I Feel Like The Maid! I Just Cleaned Up This Mess!

Week 17:

 

one

This Lent, I'm going to confession at least once a week. It is a lot harder than I thought it would be.

First, I have to find time to do it. Confession is offered in the evenings on Wednesday and on Saturday morning and afternoon. The opportunity is there, but the schedule fills up fast. Knowing I have to go makes me plan my time better.

Second, I am much more aware of my thoughts and actions because I know I will be talking to a priest within days of sinning. How humbling! "Bless me Father, for I have sinned... it had been one week for my last confession." Fortunately, no priest has said (yet), "Seriously? It's been a week?" The Dominicans are kind and firm. Confession is a dialogue. I'm not just ticking sins off my fingers, I'm really talking them through with the priest. It has been so rewarding and enlightening, and I always catch myself smiling as I say my penance.

I really encourage all of y'all to make the time to go to confession. I know the longer I wait to go, the more dread I feel. But God already knows your sins! This is you owning up to them, which, admittedly, is the hardest part. But pray for peace and pray for wisdom, and God in his mercy sees your heart.

If anything, think of confession as the "spring cleaning" of your soul!

two

Archbishop Timothy Dolan is the bomb-diggity. Seriously, the Catholic Church is so blessed to have such a man serving us, let alone as our current USCCB president. He gave a kickin' interview on CBS then wrote this fantastic piece called "An Airport Encounter" after a man approached him, asked if he was a Catholic priest, then said all he can think of are the words "sexual abuser." The whole thing is worth a read, but here's an excellent part: 

"Well then, why do we only hear this garbage about you priests," he inquired, as he got a bit more pensive. 

"We priests wonder the same thing. I've got a few reasons if you're interested."

He nodded his head as we slowly walked to the carousel.

"For one," I continued, "we priests deserve the more intense scrutiny, because people trust us more as we dare claim to represent God, so, when on of us do it – even if only a tiny minority of us ever have – it is more disgusting."

"Two, I'm afraid there are many out there who have no love for the Church, and are itching to ruin us. This is the issue they love to endlessly scourge us with."

"And, three, I hate to say it," as I wrapped it up, "there's a lot of money to be made in suing the Catholic Church, while it's hardly worth suing any of the other groups I mentioned before."

Elizabeth Scalia wrote a great piece called "Church is Holy, Scandals are of Man" that is also fantastic! May the Church continue to be blessed with such faithful members and defenders of the faith.

three

These lines from Arrested Development have been making me giggle all week:

 Lucille: Buster can do it. He's had business classes.

Buster: Wait, 18th century agrarian business. But I guess it's all the same principals. Let me ask you, are you at all concerned about an uprising?

four

NPR's 'This American Life' had an AMAZING story- listen here for this true act of heroism and redemption.

Synopsis:

James Spring read about two missing girls, thought to have been abducted to Mexico by their parents who were wanted for murder. Spring had wanted to do something that helped someone else, as he turned 40 years old. He decided to try to rescue Viana and Faith Carelli in Baja. He helped return them to their grandparents in Soquel, but the story is more complicated than that.

five

I was recently asked if I was in Debate or if I studied speech at school.

"Nope," I replied. "I was raised by a lawyer."

Dad and 3/4 of his daughters

six

Join me in:
--Praying for the situation in the Middle East, especially the Christians being martyred.
--Praying for Japan and all people affected.
--Praying for 40 Days for Life, which is happening right now. (And probably in your area! It is Day 17 and 132 lives have been saved! Praise God, from whom all blessings flow!)
--Praying for my family, who are all still grieving the death of my aunt, while dealing with family politics.
--Especially praying for the souls in Purgatory, including my grandmother Jean, great-grandmother Tillie, Aunt Ann and Aunt Tracey.
--Praying for all those struggling to conceive, that adoption may be a viable option.

seven

Last but certainly not least, this week's Bright Maidens' posts on dating exploded across the internet. As of this morning, my "Hillsdating and Other False Realities" has flown over 600 views, which, I admit, surprises me. I did not think this would be a popular post. I was obviously (and happily!) wrong. I think I got the most glee out of all my fellow Hillsdalians full-on support and hilarious comments to me; yes, this is the real world, folks! One friend even offered to print it off and stick it under freshmen doors, as a preventative measure.

Many thanks to Tito Edwards for featuring Elizabeth's "Christian Commitophobia" (my life story?), Trista's "Friendship That Lasts" (amazing and Aristotelian) and my 10 Commandments for Dating to The Pulp.It and National Catholic Register! Also, many, many thanks to the numerous other plugs (shout outs to Tony and Marc!) we've got this week, and to Peter, et al. for asking me out via the internetz. Thank you!, but I must decline. In a slight twist of fate, today is also the birthday of the guy I am seeing; I think it would be cruel and heartless of me to accept such an invitation on his birthday!

As a consolation prize, you can like The Bright Maidens: Young Catholic Commentary on Facebook. If you like me, like us!

Happy Friday! See Conversion Diary for more.