He wasn't really Irish, but he went to Notre Dame

Happy Week 14! We're finally in my favorite month of the year: March!

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I have a huge weakness for Irish drinking songs. They make me really happy because
A) it's a kind of kinship with my dad's side, who came straight off the boat during the potato famine
B) it's a reason to drink and/ or sing
C) do you really need more reasons?

In my family, Ireland is referred to as "the Motherland." Kind of like how Jews say, "next year in Jerusalem," we're constantly promising to make the pilgrimmage back to County Cork. My sister Kato is actually traveling to Europe this summer, so she gets to see the blessed isle.

Irish drinking songs can range from sad songs like "A Pub With No Beer" to more impish woes of "Whiskey, You're the Devil."

Although, I'm a particular fan of "Whiskey in the Jar":



And "Wild Rover" is just great:



This one is more of a spoof and, for a love of all that is holy, take it with a grain of sea salt and be warned it isn't for children's ears. But for us Irish, "Another Irish Drinking Song" by Da Vinci's Notebook is just full of giggles:

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Starting next week, I'll be embarking on a Lenten blog post series with fellow twenty-something Catholic women-friends: Elizabeth of Startling the Day and Trista at Not a Minx. We're going to kick it off on Fat Tuesday, writing first about women and their relationship to the Church, to be followed by
2) Contraception
3) Dating
4) Patron saints
5) Our Issue(s) with the Church
6) Saving Sex For Marriage
7) Surprise post!!

Stay tuned! Posts will go up every Tuesday morning of Lent. We look forward to having y'all join in the discussion.

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Also, speaking of Lent, has anyone decided what they are giving up yet? Or doing? I have not, but my ideas include giving up sweets and peanut butter (a staple) and going to confession and adoration at least once a week. I should probably seriously discern returning to the rosary, as I've been in a bit of a praying funk.

As St. John Bosco said: "Make frequent visits to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and the devil will be powerless against you."

Also, the Baptists want to "re-claim" Lent because “It’s a biblical thing, not a made-up Catholic thing.”

Totes not! Thanks to Carl Olson at Ignatius Scoop for this delicious laugh.

I always enjoy these a-ha moments: “It tapped into something in me that surprised me,” says Severns, now pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church in Richmond, Va. “I remember I almost felt as if I’d been let in on a great secret.”

Well, at least we all already know the end to this story...! 

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Archbishop Dolan, in a recent blog post, on "Unpleasant Truths":

Another ad has been generating some fierce reactions. Here in New York, a billboard was recently displayed, that simply stated “The most dangerous place for an African-American is in the womb.” This message was accompanied by a photograph of a young, African-American girl.

Is that message unpleasant? Is it upsetting? Does it get our attention?

Yes!

Because the message is somberly true. The City of New York’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene recently released its vital statistics from a year ago which showed that 59.8% of African-American pregnancies in New York City ended in abortion. That’s even higher than the chilling city-wide average of 41% of pregnancies ending in abortion. (I joined other community leaders from a diversity of religious and ethnic backgrounds at a press conference sponsored by the Chiaroscuro Foundation about this a few weeks ago.)

So why has the billboard suddenly been taken down? What was it that moved many of our elected officials to condemn this ad and call for the gag order. Are they claiming that free speech is a right enjoyed only by those who favor abortion or their pet causes? Do they believe that unpleasant and disturbing truths should not be spoken? Or are they afraid that when people are finally confronted with the reality of the horror of abortion, and with the toll that it is taking in our city, particularly in our African-American community, that they will be moved to defend innocent, unborn, human life?

Also worth a read: "Are Double Standards Deforming America?" by Catherine Palmer, on the Center for Morality in Public Life blog

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Matthew Warner featured this movie in a post and I am stoked for it to come out:



Chills! I am so glad this story is being told.

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In light of the Muslims protesting in front of the WH on Thursday (see video below) and B. piquing my interest in learning more about Islam, I've started reading more and doing some research. I must admit, I've found some pretty terrifying stuff, like wanting the cleric below who wants Shari'a law in America instead of democracy, because it will apparently remove all corruption. This is already happening in the UK. Forgive the super annoying person interviewing this Muslim cleric, but his answers are worth listening to-- not all religions are the same, folks.

Also, he says that Christianity is restained to the church and he suggests Islam as an alternative way of life. Not only is this a major red flag and not true, but it should be a reminder to all Christians of the importance of witnessing in our daily lives. To be a Christian is not only believing that Jesus is Lord, but taking up our own crosses to follow him.



H/T to Christopher

Here's 3 things you (probably) do not know about Islam:



H/T Lisa Graas

Plus Catholic News Agency just reported this:

Vatican City - Dialogue will continue on God's time, said a Vatican official as talks with an top Egyptian authority of Islam suffered a blow this week.

A two-day meeting between the Vatican and an Egyptian institute of Sunni Islam set for Feb. 23-24 was suspended. Egyptian officials have said unofficially that the future of dialogue hinges on an apology from the Pope.

The Vatican and the highest authority of Sunni Islam, Cairo's Al-Azhar Institute, planned to continue ongoing talks on theology during the sessions. The two sides normally meet twice per year, but this week's dates came and went without a sound.

The bombing of the Coptic Christian Church in Alexandria, Egypt after a New Year's Mass nearly two months ago was the first in a series of events that led to the suspension.

In the days that followed, Pope Benedict XVI condemned the attack and called for greater religious liberty in Egypt and protection for all citizens. His words appear to have been perceived by the government through media reports as possible calls for a western action in the country.

Pray!

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THANK GOD IT IS FRIDAY. No really, thank God. I'm kissing the ground as we speak. (Type?) I'm having dinner with a good hs friend tonight, then working on freelancing assignments this weekend while B. studies for his two monsterous tests next week, which will be marvelously fun... did I mention it's Friday?! 


Oh, and please love this as much as I do:

Happy Friday! See Conversion Diary for more fun.