Introductory Post

I am beginning my blog on the vigil of the Annunciation. I have been considering it for awhile, and a day or so ago a friend suggested that I start blogging about my Catholic experience. I chose to start tonight, and give the blog its name, in honour of the Annunciation. It's a solemnity which I believe needs be emphasized more heavily.

Seeing as how I'm only starting out at this, it might be a bit rough technically at first, as well as in writing style. It will probably be rather stream-of-consciousness until I get used to it; in the meantime, my apologies.

The blog's name, et vita manifestata est, is from 1 Jn 1:1-2, the reading at vespers tonight--first vespers for the Solemnity of the Annunciation. In the ICEL translation, it is rendered "This life became visible"; in my "let's-pretend-we-can-translate-Latin-cuz-we-recognize-cognates" translation, it is "And this life was made manifest". I emphasize the Annunciation for a couple of reasons. It is the beginning of the Second Person's life as a human, as one of us. It is this feast day that makes possible Christmas and Easter, and all the rest of the sanctoral cycle of the year. This feast day is when Christ entered into time as a man. Why it isn't a HDO, I don't know. Perhaps His Grace Abp. Chaput will make it so for our particular church. *dreaming* Also, an emphasis on the Annunciation, with respect to Christmas, just makes sense for persons who are pro-life. If life begins at conception, and not birth, then it's just plain coherent to make a bigger deal out of the Annunciation. I believe it will aide the pro-life cause.

This blog will largely be my musings. Me writing about what interests me, and hoping someone is interested enough to read. Mostly it'll be Catholic stuff, but politics and food are likely to pop up as well. I am 21 and a convert to the Catholic Chuch (I received the sacraments of initiation at Easter of 2007). I had no religion previously. I have a BA in economics. As far as tv goes, I particularly enjoy Frasier. My radio dial rarely strays from NPR and community radio stations. I pretty much can't vote for political candidates, as I have issues with both the Republicans and Democrats. I enjoy cooking and editing Wikipedia. The last book I finished reading was Dostoyevsky's "Crime and Punishment", and I'm currently in the midst of his story "The Double". I generally try to make it to Confession weekly. Hopefully that gives you all a general idea of me.

As for giving you all an idea of me as a Catholic: You can already tell I like Latin and the LH. I believe in ad orientem and "Say the Black, Do the Red". I read the documents of Vatican II through the hermeneutic of continuity. I like to think of myself as a part of the new liturgical movement. I receive Christ under one species, kneeling and on my tongue.

I suppose that's it for now. Have a blessed Annunciation. Dominus nos benedicat