Trevor Keilen is a MODG student and NHS member who recently launched OREMUS, a
website which provides Latin resources. Using his self-taught skills in coding and website
design, Trevor created OREMUS as a solution to the lack of reliable and easy-to-use Latin
websites. Trevor has graciously agreed to share about OREMUS in the following interview!
1. What is OREMUS? OREMUS is what I like to think of as the comprehensive home for
Latin prayers, devotions, and resources on the internet. It offers an extensive
collection of Latin prayers, a variety of popular Latin devotions, and all kinds of
different resources to help people learn Latin prayers faster. It’s meant to serve as an
online resource for those seeking to improve their prayer life or those beginning to
learn Latin prayers for the first time.
2. How long have you been studying Latin, and did you learn it through MODG? I’ve
studied Latin for about five years and used MODG the entire time. I took several
introductory courses before taking Henle 1A in 8th grade and then Henle 1B my
freshman year. Henle was always one of my favorite classes and contributed in large
part to my interest in the Latin language. Even without taking a Latin class since
freshman year, I have maintained a fascination and respect for the Latin language,
particularly Latin prayers and devotions.
3. How did you get into coding and website design? It’s actually kind of a funny story
about how I initially got into it. During my first year in the NHS, I was required to join a
GSP as a normal part of membership. I thought the Website GSP might be a fun way
to learn about some really basic website stuff. Up until this point, I had never really
tried coding or programming and didn’t have any technical knowledge whatsoever. I
really only joined because I thought it was different and unique. Well, it turned out that
as a member I began doing a lot of independent research and learning about how the
web works, just out of curiosity. I found it surprisingly interesting and began messing
around with web development. From that point and on, I’ve been learning all sorts of
things about coding, design, and websites in general. It’s honestly been a lot of fun
learning new things, and it’s crazy that being a member of the NHS is ultimately what
led me to discover coding.
4. What inspired you to use those skills to create a website devoted to Latin
Prayers? What ultimately led me to start OREMUS was a problem I had personally
encountered. I’ve always experienced difficulty in finding a good website for Latin
prayers online. I remember attempting to look up and learn new prayers or devotions
and being met with all kinds of problems. There are only a handful of websites out
there with a decent collection of Latin prayers, and most of them are old, outdated or
slow. I wanted to find a website that was reliable and could
provide the prayers or devotions I was looking for in a clean and easy to use format. It
was at that point that I really had the idea of making a website myself. So the initial
idea and vision of OREMUS really came as a solution to a problem I had personally
encountered; it was my idea of the “perfect” online resource for Latin prayers.
5. Can you briefly explain the overall timeline of creating OREMUS? So it’s been a
little over a year since its original idea and inception. I think I first had the idea in late
October of 2022 and have worked on its development since then. I did a lot of the
initial designing and brainstorming in late 2022, but I ended up completely redesigning
it in early 2023. I worked on it quite a bit up until April and then took a bit of a break
over the summer as work and sports took up more time. I resumed “fulltime”
development this August and worked really hard on all of the last features and final
touches. This included adding all of the original content and resources. After finishing
the copyrighting, it was released in its Beta version a few weeks ago. Currently, I’m in
the process of fixing any bugs or issues I identify in addition to working on some huge
updates for the future. So overall, the complete design, development, and production
have been over a year in the making.
6. Why did you name your website OREMUS? I ultimately decided on the name
OREMUS because it’s concise, memorable, and the perfect representation of the idea
of Latin prayers. Obviously, the Latin is “Let us pray,” which I think is the perfect
depiction of the brand and message the website strives to convey. The entire purpose
of OREMUS is to promulgate and promote the use of Latin prayers, and I think the
name is as much of a call to action as it’s a brand or name.
7. How does it feel to have officially launched your website? Honestly, it feels great.
A crazy amount of time and effort went into every aspect of its development, so it feels
amazing to finally have a tangible and concrete result of all the work. It’s also really
cool because I’m now able to see everyone’s reaction and how it makes a difference
in their own lives. At the end of the day, my whole goal with OREMUS is to provide a
great resource for others and help them achieve their goals, whether it be learning
Latin prayers or providing a reason to begin praying in Latin. Because of this it really
does feel good to have OREMUS Beta launched and I’m looking forward to what
future updates will bring.
8. What is your favorite part of OREMUS? The reviews would definitely have to be up
there. Those were ideas I had really early on and were a ton of fun to write. Aside from
that, I’d probably say a lot of the little things that make OREMUS such a nice
experience to use would be my favorite part. The overall design and user experience
really differentiates it from other sites and just makes it fun and engaging to use.
9. What advice would you give your fellow students who want to make a
difference? I would advise them to be open to different opportunities around them.
Find something you are passionate about and look for ways to make a meaningful
difference there. This project has really taught me to work towards a solution rather
than complain about the existing problem. Fixing problems you encounter yourself will
likely impact more than just you. I would also encourage fellow students to serve
others with their personal talents and abilities. Everyone has distinctive talents and
skill sets which can be used to help people in different ways. Finding a way to serve
others or make a difference by utilizing your own unique abilities is one thing I’d really
emphasize and encourage everyone to pursue.
10. How can people help support OREMUS? At this point, the best way people can help
support OREMUS is by sharing it with others. If you find OREMUS useful or know
someone who would benefit from it, please share it with them! Sharing OREMUS with
friends and family is an excellent way to help spread OREMUS as its community and
user base continue to grow. Additionally, providing feedback during its Beta release
will help OREMUS improve faster during its continual development. If you have ideas
or suggestions for future updates, or simply locate a bug or problem, please reach out
and let me know.
Please check out OREMUS at prayoremus.com!
