My Online Journalism professor, being the saint that he is, was kind enough to let us take a hiatus from our blogs this week and enjoy the holiday.
I was so excited at the thought of coming home to turkey and my own bed that I totally forgot to say anything here. Oops. Mea culpa.
Regardless, I hope all of my readers had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Personally, I'm thankful for the opportunity to blog for a grade. That's almost as good as getting paid to play video games!
I'll be back with regular posts on Monday or so. Peace!
Friday, November 27, 2009
Saturday, November 21, 2009
The Saints: An Interactive Timeline
Behold! I come bringing you another super cool multimedia project. :) (What can I say? I get giddy late at night.)
I talked a bit about the saints in a post at the beginning of this month, and I wanted to dig into the topic a bit further with this project. You'll find that I've chosen ten saints from various periods in history, beginning with the time of Christ and ending with the contemporary era. I picked five men and five women saints that have made what I believe are significant contributions to the Catholic Church and the Christian community at large. Some others were virtually unknown while alive, but because I happen to like their stories, I've included them as well.
If you're wondering how we decide who is recognized as a saint, there is a good resource here. Keep in mind that all canonization does is allow the Church the opportunity to formally honor an individual. Everyone in heaven is a saint, and God desires all of us to become saints.
Feel free to click on anything in the timeline you find interesting to explore in greater detail. Click on the plus signs at the bottom to view other entries. There are plenty of links and videos to keep you busy for a while, if you so choose. Enjoy! (I recommend you start with the description tab for each saint.)
Note: Ignore the years listed with the entries; those were required for the timeline to display properly. The dates, however, are accurate and reflect the saint's feast day.
I talked a bit about the saints in a post at the beginning of this month, and I wanted to dig into the topic a bit further with this project. You'll find that I've chosen ten saints from various periods in history, beginning with the time of Christ and ending with the contemporary era. I picked five men and five women saints that have made what I believe are significant contributions to the Catholic Church and the Christian community at large. Some others were virtually unknown while alive, but because I happen to like their stories, I've included them as well.
If you're wondering how we decide who is recognized as a saint, there is a good resource here. Keep in mind that all canonization does is allow the Church the opportunity to formally honor an individual. Everyone in heaven is a saint, and God desires all of us to become saints.
Feel free to click on anything in the timeline you find interesting to explore in greater detail. Click on the plus signs at the bottom to view other entries. There are plenty of links and videos to keep you busy for a while, if you so choose. Enjoy! (I recommend you start with the description tab for each saint.)
Note: Ignore the years listed with the entries; those were required for the timeline to display properly. The dates, however, are accurate and reflect the saint's feast day.
Friday, November 20, 2009
The Fight for Life
Please note: In the interest of being open and honest with my readers, the following post contains some personal opinions that may be considered abrasive or offensive. Also, be aware that some descriptions of abortion procedures will be graphic.
Wednesday night's CCM meeting was far from the lively and lighthearted discussions one can usually find. In fact, by the end of the hour, not a sound could be heard from any of us in the house. No one was laughing, either.
Melinda Saffioti had made stoics out of us all, and with very good reason: as part of our pro-life night, she came to speak about the reality of abortion. Personally, I've never been particularly vocal about the things those on the political right call "life issues"--abortion, euthanasia, and embryonic stem cell research among them--but after last night, I find it hard to be silent.
Every day, 3800 children in America are killed by abortions. The reasons vary, and it might be assumed that rape, incest and health reasons top the list, but that's not true. In fact, the vast majority of abortions are performed purely for the convenience of the mother. The Guttmacher Institute, a respected research facility for sexual health, says that:
True as that may be, Saffioti argued, it doesn't mean the baby that was given life must suffer the consequences. "It's like the cops showing up at your house and sending you to jail because your dad had a DUI," she said.
Saffioti, a 2002 graduate of Rowan University, is a licensed social worker who works as a counselor for women who are considering or have experienced abortion. While Guttmacher reports there is no evident link between abortion and mental health problems, she said that many of the women she counsels have at least some form of post-traumatic stress disorder.
It makes sense, especially considering the various methods of abortion in use today. Suction aspiration uses a vacuum-like device to literally suck the baby out while the mother is usually conscious; an abortive D&C involves scraping the uterus, and saline injections involve burning the baby from within the womb before inducing labor.
Harsh? Yeah, I thought so, too.
What does this have to do with Catholicism, though? Truthfully, the abortion issue is one that doesn't have to involve God--it's the taking of an innocent life, which is intrinsically wrong. However, as Catholics we believe that God is the author of all life, and it is therefore our responsibility to defend it from the very beginning. This beginning isn't birth, but conception. At the very instant conception occurs, there are 46 chromosomes present in the new fetus, 23 from each parent. From these, we can tell the child's gender, hair color, eye color, and more before it even begins to resemble a child.
A life is a life, regardless of age, and each should be given a chance to fulfill its potential. There are millions of couples worldwide clamoring for the opportunity to be parents. There are options, and abortion doesn't have to be one of them.
Wednesday night's CCM meeting was far from the lively and lighthearted discussions one can usually find. In fact, by the end of the hour, not a sound could be heard from any of us in the house. No one was laughing, either.
Melinda Saffioti had made stoics out of us all, and with very good reason: as part of our pro-life night, she came to speak about the reality of abortion. Personally, I've never been particularly vocal about the things those on the political right call "life issues"--abortion, euthanasia, and embryonic stem cell research among them--but after last night, I find it hard to be silent.
Every day, 3800 children in America are killed by abortions. The reasons vary, and it might be assumed that rape, incest and health reasons top the list, but that's not true. In fact, the vast majority of abortions are performed purely for the convenience of the mother. The Guttmacher Institute, a respected research facility for sexual health, says that:
Three-fourths of women cite concern for or responsibility to other individuals; three-fourths say they cannot afford a child; three-fourths say that having a baby would interfere with work, school or the ability to care for dependents; and half say they do not want to be a single parent or are having problems with their husband or partner.But it's her right to choose, pro-choice supporters may say. She didn't ask to get pregnant.
True as that may be, Saffioti argued, it doesn't mean the baby that was given life must suffer the consequences. "It's like the cops showing up at your house and sending you to jail because your dad had a DUI," she said.
Saffioti, a 2002 graduate of Rowan University, is a licensed social worker who works as a counselor for women who are considering or have experienced abortion. While Guttmacher reports there is no evident link between abortion and mental health problems, she said that many of the women she counsels have at least some form of post-traumatic stress disorder.
It makes sense, especially considering the various methods of abortion in use today. Suction aspiration uses a vacuum-like device to literally suck the baby out while the mother is usually conscious; an abortive D&C involves scraping the uterus, and saline injections involve burning the baby from within the womb before inducing labor.
Harsh? Yeah, I thought so, too.
What does this have to do with Catholicism, though? Truthfully, the abortion issue is one that doesn't have to involve God--it's the taking of an innocent life, which is intrinsically wrong. However, as Catholics we believe that God is the author of all life, and it is therefore our responsibility to defend it from the very beginning. This beginning isn't birth, but conception. At the very instant conception occurs, there are 46 chromosomes present in the new fetus, 23 from each parent. From these, we can tell the child's gender, hair color, eye color, and more before it even begins to resemble a child.
A life is a life, regardless of age, and each should be given a chance to fulfill its potential. There are millions of couples worldwide clamoring for the opportunity to be parents. There are options, and abortion doesn't have to be one of them.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Trial By Fire
When Catholics mention areas of our faith like praying for the dead, and the mysterious realm of purification we call Purgatory, others may raise their eyebrows in skepticism. There can't be a Purgatory--it would negate the entire point of Jesus coming to die, they might argue. Jesus suffered so we won't have to. He paid the price and wiped us clean.
These are all true statements, but this viewpoint is missing a few key details that are essential to understanding what Purgatory is, and why we believe it exists.
God is perfect in every sense of the word. He is the epitome of holiness, purity, and love--in the Bible, every person who has come face-to-face with Him has gone straight to his or her face in awe. In reality, this is how facing God at the end of our lives will be for all of us; in our fallible human state, in the sight of that beauty, we'll be crippled. We can't handle God in His perfection because we are imperfect.
Jesus was sent to die so we gain the opportunity to join God face-to-face in heaven. Of course, sin hinders us on that journey, and if it's serious enough, it can sever our connection to Him altogether. Jesus may wash away the initial mark of our sins, but the hurt they leave in our lives and the "puncture wounds" made in our soul afterward cannot always be healed completely in life. This is where Purgatory comes in.
Check out this passage from 1 Corinthians: If anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, the work of each will come to light, for the Day will disclose it. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire (itself) will test the quality of each one's work. If the work stands that someone built upon the foundation, that person will receive a wage. But if someone's work is burned up, that one will suffer loss; the person will be saved, but only as through fire.
The foundation Paul mentions here is Jesus, and what we "build" is our life--those deeds and choices that either honor or disobey Him. When we die, we're immediately judged by both our faith in Christ and the things we've done. If all of our works don't stand up to God's standards (and they never can), we need to be purified before we enter Heaven. Voila--Purgatory.
It's important to note here that Purgatory and Hell aren't the same thing. Once you go to Hell, you're there for good, eternally separated from the love of God because you have consciously rejected Him. "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here." ;) On the other hand, there is joy in Purgatory; while tradition tells us that Purgatory is worse than even the greatest human pain, the dead are encouraged in knowing that in the end, they'll emerge completely new in eternal peace. This may be a crude analogy, but it's a bit like putting bleach on clothes that were stained after coming out of the washing machine.
That's why we pray for all those who have died. We pray that their time of purification might pass quickly, so they can join God as soon as possible.
"May these, and all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace."
These are all true statements, but this viewpoint is missing a few key details that are essential to understanding what Purgatory is, and why we believe it exists.
God is perfect in every sense of the word. He is the epitome of holiness, purity, and love--in the Bible, every person who has come face-to-face with Him has gone straight to his or her face in awe. In reality, this is how facing God at the end of our lives will be for all of us; in our fallible human state, in the sight of that beauty, we'll be crippled. We can't handle God in His perfection because we are imperfect.
Jesus was sent to die so we gain the opportunity to join God face-to-face in heaven. Of course, sin hinders us on that journey, and if it's serious enough, it can sever our connection to Him altogether. Jesus may wash away the initial mark of our sins, but the hurt they leave in our lives and the "puncture wounds" made in our soul afterward cannot always be healed completely in life. This is where Purgatory comes in.
Check out this passage from 1 Corinthians: If anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, the work of each will come to light, for the Day will disclose it. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire (itself) will test the quality of each one's work. If the work stands that someone built upon the foundation, that person will receive a wage. But if someone's work is burned up, that one will suffer loss; the person will be saved, but only as through fire.
The foundation Paul mentions here is Jesus, and what we "build" is our life--those deeds and choices that either honor or disobey Him. When we die, we're immediately judged by both our faith in Christ and the things we've done. If all of our works don't stand up to God's standards (and they never can), we need to be purified before we enter Heaven. Voila--Purgatory.
It's important to note here that Purgatory and Hell aren't the same thing. Once you go to Hell, you're there for good, eternally separated from the love of God because you have consciously rejected Him. "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here." ;) On the other hand, there is joy in Purgatory; while tradition tells us that Purgatory is worse than even the greatest human pain, the dead are encouraged in knowing that in the end, they'll emerge completely new in eternal peace. This may be a crude analogy, but it's a bit like putting bleach on clothes that were stained after coming out of the washing machine.
That's why we pray for all those who have died. We pray that their time of purification might pass quickly, so they can join God as soon as possible.
"May these, and all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace."
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Imaculee Ilibagiza: Forgiveness in Rwanda
On August 15, 1981, the Feast of the Assumption, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to three high school and college students in Kibeho, Rwanda with a message: repent and turn to God in prayer. Pray the rosary. Destruction is coming, and if the whole world turns to God, it can be stopped.
The apparitions continued for eight years, and then in 1994, the inconceivable happened--the majority tribe of Hutus began to murder entire families of the upper class Tutsi tribe. These murders quickly turned into widespread, hand-executed genocide that killed over a million people in a span of three months.
Immaculee Ilibagiza was home from university for Easter break when the genocide began, and 15 years later, she is telling the story of her survival that she credits to the grace of God. I had the opportunity to see Immaculee speak this past Tuesday at Assumption Parish in Atco, NJ. She was a dynamic speaker with a powerful and (believe it or not) almost comedic testimony that I'd like to relay for you. Unfortunately, I was unable to take photos or audio at the event; you can find both at the two links above.)
The apparitions continued for eight years, and then in 1994, the inconceivable happened--the majority tribe of Hutus began to murder entire families of the upper class Tutsi tribe. These murders quickly turned into widespread, hand-executed genocide that killed over a million people in a span of three months.
Immaculee Ilibagiza was home from university for Easter break when the genocide began, and 15 years later, she is telling the story of her survival that she credits to the grace of God. I had the opportunity to see Immaculee speak this past Tuesday at Assumption Parish in Atco, NJ. She was a dynamic speaker with a powerful and (believe it or not) almost comedic testimony that I'd like to relay for you. Unfortunately, I was unable to take photos or audio at the event; you can find both at the two links above.)
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Preview!
I'm feeling a little bit under the weather today (read: so exhausted), so I'm going to leave you with the things I'm working on to close out the month of November.
Immaculee Ilibageza- This devout Catholic woman from Rwanda is a survivor of the genocide there; I had the opportunity to see her at a thought-provoking presentation in Atco on her experience and the power of forgiveness. God's grace really can do anything, even give us the strength to forgive a murderer. Check back this weekend for a feature about Immaculee.
The Fight for Life- This week, CCM began to circulate flyers on campus advertising a pro-life evening of prayer and presentations. Interestingly, a feminist organization here at Rowan has now begun to advertise an evening celebrating the right to choose, featuring a Christian pastor, the same night as the CCM event. I'm in the process of working with our student newspaper, The Whit, about the controversy developing between these two groups, and I'm sure it will give me plenty to write about here. At the very least, I'm going to be at CCM next week to cover the guest speaker, who is an alumna.
Spotlight- I'll be sitting down soon with a grad student who recently converted to Catholicism after 21 years as a Baptist. His story offers insight into the struggles people "on the outside" face when presented with some of the Church's stickiest doctrines.
And speaking of sticky issues...
I Confess- I'm going to talk to a few priests about what it's like to be a confidante for the deepest secrets of so many. There will be Biblical support every step of the way, and maybe even a video (though not of me in Confession--sorry to burst your bubble. ;))
Those are definite ideas that will be showing up here soon. There are also some others in the works that are being finalized as I contact sources; I'll keep those under wraps for a while.
Have a great weekend!
Immaculee Ilibageza- This devout Catholic woman from Rwanda is a survivor of the genocide there; I had the opportunity to see her at a thought-provoking presentation in Atco on her experience and the power of forgiveness. God's grace really can do anything, even give us the strength to forgive a murderer. Check back this weekend for a feature about Immaculee.
The Fight for Life- This week, CCM began to circulate flyers on campus advertising a pro-life evening of prayer and presentations. Interestingly, a feminist organization here at Rowan has now begun to advertise an evening celebrating the right to choose, featuring a Christian pastor, the same night as the CCM event. I'm in the process of working with our student newspaper, The Whit, about the controversy developing between these two groups, and I'm sure it will give me plenty to write about here. At the very least, I'm going to be at CCM next week to cover the guest speaker, who is an alumna.
Spotlight- I'll be sitting down soon with a grad student who recently converted to Catholicism after 21 years as a Baptist. His story offers insight into the struggles people "on the outside" face when presented with some of the Church's stickiest doctrines.
And speaking of sticky issues...
I Confess- I'm going to talk to a few priests about what it's like to be a confidante for the deepest secrets of so many. There will be Biblical support every step of the way, and maybe even a video (though not of me in Confession--sorry to burst your bubble. ;))
Those are definite ideas that will be showing up here soon. There are also some others in the works that are being finalized as I contact sources; I'll keep those under wraps for a while.
Have a great weekend!
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Spotlight: Fr. Tom Kiely
Priests, just like laypeople, have a wide range of styles and personalities. I've never met a priest I didn't like, but none of them have ever been quite as...extroverted...as Tom Kiely.
Let the photos speak for themselves (the first is Fr. Tom's, and the last two are courtesy of Lisa Falk. I had some photos of my own, but you all have seen them already.):
Despite his obviously mischievous personality, Fr. Tom is genuinely in love with both his faith and his call to the priesthood. His ordination seven years ago led him to assignments at various parishes throughout the South Jersey area before being named Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Camden, and chaplain for Rowan University in February of this year. Since then, he has developed a personal responsibility to young adults in the diocese as he assists them in discovering God's will for their lives, whatever it may be. As university chaplain, Kiely serves to meet the spiritual needs of Rowan students through celebrating Mass five days a week at the Newman House, hearing confessions, spiritual direction, and acting as moderator for Catholic Campus Ministries. He is currently priest in-residence at St. Stephen's Catholic Church in Pennsauken.
I sat down with Fr. Tom this week to discuss his own spiritual journey, the finer points of the priesthood, and how working with young people has impacted his life. (Hit the play button on the left of each player to hear an audio clip.)
Let the photos speak for themselves (the first is Fr. Tom's, and the last two are courtesy of Lisa Falk. I had some photos of my own, but you all have seen them already.):
Despite his obviously mischievous personality, Fr. Tom is genuinely in love with both his faith and his call to the priesthood. His ordination seven years ago led him to assignments at various parishes throughout the South Jersey area before being named Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Camden, and chaplain for Rowan University in February of this year. Since then, he has developed a personal responsibility to young adults in the diocese as he assists them in discovering God's will for their lives, whatever it may be. As university chaplain, Kiely serves to meet the spiritual needs of Rowan students through celebrating Mass five days a week at the Newman House, hearing confessions, spiritual direction, and acting as moderator for Catholic Campus Ministries. He is currently priest in-residence at St. Stephen's Catholic Church in Pennsauken.
I sat down with Fr. Tom this week to discuss his own spiritual journey, the finer points of the priesthood, and how working with young people has impacted his life. (Hit the play button on the left of each player to hear an audio clip.)
Physical Signs, Intangible Graces
Over the winter last year, I was going through a really hard time in almost every way: school was kicking my butt as I struggled to meet deadlines and set up a summer internship; my grandmother was ill again; and my then-boyfriend was laid off unexpectedly. To say I was stressed would be an understatement, and predictably, my faith had begun to suffer. I dragged myself to church on the weekends regardless, knowing that being there far outweighed the benefits of staying home.
After Mass during one particularly rough week, I approached my pastor and, choking up, asked for a blessing. He placed one hand on my shoulder, the other on my feverish forehead, and prayed for God to give me the physical strength and spiritual peace I needed to persevere. It was a beautiful and impromptu ritual, and in the days following, I really did find things were beginning to even out. Beyond that, there was something so comforting in the words and touch that consoled me in a way personal prayer couldn't.
Christianity is full of physical rituals like these that act as instruments of God's very real power. The Catholic Church in particular has seven of these major rituals, called sacraments. We believe that each one was given to the Church by Jesus in order to bring intangible gifts down to our human level. Wisely, He chose to do it through our five senses. Most of these are performed only once as life milestones, but Confession and Communion should both be taken advantage of regularly. That's what they're there for, after all. The Sacraments, coupled with faith, are centering points for all Catholics. It's through them that we truly encounter God. Let's break them down.
After Mass during one particularly rough week, I approached my pastor and, choking up, asked for a blessing. He placed one hand on my shoulder, the other on my feverish forehead, and prayed for God to give me the physical strength and spiritual peace I needed to persevere. It was a beautiful and impromptu ritual, and in the days following, I really did find things were beginning to even out. Beyond that, there was something so comforting in the words and touch that consoled me in a way personal prayer couldn't.
Christianity is full of physical rituals like these that act as instruments of God's very real power. The Catholic Church in particular has seven of these major rituals, called sacraments. We believe that each one was given to the Church by Jesus in order to bring intangible gifts down to our human level. Wisely, He chose to do it through our five senses. Most of these are performed only once as life milestones, but Confession and Communion should both be taken advantage of regularly. That's what they're there for, after all. The Sacraments, coupled with faith, are centering points for all Catholics. It's through them that we truly encounter God. Let's break them down.
Friday, November 06, 2009
Funny story...
(I'm not sure how relevant to anything this is, but oh well--let's call it off-beat Friday, okay? :) )
Yesterday, I learned that in times of crisis, having faith is so much better than not believing in anything. After a very reluctant chat with my mother in the morning, I trudged over to get my H1N1 vaccine at a student clinic on campus. My doctor said his grandkids had gotten it, and as a medical professional who has seen me for 18 years, he recommended I get vaccinated, too.
Ironically, I had just left my Online Journalism class, and said to my professor on the way out that I'd see him Tuesday, assuming I didn't have a reaction, oink oink.
Next time, I won't jinx myself. They asked me to wait around for ten minutes following my vaccination, just to be sure that I would be okay. Well, about five minutes into the observation period I felt like someone had shoved cotton in my ears. Weird. A minute later, I was lightheaded. Weirder yet. I went over to the nurse who had vaccinated me and told her that I wasn't feeling well. The next thing I knew, I was on the floor of the health center surrounded by a half dozen nurses.
Oops.
I'm fine now, but the recovery process was certainly scary--I had never blacked out before in my life, and I was shaking when I regained consciousness. (This is likely because of a muscular condition I've had since I was born--it acts up when I'm super stressed or weak.) As soon as I realized what was going on, I turned to prayer. I got a text message right after that from one of the girls at CCM: "Are you okay? I'm right here."
Talk about guardian angels! Lisa had coincidentally been vaccinated just as I lost consciousness at the other side of the room. She stayed with me after I was stabilized and brought into a back room to wait for my parents.
Thanks be to God, I'm doing just fine today; they think it was a combination of nerves and not having enough to eat that day. But as someone who doesn't do well at all under emergency situations, I learned two important lessons from the experience:
1) Faith in God's presence in our lives can be an incredible comfort when we are alone, afraid, and have no one to turn to. I probably would have had a complete meltdown without prayer to keep me alert and focused.
2) The Christian community is more than just a group of people that share religious beliefs--we are family because we share the same Father. Family is called to look out for and support one another, even when it's scary or inconvenient.
I'm just glad to be doing okay. My dad joked last night that it would be hilarious to find out next week that The Whit had covered the clinic--I work as a features reporter and copy editor for them. Of course, there would be a photo of the nurses vaccinating students, with yours truly blacked out in the background. I've got to admit, he cracked me up. :)
Yesterday, I learned that in times of crisis, having faith is so much better than not believing in anything. After a very reluctant chat with my mother in the morning, I trudged over to get my H1N1 vaccine at a student clinic on campus. My doctor said his grandkids had gotten it, and as a medical professional who has seen me for 18 years, he recommended I get vaccinated, too.
Ironically, I had just left my Online Journalism class, and said to my professor on the way out that I'd see him Tuesday, assuming I didn't have a reaction, oink oink.
Next time, I won't jinx myself. They asked me to wait around for ten minutes following my vaccination, just to be sure that I would be okay. Well, about five minutes into the observation period I felt like someone had shoved cotton in my ears. Weird. A minute later, I was lightheaded. Weirder yet. I went over to the nurse who had vaccinated me and told her that I wasn't feeling well. The next thing I knew, I was on the floor of the health center surrounded by a half dozen nurses.
Oops.
I'm fine now, but the recovery process was certainly scary--I had never blacked out before in my life, and I was shaking when I regained consciousness. (This is likely because of a muscular condition I've had since I was born--it acts up when I'm super stressed or weak.) As soon as I realized what was going on, I turned to prayer. I got a text message right after that from one of the girls at CCM: "Are you okay? I'm right here."
Talk about guardian angels! Lisa had coincidentally been vaccinated just as I lost consciousness at the other side of the room. She stayed with me after I was stabilized and brought into a back room to wait for my parents.
Thanks be to God, I'm doing just fine today; they think it was a combination of nerves and not having enough to eat that day. But as someone who doesn't do well at all under emergency situations, I learned two important lessons from the experience:
1) Faith in God's presence in our lives can be an incredible comfort when we are alone, afraid, and have no one to turn to. I probably would have had a complete meltdown without prayer to keep me alert and focused.
2) The Christian community is more than just a group of people that share religious beliefs--we are family because we share the same Father. Family is called to look out for and support one another, even when it's scary or inconvenient.
I'm just glad to be doing okay. My dad joked last night that it would be hilarious to find out next week that The Whit had covered the clinic--I work as a features reporter and copy editor for them. Of course, there would be a photo of the nurses vaccinating students, with yours truly blacked out in the background. I've got to admit, he cracked me up. :)
Monday, November 02, 2009
Saints among us...
It's a common Catholic tradition that everyone has a patron saint, usually the saint who is recognized on his or her birthday. When people ask me who my patron is, I love the looks on their faces when I laugh and say, "All of them!"
Yesterday, I celebrated my 20th birthday on the Solemnity of All Saints, a holy day in the Church's calendar. This means that I technically have every single person in heaven as personal advocates. Not too shabby!
So many people are under the impression that saints are these incredibly holy people that lived sinless lives. Even I struggle with that at times, and I was raised in the Church. Let's set the record straight right now, though: saints aren't perfect. Far from. If God had desired a bunch of perfect robots, He would have never created us with free will.
How would you react if I said that among our list of recognized saints, there are repentant murderers, prostitutes, thieves and rapists? St. Paul (who wrote many of the letters in the New Testament) personally tortured and oversaw the murder of many Christian martyrs; St. Francis of Assissi was an aristocrat known for his love of liquor and partying; St. Augustine struggled with lust, and the term "ladies' man" is a bit of an understatement here--he even fathered a child out of wedlock. One of the first saints we informally recognize is Dismas, the thief who was crucified with Jesus and begged for His forgiveness. There is a whole book of these stories called Saints Behaving Badly. It's a lot of fun, so check it out.
Saints aren't just those that the Church recognizes publicly for some heroic deed. With every decision we make to do good for someone else or avoid temptation, we are a little bit closer to heaven and sainthood. So many of the saints are ordinary, and that's beautiful. When we receive the Sacrament of Confirmation and become fully initiated members of the Church, we often take the name of a saint who we want to make our role model. My Confirmation saint is Maria Goretti, a 12-year-old girl from a small town in Italy who was stabbed 14 times after refusing to have sex with her father's apprentice. The apprentice (who, after a vision of Maria from prison years later, repented) said that Maria refused because she wanted to protect him from sin. Two days later, on her deathbed, she forgave him, telling her mother that she wanted him to join her in heaven someday. It was this instant, unprompted forgiveness and commitment to purity from such a young girl that inspired me to choose her when I was confirmed at 13.
Just as we ask our friends and family to pray for us, we believe that those in heaven (including Mary) continue to love and care about those of us still alive, and are always praying to God for our needs. In essence, they are our friends and allies that have already reached the goal we on earth still strive for. In great or small ways, they are our success stories. Armed with that knowledge, we can be assured that we're never alone in the journey. I think that's pretty awesome.
Max Kolbe (patron of journalists), pray for me!
Yesterday, I celebrated my 20th birthday on the Solemnity of All Saints, a holy day in the Church's calendar. This means that I technically have every single person in heaven as personal advocates. Not too shabby!
So many people are under the impression that saints are these incredibly holy people that lived sinless lives. Even I struggle with that at times, and I was raised in the Church. Let's set the record straight right now, though: saints aren't perfect. Far from. If God had desired a bunch of perfect robots, He would have never created us with free will.
How would you react if I said that among our list of recognized saints, there are repentant murderers, prostitutes, thieves and rapists? St. Paul (who wrote many of the letters in the New Testament) personally tortured and oversaw the murder of many Christian martyrs; St. Francis of Assissi was an aristocrat known for his love of liquor and partying; St. Augustine struggled with lust, and the term "ladies' man" is a bit of an understatement here--he even fathered a child out of wedlock. One of the first saints we informally recognize is Dismas, the thief who was crucified with Jesus and begged for His forgiveness. There is a whole book of these stories called Saints Behaving Badly. It's a lot of fun, so check it out.
Saints aren't just those that the Church recognizes publicly for some heroic deed. With every decision we make to do good for someone else or avoid temptation, we are a little bit closer to heaven and sainthood. So many of the saints are ordinary, and that's beautiful. When we receive the Sacrament of Confirmation and become fully initiated members of the Church, we often take the name of a saint who we want to make our role model. My Confirmation saint is Maria Goretti, a 12-year-old girl from a small town in Italy who was stabbed 14 times after refusing to have sex with her father's apprentice. The apprentice (who, after a vision of Maria from prison years later, repented) said that Maria refused because she wanted to protect him from sin. Two days later, on her deathbed, she forgave him, telling her mother that she wanted him to join her in heaven someday. It was this instant, unprompted forgiveness and commitment to purity from such a young girl that inspired me to choose her when I was confirmed at 13.
Just as we ask our friends and family to pray for us, we believe that those in heaven (including Mary) continue to love and care about those of us still alive, and are always praying to God for our needs. In essence, they are our friends and allies that have already reached the goal we on earth still strive for. In great or small ways, they are our success stories. Armed with that knowledge, we can be assured that we're never alone in the journey. I think that's pretty awesome.
Max Kolbe (patron of journalists), pray for me!
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