Katie’s Blog

News flash for those in the greater St. Louis area (or people with extra free time on their hands):

Archbishop Burke is leaving St. Louis for the Vatican. News just in this morning. There will be many folks blogging about the archbishop’s departure and who might serve in his place. Two notable blogs (with recent posts) are Amy Welborn and St. Louis Catholic.*

Prayers for Archbishop Burke, the St. Louis community, and whomever our new bishop will be. 

* - I’m not endorsing either blog, but they will have a variety of viewpoints and opinions presented.

Despite how I might wish to blog more regularly this summer, I doubt that will be a reality. Needless to say, these first few weeks of summer have been QUITE busy. My mom came to visit and it was truly lovely. I’m now in my third week of CPE and well into hospital lingo and learning more about pastoral care. My housemates and I welcomed a new member into our “clan”. (And I moved into a new room in the house, too.) My window boxes are full of flowers that are still managing to endure through the heat. Lastly, I’m headed up to Chicago for a few days to see the final profession of five wonderful Dominican brothers. Please join me in praying with and for them! 

It sounded like a good idea back in January when my dad, sister, and I planned a hiking trip. We’ve hiked Mt. LeConte on close to a dozen occasions since I was a freshman in high school. But lately I’ve been missing the mountains and lamenting the fact that my sister and dad can drop everything to go on a hike whenever they want (not that they do, but still).

So at the start of the semester, we picked the weekend before exams for me to fly home. I thought “Well, if I have it on my calendar this far in advance, I’ll have to get my act in gear and plan ahead.” Well, that time has arrived–and I haven’t planned ahead the way I would have liked to. Oh well, I’m still super-stoked. Check out where we’ll be staying!!!

Perhaps I’ll post pictures when I return… and when I finish the last few papers of the semester!!!!!!!!

I’m so excited for Pope Benedict’s visit to the US this week. I wish I was fortunate enough to get to see him, but alas I will be watching via tv and the blog-o-sphere. January of this year was the 10th anniversary of my first visit to St. Louis–to see Pope John Paul II when I was a freshman in high school. Not only have I looked back on that moment of my life fondly, but I have see the grace in my life as a result of it.

So here are a few websites of notes for those interested in things papally-related:

USCCB Website- Christ Our Hope

Amy Welborn’s blog- she has some good stuff up already, certainly with more to come.

Pope 2008- blog from the National Catholic Register

A Papal Discussion- from the NY Times

From the AI website- student brothers travel to New York

Please pray for safety for all traveling pilgrims and for all those heads of state with whom the Holy Father will be visiting!

Lord, source of eternal life and truth, give to your shepherd Benedict XVI a spirit of courage and right judgement, a spirit of knowledge and love.
By governing with fidelity those entrusted to his care, may he, as successor to the Apostle Peter and Vicar of Christ, build your Church into a sacrament of unity, love, and peace for all the world.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

SOURCE: EWTN

My dad sent out an email earlier this morning with the subject line “The Easter Bunny is at our house.” The family dog, Scout, has always enjoyed his stuffed carrot squeaker toys. It appears that as he napped with them this morning the paparazzi arrived in time to capture the moment for our amusement.

The new blog is up and running! I’m so excited we have this new fandangled blogger. It’s going to take me a bit of time, but I’ll go back and label each of my previous posts (as well as twiddle with the formatting of the text). A big thanks to Ed from our Technology Department who loaded my old posts into this new blog.

Oh, and eventually I’ll put up some new posts. Enjoy the look around!

Actually, what’s the opposite of panoply? Perhaps I should have titled this “a random grocery list of thoughts”… Oh well, it’s that time of the semester… when brain cells are focused entirely on papers, there are never enough hours in the day, and lights and decorations are up everywhere!

I confess that I have let school take over my life and have not made time for blogging. So this will be brief.

Christmas Break Reading List:
- “Book of Bebb” by Frederick Buechner
- Spe salvi (Saved by Hope) by Benedict XVI

Shout out:

Happy Feast Day to Br. Andrew! He writes about the significance of his name on his blog here: http://andymacop.blogspot.com/2007/11/st-andrew.html

Happy (almost) Advent! It’s my favorite liturgical season. In celebration, I’m going on a retreat entitled “The Dawn Will Break Upon Us.” Please pray for me!

I think it was Billy Madison who said, “Back to school! Back to school, to prove to Dad that I’m not a fool!” And as I began my “twentieth” consecutive year of education last month, I began to wonder if I was INSANE. Okay, so perhaps I’m being a bit melodramatic. But all those years of education really began to catch up with me. But now that I’ve been at this again for a couple weeks, I feel myself getting back into the swing of things. So I’ll share a bit about each of my classes and what this year has in store for me.

JOHANNINE LITERATURE-
I have wanted to take this class ever since I took Synoptic Gospels in Spring of 2006. I’m most looking forward to reading Sandra M. Schneiders’ “Written That You May Believe: Encountering Jesus in the Fourth Gospel” (Herder and Herder, 2003).

PROPHETS-
I’ve mentioned before my involvement in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd approach to the religious formation of children. Much of the scripture we look at with children is rich in imagery from the Gospel of John… and the prophets! I had Wisdom Literature last semester, and every time we mentioned the prophets I got so excited! And at last, I can sink my teeth into these wonderful saints of the Old Testament!

PREACHING I-
This is the largest class I’m in- 16 of us! It’s quite a diverse group—ages ranging from 24 to 54+; Catholics and Protestants; 7 seminarians; 7 women; 2 lay men; and all of us are at different points in the completion of our studies. I’m beginning to realize how thankful I am that my coursework and formation here requires I take a course on preaching. Already we’re beginning to unpack that word—preaching—and see the awesome power of Christ alive in the proclamation of the Word!

USES OF PHILOSOPHY IN THEOLOGY-
Even though I’m a third year M.Div. student, we don’t exactly have a set schedule or order for the classes we are to take. Sure there are pre-reqs here and there. But nothing is set in stone. This class, however, I probably should have taken a few semesters ago! If I thought I could repress all the Plato and Aristotle I learned in undergrad, it is certainly coming back to haunt me now (in a good way, I think)! I’m also very excited to have this class with Fr. Rick as it is the last class he’ll teach before he’s installed as President in January.

CHURCH HISTORY I-
Again, another class most students take in their first year. I took Church History II, I just couldn’t fit Church History I into my schedule until now. A funny coincidence, my sister is a sophomore (pre-med major) at a state university. She’s taking a Medieval History class, too. And low and behold, we had the same homework assignment the other week- Athanasius of Alexandria’s “The Life of Anthony of Egypt”!

LAY FORMATION V-
This is a “directed” reading-type course. I’m all by myself—the gift and curse of being a lay M.Div. student. One perk is I got to pick what personally, spiritually enriching book I wanted to read: Maria Harris’ “Teaching and Religious Imagination”.

So there you have it folks. It’s “only” 13 credit hours, but along with 20 hours of work (plus ministry) each week, it fills my plate quite nicely!

Mission Experience 2007:
Two weeks ago, I traveled to Tijuana, Mexico with twelve other young adults. Guided by a Missionary Oblate of Mary Immaculate priest, we stayed at the Mexican Province formation house. The goal of our trip was to immerse ourselves in border life. We weren’t there to build houses or do service work. We were there to watch, listen, and learn. The experience was truly moving, and I feel as if I only scratched the surface of what there was to know about border life.
Each year speakers from across the country speak of the healing and hope that can come from the hurts and injustices prevalent in the world around us. Upon returning to the States, four of the trip members (including myself) spoke at the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville, IL during their Novena for Healing and Hope. Fr. Chava, our leader, gave the homily and invited four of us to speak about immigrants, prisoners, women and children, and foreign policy. Below is my reflection that I read during the homily on the topic of immigrants.
For the entire homily, including my reflection, go here:
http://www.oblatesusa.org/mami/apl.aspx?path=root/momi/MissionaryWork/novenas/socialinjustice
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Our nation was founded as a melting pot

This past weekend I had the opportunity to travel to Waterloo, Ontario for the ordination of a classmate, (now Father) Toby Collins, C.R. Ten friends (mostly Aquinas employees, students, and/or graduates) and I road tripped to the north and were warmly welcomed by the Congregation of the Resurrection for the first ordination in their province in 11 years.
Toby, a 2007 M.Div. graduate, is a delightful man. I felt honored to be in attendance for this very important part of his life. On Saturday, June 2, the day of his ordination, the local paper (The Register) wrote a half page article on him. While the article is not available through their website, it has been posted on another blog. I wish to share this link with you so you have some insight into what a great priest we have in our church! Please pray for him and all members of the Congregation of the Resurrection, particularly those studying here at Aquinas Institute!
http://clericalwhispers.blogspot.com/2007/06/man-to-be-ordained-at-church-where-he.html
(Yes he really does like hippos, Spiderman, and kite flying!)