The Office of Youth Ministry blogs

Choose Me

Sr. M. Consolata Crews FSGM — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:28:41 -0500

Chosen.

Did you ever play dodge ball growing up? I did. I dreaded it, actually, in grade school PE class. There were always two captains and then it started. Yep. Choosing teams. Now, if you're athletic, it really wasn't a big deal. You'd be chosen first. Then there's the rest of us…wondering when we'd finally be picked! Uhhh…wondering if the captain really wanted us on the team or if we were just the best one left to choose from. Then the game began! That's a whole other story!

Whatever your rank in being chosen to play dodge ball, did you know you are always chosen FIRST by the Lord? Yea? Good.

So, you know it, but do you believe it? What was that? Maybe? Yes? No?

Well, whatever your answer is, I hope you come to the point of being able to say with your whole heart, “YES!!” It may take some time to come to this, but persevere!

Another question: What provokes you to say “Halleluia Amen”? Is it only when things are going well and according to your plan? How about when there are struggles? In all things give praise to the Lord! Join with me today – whether you are in pain, in joy, in trial – to give an “Halleluia Amen!” to the Lord! Why?

He has chosen you. He loves you. He has chosen you to follow Him and placed you right where He wants you to be. He's walking WITH you! He'll help you dodge the ball that comes your way! Believe it. Trust it.

Thankful vs. Negative

Tom Lancia — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 17:18:03 -0500

Do you find yourself in a bad mood, some days? Would you like it to stop? Are you generally happy and want to stay that way? Well, I have just the thing for you!

Have you ever noticed how easy it is for people to pick on people or for you to pick on yourself? It’s not because we are surrounded by bad people or losers. It’s not because we are a bad person or a loser “at life”. It is simply because none of us are perfect! There are so many awesome people in this world that I love and respect and all of them are not perfect. I’m NOT perfect either, but that has nothing to do with how much I am loved or you are loved.

So you might wonder what this has to do with being happy. Well, here is my answer to being happy…Be a Thankful Person! Be a Person that Looks for the Blessings In Front of Them and Thank God for Them! When I changed the way I prayed with thankfulness, it not only changed my relationship with God, but also all my relationships with family, friends and myself. Here are some simple steps that I took to be become a Thankful Person:

Know that God and His Son, Jesus, love you very much! (no matter how imperfect you are)
Make time to pray everyday, even if it is only for 5 min.
When you pray start by giving thanks. Examples: Thank Jesus for what He has done for you. Thank Him for loving you. Thank God for your family and friends. Thanks, for the ability to run, see, hear, sing, and breathe. Thanks for living in a Free Country. Thanks for those things that made you laugh today. Thanks Him for giving you the courage to go on that retreat. THANK GOD FOR WHATEVER YOU WANT THAT MADE OR MAKES YOUR LIFE BETTER. ***When you give thanks EVERY Day, you don’t forget those things to be thankful for. If you don’t do this every day, it is easier to become more aware of the problems you have (because most people pray for those).
When you pray, here is an easy system that you can do in as little as 5 minutes:

Spend 2 minutes praying for what you are thankful for.
Spend 2 minutes praying for the things that others need.
Spend 1 minute praying for what you need.
Always end by thanking God for listening and pray that His will be done in your life. Remember this passage:“For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.”
Jeremiah 29:11

Look for the good in yourself and the people you meet. If this is hard, pray that Jesus show you the good in whomever you struggle with (even yourself). Even if you don't see very much the first time, if you keep looking and doing the first 3 steps you will.
Extra Step for us that need an extra push: Know that you are not alone and there are people here to help you. Just as God is here to listen and be there for you, so are your parents, youth ministers, friends, etc. Let them know how you feel, so they know. They also know you better than some and can be there to listen, to make you laugh, to take you to a movie, to pray with you. They may help you see things that you couldn’t see yourself. They also may just change your mood for no reason except because that you spent time together.

****When nothing seems to help and you feel unhappy all the time, some people need to see somebody like a counselor or a psychologist. Some of my favorite people in my life have gone to one of these (or both) and it did great things for them because they needed somebody “outside of their world” to give them their perspective and thoughts.

I’m not a professional on being happy, but I have found that people who walk with gratitude (Thankfulness) in their hearts are usually much happier than those that are focused on what they don’t have or the things that they don’t like about other people or themselves. Think about how joyful our world would be if we all recognized the blessings we’ve experienced and that are in front of us.

I am thankful for you reading my blog and I pray that you find yourself feeling greatly loved and blessed today. I pray you find yourself smiling and laughing more. I pray that every tear you have is of joy and love. I pray you develop a life of joy with a thankful heart!

You are Loved,

Tom

The Pink Hair Podcast Challenge

Paul Masek — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 08:21:48 -0500

Is anyone interested in seeing me with pink hair? Yeah, I thought you might be.

Well, this is your chance.

If a certain task is accomplished within a certain time frame by the good people of Cyberspace, I will not only dye my hair pink, but I will appear in public…with pink hair. Some of my friends are already having way too much fun with this, and have manipulated a picture of me to illustrate what this might look like; scroll down for that disturbing image…

Here’s the story.

I am convinced that one of the best-kept secrets in Cyberspace is the REAP Team’s podcast. Every two weeks we post a new episode, and our past podcasts have covered topics including Eating Disorders, Getting Over Your Ex, Being Fake, Labeling Others, Bullying, Chastity, Super Mario Brothers, Instant Messaging, Deer Hunting, Drugs, and Unplanned Pregnancy.

Episodes in the very near future will deal with the topics of Freedom, Self-Image, Second Chances, Stewardship, A Little Person’s Story, and Jokes.

These podcasts are awesomely inspirational and feature real-life stories of some of the most amazing people who have ever lived, but as of 8/25/08 we only have about 50 REAP Team podcast subscribers. I want more people to hear these podcasts…

So, I have decided (with the permission of my wife and kids) that if 1000 people are subscribed to the REAP Team podcast by the date of December 8, 2008 I will dye my hair pink in time for a public appearance at the REAP Team Benefit Concert (featuring Karl Zimmerman and Pete Buncher) on December 12, 2008 at DeSmet Jesuit High School.

Call me crazy, but it’s for the kids…and for the Lord…and promises to be humiliating…

If you are one of those crazy kids on Facebook, you can join a group devoted to this challenge.

If you have iTunes, you can subscribe to the podcast by going here and clicking the SUBSCRIBE button.

Or you can subscribe to the podcast through FeedBurner.

I just hope that you give a listen to the REAP Team’s podcasts. And let me know what you think of them. And imagine me with pink hair. I might just might look like this.

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New Shoes

Katie Lucchesi — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 15:36:56 -0500

It’s time for some new shoes.

I don’t know about you but when I was little when August would roll around it meant 2 things… back to school and back to school SHOPPING! Now I went to a Catholic grade school and high school and therefore since shopping for clothes wasn’t really an option, I looked forward to getting brand new tennis shoes. I continuously purchased the same type of tennis shoes… Adidas Osweego… the only change, different color each year.

A few years ago I stumbled upon a job here at the office of youth ministry. It was just what I needed, and God knew it. I was radically moved in my faith journey through my first year and was asked to reflect upon it. I titled my reflection “Just Five Minutes”, and since I don’t want to make you read something I scrambled to write years back, I’ll summarize.

I explained how I wished that everyone could have had just five minutes in my old Adidas Osweego tennis shoes. Those shoes which had been worn in 2003 at my first-ever St. Louis Mid-America conference when I sat in the Petite section, row “F” for all sessions… yes that is correct… to in 2005 in which I stood in the front row for all four sessions; the shoes have seen it all and so have I.

These were the shoes that helped me run clear across campus during the chaos of workshops, skipped me through row ‘M’, gave me blisters during registration, and sometimes plain and simple just had to come off because they were causing stress. These shoes drove my first golf cart and loaded and unloaded, and loaded and unloaded again, the numerous trucks over the summers. These shoes helped me drag 4000+ booklets down a dark hallway and were worn until 4:30am printing name tags. These shoes danced me across the stage to “500 Miles”, “Livin’ on a Prayer”, and “Some Kind of Wonderful”. These shoes have been worn during hugs, tears, a ton of laughs and an incredible amount of prayers.

The moments in my shoes over the past few summer have truly been life-changing.

And while the shoes have changed over time from Adidas to crocs, from blue foam sandals to flip flops, all along I still wished people could experience the beauty that I did, from MY point of view. It has been a priceless view from the top, to the bottom, to the front row, to the box, and now to where I will be standing praising, sitting, and kneeling in the summer of 2009 at the Steubenville Youth Conferences … in the rows with some 70 teens from St. Catherine Laboure Parish from St. Louis. I will begin as full-time youth minister at SCL starting next week and I am absolutely ecstatic to be putting on a brand new pair of shoes!

As for my old ones, well, they’ve been retired but not thrown away. While it has been an amazing, wonderful, and unforgettable journey in them, God has plans, and He’s putting the shoes on someone else starting next summer for the Steubenville Youth Conferences. So thanks to the shoes which took me every step of the way, and all those who had a part in the experience. Love to all and God Bless!!!

“What are you going to get?”

Tom Lancia — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 11:15:11 -0500

I went out to lunch Tuesday with the wonderful ladies in my new office. We’re sitting in the restaurant and you know what has to be asked…”What are you going to get?”

I started to wonder, why is it so hard to make decisions at times? I know you all can relate, especially over the summer when you can’t think of anything to do. There are many famous questions like, “What do you want to do?”…”What do you want to eat?”…”Where do you want to go?”…”What movie do you want to see?”

These are a few reasons I came up with: One is that we really don’t know and we want to see if anyone else has any good ideas. Another is that we don’t want to be disappointed in our decision, so we want someone else to take responsibility. We also may not suggest anything because we don’t want people to shoot down our ideas or look stupid. Finally, I think we want to make people happy, so we let them decide. What ever your reasons, there comes a time when you need to make a decision or you won’t ever have a say in anything you do or any where you go. In middle school and high school I was always nervous about everything I would say and do, so much so that I would never make comments around certain people or some times any one at all. Needless to say, I didn’t make many suggestions to do anything. When I look back at that time I missed out on many things and friendships because I was afraid to be me. The only place I felt that I could be myself was with my family.

If you know me now, I will talk to anyone about anything. You will also find out that I am also not afraid to share what I think. This isn’t because I have all the answers or because I love to hear my own voice (even though some may think so). The reason I changed, was because Christ became alive in my life and in my heart. When I realized who God is and His love for me, then I started to embrace the man He created me to be. Think about this…God is the creator of all things and he took time to create you exactly the way He wanted you. I believe that God doesn’t make mistakes, which meant that He really likes who He created. Think about this too…He also loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for us to wash away all our sin and junk that messes us up. Knowing how Awesome God is and how much He LOVES me, helped me to embrace that person that He created me to be.

So let me ask you a harder question than the ones above, “What are you going to get involved with this year?” or “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

I will tell you that everyone has ideas on how you should live your life and when I stopped listening to just them and starting listening to what Jesus had placed in my heart and what I was created to be that my life found purpose and joy. It was a turning point in my life when I stopped listening to what society told me I needed to be happy. I started to know how God wanted to bless me that I found the best job of my life as a youth minister. I found my Awesome wife, Samantha, and I will also find out what it means to be a dad this February.

So thanks for taking time to read my first blog. You are all in my prayers.

You are Loved,

Tom

p.s. Please, feel free to email me any time of your thoughts, prayer requests, things you would like me to answer, or what ever you want. My email is tomlancia@archstl.org

Greater Things

Rosanne Twellman — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 17:04:18 -0500

Greater things have yet to come,

and greater things are still to be done in this city.

Four years ago a frightened young girl, whom I had never met, came to work for me. She was to be my intern to help with the Steubenville conference. She was unsure, and I found out later that she wanted to quit after the first day. But she hung in there, and not only helped, but came back the following year to work full time in the summer to get ready for our first year of two conferences.

She is finishing up her fourth and final year as my intern, and has become much more than an intern. She has on many fronts, planned, organized and implemented logistics for the two weeks of conferences for 4000+ people. She has become my right arm and even sometimes both my arms, swinging into action, multi-tasking, and getting things done.

I celebrated ten years of conferences this year, but it was very much more. Over the last two weeks we both realized that this would be the last time we would set up for registration, meet with our volunteers, pray, welcome the first group leaders, and walk backstage of JKH to see the multicolored shirts of teens on fire for Jesus together.

After this is all changes. Katie is entering a new phase of her life, she will be the youth minister at St. Catherine Laboure Parish. The teens and staff are very blessed to have her. I wish her well and great blessings on her new ministry.

Her exit will certainly leave a huge void in our lives but we take our memories, laughter and our tears and we move on. We keep on keepin on.

God Bless you Catherine M Lucchesi!

Getting High This Summer?

Paul Masek — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:46:18 -0500

Do you plan on getting high this summer?

My question actually has to do with God and your spiritual life, though if you plan on doing drugs this summer, we need to talk…seriously…send me an email, OK?

I want to repeat the question. Do you plan on getting high - on God - this summer?

The experience of getting “high on God” or experiencing a ‘spiritual high’ is a common experience for those who are trying to grow closer to God, and if you are reading this, I suspect you know what I mean. Someone attends a retreat like a Luke 18, Timothy 4, Steubenville, Christpower, Project Life, ACTS, CHRP, or even a REAP retreat, and experiences God’s love in a fresh and exciting way. They feel “high” on life, love, and God. Everything is new, everything is different, and everything is exciting. I’m not gonna lie; I've had the feeling, and it is an awesome feeling indeed.

But then what happens? Usually, it last for a while, and then we go back to the ‘real world’ and ‘real life’ and it fades away, leaving us empty and wanting more, right? So, what should we do about the experience of a ‘spiritual high’?

Here’s my advice

1) Thank God for the experience.

2) Prayerfully share that experience with other people. Other people want to, and even need to hear our stories.

3) Stay open to other experiences of Jesus by going places – like church, youth group, prayer group, and other retreats – where we can have more experiences. I am convinced that God loves to show us His love.

4) Know that the longing for more is a gift intended to motivate us to stay connected to God, especially through prayer, Scripture, sacraments, and community - if possible the same community with whom we had that spiritual experience.

5) Don’t depend on these experiences. Though ‘spiritual highs’ are gifts, they are not ultimately what the spiritual life is all about – the spiritual life is about an ever-deepening relationship with Jesus.

6) Know that God is with you – even if you never experience even one spiritual high your whole life long! Recent revelations about the life of Mother Teresa – the greatest saint of our century, in my opinion – reveal that for most of her life she did not feel God’s presence at all. Spend some time reflecting on that fact, and it will rock your world.

I love what my favorite author, C.S. Lewis, has to say about the experience of a ‘spiritual high’:

All our prayers are being answered, and I thank God for it. The only (possibly, not necessarily) unfavorable symptom is that you are just a trifle too excited. It is quite right that you should feel that "something terrific" has happened to you…

Accept these sensations with thankfulness as birthday cards from God, but remember that they are only greetings, not the real gift. I mean that it is not the sensations that are the real thing. The real thing is the gift of the Holy Spirit which can't usually be - perhaps not ever - experienced as a sensation or an emotion. The sensations are merely the response of the nervous system. Don't depend on them. Otherwise when they go and you are once more emotionally flat (as you certainly will be quite soon), you might think that the real thing had gone too. But it won't. It will be there when you can't feel it. Maybe even most operative when you can feel it least.
Don't imagine it is all "going to be an exciting adventure from now on". It won't. Excitement, of whatever sort, never lasts. This is the push to start you off on your first bicycle: you'll be left to lots of dogged pedaling later on. And no need to feel depressed about it either. It will be good for your spiritual leg muscles. So enjoy the push while it lasts, but enjoy it as a treat, not as something normal.

I’d like to close by sharing with you something I learned while working at my first youth ministry job, from my good friend Dolores. She was much older and far wiser than me, and in my eyes she was a spiritual giant; as a matter of fact, she still is, and bigger than ever - since she lives in Heaven now. She told me something that I have never forgotten:

When we are young, our spiritual life can be like a rollercoaster – exciting, thrilling, and a wild ride with a lot of ups and downs. However, as we mature, our goal is actually to simply walk peacefully, as through a quiet meadow, with our close friend Jesus.

Any experience of a ‘spiritual high’, therefore, is to draw us closer to the One who is actually the MOST HIGH, so that we can be with Him forever.

What Does Jesus Do?

Anthony Gerber — Tue, 20 May 2008 14:50:26 -0500

I think it’s pretty safe to say that most of us have heard of the phrase “What would Jesus do” or have seen the bracelets with the WWJD on them. It’s a good slogan which we have probably echoed to our very selves as we struggle with making a tough decision: “What would Jesus do?”—would he go to Mass on Sunday or stay home? For some, it has even become a kind of catch-phrase for giving advice: “what would Jesus do?”—you have a problem? well, what would Jesus do?

The last time my whole family got together to celebrate a birthday, a few of my relatives started a conversation about God and the Church and Jesus. A couple of them were talking about “going to Church” and how they were too busy with errands to go to Sunday Mass. I was listening to what they had to say—there is usually more to a story than what meets the eye. They talked about how they knew that missing Mass (except for a very important reason—like being very sick) was a “sin”—but that was all (and by “all” I mean, it was just a sin). The word “sin” had no meaning for them. It was like driving five miles over the speed limit or parking in a handicapped spot—you probably shouldn’t do it, but occasionally you “have” to (so long as no one gets hurt), they say.

Towards the end of the conversation, I was asked what I thought. Here, I could have talked about how Mass is more than simply an obligation—I could have talked about God as a loving Father who provides always for his children and how he longs to be united with us and how, at the Mass, we are united to him in a way beyond all ways. I could have talked about the cross and the resurrection and the sacrifice at the altar. I could have talked about how missing Mass is not simply a “sin”—a word without a meaning for many—but is like telling someone who loves you so deeply that you don’t love them like that or are too busy or that you want to be left alone. Then, at least, I would think that they would see Mass in God’s plan and as the center of his personal love. Mass wouldn’t be an obligation we have to fulfill; but, instead, Mass is an expression of God’s love for us which we can enter into and draw strength from and are changed into free, loving persons. We go to Mass because we love. Mass matters—not only because not going is a sin, but also because it’s how God loves us personally and how we personally love God.

But, I didn’t do that.

Instead, I asked a simple question—no, not “what would Jesus do”—but, rather, “what does Jesus do?”

You see, I think this question gets at the heart of the matter—and fast. Sure, I could have given them all the information above, but I probably would have come off as preachy (which is something that I tend to—and am struggling to overcome). And I could have asked them “well, what would Jesus do?” But, we all know their answer to that question. “Jesus would understand.”

But, would he? In fact, let's not speculate: does he?

The question “What does Jesus do” places Jesus right into the heart of the conversation—he is right here. Present. Looking at you. Active. Alive. Loving. You. Here. Right now. Really.

Faced with that question, we are less likely to turn Jesus into someone “out there” who “would do” something—who would love, if he were still here. Instead, when we ask “what does Jesus do,” we can’t help but think him to be present and alive here and now. We focus on him and what he is calling us to do, because he does it now.

Jesus says to you, right now: "I am with you always…"

Of course, I see the value in asking the question “what would Jesus do” as a kind of motivating force for what we should and should not do—that is, “if Jesus were here right now, what would he do if he was in my position?” And then, hopefully, we do what we think we see Jesus would do.

But Jesus is in your position. And Jesus is here right now. And what we think Jesus would do might not be how or what he actually does.

I would like to say that this new question was a cure-all for my relatives, but sadly they still said, “Jesus would understand.” And so they didn’t go to Mass that Sunday. Their answer to “what does Jesus do” was incorrect because they still did not know what Jesus does. They did not know that he is a person who loves. Them. Right now. Here. And so sin for them is just another word. And Mass is just another obligation that one has to fulfill.

Change in heart may take some time and will certainly take much prayer; but, at least now we are asking the right question.

Perhaps, as Catholics—not simply as ministers, but as Catholics—we need to teach Jesus and the Christian moral life not by asking the question “what would Jesus do” but by asking and answering the question “what does Jesus do.”

Then, I think, we would see that he doesn’t “understand” when we love things more than him—but instead, he weeps.

HN MY BFF

Gretchen Pacheco — Thu, 15 May 2008 10:18:00 -0500

HN MY BFF

Recently I traveled 280 miles to go to a concert. One of my favorite bands, Hawk Nelson, was playing, so we purchased tickets and prepared for our road trip. On a side note, if you’ve been on a retreat with the REAP team in the last couple of years, chances are you’ve heard us playing them. You can check out their music at www.hawknelson.com

Their music rocks and requires you to jump around and I totally love it! (Yes there was crowd surfing and moshing, although not by me-at least not the crowd surfing part) They also have some songs that are a little more mellow and some that can really pull at your heart. I’ve listened to most of their songs hundreds of times (um, that’s what you do with your favorite bands!) During the concert though, I had a unique experience. They played one of my favorite songs, “Everything That You Ever Wanted” and I felt it. You know how you sometimes feel something when you hear a song? Well, I had heard the song, seriously, hundreds of times but this time was different. I had tears welling up in my eyes and I felt some heaviness in my heart, especially when I heard:

I tried to be perfect, tried to be honest
Tried to be everything that you ever wanted
I tried to be stronger, tried to be smarter
Tried to be everything but you

You can read all the lyrics at the end of this post, but it’s about divorce and how people sometimes feel. I identify with all of it, but on this night, this part in particular grabbed hold of me. My parents split when I was 8. I was always trying to be good, no, check that, not just good, the best, perfect. I got good grades, I played sports, I was in drama, editor of the school paper as a junior, the list goes on and on. I don’t recall making a conscious decision to do all these things, but I know now I was influenced by the need to prove myself. I felt that if I was just good enough then people would love me, my dad would love me.

It took me a long time to realize that my dad loved me the best he could. It was less than I needed, less than I deserved, but due to his alcoholism and other factors, it was all he had. It took even longer for me to realize that I had nothing to prove, that I didn’t need to do or be anything in order to be worthy of love because I’m not the one who makes me worthy. God is. God says I’m worthy even when I don’t act like it, even when I make mistakes and screw up.

I forgave my father long ago for the ways he hurt me. I forgave God for not protecting me from the pain I experienced. I’ve opened my life and heart to God’s healing love and the benefits are amazing. I experienced that this past weekend during the concert. I said I felt some heaviness in my heart when I heard the song, and that still happens to me from time to time. Big hurts can be like that. When that happens I have some choices, I can throw a pity party and get angry, I can brush it off and say it’s no big deal or I can say yeah, that sucks, and yes, I forgive you, again.

Hurt and disappointment are a part of life and there’s really nothing we can do about it. The only choices we have are in how we deal with it. I love what Maya Angelou said about healing past hurts, "We cannot change the past, but we can change our attitude toward it. Uproot guilt and plant forgiveness. Tear out arrogance and seed humility. Exchange love for hate —- thereby, making the present comfortable and the future promising." Isn’t that all any of us really need, a life filled with love, a comfortable present and a promising future.

As promised, lyrics to Hawk Nelson’s “Everything That You Ever Wanted” enjoy!

"Everything That You Ever Wanted"

I walk the line
Leave it all behind
I've been waiting forever
Lets go back in time
When I could read your mind
Still I've been waiting

It took the seasons going by
To know it’s not my fault

I tried to be perfect, tried to be honest
Tried to be everything that you ever wanted
I tried to be stronger, tried to be smarter
Tried to be everything but you

Its been so long
Since you've been home
I used to wait up forever
I used to say a prayer
Wishing you were there
And I'm still waiting

You told me once
You'd show up
But I fell for that
Before I fell to pieces
Then I woke up
To no one,
Just a picture of Jesus
And a house left in pieces

It took the seasons going by
To know it’s not my fault

I tried to be perfect, tried to be honest
Tried to be everything that you ever wanted
I tried to be stronger, tried to be smarter
Tried to be everything but you

I wanted you
I need you
I want to believe you
I wanted you
I need you
I want to believe you

I tried to be perfect, tried to be honest
tried to be everything but you

I tried to be perfect, tried to be honest
Tried to be everything that you ever wanted
I tried to be stronger, tried to be smarter
Tried to be everything but you

Graduating is Scary

Katie Lucchesi — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:20:01 -0500

The end of the school year is just a few short weeks away, which, in my life means that graduation and the real world are to follow immediately. This past weekend's gospel made me realize what it means to actually 'leave' someone/something you love. But it also reminded me how no matter where physically Christ is, he is always present with us and even as he was leaving his disciples, he promised to send them an ‘advocate’ to always be present with them. Maybe it’s just me, but I related this aspect of the gospel to my leaving SLU this upcoming May.

It made me think about how scared the disciples must have felt knowing that Jesus was leaving them, even if he was still sending an ‘advocate’, the Holy Spirit. They must have been fearful, the way I am fearful of the change to come. It’s not to say that I am regretful of my time at SLU, nor am I weary of what is to come, not at all! However, there is always a sense of excitement and nervousness with the approaching graduation day, and I think that the disciples felt the same way.

So here are those disciples, all those who have had Jesus as part of their lives for so many years, and he tells them that he will never leave them orphans because of the most amazing gift from God ever, his love. I’m pretty sure that during all this talk of Jesus leaving, the disciples didn’t want him to pack his bags and go; and then to convince them that he was still always going to be with them, no matter how reassured they felt, was probably still very difficult. I kind of feel like both Jesus and the disciples right now… and in a way, I think every senior kind of is. I am the one packing my bags and leaving, but I’m also the one being left. It’s a scary thought, really.

The difference, however, between anxiousness and excitement, fear and courage, is trust. The disciples trusted Jesus. They did just as he suggested; they believed and they lived because he lived. And while he may not have been part of their physical world, they still saw him, and above all, they followed him through following his commandments. I’d like to believe the disciples were still a little anxious, just like me, but they trusted those words that Jesus would always be with them, and that is exactly where I am called to be right now as well.

No matter the change right now in my life, in yours, in everyone else’s, it is knowing Jesus is still with me, and will never leave me, reminds me that TRUST should be enough to carry me on this road, wherever it may lead past May.

Congrats to all those graduating from grade school, high school, college, and beyond in 2008!

Worry, NOT!

Rosanne Twellman — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 20:21:20 -0500

For the last week or so Jesus is talking to his disciples in the gospel readings. He is trying to tell them about what is going to happen and what he wants them to do. They did not understand and some of them asked what some might say are silly questions, "we don't know where you are going, how can we find the way?" "show us the Father, that should be enough!" They just didn't get it!

Sometimes we don't get it either! We want the answers, we want to be in the know, we want to see it all, that will be enough!

We can get all wrapped up in the things that are wrong with our lives, we can worry about this and that, but does any of that worry fix it? I don't know about you, but I am going to try and let Jesus do the worrying and I am going to just try to listen and do as He asks me.

Magical powers, lock down, and Pope mobiles

Sr. M. Consolata Crews FSGM — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 17:54:50 -0500

I don't think I've laughed this much in a long time! Young people are great, are they not? I wish you could have joined me for the pilgrimage to New York to see Pope Benedict XVI! You too would have witnessed just how awesome young people can be!

I was so edified by their witness of joy, of flexibility, of being positive in the midst of changes, and really just living in the moment! I didn't hear any complaining and there really could have been some when an 18 hour bus ride increased to 20, or when attending a Pre-Papal Youth Rally ended up being more time on the bus than at the Rally itself. It certainly was a pilgrimage!…and one not to be forgotten!

We waited in long lines for the shuttle buses, for food at the Youth Rally, and sat on a bus for many hours. Why? Because I along with a bus load of teens and chaperones LOVE our Holy Father! We wanted to see him in person.

Magical Powers:

As we waited in line for the shuttle buses some young people revealed to me that I had magical powers! Wow! I didn't know I did! I could pull a pen out of my pen pocket! Amazing! So, we laughed much while we were in a shuttle bus line that didn't move for almost 45 minutes. Guess whose line buses kept skipping?! Were we irritated? Not really because we were enjoying the present moment and I was laughing at the incredibly imaginative minds of these young men!

Lock Down:

So, now it's 1:30pm and we are finally on the field of St. Joseph's Seminary. Yes, 3 1/2 hours after arriving at Yonkers Raceway to take shuttle buses to the Rally. We are glad to be here! What a beautiful day it was with sunshine and a cool breeze now and again.

Well, you could say we were hungry, slightly…understatement! I along with Katie and Sr. Mary David went with our tickets to the other side of field to get some food for us and some others. Now did we really think that we could get some food without waiting in line? I guess we could have hoped to do so! Alas, after another 2 1/2 hour wait we had food!!

We made our way through the crowds. We needed to get food to our group! Then we saw the fences before our eyes. Locked out. We couldn't cross the road to get to the field. Lock down. Security had to stop the flow of people from field to field. The Pope was arriving soon. But our group was on the other side? We had their food!

So, we had food. They had a spot on the field. What can you do? So, they starved and we ate. (Just ask Liz about her cookie story!) We just had to trust this is where the Lord wanted us to be.

Pope Mobile:

Where were we going to stand? There was a fence overlooking the field and stage. Would the Holy Father drive by? At first I didn't think so because there wasn't enough security. However, as time passed, more and more policeman started lining up. But wait, there was another fence back closer to the seminary building itself. Sr. Mary David went to check it out. She asked the policeman if we should stay where we were at or move here. He said he would stay where he was. She returned and the three of us moved over there. Within a few minutes, others from our group who had been "locked out" joined us. We weren't alone as we awaited the arrival of Pope Benedict XVI!

Sure enough, we were in the right spot! We could see the Pope mobile coming from the seminary and he drove right past us. Did I mention that we were right next to the fence? No one was in front of us, except the policman, some grass and trees! The young people cheered as they took pictures! Here was the man we had journeyed to see!

After he passed by, we made our way back to the other fence. Now, there were many in front of us and we couldn't see the stage, well, except Sr. Mary David! I told the others to stay close behind me. As people leave we could make our way closer, inch by inch. My gut was telling me that the Pope mobile would leave by this road.

Even though we couldn't hear everything due to the lack of sound and we weren't with the entire group, we were where the Lord wanted us to be.

Sure enough, we had inched our way closer. The Holy Father gave us his blessing and went back stage to get on the Pope mobile. Excitement grew as we anticipated him coming past us. YES! Here he came, just feet in front of us! Okay, so being locked out from the other side wasn't so bad after all!

Grace:

It hasn't even been 24 hours since arriving back. There is still much to ponder and pray about the experience of this pilgrimage. There are so many small stories to share.

I can say that I am blessed to work with young people. I was inspired these past days. It was a true pilgrimage with ups and downs, joys and sorrows, grace and encounters with Christ. My prayer is that the young people who traveled and those who stayed home, will know and believe in their hearts just how much they are loved by Jesus. May they place their trust in Christ and hope in Him!

Thank you to those who traveled for memories of magical powers, lock down, Pope mobiles and more!

I invite you to read one young man's blog, Luke Yamnitz, who traveled with us.

New Life

Sr. M. Consolata Crews FSGM — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 16:10:55 -0500

So, how is your Easter season? Are you even aware that we are still celebrating? We are at the end of Week 4 and I loved last Sunday - Good Shepherd Sunday!

Have you been listening to the words of our Holy Father during his visit? I have only had a chance to watch the Evening Prayer and address last night with the bishops. As you may know, his theme for this visit is "Christ our hope." A phrase he said last night stood out to me: "…find new life in Christ our hope." New life. After lent have you found new life in Christ? Is there a sense of living a new hope? Being re-created in Christ? Being a new creature? Experiencing new life?

I invite you to be open to the grace of this visit of our Holy Father, our shepherd here on earth. Let the Lord speak to you through his words. Even if you miss the live delivery, you can still return to it later.

Tonight I depart with a group of 55 young people and adults to journey to New York to see Pope Benedict XVI! Please pray for us and a safe journey. Please pray that all are open to the grace being poured out on us, on our country! We will listen to his message at the youth rally on April 19th, his anniversary of being elected to the pontificate.

Whatever you may be experiencing, may you find new life in Christ. A new hope. He never lets go of you! You are loved!

To be or not to be... Catholic

Greg Robeson — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 12:54:37 -0500

Last Wednesday, I got rocked by one of the teens in the youth group. She led a night on grace and Reconciliation. Taylor is not Catholic yet, but she is going through RCIA. Talking about the sacraments, she said, "Protestants don't know what they are missing and you Catholics don't know what you've got". The way she shared her desire for full communion had several of us crying including me.

I asked Taylor why she wants to become Catholic so badly and she began to share with me. I have been so moved by her, I asked her to write it down so that I could share it with you. Here is what she gave me.

"I started wanting to become Catholic because of my youth group. At first I was a proud to be Protestant, thinking of the simple teachings of the Protestant church I went to. I even thought at one time I might be able to educate my youth group about my Protestant faith but that wasn't what God had planned for my life.

About once a week I would go to youth group and each time I went I became more interested till one day at a Catholic praise and worship event called XLT I got hit hard by the Holy Spirit. It was during adoration that I suddenly figured out what I needed to do.

Before this I felt as if something was missing from my life, that something wasn't right. I realized that what was missing was the fullness of my faith. I was always looking for more in my Protestant faith- I felt that there had to be more than just believing in God- among other things, I was looking for a way to express my love and faithfulness to Him.

The Catholic faith was that something. It wasn't just based on believing but showing my faith and love through the sacraments and in return, having my faith strengthened through those same sacraments.

The sacraments meant that I could finally show my faith through more than my everyday attitude but my actions as well- they help me to make my faith more a part of my lifestyle. Even if others don't see my actions I know God does and that in itself makes me feel closer to God.

I'm 17 now going through RCIA and now more than ever I feel closer to God. I am finally able to go beyond declaring my faith; soon I will be able to fully express myself in relationship to God.

I feel that the sacraments are a privilege and I'm grateful God has given me the choice of bringing my faith to the fullest. For this new part of my faith, I thank God every night and I'm eternally grateful to him."

Taylor will be confirmed at an upcoming SSYM youth mass. That will be a special mass for her I am sure, but also for everyone who has been edified by her presence at youth group over the last several years, especially me.

Thank you God for working through Taylor to remind us all not to take our faith for granted! Amen.

More Than I Believe

Anthony Gerber — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 17:31:51 -0500

When I was growing up, I was a real snot. I fought with my sister every now and then, and the shouting would get really heated. If my mom was home (God help us!), she would ask me, being the older one, “Who started it?” I would then come up with some fantastic story about how I was innocent and perfect and the best son ever who would never EVER start a fight. EVER. At some point along the way, my sister—by now, red in the face—couldn’t take it anymore and she’d scream: “He’s LYING!!!” I was usually busted and sent to my room—and rightly so.

“I believe.”

Now, there is something wonderful about someone telling you: “I believe you.” There’s something powerful there. We feel affirmed, special, trustworthy. We’ve been deemed consistent with the truth. We’ve pointed out that something exists, that it’s real—and others have confirmed it. “Yeah, Anthony started the fight. I believe… you.”

Now, in the youth group or in Christian circles, we often hear people talking about their beliefs: “I believe this… or, I believe that.” And we may agree with those statements, and sometimes not. Sometimes, we just chalk them up to mere opinion. But, sometimes, those statements of “I believe” are more than just what I believe. Sometimes they are statements of what really is. When I think of my mom looking at my sister and me, I feel sorry that I lied—that I tried to cover up the truth. There was a right answer and a wrong answer to what happened; and, no matter what lies or opinions I gave, reality was still there. It could not be covered.

But, when it comes to God and faith, where can we go to know what really is?

“I believe in…”

This afternoon, I was walking from the basketball court and began to ponder God. I wonder what God would feel if we told him, “Yeah, I believe you, God.” “You’re right. You do exist.” “You created the world and you sent your Son and you’re really pretty awesome.” I would imagine that would be pretty sweet for Him—especially if billions of people are telling Him that each day.

As I continued my walk, I imagined playing soccer and I imagined my dad. He was a big fan of soccer and would push me really hard to play it well. After about 20 years of playing, I realize that I don’t remember many of the scores of games that I played. And, worse, I really don’t remember hearing that longed-for statement that fathers should give to their sons: “I believe in you.” Sons remember things like that: they remember their father showing them confidence.

Real Power: Existence and Confidence

“I believe” and “I believe in…” are both related. They are both statements of belief; they both place their trust in something or someone; and we find them both in The Creed. This is the place where we can find the list of what is real. “God, the Father”—he’s real. That he “made heaven and earth”—that’s real too. That “Jesus Christ, His Only Son, Our Lord” is really real. And that he “was born of the Virgin Mary… was crucified, died, and was buried… and was raised on the third day…” all is really real. (We could continue, but you get the point).

Yet, there’s more to the Creed than just a statement of what is real, of what exists. The Creed is also a statement of confidence—a statement of power. In other words, when we say, “I believe in God the Father,” we aren’t just listing what we believe; we are also saying that we have confidence in Him. “I am sure of him; he is trustworthy; he is powerful.” How powerful? Just check out what we say next in the Creed: that He is “the Almighty, the maker of heaven and earth, and of all that is: seen and unseen.”

When we say the Creed, we aren’t just telling the people around us in the Church a grocery list of what we believe. We are telling God the Father: “Dad, I trust in you. You can do it.”

And we say that to Jesus too. And to Mary. And to the Holy Spirit. We say it also to the Church: I am confident in you, that you, who are “one, holy, catholic, and apostolic,” will lead me to be “one, holy, catholic, and apostolic with you.” I believe in you, the communion of saints, that you pray for me, that you help me however you can. I believe in the forgiveness of sins: that God really does forgive—and his forgiveness is forever and so, oh so very powerful! I believe in the resurrection of the body. I believe in life ever-lasting. Really—I believe God our loving Father has made them real; and not simply real, but powerful and really worth believing!

Thomas

We know Thomas, our friendly apostle who wouldn’t believe his friends, the other apostles, when they said that Jesus had risen and that He appeared to them. But, when you think about it, why should Thomas have believed? After all, if the apostles really saw Jesus, then why were they still in the Upper Room “for fear of the Jews”? If Christ was really risen, then they would have been affected. They would have changed.

Of course, there is more to it than that, but I think it drives home the point: we want other people to see reality as it is. We want them to be able to say the Creed with us. We want them to feel its awesome power—which is God’s power! But, if we’re not changed when we say the Creed, how can we expect anyone else to follow us?

Jesus believed in Thomas. He showed him his hands and his side. “My Lord and My God!” Thomas shouted! Let us be changed like that too. Jesus believes in you.

Lord,

I believe you and I believe in you.

I believe all that you have revealed to the world.I

believe that when I say that I believe in you, you are truly happy.

I want to make you happy and do your will, my God.

Please help me to believe you and to believe in you.

Help me to express this confidence towards my friends

And to all that I meet each day.

Help me to echo your confidence in them

By telling them, “N., I believe in you.”

Thank you for believing in me, Lord.

Amen.

God love you!

Was it worth the wait?

Heather Gallagher Vento — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 16:10:33 -0500

Since I’m fairly open about my choice for chastity and my lifetime of good and bad decisions regarding romance, many people know that I made a decision to save myself for marriage. Yes, shockingly, I was a 31-year-old virgin on the day of my wedding. So, after the wedding, even the morning after, I got a few strange looks from friends and family who wondered, and some dared to ask, “Was it worth the wait?” Simply put…ABSOLUTELY. It was better than I ever could have imagined. Let me explain why.

No Details

I’m sorry to disappoint the curious folk, but I won’t shed any details about what happened between Michael and me once we got back home on our wedding night (yep, we shared our first night in our home). That is a treasured memory for Michael and me alone to savor, and we will…for the rest of our lives. However, I will give you some background and blog-appropriate information that might help you understand why every day, hour, minute and second of my single years, waiting for Michael, was incredibly worth it!

No Other Dance

I love to dance and have done it quite a bit in my life, from dance classes, hundreds of dance team practices, swing dancing and randomly jiving around my house. But, no other dance can even begin to compare with the most amazing dance of my life. For both Michael and me, the best dance ever happened the night of our wedding, at the reception. It wasn’t our first dance actually…it was our last. We decided to leave the reception after one last dance together to a special song by an oldies group, The Drifters, entitled, “Save the Last Dance for Me.” Here are some of the lyrics.

Oh, I know, That the music's fine like sparkling wine go and have your fun
Laugh and sing, but while we're apart don't give your heart to anyone
But don't forget who's taking you home, and in whose arms you're gonna be
So darlin', save the last dance for me.

To me, this song had a deeper meaning than just saving a last dance, if you get my drift. This song helped me wait for my husband long before I met Michael, as I tried to keep in mind that someone will be taking me home one night and in his arms I’m gonna be. The song often brought me to tears in my 20’s as I continued to wait for those arms and the man who wanted my last “dance”. At the reception, once Michael and I started dancing to this song, he said to me, “This is your dream. This is my dream…now coming to fulfillment.” Tears immediately streamed down both of our faces as we realized the magnitude of the moment, the day, the incredible gift. No other dance could compare to what we experienced. This just gives you a little glimpse of what was to come as the night progressed!

No Disappointment

What made our wedding day and wedding night so profound for us both was the knowledge of what it meant to say our vows on the alter and then give them flesh in our bedroom. The Church teaches, and we fully believe, that sex is meant to be a total gift of self, holding nothing back and free from fear of abandonment, heartache, gossip, being used, ghosts, comparisons. We are certainly not perfect, but we tried to fully embrace what it meant to be a total gift to another. What made the wedding night and honeymoon so amazing for me is not that I received Michael’s body, but that I received Michael Vento entirely: body, heart, mind and soul. What makes me giddy and excited about our marriage is not that we can “just do it” physically. I love our marriage and intimacy because I get to experience Michael himself and I get to be a gift to him as well. This is where the act becomes so powerful and amazing. I believe I have the most loving, sacrificial, intelligent, attractive, affectionate man on the planet. I get to experience all of who he is in our marriage. And, there is absolutely no disappointment in that!

No Way

Michael and I both have zero regrets about our choice for living chastity, but we would be liars if we gave you the impression that we accomplished living chastity perfectly or by our own strength. We are still striving to live chastely as married people – to be a total gift to one another by not using each other or to not think of others with lustful thoughts. And, we were striving before we married as well. Let me share with you the two things that most helped us live it the best that we could…Theology of the Body and God’s grace.

Individually, and as a couple, we learned so much about sex, love and marriage through John Paul’s teaching on Theology of the Body. There is no way we would be experiencing the intimacy and power of married life like we are now without a thorough understanding of the Church’s teaching on sex. We both knew about chastity, but Theology of the Body takes sexuality to a whole new level and allowed both of us to get excited about marriage years before we met.

We also are reaping the rewards of chastity because God is merciful and abounding in grace. Through frequently receiving the sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist, as well as through our own prayer life, God gave us daily strength and perseverance. We are both weak sinners and fools and can only thank God when we look at all the amazing things we experience in our relationship. If we tried to live this lifestyle on our own, we both know that we’d fail. But, God gave us the Holy Spirit and His Son Jesus – for which we are eternally grateful.

So, yes, striving to live chastity for all these years, saving ourselves for one another, was absolutely worth it! God’s plan is so far above our best-laid intentions and dreams. I cannot wait to see what else He has in store for me because I have learned that there is no disappointment when we give ourselves to God.

To learn more about Theology of the Body, check out Christopher West’s website.

Where were you?

Sr. M. Consolata Crews FSGM — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 08:55:29 -0500

There are certain events that happen that you will remember where you were when you heard the news. Many can recall where they were and what they were doing when President Kennedy died or when they heard the news on 9-11-01.

Today is one of those days especially for Catholics. Where were you when you heard the news of Pope John Paul II's death? For me personally, I had just arrived that day in the Netherlands for a pre-planning trip for World Youth Day. After Mass and dinner with the local Bishop, my co-workers and I said goodnight for the evening. A few hours later, after just falling asleep, I awoke to bells ringing. It was about 10pm. I knew in my heart that Pope John Paul II had died. Why else would the bells of the Church be ringing and ringing?

Today I give thanks for the gift of Pope John Paul II's life and witness! I thank God for a man who said yes to the Lord's call and lived a life of courageous love. Today I ask his intercession, especially for all young people and those who serve them.

You can share in the memories of what occured three years ago by checking out a series of videos that highlight some main events of the death and funeral of Pope John Paul II.

Let us unite in prayers of gratitude and respond with the same generosity and courage to the Lord's call for our own life today!

I would love to hear your story of "where you were" when you heard about the Holy Father's death and what it is about him that inspires you!

Divine Mercy

Rosanne Twellman — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 15:26:07 -0500

Yesterday was Divine Mercy Sunday. And oh Thomas didn't believe his friends that Jesus had come to them. Unless I see for myself, I won't believe! How often have we ourselves questioned good news; GET OUT? NO WAY? WHO SAID? WHERE DID YOU HEAR THAT? We become Thomas and question God's love for us. Each day we need to remind ourselves that He indeed loves us and went to the extreme to make sure that we could be with Him forever. My Lord and My God! That is where we hear it!

An Easter Engagement

Liz Buncher — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 13:27:32 -0500

Ahh…Easter. My favorite holiday. The joy of singing Alleluia, the stale peeps, the promise of new life that Easter brings. Something wonderful happened to me this Easter. Brian Miller asked me to marry him. I said yes. We had spent much time in prayer during the triduum, going to every Holy Week service together, starting the Divine Mercy Novena together; prayer has been a central part of our relationship from the beginning. As teens in youth group together and then 9 years later as a dating couple (God surprised me with this one…I never saw it coming!), we’ve prayed together a lot.

So right before the Vigil at the New Cathedral, for which we showed up an hour and a half early, we went into the Blessed Mother Chapel to pray. When we got up, he got down on one knee and said “I want to help you get to heaven, and I know I need your help to get there …Will you marry me?” It was beautiful! Completely surprised, I said yes then did the girl freak out thing, we had to step outside so I wouldn’t make too much noise.

All I wanted to do was celebrate, and what better way to do that then by participating in the most beautiful liturgy of the year, the Easter Vigil. The Easter vigil has 9 readings, the baptism of new members of the faith, is three plus hours long and is my favorite mass of the whole year. This time I sat there with my new fiancé and saw the Vigil in a whole new way.

The nine readings are all about trust. Trusting in the goodness of God’s creation, His wisdom, how He provides, protects, cares for his people, and most importantly how he loves us. Loves us so much in fact, that His Son died and rose so that we could join him in the resurrection. I heard this message of trust in a new light. I trusted God, though it was hard at times, to show me my Vocation. I now entrust God with my Vocation, knowing that he has great plans in store for Brian and I.

At this mass the catechumens are baptized, confirmed, and receive their first communion. The whole church is asked to renew their baptismal promises. I stood there with my new fiancé and together we recommitted ourselves to the faith, renewing our baptismal promises.

On Easter, God makes all things new. This Easter I said yes to a new life. The ultimate journey with Brian that will hopefully bring me to the promise of the resurrection.

As Catholics we are constantly called to recommit ourselves to Christ. No matter what walk of life you are in right now, remember that God is constantly calling us to make things new. This Easter season I hope that you are renewed that you know His love for you, and that you trust that he has wonderful plans for you.

Do not open until Easter!

Greg Robeson — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 11:01:38 -0500

He is risen- Alleluia!

I did not get to see Jesus come out of the tomb, but I did see a resurrection last week.

Recently, the youth group that I serve returned from our Spring Retreat called Lost. At our high school prayer night last Wednesday, some amazing things happened. The night was about how it can be hard to come back from retreat because we fall into our old ways or habits and we can feel pushed by others or the culture to live the same old way as if nothing inside us has changed.

We did a ritual where we put a candle on a table on the far wall away from where everyone was sitting. Then we asked everyone to move as close to the “light of Christ” as they wanted, symbolic of how close they are to God right now in relationship. We sang a song and everyone moved different distances. Then we paused and shared why we chose to sit where we did. Some people said some profound things.

Kristen talked about why she sat right next to the candle. “I have really opened up to Julie (core member) and as a result, I don’t feel so alone. The trust I have with her has truly helped me to open my heart to Christ in ways I did not even know were possible. I feel like Jesus and I are very close right now.”

Jason said,“I chose to sit kind of far away because all of my school work and other stuff consumes my mind and steals my time and I feel like I have to give up my prayer time sometimes just to survive. I don’t feel as close as I want to right now”.

David (holding back tears) said, “You guys lift me up. I had no idea how joyful life could be until I got involved in youth group. Seriously, this community centered around Christ makes all the difference in my life. I thought I was happy before, but now I know the real deal.”

After people shared, we moved the candle to the middle of the room and talked about how youth group is a community where we encourage each other to refocus our life and put Christ back in the center no matter how busy we get. Even after a powerful retreat, we need the reminder to keep the discipline.

Being a part of this night was like witnessing the resurrection. It is powerful to be a part of people turning from the death of sin to be resurrected in Christ. That is one of the big payoffs to youth work, you get to stand at the tomb and see people raised from the dead every week, and that challenges me to be more real about the sin in my life! As we continue to turn away from our old ways and refocus our lives with Christ at the center (youth workers included), Jesus is able to give us a share in His resurrection; His victory over sin continues to be lived out in our lives as the reign of sin is defeated! Alleluia!!

A Bloody Mess

Liz Buncher — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 16:43:22 -0500

Last year on Good Friday I decided I would in small way try and unite my self with Christ. He gave his blood for me; I donated blood for someone else. I’ve given blood before, I know the routine, but this time something strange happened. The tube broke that my blood was going through. My blood was gushing out all over the place. It was a bloody mess. When the needle was pulled out of my arm, I applied pressure, and very quickly noticed that my arm was still gushing blood, creating a bigger bloody mess.

We have all seen those biohazard trash cans in our doctor’s office. Medical people have to be very careful when dealing with blood, my bloody mess was a biohazard. I’m not sure that they will be able to use the blood that I donated. Even though the blood bag was full, the exterior was contaminated. What a waste!

So the real Good Friday, Christ shed his blood. He didn’t know if people would use the blood he shed or not, but he gave it any way. He actually was giving it for the people that crucified him, and he forgave them. Did he think for a moment that what he was doing was a waste? Absolutely not. He would do it all over again if he had to.

Have you taken the time to think about what your life would be like with out the sacrifice that he made for you? It would be a bloody mess. Christ’s blood flowed to forgive all our sins and bring us to salvation.

The challenge: Know His love for you this week, and don’t keep it to yourself! There are many people out there who are hungry for it! Share the Easter message with them. We don't want anyone to waste His blood.

Pierced Hearts

Sr. M. Consolata Crews FSGM — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 14:33:45 -0500

A common question I get asked is “What’s your vocation story?” I first have to judge how much time there is before I begin the answer! Do I share the short or the detailed version? How much is this person really interested in the details? In reality, I just begin to talk and the Holy Spirit guides what part of the story to share.

We all have a vocation story. A priest told me before I entered the convent that I would be sharing my story over and over again. He then added, (I paraphrase), “Remember, this story isn’t for you. It’s for others.” In other words, I needed to be prepared to share my story. Even if I didn’t feel like it was a big deal or didn’t want the focus on myself, I needed to be ready to share it because the Lord would use it for other people.

So, this week I thought I would share part of my journey with you. Why? Because it has to do with Lent and Good Friday.

During Lent I had written a letter to my friend who had already entered the Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George (Yea, it took me a long time to even remember the name!) telling her that I was thinking about religious life. After I had written it, I regretted that I had put it in the mail. “I’ve already been there. Not much at the time. I’ve read their brochures. I’m enjoying my single life. Oh, well. I guess she won’t read it until Easter anyway.” I knew the Sisters didn’t read their mail during Lent and waited until Easter to open it. Lent went on and I forgot I had mailed the letter.

During this particular Lent I had decided to go to Mass everyday with my roommates. We got up early, which for someone like me was a big deal! I love sleep! Well, we went to Mass, stayed and prayed for a while and then went to work.

Now I love adoration, but during this Lent I was drawn to go into the main Church and pray in front of the crucifix. So, that’s where I went. I would just sit there in the silence of the Church in front of the crucifix, in front of the Pierced One.

Easter came and the Thursday after Easter I received a letter from the vocation director of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George (do you have the name yet?). This time when I read the brochure the words were jumping off the page: “They shall look on Him whom they have pierced.” John 19:37 “To receive Christ’s merciful love and to make it visible.” Was this really the same brochure? My heart beat fast and I knew I had to call Sister!

Yes, the Lord had drawn me to Himself during Lent in front of His pierced side. He knew why my friend had to wait until Easter to read my letter. I would not have been ready for response any earlier. The words would not have jumped off the page if I had received it prior to Lent. Yes, all in the Lord’s time.

The charism of our community, (which one? Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George) is to receive Christ’s merciful and to make it visible. The scripture we focus on is “They shall look on Him whom they have pierced”. This is why Good Friday is a day close to my heart. It is the day when I gaze upon my Crucified Lord. I journey with Him to Calvary. I remain with Him at the foot of the cross. I receive His merciful love from His pierced side. Will you join me there this Good Friday?

So I thank you for reading a part of my journey. May the Lord use it to speak to your heart. I share it precisely for that reason.

Wolf Spiders

Gretchen Pacheco — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 14:32:48 -0500

My nephew, Dominick, is currently obsessed with wolf spiders. Not too long ago he was all about anteaters and velociraptors and I’m sure it won’t be long until he moves on to some other member of the animal kingdom, but for now all he wants to know is everything about wolf spiders. We were in the car and the questions began. How big are wolf spiders? Where do they live? Do they eat people? Have you ever seen one?

The last question is the one that started a great conversation. I told him that I had seen one as a kid at my grandma’s house. We talked about where –behind the wood burning stove and what happened to it- grandpa took it outside. He asked how big it was – I told him it was the size of our dog! After his eyes popped out of his head and he had totally freaked out, I said I was kidding, it was about the size of grandpa’s hand.

I was thinking he might be concerned about going to grandma’s house (thankfully she is still with us) and getting attacked by a wolf spider, so I let him know that it was at her old house in Arizona. I talked about how his mom, uncle and I were little kids then. To this Dominick replied “yeah, and I was in God’s hands”.

Dominick didn’t say anything about being in his mommy’s tummy or it being before he was born, he simply stated the fact that he was with God. Dominick is 5 and he knows exactly where he came from.

Do you?