Dear Konrad:

Thank you for the invitation to World Youth Day in Sidney. I will not be able to make it there. One, I am old as dirt and would be worn out just being in the proximity of all those young people, and two, money and health makes it unlikely that I can travel again -- beyond going from my desk to the bathroom that is, and I am not always sure about that! ;).

Well, I am not really the one to ask about memory. In recent years my memory has deteriorated as a result of my medical condition, but I find that I can recall what I need to recall when the time calls for it. Though this study guide on memory might be helpful to you.

There are a number of keys, some of which comes from Leonardo de Vinci (keys to genius):

1) Reignite within your mind and spirit a sense of wonder. We we look at the world, or our faith, with the wonder and awe that we use to have as a child we will imbue that faith deep into our souls.

I have answered 1000s of questions, talked to hundreds of people, gone into the lion's den of anti-Catholics groups to defend the faith, and am now working on a doctorate in sacred theology, but the thing that allows me to do what I do is that I am in utter astounding awe and wonder at the majesty of God, the beauty of the Faith, and the rich treasure of the Church. There is never a day that goes by that I do not say or think "wow" when I think of our Faith.

Rekindle that awe and wonder.

2) Be thirsty for learning. Be absolutely curious -- about everything.  Read, read, and read some more. Fill your mind with all that you wish to learn, and things you are not interested in learning. Be curious all over the place.

When I was a child I use to read the dictionary for the fun of it. Even before I could read I would spend hours looking through an encyclopedia looking at the pictures.

I remember when my daughters were about 13 and 11 years old. I asked them to sit with me and watch a National Geographic documentary. It was summertime. Both girls refused to watch the documentary with me. I asked why. My oldest daughter (13 at the time) said, "Daddy, it is summertime, we turn our brains off."

NEVER turn off your brain. Be alert and observant of the world around you. Be thirsty to learn more about God and the Church and how to live your faith in this evil world.

3) Trust in God. We learn in the Bible that we need not fear what we need to say when confronted by some inquiry, debate, or persecution. The Holy Spirit will give you the words you need when you need them. This principle is found in Matthew 10:19. While the situation there was defending oneself against persecutors, the principle can apply in other situations, too.

Bottomline, God will give you the words you need when you need them. But, it will be difficult for the Holy Spirit to help you to recall something if you haven't got it in your brain in the first place. Thus, refer to number 1 & 2 above.

I am terrible at the game of Trivial Pursuit. Without context I can remember nearly nothing. But, when I am talking with someone I can come up with the most obscurely trivial facts. They pop in my brain when I need them. But they first have to be in my brain.

4) Learn to think philosophically. That is, learn to see the connections between things, the common denominators that lie underneath the obvious. Once you can learn the presumptions and nuances of things you can begin to notice the commonality of all knowledge and the connections between all knowledge.

A small example of this is the point I made about God giving us the words to say when we need them. The Bible passage is specific to begin brought before the court and accused. God will give us the words we need to defend ourselves. But, this implies a principle: a principle that the Holy Spirit will give us the words we need in many situations. I saw the principle behind the obvious scriptural narrative.

Understanding this philosophical foundation underneath all knowledge is how I can talk about something I know nothing about and still hold my own in the conversation.

This point is not an easy one, but it will come when you exercise your mind with a sense of awe, wonder, curiosity, and passion.

5) Never stop. Constant repetition helps to solidify the information in our brains. For example, I have answered so many questions, hundred of them over and over, that I can mostly prepare these answers from the top of my pointed head. I still research, but much is already at the forethought of my mind because I have done this for so long. Experience builds knowledge.

6) Be Not Afraid to Experience your faith (and your knowledge). This means not being afraid to make mistakes. Mistakes are merely opportunities to learn. The way that I have come to be able to do what I do is NOT be being a good Christian, but rather by making mistake after mistake, sin after sin. The redeeming value I cling to is that I try to allow God to take my mistakes (my lemons) and make sweet lemonade.

Roman 8:28: "All things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose."

Since I am a 400 pound lemon, I figure God can squeeze a LOT of juice out of me. Thus, whatever good I can offer others comes not from being a great Christian, because I am not, but because I am one big honkin lemon that God can squeeze (if I let him).

None of this is possible unless one steps out to experience the faith. A couch potato merely roots in the couch and eventually rots.

7) Use "whole brain thinking." That means to develop a balance between science and art, logic and imagination, faith and reason, theology and philosophy, devotion and daily life.

Soak it all in, fill your soul, drink of the richness of the beautiful world God has created for us, the sublime transcendence of our friendship and intimacy with God, and the privilege of being one of the "King's kids".

These are my thoughts on this matter.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary