It's for a good cause...

And considering the amount of time I spend chatting with some of you, it's definitely a worthwhile effort! The only thing that needs to be noted is that you need Windows Live 8.1. I'll be using it in place of MSN (my contact info is the same) for as long as the initiative runs. My cause is the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. :)

It works like this: You download the messenger, and then add a text code to your display name that corresponds to the organization you want to donate to (for example, "*komen" is for the is the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation). Then, with each conversation you have, they donate to whatever organization you chose.

Cool, aye? Happy chatting!

Knowledge is Power

Tonight, I read Jack Chick's tract "The Death Cookie" after hearing about it a while ago. I find Chick tracts so good to make fun of, especially when it relates to my Church. The misconceptions, generalizations, and flat-out fallacies in there had me both giggling and exasperated.

What made me feel at peace, though, was realising that I could easy counter the arguments in the tract, both by Scripture and common sense. A while ago, I would have not only been unable to defend my own beliefs, but may have even been swayed by some things in the tract. I did ask myself some questions as I read. When I wasn't able to answer, I researched and found explanations that satisfied me.

Things like this help to only strengthen my faith in Catholicism's truth. Take, for example, my friend S, who is a Protestant. He and I have spent the majority of this school year in dialogue about our denominations. At times, it got very, very heated. It took us until June to face one another with open minds and a willingness to learn. He challenged me to provide Scriptural support for many parts of Catholic theology, and I asked him to find strong evidence against those ideas. Both of us grew through the experience. I don't think he meant for it to happen, but S only made my faith stronger. I owe him for that.

All Things New

This weekend, I knew something was up when our resident sister was present at the Saturday Vigil Mass. I sat in the back, as usual, talked to the Gossip Squad (as I've affectionately dubbed them), and hoped to heck she didn't notice me.

I was different back then. More than once, they threatened to kick me out of CCD for being loud or rude. It was obvious that none of us cared; I imagine we were a hard group to catechize. These days, it's something I'm more than a little ashamed of. While the past is in the past, I'm not sure if I'm ready to face her yet. There would be too many questions.

In the middle of Mass, I finally realised what was going on: we had two people in their twenties finish the RCIA program, and were presented for Confirmation.

I remember mine well. The robe was fun; my girlfriends and I would twirl around and watch them flutter, calling ourselves the flying nun. It's to date the only time I've ever met the Bishop, and also the only time I had ever actually felt God present in a Church service. My shoes came off, the robe was too snug, and the chrism smelled oddly of Pine Sol, but it was nice.

If only it would have meant something more to me than freedom from eight years of boring classes. Maybe it would have stopped me from making a very long detour. Maybe not.

Sharing in the Candidates' joy was really nice. They were the first to receive Communion, so when I passed the first pew on my way up, I whispered congratulations to the man. He grinned, and I couldn't help grinning myself. It's amazing how God can change lives. Maybe someday, some of my friends will come to know that same joy.

That was my prayer, after all.

Pentecost

Come, Holy Spirit! Fill the hearts of thy faithful and enkindle them in the fire of Thy love.

Have a wonderful Pentecost. I'm going to use the weeks following to discern how I can best let the Spirit shine through in my life.

Limelight?

I told my mom when she picked me up from Mass today that it might be good to attend the other parish next week. The ladies at my Church are starting to talk. ;)

Remember the woman I've mentioned a few times before, who went out of her way to make me feel welcome at my first Mass following my reversion? Well, I've been doing my best to say hello and talk to her whenever I can.

Today, when I came out of the confessional and finished my prayers, she came over to my pew.

"So, you're graduating with honors?"

Okay, that's weird. She, as far as I knew, didn't even know my name. She goes on by saying she'd seen me on the local TV station that had shown my school's moving up ceremonies. That would explain it. We made small talk, and she goes back to her seat.

A few minutes later, I hear a loud whisper: "...and she had a really good time at her prom last night."

Oh, great. She's told all of her friends about me. They'll all know my name and everything else about me by next week. I shudder to think about what they'd do if I ever brought a guy with me to Mass! Heh.

I lean up to see her across the aisle. "Hey, Barbara!" I call in a loud whisper, "stop talking about me!" She and her lady-friends cackle like ducks. Hoo boy...

Hehe, I usually love the limelight, but not this time! I guess it can't be helped, considering I'm the only person under 30 that goes to the Saturday night Mass...

(Sometimes, I'm convinced that the young Catholics I've met on Phatmass are actually from another planet. Either that, or it's something in the taco sauce. ;))

Maybe I'll get lucky and God will hook me up with some people close to my own age. That'd be nice... :)

Fabulous!

The Catholic Church teaches that using contraception to prevent the creation of life in accordance with God's will is a mortal sin.

Let's say you're a brand-new convert to Catholicism. What are you to do with all of those condoms you've stockpiled over the years? Sure, you could throw them away.

Or you could make something special for your teenaged daughter...

May you be blessed...

I found this video while reading an acquaintance's LiveJournal, and I thought I'd share it with all of you. To some, it may seem a bit sappy, but blessings do come in little things.

May you always be blessed!

Watch the video.

Memorial of St. Isidore the Farmer...

Dear Saint Isidore, we give glory to God for the beauty of your life, your devotion to your wife and child and your goodness to the poor and pray that we too may follow your holy example of compassion and of love, especially for those who are in need. As one who worked the land and thus dignified in particular the labor of farmers, we ask your blessings upon those who till the soil and provide for the tables of us all. May your great love for the Church and your daily attendance at Mass be an example for our families. May we too be deeply grateful for the gift of our Catholic faith and for the marvel of Christ's sacrifice. Finally, Saint Isidore, we ask you to pray that our families be truly faith filled, devoted to God and the Church and to the Blessed Mother of God. We ask all this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Hey, why not give credit to my parish patron? :)

Uprooted already?

I've really been enjoying going to Mass on Saturdays. I attend at the parish I was catechized in, and while the parishioners are strangers to me, the Church and the clergy are both familiar. Even though I'm doing this by myself, being in a generally familiar place is almost comforting. People have started recognizing me, and have been great about making me feel welcome (though I've got to admit, being hugged during my first sign of peace was disturbing. I've since realized that's just her way. She laughed when I was the one to offer her a hug this weekend).

My Mom, who is lapsed like I was, stayed for Mass this weekend. I wasn't able to get to Confession and had to abstain from Communion. It was...interesting answering the questions and comments that followed when I didn't get up to receive. Mass was fifteen minutes longer than usual. On the way home, my mother noted this, along with several other things she liked and didn't like. Then:

"Hey, I know! Why don't we go to the Church I went to when I was a kid? I'd love to go back."

Wait. What? A different parish? Now? Why now? A different parish means different people and different clergy, not to mention that I actually know people there. That, admittedly, was a reason I chose my home Church to return to--no one knew me. I could worship in peace, without questions.

It's hard to consider not going there. Still, I have to consider the long-term effects of a switch--if we go to my mom's old Church, she may enjoy Mass more, which would be wonderful. I would eventually settle in wherever we ended up, even if it would be uncomfortable for a (hopefully short) time. Her Church is closer to home, too. Maybe we'll go the weekend after next to test the waters. Who knows, we may alternate, or we may not switch parishes at all.

So much for settling in. His will be done...

Note to self...

It hurts to have to live this passage almost every day. I want to put it here, though--I don't want to forget it.

"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates me hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them what no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: 'They hated me without reason.'

"When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.

John 15:18-27.

As well as the Scripture that was used in tonight's homily:

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. his is my command: Love each other."

John 15:9-17.

To love as Christ loves us--despite persecution, wrongdoing, misunderstanding--is indeed a challenge. I need to remember how much the challenge is worth it.