• Is cussing a sin?
• I have trouble cussing, especially using God’s name. What can help me stop?
• If we have to repent when we do bad, how can I? Catholics have confession. Who or where non-Catholics can go to repent and be forgiven?

Prayer
• What is the Rosary?

Sacraments
• If we have to repent when we do bad, how can I? Catholics have confession. Who or where can non-Catholics go to repent and be forgiven?

Saints
• Why do we pray to someone or something we don’t even know?

Sexual morality
• Is foreplay a sin? Such as kissing, touching, or sleeping together without sex a sin?
• Why do Catholics not use condoms?
• Can married couples who can’t support a child use contraception?
• What is the Church’s view on sex in marriage, but not to get children?
• Why is masturbation wrong? Can it be a mortal sin?