Clarification: Getting to St. Mary's Church

From the Drury Plaza Hotel, you will need to walk a couple of blocks. From the East Commerce/St. Mary's Street intersection, you'll turn left (towards the Aztec Theater) and walk in that direction.

The church will be across the street after two blocks.

What Should I Bring to CNMC?

From my experience as a traveler to the Catholic New Media Celebration last year in Atlanta, here is my suggested checklist for the CNMC:

- Enough clothes for your trip (pack for very hot weather!)
- Comfortable shoes
- Clothes & shoes for Mass
- Toiletries, cosmetics, etc.
- Contacts, eyeglasses, etc.
- Personal medications
- Business cards (to network easily with others)
- Pen
- Journal, camera, audio recorder, etc. if you wish to record your experience that way
----If you're bringing these items, don't forget everything you'd normally need, like extra tape for video cameras, memory sticks, batteries, chargers, adapters, microphones, etc.
- Rosary
- Bible
- Sunglasses, umbrella, hat, etc. to keep cool in the hot sun
- Sunscreen lotion if you plan on spending some time outside, or if you have particularly sensitive skin
- Passport, ID, credit cards, cash, etc.
- Flight & hotel information
- Purse, "fanny pack", etc. Keep in mind that you will receive a bag at the CNMC, so you may use that to carry some items.
- Celular phone

Sunday Mass & Close to Year of St. Paul

It's just been announced that Sunday Mass for the Catholic New Media Celebration will take place at 9:30 AM in St. Mary's Catholic Church. You can find the church at 202 North St. Mary's Street. To get there from outside the hotel, just turn left and walk a few blocks. The church will be across the street.

Up to today, there's been speculation that the Archbishop will celebrate Mass with us. However, I can tell you that is highly unlikely, as Archbishop Gomez has been scheduled to celebrate an 11 AM Mass out-of-town. I will not be surprised to see our Bishop Oscar Cantu celebrate Mass with us, if any of the archdiocesan bishops are joining us. Bishop Cantu keeps a blog at http://bishopcantu.wordpress.com/

You may be interested in taking advantage of your stay to close the Year of St. Paul beyond attending the CNMC.

If that's the case, I encourage you to check out an event called Continuing in the Footsteps of St. Paul after your lunch! You'll learn from one of the foremost Catholic scholars on St. Paul and a former teacher of mine, Father George Montague, S.M., as well as the archdiocese's reknown Director for Evangelization, Martha Fernandez-Sardina.

The seminar takes place at 2 PM in the AT&T Center and Cafe on the grounds of San Fernando Cathedral. It lasts until 5 PM, when a Mass will be celebrated. At 6:30 PM, Archbishop Jose Gomez and Auxiliary Bishop Oscar Cantu will celebrate Solemn Vespers for the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul in the Cathedral.

This can serve as an excellent close to your San Antonio pilgrimage. To register for the event, contact the Office for Evangelization at 1.210.734.1990. $10 will get you the seminar and dinner.

CNMC Location: UIW Sky Room

We're going to be in the Sky Room? What, in the clouds? Where exactly is this place?

This year, the Catholic New Media Celebration will take place on the campus of the University of the Incarnate Word, one of the three Catholic universities located in San Antonio. UIW happens to be my school's rival, so I'm not officially a fan, but my dad received his degree there, so I suppose I have a well-enough balanced viewpoint to share. (Grin.)

The University of the Incarnate Word is one of the largest private universities in Texas, and one of the most internationally active. It was founded by the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word.

When you're driving down to the CNMC, don't be fooled by UIW's closeby Incarnate Word High School. To get to the Sky Room, you'll need to be dropped off on the side of UIW's campus near East Hildebrand Avenue. As you can see on this map, the Sky Room is located in the McCombs Center, building 41 near the bottom of the map. When you enter from the E. Hildebrand entrance, the McCombs Center is on your right. (Check out the satellite image on Google Maps.) Parking is free for Sky Room visitors.

You'll take an elevator up to the Sky Room, named after its magnificent view of the city. (My high school prom was there!)

Enjoy your preparations. See you soon!

How to Beat the S.A. Heat!

When you arrive in San Antonio, you'll arrive in the midst of a pretty terrible drought. It's been one hot summer already, with temperatures reaching over 100 degrees Farenheit in the late afternoon. The air has also been very humid, which combined with high heat, can make for a potentially dangerous atmosphere.

Be not afraid! A San Antonio native is here to the rescue. When you know you'll be outside for a while in the Alamo City, make sure you have the following:

• Sunscreen lotion
  
• Sunglasses
• A hat and/or umbrella (to use as shade)
• Access to plenty of water (carry a bottle with you and drink often)
• Light-colored/lightweight clothing, which absorbs less heat
• Breaks in between periods of physical activity, such as walking, jogging, or bike riding
  

and try to avoid the following:

• Sugary or caffeinated drinks, which impede your body's hydration and make you more susceptible to heatstroke
  
• Dark-colored/heavy clothing
• Standing in direct sunlight for extended periods of time
• Wearing metal necklaces in direct sunlight, which can actually concentrate heat and give you a small burn

Above all, don't fret! As long as you do your part to beat the heat, you'll feel great. Enjoy your CNMC preparations!

More Things to Know

Here are some more phrases that might come in handy when visiting San Antonio:

Ballet Folklorico: (Folk-LORE-ee-ko) Refers to a traditional type of Mexican or Central American dance, performed in various styles according to the region of origin. Costumes and music differ, but you can find any kind in San Antonio. In most of the performances you may see, women are dressed in long, colorful dresses and men are dressed in charro (or Mexican cowboy) costume. This resembles the tradition of northern Mexico. Folklorico styles include those originating in Veracruz, Jalisco, Nuevo Leon, Guerrero, Michoacan, and the Yucatan Peninsula.

The Loop: Slang for Loop 410 highway.

Alamo Heights: The traditionally wealthy part of town, where the University of the Incarnate Word is located.

The Tower: Slang for the Hemisfair Tower, which I've written about here.

Matachines: (Ma-tah-CHEE-neh-s) A group of religious dancers performing in the traditional style of Aztec emperor Montezuma, adapted for Roman Catholic purposes. They often participate in dances dedicated to the Blessed Mother as Our Lady of Guadalupe or for other saints. You can see a clip of matachines dancing here.
Also popular in our city are Aztec dancers dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe in this style.

Tortilla: (tor-TEE-ya) Mexican flat bread made of either flour (de harina) or corn (de maiz).

Taco: (tah-ko) A sort of "Mexican sandwich," where ingredients are spread onto a tortilla. The tortilla is then folded in half. A typical taco on a menu will include a meat with tomatoes and lettuce, but there is really no "official" recipe for a taco. Tacos are eaten at any time of day. A crispy taco is a Tex-Mex variety using a fried taco. These are usually messier to eat!

Borracho or ranchero beans: If you order your beans this way, they will be whole (as opposed to refried and mashed). They usually come served in a bowl and are somewhat spicy. Borracho beans are also cooked with beer for flavoring. ("Borracho" means "a drunk" in Spanish.)

Sopapillas: (Soap-ah-PEE-ahs) Traditional Mexican dessert. Tortillas are fried, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, and served with honey. Can also be served with ice cream on top.

Flan: (fl-AH-n) Traditional dessert in Spanish-speaking countries. Sort of like soggy cake to me, but it's actually a custard topped with caramel, and sometimes fruit.

Words and Phrases To Know

As when visiting any region of the world, you may want to know a few things about our culture and language when visiting San Antonio.

Mariachi: (mah-ree-AH-chee, with the "r" rolled) Refers to a traditional Mexican style of music, or the musician who plays this music. Mariachis can be found at any corner of San Antonio, wearing traditional costume and playing violin, guitar, and trumpet instruments. They're known to be highly entertaining, and are usually quite talented. It is common for mariachis to wander around restaurants asking customers for song requests. Be aware that most of these groups will entertain you on a payment-per-song basis. Whether you pay or a nearby table pays, you should definitely try to experience mariachi music in action. Want some good songs to request? Here's a few with links to video clips: El Son De La Negra, Jarabe Tapatio (the "Mexican Hat Dance"), Mariachi Loco, Cielito Lindo, Solamente Una Vez, Las Mañanitas, (the song we sing on birthdays and anniversaries), La Cucaracha, and of course: La Bamba.

Queso flameado: (KEH-so flah-meh-AH-do) Literally means cheese on fire. If you see this on your menu, you're up for an appetizer, and you're not lactose intolerant, order it! Queso flameado is spicy chili mixed with cheese and set and served aflame so it's hot when you eat it.

al Carbon: (all Car-BONE, with the "r" rolled) Means your meat will be charcoal-grilled

Paseo del Rio: Riverwalk

Un grito: (oo-n grEE-toe, with the "r" rolled) A loud cry or shout, which you'll usually hear mariachis doing during a song. Listeners also do this, sort of like an "amen" to a preacher or a "woohoo!" during an upbeat song. It can also mean the listeners can relate to or appreciate a sad song. You can hear a lot of them during this performance of "El Son De La Negra."

Alamo City or River City: nicknames for San Antonio. No native calls the city "San Antone." Why should we? Pronounced properly, our name is Spanish for Saint Anthony (of Padua).

Gracias or Muchas Gracias: (GRAH-see-ah-s/MOO-cha-s) Literally meaning "graces" or "many graces," this is how you say "thank you" or "thank you very much" in Spanish.

If you encounter any other strange words or phrases while you plan, don't be afraid to ask!