About

I started writing The Crescat in the fall of 2006, shortly after my conversion, with the sole intent of using the format for apologetics to answer my family’s questions regarding my new found faith. It sort of worked with 3 family members reverting back to our ancestral faith but it turns out, my blog had nothing to do with that. I dragged them to mass and gave them rosaries and that seemed to do the trick.

Seeing that there was nothing I could write that would be more influential than actual actions, like prayer and mass attendance, I made The Crescat a Catholic humor blog offering myself up as penance for my obvious arrogance and spiritual pride- as if my blog and writings could take credit for the conversion of sinners. 

Since then, my writings have ranged from politics, relationships, parenting, the arts, satire and good old fashioned self depricating humor. In a constant battle against myself and cynicism I am forced to find the humor and beauty in all situations.  It was either this or start smoking again.

What is a “Crescat”? It is Latin for “thrive” or “flourish”. I first encountered the word in the stain glass images that dominate Belmont Abbey in North Carolina. It’s the slogan for the Benedictine’s of this monastery. You can find “Crescat” scrolled at the bottom of  large oak trees in their glass windows. Since Benedictines take the unique vow of stability the oak tree symbolizes this in their hearty deep roots. Therefore, Crescat becomes a command for them… take root and thrive, flourish in faith!

And it is from that which I drew the name of this blog, and from that in which you are now exposed to my crescatological musings- a schizophrenic hodge-podge about parenting, lip stick, Nathan Fillion, domesticity, Downton Abbey, chickens, girly blather, Catholicism, political rantings, and art all usually composed during fits of insomnia around 2am.