God or the Girl on A&E

[HisChild]

The first episode was pretty good. I saw some fabulous things on this show, especially one of the men praying in front of the abortion clinic. He was pretty awesome. Mike? Well, I'm just wondering about him. I mean, he thinks he may be called to the priesthood. . .but I'm wondering how confusing that would be to also have a girlfriend, kissing her, etc. Wouldn't that be confusing? For him AND for her? Her not knowing where she stands in his life. And him. . .well, looking at both simultaneously. It must be a little difficult to hear His voice in all that. (And not for nothing. . .that church where Mike helped with the wedding, is really well, icky. The architecture. . .looks more like an auditorium.)

[uruviel]

[quote name='PCPA2Be' date='Apr 16 2006, 10:47 PM']The first episode was pretty good.  I saw some fabulous things on this show, especially one of the men praying in front of the abortion clinic. He was pretty awesome.  Mike?  Well, I'm just wondering about him. I mean, he thinks he may be called to the priesthood. . .but I'm wondering how confusing that would be to also have a girlfriend, kissing her, etc.  Wouldn't that be confusing? For him AND for her?  Her not knowing where she stands in his life.  And him. . .well, looking at both simultaneously.  It must be a little difficult to hear His voice in all that.  (And not for nothing. . .that church where Mike helped with the wedding,  is really well, icky.  The architecture. . .looks more like an auditorium.)
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I didn't see the whole thing, I turned it on at the end. I saw one of the men carrying the cross, and that was about it. No I do not think that is a good idea for him to date while discerning seriously. I think it will make it very difficult especially for a guy, and I don't think that's a good choice but that's his descision.

[magnificat]

Cool..I'll be in a hotel with cable on Friday so hopefully I can catch at least some of it!

[rkwright]

I watched it! it was pretty cool. Its an interesting, high quality show and I would recommend it to any.

Its easy to sit back and judge, but its important to realize the struggles they are going through. I think Joe (the one that went to Germany) is being pushed really hard by his mother, and it sounds like its not something he really wants on his own. But then again he did spend 4 years in the seminary.

I was really impressed by the kid from VA, who had a $75,000 job, 1/2 million house, had it all.. and gave it all up to be a missionary\discern. That was incredible.

I have to laugh at Dan a bit. This kid is really on fire for the Lord. Incredible faith! But when he decided to carry that 80 pound cross 20 miles! crazy!

[HisChild]

I'm wondering where you think I'm judging. As a woman who has discerned just as they are doing. . .I again state exactly what I said before. I'm wondering how confusing that would be to do discernment for both at the same time. That's not a judgement, if you were talking about my post. That's just wondering. I tried to date at the first part of my own discernment and it was hard to 'hear' the voice of the Lord while I was looking at everything at the same time. I had two different SD. The first priest stated I shouldn't discern both vocations at once. He was sent to Rome to study after a year. The second SD was a priest who also said that unless someone 'obvious' shows up in my life as a possible 'date', I shouldn't actively date or look for a possible date/spouse, for lack of a better word. It just seems like a veritable tug of war, to do both at the same time. Again, not a judgement, but I can only imagine the confusion. . .for both parties involved.

Yea, I wondered why Fr Jeff challenged Dan to do that! I was wondering what made him think of that. If he hadn't been on TV, would he have made the same challenge?

Steve is amazing isn't he? Begging for money now, when he HAD that money before. He was like the 'rich man' who chose Christ, instead of going away sad. Although, in the end, we don't know what he'll choose.

[Fides_et_Ratio]

[quote name='PCPA2Be' date='Apr 17 2006, 02:11 PM']Yea, I wondered why Fr Jeff challenged Dan to do that!  I was wondering what made him think of that.  If he hadn't been on TV, would he have made the same challenge?
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From my limited experience with the guys at Fort Zion. It's plausible.

Seriously. They are a bunch of crazy guys totally on fire for the Lord, and I could see them doing a crazy stunt like that... TV show or not.

[HisChild]

That's funny, though. We need men on fire with the Lord, that's for sure! Praise be to the Risen Jesus! (btw, where is Fort Zion, and what is it?)

[frjeff]

-i am the frjeff from the program.
-it was a challenge the local producers and i put together within the limits of Dan's schedule.
-what was not shown was the discussion that Dan and i had about how this is a quick sprint in the discernment process, that is we were turning up the heat quickly.
-i told Dan that carrying the Cross would not show him that he was to be a priest or to be married. carrying the Cross would be a sacrifice that would allow Dan to continue to grow in love for God. this growing in love would help him to trust in God's Grace. and that it is God's Grace that he needs to hear to determine if God needs him to be married or be a priest.
-the Vocations Office does not ask this of recruits. we expect recruits to shoulder the Cross God gives them, not one selected by Dan and frjeff.
-this show does not show the complete discernment process, but it does show a clip

[HisChild]

That was such a wild idea, Father Jeff! I am sure that it (TV show) won't show this but what was Dan's most valuable insight gained from this exercise.

Also, since this wasn't answered before. . .what is Fort Zion?

[Fides_et_Ratio]

[quote name='PCPA2Be' date='Apr 17 2006, 04:48 PM']Also, since this wasn't answered before. . .what is Fort Zion?
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It's the name of the house that Dan lives in with a bunch of other Catholic guys. Kinda like a fraternity.

[dUSt]

Personally, I thought the carrying of the cross was a great idea. I'm not just saying that cuz Fr Jeff is a member of the phorum either. haha

I think suffering is too often avoided, and not appreciated for the redeeming qualities it can have. What better way to unite oneself to the suffering Christ had to endure then to literally subject yourself to the same thing? I would think that this action allowed Dan to unite himself with Christ in this way.

[uruviel]

here's a link to a video I saw on Portsmouth OH, PCPA website:

[url="http://www.stjosephmonastery.com/"]http://www.stjosephmonastery.com/[/url]

[uruviel]

Yes I think it was a challenge of humility and love of God. I think these men are very blessed, to have such a love of Christ, and I do not think dating during discernment is right. Just an opinion;

[frjeff]

-Ft. Zion is a house at Ohio State. the men that live there are part of St. Paul's Outreach. this is college students evangelizing college students. we also have a women's house called Bethelem.

[dUSt]

Father,

We're discussing the show and having a "watching party" in this thread:

[url="http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?showtopic=50868&st=150"]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?s...ic=50868&st=150[/url]

[LouisvilleFan]

Check this out... if you have broadband, just go to [url="http://www.aetv.com"]aetv.com[/url] and they have the show available to stream right on the front page. I just watched about two minutes here... I assume it's going to play the whole thing.

Also, you can buy the Season 1 DVD set for $25. I'm sure a lot of vocation directors and youth ministers will be getting it. This is a great idea though, if you can afford it, because your money is supporting quality religious programming and telling A&E to make a Season 2

[LouisvilleFan]

okay... never mind about the streaming video showing the whole episode. It does play for about four or five minutes though.

[uruviel]

thanks Louisvillefan!

[uruviel]

LVF, don't you and Frjeff have the same avatar?

[magnificat]

Bummer...it won't ship until mid-July...