Digital Friar

Website Schoolwork

admin — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 16:07:17 +0000

Last semester I took my first Web Apps class. The class focused on writing HTML code through a text editor…not using Dreamweaver or Expressions. I found the class extremely informative and I had a great time building things for the class.

This website, perhaps a little late in sharing, was my midterm project. My midterm, for whatever reason, was tougher than the overall final. However the site, which had a specific set of requirements, was an experience in building and was definitely a task I enjoyed.

My school site is still hosted here:

http://digitalfriar.com/midterm

Graphic Design Blog

Br. Vito Martinez — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 17:39:00 +0000

I'm taking a Graphic Design course this semester to fulfill an Art credit for school. I chose graphic design because I wanted to be able to compliment the web design and development work that I already do. After two classes, I already see how this class is going to be a great experience and an opportunity for me to pretend to be an artist!

Rather than using paint, clay, or wood for my art medium, this art class has us working exclusively on the computer. Using Adobe Illustrator along with a graphic tablet, my art project involve drawing things onto the computer. For only the first week of this class, I have to say that it is a blast! I've never considered myself much of an artist (I still spend hours trying to decide if I like my web templates!) but this medium is a lot of fun to work with.

Rather than turning in homework on paper, all work is published to a blog. The blog, for those interested, is listed here: http://cg-s12-vmartinez.blogspot.com.

What’s Up for 2012

Br. Vito Martinez — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 21:34:00 +0000

So the champagne's been drunk and the New Year is here. The other obvious question is:

What's your new year's resolution?

I usually never remember mine...it's hard enough to remember the goals I have to complete for the week! However a past Spiritual Director once told me that times of change and renewal are the best times to make new habits. "New wine belongs in new wineskins," was the underlying theme, and there's some truth to that for me. So, hoping to make "changes" rather than just "resolutions," here's a few goals I've set for the new year.

Consistent Blogging - It's the bane of any blogger: over a period of time, it gets hard to write and maintain a blog. Blogging is a habit that is built and sustained...and is maintained when I'm away from the computer. Post-novitiate formation really conflicted with my blogging habit...so I'm hoping that, being settled into school here in Chicago, I can build that blogging skill again.

Template Change - Whether it's the vocation blog for my province, my own personal website, or even stuff I've done in school, my blog has become outdated when compared to the other work I do. There is a huge need for web developers, graphic designers, and copywriters who are willing to work with religious or non-profit organizations...still building and maintaining websites with Front Page. Redoing my blog here will not only help me sharpen my skills, but it may encourage me to blog even more.

Time Management - With school, ministry, house chores, homework, and everything else that's going on my life, there's a need to make sure I have time to be present to everything. Sometimes that means cutting out the things that waste time. But currently, I'm focused on using my time wiser. Working in front of a computer screen can get a lot of things done, unless I get distracted by cats climbing Christmas trees. Web development and independent learning require a huge amount of discipline and time management when in front of the computer, and it's easy to get distracted. I'm hoping to work on that this year.

Those are my goals for the year, and I'm hoping they will allow me to do more. If you're less disciplined then I am, here's your video of a cat knocking over a Christmas tree.

Happy New Year!!

The Genesis One Code

Br. Vito Martinez — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 17:07:00 +0000

The Genesis One Code. Daniel Friedmann.
New York: Park East, 2011. 231 pp.

This month I had the opportunity to preview The Genesis One Code by Daniel Friedmann. As a student of both religion and science, it was a wonderful opportunity for me to read and critique the work of someone who'd found a way to interpret science and faith as disciplines that can point towards a common truth.

The Genesis One Code focuses on cosmology as told by the scientific community as well as through his own faith. This is an initial problem for people of different disciplines: the evidence towards an old universe conflicts with the 6-day creation narrative of the Abrahamic tradition. While these two approaches towards the creation of the universe appear to be incongruent, the focus of Friedmann's book is to show that, indeed, both the scientific evidence and the 1st chapter of Genesis point to a common truth: scientific findings regarding the age of the universe are in agreement with Genesis that the world is 13.75 billion years old (plus/minus .13 billion years).

This is a strong claim, however Friedmann shows that he is familiar with the both approaches. One of the things I enjoyed about the book is that it did not present one side to be more "correct" than the other...an approach that would have easily imbalanced a highly volatile thesis. Rather, the author systematically approaches both disciplines, explains the history and thought behind both, and provides a mechanism of thought that seemingly unifies the fields of science and religion.

I say "seemingly" because Friedmann's methodology raises some questions. The author does well to illuminate his sources as well as explain their importance to the discussion, especially when discussing the entirety of Jewish Law. However the use of these various sources does not make Friedmann's conclusion necessary. Rather, it can be argued that the presentation of the religious material confirms the scientific approach rather than independently arriving at that same conclusion. For example, if scientific knowledge later showed how the universe was 23 billion years old, it's possible that Friedmann's religious interpretation of Creation could be altered to fit that number as well.

Whether or not other readers agree or disagree, the value of The Genesis One Code goes beyond validating one's beliefs. I found it rather appropriate that the book's introduction should include a quote by Pope Pius XII:

It would seem that present-day science, with one sweep back across the centuries, has succeeded in bearing witness to the august instant of the primordial Fiat Lux, when along with matter, there burst forth from nothing a sea of light and radiation, and the elements split and churned and formed into millions of galaxies.

As Catholic Christians, we are invited to see science as something that compliments our faith, not to see it as something that contradicts it. It is, for some, a hard part of our Catholic faith. This has been especially troubling throughout the Church's history as it dealt with advances in science...a point that Friedmann makes in his book.

This is where, in my reading, the book has the most value. Daniel Friedmann, when presented with contradictions between science and religion, chose to learn both rather than picking one and dismissing the other. Friedmann presents an understandable description of the cosmology of the universe, including the Big Bang Theory as well as the Theory of Evolution. Both are not fully explained, however I found myself learning more about the structure of these theories as well as the science behind both. Similarly, the author explains the depth of the understanding of Genesis from the Judaic perspective. It is clear from the book that the author has taken time to educate himself in both areas of study. Genesis One is a framework not just to look at our beginnings, but provides an example of incorporating science and faith towards a common goal.

Genesis One is a unique read in that part of the book reads like a science text while the other reads like a Raymond Brown text...bombarded with references and various interpretations of religious thought. Thankfully, the author provides timelines and visual aids to help readers synthesize the data. If you are looking for a spiritually stimulating book, this might not be your choice. However if you are looking to read something that will increase your knowledge as well as make you think about your own viewpoints, this is the book for you. I also recommend this book for Catholics who, although have no "official" teaching on the Evolution and Big Bang Theories, are encouraged to come to their own positions that compliment faith and science. The Genesis One Code will provide an insight towards thinking of religion and science as complimentary disciplines that can both lead humanity to understanding the truth.

Image: tungphoto

Messages on the Digital Ocean

Br. Vito Martinez — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 01:19:00 +0000

Managing the insights and posts of the friars at the Midwest Capuchins blog gives me the opportunity to reflect on our effect to others through such an immense medium. The Web is a virtual sea (double-meaning intended) of information. It can sustain us, it can be a place of enjoyment and leisure, and it can be trechorous and harmful if someone is not careful. Yet for all of that, we are given the task of crafting our own vessels of insight and reflection to be cast among the vastness of the digital ocean. Like the proverbial message in a bottle, we offer a piece of who we are and hit the "Publish" button, never really knowing who will find our words.

Perhaps this is why I was struck by this story on allvoices.com about a man who's been sending messages in bottles for the past 15 years. He says that he's heard back from many of the bottles he's sent out...as people have responded with personal stories, DVD's, and other aspects of their life.

I was struck by the desire for people to connect with Harold, the sender of the bottles, and the friendships that he builds with them. Perhaps through serendipity or the Spirit at work, the people who've found these bottles have responded to Harold and created lasting relationships. His simple hobby has allowed him to hear the stories and interact with people from all over the globe.

So my heart is with all of those who are reaching out through this digital medium. When others are looking at Search Engine Optimization and Return on eInvestment, there's a part of me that likes the romantic idea of blogs as messages...drifting along the digital ocean.

Steve Jobs & His Gift to the Church

Br. Vito Martinez — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 17:55:00 +0000

I saw this article posted by Faith, a fellow Catholic blogger. It's an intriguing article by Jesuit Michael Kelly on the resignation of Steve Jobs from Apple, the impact of Jobs' innovation on global communication, and how that technology has been embraced by the Church. I found the article to be a good read and an opportunity to think about the role of social media in the Church.

Fr. Michael Kelly SJ, writing at eurekastreet.com.au, discusses the influences that Steve Jobs has had on the world and how the even the Church has embraced his technological revolutions. Fr. Michael credits Jobs and Apple for:

The transformation of publishing with the Apple IIe personal computer.
The transformation of photo and video editing with affordable software.
The transformation of the music industry with the iPod.
The transformation of telephony with the iPhone.
The transformation of computing with the iPad.

Perhaps the most important part of Fr. Michael's article focuses on the Church's response to these transformations. Fr. Michael says:

...the creation of a vibrant, participative and interactive community — something in which Steve Jobs and Apple played a key role — is just what Vatican II envisaged for the Church.

Was Jobs and Apple a blessing or a curse for the Church? I'll let you decide.

Read the article here.

Apple, the Apple logo, and Mac are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. The Made on a Mac Badge is a trademark of Apple Inc., used with permission.

I Know What You Did Last Summer

Br. Vito Martinez — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 13:43:00 +0000

It seems like only yesterday that I finished my last exam and the end of school. But with the next semester of St. Xavier University less than a week away, it's good to look back at my summer placement in Detroit and the blessings I've received from being at those ministries.

...to comfort the afflicted - My main ministry in Detroit was working at the Solanus Casey Center. While I was able to use my tech skills to help out with a few tasks, the main job of this ministry was to be open, to listen, and to be present as people came to the center...both with their stories of wonder and their personal struggles. While taking the role of porter has long been considered the lowest "rung on the ladder," as Capuchins we have great respect for the role, as seen in St. Conrad of Parzham and Venerable Solanus Casey. Sometimes people would come in with their worries, only looking for someone listen - to know that another human being cared about their struggle. In those moments, I had to realize that I couldn't help, rather just allow myself to be a vessel through with the Spirit could provide healing.

The Healing Service was another part of this ministry. Each Wednesday at the Solanus Center, people come from all over to experience this blessing of healing and seek the intersession of Fr. Solanus. To be face-to-face with people in their struggles, offering everything up to God, is a powerful experience. By witnessing their faith, I've been able to grow in my own.

...to instruct the uninformed - One of the opportunities I wanted to partake in was to spend time at our retreat house in Washington, MI. The Capuchin Retreat Center is a beautiful 95-acre area that provides a getaway as well as instruction for people looking to disengage from the bustle of everyday life. I don't think many people think about "retreat work" when they discern their vocation. Most think about direct service, youth ministry, or being pastor of a parish. After getting experience in retreat ministry, I've seen how valueable it is to people's spiritual needs.

I experienced several retreats, and was always suprised to listen to the presenters. Each had their own different style, their own way of approaching a topic. But whether they were discussing Franciscan Theology or giving a story from their life in the Order, they had a way of enlightening people that was both unassuming and connected. It's one thing to be preached at it's another to be engaged with. I was shown great examples of how we as Capuchins excel in this area.

...to visit the prisoners - A big reason I joined the Capuchins was witnessing how Ray Stadmeyer accompanied 5 ex-convicts though the R.O.P.E. program and started a business off of their baking. So I was excited about the opportunity to visit On The Rise Bakery run by the Capuchin Soup Kitchen...not just about the pastries, but to reconnect with an experience that drew me into Capuchin life.

Listening to Edward's story, between cutting cookies and making pineapple upside-down cake, I was reminded of why I chose to be here. Edward's future and health, something he rarely thought of before, were owed to the Capuchins. Each day he looked at the world with joy, positivity, and thanks to God for being where he was. And while he thanked the Capuchins unceasingly for his deliverance from crime, drugs, and violence, the Bro. Ray is quick to remind that it is by following the Gospel that the Capuchins do what we do.

...to bury the dead - While living at St. Bonaventure Monestary last summer, brother Malcolm Maloney passes away after medical complications. During my time there, I witnessed how Malcolm's health deteriorated. For many people, it's not something that we would choose to be around consistently.

However living at St. Bonaventures, with Malcolm's blood-brother Joe also there, it was wonderful to see how friar came together to support Malcolm and Joe, and to be present to the needs as Malcolm's life faded away. And in the end, Malcolm's passing was remembered as a celebration of his gifts and his vibrant personality that stuck in the minds and hearts of those who attended his funeral.

These days, my prayer is filled with these experience - constantly reflecting on where God was present. I thank God for the wonderful summer, the experiences of these past few months, and I am thankful for each day that I get to be a friar.

(I wonder what I get to do next summer!)

Feeding the Spirit: Time at On the Rise Bakery

Br. Vito Martinez — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 13:54:00 +0000

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.

I first learned about the R.O.P.E. program when I was a candidate visiting Detroit. I found it inspiring to see these men being spiritually fed by the Capuchins and our commitment to the poor. What started as a side-project in one of the soup kitchens has now become a business enterprise that provides employment for these ex-felons who, because of the job market, might never get the work experience to succeed after prison.

Remembering the inspiration I felt by this program, I was eager to participate in the day-to-day operations of the bakery. The bakery runs 6 days a week - a large part of their business comes from special orders and sales at various parishes in the Detroit area. Because of the demand, the bakery runs 3 shifts...giving the men experience of a 40 hour work week. Initially I thought the work would be simple. I was obviously wrong!

My first task Tuesday morning was unloading a pallet of 50 lb. bags of flour, sugar, and other various supplies. While the lifting was hard work, Ed (the head baker and graduate of the R.O.P.E. program) reminded me that he usually unloads the pallet by himself.

The day was filled with hard work and it wasn't always cool (especially with the big oven). However Ed let us know that our presence helped him get more done. He took the time to share part of his journey and his experience of being in the R.O.P.E. program.

"There are no words that can completely say how much the Capuchins mean to me," he told us. "You are all angels to me."

Spending time at the bakery Tuesday reminded me that there are powerful experiences that remind me of my vocation. As I continue to discern and be formed as a friar, it's important for me to reconnect with those experiences...thereby continuously renewing my desire to be a Capuchin. And that something as simple as baking bread is a reminder of how we can encounter God and feed the spirit of others.

Wearing the Habit: A Social Experiment

Br. Vito Martinez — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 11:07:00 +0000

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.

Our experiment was one in which was used the ethnographic method by putting ourselves into the environment, carrying out the function, and recording the reactions of nonverbal cues and gestures made by students. In the following paper we will break down our research question, the setting of the experiment, the behavioral “norms” when addressing our situation, hypothesis, method, sample, data table and records, analysis, and of course the conclusion.

Research Questions: In a Catholic institution, how will people react to seeing a student, normally seen in casual clothing, wearing a religious habit. Will the reaction be positive, negative, or indifferent? Will people visually engage the student or avert their gaze?

Hypothesis: We believe that students will be caught making indecisive eye contact with the student friar, then turn away quickly (gaze aversion) when the friar (Vito) returns eye contact. We believe that most reactions nonverbally will be expressed through eyebrow movements and eye motions rather than a sort of actual body placement or head reaction. The reason we believe this will be the case is because some people will not be used to that type of clothing in their everyday life or a classroom, so there nonverbal reactions should consist of uncertainty, shock, and tentativity.

Setting: The experiment was conducted in a classroom setting. The class consisted of about 25 students (13 girls and 12 males) along with a male professor; the class was an undergraduate philosophy at a Catholic Institution in Chicago, Ill. (St. Xavier University). The normal attire for the classroom was "casual," consisting of jeans, sweatpants, t-shirts, hoodies, polos, etc. There is no specific dress code for the class.

Behavioral Norms: There are specific patterns or "norms" that exist in the context of a college classroom, specifically with regards to first entering the classroom. We based these “norms” on someone who is socially confident, outgoing, and would be considered socially amiable.

1. Make and/or eye contact with others in the classroom.
2. Maintain a sitting posture that is toward the "front" of the classroom (facing the professor and the whiteboard.)
3.Body placement that encourages open communication with the professor and possibly others.
4. Do not ignore classmates by head movements or other nonverbal cues.
5. Do not give negative body movements towards others.
6. Do not judge others negatively by eye movements (rolling of the eyes).
7. Do not stare at someone for a long time with a blank face or check someone’s entire body out.
8. Should not address someone with negative facial expressions.
9. Stay away from negative or rude eyebrow movements.
10. If looking at someone without them knowing, do not turn your entire body to the individual.

Method: Two students at St. Xavier University conducted the experiment on 11 other students (6 males and 5 females) along with a professor (male) to record nonverbal reactions of a student wearing a religious habit. While the professor was aware of Vito's status as a friar, the students were not and none had ever seen Vito wearing his habit to class. Since the experiment would take place in the context of class, our ethnographic study entailed one person to serve as an active participant wearing the religious habit (Vito) while another recorded the reactions of students. The method of our experiment was for Vito (who is a friar) to wear his Friar habit into our Philosophy classroom. We entered the classroom 5 minutes before the start time to get a clean sample of the students and professor as they saw Vito. No advance notice was to the class regarding this test. We wanted to record people’s instinctive nonverbal reactions without them knowing we were recording data. We sat in our normal seats in the back of the classroom which allowed for us to get vital reactions because people tended to naturally look into the back of the classroom when walking to their seats. The way we recorded data was simply formulating a chart in a spiral notebook that included each person we tested in the left side of the chart, their gender, and whether they reacted with a gaze aversion, positively, negatively, or indifferent. Vito faced the front of the classroom with welcoming eye contact so students would only react to the nonverbal message of the religious habit...thereby isolating the variable for the experiment. Only an experimental group was used since we had reasonable data to predict how students would react to Vito when not in his habit.

Data:

Subjects/People	M/F (Male/Female)	Gaze Aversion, Positive, Negative, Indifferent, and Reactions
P1	M	Positive reaction, smiled when making eye contact.
P2	M	Gaze aversion, Positive reaction, smiled when making eye contact.
P3	F	Indifferent, little to no eye contact with any facial expressions or cues.
P4	F	Gaze Aversion, eye contact but looked away quick didn’t want to be caught looking. Physically turned her body around during class and starred. Shocked.
P5	M	Positive reaction, smiled when making eye contact.
P6	F	Indifferent reaction with a lot of starring, taken back expression of eyebrows.
P7	F	Indifferent, not much eye contact.
P8	F	Negative stare.
P9	M	Gaze aversion, stared. Eye contact when Vito was not looking.
P10 (class sit-in, not a student in the class.)	M	Positive, but visibly stared. Shocked.
P11	F	Gaze aversion, but would continuously stare occasionally.
P12 (professor)	M	Stared way more than normal when coming into the classroom and looking at Vito. Uneasy.

Analysis: After conducting our experiment we found that 33% (4 out of 12 people) were caught in gaze aversion, turning away when they made eye contact with Vito. In the gazing we recorded a lot of focused eye contact with uncommitted body involvement - a nonverbal cue of confusion. This was our leading result, followed closely by indifferent nonverbal cues which was 25% (3 out of 12 people). These people did not have any extra eye contact when seeing Vito than normal.

When eye contact was returned and received positively(3 out of 12 people), people either smiled (female) or nodded their head (male). One person was recorded as a negative reaction which is .08% (1 out of 12 people). Her cues were negative body placement and the arching of her eyebrows.The female student displayed visible apprehensiveness from the eye contact with Vito in his religious habit, but because of the randomness of the sample, it is inconclusive as to actual reason for the reaction.

The last person recorded (.08%) was the professor. The professor noticeably stared at Vito at the beginning and throughout the class...even showing body movement (leaning back) when seeing Vito. Three times during the class, the professor displayed trouble finishing an audible thought - at each time the professor was caught staring at Vito.

Conclusion: In our conclusion, the experiment proved our hypothesis in which students, when coming across someone in a different style of clothing outside the “norm,”will react in a nonverbal sense of awkwardness and uncertainty. In an attempt to process the clothing, the students averted their eyes whenever they made eye contact with the test subject. Other aspects of the experiment worth noting:

None in the test sample (including the professor) asked about the habit Vito was wearing
Only the professor asked about the habit in subsequent classes
The language and topics of discussion by those sitting around Vito noticeably changed after the experiment.

Future Questions: How would this test have resulted at a secular institution, or a different religious institution? How would the test have taken place in another part of the country where Catholic religious garb is known more or less? How would the students have reacted if they'd not experienced Vito in "normal" clothing, but first saw Vito only in a religious habit? How powerful is the nonverbal message of religious clothing in the classroom setting to other students and to the professor?

While this little class experiment is a far cry from a published research article, I think it gives others a unique insight into what it is like wearing the habit. We earned an A on the project.

Rosary Pendant

admin — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 22:54:38 +0000

Finding crucifixes and/or crosses for a habit rosary can be a chore. There’s a common one that is used by most, however wooden crosses (as is the Capuchin tradition) must be made while others have to be sought after at religious stores.

The San Damiano crucifix on my personal habit rosary was a recent find. WATRA Religious Goods in Chicago, IL had 3 of these nice pendants left – I bought them all.

A look at my other rosaries will show the varying types of pendants I’ve used.

If you find any crucifix/cross that you think would make a nice addition to a habit rosary, let me know at vito[at]digitalfriar[dot]com.