The Importance of Being Busy

So, I know that I have been neglecting my blog for the last couple months (I even started a post about how busy I am, and never got around to finishing it!), but I figured before round 2 of papers is in full swing starting this weekend, I could take a few minutes to give an update on what’s going on with me.

Taking care of two adorable yet tiring 4-year-old twins has definitely helped me in a lot of ways as I look forward to being married in about 7 1/2 months.  I am learning a lot about the needs of children and how to act with them.  Also, just figuring out the logistics of daily life with kids is very interesting.

Classes have been good, though I get overwhelmed at times.  Being a full time student and working nearly full time (not to mention planning a wedding) has lead to several emotional break downs over the past few weeks/months, but I think I am finally getting things into perspective.  Getting a masters degree is to further my own knowledge and ability for my own work in life.  It’s difficult to see how this is going to make things better now, but I am thinking about trying to do a teaching certificate program starting next year, which could make a goal and outcome more real.

Probably the most practical thing I am doing is my work at the Catechetical Institute.  I like how I am able to see an educational institute at work and being in close contact with some really knowledgeable speakers/writers/teachers in my field.  I am praying that my role with the Institute continues to grow through next year and hopefully beyond. :)

Wedding planning has been a joy and a burden.  I love figuring out what the big day is going to be (and of course being treated like a princess by all the vendors and stuff), but I hate when it becomes something that is just an extra thing on my plate that I don’t really have time for.  I was able to get a better perspective on this during this past weekend when Scott and I (finally) got some engagement photos taken.  The photographer was SO much fun, and I am really excited to see how they turn out.  It was a little bit of an adventure to get there, and taking the photos were super fun (it was kind of hilarious, we were in a super small town south of the Twin Cities, and it was like we were movie stars or something the way that the passer-bys would gawk at us!  I kind of liked how mysterious it all was to them).  I will definitely post a few when we get the proofs!

So, bottom line, I am really busy, to the point that it is difficult to keep up with everything, but I am happy that it is all there.  And honestly, I would rather be more busy than not.

Yesterday was really full, but really great. I worked from 8-5, during which my friend Laura interviewed for my job and we went to lunch together (I'm keeping her in my prayers for this one! I think she would be great and I am happy to hand off my job to someone I know really deserves it). After work, I raced over to the UST campus so I could finally get my student ID card, which will come into play later on. From there I was able to take a peek up into Ellie's new on-campus apartment (so cute!) and then head over to the St. Paul seminary so I could start my first day with the Harry J. Flynn Catechetical Institute. What a wonderful time! I was there from 6pm-9:30pm, but already I've met so many wonderful people and I think being involved with the CI will only help me figure out the more practical end of my time in the Catholic Studies masters program. After helping out with the CI, I ran over to the library to find a copy of a book which I ordered online (and paid for!) and never came (but I still have to do the reading by Wednesday nonetheless) and then drive the half hour home to Eden Prairie. It was about 10:30pm by the time I got home. I was tired. I was worn out. I was happy. I am so excited to be doing something once again that is in the interest of my own personal and professional growth. Here's to this academic year to continuing in the way it has started; full of blessings and unimaginable plans for me!

Last Monday at the Office

Even though I have complained from time to time about my job, I am really starting to feel sad to be leaving here. Not for the job itself, but rather for the people and how comfortable I've become here. I'm also really excited to really center my life around my studies and to be going in a direction that is best for me. Going for a masters in Catholic Studies might not be appealing to many people, and perhaps even confusing for those who don't know me well, but I truly think that I have received so many small hints and blessing that I am doing what is right for me, that this can't be wrong. Everything seems to be falling into place so well! Not only did some other job possibilities come through right when I was on the brink of feeling like I need to quit work, but I have just been meeting with so many amazing people that I will have been blessed to know.

Your continued prayers and support are greatly appreciated!

And...breathe out

I've completed the first week of my classes in the Catholic Studies Masters program at the University of St. Thomas, and despite a few snags, all went exceedingly well. It was evident to me in the two classes I attended this week that I am certainly in the right place.

My philosophy prof is so down to earth. She's a mother of four, and you can definitely tell that she views motherhood as her first vocation. She is extremely intelligent, but also very humble, which is a great combination in a professor.

Literature in light of Theological Aesthetics is going to be a great transition from my English Lit background into a more theologically based program. I am happy to have already gotten my feet wet with having read the first book of the Kristin Lavransdatter trilogy by Sigrid Undset in my undergrad days (It's such a great trilogy!!! I highly recommend it. Kristin reminds me of Scarlett O'Hara, a character you hate and love, especially since they are so human and remind you of yourself in their choices and struggles). Although it will be a difficult class, I am hoping that I will love it.

Tomorrow I will have my first Catholic Thought and Culture class, so I'll let you know what that and help out with the Catechetical Institute is like once I get there :D

Goodbye and Hello!

It's a good day. Today I received an opportunity to be a nanny for a fabulous family in St. Paul. I am so excited by this prospect, and thrilled that it came just in time as I start classes this week. It is such a relief to know that my crazy crazy schedule will probably only last about two weeks. I couldn't be more grateful for the opportunity.

I'm also so excited at the prospect of starting my classes this week. I finished the first book that I needed to read and I am well on my way to completing the other reading I need to have done as I start this week. Tonight I will be at the orientation meeting for my program.

I really happy that my prayers (and all of yours for me!) have paid off and that everything is falling into place right when it should.

More updates to come as the week continues.

Marriage Prep and NFP

Scott and I have wasted no time in starting our marriage prep and NFP class. It is early in the engagement, but what with both of us starting school full time (and me continuing a full time job?) we will have little to no time to get started with the preparations that actually matter. Don't get me wrong, wedding planning is fun (once you book a reception hall), but the prep and NFP; now THIS is getting into the substance of it all.

Last night was our first NFP class, and it was really great! I am a little confused by what I am looking for exactly at this point, but I am so excited to learn how my body works and all the signs it gives me about my fertility. The human body, and particularly a woman's body, is so fascinating. I'm especially glad that Scott can share that awe with me as a med student and one who has a particular interest in the human body and the way it works. The method we are learning is called the Billings Ovulation Method and it seems to be the least invasive unlike other methods that require you to take a temperature read daily or check the cervix. I would like to find out if it is the most effective method or if the other methods might allow less time for having to abstain (that is if you are avoiding pregnancy that month)? Let me know if you have any insight about this!

We are looking forward to doing some registry shopping (another thing we want to get done before school starts!) this weekend, and celebrating my 23rd birthday! It's my golden birthday, so hopefully we'll make sure it's going to be a good one!

We're Getting Married!!

Now that I'm fairly sure that I've spoken to or at least attempted to contact most everyone who I should before making an impersonal announcement, I have something I would like to post here:

SCOTT AND I ARE ENGAGED!!!!

It happened Monday, July 20th (so just over a week ago), but I'll start at the week before to set up the story.

Scott and I have been together for about a year and a half now, and since very close to the beginning of our relationship, I've been hinting to him that we should go on a picnic. I just always thought a picnic date is about the cutest thing you can do and it can be both very sweet and romantic and not expensive. It started with me forwarding some stuff online to him, to seeing stuff in the store that "reminded me of a picnic". It finally became a running joke that Scott would take me on a picnic... someday....

So, imagine my surprise when Scott told me that he was planning on taking me on a picnic on the coming Saturday. He wanted to take care of all the details, he didn't want me to lift a finger, and he wanted to find the perfect spot for it. I was really excited, and for some reason, I had an inkling that this might be more than just a picnic. That thought quickly vanished when in a discussion on Friday afternoon Scott told me that the place he wanted to go had a wedding going on so we would have to go a different day. Maybe Monday. Well, I was super disappointed (especially since nothing good ever happens on a Monday!) but I tried to make the most of it and not complain. That only lasted until Saturday morning when I was even more emotional about it and let Scott know it. Luckily, Scott knows how to handle my emotionalism by now, and talked me into being ok with our (less romantic in my mind) Monday evening picnic.

Monday came around and I went to work. I had a great surprise that morning when I walked in and my boss was engaged! It made me a little sad actually, since I had imagined for a little while that maybe I would have been engaged over the weekend too, but decided to put it out of my mind since I realized that I was probably only making up in my head that Scott was thinking about that and I had no proof at all that those were his intentions for our date. Erin, my boss, let me know that she had a doctors appointment and would need to leave a little bit earlier for lunch and then I would have to go after that. I just agreed to it, no questions asked, and got back to work until she got back around 12:30. I handed the portable phone for the main line to her as I do everyday when I'm leaving and started to walk out the front door.

I was looking at my phone to give Scott a call, when I heard someone calling my name. I looked up to see Scott standing to the right of me in front of my office!!! I gave a little jump totally startled and asked him, "What are you doing here?!" He replied, "I want to take you to lunch." To which I said, "But what about our date tonight? Can we not do the picnic again?" He said, "I want to take you on a picnic right now!" We got in the car and started driving. I realized that the place he wanted to go for the picnic was a full 15 minutes away from where I work and I only get an hour for lunch, so it seemed unlikely that we would have time for a long lunch. When I expressed my concern he only told me not to worry about it and we would be quick. On the way up, we just had some normal conversation. I thought about telling him that Erin had gotten engaged, but I realized I might slip my own thoughts about maybe it would have been me that day going into work, so decided against it, especially since he was being so good to me at the moment.

We made it to the Millenium Gardens in Plymouth and set out to set up our picnic. We picked a spot right in the center of the rose garden with a stream and fountain right by us. I could see why Scott had so much wanted to have the picnic in this location. It was a beautiful day with the sun shining and the beautiful flowers and water--absolutely heavenly. Scott pulled out a wonderful lunch of cheese, grapes, and sandwiches with some wine ("Wine! I have to get back to work after this!" "Just have a glass; it will be fine"). We enjoyed the place and each others company for a good 20 minutes before he said, "Let's pack this up and go on a little walk--I want you to see the whole park before we have to go."

We started to walk around and we saw some beautiful flowers and some fish in the sream around the garden. The stream went into a water fall that ended on a small pond. We walked down the path that followed along the side of the waterfall. As we walked over a small bridge that went over the waterfall, I saw something sitting on a bench just on the other side. There was a bouquet of flowers on it... with a card... with my name!! I turned to Scott said, "Scott, for me?? Why??" The flowers were just gorgous and I enjoyed smelling them and just taking the moment in. I opened the card to look at it, and it turned out that in the envelope was an 8-page (small pages, but still, 8 of them!) letter! I asked Scott, "Should I read this now or take it with us?" When he encouraged me to read it then, I sat down on the bench with the flowers in my lap and Scott next to me. Well, after about the first 1/2 paragraph I was already sobbing. I don't know how I made it through that letter to the very end, but as soon as I read the last words, Scott was on his knee in front of me, pulled out a ring and said, "Sarah Marie Galgano, will you marry me!?" I jumped into his arms (well lap kind of) saying "YES!" and just cried on his shoulder for about five minutes, at which time he said to me, " do you want to put on the ring?" We laughed and cried, and even had an onlooker from across the pond shout to us a congratulations and assurance that married life is simply wonderful.

Scott explained to me that he had gotten the rest of the day off for me (which explains Erin's mysterious emergency doctor's appointment). We somehow walked back to our picnic stuff and I made a few quick phone calls to my family. Since we were so close to Providence Academy, we were able to stop in and give my mom a hug, see JP, go into the chapel for a prayer together, and see Ellie who rushed up and wanted to see the ring!! We then went over to his house (less than a mile away) and had a glass of wine with his mother and brother.

That night, my family invited his entire family over to our house for champagne and cake for the celebration!! I think from the moment he picked me up from work until I fell asleep that night, I had a perpetual smile on my face.

I'm so happy that the man I get to spend the rest of my life with is someone with whom I can laugh, be goofy, have a deep conversation, pray, respect, love, challenge and just be me. Scott Michael Deeney has made me the happiest woman and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with him!!!

Pray for Pope Benedict today!

The pope will be having surgery after a fall that caused a slight fracture. Read the whole story here.

Ginsburg's True Colors

"Frankly I had thought that at the time Roe was decided, there was concern about population growth and particularly growth in populations that we don’t want to have too many of."

In this quote from Justice Ginsburg, (given in an interview with Emily Bazellon of the New York Times Magazine conducted an interview with Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg entitled “The Place of Women on the Court” which appeared in its’ online July 7, 2009 issue) I'd love to know exactly what she means by "populations that we don't want to have too many of." Ginsburg was born in 1933, and lived through the US Civil Rights Movement (as well as the time leading up to it) and it is reasonable to think that her impressions surrounding races and "populations" would have been formed from her youth. One might think though, that being a Jew, particularly one who was alive during the greatest eugenics effort perhaps in history which tried to exterminate the Jews, Ginsburg would be more sensitive about the subject of getting rid of or limiting certain populations. I guess she just refuses to see it the other way around.

For more on the NYT Magazine interview, take a look at this article.

Outing, MN

This past week, I was able to spend some time at a lake house (or cabin, as we like to call it in Minnesota) with my family and some friends. This is the second year we have rented this same cabin for a week, and we love it! It was a good time for all. By the end of the week, all my family (Mom, Dad, Lauren, Ellie, John Paul, and myself) were able to make the 2 1/2 hour trek up to Roosevelt Lake near Brainerd. Also able to make it were Scott, Ben, and Mike (the boys we girls are all dating) and it was a lot of fun to have them along as well.

We were able to do most everything that Minnesotan’s love doing at their cabins. We sunbathed, we spent time on the lake in boats, we went fishing, we took walks around the area.

Some highlights included:

• Kareokeing with Scott and my mom (even though she didn’t go up and sing) on the first night at The Narrows
• Fishing with Scott and JP for an entire day
• Taking a walk with Scott and adopting a stray dog for a while (or rather, he adopted US)
• Sitting around the campfire with the fam, and having Scott with his gimpy lungs get it going boy scout style
• Spending time on the lake
• Soaking up all the sun I could take in for the few days I was there

Mid-week I had to come back to the cities for less than 48 hours to work two days, but it worked out alright since Scott needed to make it home to move out of the frat house and get ready for his vacation in Banff, Canada, which he left for on Saturday.

Now for another short week in the office, and then off to my cousin Meghan’s wedding!

Review: The Stoning of Soraya M.

Last weekend I had the opportunity to see The Stoning of Soraya M. at the Uptown Theater in the lake district of Minneapolis. Viewing this limited release movie was at the suggestion of a friend of mine who had the opportunity to go to a prescreening of the movie.

Focusing on the corruption in government and the Islamic religion in Iran, the film tells the story of a woman wrongly accused of adultery—an offense punishable by death by stoning in sharia law. This barbaric practice still occurs with some frequency through out the middle east today.

The Stoning of Soraya M. is produced by Steven McEveety; the same as The Passion of the Christ and Braveheart, so you can be sure that this is in the same vein as the others. Jim Caviezel plays the reporter who records the story told by the aunt of Soraya. Caviezel’s role is limited, but essential and played with class.

Something to be aware of is the extreme violence with which the stoning is portayed. It is extremely bloody and not for the faint of heart or stomach.

PLEASE see this movie. It will not disappoint.

Destruction and Sympathy

The admission of an affair with some Latin-lover-Argentinian woman from Gov. Sanford (R-SC) yesterday first made me angry and annoyed. And then I felt bad for the guy.

The media, as always, has no mercy on those they hate. This is no different than any other time. They are a pack of ravenous wolves, waiting to feed on the carcass after the animal makes a fatal mistake.

Sanford's shoddy excuse in the first place for why he was MIA for about five days seemed weird to me when I first saw the snippet on to Reuters board in the office where I work. I thought, "It would kind of suck if everyone went hay-wire if they couldn't get a hold of me just because I am on vacation, but then again, he's in the kind of job where you need to be accessible at all times and in all cases." But the fact that he took time to "clear his head" and "unwind" away from his wife and kids on Father's Day was certainly suspect for a high-profile politician. I just wrote it off as some people are weird like that. (I've known plenty of people on Mother's Day and Father's Day who choose to spend it alone going to the spa or taking a day fishing because they see it as their day off where they can pamper themselves and not worry about the kids... whatever.)

Though I had some suspicions up to that point about why the South Carolinian would act so erratically, I was still surprised to hear the confession yesterday that he was having an affair with an Argentinian. I mean, it sounds like a plot out of a book. Needless to say as the head of the Republican Governors Association and just being a Republican governor in general, what he did was extremely detrimental to a party that is already been in such decline recently. Not to mention the disgusting way that he has treated his wife and four sons. It's truly awful and I grieve for the way that all have been tricked and treated in this situation.

And now the media has made it that I feel bad for the governor too... a reaction I was not planning on. This family, all the people involved have been hurt enough by the publicity of the situation. Now they have to heap more shame onto all involved, including the wife and boys, by publishing the personal romantic correspondence between the lovers. It's awful. And I feel so sorry for the man. His boys--can you imagine being subjected to the contents of your father's affair notes? They will be feeling the repercussions of this for years to come, perhaps even the rest of their lives as many children do caught in the middle of this sort of a situation, public or not.

The media does not only wish to dismantle those they dislike; the work swiftly to devour them within hours when the opportunity arises. And that is what they have done here.

For those of us who are disgusted by the situation, I urge you to stop reading the correspondences and the articles and watching the broadcasts that outline the gory details of the affair... don't give them the ratings they are looking for and don't disrespect the privacy of this man.

Iran: Nearing the End?

Most of the free world has been following with interest the situation in Iran over the last week. Though the situation has been getting more desperate with everyday with intensifying protests, today saw a sharp drop in demonstrations. Ahmadinejad’s regime is continuing to employ fear tactics on those who would oppose him, and it seems to be working in quelling the people. I’m continuing to watch the events unfold, and I hope to see good and the will of the people prevail in this.

There is a great opportunity for anyone who is interested—the movie The Stoning of Soraya M. will be premiering in select theaters across the country starting this Friday, June 26. A timely release given the events in Iran, the movie focuses on the injustice and refusal of basic human rights to so many in that country.

Check out the trailer and theater information here:

http://www.thestoning.com/

Saint Paul Cathedral Named National Shrine

How cool is this? At the close of the Year of St. Paul, the Vatican has declared the Cathedral of the archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis to be a National Shrine of St. Paul. It is the only one in the country, and has created something of a small but strong following in this area for a devotion to the city's namesake.

The Cathedral is not only a center for worship, but a great civic landmark. The city of St. Paul was named after the chapel founded in that name in 1840. The Cathedral is a great work of architecture and is often toured for it’s beauty alone (thank you James J. Hill and your railroad fortune for that one!). The baldechino is fashioned after the Vatican and the building is truly a work of art inside and out.

I’m so proud of our archdiocese and our cathedral—what a great time to be a Catholic in the Twin Cities!

LGBT Legal And Advocacy Groups Decry Obama Administration's Defense of DOMA

This is an interesting trend: the ACLU and gay community are joining the ranks of those unhappy with Obama...not because of the promises he made, but for the promises he wont keep. It looks like our president can't keep anyone happy.

In an unexpected turn, the Obama administration is choosing not to repeal the Bush-era Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). The ACLU released a statement on Thursday, June 12 chastising the president, stating, "When President Obama was courting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender voters, he said that he believed that DOMA should be repealed. We ask him to live up to his emphatic campaign promises, to stop making false and damaging legal arguments, and immediately to introduce a bill to repeal DOMA." Although I don't agree with their basic premise, nor the solution, it is impossible to look past the egregious fault on the president's part here. I'm afraid it only makes me like Obama less. Not standing by a promises only shows a weakness of character and should make all--whether one agrees with him at the current moment or not-- uneasy about what the Obama administration's agenda is really about.

The entire press release from the ACLU can be found here: http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/relationships/39848prs20090612.html?s_src=RSS

My First Anniversary

In just a week from today, I will have spent an entire year working at my current job. As you know, it has been an interesting year full of both joy and pain. As a come up my first anniversary as an administrative assistant and a full-time contributor to society, I've decided to reflect on where I have been, what I am doing, and where I am going in light of this past year.

At the end of my college career, I took a nearly three week trip to Ireland and Scotland to sing with the Notre Dame Folk Choir and have one last trip and time with college friends before looking for the next step in my life. I returned from that trip refreshed and ready for life, but also anxious to know where I was going and what might be next for me. I admit that my faith, my Catholic faith that I love, suffered in the years before, and it was difficult to return to the peace and trust I had felt when I was in my high school and earlier college years. I was afraid I wouldn't find anything. I didn't even know what kind of work I was looking for to be honest. Perhaps this is what God wanted me to learn from, that I needed to trust in Him even when I have no clue what it is that's next.

I found the job at WRT within the first week and a half of searching, proving all my fears of the unknown to be entirely unfounded and worthless. But though my fears had subsided, the adjustment period had begun. The first few weeks in June and July were somewhat difficult, as it was my first time spending all day every day in the same place. I think what made me the most unsettled was that though I was fine with doing this for a year or two, I knew that this job is not where I was meant to be forever. And it scared me that once I was in, I might never get myself out. I don't devalue my role in the company. In fact, early on I learned that what I do here is among one of the most important and essential roles one can have in a company. If I don't do the work I do, no one else will be willing to do it, that's for sure. But it is all work that has to be done. I am certain that if anything, this job will make me eternally grateful for all the assistants and receptions I work with in the future. I know that their job is not easy and the rewards are not immediate, but surely they are most essential to the work that gets done anywhere.

Through the next few months I struggled with being at the office as well as figuring out what I wanted to do and where I wanted to go. It was in late September or early October that I first started thinking that the choice of what was next for me might not be my own. WRT started going through some tough decisions, beginning with firing the CEO and followed by two large scale lay-offs which took out about 1/2 of the company. I certainly lost any hope in job security and I realized that I needed to take my future into my own hands--I couldn't just assume that something, whatever it was, would come along.

It did and it didn't. The Catholic Studies program at the University of St. Thomas has been attractive to me for years. My interest was piqued in my junior year of high school when the new theology teacher, Mr. Gerlach, spoke highly of the program. When choosing which college to attend, the possibility of completing a Catholic Studies major weighed into my decision. When applying for jobs and thinking about my next step after college, I thought about applying for the masters program in Catholic Studies then. The one thing I did know, was that were I to go and get a masters degree (whether it was Catholic Studies, English, or something else entirely) I would have to have a definite goal in mind. That goal has continued to take shape throughout this year. So when I happened to check out the website in the beginning of February, I knew that it was not just coincidence that I had just enough time to get an application together to submit by the deadline.

I was accepted and with a few bumps along the way, I decided that this is the path I need to take to continue in my personal, professional, and spiritual development. This also meant that WRT was most likely not that path. Though there are a few things I still need to get into place before making any more life changes before starting work in the fall, I can say a few things about my first year as a "working adult" and my year at WRT.

I learned a lot about myself, what kind of worker I am, what my potential is, and where my talents lie. I need direction in my work. I believe I also need to be committed to a goal in my work that means something to me. Perhaps the main reason I am not excited about my job lies less in the work I do as an administrative assistant, and has more to do with that digital signage simply doesn't interest me. If my work is committed to a goal that I think essentially makes this world a better place, I imagine I would feel much more satisfied even in the mundane. But the fact is that I don't necessarily think that we are helping anyone or anything by contributing to the "more, more, more" attitude of materialism and marketing. Of course, there isn't anything inherently wrong with digital signage, and from the point of view of WRT, I am glad they have provided jobs, albeit less and less, for people to create a livelihood and a life.

The bottom line is that at WRT, I have so far had an irreplaceable and essential experience. It has been, in some ways, necessary for me to make the leap into my next stage in life. So, in a moment of nostalgia looking over the last year, I've really enjoyed being where I am. And though I look forward to the next step, I will surely always look fondly on my time here.

LEAVE SARAH ALONE! (not me)

*Check this out or the video to the right and then read to figure out the title.

Really, David Letterman? Calling Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and slut and joking about her daughter being "knocked up" by A-Rod (whether it was the 18 year-old or the 14 year-old--it's no difference really)? You thought that would go over well? Not to mention your short-of-remorseful apology:

"We were, as we often do, making jokes about people in the news and we made some jokes about Sarah Palin and her daughter, the 18-year-old girl, who is — her name is Bristol, that’s right, and so, then, now they’re upset with me. These are not jokes made about her 14-year-old daughter. I would never, never make jokes about raping or having sex of any description with a 14-year-old girl. I mean, look at my record. It has never happened. I don’t think it’s funny. I would never think it was funny. I wouldn’t put it in a joke… Gov. Palin, if you’re watching, I would like you to consider coming to New York City — even Todd — as my guests, or leave Todd at home. I’d love to have you on the show. It’d be exciting. All right, so there, I hope I’ve cleared part of this up. Am I guilty of poor taste? Yes. Did I suggest that it was okay for her 14-year-old daughter to be having promiscuous sex? No."

This is just another example of the sort of cheap-shots and hateful language that is used towards Gov. Palin still as it was used during the election season. The thing is, liberals hate her, just as vehemently as ever, because she is the representation of everything they reject. Sarah Palin is a strong, career driven woman, who will not sacrifice her principles, and especially her family, for it. She infuses her politics with the belief that every person, no matter their state in life, has innate dignity because they are a human being. Letterman said she had the style of a "slutty flight attendant" while she was accepting an award for the work she has done for children with Downs Syndrome. That's beyond poor taste, that's just words of hate, trying to tear her down for personal elevation. It's the same sort of mentality that was going on during the election season when we were getting articles and broadcast commentators giving opinion after opinion over THE COST OF HER WARDROBE. I mean, come on. That's the sort of stuff that liberals have always accused the general public of from keeping women out of office and out of the white house. Suddenly, the tables turned. They didn't know what to do. So they attacked the clothes she was put in and her family life. And they're still criticising even now. How classy.

So from the "slutty flight attendant," Letterman got this response:

"Acceptance of inappropriate sexual comments about an underage girl, who could be anyone's daughter, contributes to the atrociously high rate of sexual exploitation of minors by older men who use and abuse others."

Palin also noted that she seriously doubted he would "ever dare" make such comments about anyone elses daughter--which I whole-hearted agree with. I can't wait until President Obama brings his family to watch while he throws out the first pitch at a Yankee's game... is Letterman going to give Sasha and Malia the same respect he did to Palin's daughters?

I don't want to be over-dramatic a la Chris Crocker, but it's really too much, people. How is it in the best interest of our nation when it becomes common place and even considered comical to call a state official, a governor, a former vice-presidential nominee a slut? It's one thing if you have honest and serious critiques of her policy, but enough with the low blows. Just leave her alone! I mean it!

Girls Weekend

This past weekend I was able to take a short overnight trip to Duluth with a couple of friends...and I am so glad I did! On Saturday morning at around 10am, Gabbie, Maria, and I piled into the car for the 2 1/2 hour mini-road trip to the beautiful port city of Duluth.

Sitting comfortably on the shores of Lake Superior, Duluth is a city that has a certain old-time charm without feeling dim or dirty. In its hay day, Duluth was a great industrial area and shipping town, as it is the last port on the chain of the Great Lakes. Industry went down dramatically, like so many industrial areas, in the post-50's era. Now the city has been built up to encourage tourism, mostly from the Twin Cities and perhaps over the Wisconsin boarder. I've had the delightful opportunity to visit Duluth 3 times. This third occasion was certainly the most leisurely, the type of trip Duluth seems meant to be.

We checked into our hotel early without any issue from the congenial staff at the Comfort Suites on the Canal Park area. Once we were settled in our accommodations, Gabbie, Maria, and I ventured to Superior Street to find the highly recommended Va Bene Restaurant. Though the walk there seemed long (it ended up only being about 20 minutes or so as it was just over a mile from the hotel), the panini sandwiches were an excellent reward. Ok, so was the gelato :)

We walked back along the shoreline of the lake, taking our time and stopping here and there to play on the rocks. A friend of Maria's came to meet us at that point, so we went back to the hotel to wait for her. Afterwards we took a walk around the whole Canal Park area, looking in shops, going out to the lighthouse, and watching the lift bridge go up and down a couple of times. It was such a beautiful sunny day that we couldn't justify staying inside any where too long.

Dinner was, of course, at the famous Grandma's Restaurant. It was a great time and I loved the Walleye Cake Salad that I ordered. After dinner we found our way over to the (only) bar in Canal Park, Grandma's Garden Sports Bar. It was full of college kids and bachelorette parties, which was not really our cup of tea, but we still had a good time dancing and having a couple drinks.

In the morning, we went to the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary. For a smaller diocese, I was impressed by the beauty of the building. The location was perfect. Walking out of the main doors, one has the most spectacular view of the great lake. For some reason, it reminded me of the church in Galway, Ireland that I spent some time at last year on the Folk Choir trip. Unfortunately, it was very cold and starting to rain after mass, so we thought it would be best just to start heading home.

There were definitely some more places and locations we would have liked to see, Gooseberry Falls, a famous pie shoppe, Enger Tower, and some more outdoor locations, but since it was so nasty out we decided we will have it do those things next time we are in town.

Duluth is a perfect location for a peaceful weekend get-away in the summer or fall in Minnesota. I recommend it, but really only for two nights at the most. Any longer and you'll probably run out of things to do.

Maddy and Joel's Wedding!

Memorial Day weekend was absolutely spectacular, owing to the fact that I had a fabulous time with amazing friends in Washington, DC for Maddy and Joel's wedding! For anyone who knows Maddy, it was exactly as one might imagine it: classy and elegant with a laid back and comfortable feel, plenty of turquoise blue, and fun for all ages from the smallest babies to the oldest couple there.

I could go on in detail about the church on Capitol Hill, the reception at Rust Manor in Leesburg, the dress, the cake, the dinner, the band (all of which were perfect), but after reflection, the thing that stood out most to me during the weekend was the friendships.

One thing I noticed early on in the weekend is that one may know how much one loves one's friends--what one would do for them. But not generally known to people is exactly how much they are loved by those same friends. I found the weekend of Maddy and Joel's wedding to be a testament to the friendship that I have shared with them and all my friends there over the years.

Without necessarily a moment to cite as defining for any of my friendships, the unfolding of this idea over the weekend was a revelation to me. I am truly blessed to be surrounded by people who love me, and by deep friendships that are rooted in mutual respect, experience, and a search for the Truth. I have found that the best friendships, despite loss of contact or mutual experience over the years, stand the test of time because of a genuine love of life, and an openness to Truth. Though I had not seen several of my friends there for an entire year, some I haven't even spoken to in that time, I was overjoyed to see them and spend time with them. In spending time together, I realized that these friendships reflect so deeply on the nature of humanity and it seemed to me by the end of the day Saturday that I had seen a certain glimpse of heaven in these moments. Perhaps my favorite moment was in saying farewell to Joel, who pulled Christina and I in for a hug and said sincerely, "thank you for loving Maddy so much."

The wedding weekend of Maddy and Joel was much like a retreat to me: a time to reflect on the friendships and relationships in my own life. Through sharing in the joy of Maddy and Joel, I was able to understand the importance of the people in my life, and to be at peace with where all my relationships stand--platonic and romantic--because I trust that the people who I have kept in my life and are closest to me share in the same search for the truth, and understand the same concept of love and friendship as I do. I trust that God is guiding my relationships and that through growing in deeper appreciation for each other, we venture towards the ultimate appreciation of our Creator.

Revisiting, Reinventing

I know it's been about a month since I've written, but it's been difficult to focus on something to say. After reading the message from the pope for the 43rd World Day of Communications in a document titled, "New Technologies, New Relationships: Promoting a Culture of Respect, Dialogue and Friendship," I realized that blogging is something that can be very helpful to building knowledge and relationships if it is done in a respectful way. There is truly "extraordinary potential of the new technologies, if they are used to promote human understanding and solidarity." I was motivated by the pope's remark that, "these technologies are truly a gift to humanity and we must endeavour to ensure that the benefits they offer are put at the service of all human individuals and communities, especially those who are most disadvantaged and vulnerable." I felt like the pope's words were spoken directly to me. This is an important time in the transference of ideas and information, and I have the motivation and the personal interest to have this blog. I have been experiencing a writers block recently; partiality a psychological block from being called an unthinking bigot a time too many, and partly because I felt like I had nothing worthwhile to write about. Now I know that the sharing of information and respectful exchange are important means of building friendships and delving ever deeper into the mystery of the human intellect and spirit.

I am newly resolved to join "all people of good will who are active in the emerging environment of digital communication to commit themselves to promoting a culture of respect, dialogue and friendship."

You can read the whole message from Benedict XVI here. If you just want the general drift, take a look at the last paragraph:

"I would like to conclude this message by addressing myself, in particular, to young Catholic believers: to encourage them to bring the witness of their faith to the digital world. Dear Brothers and Sisters, I ask you to introduce into the culture of this new environment of communications and information technology the values on which you have built your lives. In the early life of the Church, the great Apostles and their disciples brought the Good News of Jesus to the Greek and Roman world. Just as, at that time, a fruitful evangelization required that careful attention be given to understanding the culture and customs of those pagan peoples so that the truth of the gospel would touch their hearts and minds, so also today, the proclamation of Christ in the world of new technologies requires a profound knowledge of this world if the technologies are to serve our mission adequately. It falls, in particular, to young people, who have an almost spontaneous affinity for the new means of communication, to take on the responsibility for the evangelization of this "digital continent". Be sure to announce the Gospel to your contemporaries with enthusiasm. You know their fears and their hopes, their aspirations and their disappointments: the greatest gift you can give to them is to share with them the "Good News" of a God who became man, who suffered, died and rose again to save all people. Human hearts are yearning for a world where love endures, where gifts are shared, where unity is built, where freedom finds meaning in truth, and where identity is found in respectful communion. Our faith can respond to these expectations: may you become its heralds! The Pope accompanies you with his prayers and his blessing."

Giving the poo-poo to shampoo

Recently I read this article about women who have ditched shampooing, and never want to go back. It's a secret that has been passed on selectively in this country in our recent past that shampoo is not necessarily required to keep your scalp flake-free and your locks shiny and voluminous. In fact, the women in this article attest to the fact that their hair has never been healthier than when they stopped shampooing. The writer of the article notes that one of the most popular forms of going "no poo" is to add one teaspoon of baking soda (that wonder substance that seems to be able to do all) to a cup of water, mix it well, and pour over your scalp and let sit for one minute before rinsing out. Seems almost more like a recipe than a cleansing ritual, but from the pictures, it seems to get the job done.

I suppose it is in some ways acceptable and sanitary since shampoo was never used for thousands of years, but it still seems odd to me. I like it as an idea to save a little cash, but I love the smell of my hair after I get out of the shower where I just slathered on a good helping of my favorite Aveda formula. After reading this article and seeing the photos of the women who haven't shampooed their hair in upwards of 7 months, I am curious to see how my hair would take it and, more importantly, look like if I got rid of shampooing all together. Part of me really wants to try it out, but another, probably stronger, part of me thinks it's best not to toy around with this sort of thing. The article does give fair warning of the 4- to 6-week period that results are minimal since your scalp will be trying to re-learn the levels of oil it should be producing...and I am thinking that might be just too long for me to take.

So, I suppose I'll stick with the shampoo. But I don't regret knowing that if there were ever a day when I couldn't afford to fork up the $9 a bottle I pay for my products (hair products and make-up are the two things I do not skimp out on) I could resort to my $0.59 a box solution.

Stompin' in my Air Force One

Just as a quick note, I can't even imagine what kind of an outcry we would have seen if the flyby over NYC of Air Force One had happened during our previous president's tenure. Of course 9/11 happened during Bush's presidency, so doing something that would remotely conjur thoughts of that awful day in history would never ever be tolerated by his administration. The incident Monday only demonstrates further the incompetency of those who Obama has chosen to surround himself with. I am not blaming Obama for the event, but just gawking in disbelief that this administration has done everything possible to distance themselves from the military ethos of Bush that this sort of event would happen. Thousands of the same people who had to experience first hand the tragic events of 9/11 were thrown into hysteria because of the insensitivity of someone trying to get a good PR shot. Bad job, boys. Simply outrageous.

Mary Ann Glendon Rejects ND Honor

Well written and thoughtful letter from Mary Ann Glendon to Fr. Jenkins taken from First Things:

April 27, 2009
The Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C.
President
University of Notre Dame

Dear Father Jenkins,

When you informed me in December 2008 that I had been selected to receive Notre Dame’s Laetare Medal, I was profoundly moved. I treasure the memory of receiving an honorary degree from Notre Dame in 1996, and I have always felt honored that the commencement speech I gave that year was included in the anthology of Notre Dame’s most memorable commencement speeches. So I immediately began working on an acceptance speech that I hoped would be worthy of the occasion, of the honor of the medal, and of your students and faculty.

Last month, when you called to tell me that the commencement speech was to be given by President Obama, I mentioned to you that I would have to rewrite my speech. Over the ensuing weeks, the task that once seemed so delightful has been complicated by a number of factors.

First, as a longtime consultant to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, I could not help but be dismayed by the news that Notre Dame also planned to award the president an honorary degree. This, as you must know, was in disregard of the U.S. bishops’ express request of 2004 that Catholic institutions “should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles” and that such persons “should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.” That request, which in no way seeks to control or interfere with an institution’s freedom to invite and engage in serious debate with whomever it wishes, seems to me so reasonable that I am at a loss to understand why a Catholic university should disrespect it.

Then I learned that “talking points” issued by Notre Dame in response to widespread criticism of its decision included two statements implying that my acceptance speech would somehow balance the event:

• “President Obama won’t be doing all the talking. Mary Ann Glendon, the former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, will be speaking as the recipient of the Laetare Medal.”

• “We think having the president come to Notre Dame, see our graduates, meet our leaders, and hear a talk from Mary Ann Glendon is a good thing for the president and for the causes we care about.”

A commencement, however, is supposed to be a joyous day for the graduates and their families. It is not the right place, nor is a brief acceptance speech the right vehicle, for engagement with the very serious problems raised by Notre Dame’s decision—in disregard of the settled position of the U.S. bishops—to honor a prominent and uncompromising opponent of the Church’s position on issues involving fundamental principles of justice.

Finally, with recent news reports that other Catholic schools are similarly choosing to disregard the bishops’ guidelines, I am concerned that Notre Dame’s example could have an unfortunate ripple effect.

It is with great sadness, therefore, that I have concluded that I cannot accept the Laetare Medal or participate in the May 17 graduation ceremony.

In order to avoid the inevitable speculation about the reasons for my decision, I will release this letter to the press, but I do not plan to make any further comment on the matter at this time.

Yours Very Truly,

Mary Ann Glendon

Mary Ann Glendon is Learned Hand Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. A member of the editorial and advisory board of First Things, she served as the U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican from 2007 to 2009.

Review: "Wild at Heart"

Recently, Scott and I read the book Wild at Heart. This is an astute look at the innerworkings of human nature, and particularly what it means to be masculine. John Elderidge has spent many years in counselling and ministry and inflects his musings on the nature of masculinity with experience. Elderidge focuses on comparing the masculine nature of men to the nature of God by identifying three main categories that define masculinity: each man has a battle to fight, an adventure to live, and a beauty to fight for.

Initially, Scott and I agreed that these seemed like pretty narrow categories to fit into and that on the surface it would seem that some, if not most, would not desire to be included in such categories. Scott mentioned that he has never been a fighter and certainly avoids hurting another person at all costs. Scott has the desire, in fact, to been a healer, which seems quite the opposite of a fighter. Upon further reading and reflection though, we decided that being a fighter doesn't mean that every man is called to be a soldier, but rather men must be willing to "fight" for good always and to allow their strength to show through in this.

The call to men to step up to their roles and over-come their childhood created fears and views of themselves is a great one indeed, yet a reader may want to retain a skeptical eye throughout the piece. Generalizations about men are helpful in explaining the state of men today, but one must temper it with the experience of men in your own life. It is important to remember that every man might not fit 100% into these categories, but may be stronger or weaker depending on personality and environmental influences. Also, another point of caution would be regarding the tendency towards "theology from below" in which Elderidge makes several assumptions about the nature of God based on his observations of humanity. This seems to be a more evangelical-protestant point of view of God, so I overlooked it slightly, but it is still something to be aware of.

Overall, this is a thoughful view of the meaning and action of masculinity and what it means to be a man. Much of what Elderidge notes of the "feminization" of culture and of men rings true and I have often thought that this is the way in which our culture is moving as well. This call of "letting boys be boys" is helpful in a time when parents and educators are so quick to medicate their boys for being exactly what they are. Elderidge asks us to fight this tendency by understanding why it is that boys act the way they do, and to be able to respond accordingly.

I recommend this book to anyone looking for a thoughtful outlook on the importance of the difference of the sexes and what is behind masculinity at its heart.

Americanism v. Catholicism

I have to admit, the more I talk about, and even think about, Obama speaking at Notre Dame, the more sick of it I get. It reminds me of the election season and the constant going back and forth with people both getting the point of view out there and then defending it. But somehow, I can't stay away because of my unquenchable desire to discover and speak the truth. The Catholic Church and her teachings and tradition are increasingly under attack (just pick up a newspaper from anytime January 2009 until now and you'll see what I mean), and I'm young and stupid enough to try to defend Her.

I've come across the question of "Americanism" in opposition to Catholicism. Are these sentiments mutually exclusive? My initial reaction is no, certainly not. The American ideal of opportunity and freedom are right in line with what it means to be a Catholic, and I am sure that it is the reason by Catholic immigrants came to this country in droves during the late 19th and early 20th century. From that point, Catholic Americans have struggled to be considered part of the mainstream of culture.

This is what the problem is: we are getting to the point that because of what our American culture holds dear we are asked to change our values, or at the very least stay silent on them. It has become incompatable to be an assimilated member of the American population and hold such counter-cultural ideals as the Catholic faith demands. Not least among these, is the fight against abortion and being pro-life. I certainly don't believe that being pro-life is contrary to being American, but it cannot be denied that it is counter-cultural to be pro-life in every situation and for every reason. In this way, I believe that my Catholic faith trumps my "Americanness" because the faith transcends what is stamped on my passport and what one country believes is the best way of governing. I do not think that one cannot be American and Catholic at the same time, even a proud and patriotic American. This is the great strength of America, that democracy, freedom, and especially religious freedom exist. I pray that they are ALWAYS defended, and that the compromises that are being tolerated against Catholics especially are no longer.

Response to "Partisan Hand"

Below are the contents of an e-mail I wrote in response to a Viewpoint article yesterday. I did not send it to the Observer, but rather directly to the person who would write such things about a student who is defending life and the unborn on national television. (As a note to my readers: Though I was never enrolled as a student at ND, I took more than a semester's worth of classes at Notre Dame while a student at Saint Mary's College and participated in almost all of my extra-curricular activities there, which is why I justify calling myself a "former student of Notre Dame".)

If you wish to see the original letter to the Observer to which I am responding you can find it here: http://media.www.ndsmcobserver.com/media/storage/paper660/news/2009/04/08/Viewpoint/Partisan.Hand-3701481.shtml

Dear Ms. Burns,

I write to you as a former student of Notre Dame and one who was offended by the contents of your article published in today's Observer. Your comment that "the death penalty is an even more egregious affront to life since it is the government taking an active role in snuffing out life" is simply untrue. Obama's actions and policies that he has created already within his first three months in office paint an ominous picture for pro-lifers indeed. I am sure you have read enough about his recent record of lifting a ban on funding abortions overseas, federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, and repealing, perhaps as I write, legislation protecting health care providers from doing procedures against their consciences, among other anti-life policies. The possibility of Obama passing FOCA, which he promised in a speech to Planned Parenthood to sign, is the largest threat to the pro-life cause at this time. Our government is taking an extremely "active role in snuffing out life" indeed; through sanctioning and funding countless abortions in this country every year.

Ms. Donahue spoke correctly in not equating abortion and the death penalty. As Cardinal Ratzinger wrote in a 2004 memorandum to American Catholic bishops (the year before he became Pope) called "Worthiness to receive Holy Communion -- General principles," "not all moral issues have the same moral weight as abortion and euthanasia. For example, if a Catholic were to be at odds with the Holy Father on the application of capital punishment or on the decision to wage war, he would not for that reason be considered unworthy to present himself to receive Holy Communion. While the Church exhorts civil authorities to seek peace, not war, and to exercise discretion and mercy in imposing punishment on criminals, it may still be permissible to take up arms to repel an aggressor or to have recourse to capital punishment. There may be a legitimate diversity of opinion even among Catholics about waging war and applying the death penalty, but not however with regard to abortion and euthanasia."

Simply put, what you said, in the eyes of the Catholic Church, is incorrect. Particularly as one preparing to defend our country's laws and legal system, I pray that you are able to come to a thoughtful conclusion about the relative gravity of the life issues, and are able to defend the pro-life cause accordingly. This is not to say that the issue of the legalization of the death penalty is unimportant or should not be a point of concern for Catholics, but that abortion is simply the greater issue at hand and needs to be addressed promply and with great ferverance.

Thank you for your time,

Sarah Galgano

Payroll

Warning: This post involves a lot of venting and whining about my job. BEWARE!

In an effort to consolidate resources once again, my company decided about a month ago to give me a couple of the responsibilities of one of the employees in finance who left the company. These include credit card reconciliation and payroll. The credit card is a little stressful, but at least doable. On the other hand, in payroll I generally have no idea what I am looking at. Even though my supervisor and I are working on it together, neither of us has the experience needed to make this transition without a little extra help. It seems like every time we come up to a payroll, we have to go back and forth with the HR companies before we figure out who is getting paid what.

Then, there is the fact that Erin and I have different ideas of how the spreadsheets and everything should work, and I hate feeling like I'm inserting myself with her, but I also don't want the information to be recorded improperly.

Lastly, it doesn't help that recently they are continuing to let people go every payroll. First it was Rob. Then last time it was Dan and Carm. Now, it's four people in Canada. All of the terminations have something different going on with them, and we have to figure out how to treat them. It doesn't help that many of them have been in Canada, which means a lot of rules and regulations about terminations according to Canada's socialist government.

Basically, blame Canada.

I know that having this as a skill set will make me more marketable in the future when I am looking for a job (I guess if it ever came down to it, I might be sort of qualified to do payroll or something for a small company), but in the mean time it is frustrating and makes me realize why (not that I ever ever would have considered it) I did not major in finance during college. It also makes me glad to think that I might only have to do this for four or so months if I end up leaving WRT when I go back to school.

ughhhhhh.... thanks for letting me let that out of my system.

Good News for Sarah

Happiness came in the form of a sunny day to me. Spring in Minnesota certainly has its ups and downs weather-wise, but it seemed to me that today's beautiful, sunny day brings with it a new outlook on the opportunities before me.

I have been informed this week by the University of St. Thomas (located here in the Twin Cities) that I have been accepted to the Master of Arts in Catholic Studies program. They have also offered me a partial scholarship to help with my tuition costs.

At first, the scholarship information was a blow to me. I was really hoping to get one of the very competitive Fellowship spots in the MA program. I was told that I was the runner-up for the scholarship, and until the deadline for acceptance, one of the individuals who was offered the Fellowship had not responded. The individual responded on the last day. It was also sad to hear that until this year they gave three Fellowships, but because of a need to cut costs at the school, they would only award two for this year. I was the third.

Once I let it sink in that the opportunity was no longer available to me, I started to think about the alternatives and I think I have a few options which are encouraging to me. I also believe that when I apply to FAFSA I have a good chance of getting some good loans since I no longer claim myself as a dependent legally.

Bottom line: I'm going back to school and I am excited about it, regardless of the cost to me! I can make it happen if its what I really want. Knowing my reaction to all this information, I am truly invested in this and I am willing to make some changes in my concept of what going for my masters means if that's what it takes. I am just excited to be getting myself in a direction that will be time well spent and moving towards a life of fulfilling work.

Disgraceful

This is more than a disgrace. This may be a permanent rift between Notre Dame and faithful Catholics, even those of us who love thee Notre Dame. If you agree, please visit this site:

http://notredamescandal.com/SignthePetitiontoFrJenkins/tabid/454/Default.aspx

This is copy and pasted from an e-mail my boyfriend sent, which I think sums up the issue we have with it pretty well...

"Newsflash: Barack Obama will be the commencement speaker AND will receive an honorary award at Notre Dame!

Yes, you heard me right. The most prestigious US Catholic university will be hosting and awarding Barack Obama:

The same Obama who overturned the Mexico City policy, releasing millions in funding to abortion groups worldwide while our country suffers economically.
The same Obama who chose people like porn lawyer David Ogden as Deputy Attorney General and abortion champion Kathlene Sebellius as head of Health and Human Services.
The same Obama who is considering overturning protections on the physician's right of conscience to not perform abortions without being discriminated against in the workplace.
The same Obama who vowed to sign FOCA, the most extreme pro-abortion legislation ever presented which would overturn all state laws on the issue, in addition to many other awful things.
The same Obama who forced funding of destructive embryonic stem cell research and removed funding for the much more promising and less ethically objectionable adult stem cell research.
The same Obama who supported an unlimited right to abortion at the latest UN meeting.
The same Obama described by many as the most pro-abortion president in history.

In 2004, the United States of Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) approved a policy statement called "Catholics in Political Life," which says, with reference to pro-abortion politicians, "They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions."

Regardless if you voted for him, if you have been following closely, I'm sure you might be feeling some "buyer's remorse" after some of these decisions he made. Perhaps you believed him when he said that he would work to reduce the numbers of abortions. As you can see, so far he has done nothing of the sort. And even if you approve of his presidency in other decisions, do choices like those above warrant an honor from a Catholic university?

I feel sick to my stomach. Betrayed by my own Alma mater. I can't imagine how the Virgin Mary feels, as she often weeps for the plight of these little ones. The betrayal of hosting Obama under the shadow of Mary on the golden dome, at her own special university, must be more than she can bear.

If you are an alumni, I urge you to contact the university and voice your disgust."


Notre Dame, Our Mother, pray for us.

Get Up, Stand Up

There is nothing worse you can do for the world than stand complacent while people speak lies and misconceptions around you. You must allow your voice to be heard in your words and in your actions.

This has been more apparent to me than ever this year. Since graduating college, I have been thrust into the working world of being an adult. Here, everyone comes from a different background. We are different ages, different religions, we make different lifestyle choices. But these are the people that I spend 40 hours a week with; more time than I spend with my family or loved ones (well, I suppose on some weekends my family or Scott could rival that, but it would only be breaking even). Let me back track a little...

During the previous eight years I was generally in places where I was nurtured in my faith and surrounded by people who were able to build me up to be a woman of God. This is not to say that I have been angelic in that time or that I never made a wrong choice, but for the most part, I have been in places and with people who took Catholicism and the teachings of the Church seriously. This was a wonderful place for me to be, and I truly miss my days as a student, whether it was at Holy Family Catholic High School or Saint Mary's College.

I recall a time as a freshman in high school that many of the people I was in class with really did agree with my moral and political leanings. The support for Bush in the 2000 election far out-weighed the Gore backers in my high school hallways. There is something special about realizing that you can trust someone to deeply understand your point of view and will agree on it.

But this time is over, and I am now endlessly faced with people who feel differently about so many different things. So how do we deal with it? We MUST be strong. And we must not be afraid of speaking up when someone is promoting something contrary to the truth.

I found this excerpt from St. Josemaria Escriva's book Furrow and it resonated with me last night:

"Be on guard against the propagators of scandal and innuendo, which some take in through lack of reflection while others do so through bad faith. They destroy a calm atmosphere and poison public opinion. Sometimes, true charity demands that such abuses and their promoters should be denounced. Otherwise, with their devious or badly-formed consciences, they or those who listen to them could think: 'They keep quiet, so they must agree.'"

Who knew that a Spanish priest who died some 60 years ago would say something so relevant to the dichotomy of our own secular culture against the culture of faith. Don't allow them to think that you agree. Be ready to stand up for your beliefs and know that though they may reject you, your greatest reward will be in Heaven.

Excuse, I Suppose

I have (unfortunately or not) been very busy over the past week and have had little time to blog. It's been difficult at work as I have continued to gain more responsibilities (good for the resume, not for my stress levels!), but I am ever thankful that I have a steady paycheck and a good job--a true blessing in these economic times. Now if only I could start to organize my time in such a way that I could have a little extra time to write here...

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Self-Knowledge

This is an excerpt from Matthew Kelly's "Rediscovering Catholicism." I thought it was a fitting reflection during the season of lent, a time when returning to the sacrament of confession is very prevalent and needed for us all. He writes:

In the spiritual life, it is very important not only to grow in our knowledge and understanding of God, but also in our knowledge and understanding of ourselves. Both knowledge of God and knowledge of self are necessary to make the Journey of the Soul. The two are inextricably linked. And one without the other is useless.

Confessing our sins in the sacrament of Reconciliation helps us develop this self-knowledge. The saints had this self knowledge. They developed it from hours of self-examination and a consistent practice of Reconciliation. They knew their strengths and weaknesses, their faults, failings, flaws, and defects, their talents and abilities, their needs and desires, their hopes and their dreams, their potential and their purpose.

They were not afraid to look at themselves as they really were by the light of God's grace in prayer. They knew that the things of this world are passing, and that when this brief life is over, we will each stand naked in the presence of God. At that moment, money, power, status, possessions, and worldly fame will mean nothing. The only things that has value in that moment is character--the light within you. Who we become is infinitely more important than what we do or what we have. Or as Francis once said, "Remember, you are what you are in the eyes of God, and nothing else."

Get to know yourself. The gifts of self-knowledge include freedom from the world's image of you and compassion for others. The more I get to know myself and my own brokenness, the more I am able to accept and love others. Furthermore, the more I get to know myself, the more I am able to understand others and be tolerant of their faults, failings, flaws addictions, and brokenness. Self-knowledge breeds the ultimate form of compassion.

Get to know yourself and every relationship in your life will improve.

It only begs the question: Why??

Despite recent thought in the medical science world, Obama has gone ahead an reversed a Bush policy just to make a point.

Burnadine Healy, MD, a medical blogger for US News and World Report, just last week wrote a blog entry on "Why Embryonic Stems Cells are Obsolete." Interestingly, Dr. Healy pointed out on March 4 that "President Obama has been rightly taking his time in addressing a campaign promise to lift the ban on federal funding for research using new lines of stem cells to be taken from human embryos." These embyonic stem cells no longer have the steam they once did since the private research that is going on is yeilding no promise. In fact, notes Dr. Healy, president Obama was presented with information including "a report from Israel published in PLoS Medicine in late February that shows embryonic stem cells injected into patients can cause disabling if not deadly tumors." Yet, less than a week after Dr. Healy wrote this article, Obama has made the decision to, once again, overturn the Bush policy.

In the article, Dr. Healy goes on: "These still-mysterious cell creations have been removed from the highly ordered environment of a fast-growing embryo, after all. Though they are tamed in a petri dish to be disciplined, mature cells, research in animals has shown repeatedly that sometimes the injected cells run wildly out of control—dashing hopes of tiny, human embryos benignly spinning off stem cells to save grown-ups, without risk or concern." Somehow, this did not phase Obama in being sure to fulfill his promise to publically fund research in the embryonic stem cell field.

What's more is that adult stem cell research has been found to go far beyond the power that was originally expected of them. Within the past few months adult stem cell research has become increasingly promising for curing disease. In fact, there are many who argue that adult stem cells are better as you may use stem cells on the patient that are a 100% DNA match, rather than the random DNA of another human embryo.

So, why would Obama ignore the research and go for it anyway? Because he can. It's an in-your-face move that is worthy of the 3rd grade playground, not the US presidency. It is absolutely ludicrous, given the strides made in the past few years with adult stem cells, that our tax dollars should be going to these endeavors. Aside from the fact that these have proven to be volitile at best, there is an ethical issue that many Americans, inculding myself, would choose not to participate in the funding of harvesting of human embryos. It just doesn't seem to make sense that Obama would want to unfocus the efforts of stem cell research and diminish the bright spot of adult stem cell research to make his controversial move.

I can only attest this short-sightedness to the arrogance and power hungry nature of our new president. Something for which we all wish he will either grow out of, or grow unpopular.

Through Sadness

It's been a tough past few days. I went to Scott's grandfather's funeral up in Duluth, surrounded by the friends and family of a man I met twice. However, I have experienced the love and open arms of a family that I didn't expect to recieve, and I believe that in some small way I gave at least one person a shoulder to lean on. I am really glad that I was able to make it up there with Scott and there was a lot I learned through being there. There were points when I really didn't know what I was supposed to be doing, but I think I didn't make too much of a scene (I'm glad that Scott's Deeney grandparents were there to take me under their wing during the funeral mass... I know I could have sat with the family next to Scott, but I felt really comfortable sitting right in between grandma and grandpa Deeney). It was tough to see Scott so sad, but I am glad to know that he also is comfortable to open up to me and wanted me there in his time of grieving--I'm sure someday I'll ask the same of him.

So, even though it was a sad occassion to have to go to Duluth, I enjoyed my time spent with all of Scott's family and with Scott himself. I am surrounded by such wonderful, loving people in my life!

Please continue to keep Scott, his grandfather, and the whole family in your prayers!

Review: "What Went Wrong with Vatican II: The Catholic Crisis Explained"

In this sophisticated yet accessible take on the situation surrounding Vatican II (on which many Catholic's blame the crisis of the Church), Ralph M. McInerny defends the Church and Her council without compromising what abuses have followed it. As a professor of philosophy at Notre Dame, the author has spent much of his life in the trenches, so to speak, of the Catholic world and what the reactions and teachings following the council entailed. "What Went Wrong with Vatican II: The Catholic Crisis Explained" offers a picture of the Church from the perspective of someone who has both lived and studied the Church before, during, and after the first modern council, which rocked the Church violently.

McInerny is fast to point out that Vatican II, nor its documents, are the problem with Vatican II. In fact, it is on authority of the Pope and the bishops together with him that make every part of the council as valid and essential to Catholicism than any other council before. Rather, it was the sociopolitical climate that led to such seemingly disastrous effects in the Church following and even during the council.

Here are some interesting points that I found in this gem of a book:

• In the US, many theologians PRIOR to the council were beginning to advocate the use of birth control for married Catholic couples. In anticipation of what they presumed would be something that was looked at by the council and previous teaching would be reversed in light of modern scientific advances, these theologians told Catholics they could use birth control and it would just be a matter of time before the Vatican followed suit. When before the council ended Pope Paul VI wrote the encyclical Humane Vitae, which clearly and definitively bars Catholic couples from using artificial birth control for family planning, many theologians began to openly dissent the teaching of the Magisterium.

• Rather than weakening it, as I have heard in my local parish (*Pax Christi*, ahem), the second Vatican council actually strengthened and reinstated the place of the Pope, bishops, and Magisterium within the hierarchy of the Catholic Church.

• Vatican II is mainly the backdrop of what was going on outside of it, but it was with the "anti-spirit of the council," as then-Cardinal Ratzinger dubbed it, that the rogue Catholic theologians infected the teaching body of the Church in the US and throughout Europe as well

• The greatest way to get the Church back on track, as she is currently heading, is through prayer and fasting (just as Our Lady has given us messages through Fatima, etc, time and time again)

The book was written in 1998, so one might imagine there could be a lot added to this saga ten years later. Still, the thoughtful consideration of the texts of the council and the news and proclamations of both followers and dissenters leads to an exceptional discussion of the Church and her teachings as followed by the faithful.

"What Went Wrong with Vatican II" is a great read for anyone who would like to consider the implications and future of a post-conciliar Church. A small warning: this book does discuss some nuances of Catholic teaching that may not be as apparent to a reader less familiar with Catholic doctrine. McInerny does, however, write fluidly at a level accessible to many, which should ease any tension one might have with the actual content of the book.

Rating: Recommended

Love Will Keep Us Alive

Recently I read a reflection presenting the ideas that I write today. I just wanted to put them into my own words.

Love is the perfect way to heal our hearts. How interesting that when a small child scrapes his knee, his reaction to make it better is to run to his mother and ask her to kiss it and make it better. To the child, what makes his boo-boo alright is the love of the mother, not the material remedy of a bandage. This is the example for our hearts, that in our pain and suffering what we need most is love, particularly the parental love of God the Father. We are wounded by the sins of ourselves and others, and our heavenly Father is the only one who can take them away. There is nothing in this world that can replace that love. We are able to experience that love of God in our relationships and prayer. It is only with love that we can heal our wounds.

That said, I apologize for missing a couple of days here. I have been having trouble finding inspiration this week.

Also, please pray for Scott's grandpa Fitzsimmons who passed away last night. May God in His infinite love give him peace and everlasting life. Amen.

Selling Your Heart on National TV

I missed the entire season, and now I'm glad I did. I have never watched the ABC series "The Bachelor" in the past, perhaps just as a filler for a few minutes here and there while I was waiting for other programming. It may have been an odd choice to watch the last episode without everything that led up to it, but in reality tv, is that ever really necessary?

Last night when I went over to Stephanie's for our usual girls-tv-night Mondays, there was nothing new on our usual choice of the CW, so we decided to strap in for the 2-hour season finale of "The Bachelor". It was probably the biggest waste of time I've had in a long time, but it did provide some food for thought.

First of all, this guy is a pansy. I mean, seriously, he cried like every five minutes throughout the episode. At first, it was a little bit endearing. But then it got to a point that I'm sure many women called out, just as my friend Maria did, for Jason to "grow a pair."

Also, his little flip-flop thing was definitely not cool. We're talking within 6 weeks of the filming of the finale Jason fell "out-of-love" with Melissa, the woman he proposed to. (She was the right choice by the way. Adorable and she adored him and actually wanted a family life.) The whole dumping her on national tv and then asking out the other woman right there is a douche-bag move in my book. But the whole situation of this is what really got me thinking.

What is it that our culture values in relationships anymore? The entire dating process is entirely warped in such circumstances, and it is really almost unbelievable that these young, talented, beautiful young men and women are willing to put themselves at the mercy of the producers and casting agents for a show to find out if they can "fall in love" with this individual.

Some of what the women were saying last night was deeply troubling too. I mean, you're 24, 25 years old, how do you NOT know that love is more than infatuation? Physical attraction and the whole butterflies in the stomach thing are definitely components of being in love with someone, especially in the beginning stages, but do you truly believe that within the span of filming (with all of it's red tape and arranged meetings in front of a camera and so forth) is a sufficient amount of time to determine whether you would like to spend the rest of your life with this person?

It just seems really sad that this is the state of our dating culture today. That we are willing to basically put our lives, particularly our hearts, up for sale in front of the whole world and hope to win in the end. There is something so selfish in the whole idea of it that it seems rather contrary to falling in love.

I realize that there have been a few couples (three in fact, as I read this morning) that are still together after the end of this show. But the reality of it is that this is not exactly a formula for happiness. Melissa, I'm glad your parents realized that before you did (apparently, they chose not to meet Melissa's potential suitor during the course of the show, though they did cave in and talk to him on the phone in the last episode). Maybe in the future you could actually take advice from the people who love you and value yourself enough to give real love a chance.

And thank God you didn't even think about going on the disgusting and seriously wrong "A Double Shot at Love". I can't even begin to talk about everything wrong going on there.

Right Place, Right Time

There are times when one knows one is just in the right place at the right time. I had one of those experiences over the weekend, and I would like to share it.

Saturday night I got to spend time with a lot of people I was looking forward to seeing for some time. I went to the Saint Paul Seminary with Scott to meet up with some of my old high school friends. We had a great time talking and catching up on each others' lives. Once we left there we were able to visit Ellie at her house at St. Thomas, since it was practically right across the street from the seminary. After a 45 minute visit with her, I was about to drop off Scott at his car when I noticed that I had no gas in my own. Since it was so late, Scott agreed to come to the gas station up the road with me.

I pulled up to the pump and began to get the gas going. Moments after I started, a car came pulling up wildly to the pump next to mine. I leaned over to Scott and noted how bizarre the man in the car looked and was acting, but sort of stopped taking note of it. I finished up at the pump, and as I opened the car door I noticed the woman in the crazy car did as well as she yelled out, "hey, lady, are you going to University Ave?" I, shocked that she was addressing me, replied, "No, sorry, I'm not going in that direction..." She tried again: "Can I get a ride? This guy is crazy!" When I responded negatively one more time, I got back into the car. Scott asked what happened and I related the conversation. He then told me that he thought we should give her a ride because she could be in trouble. I looked into the gas station; the crazy driver was at the counter paying. I quickly opened my door and said "hey, come on, you can get a ride!" and in a flash she was in the car and we were out of the gas station. Though the driver ran out to his car, he was never able to catch up with us.

In the drive to drop her off at her boyfriend's house, she told us about who the man was and a little bit about her life. The reason why she asked me for the ride is because she saw another woman (she looked all around the gas station specifically for a female), because a woman she can trust. She had been out at a friend's birthday party and needed a ride home. Her mom's ex-boyfriend (a meth head from what we gathered) picked her up, and once he got her in the car, he started to touch her, which is why she wanted out so bad. She is turning 22 next week and has a 5-year-old daughter. Her boyfriend is an alcoholic and beats her up, but he is trying to amend his life and go to AA meetings. She's a hairdresser, but is having a difficult time finding steady work. All of this came out in our 20 minute conversation to her house, except her name.

When we dropped her off, she asked us to come to the door with her. This was probably the scariest part of the whole situation, as it was in a very impoverished neighborhood in North Saint Paul and she already told us what her boyfriend could be like. We waited at the door, had a quick word with the boyfriend to tell him it was cool, got a hug from her, a handshake from him, and we were on our way.

The thing that struck me the most in this situation is the extreme blessings I have been given in my own life. My house looked like a mansion when I got home. My boyfriend looked like the perfect man. My family looked like the perfect family.

Through this event that there are so many people suffering quietly around me, and most of the time I am willing to turn a blind eye to them before I even know what is going on. It was an eye opening experience to see a woman, just about my age, with a like so completely different than mine in so many ways. My heart is warmed when I think that Scott pushed me a little bit, though it was outside of my comfort zone, to help this woman. I can't imagine a better example of being in the right place at the right time.

It's the WEEKEND!

This week has come to a close with open arms. Here are the top 5 things I am looking forward to/want to get done this weekend (in no particular order):

1. Clean my room and do some laundry.

My room has been a mess for far too long and I recognize this. Also, I do not want to get into the fiasco of a couple of weeks ago where I had to do about three loads of laundry and had absolutely no clean underwear left.

2. Read.

I read every night before I go to bed, but usually I only get through a chapter if that before zonking out with the book on top of me. I really want to take a good chunk of time this weekend to just read (and maybe even finish!) the book I started a few weeks ago now, Until We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis. Maybe it will even give me something to write about!

3. Eat some meat.

It's the first Friday in Lent, so of course I am craving a hamburger right now.

4. Not think about my application.

I spoke to the woman on the phone today and they have received all my application materials and now I just have to wait it out. I should know in about two weeks if I have made it in to the program and I'm really hoping that a decision about the Fellowship will come with it. But its out of my hands now, so I have to stop getting all nervous about it, say a few quick prayers, and get it out of my head.

5. Spend time with people I love.

This includes my family (mom, dad, JP, Ellie, Lauren), Scott, the Collyers if they can come back, Stephanie, possibly some high school friends, and whoever else I end up encountering this weekend!

Say Yes to No

Perhaps it's counter-intuitive, but there are a lot of reasons to deny ourselves pleasures once in a while. I'm not talking about giving up a vice, but rather giving up something that in itself is good or at least neutral. I remember sitting in my high school's Ash Wednesday mass, and the girl next to me (a notorious bad-girl within our halls) leaned over and whispered, "I'm going to give up sex for lent. Is that bad?" Albeit misinformed, I believed her intentions were in the right place. I told her I thought it was a good idea and focused back on the mass. But I think that she was missing the point, as so many of us do during this time.

Giving up something that is bad for you should be obvious; it's just healthy. If you are having sex with someone you're not in a committed relationship with, you should stop. If you've got the mouth of a sailor, you should probably stop dropping so many f-bombs. Whatever your vice is, you should, at any time, feel free to reform yourself.

What I am talking about though, is giving up something that you like and it isn't wrong for you to like it. I believe that you can make yourself mentally and morally stronger by denying something of yourself that isn't actually bad for you. Yes, you could eat that chocolate, but a little bit of self denial goes a long way. This isn't a diet, but it's an understanding that any sort of dependence on material things enslaves us to our passions and desires.

I am a naturally passionate person (trust me, I think my boyfriend lost count of the amount of times I've come crying to him a long time ago), but I've come to see that I must be aware of how these passions affect my life, and be weary that they don't direct it. Saying no to myself is an exercise in the freedom I have over my own life.

Denying yourself something you like gives a healthy sense of control, and when paired with faith, could be a great weapon for you in the moments of temptations. It only makes sense that if you say yes to every desire you have, (you know all the small ones, eating some candy, grabbing another soda, watching that movie with a racy scene, buying another shirt, spending your money a little too indiscriminately) you say yes to the vices also. Is it any wonder that so many people choose to have sex in high school and college, especially in the hook-up atmosphere? They've never said no before.

Saying no to yourself in those moments when it doesn't really matter are only prepping you for the times when it does. When it matters a lot.