Wow! Have 365 days really passed since I began this blog? One year ago, as I was leaving the Catholic Schools Dinner for the Diocese of Austin, I ran into Sabrina and Matthew and said to them that I was going home to begin my blog to help educate and evangelize the Catholic lay faithful in the New Evangelization. I stayed up quite late that night to create and launch the blog, and my first post – The Spirit of Catholicism – followed after sleeping a few hours.

When I began this endeavor 12 months ago today, I was living in Austin, Texas teaching high school theology at St. Dominic Savio Catholic High School and disc jockeying athletic events for football, boys and girls basketball, and baseball. Now I am back in the “Valley of the Sun” – Phoenix, Arizona. It’s good to be home and close to family and friends. Being able to see my parents, sister, brother-in-law, and niece/Goddaughter on a weekly and sometimes daily basis has been good for the heart.

In regards to writing and the love that I have for it, it has proven to show when I put my heart and mind into something, good fruit can come of it. One hundred and thirty-two posts (including this one) later is quite an accomplishment for a man who hated to write as a boy when he was in high school. Let’s be honest, the only thing I liked in high school was playing the drums. But a lot has changed in 20 years and I have accomplished many things with God’s grace – only with God’s grace! Dr. Regis Martin, one of my professors at Franciscan use to say – “It’s all about Grace.” This theological odyssey that I am on is only just beginning.

There are way too many people I want to thank, but first I give praise and thanksgiving to my savior, Jesus Christ. I want to thank His Blessed Mother, the ever-Virgin, who I write about every Monday with the series “Mondays with Mary.” Blessed Mother, your perfect guidance and maternal meditation leads me closer to Jesus. I would also like to thank all the angels and saints, such as Blessed John Paul II, that watch over me and intercede on my behalf daily.

I want to also thank my family, especially my parents who have always supported me in all that I have done this year and in the past. My sister is a great support to me and often keeps me in line, which is not easy to do.  I thank my all my friends, undergrad and graduate professors, and my current bosses – Fr. Kilian McCaffrey and Fr. Chad King for all the guidance, knowledge, and backing you gave me or are giving currently.

Here is to the beginning of year 2…