There is no secret: Biltrix is on a mission.
Recently, one of my commenters raised the question about the 500-pound gorilla in the room, referring to the guy in the monkey suit hanging out with Luke Skywalker, King Arthur, and a Catholic priest at the top of the page (whoever comes up with the best punchline wins a grilled-cheese sandwich).
If you’ll forgive my penchant for leaving the non-self-explanatory unexplained, here’s the meaning behind the cover: You are looking at the future of the Catholic Church.
Allow me to explain further.
Meet the Mission Corps Volunteers and their New York chaplain, Fr Jason Smith, LC
Benediction in the Bronx
The flip-side of our cover-shot — these men aren’t monkeying around:
When Fr Jason’s not blogging on Biltrix, he’s always busy forming good young men into great Catholic leaders, by striking them out with un-hittable wiffleball pitches.
This summer Fr Jason is busy building up the new recruits, college-aged men who’ve volunteered one to two years of their lives to Catholic missionary work. The missionaries are currently learning the ropes in the intensive summer formation course in Thornwood, NY.
During their volunteer year, the missionaries dedicate themselves full-time to working with youth, directing confirmation retreats and boys camps, and taking advantage of this unique opportunity to grow in their faith. After this year of work and formation, most of them will go on to College, bringing their solid formation and missionary zeal with them. Some will generously volunteer themselves for another year of apostolic work to fortify the solid-foundation they already received and continue building the missionary program along side their priest-mentors, serving Christ and his Church in several cities across the U.S. and around the globe.
Are you interested in learning more about the Mission Corps?
Here are a couple of links to previous articles featuring videos of Mission Corps Volunteers in action:
Fr Jason Smith, LC
Biltrix 
Love the humor. Keeps bringing me back. I wish I had a monkey suit. Though it’s been pretty hot lately and the inside of a mask kind of smells like vomit…. God love you!
Yeah. I need to get that suit dry cleaned. Thanks!
Father Jason’s wiffle ball pitching looked sharp. I always enjoy taking part in a good wiffle ball game. Oh seeing the Bronx brings back memories when I went on a mission trip with Franciscan University. God Bless.
Bronx has it good parts and rough parts (lots of good people in the Bronx). My university campus, Fordham, was in a nicer area with the zoo and the botanical garden. There is plenty of missionary work to be done in the South Bronx. Were you there with the Friars of the Renewal by chance?
Yes. We stayed between the Friars residence and I believe what was either a school or used to be a school. This is one mission trip I wish I could have the opportunity to take part in again. Or at least something similar. I had the pleasure of meeting Father Benedict Groeschel. One of my favorite places we helped out at was Mother Teresa’s Order’s home for unwed mothers.
Terrific post! Thanks for the explanation — even if we will have to chalk up the gorilla, King Authur, Luke Skywalker and Fr. Jason to one of those mysteries of faith. 🙂
And boy, that Fr. Jason has a wicked Wiffle-pitchin’ arm. STEEE-RIIIIIIIIKE!
Yeah… I guess I didn’t really explain the cover that well. I thought maybe most readers would get distracted by those fastballs.
Thank you for the kind words and the great post!
I hate to admit, but I thought that picture looked normal (for biltrix). Great work, Fr. Jason!
I was rather proud of it myself! 😉 Thanks!
Thanks for explaining the picture! I knew it had to have some explanation. 🙂
Thanks! I added it to the blog because it just kind of says “Biltrix.” Of course, that too needs to be explained.