Notre Dame part 2

God Bless these organizations and the students involved in them. Some of the student organizations at Notre Dame have issued their own statement in regards to Obama being picked as commencement speaker and honorary degree recipient.

I only skimmed the letter, but what stuck out the most for me was this section.

"Additionally, Fr. Jenkins has placed some of his students in a moral dilemma as to whether they should attend their own graduation. Many pro-life seniors, along with their families, are conflicted about whether to participate in the commencement ceremony. The lack of concern for these devoted sons and daughters of Notre Dame, who love this University and the Catholic principles on which it was built, is shameful."

As someone who fought with Seton Hall Administration for certain things, I know the place these students are in. For me to have to decided to not go to my own graduation would suck. I had my graduations from Seton Hall. I watched my friends receive their diplomas without me, while I walked the next year. I often took no notice as to whom the speaker was for the year. I was simply there for my handshake as we didn't even get our "piece of paper" at our ceremony. However I did not have to make the decision to not attend my graduation. I know if I was a student at Notre Dame that I would be one of those students not attending their own graduation. That's totally unfair for the families who sent their child to Notre Dame for a good education. Really who's the graduation for if not for the students.

Oh well, at least this is finally in the main stream media and who knows what will come from it. Maybe Obama will say "you know it's probably better if I don't come" but I don't see that happening.

Oh well I am off to finish crocheting a blanket for Baby Matthew.

Notre Dame

The past week I've been busy with Cornerstone and other things, so I'm just catching up on reading some blogs. Apparently Notre Dame had decided to toss all of it's Catholic identity out the door and have Obama as their commencement speaker this year.
Here is the link to sign the petition to stop this insanity. Go sign it and pass it along, the numbers are growing quite quickly.

In case the link doesn't work, cut and paste this:
http://www.notredamescandal.com/SignthePetitiontoFrJenkins/tabid/454/Default.aspx

Discernment

Discernment is normally a word associated with vocations and trying to figure out what one's vocation. Interestingly enough I did just e-mail the Vocations Offices of the Archdiocese of New York, the Archdiocese of Newark and the Diocese of Paterson for info for work. I'm planning on making my last large group session for Confirmation on Vocations. The kids want me to talk about Heaven, God, and abortion. All three topics and work themselves into vocations and I'll find a way to do it. The title I'm planning on is CCD is over, what now! Expanding on the idea that Confirmation is not CCD graduation that it is a sacrament and an important one. So many of the students are so misinformed when it comes to abortion, and the faith that there is no way I can completely undo the damage of the past 8 years of their lives, I can attempt to correct it and I have, but it's not enough in my opinion.

I am in the process of leaving paid Church ministry as almost every time I have worked for a church, I've been disappointed with whom I am working with. So often I find myself as the lone conservative or traditionalist on the staff and I'm tired of it. I'm looking at nursing schools which amuses me as look at the Bishops threatening to close Catholic hospitals should FOCA pass and because I started at Seton Hall as a nursing major. I know I've probably blogged about this before, but it's what is on my mind at the moment.

Oh well, the child I babysit needs help getting dressed. I'll be back later after I've done my CCD plans for tonight.

Cornerstone "09

So later on this month is the Women's Cornerstone Retreat at my parish and I've been asked to give one of the talks. I have no problem with the retreat or being asked to give a talk. I think a retreat now matter how "good" or "bad" can affect your life. What I don't get is the phone call asking for me to cut my talk down. I get that my talk is a little long, but I was never given a time limit or hell even a topic until a few weeks before I was to give my practice talk. I'm used to having my talk from the beginning of being on team, not just being told, "tell your story." I don't get the petty comments of how this is our retreat and blah blah blah.

I love the ladies of the parish, but seriously if you want it to be a good retreat allow me to help fix it. I've run many retreats and yes I am biased, but I've seen retreats work and I've seen retreats fail. I'm fully aware that my theology knowledge way beyond those that are on the retreat with me, but that doesn't mean we can't up the God knowledge.

Oh well, maybe I just need some food and caffeine. Back to "work" I go.

Lent- how am I doing- week one

So far so good, I guess. I missed saying the Rosary on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, so I just said a full one on Tuesday. I didn't get to Mass on Saturday, but that's to be expected as it hard to find a parish that Mass at anytime other than 7am on a Saturday. I have yet to use my phone for the internet and games. I actually deleted the games from my phone, hopefully this will save me some money on the cell phone bill.

I easily could have fallen into the Sunday doesn't count and used my phone for the internet while I was at the Archdiocese of Newark's Youth Fest, but I opted to not use it, and I'm glad I did.

As for less procrastination, I'm working on it, but it's not as good as I thought it would be.

Ovbiously I went to Mass on Sunday and since I had a snow day on Monday I went to St. Anthony's at 12:05pm on Monday and Tuesday. Which leaves me wonder where I want to go this evening. Either Queen of Peace or Immaculate Conception as they have a 5:30pm Mass, it will all depend on what time I leave my babysitting job. If it's at 5 or later I'll just skip Mass and go to the Holy Hour at St. Anthony's tonight.

Not to bad. I type this as I babysit so it may not be too coherent as I'm tying to make sure the 3 year old doesn't steal my cell phone which is sitting on my lap, and I have to pay attention to all the commericals he said "I want that" to.

More to come later

Pro-life Activism

Some of the things I plan on telling the teens at YouthFest about.

1. Pray, it's the easiest thing to do.
A. Rosary (with pro-life meditations)
B. Spiritual Adoption program (usually with a baby shower at the end)
C. Simply pray for an end to abortion and a respect for all life
i. ask your priest/pastor to add an intention in "we pray for a respect of
life from natural conception to natural death.

2. Rock for Life and Stand True activities
A. T-shirt day/week
B. Pro-life Memorial Day
C. March for Life Weekend
D. Pro-Life Day of Silent Solidarity

3. Local events
A. Salesian Pro-Life Rally at SHU
B. RCAN Respect Life office
C. Diocese of Paterson Respect Life Office
D. protests (praying outside a clinic)
E. Expectant Mother/Frontline in NYC

4. National events
A. Fight FOCA
B. Writing to Congress
C. Red Envelope Day/project

That's what I have for now I'm sure I'll think of other things as the day goes along. Off I go to find red tape and envelopes

Lenten Checklist 1st Thursday and Friday

Daily Mass
Thursday: I didn't go as by the time I left my babysitting job it was after 5 so
there was no way to make it to a 5:30pm Mass that is 30 mins away. I did
however look for places with evening Masses.
Friday: I walked over to St. Anthony's, I was testing how quickly I could walk,
I made it there in a little over 10 mins, but less than 15 mins. It's nice to
have a parish that close.

Less time on facebook, the internet, and games on my phone
Thursday and Friday: so far I haven't touched the phone for the internet or
games, it was actually easier on Friday than it was Thursday or Wednesday, so
I'd say it's working. Oh the temptation to use it is there, but I'm fighting
it.

Daily Rosary for the unborn
Thursday: said while watching TV, I took a break from the TV and said my Rosary
Friday: was said on my way home from my friend Bridget's house.

Holy Hour at my parish for Respect Life
Holy Hour is only once a week, but I did get my reminder about it, as I walked
into Church today and saw the sign for it. I'm going to try to stop by it for a
little while this coming Wednesday.

less procrastination
I have gotten some paper for the presentation on Sunday, I still have to find
the red envelopes, though I did see them I just wasn't sure of the price. I
will have to look at another Staples for them. I have stuff printed out for
the presentation, I just have to put it all together.

So far so good, but it's only been 3 days and I highly doubt I'll be awake in 4.5 hours for daily Mass at St. Anthony's but like college I looked at Saturday as the day when I wouldn't be at Mass as no daily Mass was offered at Seton Hall with all the weddings that took place there and the fact that most priests were off-campus saying weddings or some other Mass.

Lenten Checklist- Ash Wednesday *updated*

I figure if I have to keep myself accountable for Lent I might as well blog about it so that I really am accountable to well at least myself.

So here's today's check list, well star list as I don't have a check mark key.

*less time on the internet via the phone
This one shows how much I am addicted to facebook and checking my e-mail. So far
so good. I didn't check it before I went to bed (it was after midnight
therefore Ash Wednesday) or when I woke up which is what I normally do. Oh
trust me I wanted to, but I didn't and that's a good start.

*Daily Mass
Mass went well, the 7:30pm Mass was packed and the homily was decent. Fr. Marek
(more on where he came from in another blog) spoke about taking inventory of
our lives and seeing what is taking me away from God. I'm not 100% sure on
what else he said, I liked the taking inventory of your life aspect and that's
what I went with.

Holy Hour
I didn't get to do this one this, week the parish had none as a result of
having Mass, but I can always find another time and day to spend an hour with
Jesus as He sits in the Tabernacle.

*less procrastination
I didn't get the supplies, but I did manage to actually print out some things
and I hope to work on it some tomorrow. I can take the children I babysit out
to the store if I need anything. I actually went food shopping with my mom,
and that was not easy on a day of fast, but surprisingly I didn't put too much
junk, actually the only junk I put in there was iced oatmeal cookies, and I
could have easily put "worse" cookies in the cart.

*Daily Rosary
I'm about to say it before I go to bed.

Not too shabby for the first day. I must say it always amuses me how many people you see in Church on a day like today, that's not a Holy Day. Oh well, I'm the one who will be held to a higher account than they, I know my rules and I know what is expected of me and I try to pass that knowledge along.

Lent '09

What I am thinking of doing for Lent this year

daily Mass
less time on facebook, the internet, and games on my phone
daily Rosary for the unborn
Holy Hour at my parish for Respect Life (including the 10-25 I can stay on the nights I have retreat meetings)
less procrastination

I say less time because then the OCD side of me won't be mad when I use my phone for the internet, and I hope to not be mad at myself when I may not necessarily get to daily Mass or if I miss saying the Rosary.

That's what I'm thinking of. Usually I am disappointed with myself at the end of Lent because I feel like I haven't done as much as I could have. I also tend to set my sights high, so here I have more prayer, and somethings that will help me and others. Having 5 things that I want to do for Lent is typical of myself and we shall see how I do. As Fr. Bill said to me once, it doesn't matter if you do it for Holy Week or just a few days of Lent as long as you do something. He also is the one who has influenced me to add something to Lent, such as more prayer vs. giving something up.

Of course my usual eating better will also come to light during lent, maybe I can do a Rosary Run/walk so that I can kill to birds with one stone.

Where oh where have I been.

I haven't been missing, just busy or something like that. So Lent is practically upon us and NYC has a new archbishop. From the comment I saw about the Mets, I think I'm going to enjoy the new archbishop. Anyone who responds with I love the Mets is a winner in my book. Archbishop Dolan seems well able to handle the NY media and from what I have read, what NYC needs. Granted Cardinal Egan wasn't there long, and he came out swinging when he was installed, but I was used to Cardinal O'Connor, and had moved out of the Archdiocese of NY and into the Diocese of Paterson.

I don't know what to do for Lent, I do plan on daily Mass on the days that I can, thankfully my parish offers a 12:05pm Mass and I've been asked to read at a few of the Thursday Masses, so I'll be there for those days at least.

I've been busy writing my retreat talk and being lazy and watching tv, and looking at nursing schools as I am thinking of returning to school. For now I'll be working an a 45-60min pro-life activism presentation for the Archdiocese of Newark's youth ministry office this coming Sunday.