Kilted Clergy Question

**pipesndrumsnun** · 17th January 08, 05:57 PM

THANKS, Ted!!

**M. A. C. Newsome** · 18th January 08, 09:45 AM

On an off topic note I'm currently completing an MA in Theology through Holy Apostles College & Seminary. Right now I'm knee deep in Aquinas! :-)

**andyfg** · 20th January 08, 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by M. A. C. Newsome

On an off topic note I'm currently completing an MA in Theology through Holy Apostles College & Seminary. Right now I'm knee deep in Aquinas! :-)

Well done Matt! Knee deep in Aquinas is pretty deep. I'd love to talk theology, but this is not the place. Matt you are clearly a man of many talents.

**thescot** · 20th January 08, 10:54 AM

Originally Posted by M. A. C. Newsome

On an off topic note I'm currently completing an MA in Theology through Holy Apostles College & Seminary. Right now I'm knee deep in Aquinas! :-)

Congrats to you and pipesanddrums on the school work. Personally I enjoyed Augustine mora than Acquinas, but then I took a class with an Augustine scholar at Candler School of Theology (MDiv program). That was along time ago--Gutenburg's Bible was stick wet--but I remember it well.

Pipesanddrums, I wouldn't try to coordinate a kilt with the liturgical season since my robe would cover it any way. If I were not in robe, I would probably just wear a collar with whatever kilt struck my fancy if I were kilted at all. I let the stoles and paraments handle the seasonal colors and stick with black for me!

**M. A. C. Newsome** · 20th January 08, 01:18 PM

Originally Posted by thescot

Congrats to you and pipesanddrums on the school work. Personally I enjoyed Augustine mora than Acquinas, but then I took a class with an Augustine scholar at Candler School of Theology (MDiv program). That was along time ago--Gutenburg's Bible was stick wet--but I remember it well.

I enjoy them both -- you know Aquinas quotes quite extensively from St. Augustine. I had to read Augustine's De Trinitatis (On the Holy Trinity), for a class I took a few years ago (on the Trinity, of all things!). I certainly found Austine easier to read than Aquinas. But one really has to appreciate Aquinas' logic, as well as his ability to present fairly the arguments of his opponants (sometimes perhaps better than they could present them themselves!).

M

**Galician** · 20th January 08, 10:41 PM

Wow, my hat (or skullcap, in my case) goes off to you, Matt! On top of all your own work with the museum and kiltmaking, to take on the challenge of defending the faith and entering the ranks of the clergy in service of it is very inspiring.

Now, could you just tell some of your teachers that you have a divine duty to perform, more urgent than studying Aquinas (or Augustine!), and up the weekly output on your kilts, so that I can get mine??

**Bugbear** · 18th January 08, 12:43 PM

Hope all goes well with your studdies and MA, M. A. C. Newsome .
Also, Pipesndrumsnun, if you all do get a loom, I hope you personally are able to have the time to do some weaving. It can be a very peaceful activity.
Best of wishes to all.

**pipesndrumsnun** · 20th January 08, 07:52 AM

Congrats, Matt! When do you finish?

**M. A. C. Newsome** · 20th January 08, 01:15 PM

Originally Posted by pipesndrumsnun

Congrats, Matt! When do you finish?

Should finish up with the summer semester of this year (i.e. one class after the one I'm currently taking).

When I enrolled in the program it required 30 hours plus a thesis. Since then they have changed the requirements to 36 hours with thesis optional (for those going on to higher degrees). I finished my 30 hours over a year ago and had been persuing a thesis, but that process was just taking a whole heckuvalot longer than I anticipated. I was given the option to graduate under either the old or new system, and since all I needed to fill my requirements for the new system were two more 3 hour classes, that's what I went with.

I was enjoying researching my thesis, but I just really felt the need to have an "end date" to move on to other things. I'm currently enrolled in a diocesan Lay Ministry class that meets monthly (I'm in year 2 of that), and after that have hopes of enrolling in the permanant diaconate formation program, which will be a four year journey. So I really wanted my Masters completed before getting too involved in that.

In case anyone is wondering what I'm doing with all this theological training, I teach adult religious ed at my parish, and also do some apologetical and catechetical writing and presentation. I've had a few articles run in This Rock (a magazine published by Catholic Answers), and Envoy. I'd really like to branch out and get into some other publications once I can find the time to do more writing. I've recently become a regular monthly guest on "Searching the Word," a radio program on Relevant Radio, broadcast out of Green Bay, WI (I call in, obviously).

In fact, I'm heading off in just a few minutes to give a talk to a group of high school Catholics on retreat up here from Atlanta, on different types of prayer.

Now you know what I keep busy doing when I'm not sewing kilts!