Apple’s co-founder Steve Jobs Dies, OneBillionStories.com Reflects
October 5, 2011 by OneBillionStories.com
Filed under Archive, Blog, Media, Website Updates, Website Updates
The chronicles of OneBillionStories.com contains many unique turns. The first one, I wrote the first 4 years of my college research papers on a Dell 550. It did the job, but only because of frequent visits to the malware and virus doctor at the University of Colorado (thanks Bug Busters!) And then, in 2008, I heard about this computing machine known to the computer geek world as a mac. It was in the shooting and editing of my first short film with Fr.
Peter Mussett, Anand Bheemarasetti, and Bobby Van Horn, that I was introduced to the sleek, fast, and simple apple product line. For this introduction by Fr. Peter Mussett, I am forever grateful. But why?
After the Dell 550 crashed for good, it was only a matter of time till a purchase of my first apple product, a Macbook Pro 15″! This machine has been at the helm of editing every Catholic story, ever-published on www.OneBillionStories.com. This mission, to share a billion Catholic stories on the ‘digital continent,’ may not have found such success without the ingenuity and simplicity of the Apple company’s product line, headed up for so many years by the now late Steve Jobs (1955 - 2011). In fact, the Macbook Pro that you see in the video on the left is the same one that made the trek across the country a short 18 months ago. Therefore, Apple’s quality and simplicity have played a small, yet important role, in OneBillionStories.com’s growth as a Catholic apostolate for the New Evangelization. Truly, this machine has gone the extra mile as a player in this global mission. But the Macbook Pro is exactly that, a machine; a collection of hardware, wires, plastic, and sleek design assembled to form a power house for editing down the ‘one billion Catholic stories’ that you see everyday on the OBS homepage. Despite “the crack” in the video above, I still stand behind the design and durability of the Mac. After all, it’s not everyday that Mac laptop bikes across the country!
Now what is wrong with this portrait of Steve Jobs below?
If you look real close, Steve Jobs’ portrait has been created using iphones, ipods, ipads, and many other products from the Apple line up. At first glance, the portrait of Steve Jobs is wonderfully creative, it draws one inward to the subject immediately. Upon further reflection, what does this creative portrait of Steve Jobs reflect on the state of American society? Perhaps this portrait has no hidden meaning, we think not. Was Steve Jobs simply a machine in the cogs of Apple’s creative genius?
Absolutely not. Steve Jobs was a human being, born in the image and likeness of God. He was blessed with exquisite creative ability. These God-given talents led to founding and leading the largest tech company in the world, which in turn made a direct impact on the launch of this Catholic mission, OneBillionStories.com, on January 3rd 2010! Thanks to Cory Heiman of Likable Art this quote was brought to my attention on the eve of Steve Jobs’ passing via the facebook news feed. He said…
“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure — these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.” - Steve Jobs, commencement address at Stanford University, 2005
We will all die. We all have a choice. We all have little life choices daily that lead up to what Steve Jobs calls the ‘big choices of life.’ He is correct in saying that ‘all external expectations’ slip away on death’s door step. Let us remember these words of Steve Jobs and integrate them in to the daily living of this 2,000 year old religion we call Catholicism. As The Little Flower would say, “My whole strength lies in prayer and sacrifice, these are my invincible arms; they can move hearts far better than words, I know it by experience.” Do I go too far in stating that Steve Jobs’ reflection on the door step of death carries qualities of the Little Flower’s ‘Little Way.’ Inward holiness is the parallel between both, what we will all face come the end, even the smartest, richest, and most successful among us.
From the OBS headquarters in Denver, Colorado, 9:37 p.m. MST - thanks Steve Jobs for pursuing life vigorously, it has aided this Catholic mission to begin the recording, editing, and publishing of the ‘one billion Catholic stories.’
The Church and New Media by Brandon Vogt
September 23, 2011 by OneBillionStories.com
Filed under Archive, Blog, Book Reviews, Media
(Ready to comment on this blog? click on title and scroll down to the bottom.)
The Church and New Media
by Brandon Vogt
“The Church and New Media is the best kind of reading: timely, vivid, and rich in valuable information. For anyone seeking to understand and use today’s new technologies in advancing the Catholic Faith, this book is an unsurpassed resource.”
- Archbishop Charles Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., Archbishop of Philadelphia (FOLLOW ABC on FACEBOOK, click right)
Do I jump too far in stating that The Church and New Media by Brandon Vogt, shares many similarities with the Bible? How you ask? It comes together as a collection of personal stories from ‘digital continent’ missionaries, in a comprehensive library of ideas, guidelines, and inspiration for all Catholic online evangelization. If the biblical comparison is not enough, let me try baseball.
I love baseball, in fact, my mother’s roots hail from upstate New York. With those family roots, the venerable New York Yankees were at the top of my family’s docket for every summer trip to the Big Apple growing up! Although the Rocky Mountains are home, the men in pin stripes have always held an important place in my life. So no, these are no words of a band wagon fan; only a born and raised Yankee fanatic. I’ve read all the Yankee history books, so I know a good line up when I see one, historically and in the present.
Well, the late George Steinbrenner, and now his son Hank, have nothing on young Catholic ‘digital continent’ missionary Brandon Vogt! If anyone knows how to assemble a ‘murderer’s row’ line-up (not what you’re thinking), it’s Mr. Vogt. Published in August 2011, The Church and New Media is a spectacular collection of people’s Christ-centered online revolutions for the Catholic faith, located where the current vicar of Christ on earth calls the ‘digital continent.’ “ It falls, in particular, to young people, who have an almost spontaneous affinity for the new means of communication, to take on the responsibility for the evangelization of this “digital continent”.” This book builds a library of Bible-like proportions for the future of the Catholic Church’s mission upon the coming of age world-wide-web. And the lead off hitter is a must for any online missionary team, read on.
How can a book on evangelization from a Catholic world view not begin with a chapter by Fr. Robert Barron of Word on Fire? Fr. Robert Barron opens this book with the hard facts, ‘the largest religious group in the United States is Catholics,’ great, right? But then he drops the hammer immediately following with ‘
the second largest religious group in the United States is…. fallen away Catholics.’
After this accurate reporting, he shares good news immediately, similar to the gospel parables of Jesus’ time.What’s the good news? We Catholics of the present now have a ‘virtual Areopagus’ that St. Paul would have relished 2,000 years ago, the internet! Once a Catholic has been formed well in the faith says Thomas Peters, in the closing chapter, they then have the opportunity to share their story of faith with hundreds, thousands, even millions of readers, listeners, and viewers upon the ‘digital continent.‘ And indeed, that is good news for Catholics who know how the Church’s reputation receives a daily bashing from ‘pop’ media. (set up google alert for ‘pope’, you’ll get the picture real quick)
Who in this world loves truthful communication? Catholics revel in it, that is one reason faithful Catholics remain Catholic, they know truth when encountered. In the modern world, members of society often dig laboriously for truth. Why does OneBillionStories.com endorse The Church and New Media by Brandon Vogt? The author plants his morals, convictions, and daily mission within the wisdom of the Catholic faith. Just read his blog, www.thinveil.net, and you will experience a man who is on a mission to get to heaven, and bring as many people from the ‘digital continent’ with him.
Top to bottom this book is a necessary keepsake next to any Catholic’s personal computer or ipad. Keep it always on the ready to shed light on how Catholics are called to share their faith on the internet. Contributors such as Jennifer Fulwiler, former atheist turned Catholic in 2005 (www.conversiondiary.com), Mark Shea, Taylor Marshall, Matt Warner, and Lisa Hendey, to name a few, bring the best of online Catholic blogging right to your personal online revolution(s). Once again, check out author Brandon Vogt’s personal website www.thinveil.net and purchase the book at www.churchandnewmedia.com.
Till next time…
(Ready to comment on this blog? click on title and scroll down to the bottom.)
SEPTEMBER 16TH 2011: STEVE SEGUIN, CATHOLICTV, AND I WILL WALK 500 MILES…
September 23, 2011 by OneBillionStories.com
Filed under Media, Website Updates
Want to comment on this blog? Click on title and scroll down to the bottom.
September 16th 2011: Steve Seguin, CatholicTV, and I will walk 500 miles…
I have some exciting updates listed below, they must be shared with all of you who have prayed hard and revisited the website often in the last 19 months! Remember our first tag line? Let it begin….. well, it most certainly has begun as you are about to discover below!
••• Steve Seguin began his Camino this morning from Lourdes, France! He will be focusing on gathering stories ‘along the way’ for UnBillondeHistorias.com! He is walking around 500 miles for the mission, now that’s dedication!!!
••• Annie Miller, of Brooklyn New York, had her first story published today on UnBillondeHistorias.com, go check it out here: Pedro from Brooklyn! In January, she and her husband will be traveling through South America for 6 months gathering stories for UBH! Check back often for more stories from Annie on the Spanish channel!
••• On the OBS homepage, you will notice that today’s story is not a story, but an episode from CatholicTV‘s mini series on ‘One Billion Stories’, a recap of the bike ride across the country! OBS traveled to Boston to record
this mini series, which will air weekly on CatholicTV and OBS for the next two months!
••• Last month, OneBillionStories.com received 15,000 unique (new) visitors to the website. Thank you for spreading the mission through your family and friends, it truly does help the mission spread around the world on the ‘digital continent.’
•••• Last But Not Least: Steve Seguin will be LIVE on OneBillionStories.com tonight (9/15/11) at 9 p.m. MST recapping his first day on the Camino!!!! Go to the homepage and click on ‘Join Chat’ in bottom right corner at 9 p.m. MST. E-mail questions to ask Steve at 9 p.m. MST!!! Or write them on the Facebook page of OBS! ••••
Buen Camino!
Want to comment on this blog? Click on title and scroll down to the bottom.
Absolutely not. Steve Jobs was a human being, born in the image and likeness of God. He was blessed with exquisite creative ability. These God-given talents led to founding and leading the largest tech company in the world, which in turn made a direct impact on the launch of this Catholic mission, OneBillionStories.com, on January 3rd 2010! Thanks to Cory Heiman of Likable Art this quote was brought to my attention on the eve of Steve Jobs’ passing via the facebook news feed. He said…
“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure — these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.” - Steve Jobs, commencement address at Stanford University, 2005
We will all die. We all have a choice. We all have little life choices daily that lead up to what Steve Jobs calls the ‘big choices of life.’ He is correct in saying that ‘all external expectations’ slip away on death’s door step. Let us remember these words of Steve Jobs and integrate them in to the daily living of this 2,000 year old religion we call Catholicism. As The Little Flower would say, “My whole strength lies in prayer and sacrifice, these are my invincible arms; they can move hearts far better than words, I know it by experience.” Do I go too far in stating that Steve Jobs’ reflection on the door step of death carries qualities of the Little Flower’s ‘Little Way.’ Inward holiness is the parallel between both, what we will all face come the end, even the smartest, richest, and most successful among us.
From the OBS headquarters in Denver, Colorado, 9:37 p.m. MST - thanks Steve Jobs for pursuing life vigorously, it has aided this Catholic mission to begin the recording, editing, and publishing of the ‘one billion Catholic stories.’
The Church and New Media by Brandon Vogt
September 23, 2011 by OneBillionStories.com
Filed under Archive, Blog, Book Reviews, Media
(Ready to comment on this blog? click on title and scroll down to the bottom.)
The Church and New Media
by Brandon Vogt
“The Church and New Media is the best kind of reading: timely, vivid, and rich in valuable information. For anyone seeking to understand and use today’s new technologies in advancing the Catholic Faith, this book is an unsurpassed resource.”
- Archbishop Charles Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., Archbishop of Philadelphia (FOLLOW ABC on FACEBOOK, click right)
Do I jump too far in stating that The Church and New Media by Brandon Vogt, shares many similarities with the Bible? How you ask? It comes together as a collection of personal stories from ‘digital continent’ missionaries, in a comprehensive library of ideas, guidelines, and inspiration for all Catholic online evangelization. If the biblical comparison is not enough, let me try baseball.
I love baseball, in fact, my mother’s roots hail from upstate New York. With those family roots, the venerable New York Yankees were at the top of my family’s docket for every summer trip to the Big Apple growing up! Although the Rocky Mountains are home, the men in pin stripes have always held an important place in my life. So no, these are no words of a band wagon fan; only a born and raised Yankee fanatic. I’ve read all the Yankee history books, so I know a good line up when I see one, historically and in the present.
Well, the late George Steinbrenner, and now his son Hank, have nothing on young Catholic ‘digital continent’ missionary Brandon Vogt! If anyone knows how to assemble a ‘murderer’s row’ line-up (not what you’re thinking), it’s Mr. Vogt. Published in August 2011, The Church and New Media is a spectacular collection of people’s Christ-centered online revolutions for the Catholic faith, located where the current vicar of Christ on earth calls the ‘digital continent.’ “ It falls, in particular, to young people, who have an almost spontaneous affinity for the new means of communication, to take on the responsibility for the evangelization of this “digital continent”.” This book builds a library of Bible-like proportions for the future of the Catholic Church’s mission upon the coming of age world-wide-web. And the lead off hitter is a must for any online missionary team, read on.
How can a book on evangelization from a Catholic world view not begin with a chapter by Fr. Robert Barron of Word on Fire? Fr. Robert Barron opens this book with the hard facts, ‘the largest religious group in the United States is Catholics,’ great, right? But then he drops the hammer immediately following with ‘the second largest religious group in the United States is…. fallen away Catholics.’
After this accurate reporting, he shares good news immediately, similar to the gospel parables of Jesus’ time.What’s the good news? We Catholics of the present now have a ‘virtual Areopagus’ that St. Paul would have relished 2,000 years ago, the internet! Once a Catholic has been formed well in the faith says Thomas Peters, in the closing chapter, they then have the opportunity to share their story of faith with hundreds, thousands, even millions of readers, listeners, and viewers upon the ‘digital continent.‘ And indeed, that is good news for Catholics who know how the Church’s reputation receives a daily bashing from ‘pop’ media. (set up google alert for ‘pope’, you’ll get the picture real quick)
Who in this world loves truthful communication? Catholics revel in it, that is one reason faithful Catholics remain Catholic, they know truth when encountered. In the modern world, members of society often dig laboriously for truth. Why does OneBillionStories.com endorse The Church and New Media by Brandon Vogt? The author plants his morals, convictions, and daily mission within the wisdom of the Catholic faith. Just read his blog, www.thinveil.net, and you will experience a man who is on a mission to get to heaven, and bring as many people from the ‘digital continent’ with him.
Top to bottom this book is a necessary keepsake next to any Catholic’s personal computer or ipad. Keep it always on the ready to shed light on how Catholics are called to share their faith on the internet. Contributors such as Jennifer Fulwiler, former atheist turned Catholic in 2005 (www.conversiondiary.com), Mark Shea, Taylor Marshall, Matt Warner, and Lisa Hendey, to name a few, bring the best of online Catholic blogging right to your personal online revolution(s). Once again, check out author Brandon Vogt’s personal website www.thinveil.net and purchase the book at www.churchandnewmedia.com.
Till next time…
(Ready to comment on this blog? click on title and scroll down to the bottom.)
SEPTEMBER 16TH 2011: STEVE SEGUIN, CATHOLICTV, AND I WILL WALK 500 MILES…
September 23, 2011 by OneBillionStories.com
Filed under Media, Website Updates
Want to comment on this blog? Click on title and scroll down to the bottom.
September 16th 2011: Steve Seguin, CatholicTV, and I will walk 500 miles…
I have some exciting updates listed below, they must be shared with all of you who have prayed hard and revisited the website often in the last 19 months! Remember our first tag line? Let it begin….. well, it most certainly has begun as you are about to discover below!
••• Steve Seguin began his Camino this morning from Lourdes, France! He will be focusing on gathering stories ‘along the way’ for UnBillondeHistorias.com! He is walking around 500 miles for the mission, now that’s dedication!!!
••• Annie Miller, of Brooklyn New York, had her first story published today on UnBillondeHistorias.com, go check it out here: Pedro from Brooklyn! In January, she and her husband will be traveling through South America for 6 months gathering stories for UBH! Check back often for more stories from Annie on the Spanish channel!
••• On the OBS homepage, you will notice that today’s story is not a story, but an episode from CatholicTV‘s mini series on ‘One Billion Stories’, a recap of the bike ride across the country! OBS traveled to Boston to record
this mini series, which will air weekly on CatholicTV and OBS for the next two months!
••• Last month, OneBillionStories.com received 15,000 unique (new) visitors to the website. Thank you for spreading the mission through your family and friends, it truly does help the mission spread around the world on the ‘digital continent.’
•••• Last But Not Least: Steve Seguin will be LIVE on OneBillionStories.com tonight (9/15/11) at 9 p.m. MST recapping his first day on the Camino!!!! Go to the homepage and click on ‘Join Chat’ in bottom right corner at 9 p.m. MST. E-mail questions to ask Steve at 9 p.m. MST!!! Or write them on the Facebook page of OBS! ••••
Buen Camino!
Want to comment on this blog? Click on title and scroll down to the bottom.
Well, the late George Steinbrenner, and now his son Hank, have nothing on young Catholic ‘digital continent’ missionary Brandon Vogt! If anyone knows how to assemble a ‘murderer’s row’ line-up (not what you’re thinking), it’s Mr. Vogt. Published in August 2011, The Church and New Media is a spectacular collection of people’s Christ-centered online revolutions for the Catholic faith, located where the current vicar of Christ on earth calls the ‘digital continent.’ “ It falls, in particular, to young people, who have an almost spontaneous affinity for the new means of communication, to take on the responsibility for the evangelization of this “digital continent”.” This book builds a library of Bible-like proportions for the future of the Catholic Church’s mission upon the coming of age world-wide-web. And the lead off hitter is a must for any online missionary team, read on.
How can a book on evangelization from a Catholic world view not begin with a chapter by Fr. Robert Barron of Word on Fire? Fr. Robert Barron opens this book with the hard facts, ‘the largest religious group in the United States is Catholics,’ great, right? But then he drops the hammer immediately following with ‘the second largest religious group in the United States is…. fallen away Catholics.’
After this accurate reporting, he shares good news immediately, similar to the gospel parables of Jesus’ time.What’s the good news? We Catholics of the present now have a ‘virtual Areopagus’ that St. Paul would have relished 2,000 years ago, the internet! Once a Catholic has been formed well in the faith says Thomas Peters, in the closing chapter, they then have the opportunity to share their story of faith with hundreds, thousands, even millions of readers, listeners, and viewers upon the ‘digital continent.‘ And indeed, that is good news for Catholics who know how the Church’s reputation receives a daily bashing from ‘pop’ media. (set up google alert for ‘pope’, you’ll get the picture real quick)
Who in this world loves truthful communication? Catholics revel in it, that is one reason faithful Catholics remain Catholic, they know truth when encountered. In the modern world, members of society often dig laboriously for truth. Why does OneBillionStories.com endorse The Church and New Media by Brandon Vogt? The author plants his morals, convictions, and daily mission within the wisdom of the Catholic faith. Just read his blog, www.thinveil.net, and you will experience a man who is on a mission to get to heaven, and bring as many people from the ‘digital continent’ with him.
Top to bottom this book is a necessary keepsake next to any Catholic’s personal computer or ipad. Keep it always on the ready to shed light on how Catholics are called to share their faith on the internet. Contributors such as Jennifer Fulwiler, former atheist turned Catholic in 2005 (www.conversiondiary.com), Mark Shea, Taylor Marshall, Matt Warner, and Lisa Hendey, to name a few, bring the best of online Catholic blogging right to your personal online revolution(s). Once again, check out author Brandon Vogt’s personal website www.thinveil.net and purchase the book at www.churchandnewmedia.com.
Till next time…
(Ready to comment on this blog? click on title and scroll down to the bottom.)
SEPTEMBER 16TH 2011: STEVE SEGUIN, CATHOLICTV, AND I WILL WALK 500 MILES…
September 23, 2011 by OneBillionStories.com
Filed under Media, Website Updates
