Matt Palmer is the former social media coordinator of Catholic Review Media.

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I think you have a bit of an overreaction. The thing is, the author wants to make a statement about this universe they have created. It is an oppressive regime that takes away the innocence of a child, or at worst a life, that keep the masses in fear. The more food they borrow, the more likely they will be picked. It is about coming from the poor and showing the upper class who's boss. (Especially in the end scene with Peeta and Katniss. "They don't have to have a winner.") As a society outside of the book, we don't condone these things by showing them on our screens and reading about them. You almost have to desensitize yourself in order to learn the message the series is trying to teach. You can't compare your morals regarding children death matches to this series because we didn't grow up where the Hunger Games looms annually. Instead, we have to look at it objectively and hopefully: better ourselves. Look at your nieces. There are two or more ways to interpret every story: Face value, where it is children in a death match for entertainment of the crowd. Or, with an analytical mind: a story of rags showing the upper class whose boss, and creating a revolution. A satire on how media in our world makes contestants in a dog-eat-dog world or for people to put themselves in danger for cheap media entertainment. (And many more ideas)

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I found this video difficult to watch malniy because the people were so confused and affluent. Giving more money to someone will not guarantee that they will live out what God has planned for them. I felt sorry for them and would have liked to suggest to them that they give me some of their money and let me show them what to do with it. Seriously, I did not hear any of them speak about doing something for others or their moral beliefs.Interestingly, one of the interviewees mentioned how they went to a Christian school and was beaten up. I guess in that case his introduction to Christ was not a positive one. Some of the things that make the rich nervous also make poor nervous. The rich children worried about how to hold on to their money and the poor worry about how to get it. The rich are worried about someone knocking on their door saying you did not do something right, so now I am disowning you. The poor worry about someone knocking on their door saying your time is up and now you have to get out or bill collectors hounding them. There will always be worries that can overcome us when we live in a hollow life such as what was viewed.True freedom is knowing that God is in control and no matter what we see, these things are all temporal and we have a job to do. Seek the kingdom! All the other things will be added if we do the first step.These are just my thoughts..

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Steve Angrisano visits the Baltimore crowd at NCYC

INDIANAPOLIS - For the Archdiocese of Baltimore contingent, one of the biggest news to come out of the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC), was that Steve Angrisano, one of the biggest names in Catholic music, will be the keynote at the Baltimore Youth Catholic Conference in November, 2012 in Ocean City. BYCC attracted more than 500 kids from Maryland a year ago and brings the NCYC experience home to Maryland, with music, worship and faith.

Steve took some time to sing with the kids of Baltimore after the first NCYC night. Check out what happens when Father Matt Buening, pastor of St. Paul parish in Ellicott, joins a teen and Steve on stage.

November 20, 2011 09:15
By Matt Palmer

Leave A Comment | tags: bycc, indianapolis, ncyc, ocean city, steve angrisano | posted in Church, popular culture and you, Schools news, Social Justice, World Events, Young Adults, Youth

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Molly Sinnott's challenge

I posted Molly's message earlier. Here is a Youtube clip I put together with the audio of her speech. The image comes courtesy of Sean Comber, a young adult from Pius X. Thanks, Sean!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJVhM69kCok&fs=1&hl=en_US]

November 21, 2010 09:55
By Matt Palmer

Leave A Comment | tags: archbalt, archdiocese of baltimore, baltimore, bycc, heroes, ocean city, teens, youth | posted in Church, popular culture and you

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Father Austin's homily

Father T. Austin Murphy Jr, director of vocations, delivered a homily about a surprising hero of his. It was a fitting end to this busy, but affirming weekend in Ocean City.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZditnBcqJs&hl=en&fs=1]

November 21, 2010 12:22
By Matt Palmer

Leave A Comment | tags: archbalt, archdiocese of baltimore, baltimore, bycc, catholic, catholic church, heroes, ocean city, teens, youth | posted in Church, popular culture and you

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Superpowers activate!

Brad Farmer is delivering a Catholic pep talk to BYCC teens that would make a high school football coach jealous.

He's going full Uncle Ben Parker right now, talking about the responsibilty of being a Catholic teen hero. Who will become Spider-Man after this weekend?

"You know your jobs, superheroes. Become who you were created to be," Farmer said.

November 21, 2010 10:32
By Matt Palmer

Leave A Comment | tags: apex, archbalt, brad farmer, bycc, ocean city, teens | posted in Church, popular culture and you

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Best. Generation. Ever.

The last day of BYCC is here. I can already hear teens moving about the hallways as they prepare to head downstairs for breakfast.

You haven't lived until you've seen 500 teens pray the rosary under the moonlight at the beach. Surrounded by candles, the teens took to the sand last evening (Nov. 20) in a moving display of spirituality.

It was such a serene experience.

The teens have learned quite a bit about the power of quiet in their lives. Father T. Austin Murphy Jr. led the teens in an adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in one of the ballrooms. It never ceases to amaze me how familiar young people are with adoration. As a child, I was an altar server and active in my parish, but adoration was not something that was taught to us.

It's second nature to these kids and a truly centering experience for them.

Not everything was quiet last night. The kids rocked out to Joia Farmer's versions Sweet Child O' Mine, Journey's Don't Stop Believin' and The Bangles' Hazy Shade of Winter.

These kids are spiritual and know their 80s music? Millennials FTW!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qb2k5_4aULc&fs=1&hl=en_US]

This video doesn't have the greatest quality, but you'll see the energy on full display.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3ppUoKDYMA

November 21, 2010 07:41
By Matt Palmer

Leave A Comment | tags: archbalt, archdiocese of baltimore, baltimore, bycc, catholic, catholic church, heroes, ocean city, teens, youth | posted in Church, popular culture and you

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On the eve of BYCC, a look back at NCYC

It's hard to believe it's been a year since the National Catholic Youth Conference in Kansas City. Hundreds of teens from the Archdiocese of Baltimore showed the country that they were unapologetically Catholic and excited about it.

My good friend Kristin Witte, formerly of the archdiocese's Youth and Young Adult Ministry office and now of Loyola University Maryland's campus ministry staff, spent months trying to prepare me for NCYC. She would imitate chants and tell me about all the musical acts I'd see. She assured me there would be pep. Lots of it.

I gave her the old, skeptical "Yeah yeah."

She was right, though. Those 23,000 U.S. kids yelling "NC! YC!" in jammed arenas and on cramped streets, were awe-inspiring. The loudest and perhaps most passionate group had to have been those crab hat-wearing Baltimore teens. They knew all the lyrics to Matt Maher songs while I asked myself "Who is Matt Maher?"

By the end of the weekend, I might or might not have had a song of his stuck in my head.

Check out Baltimore's passion at NCYC.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fA_BX4M0ny0&fs=1&hl=en_US]

Many of the people who were on that NCYC trip will be in Ocean City this weekend. I look forward to sharing more of their talents and expressions of faith from the Baltimore Youth Catholic Conference.

I made some potentially lifelong friends at NCYC. I look forward to being with many of them and will be thinking of those who won't be there. I know they'll be there in spirit.

November 18, 2010 08:54
By Matt Palmer