The Sober Sophomore

Summer Blog Break

2010-07-09T08:00:00.001-04:00

I suppose rather than limping along with a post a month I should just make it official and declare my blog on Summer Break until at least the end of the summer.

Matthias and I have been on the road practically every weekend for the last month. So between that and the continued ban of internet at home it is pretty hard to post.

For those of you wondering where we've been:
June 19 was "Fr. Pat's" ordination in Kentucky
June 26 was K & R's wedding in Denver
Last weekend was Independence Day at "my ancestral lake estate" - as I've decided to start calling my grandparent's (may they rest in peace) cottage.

The ordination and wedding were wonderful celebrations of holy sacraments, vocations, and, of course, our Notre Dame family. Both were most beautiful!

Enough for now.

...of course now that I've declared summer blog break I'm thinking of a million things I could be writing about!

Golden Moment

2010-06-10T08:34:00.000-04:00

Last post: May 10. One post a month is pretty pathetic. What have I been doing?

Well, let me tell you, the other night I had the craziest dream...

...I dreamed that Golden Tate had decided to abandon us and move out to the West Coast. (Come back, Golden!) So there he was in this snazzy apartment building hanging out with his new buds (what, Golden, we were really not good enough for you?) And his buddy said, "mmmmm you know what I want some maple bars, I'll get you one too." Golden agreed and they went to this doughnut shop that just randomly happens to be in their apartment building.

BUT it was 3:00am and the shop was closed. "No problem," says Golden's friend, "They always leave the back door open," and all of a sudden he's in the store! He brings out several maple bars and he and Golden devour them. Mmmm mmm mmm.

THEN the cops arrive! Golden Tate just stands there with crumbs all over him and says "But they are so irresistible!!"

The cops shrug their shoulders "Don't we know! Trust us, we know the best donuts in town, and boy, you found 'em." So even though they were about to haul Golden off to jail, they wrote him a warning (which I'm pretty sure was actually a note that said "Make sure you grab some for us next time.)

Just when I thought this dream couldn't get any weirder suddenly Pete Carroll comes out of no where! Gosh, I hate Pete Carroll....what a creep...like Reggie Bush...&*#$ Trojans...BUT...here's the kicker (no puns intended) Petie is Golden's coach! WOAH! WHAT?

Pete mumbles something about Irish $#*! and then "I'm not disappointed in the guy being at a doughnut shop when they've got maple bars like Top Pot has...However, under the circumstances ... I think they were closed, or something like that, or they were trying to close. So that's definitely wrong, and we've talked about it and addressed it. And he's most remorseful. But I do understand the allure of the maple bars.....they are soooooo good....irresistible! Oh yes, they CAN be irresistible. Golden, did you get some for me too?"

Golden then handed him a bag of doughnuts and promised that he'd pay for them the next time.

Then I realized the TRUTH behind Charlie's weight problem...he'd taught his players to get him doughnuts at all times of the day at all costs.

Watch out Pete! (Not that I really care about you or your weight)

It was the wackiest dream I'd had in a really long time...

...oh wait. That wasn't a dream. That ACTUALLY HAPPENED and it's one of the sports headlines in practically every paper.

Oy.

Good job, Golden.

PS I just found the 911 call
Apparently Golden's buddy actually stole a night baker's keys to get back in, but Golden brought the keys back to her.

OOPS!

2010-05-10T09:27:00.002-04:00

Dear Friends and Readers,

Somewhere along the way, I accidentally unlinked my Sober Sophomore email account from my regular account that I check daily.

If sometime over the last year (maybe even longer than that!) you sent an email to the email address I have on the sidebar and I never responded, it is because I only just discovered it this morning.

My deepest apologies to you all.

Os Justi

2010-04-23T17:45:00.000-04:00

Os justi meditabitur sapientiam,
et lingua ejus loquetur judicium.
Lex Dei ejus in corde ipsius:
et non supplantabuntur gressus ejus.

RIP - "Nana"

2010-04-22T15:39:00.004-04:00

Not too long ago, right before a friend of mine lost his grandfather, he commented that deaths always seem to come in threes. There was Ralph, then Gail, and this morning my grandmother joined them.

Tomorrow would have been her 93rd birthday.

Pray for the repose of her soul and for all of us, her family. She joins my grandfather and aunt (her only daughter) and is survived by her three sons (including my father) and their wives and children.

You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
Say to the LORD, "My refuge and fortress, my God in whom I trust."

God will rescue you from the fowler's snare, from the destroying plague,

Will shelter you with pinions, spread wings that you may take refuge; God's faithfulness is a protecting shield.

You shall not fear the terror of the night nor the arrow that flies by day,

Nor the pestilence that roams in darkness, nor the plague that ravages at noon.

Though a thousand fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, near you it shall not come.

You need simply watch; the punishment of the wicked you will see.

You have the LORD for your refuge; you have made the Most High your stronghold.

No evil shall befall you, no affliction come near your tent.

For God commands the angels to guard you in all your ways.

With their hands they shall support you, lest you strike your foot against a stone.

You shall tread upon the asp and the viper, trample the lion and the dragon.

Whoever clings to me I will deliver; whoever knows my name I will set on high.

All who call upon me I will answer; I will be with them in distress; I will deliver them and give them honor.

With length of days I will satisfy them and show them my saving power.

~ Psalm 91

Miserere

2010-04-02T11:48:00.004-04:00

Miserere mei, Deus: secundum magnam misericordiam tuam.
Et secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum, dele iniquitatem meam.
Amplius lava me ab iniquitate mea: et a peccato meo munda me.
Quoniam iniquitatem meam ego cognosco: et peccatum meum contra me est semper.
Tibi soli peccavi, et malum coram te feci: ut iustificeris in sermonibus tuis, et vincas cum iudicaris.
Ecce enim in inquitatibus conceptus sum: et in peccatis concepit me mater mea.
Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti: incerta et occulta sapientiae tuae manifestasti mihi.
Asperges me, hyssopo, et mundabor: lavabis me, et super nivem dealbabor.
Auditui meo dabis gaudium et laetitiam: et exsultabunt ossa humiliata.
Averte faciem tuam a peccatis meis: et omnes iniquitates meas dele.
Cor mundum crea in me, Deus: et spiritum rectum innova in visceribus meis.
Ne proiicias me a facie tua: et spiritum sanctum tuum ne auferas a me.
Redde mihi laetitiam salutaris tui: et spiritu principali confirma me.
Docebo iniquos vias tuas: et impii ad te convertentur.
Libera me de sanguinibus, Deus, Deus salutis meae: et exsultabit lingua mea iustitiam tuam.
Domine, labia mea aperies: et os meum annuntiabit laudem tuam.
Quoniam si voluisses sacrificium, dedissem utique: holocaustis non delectaberis.
Sacrificium Deo spiritus contribulatus: cor contritum, et humiliatum, Deus, non despicies.
Benigne fac, Domine, in bona voluntate tua Sion: ut aedificentur muri Ierusalem.
Tunc acceptabis sacrificium iustitiae, oblationes, et holocausta: tunc imponent super altare tuum vitulos.

Saint Joseph - old or young?

2010-03-19T13:31:00.003-04:00

Today we celebrate the solemn feast of St. Joseph.

We see St. Joseph's image is everywhere, but how much do we really know about this saint?

He is the patron and protector of the Church, just as he was he protector and patron of Our Lord and Lady while they walked this earth. We know that he was a "just and holy man" - the perfect pious gentleman. We usually think of him as a bearded man in green and brown holding the Christ Child and a staff of lilies.

But how much more do we know?

St. Joseph never speaks in the Gospels. We find him in Matthew and Luke, but only briefly. The Gospels say little about him. Yet we know that he was a carpenter. We read that he was a "just man" from the line of David. His age at the time of his betrothal and marriage to Our Lady is highly debated.

Many of our statues and images depict him as a middle-aged or even elderly man. We sing in the Cherry Tree Carol "Joseph was an old man, a very old man was he, when he married Mary in the land of Galilee."

But was Joseph really old?

The concept of the elderly Joseph comes from the apocryphal gospel The Protoevangelium of James. There we read:

And when she was twelve years old there was held a council of the priests, saying: "Behold, Mary has reached the age of twelve years in the temple of the Lord. What then shall we do with her, lest perchance she defile the sanctuary of the Lord?"

And they said to the high priest: "You stand by the altar of the Lord; go in, and pray concerning her"... behold an angel of the Lord stood by him, saying unto him: "Zacharias, Zacharias, go out and assemble the widowers of the people, and let them bring each his rod; and to whomsoever the Lord shall show a sign, his wife shall she be." And the heralds went out through all the circuit of Judæa, and the trumpet of the Lord sounded, and all ran.

And Joseph, throwing away his axe, went out to meet them; and when they had assembled, they went away to the high priest, taking with them their rods. And he, taking the rods of all of them, entered into the temple...and Joseph took his rod last; and, behold, a dove came out of the rod, and flew upon Joseph's head.

And the priest said to Joseph, "You have been chosen by lot to take into your keeping the virgin of the Lord."

But Joseph refused, saying: "I have children, and I am an old man, and she is a young girl. I am afraid lest I become a laughing-stock to the sons of Israel."

And the priest said to Joseph: "Fear the Lord your God, and remember what the Lord did to Dathan, and Abiram, and Korah; how the earth opened, and they were swallowed up on account of their contradiction. And now fear, O Joseph, lest the same things happen in your house."

And Joseph was afraid, and took her into his keeping. And Joseph said to Mary: "Behold, I have received you from the temple of the Lord; and now I leave you in my house, and go away to build my buildings, and I shall come to you. The Lord will protect you."

Here we see St. Joseph as an old widower, with children, and frankly, a bit of a jerk.

So was that St. Joseph? The Angelic Doctor, St. Thomas Aquinas, certainly did not think so as he condemned the Protoevangelium as "apocryphal ravings."

While St. Thomas doesn't offer any insights on the life of St. Joseph, a number of holy mystics do. Ven. Maria de Agrida and Bl. Anne Catherine Emmerich both write of St. Joseph as seen in their visions.

Ven. Maria writes in The Mystical City of God that:

"Among the number was Joseph, a native of Nazareth. and then living in Jerusalem; for he was one of the descendants of the royal race of David. He was then thirty-three years of age, of handsome person and pleasing countenance, but also of incomparable modesty and gravity; above all he was most chaste in thought and conduct, and most saintly in all his inclinations. From his twelfth year he had made and kept the vow of chastity. He was related to the Virgin Mary in the third degree, and was known for the utmost purity of his life, holy and irreprehensible in the eyes of God and of men."

Bl. Anne Catherine, in The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, does not specify St. Joseph's age, but merely that he was "unmarried." His actions and demeanor in her writings do, however, seem more reflective of a younger man than an older one.

To note a third: Padre Pio reportedly insisted the St. Joseph was even younger - perhaps only 18 when espoused to Our Lady.

Numerous other scholars and theologians have agreed that Joseph was certainly not old. A number believe that he may have been even as young at 16 - only a year or two older than Our Lady.

Why would St. Joseph's age matter? Perhaps it doesn't, but it seems easy enough to believe that an old man, already a father, would be more likely to live chastely with a girl he could regard as his granddaughter (or at least daughter). The virtue required of a teenage or young adult man to care for a pregnant girl, help her raise her son, all the while living a perfectly chaste life, without committing a single personal sin, would be truly heroic. That is the kind of virtue that merits the title "Patron of the Universal Church" and the kind of virtue you'd hope the patron of husbands would possess.

Further Reading:

The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Bl. Anne Catherine Emmerich
The Mystical City of God: The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mother of God, Ven. Mary of Jesus of Agrida
Redemptoris Custos, Pope John Paul II
or follow any of the links in the text
Cross-posted over at the Pious Sodality.

Conference Announcement

2010-03-13T06:03:00.000-05:00

Notre Dame Right to Life

announces its

5th Annual
Collegiate Conference
April 9 & 10, 2010

For the last five years, the student prolife organization of the University of Notre Dame has hosted an annual conference discussing topics pertinent to the prolife movement.

This year's speakers include:
George Weigel,
Fr. Thomas Berg
Joan Lewis
Dr. Maureen Condic
and
keynote speaker: Francis Cardinal George

The conference is open to all (university student or not). For non-Notre Dame students, they are asking a small donation of $10 to help defray the cost of the conference.

Notre Dame's an easy drive from Chicago, Milwaukee, Peoria, Indianapolis, Detroit, etc. Regardless of where you are, but especially if you're anywhere nearby, you should consider coming.

If you'd like to attend, registration may be found here.

My personal recommendation:
As a veteran conference chair and NDRTL president, I cannot encourage you enough to attend this conference. There are a number of annual conferences at Notre Dame that are well worth attending - notably the Center For Ethics & Culture's Fall Conference & the Edith Stein Project. The NDRTL conference, however, is often overlooked, and it really shouldn't be. The speakers, frankly, are always of the highest caliber and the attendees are very committed to discussing and pursuing the issues of the conference. I should also mention it's the cheapest. For non-students, the others cost over $100, but the NDRTL conference is FREE (unless you want to donate $10 - and instead of listening to undergrads read their papers, you get to listen internationally renowned leaders speak. Please promote this conference and help move it's status from Notre Dame's Best Kept Secret to Notre Dame's Most Popular Event.

Lenten Wreath

2010-03-12T16:53:00.003-05:00

Today I got my act together and posted about Lenten Wreaths over on the Church Ladies' Blog.

Take a look.

Spring comes

2010-03-08T21:10:00.003-05:00

66. The coming of spring

67. Seeing grass again - even if it is all brown and dried.

68. Going for a walk with Matthias down to the river.

69. The surprise of rediscovering countless little seashells on the island in the middle.

70. The jar of shells, stones, and river-glass sitting on my window sill.

I thought we all agreed to hate Trojans?

2010-03-05T08:27:00.001-05:00

Last night I dropped by the store to pick up shampoo and stuff. As I stood there wondering what brand to get, I turned my head and saw a tall, clean cut guy with a Notre Dame ball cap - clearly a student - surveying the condom display.

I almost said something. I could I have dropped any number of one-liners crafted to make him think for half a second about his situation - or at least embarrass the heck out of him. The top of the list was "You know, there's a reason they sell pregnancy tests next to condoms."

But, I held my tongue and walked away in disgust.

A few minutes later I returned to the scene. The Domer was gone, and in his place was a young teenage couple standing close together picking out - you guessed it - pregnancy tests.

Case in point.

Viewing & Funeral Details for Gail Walton

2010-02-26T12:08:00.003-05:00

For those of you in the area who would like to pay your respects here are the viewing and funeral details for Gail Walton:

Viewing:
Monday, March 1, 2010
4:00-8:00pm
Kaniewski Funeral Home
3545 North Bendix Drive
South Bend

Funeral:
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
9:30am
Basilica of the Sacred Heart at Notre Dame

The Notre Dame Liturgical Choir will sing the Mass.

Please continue to keep Gail's family in your prayers.

Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord.

RIP Gail Walton

RIP Gail Walton

2010-02-25T12:50:00.009-05:00

Yesterday, around 5:00p.m. Gail Walton, beloved director of the Notre Dame Liturgical Choir, coordinator of the Basilica Choirs, wife and mother passed from this vale of tears after a battle with leukemia at the age of 55.

It's difficult to begin to write about Gail. She was an amazing and wonderful woman, so selfless and tireless.

As Director of Music at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at the University of Notre Dame, a position she held since 1988, Gail was extremely influential in liturgical music. She was an excellent musician, married to another wonderful musician, ND organ professor Craig Cramer. They were "the cutest couple" in everyone's eyes - especially when they played dual organ recitals.

Gail was everyone's second mom. She was always looking out for you, but she never looked out for her self. Last year she hurt her foot - falling off a stool if I remember correctly. The doctors told her the foot had to rest and be in its boot until it healed. But how do you play organ with a boot on your foot? So she took it off. I scolded her after one of our rehearsals (she was not only director of the Liturgical Choir, but assistant director of the Women's Liturgical Choir to which I belong) and told her she had to take care herself. She laughed and said she'd be ok. That was Gail. Our head director visited her just before Christmas. The doctors had allowed her to return home for a period, so long as she was strictly on bedrest. Was Gail following the doctors' orders? Of course not. She was baking, trimming the tree and doing all manner of things around the house. That was Gail. She was a such a wonderful woman...Absolutely unstoppable.

She was a perfectionist too and always drove us to be the best we could be. Everyone loved Gail. She will be missed so much - she already is. It's hard to believe she's gone.

Please take a moment to pray for Gail and her family, especially her husband. This has been so difficult for him.

Requiescat in pace.
In Paradisum deducant angeli...Chorus angelorum te suscipiat...Aeternam habeas requiem.

Gail conducts the Liturgical Choir in a 2008 concert:

(The Mawby Ave Verum (at the 5:20 mark) is one of my favorites)

Update: I've expanded this post over the Pious Sodality of Church Ladies. Funeral details are posted here. Thank you for your continued prayers for Gail and her family. Please remember the Notre Dame community, particularly the Choirs as well.

Earthquake?

2010-02-10T17:10:00.002-05:00

One of our volunteers came in today and I asked if I felt the earthquake.

Earthquake? What earthquake?

Turns out there was one outside of Chicago, and it work up our volunteer (but not her husband). She thought she was crazy at first, and then she turned on the news: yup, there was an earthquake.

Did anyone else in the area feel it? Or did you all sleep through it like I did?

Mondays, Mondays

2010-02-08T18:47:00.000-05:00

61. A Saturday with nowhere to be

62. My new toy - a cell phone with music playing capabilites! (It's been 11 months since my technology died)Since we got new cell phones recently I've been using old cell phones until they die completely or just going without. Still no internet at home though...but you know what, that's ok. Technology is overrated and takes you away from the people around you.

63. An updated blog layout. It's been the first time I can think of that my blog is not black. I think I like it. What do you think?

64. 3 consecutive days of sun in South Bend!

65. A Monday that's not half as bad as I expected

Movie Review: The Good Shepherd

2010-02-07T13:46:00.005-05:00

Last night we decided to rent "The Good Shepherd." The movie, made in 2006, is a loose interpretation of the founding and early operations of the CIA.

It can neatly be summed up in one word: Depressing.

If you want to laugh, or even just smile, don't bother watching. Matt Damon's character, Edward Wilson, fails in every way.

The movie's website advertises the film as follows:

Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie and Robert De Niro star in this powerful thriller about the birth of the CIA. Edward Wilson (Damon) believes in America, and will sacrifice everything he loves to protect it. But as one of the covert founders of the CIA, Edward's youthful idealism is slowly eroded by his growing suspicion of the people around him. Everybody has secrets...but will Edward's destroy him? With an all-star cast including Alec Baldwin, Billy Crudup, William Hurt, Timothy Hutton and John Turturro, it's the gripping story David Ansen of Newsweek hails as "spellbinding."

It sounds gripping, but I didn't find the movie nearly as compelling as the synopsis.

Wilson, the main character, did not appear idealist, enthusiastic, or willing to sacrifice anything. Rather, he seemed to be a robotic yes-man, constantly seeking approval (just as his son later does in the movie) - not so much a dreamer as a droid.

The movie goes like this:
[SPOILER WARNING!]

"Hey, we want to you be in Skull and Bones"
"Uh. Sure"
"Hey tell us your darkest secret"
"Uh. Sure"
Girlfriend 1: "Sleep with me!"
"Uh. Sure"
Random Girl at Party: "Make a baby with me: NOW!"
"Uh. Sure"
Girl's Brother: "She's pregnant, marry her."
"Uh. Sure"
CIA Founder: "Be a CIA Agent"
"Uh. Sure"
CIA Founder: "Go to Europe now"
"Uh. Sure"
Random European Woman: "Sleep with me!"
"Uh. Sure"
"Do this!"
"Uh. Sure"
"Do that!"
"Uh. Sure"

I will note that Damon's character supposed to be known for his cold, stone-faced, emotionless nature. Damon did a good job playing the role. But none of Wilson's actions ever were his own. He always moved, spoke, acted in response to someone else. I think the only free action he ever does is ask his wife to name their son after him. (And how uncreative is that?)

The movie is an interesting one to watch if you're into psychology and want to analyze father-son relationships. There's certainly a lot of good material there.

It's also a great movie to watch if you need a guide to: 1) Why you should not randomly hook up at parties, 2) How to be a bad husband, and 3) How to be a really bad father.

The movie reminded me of one of those depressing "classic" novels you read in high school just to pull apart literary themes, devices, allusions and the like. If you would like an exercise that, then watch the movie. From that standpoint it's well done and certainly has far more substance than your average flick; but be warned: this ranks as one of the most depressing, soul-killing movies I have ever seen.

RIP - Ralph McInerny

2010-01-29T16:51:00.005-05:00

Prof. Ralph McInerny past into eternal life at 7:45 this morning.

To be honest, while I can't stop crying right now, I also can't help smiling just a little at how fitting it is that Prof. McInerny leaves this Earth the day after the feast his beloved Thomas Aquinas. Prof. McInerny was one of my most favorite professors. He was always so sweet and always had some witty remark.

I think the last time I saw him was at a lecture a bit over a year ago. He was lecturing on Baron Corvo for the Center for Ethics and Culture. While the lecture series was to encourage the audience to read the works of the featured authors, dear Ralph had nothing good to say about Corvo. It was a wonderful, hilarious lecture.

Other memories of Ralph:
My Dante & Aquinas class enjoying an end-of-the-semester dinner with our professor:

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.
May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Other links:
First Things
Francis Beckwith

Helping your PRC: Prayer

2010-01-22T06:46:00.000-05:00

Today marks the 37th anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade decision.

Over 50,600,000 children have been killed through legal, surgical abortion since that day.

Above all else: pray

Eternal Father, You are the Creator and Source of all life. Bless and protect all children threatened by abortion. Open the hearts of their parents and those who would seek to destroy their lives.

Strengthen all fathers. Make them mirrors of Your boundless love and protection so that they may defend and provide for their children.

Comfort all mothers. Reveal Your unmeasurable goodness to them so that they may place their trust in You and nourish the lives which You have entrusted to them.

Enlighten all lawmakers, doctors, and healthcare providers so that they may come to a deeper understanding and reverence for all human life, from the very moment of conception until natural death.

We ask these things in the name of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, Your beloved and only Son, Whom You sent to deliver us from the bonds of sin, and Who reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God forever and ever. Amen.

March for Life 2010

2010-01-21T17:05:00.000-05:00

The folks at AUL (Americans United for Life) have created something that deserves a prize. I'm just not sure which prize it deserves.

Now you have the opportunity to march online, alongside your fellow pro-lifers - even if you can't be in Washington. AUL Action is proud to host the first Virtual March for Life.

It will only take seconds, sign up, select your own "avatar" and then invite your pro-life friends and family to participate as well. It's the best way to "be there" even if you can't be there.

You can also check out the avatars of Leaders Marching for Life.

I think my favorite is Joe the Plumber:

I'm not sure what they were going for, but last time I checked, Our Man Joe didn't have yellow eyebrows:

For whatever it's worth, though, feel free to head on over there and join the throngs. When you're done you can find yourself on the Mall.

It's nice, and all that, but in a couple hours, I'm going to be boarding a bus along with many, many other Domers and making the 12 hour trek down there so I can be at the March in person!

By the way, in case you were wondering, Notre Dame is sponsoring 8 buses with a total of over 370 students (a record breaking year!) In addition, over 30 faculty and staff members will join them in D.C. along with numerous alumni and friends.

Go Irish, Save Babies!

Please keep us, and all marchers, mothers, fathers, babies, and lawmakers in your prayers.

Thank you.

2010-01-21T07:43:00.000-05:00

Helping Your Local Pregnancy Resource Center: Bottle Drive

Not forgetting gratitude

2010-01-18T17:43:00.000-05:00

It's hard to find a voice of thanks when so many are dead...the Haitian earthquake, the anniversary of Roe V. Wade this Friday, and so many other instances in the news. Nevertheless:

56. The hope of eternal life

57. The promise of the resurrection of the body

58. That His mercy extends from generation to generation, upon those who fear Him

59.A new semester's fresh start

60. Our newly installed bishop

2010-01-18T16:17:00.001-05:00

Helping Your Pregnancy Resource Center: Hosting a Baby Shower Part 1

Helping Your Pregnancy Resource Center: Hosting a Baby Shower Part 2

Helping Your Local PRC

2010-01-17T17:38:00.004-05:00

I'm posting over at the Pious Sodality of Church Ladies this week. A couple posts in the series, "Helping Your Pregnancy Resource Center," are already up:

Working in the Prolife Field

Getting to Know You

Be A Good Volunteer

O Sacrum Convivium

2010-01-16T07:15:00.001-05:00

O sacrum convivium!
in quo Christus sumitur:
recolitur memoria passionis ejus:
mens impletur gratia:
et futurae gloriae nobis pignus datur.
Alleluia.

O sacred banquet!
in which Christ is received,
the memory of his Passion is renewed,
the mind is filled with grace,
and a pledge of future glory to us is given.
Alleluia.

This Too Shall Pass

2010-01-15T07:55:00.002-05:00

A couple months ago the band Ok Go came to film a music video with the Notre Dame Marching Band. It's finally up and is highly amusing.

They have embeding disabled, but just click here to see it.

The uniforms are not the band's real uniforms of course - except for the drum major's. I'm pretty sure they just put white tape over "IRISH" on the sleeve cuffs.

Apparently the band found the following performance of their song "Here it Goes Again" on YouTube. They loved it so much they decided the Band of the Fighting Irish would have to be a part of a future video.

One of the band directors, Matt Merten, has posted this clip from a local new channel detailing the story. Laura Taylor, band member and current Notre Dame Tridentine Mass community secretary, gets a nice little spot.

P.S. John Nagy also has an article up on ND Magazine about it. Read that here.

Installation of a Bishop

2010-01-13T17:12:00.000-05:00

Today Bishop Kevin Rhoades was installed as the Bishop of the Diocese of Ft. Wayne/South Bend.

Photo: Bishop Rhoades at Solemn Vespers at St Matthew's Co-Cathedral in South Bend, from the South Bend Tribune

Dromedaries shall come

2010-01-06T08:48:00.001-05:00

Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come,
the glory of the Lord shines upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth,
and thick clouds cover the peoples;
but upon you the LORD shines,
and over you appears his glory.
Nations shall walk by your light,
and kings by your shining radiance.
Raise your eyes and look about;
they all gather and come to you:
your sons come from afar,
and your daughters in the arms of their nurses.

Then you shall be radiant at what you see,
your heart shall throb and overflow,
for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you,
the wealth of nations shall be brought to you.
Caravans of camels shall fill you,
dromedaries from Midian and Ephah;
all from Sheba shall come
bearing gold and frankincense,
and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.

Isiah 60:1-6

Blessed Epiphany to you all!

2010-01-04T22:51:00.000-05:00

51. A week with my family

52. A week with my in-laws

53. Midnight Mass!

54. Safe travels despite the snow

55. Being home with my dear husband, and finally feeling like I can call this place home because of him.

Saint Brother?

2009-12-20T18:33:00.004-05:00

It's been a while since I posted, hasn't it? I think I even missed a Monday or two didn't I? It's a shame, because there's a lot to share.

Commenting on current events: Did you hear that Popes JP2 and Pius XII are going to be declared venerable? And, in Notre Dame interest, Bl. Br. Andre CSC will soon be made a saint as his second miracle was recognized! How exciting!

Matthias and I are at his mom's now (just got in last night) for a much needed Christmas vacation. Upon reading the above news, we started discussing the habit people have of calling Bl. Andre "Blessed *Brother* Andre." Will we call him Saint Brother Andre too?

I've noticed people do this with Mother Teresa (see, there I go). Why not just Bl. Teresa?

Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems to be a more modern phenomenon. How many saints or beati can you think of who we call by their title as well as "saint" or "blessed?" The ones I can think of lived with in the last century or two.

Basil Moreau seems to have taken a pass on this little trend. I think I've only heard "Blessed Father Moreau" once.

Why is that? Familiarity with these people as Brother, Mother, Father, etc?

I know it's not exactly the same, but how about the Cure of Ars? Surely there have been other Cures in Ars since St. John Marie left this world.

Thoughts?

St Andrew's Day!

2009-11-30T21:30:00.005-05:00

Happy Feastday to all who claim St. Andrew as their patron! (Especially, again, the ones remembered here)

And also a reminder that the "St. Andrew's Novena" begins today:

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour, vouchsafe, O my God! to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His Blessed Mother. Amen.

(To be recited fifteen times a day from the feast of St. Andrew until Christmas)

Post-Thanksgiving

2009-11-30T20:34:00.002-05:00

46. A four day weekend!

47. Thanksgiving and all it's fun

48. Lots of leftovers (mmmm cranberries!)

49. Advent sneaking up on me

50. Being able to get up from this computer and walk down the hall to adoration and benediction!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-27T17:35:00.001-05:00

Well, we did it. Matthias and I hosted our first Thanksgiving dinner! It was small, just us and our brothers, the (ex)Roommate and her brother, and our friend M.

Despite my-coworkers' warnings that cooking a turkey was hard for a first-timer, and cooking it in a roaster instead of a bag was practically impossible, The Roommate and I pulled it off and cooked a fantastic, moist turkey!

mmmm

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

A Trip to South Carolina

2009-11-23T21:48:00.006-05:00

41. The marriage of 2 friends

42. Palmettos and palms

43. Travels (away from South Bend!)

44. A bird's eye view

45. Adorable Children!

Photos: me, 11/20-22/09

Fighting...

2009-11-17T08:30:00.000-05:00

Apparently the Zebra Fish/Stem Cell Commercial isn't the only good one we have this year. On Saturday, a friend called my attention to this one as well.

Bengal Bouts is one of the great things that makes Notre Dame great.

My friend said this aired during the Boston College game. "Haha BC, we beat you in football and steal your best Jesuit?" Well, I won't comment on that. But I'm very glad we do have Fr. Daley.

This Monday:

2009-11-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

36. The New Bishop

37. The Old Bishop

38. More Dominicans! Especially seeing Sr. M!

39. The Conference and all that came with it

40. Getting ready for a wedding in Charleston! Ree!

Rhoades!

2009-11-15T12:40:00.006-05:00

Yesterday it was announced in Rome that Bishop Kevin Rhoades of Harrisburg will be installed as the new bishop of the Diocese of Ft. Wayne/South Bend.

Our new bishop-designate is wasting no time in surveying his new charge. --Or maybe, dear Bishop D'Arcy is wasting no time in finally passing it on! The morning found the two bishops at the Cathedral in Ft. Wayne, the evening at the Vigil Mass at Notre Dame, and at night, vespers at St. Matthew's Cathedral in South Bend. (Ft. Wayne/South Bend is one of the few dioceses with co-cathedrals)

Yesterday was also the closing day of the Center for Ethics and Culture's 9th Annual Conference (this year entitled "The Summons of Freedom: Virtue, Sacrifice and the Common Good"), which brought the bishops to Notre Dame. Bishop D'Arcy was already scheduled to say the Saturday Vigil Mass in the Basilica for the conference. After the announcement of the bishop was made, the electrifying news quickly spread through conference attendees: Bishop D'Arcy would be bringing Bishop Rhoades!

One of my friends observed, as we were preparing for Mass: "A bishop's announced, and look at how many priests come out of the woodwork." Fr. Hesburgh was present to greet the bishops. Fr. Jenkins, surprisingly, was absent, but sent Fr. McDonald as his representative.

Bishop D'Arcy warmly welcomed not only the conference participants, but also members of NDResponse who had greeted him as he arrived at the Basilica.

At the end of Mass, Bishop Rhoades spoke for a few minutes. He graciously addressed the university, but more specifically the Center for Ethics and Culture (which, it should be noted, lost funding from the university administration earlier this year). He praised the Center, the conference and its participants for being good examples of positive contributors to the Church.

After the Mass, the Bishops stayed around to greet the congregation - again, mostly participants of the Center's conference.

Bishop D'Arcy introduces Sr. Ann Astell of the ND Theology faculty to Bishop Rhoades
Photo: me 11/14/09

On a personal note: Bishop Rhoades was delighted to hear I was from Maryland. He immediately mentioned Mount St. Mary's and his time as rector there - it seems he was quite fond of his time there. I'm glad. I'm sure that experience will be very useful in dealing with Our Lady's University.

And in other news, my friends spent a good part of the day and the closing banquet of the conference trying to figure out what "Kevin" is in Latin.

P.S. Some Articles on the News:

The South Bend Tribune

The Notre Dame Observer
Rhoades - on Whispers in the Loggia

Make Mine Freedom

2009-11-13T08:21:00.000-05:00

Made in 1948
HT to my mom.

Speaking of Johnny O...

2009-11-12T08:00:00.001-05:00

(as students fondly call him)
...the other day he published a great piece on the conflict of science and faith over on The Catholic Thing.

When I was a physics major in college, my father happened to be a professor of Medieval Philosophy at the same institution. One day, after lecturing on Dante and the Music of the Spheres, he happened across my physics professor, Jim Lang: “Jim, can you hear the music of the spheres?” Lang: “Hear it? Hear it? Bill, I can’t turn the damn stuff off!” That ought to be our attitude toward the ways in which the invisible things of God are made visible by the things of creation, which I think is the crux of the question, “Are we beyond the conflict between science and faith?”
Read On!

Seriously, follow the link and read it. It is well worth it.

Also, if you haven't yet frequented The Catholic Thing, start doing so. The contributors are among the best Catholic intellectual leaders in the country.

At last! A good commerical!

2009-11-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

Aired this weekend during the ND/Navy football game on NBC:

Sure beats the fighting global warming one.

HT to Fr. Wurtz

Providence

2009-11-10T17:49:00.001-05:00

One of my former classmates posted this recollection of one of our most outstanding and memorable classes. I have to share. The story and message have stayed with many of us from that class, and the telling is still vivid in my mind.

A philosophy professor of mine once told a story from when he was an undergraduate* at Notre Dame. He would routinely go to pray at the Grotto (a replica of the one at Lourdes) and began to notice that the leaves surrounding the statue of Mary would turn a golden hue before any of the others showed a hint of their autumn shades. This, of course, was halfheartedly rumored to be a miracle among many of the more pious students; just as the Grotto at Lourdes was the home of a famous miracle. As it turns out, there was a perfectly rational explanation for such a phenomenon: because of the particular formation of the surrounding trees, it just so happened that the leaves around Mary's statue were exposed to more direct sunlight each day than those in the adjacent areas (or something like that). Not much of a miracle in the end.

However, as my professor pointed out, we should in fact be more astonished because of the non-miraculous nature of the phenomenon. That God was able to achieve such a "fitting" spectacle through the precise arrangement of countless natural, secondary causes makes for a more beautiful symphony. The conductor is far more impressive when a wave of his hand sets all of the other musicians in motion as a perfect and harmonious collaboration; than if he were to leave his stand, commandeer one of the instruments, and play a solo piece that drowned out the music of the orchestra.

*I'm pretty sure it was during his graduate years.

The perfect photo taken from another Irish Blog

The Unexpected

2009-11-09T19:35:00.000-05:00

31. Running into a bunch of Dominicans in LaFortune!

32. A few unexpected balmy November days

33. A planned-at-the-last-minute weekend with my family

34. Parents of my friends in town too - oh the Notre Dame family!

35. Remembering God's mercy

Bob McDonnell

2009-11-04T17:52:00.003-05:00

Virgina's Governor Elect: a son of Notre Dame

Looks like he has quite a good record thus far. A future Laetare Medal candidate?

Governor Elect McDonnell is truly Pro-Life. He is also dedicated to supporting true marriage and the family and society founded upon it. His record on these foundational issues is clear, uncompromised and consistent. He ran an effective campaign speaking to the issues which are of deep concern to Virginians, such as jobs, good governance and expanding economic opportunity.
- K. Fournier for Catholic Online

And, speaking as a working women I have to agree with his '89 thesis (which, agreeing with CMR I hope he's not really running from). The only hitch is that I'm working because of necessity right now, since the Hubby's a full time grad student and some one has to pay the bills. But, regardless, the situation is detrimental...

2009-11-03T08:30:00.002-05:00

"It is the same with all their machines. Their labour-saving devices multiply drudgery; their aphrodisiacs make them impotent: their amusements bore them: their rapid production of food leaves half of them starving, and their devices for saving time have banished leisure from their country. There will be no radical chang. And as for permanence - consider how quickly all machines are broken and obliterated."
- C.S. Lewis The Pilgrim's Regress

Assorted things

2009-11-02T20:10:00.002-05:00

26. Saturday's pumkins

27. Having a good doctor

28. The recovery of my injured hand

29. C.S. Lewis's The Pilgrim's Regress

30. The (ex)Roommate

Hallowe'en Photos

2009-11-01T14:49:00.004-05:00

Photo: me 10/31/09

I missed seeing them in person, but a handful of my Notre Dame friends had the best Halloween costumes of all!

Photo: Mary Z. (taken from facebook) 10/31/09

Happy All Saints Day, everyone!

SEASON 2 PREMIERE!

2009-10-30T21:30:00.004-04:00

If the last post didn't tip you off: It's here! A 17 minute long DIVINE OFFICE, Season 2 Premiere.
Choir Directors, Anglicans and Bishops! Oh My!
Enjoy!

Call Me Tom

Divine Office - 2.1
Uploaded by TheDivineOffice. - Watch feature films and entire TV shows.

Also visit The Divine Office's new home at FrErickson.wordpress.com

2009-10-26T19:14:00.000-04:00

Fall in Full

2009-10-19T12:30:00.000-04:00

21. Fall Break - a change of pace

22. Friends in town for Football

23. Laughter over coffee

24. A blue sky when hope seemed lost

25. Sharing warm apple crisp

Even though I still have to work, Notre Dame's fall break is still a nice change for me. No choir, less rushing around, no classes for the hubby -and if he's relaxed, then I'll be more relaxed too. My year is still measured by academia. I still use an academic year day planner, and I still anticipate these markers in the year. Best part of all is the thought of being halfway though the semester - halfway to Christmas!

Wedding Pictures

2009-10-12T12:47:00.014-04:00

16. The gift of music

17. Saturday's Rosary

18. New saints! Especially this one.

19. My wedding pictures & sharing them(see below)

20. Baby Gregory and Baby Peter and their happy parents!

Rosary Rally

2009-10-11T22:25:00.008-04:00

On Saturday, the Children of Mary of the University of Notre Dame (a student group independent of the international organization of the same name) and Notre Dame Campus Ministry sponsored a beautiful Rosary Rally on campus.

The email announcement from Children of Mary was as follows:

The first of hopefully many annual Rosary Rallies: Saturday, October 10, 2pm at the Grotto. The prayer begins with the Living Rosary, a devotion zealously promoted by Fr. Patrick Peyton, CSC. 60-some people will each represent a bead of the Rosary, and we'll all join them to pray the Glorious Mysteries, with a sentence from Scripture before each Hail Mary. There will also be hymns to Our Lady after each decade. Then we'll process over to the Alumni Hall chapel for a 'Marian Hour' (or half-hour) of Adoration and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

The Rally was wonderful! Thanks to Fr. Neil Roy, beloved professor-priest and one of the most popular Canadians on campus, many of us learned a good number of very POD hymns. I think for the majority of the people present, Saturday's rally was their first living rosary. I remember members of the Blue Army coming and sponsoring one at my high school a few times, but it wasn't quite as involved as this Rally.

Unfortunately, due to midterms and the like, attendance wasn't quite as high as anticipated; but a respectable number of students and a few faculty members braved the chilly October weather to celebrate Our Lady's feast.

Photo Credits: me 10/10/09

Multitude Mondays

2009-10-05T20:33:00.004-04:00

11. My silly little sister :-)

12. A warm cup of coffee

13. The engagement and betrothal of two friends

14. Adorable pictures of my friends' children on Facebook

15. My green scarf

Quiet cloudiness

2009-09-28T12:32:00.000-04:00

6. A house full of friends

7. Pink cables

8. The friend who first told me I should wear #7

9. The smell of autumn

10. Quiet cloudiness outside

Photo: pink cable knit sweater

Prof. Rice's Open Letter to Fr. Jenkins

2009-09-23T17:10:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, ND Law Professor Emeritus Charlie Rice released a lengthy open letter to Fr. Jenkins:

The man does not mince words (and I've never known him too).

Since it's 5 pages long, I was only going to post highlights, but after trying to edit it, I realized it was better to post the entire piece.

Please read it.

September 21, 2009
Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C.
President
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Indiana 46556

Dear Father Jenkins:

Professor Fred Freddoso has shared with me the response on Sept. 17th by Dr. Frances L. Shavers, Chief of Staff and Special Assistant to the President, to Fred’s email of that date to you asking that Notre Dame request dismissal of the charges against the persons arrested for trespass on the campus in relation to the honoring of President Obama at Commencement. Dr. Shavers responded on your behalf to Fred’s email because, as she said, “the next few days are rather hectic for [Fr. Jenkins].” I don’t want to add to the hectic burden of your schedule by sending you a personal message that could impose on an assistant the task of responding. I therefore take the liberty of addressing to you several concerns in the form of this open letter to which a response is neither required nor expected.

First, permit me to express my appreciation for the expressions of support for the pro-life cause in your September 16th “Letter concerning post-commencement initiatives.” I know, however, that in a matter as significant as this, you will appreciate and welcome a respectful but very candid expression of views. In my opinion, the positions you have taken are deficient in some respects.

In your Letter of Sept. 16th, you rightly praise the work of the Women’s Care Center (WCC) and of its superb leader, Ann Murphy Manion. I commend you on your statement that the WCC “and similar centers in other cities deserve the support of Notre Dame clubs and individuals.” Your praise of the WCC and similar efforts, however, overlooks a practical step that Notre Dame, as an institution, ought to take. That would be for you, on behalf of Notre Dame, to issue a standing invitation to the WCC to establish an office on the Notre Dame campus to serve students, faculty and staff if, in the judgment of the WCC, that would be desirable and effective. Such would give practical effect, right here at Notre Dame, to your words in support of the WCC and similar efforts.

Your Letter announced your formation of the Task Force on Supporting the Choice for Life. Rather than offer a detailed evaluation of my own, I note my agreement with the personal analysis of William Dempsey, ND ’52, President of the Sycamore Trust, calling attention to “the obviously deliberate exclusion from Task Force membership of anyone associated with the ND organizations that have been unashamedly and actively pro-life: the Center for Ethics & Culture and the ND Fund for the Protection of Human Life. Nor was the student representative chosen from the leadership of the student RTL organization or from anyone active in last year’s student alliance protesting the honoring of the President, ND Response. It is hard to resist the inference that this is as a move toward marginalizing the Center and the Fund, neither of which receives any University support the way it is…. Finally, it is unsettling but instructive that this announcement comes a day after Fr. Jenkins’ annual address to the faculty in which he described his goals for the year, which included increasing female and minority faculty representation but not a word about the most crucial problem facing the university, the loss of Catholic identity through the failure to hire enough Catholics to restore the predominance required by the Mission Statement. This is a striking falling away from [Fr. Jenkins’] wonderful inaugural address. The fact that ND did nothing to serve the pro-life cause until forced by the reaction to the Obama incident testifies to the fact that, without a predominance of committed Catholics on the faculty, any pro-life efforts launched under pressure will in time fade away. The risk, and surely it is real, is that this initiative and the publicity ND is generating about it will deflect attention from the fundamental problem besetting Notre Dame….But I return to where I began: A project that deliberately excludes from participation those who have courageously manned organizations standing against the faculty attitude toward the pro-life cause ought to be regarded with suspicion.”

My main concern in this letter arises from your statement in your Letter that “Each year on January 22, the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision, the March for Life is held in Washington D.C. to call on the nation to defend the right to life. I plan to participate in that march. I invite other members of the Notre Dame Family to join me and I hope we can gather for a Mass for Life at that event.” I understand that Notre Dame students have invited you to participate with them in the March. The problem arises from an aftermath of Commencement. On this I refer back to Chief of Staff Shavers’ response to Professor Freddoso’s request that Notre Dame ask dismissal of the charges against those arrested. Dr. Shavers states that “these protesters were arrested for trespassing and not for expressing their pro-life position.” That is misleading. This is not an ordinary case of trespass to land such as would occur if a commuter walks across your lawn and flower bed as a short-cut to the train station. Notre Dame is ordinarily an open campus. Those 88 persons, 82 of whom are represented by Tom Dixon, ND ’84, ND Law School ’93, were arrested not because they were there, but because of who they were, why they were there and what they were saying. Other persons with pro-Obama signs were there but were not arrested and not disturbed. Serious legal and constitutional questions are involved, arising especially from the symbiotic relationship between the Notre Dame Security Police, who made the arrests, and the County Police. This letter is not a legal brief. Rather I merely note that it is disingenuous for Notre Dame to pretend that this is merely a routine trespass case.

The confusion is compounded by Dr. Shavers’ statement that “Under Indiana law, however, Notre Dame is not the complainant in these matters and so is not in any position to drop or dismiss the charges.” That sentence is half-true and half-false. Notre Dame is the complaining victim of the alleged trespass. Whether to dismiss the charges, of course, is for the prosecutor to decide.

Dr. Shavers states that “Notre Dame officials have been in regular contact with the prosecutor’s office on these matters, and, in consultation with the University, the prosecutor has offered Pre-Trial Diversion to those for whom the May incident was a first-time offense. As described by the prosecutor, this program does not require the individual to plead guilty or go through a trial; rather, the charges are dropped after one year so long as the individual does not commit another criminal offense. We understand that most of those arrested have chosen not to take advantage of this offer and obviously we cannot force them to do so. In essence, the choice of whether or not to go to trial belongs to the defendants.”

Pre-trial diversion could change their status as convicted criminals. But it is only because of the actions of Notre Dame that they are treated by the law as criminals in the first place. Notre Dame continues to subject those defendants to the criminal process. If they entered pretrial diversion they would each have to pay hundreds of dollars in costs, which would amount in effect to a fine imposed on them, with the concurrence of Notre Dame, for praying. Most of the 88 are in straitened financial circumstances. The imposition on them of such a fine would be a serious hardship. Instead, Notre Dame ought to state publicly that it has no interest in seeing those prosecutions proceed in any form and that it requests the prosecutor to exercise his discretion to dismiss all those charges unconditionally. Given the prospect of 88 or so separate jury trials, probably not consolidated, in cases involving potentially serious legal and constitutional issues, such a request by Notre Dame would surely be appreciated by the taxpayers of St. Joseph County.

Those 88 defendants were on the other side of the campus, far removed from the site of the Commencement. They are subjected by Notre Dame to the criminal process because they came, as individuals, to Notre Dame to pray, peacefully and non-obstructively, on this ordinarily open campus, in petition and reparation, as a response to what they rightly saw as a facilitation by Notre Dame of various objectively evil policies and programs of Notre Dame’s honoree, President Obama. Those persons, whom Notre Dame has subjected to legal process as criminals, are neither statistics nor abstractions. Let me tell you about a few of them.

Fr. Norman Weslin, O.S., 79 years old and in very poor health, was handcuffed by Notre Dame Security Police as he sang “Immaculate Mary” on the campus sidewalk near the entrance. He asked them, “Why would you arrest a Catholic priest for trying to stop the killing of a baby?” The NSDP officers put him on a pallet and dragged him away to jail. St. Joseph County Police were also there. I urge you to watch the readily available videos of Fr. Weslin’s arrest. If you do, I will be surprised and disappointed if you are not personally and deeply ashamed.

Such treatment of such a priest may be the lowest point in the entire history of Notre Dame. You would profit from knowing Fr. Weslin. Notre Dame should give Fr. Weslin the Laetare Medal rather than throw him in jail. Norman Weslin, born to poor Finnish immigrants in upper Michigan, finished high school at age 17 and joined the Army. He converted from the Lutheran to the Catholic faith and married shortly after earning his commission. He became a paratrooper and rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the 82nd Airborne Division, obtaining his college degree enroute. After a distinguished career, he retired in 1968. As the legalization of abortion intensified, he and his wife, Mary Lou, became active pro-lifers in Colorado. In 1980, Mary Lou was killed by a drunk driver. Norman personally forgave the young driver. Norman Weslin was later ordained as a Catholic priest, worked with Mother Teresa in New York and devoted himself to the rescue of unborn children through nonviolent, prayerful direct action at abortuaries. In 1990 at Christmastime, I was privileged to defend Fr. Weslin and his Lambs of Christ when they were arrested at the abortuary in South Bend. One does not have to agree with the tactic of direct, non-violent action at abortuaries to have the utmost admiration, as I have, for Fr. Weslin and his associates. At Notre Dame, Fr. Weslin engaged in no obstruction or disruption. He merely sought to pray for the unborn on the ordinarily open campus of a professedly Catholic university. The theme of Notre Dame’s honoring of Obama was “dialogue.” It would have been better for you and the complicit Fellows and Trustees to dialogue with Fr. Weslin rather than lock him up as a criminal. You all could have learned something from him. His actions in defense of innocent life and the Faith have been and are heroic. Notre Dame’s treatment of Fr. Weslin is a despicable disgrace, the responsibility for which falls directly and personally upon yourself as the President of Notre Dame.

The other “criminals” stigmatized by Notre Dame include many whom this university should honor rather than oppress. One is Norma McCorvey, the plaintiff in Roe v. Wade, who has become pro-life and a Catholic actively trying to spread the word about abortion. Those “criminals” include retired professors, retired military officers, mothers of many children, a Catholic nun in full habit, Christian pastors, several Ph.Ds, and Notre Dame grads. They are, in summary, “the salt of the earth.” They came, on their own, at their own expense, and not as part of any “conspiracy,” from 18 states. They came because they love what Notre Dame claims to represent. They themselves do represent it. But one has to doubt whether Notre Dame does so anymore.

Clearly, Notre Dame should do all it can to obtain the dismissal of those criminal charges. This has nothing to do with one’s opinion of the tactics of rescue at abortuaries. It is simply a matter of you, as President, doing the manifestly right thing.

Please permit me to speak bluntly about your announced purpose to participate in the March for Life and to “invite other members of the Notre Dame Family to join me.” Notre Dame should have had an official presence at every March for Life since 1973. But until now it never has. Notre Dame students, with the encouragement of Campus Ministry, participate in the March but the University, as such, has not done so. To put it candidly, it would be a mockery for you to present yourself now at the March, even at the invitation of Notre Dame students, as a pro-life advocate while, in practical effect, you continue to be the jailer, as common criminals, of those persons who were authentic pro-life witnesses at Notre Dame. When the pictures of Fr. Weslin’s humiliation and arrest by your campus police was flashed around the world it did an incalculable damage to Notre Dame that can be partially undone only by your public and insistent request, as President of Notre Dame, that the charges be dropped. In my opinion your attachment to the March for Life, including your offering of a Mass for Life, could give scandal in the absence, at least, of such an insistent request to dismiss those charges. Your decision to present an official Notre Dame presence at the March could be beneficial, but not in the context of an unrelenting criminalization by Notre Dame of sincere and peaceful friends of Notre Dame whose offense was their desire to pray, on the campus, for the University and all concerned including yourself. If you appear at the March as the continuing criminalizer of those pro-life witnesses, you predictably will earn not approbation but scorn—a scorn which will surely be directed toward Notre Dame as well. As long as you pursue the criminalization of those pro-life witnesses, your newest pro-life statements will be regarded reasonably as a cosmetic covering of the institutional anatomy in the wake of the continuing backlash arising from your conferral of Notre Dame’s highest honor on the most relentlessly pro-abortion public official in the world.

In conclusion, this letter is not written in a spirit of contention. It is written rather in the mutual concern we share for Notre Dame—and for her university. I hope you will reconsider your positions on these matters. Our family prays for you by name every night. And we wish you success in the performance of your obligations to the University and all concerned.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Rice
Professor Emeritus
Notre Dame Law School

Multitude Mondays

2009-09-21T12:24:00.001-04:00

Thanks to Laura, I've discovered this beautiful blog

Ann's lists never fail to make me start counting my own blessings. So why not join?

1. My husband in the morning

2. Sunday Rosary

3. My Client M.

4. Morning Glories at work

5. Crosses on the wall

Photos: The office. Myself, 9/09

The Life of a Medieval Studies Grad

2009-09-20T13:19:00.004-04:00

A doff of the cap to Claire.
Photo: the Roommate and I practicing "doffing" before our Medieval Studies Graduation ceremony

Sunday Brunch Conversations 1

2009-09-20T13:11:00.005-04:00

"The Children of Mary concession stand went really well...Fr. Gallager came out and blessed the stand...he used the old book of blessings...so it went: 'Bless, Oh Lord, this Thy creature bratwurst...'"

photo cred: Myself, Oct 06 - The OBC Concession Stand '06 which also featured in the brunch conversation as both stands had the Bond Hall location.

2009-09-17T15:19:00.002-04:00

Yesterday Fr. Jenkins sent out this email to the Notre Dame Students:

Dear Members of the Notre Dame Family,

Coming out of the vigorous discussions surrounding President Obama’s visit last Spring, I said we would look for ways to engage the Notre Dame community with the issues raised in a prayerful and meaningful way. As our nation continues to struggle with the morality and legality of abortion, embryonic stem cell research, and related issues, we must seek steps to witness to the sanctity of life. I write to you today about some initiatives that we are undertaking.

Each year on January 22, the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision, the March for Life is held in Washington D.C. to call on the nation to defend the right to life. I plan to participate in that march. I invite other members of the Notre Dame Family to join me and I hope we can gather for a Mass for Life at that event. We will announce details as that date approaches.

On campus, I have recently formed the Task Force on Supporting the Choice for Life. It will be co-chaired by Professor Margaret Brinig, the Fritz Duda Family Chair in Law and Associate Dean for the Law School, and by Professor John Cavadini, the Chair of the Department of Theology and the McGrath-Cavadini Director of the Institute for Church Life. My charge to the Task Force is to consider and recommend to me ways in which the University, informed by Catholic teaching, can support the sanctity of life. Possibilities the Task Force has begun to discuss include fostering serious and specific discussion about a reasonable conscience clause; the most effective ways to support pregnant women, especially the most vulnerable; and the best policies for facilitating adoptions. Such initiatives are in addition to the dedication, hard work and leadership shown by so many in the Notre Dame Family, both on the campus and beyond, and the Task Force may also be able to recommend ways we can support some of this work.

I also call to your attention the heroic and effective work of centers that provide care and support for women with unintended pregnancies. The Women’s Care Center, the nation’s largest Catholic-based pregnancy resource center, on whose Foundation Board I serve, is run by a Notre Dame graduate, Ann Murphy Manion (’77). The center has proven successful in offering professional, non-judgmental concern to women with unintended pregnancies, helping those women through their pregnancy and supporting them after the birth of their child. The Women’s Care Center and similar centers in other cities deserve the support of Notre Dame clubs and individuals.

Our Commencement last Spring generated passionate discussion and also caused some divisions in the Notre Dame community. Regardless of what you think about that event, I hope that we can overcome divisions to foster constructive dialogue and work together for a cause that is at the heart of Notre Dame’s mission. We will keep you informed of our work, and we ask for your support, assistance and prayers. May Our Lady, Notre Dame, watch over our efforts.

In Notre Dame,

Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C.

I'm really not sure how a feel about this. Is it just a new cloak to cover up the commencement stain?

ND Right to Life has been inviting the university president, as well as other high ranking administrative officials and figureheads, to join them on the March for Life every year for the past few years. All invitations have been turned down.

Why now, Fr. Jenkins?

Had he accepted this invitation 2 years ago I would have been impressed (if that's the right word). And had he invited Obama to speak after he'd been on several of the Marches then maybe I would have believed that the invitation was truly in the spirit of dialog. But as things stand, I'm not sold.

Also, what's up with "The Choice for Life?" Is it a choice?

Despite the name, I hope the Task Force will accomplish great things. Maybe the Women's Care Center will finally open a branch on campus so as to actually, effectively serve ND/SMC students as it's founder Janet Smith intended. Goodness knows it's needed.

So, thanks for the shout-out, Fr. Jenkins.

Seriously and sincerely here: I really haven't given up hope on anyone or the university. And, for as critical as I might be sounding here, there is a lot of promise in this message and in the rumblings I recently heard.

Notre Dame, Our Mother, pray for us!

Winded

2009-09-09T13:38:00.002-04:00

Busy day at work. Crazy day...wouldn't have gotten lunch had the 1:00 not shown. So here I am, wolfing down lunch and blogging just a bit to relax (a little!) before the phone rings again.

I've been working on updating our referral guide here at work. It's a listing of local community services and doctors. It hasn't been updated in ages. I burned through 2 volunteers trying to get it down and have been doing it solo for this last leg. I wanted to have it done by staff meeting tomorrow, but with the insanity of today's schedule it's unlikely I'll meet my goal.

If anyone has any South Bend/Mishawaka resources that could be helpful for out clients that you'd like to share, please post below.

Thanks.

Happy September, by the way. And how about that first shutout in 7 years? It's about time! My family and a bunch of friends came in for the game this past weekend. Good times :-) Labor day was also a welcome break...but looks like I'm making up for it today!

Semester's Starting...and other Thoughts

2009-08-28T12:12:00.003-04:00

Well, today's shaping up to be a busy day at work. TGIF.

I wrote the following a couple days ago, didn't publish, and guess I might as well post now on my lunch break:

As I said before, married life is great! However, this past week’s been fairly stressful because:

The house has a lot more work than we’d planned on, and,
School’s starting! That means a bit more commotion and excitement than I’d like right now.

As for the house, (it’s a very small place, mind you) it’s a very monotonous, monochrome place. All the walls are a dirty ivory color that is crying out for a change. The floors completely carpeted – bathroom included – in this deep brown low-pile carpet. I’ve already bought some paint, and have even painted the bathroom. The flooring will be tricky, but it has to go. The carpet is so dirty that walking around on it barefoot will leave your feet a despicable shade of black. We’ll see what the landlord will help us out with. He’s a gruff guy and he’s already had to replace half the pipes in the basement, the bathtub faucet, and a lot of outdoor wiring since we’ve moved in, so he probably won’t be too keen on the re-carpeting idea, but it has to be done.

As for the rest: I’m quite the creature of habit, and with the start of school there hasn’t been a chance for any habits to really be established. Today was the fist day of class, and this morning Matthias was still working on picking his class schedule. (Yikes! What a procrastinator :-P ) On top of that, the office rotation here at work has recently been mixed up and turned around, so I’m out of my work routine.

Last Wednesday marked the first visit of the in-laws (all except dad-in-law). Brother-in-Law (BIL) happily transferred into Notre Dame this semester. So MIL & SIL came to move him in to his new dorm…and of course they stayed with us. They left on Friday and the next day my family came out to bring my Brother back to Holy Cross. It’s been fun, but also very hectic having everyone around!

Hopefully things will calm down soon and we’ll get settled into a good routine.
____________

PS Ummm now it's Friday and things still haven't calmed down!

____________

One of my favorite parts of marriage is wonderful ability to seriously consider having children. Babies! So exciting! My summer housemate and I spent a good deal of time together in preparation for our weddings just grinning from ear to ear at the thought of them.

Maternal instincts set to hyper-drive, baby fever has set in, and that’s just the way it is.

Fortunately our husbands are well aware of this. Her’s even made an attempt to quell the infantile storm by proposing a ban on the word ‘baby’ and using ‘progeny’ in its stead. Somehow with the right intonation, squeal of delight, and goofy grin that word has the same effect. He tried.

From my end, working at a pregnancy resource center is the worst way to fuel the familial fire. Babies, babies, babies all day long! Girls my age coming in to the office who are on their 5th or 6th pregnancy (seriously) are no salve.

Trying to extend the family tree right away is probably a really bad idea for a few reasons. So, we’ve lumped ourselves in a group with most of our friends who’ve gotten married this summer: we’re going to try to wait two or so years before we actively try to conceive. (Or something like that….That’s what we’re all saying…..we’ll see how that goes!)

The best reason, that’s actually sating my baby fever for now (surprisingly), is health. I really need to get myself healthy to be the best mom I can. On my to do list: gain a few pounds, eat more, eat healthier, work out, get back into shape – and then maintain that healthy lifestyle.

Rats. That all sounds like the rest of the world: running around frantically screaming about diet and exercise. …expect that I’m trying to gain instead of loose.

A book entitled, “Nutrition for a Healthy Pregnancy” was sitting on the shelf at work, so I picked it up and have been reading it. It starts out with a section on “The Pre-Pregnancy Diet: Things to do three months to a year prior to conception.” Well, three months to a YEAR – ok, I’ll just focus on the year then. I’m sure my body could use it. In a very short time, the book informed me that I really under eat. (Surprise, surprise) Of course, on the flipside, I have to wonder how much the book’s perspective is tainted by the fact that the average American woman is seriously overweight and therefore needs many more calories than my body does.

Regardless, I’m going to read it and see what it says.

Sounds like fun! :-P

Marriage

2009-08-10T14:55:00.004-04:00

Reeee!

I love being married :-)

Last Saturday my dear Matthias and I finally tied the knot at my home parish.

We went on a lovely little roadtrip honeymoon this past week and really enjoyed ourselves!

Now we're back in South Bend, here for two more years since he'll be in the MTS (theology Masters) program at Notre Dame. We just can't leave this place.

We found ourselves a cozy little bungalow very near the St Joe River not too far from campus and began moving in yesterday.

I have to laugh because one of my bridesmaids, Miss D., kept asking me in the days and hours preceding the wedding: "So! Any profound thoughts!?" Most of the time I had nothing to offer her since I was too caught up in making sure all the little details of the wedding and reception were in order - way too caught up in the practical - and unfortunately that couldn't be helped. But now that it's been a little over a week, the profound thoughts are really coming, Miss D.

Right now, I'm really just in awe of the beauty of it all. How lucky am I to be married to my best friend? How lucky am I to be married to one of the kindest, most intelligent, gentle, strong, and (can I add) goofiest and silliest people I know? I really am blessed! :-) Really, just in awe.

It is truly magnificent! I just can't wait for him to pick me up from work in a couple hours :-)

Reeeeeee!

Less than 5 weeks

2009-06-29T12:14:00.002-04:00

That's right, in less than 5 weeks, Matthias and I will be married! Crazy...it really is. We can't wait!

I'm sitting here at one of the quieter offices (now that I said that 5 women will walk in) eating my lunch and just trying to sort somethings out in three major areas: 1) Women, Men, Childbearing, Family Life (or the unfortunate lack thereof), 2) The Catholicity of Notre Dame and the rest of the world, and 3) the practical planning aspects of the wedding that still need to be taken care of. My head's going to explode if I keep on keeping it all in there. So here, you all can see what you think...

Women, Men, Childbearing, The Family, etc.
or
Justice gone Awry

A little over a week ago, Karlo posted this article. I just got around to reading it today. Karlo's comments are great, but I thought I'd add a few of my own.

Sad as it is, I'm not shocked. It still makes me want to cry, but work has taught me that this young woman's attitude is not uncommon. And how much sadder is that? How sad it is that we can set aside one child and say "I'm focusing on the child I’ll have in a few years from now with someone I feel safe with and supported by. The life of that child will be infinitely better than this one," as did this woman.

I hear it all the time at work from the women I counsel. If it's not one reason, it's another. Many of these women are not "dehumanizing" their children in the sense of not recognizing them as human. But many have just fallen into a warped concept of justice.

I would love to hear someone else identify this problem as such: a warped concept of justice.

That's exactly what it is.

"I deserve better. My baby deserves better."

"No I'm choosing abortion because I can't adopt, I'd never adopt - because my baby deserves to have me parent, but I can't parent."

or like the girl in the article:

"I'm focusing on the child I’ll have in a few years from now with someone I feel safe with and supported by. The life of that child will be infinitely better than this one."

Right? Planned Parenthood's mantra of "so that every child is wanted and loved." Because kids deserve the best, right?

Twisted.

But next to this heresy of sorts, there's the problem of brokeness that torments so many. And how interesting it is that even her rationalized, "hopefully" statement of resolution, that women in the article can't hide her own wounds:

"The life of that child will be infinitely better than this one and, sometimes, I wonder if such a miserable, lonely woman could even have a healthy child."

In the same breath, barely separated by two commas and a "sometimes," there they are, side by side: twisted justice and the brokeness of the mother.

I don't know what can be done about changing these problem on the large scale, but I know that I can try to work on women individually as they come in for their pregnancy tests. It's not an easy task.

Men, your role in this is huge - most important than any media source would have you believe.

It's ridiculous how few men accompany their girlfriends, wives, babymommas, etc, to our office. Why? Why do they just not seem to care one way or the other?

The Catholicity of Notre Dame and the rest of the world

Perhaps this topic ought to be left for another time. Something's rotten in the state of Denmark.

Weddings!

This summer, until wedding time, I'm living with my dear friend Chris who's getting married exactly (to the hour!) a week after me. So simple math:
1 bride + 1 bride + 1 house = wedding central

It's a joy to be sharing these last few weeks of maidenhood (what a great concept no one thinks of anymore) with each other!

There was a little concern at first that we'd both turn Bridezilla and be at each other's throats, but actually it's better than any other living arrangement I could have imagined.

I still have a terrible amount of work left to do for the wedding. My dress still doesn't exist. The reception finally has a location, but the food is a giant question mark. The rehearsal dinner...wait...there's a rehearsal dinner?? Yeah. Not planned.

Whew.

I need to get to work...yes, that's right, because I have less than 5 weeks!

Wedding Planning

2009-06-08T15:51:00.002-04:00

Yes, wedding planning has consumed all my time. It's coming together, but the wedding is now less than 2 months away!

It's incredible how much fluff there is around a wedding. But at the same time, it's amazing how much stuff that you really just want to blow off is actually something you really should do if you actually want people to come and have a decent time.

Matthias and I are trying to just take it one day at a time and knock out something substantial each day. ..and of course I just have to keep reminding myself that just as long as he, I, a priest and 2 witnesses show up we'll be ok.

Too bad I don't have more time on my hands (or better access to the internet). I have a lot of fun stuff (and some not so fun stuff) I'd love to share.

Keep us in your prayers!

The Divine Office: Season 1, Episode 4

2009-05-07T19:34:00.001-04:00

Latin with La-ia

Fr. Erickson tutors a student in Latin with...interesting results.

The Divine Office: Season 1, Episode 3

2009-05-05T19:32:00.001-04:00

Fr. Erickson counsels a couple who thinks they're ready for marriage. They're not.

We believe in life

2009-05-04T09:26:00.000-04:00

A month and five days later...

2009-04-30T20:03:00.004-04:00

Two years ago today, on the Feast of St. Pius V, Matthias was kneeling at Mass praying for vocation discernment.

A month and five days ago, on the Feast of the Annunciation he proposed to the girl who providentially had been kneeling next to him at that Mass: me!

Reee!

Commencement Controversy

2009-03-24T01:00:00.003-04:00

Just pray.

It would be pointless for me to say anything about it right now. If you don't know what I'm talking about, enjoy your ignorance: it is bliss.

My technology is still on the fritz...just like my alma mater apparently.

The Divine Office: Season 1, Episode 2

2009-03-11T10:00:00.001-04:00

"Fr. Erickson clashes with his new housekeeper. If only there was some way to get rid of her. Or is there?"

Nice commercial in there...

Divine Office - Season 1, Episode 1

2009-03-10T11:00:00.000-04:00

The Unexpected Visitor

Little Lessons

2009-03-09T21:42:00.003-04:00

Because my friends are crazy - a brand new on-line show: The Divine Office.

The show was first inspired by this hilarity:

"Fr. Erickson delivers his weekly lecture to the girls of St. Francis de Sales Catholic High School. This week's topic: chastity. Feel free to listen in! It'll make you miss the '40's."

Apparently I'm a pretty bad student!

I'll post the subsequent episodes over the next couple days.

Technology Fail

2009-03-08T15:13:00.004-04:00

Well, this has been and epic week.

Within less than 168 hours I have managed to destroy my computer, iPod AND cell phone.

Please please please put me in a padded cell with nothing fragile, delicate or breakable. Maybe some tech company can hire me to be a product tester! If it can survive me, it can survive anything!

Yikes.

My iPod and computer fried each other when I went to charge my iPod. Then this morning, Matthias and I went out to brunch after Mass. As we were getting in the car to leave, he bent down and picked something up:
"Um. This isn't your cell phone is it?"

It was. The thing had been submerged in a puddle in the gutter next to the car for over an hour.

Keep the technology away from me!

Now of course, the downside of all this is that while some people have said "Oh God is just trying to tell you to give up technology for Lent" I really really think it's the exact opposite. The devil is trying to stop me from actually living up to my Lenten resolve. Let's revisit that right here.

My Lenten Blog Rules:
1. Post something of substance daily.
2. Posts must be constructive and charitable.
3. Whining, moping, complaining, etc is strictly forbidden.

Well, the devil's got the upper hand now apparently - because here I am breaking #3 like a frenzied bull in a china shop.

So what do I do now?

UPDATE: After having sat out and dried for sometime, I can happily report that my cell phone survived the incident! (Sort of) Most of the functions are intact. I can hear out of it, but the microphone isn't working. I think it's because it is the smallest opening so it will take longest to dry out.
My cell phone has actually been in water before (for a few seconds...stupid flowers and their stupid water for the definitely not stupid 40 Devotion last year)and the same thing happened. About 3 days after the water the phone was back to nearly-normal.

The Computer is Dead

2009-03-03T20:35:00.002-05:00

Last night my computer died.

I don't know what happened, but it won't turn on. The little lights flash, but then they go out.

Sad. :-(

I don't know how I'll be able to keep up with my Lenten-post-a-day. I have access to the ND computers through next week, unless OIT has mercy on me. But even with that, the clusters really aren't the best place for any sort of reflective writing. (Academic papers not included).

Say a prayer my computer can be fixed soon!

A Fairy Story - Part I

2009-03-02T23:45:00.002-05:00

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess who lived in a far away land. She had learned early in life that very few things in life are just given to you - even if you are a princess. Her father, the king had worked hard to build his kingdom and he taught the princess all the lessons he had learned.

As a young girl, the princess loved the sun and flowers, birds and springtime, as all princesses should. But she also loved wind and snow. All of nature captivated her with its beauty, but wind and snow challenged her - and she loved that challenge. This princess was not some doll meant to sit upon neatly manicured shelf. No, she was a true princess; and that means that her heart longed for adventure. She dreamed, as all princesses do, that some day a fine, strong knight would come riding by and sweep her up along with him into a grand adventure. And so it was that the ice, wind and snow reminded the princess of the adventures she longed for. While the springtime sun shines warmly, it makes one want to sleep like a cat in its soft rays. But wind blows fierce and screams "fight back if you dare! Or I will blow you down!" Flowers and green growth are full of joy and life, and surely the princess loved these above all, but the brilliant whiteness of the snow dazzled her eyes and dared her to brave its cold: "come! Try to pass through me! Can you resist being blinded by my brightness? Can you find your way, though I have changed all landscapes?"

Year after year, as the princess grew from a girl to a woman, the wind and snow screamed to her to each winter: "Come! We challenge you! Are you brave enough?"

Grandparents and Catholic Culture

2009-02-28T23:45:00.000-05:00

JP Sonnen posted a nice little bit on the role his grandfather, aged 90, has had on his life as a Catholic. He couldn't have timed it better as today my Grandma turns 90!

JP writes:

"
Makes one think of this line from the Scriptures: "I handed on to you as of first importance what I myself received." (1 Cor. 15:3). Our parents and grandparents give us the Faith. Religion is often handed down from one generation to the next. We are each an heir and upon us devolves the duty of perpetuating this gift."

My Grandma is an amazing woman - who, needless to say, I love very dearly and has been a great influence in my life.

There are many beautiful stories of the role of faith in her life. She converted from Protestantism to the Catholic faith as a young woman. She suffered a good deal of pressure and criticism from her waspish family. As a girl, going up in Detroit, her mother strictly forbade her from ever entering a Catholic church, especially since she had a number Catholic friends. However, one bitter cold day (in February, I think) when she was in her teens, one of her Catholic friends, with whom she was spending the day, wanted to go to Mass. My grandmother told her she would just wait outside. After awhile (and I love my grandmother's smile every time she remembers this part), after awhile, well, it got cold. :-) So my grandmother decided to just slip inside the vestibule.

That was enough! Her face still glows as she recalls her first Mass - the incense, the music, everything - it was all so beautiful! She knew that this was what her heart had been longing for for so long.

She respected her father's wishes and waited until she was in her twenties until she converted. Easter 1944 she was received into the Church.

Besides being responsible for nurturing my mother's formation and strong commitment to the faith, my grandmother has always taken an active role my life and that of my siblings. While her childbearing, computer, and fighter pilot skills differ from JP's grandfather (as I hope at least the latter would!), the joyful upbuilding of the Church, and the fierce loyalty to faith is the same. There is no way that I could do justice my grandmother's unfailing witness on this blog or anywhere else.

Happy 90th birthday, Grandma!

Here she is, an adorable baby in 1919!

Into Great Silence

2009-02-28T12:06:00.004-05:00

I missed yesterday's post because after Mass and Stations of the Cross at the Basilica the Notre Dame chapter of the Knights of Columbus hosted their first soup dinner of the year. (Many thanks to Daniel for coordinating and cooking! He is quite the chef.)

For the past couple years the Knight have tried to encourage prayer and fasting on campus by offering a simple dinner of meatless soup, bread, and water after the Stations are prayed in the Basilica. All are invited to attend. This sets an excellent example to all.

Last night was the first time they added the viewing of a spiritual movie following the dinner. The chosen movie was "Into Great Silence" - an award-winning film released in 2005.

For those of you unfamiliar with this work, Wikipedia's description says it all:

"Into Great Silence (Die Große Stille) is a documentary film directed by Philip Gröning that was first released in 2005. It is an intimate portrayal of the everyday lives of Carthusian monks of the Grande Chartreuse, high in a remote corner of the French Alps (Chartreuse Mountains). The film was made 16 years after the director first requested permission to make it. He lived at the monastery for six months, and filmed all alone; behind the walls no "outsider" had ever before been allowed to enter."

The movie is very quiet. There is no dialogue - only a few places where the monks chant or speak.

I'm sorry to say that I (and many others in the room) fell asleep! In our defense, the movie is nearly 3 hours long. So, it's very challenging to stay awake for the entire film if you start it a little before 10:00pm at the end of a very long week.

Nevertheless, what I saw was a wonderfully reflective look into the lives of these holy monks. I was a little disappointed by the cinematography. The film quality in many places was very poor and grainy. I'm not sure if this was an artist choice by the director, or simply a lack of resources. If it was the first, I wish he hadn't, and if it was the latter, I'm sorry he didn't have more money.

It was definitely very European. Every European film I've ever seen has strange, odd, sometimes awkward shots and scenes that make me think very much of existentialists and modern art. I suppose that is no surprise, and I imagine that's probably what they're getting at.

If you ever do have 3 hours and the energy to stay awake, the movie is worth watching. It is very contemplative. I think that it is something I would like to watch again - especially now that I know what to expect.

For those of you interested in joining us for our weekly dinners and movies, soup is served around 8:00pm in the basement of the Knight's Building on South Quad. The movie will be shown when everyone has finished eating.

Lamentations

2009-02-26T23:54:00.002-05:00

In choir we're singing two of the lamentations set by Carpentras (or Genet). They're very beautiful and two of my favorite. Unfortunately, I've yet to find a nice recording of them. Along those lines, it's pretty difficult to find any recordings of any settings of the lamentations. Apparently people don't enjoy listening to such melancholic stuff. A while ago I found one CD by the Tallis Scholars, but that's all I've been able to get my hands on so far. (No I did not pay that price for it. Affordability and availability are the top two requirements for any of these recordings)

Does anyone have any recommendations? (again that are 1. available and 2. affordable)

Lent

2009-02-25T22:55:00.003-05:00

A most dolorous Lent to you all!

As usual, a good number of my friends are forsaking internet pastimes during this holy season so that they can be more still and grow closer to God. I've been thinking that I should do the exact opposite for the same reason. Whenever I blog it forces me to be still and think - even if just for a few minutes.

I'll cut the introspection off right there, but hopefully I'll find more time to be more thoughtful and, even more importantly, take the time to share those thoughts.

My Lenten Blog Rules:
1. Post something of substance daily.
2. Posts must be constructive and charitable.
3. Whining, moping, complaining, etc is strictly forbidden.

So, gentle readers, I invite you to help me with this part of my Lenten discipline. Make sure to use some good old fraternal correction if I slip up! Most of all, I must learn the difference between wit/satire and spiteful mockery. It seems to be a fine line (I'm thinking back to the Center for Ethics and Culture's lecture series last semester 'Wit's way to Wisdom' and Ralph McInerny's scathing lecture on Baron Corvo.)

Monday Morning on a Gray February Day

2009-02-09T09:28:00.005-05:00

Late last night I returned to South Bend with the Women's Liturgical Choir (with which I still sing since I'm still in South Bend) from our annual February tour. This year took us to my home - the Baltimore/DC area. -A very exciting location, but the tour was unfortunately poorly planned. Nevertheless, I was able to spend some great time with my family.

Now I'm back in the office (the only one with internet) waiting for my first client of the day to come in.

I'm really beginning to feel burnt out by work. I'm tiring of the never-ending stream of brokenness, hurt, heartache, thoughtlessness, selfishness, lack of respect, lack of understanding, and so on with a inexhaustible list of pain and godlessness.

The weather doesn't help.

And above all, my own personal hopes and dreams are being confronted - and I don't like that.

The phone is ringing ...

...a call from another counselor...one of my clients, who was already on the run from an abusive boyfriend, called to let us know he found her and she has to move elsewhere...

Please keep me and a very special intention in your prayers. Thank you.

Notre Dame on the March for Life in 2009

2009-01-23T10:51:00.005-05:00

Today's Observer featured an article by Tess C., who is excellent proof that you can be a Pious Women and be on the Observer staff! The article also include an appearance by Karlo.

Be sure to note, the staff from the Notre Damce Center for Ethics and Culture was also on the March! How exciting! I wish I could have been there too.

220 ND students attend protest
More than 200,000 participants marched against abortion on the National Mall

Notre Dame Observer
By: Tess C.
Posted: 1/23/09

WASHINGTON - The 220 Notre Dame students who attended the 36th annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. Thursday sensed new energy and purpose in the wake of the recent inauguration and were met with meaningful support, marchers said.

"There was a lot more energy in how the politicians at the rally were speaking," said junior Mary Daly, Notre Dame Right to Life club president

Onlookers were thrilled to see Notre Dame marching 220 strong.

"Walking along, people were cheering for us, calling out support," Daly said. "They'll come up and ask us how many people we brought. People are always very impressed and glad to see us there."

High school junior Colin Cortes of Chicago, Ill. said he enjoyed seeing Notre Dame's strong presence at the march.

"I loved seeing Notre Dame there, really representing what a Catholic university should be, especially now that a lot of Catholic universities don't value church teachings. It's great to see Notre Dame standing up for them," Cortes said.

"Seeing that, I consider myself a huge Notre Dame fan," he said.

The march began with a rally on the National Mall. A series of pro-life politicians and religious leaders, including rabbis, Byzantine Orthodox priests and Protestant pastors each spoke briefly to the audience of more than 200,000.

The controversial Freedom of Choice Act, commonly known as FOCA, was brought up repeatedly. FOCA is a bill before Congress that states every woman in the United States has the right to terminate a pregnancy due to health reasons or before the fetus is viable.

Following the series of speakers, several members of the United States Council of Catholic Bishops introduced themselves to the crowd by name and diocese. Marchers from the bishops' hometowns greeted their bishops with resounding cheers.

The rally concluded with the Archbishop of Washington, D.C., Donald W. Wuerl, leading the marchers in prayer.

"We come before you as men and women as many faiths," he said, drawing attention to the many faiths represented at the march.

The marchers then walked to the Supreme Court building. Notre Dame students made their presence known with cheers adapted from football games, like "Go Irish! Save Babies!" and frequent renditions of the Fight Song and Alma Mater.

Daley said one big change to the march is that faculty came this year. The whole staff of the Center for Ethics and Culture joined in the march.

"With the new pro-life fund through the Center for Ethics and Culture we were able to invite the entire University hierarchy. Even though Father Jenkins couldn't come, his senior advisor, Father Jim McDonald, was able to make it," she said.

Bill Dotterweich, a 1958 Notre Dame alum, is a big supporter of the pro-life movement and Notre Dame Right to Life, Daley said. He contributed to the fund to send members of the Notre Dame administration to Washington for the march, as well as to support Right to Life efforts on campus.

Sophomore Karlo Leonor went on the march and returned on the bus later the night following.

"I thought it was really encouraging to see the professors there, especially those who brought their families," Leonor said.

Leonor said there was a sense of camaraderie among the marchers.

"You could feel the common appreciation for Notre Dame as America's Catholic institution," Leonor said.
© Copyright 2009 The Observer

Imagine the Potential

2009-01-22T19:55:00.002-05:00

March for Life 2009

2009-01-22T19:29:00.001-05:00

Students march for life

Posted: Jan 21, 2009 10:23 PM

A bunch of St. Mary's College and Notre Dame students are on their way to Washington D.C. Wednesday night.

About 200 students piled into coach buses for the ten hour ride to the nation's capital to join more than 200,000 March for Life participants. They'll show their support for anti-abortion legislation in tomorrow's march. Supporters also hope to deter President Obama from signing the Freedom of Choice Act, which pro-choice advocates say will strengthen abortion rights.

"Knowing that we are the voice for people who can't speak for themselves; the unborn children, the elderly who people think should be euthanized just because they're old and can't take care of themselves. We're fighting for people who don't have a voice," said Kelly Gasior who's going to March for Life.

Most of the students will return to campus Thursday night.

Source All content © Copyright 2000 - 2009 WorldNow and WSJV.

Happy Feast of Basil Moreau!

2009-01-20T19:30:00.002-05:00

Happy Feast Day!

A year ago, we celebrated the first feast of Fr. Basil Moreau following his beatification in September 2007. Fr. Moreau founded the Congregation of Holy Cross, by which the University of Notre Dame was in turn founded.

I came back from 5:15 Mass in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart a short while ago. It was wonderful to celebrate the feast of Bl. Basil with so many of his spiritual sons and daughters.

Most appropriately, Fathers Steve Koeth, Ed Obermiller,and Jim Gallagher (all CSC) have started a new blog today! Spes Unica is dedicated to covering the lives, ministries and apostolates of the priests and brothers of the Congregation of Holy Cross.

O God, who in your ineffable Providence chose your priest, Blessed Basil, to imitate the virtues of the Holy Family and respond to the needs of the Church, grant, we beseech you, that, supported by his prayers and example, we may have the strength to boldly confess the Cross of Christ as our only hope. He lives and reigns with you, Father, and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. -Collect for today's Mass

Perfect Leggishness

2009-01-19T00:24:00.000-05:00

To appreciate anything we must always isolate it, even if the thing itself symbolise something other than isolation...If we wish to depict what a man really is we must depict a man alone in a desert or on a dark sea sand. So long as he is a single figure he means all that humanity means; so long as he is solitary he means human society; so long as he is solitary he means sociability and comradeship. Add another figure and the picture is less human--not more so. One is company, two is none...One sun is splendid; six suns would be only vulgar....And so, in the same pensive lucidity, I find the poetry of all human anatomy in standing on a single leg. To express complete and perfect leggishness the leg must stand in sublime isolation, like the tower in the wilderness. As Ibsen so finely says, the strongest leg is that which stands most alone.

"The Advantages of Having One Leg," Tremendous Trifles, G.K. Chesterton.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In case you're looking for an explanation:

1. Yes, I have taken up knitting. Gianna taught be back in October. I've been knitting ever since. I started a scarf for myself, started *and* finished a scarf for Matthias as part of his Christmas present, and I have just finished this adorable bear. (Don't worry, he has two legs at this point in time.)

2. While owning all of those books Teddy is sitting on, I've never read through any of them in their entirety - yet. Matthias happens to be in Prof. Fagerberg's class on Chesterton this semester. So, having no other academic obligations, I have decided it would be a wonderful idea to do the reading for the class along with him. Saturday night found us reading the above chapter of Tremendous Trifles. Very amusing; but I really don't understand the man very well...yet.

In short, I saw my bear needing only a leg, and thought of Chesterton.

More on Bishop D'Arcy

2009-01-18T18:40:00.001-05:00

David Werling has posted a more in depth reflection on the Bishop's visit.
Read it here.

Ice and Snow

2009-01-18T12:09:00.003-05:00

In other news, it has been bitter cold around here. We're in the midst of a heat wave at the moment - it's a balmy 23° out there! In the middle of this past week, temperatures were down around -20°...let me emphasize that: NEGATIVE 20! 20 BELOW! With wind chill it was supposed to feel like -39° ...and believe me, it did. Bitter, bitter cold.

It was so cold that on Friday the furnace in my house was working overtime and yet the thermostat still read only 54°. The cold water pipes in the kitchen had frozen! Fortunately, after I ran the tap - both hot and cold - for a while, the water began to flow again.

Cold. Cold. COLD!

Looking around this is what I see outside my bedroom window:

photo:me 1/18 on WQE's camera

Yikes! Better not drop on anyone...unless they're trying to break into the house or something. (Have I ever mentioned how much crime there is in my neighborhood? Not good. Definitely not the Notre Dame "bubble" over here.)

Bishop D'Arcy at St. Patrick's

2009-01-18T11:27:00.010-05:00

I've been wanting to blog for a while now, and haven't. But, today is a good day to finally get around to it. I never finished my last string of half-written posts.

What makes today so special? Bishop John D'Arcy!

This morning at 7:45 at St Patrick's (arguably the most beautiful church in South Bend - not Notre Dame) the pastor bonus of this diocese came and offered a pontifical low Mass in the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite. It was a most beautiful Mass!

In his sermon he emphasized the importance of the Mother Guerin Community to the diocese, and of the diocese and bishop to us.

After Mass, he joined us briefly in the parish hall for coffee and a potluck breakfast.

He led us in prayer before the meal.

Here he is with Fr. George Gabet, F.S.S.P., the usual celebrant of this Mass, and Fr. Leonard Chrobot, pastor of St. Patrick's.

Some of the children of the community presented him with flowers, which he later presented to a statue of the Blessed Mother before leaving us to go say Mass at St. Joseph's (a C.S.C. parish also in South Bend) for the celebration of the feast of Bl. Basil Moreau.

There was a wonderful representation of the community - mostly "townies" (as it very well should be) - but also a nice selection of Notre Dame students, both undergrad and grad, faculty and staff. I was pleased to see a respectable number of departments represented.

I image more pictures and reports will follow soon on the Mother Guerin Blog.

Remember to keep Bishop D'Arcy, and all of our bishops, in your prayers!

P.S. all photos by me, and many thanks to "Bishop Neumann" for loaning me his camera since mine has come to a very sad end and now sits broken and just about entirely useless. :-(

Ain't got time to die

2009-01-14T01:00:00.000-05:00

2009-01-01T14:01:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year!

O Sapientia

2008-12-17T17:35:00.001-05:00

O Sapientia, quae ex ore Altissimi prodiisti,
attingens a fine usque ad finem,
fortiter suaviterque disponens omnia:
veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
Who orderest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go.

Gaudete!

2008-12-14T13:52:00.002-05:00

Advent "wreath" made by Housemate C.
Photo, me 12/14/08

Dicite pusillanimes confortamini et nolite timere! Ecce Deus noster veniet, et salvabit nos!

Say to the fainthearted, be comforted and fear not! Behold, our God will come and save us!
Communion of today's Mass, '62.

I did a quick look back at this Sunday last year. What a glorious time that was! This year I feel more of "the duty of delight."

Please keep a special intention in your prayers.

Semper gaudete. Sine intermissione orate. In omnibus gratias agite: hæc est enim voluntas Dei in Christo Iesu in omnibus vobis...Ipse autem Deus pacis sanctificet vos per omnia: ut integer spiritus vester, et anima, et corpus sine querela in adventu Domini nostri Iesu Christi servetur. Fidelis est, qui vocavit vos: qui etiam faciet.

Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in everything. For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for all of you... And may the God of peace himself sanctify you through all things, so that your whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved without blame unto the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who has called you is faithful. He shall act even now.
From the Second Reading of today's Mass, '69

St. Lucy's Day

2008-12-14T12:50:00.000-05:00

Last night, the Children of Mary group on campus hosted a St. Lucy's Day party. Since I've recently been on something of a baking kick, I decided to back some Santa Lucia Bread. I took the recipe posted over at Catholic Cuisine.

I got a late start, so the bread never actually made an appearance at the party, but it did come to the Post-Trid-Mass brunch in South Dining Hall.

Turned out to be quite lovely, if I may say so - especially with a little literal "sprucing" up.

photo: me 12/14/08

SAINT LUCY, Whose beautiful name Signifies light, By the light of Faith Which God bestowed upon you, Increase and preserve His light in my soul, so that I may avoid evil, Be zealous in the performance of good works, and abhor nothing so much as the blindness and the darkness of evil and sin.

Obtain for me, by your intercession with God, perfect vision for my bodily eyes and the grace to use them for God’s greater honor and glory and the salvation of souls.

St. Lucy, virgin and martyr, hear my prayers and obtain my petitions.

Amen.

RIP

2008-12-13T14:57:00.000-05:00

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Caroline Grace Herrmann, a freshman at Mt. de Sales Academy, my high school, who died from a brain tumor on Wednesday.

Her funeral was today at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Ellicott City , Maryland.

My sister, a current student, told me that while Caroline was only able to attend a week of class before she was admitted to the hospital, the students feel this loss very strongly.

Please remember her and her family in your prayers.

Teens and Sexuality

2008-12-10T21:15:00.003-05:00

Paul has two great posts very much related to my work.
One on TV and Teen Pregnancy
And one on a movie I'll have to look into: "The Power of One"

WCC News Spot

2008-12-08T15:54:00.001-05:00

Michiana families look for help with new arrivals

Posted: Dec 5, 2008 09:10 PM

The struggling economy has more Michiana families looking for help as they await the arrivals of their bundles of joy.

One third of pregnant women in St. Joseph County seek help from local clinics. But directors at the Women's Care Centers say they're seeing more pregnant women walking through their doors and fewer donations coming in.

In today's tough economic times, Women's Care Centers are needed more and more. That's because they offer free services before, during and after pregnancy.

But with fewer donations coming in, center directors say they're going to need more resources.

Melissa Kovacs has fond memories of her first visit at the Women's Care Center.

"She brought me in a little pair of booties and a bottle of pre-natal pills and I was just like, shut up," said Women's Care Center Client Melissa Kovac.

And over the last seven years, Kovacs' used the center's services for all three of her children. But Women's Care President Ann Manion says now they're seeing more than just the regulars.

"Over the years, we just have seen an increase in percentage of the people in the county," said Women's Care Center President Ann Manion.

While the largest percentage of their clientele are teens and single moms, Ann says they're getting more people that don't fit the mold.

"Some of the women coming in and are people you wouldn't normally think would have to come to the Women's Care Center. Some of them are driving a little better cars and wearing a little bit better clothes. But they're either recently lost a job or had some kind of financial reversal," said Manion.

The economy's to blame. It's pushing people towards the center's free services.

"We offer everything from supportive counseling to parenting classes to tangible assistance groups car seats, diapers," said Manion.

After moms and dads attend parenting classes they can earn coupons to buy clothes, toys, and even baby formula, but center directors say they're going to need a lot more help to keep this room stocked this holiday season.

"This time of year is where we really hope to receive a lot of our funding that takes us through the whole year. We're a little worried with this economy, but we're hoping that people will remember us and put us at the top of their Christmas lists," said Manion.

Ann says they also have money and items set aside in their emergency fund. But all funds are dwindling down. And the thought of not having the Women's Care Center's services....

"I don't really know of many other places where I can get the services that I need," said Kovacs.

And the Women's Care Center on LaSalle Avenue in South Bend is getting a facelift. Construction on the center's pre-natal clinic should wrap up this spring. Center directors say the clinic will offer the highest level of comfort and confidentiality to their clients. They'll also have a full staff of nurses and OB/GYNs.

The center says the work began before the economic downturn. However, due to the growing demand, the new space is definitely needed.

There are four Women's Care Centers in St. Joseph County. You can send a monetary donation or drop off gently used or new items at any of their locations.

Click here for Women's Care Centers Information.

Online Reporter: Nadia Crow

Source: Fox 28 WSJV, South Bend, Elkhart, IN

Mammon & Uniquity

2008-12-08T00:14:00.003-05:00

The incomparable Prof. Ralph McInerny just posted an excellent little article over at The Catholic Thing.

A friend suggests as a solution to the woes of the University of Notre Dame that the president, Father Jenkins, and the football coach, Charlie Weis, should exchange jobs. No one is likely to mistake the one man for the other, but the malaise of the football team and what some of us grumpy old men see as a free fall into secularism on the part of Notre Dame are oddly complementary. The link is money....

Read the rest here.

Immaculate Conception

2008-12-07T23:58:00.003-05:00

After a minor crisis, I've decided to do my best to wake up early and drive down the street to St. Pat's for Mass. For anyone else still up at midnight who hasn't decided where they should attend Mass tomorrow:

Fr. George Gabet, FSSP, the chaplain of the St. Mother Theodore Guerin Latin Mass Community of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, will offer the Traditional Latin Mass on the feast day of the Immaculate Conception in South Bend.

December 8, 2008
7:00 am
St. Patrick Catholic Church, South Bend

I suppose I'd better get some sleep then!

P.S. Other good Mass options would be 5:00pm in Alumni Hall - I'm not sure if it will be in Latin or not - and the 5:00pm in the Basilica will be sung by the Glee Club - which means the music will be excellent.

Into Advent - C.A.R.E.

2008-12-07T17:08:00.006-05:00

Happy Second Sunday of Advent, everyone.

I really feel like I've fallen of the face of the blogosphere (which I have, and which I have done not infrequently.) But, this time I've missed it more than usual. I have a good number of half-started, backlogged posts that I might try to get out today - but don't hold your breath.

So where have I been?

At work mostly. Work has been keeping me on my toes. This past Monday I did my first high school presentations for the WCC. I spoke with 5 sections of mostly sophomores for 2 days in a local public school. Our program - C.A.R.E. - focuses on Character, Abstinence, and Relationship Education (hence the acronym.) It's a really great program, if I may say so; and has really had a lot of success. As far as I know we're in most of the public and private schools - both high school and middle school - in this area.

Not bad.

My first couple days were very intense. It certainly didn't help that rather than giving me a prep period off (usually teachers don't teach every period in a day) the teachers decided to squeeze in an extra class.

By the end of the day I was beat and wanted to sleep for about a year.

The students filled out anonymous evaluations at the end of two; and I was really pleased to see that the program seemed to have a good impact on the them. While there were some disappointing ones:
e.g. "I can't argue with anything you said, I know you're right but I'm still going to be sexually active

there were some really good ones:
e.g. my boyfriend and I had a talk yesterday after the first half of the presentation, and we've decided to start over.

I was perhaps most surprised to read that most students enjoyed hearing the differences between love and infatuation.

They also really appreciated the sexual progression line and discussion of where to draw boundaries.

At the end of it all, I can't help but just feel really bad for all these kids, 15, 16 years old, who have no idea what their sexuality is for - a girl wrote she thought it was a game; a guy wrote he never realized that he could hurt a girl's feelings so much. But don't worry, the world isn't ending quite yet. A very large percentage of the evaluations came back thanking me for just reinforcing their previous decisions to be sexually abstinent.

LaFortune

2008-11-24T22:42:00.002-05:00

So, I'm down in the LaFortune cluster right now. I feel like I am supposed to be doing homework, but I don't have any homework! Weird. Really weird. It feels wrong sitting down here without a massive mountain of books. Maybe I should take a look at my thesis and start editing it again. Maybe I'll get it in publishing shape if I try hard enough.
Darragh, I'm thinking of you, and remembering I owe you a phone call.

Important Prayer Intention

2008-11-13T10:42:00.003-05:00

Please pray for my friend Philip Johnson. He has been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor.

He has requested that we particularly prayer to Servant of God Fr. Thomas Fredrick Price.

I could say a lot about Phil, but it's best to just read his blog here.

2008-11-11T18:36:00.002-05:00

I need to stop slacking!

Just thought I'd mention that.

As you go about your lives, remember to always keep others in your prayers.

Just thought I'd mention that too. It's really easy to forget.

And remember to always pray.

That's even easier to forget.