Katie’s Blog

I don’t think REM was entirely correct. It\’s not *really* the end of the world as we know it. Yet here we are at another exam week. It’s so hard to put into words just how fast the past four semesters have flown (and simultaneously overwhelming to think of the four semesters I have left!). Thus in the midst of the craziness of classes, papers, etc., my post will undoubtedly reflect the madness of my life right now.

However, I have been meaning to share what I’ve read on the world wide web (who actually calls it that anymore?) for some time now. Two sites spring to mind:

1) http://www.youngwomenandcatholicism.blogspot.com/

A few weeks ago, in an effort to distract myself from writing a midterm, I stumbled (literally) across this blog. I instantly forwarded it to a bunch of my girlfriends, but so far as I know I’m the only one who submitted an essay. Dare I say that this was the most challenging non-academic “thing” I’d ever written. It truly forced me to put into words what I’ve taken for granted most of my life- my faith.

2) http://www.ksdom.org/2007%20pix/800th.pdf and http://www.800.op.org/

The first link is to the Dominican Sisters of Great Bend, Kansas. It was brought to my attention in our weekly Aquinas E-Newsletter. Today, May 1, is the first of the 15 Tuesdays in honor of St. Dominic. I’ve printed out my prayer booklet and must admit that I’m very excited! And the second link is for all those interested in the 800th Jubilee.

Prayers for all others going through academic madness. Prayers especially for those who are graduating!

My intention in updating this blog was to have a joyful post reflecting on this great season of Easter. Yet in light of yesterday’s massacre (I do find that to be the most painfully appropriate word to use), my post will not come out as joy-filled as I intended. Upon hearing the news story, and then watching the news myself, I turned to the internet. I scoured sites… trying to find a prayer that might help express my feelings in light of my faith. The prayer below is one I found on a blog. It is a very appropriate prayer, I feel. Appropriate in light of the tragic loss of 33 innocent people; appropriate in light of the fact that we believe in the Risen Lord.

A Prayer for the Innocents of Virginia Tech:

Christ our eternal King and God, You have destroyed death and the devil by Your Cross and have restored man to life by Your Resurrection; give rest, Lord, to the soul of Your servants, the Innocents of Virginia Tech, who have fallen asleep, in Your Kingdom, where there is no pain, sorrow or suffering. In Your goodness and love for all men, pardon all the sins they have committed in thought word or deed, for there is no man or woman who lives and sins not, You only are without sin.

For You are the Resurrection, the Life, and Repose of Your servants, the Innocents of Virginia Tech, departed this life, O Christ our God; and to You do we send up glory with Your Eternal Father and Your All-holy, Good and Life-creating Spirit; both now and forever and to the ages of ages.

Amen.

SOURCE: http://thomistic.blogspot.com/2007/04/prayer-for-innocents-of-virginia-tech.html

The following is an email sent to me by a catechist I work with. She and I work together with a group of 9-12 year old children at St. Francis Xavier (College) Church. The children, as I’ve mentioned in previous posts, are amazing. True sources of inspiration. I think the insight shared by this catechist shows the deep wisdom and faith children have.
“I wanted to tell you that we had a “blessed” day in the Atrium this past weekend. I floated on a cloud the rest of the day. There was so much fullness of their knowledge, so much “coming together” of words from the Bible. For example, we discussed Lent and preparation for the Resurrection. One child asked why we wait for 40 days. We talked about whether that was too many days, too few days, why we must prepare… But then they all started to interject the other times in the Bible when 40 days are referred to … Noah’s Ark, Jesus in the desert, and so on. Then there was the discussion of why Jesus wore white. Then the fact that he was clad in white swaddling clothes at birth and very similar white wraps at his death, and then baptism and then communion and weddings and why don’t they HAVE to wear white at confirmation? The connections were wonderful! What a humbling experience to my knowledge and depth of understanding at their age. WOW!”
***Their prayers of petitions from this past week:***
- For all people in Iraq, and wars all over the world, that peace will conquer the world. We pray

And now for part two of the Catholic Alphabet… 

 [M is for Mary, the Mother of God - your favorite term of endearment for her]:
Theotokos and Stella Maris

 [N is for New Testament - your favorite passage]:
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news of him spread throughout the whole region. He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all. He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:  “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.” Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.\” ~ Luke 4:14-21

[O is for Old Testament - your favorite book here]:
The prophets, especially Isaiah.

[P is for Psalms - your favorite]:
All of them…? I can\’t think of a *favorite.*

[Q is for Quote - saint quote]:
If you are what you should be, you will set the world on fire.” ~ St. Catherine of Siena

[R is for Rosary - your favorite mysteries]:
JOYFUL!

[S is for Saint - the one you turn to in time of need - not including the Blessed Virgin Mary]:
Those to whom I’ve looked for inspiration, comfort, and a model for Christian living: Bl. Jordan of Saxony, Pope Pius X, Catherine of Siena, Maximilian Kolbe, Clare of Assisi, Joan of Arc

[T is for Tradition - your favorite Catholic tradition]:
Big “T” or little “t”? Liturgy of the Hours, Litany of the Saints, washing of the feet, anointing with oil, RCIA, SAINTS!!!

[U is for University - Which Catholic university have you attended or are currently attending?]:
Undergraduate: Saint Mary’s College- Notre Dame, Indiana
Graduate: Aquinas Institute of Theology- St. Louis, MO

[V is for Virtue - the one you wish you had]:
Prudence

[W is for Way of the Cross - Which station can you most relate to?]:
I don’t know if it’s the one I most relate to, but I find the message of the 14th Station—Jesus is laid in the tomb—to be particularly powerful. In that moment, we can see the entire Paschal Mystery. Through Jesus’ death, the darkness of death no longer has the final say in our life. And thus, we look forward to the time when we will be raised up to new life.

[X is for Xaverian Brothers - Do you know who they are?]:
I attend St. Francis Xavier (College) Church. And, Ive taken Church History II. The Xavieran Brothers follow in the footsteps of Jesuit saint Francis Xavier and have been in existence for 150 years (okay, I looked that last part up).

[Y is for your favorite Catholic musician]:
Oddwalk, of course. (http://oddwalkministries.com/; http://myspace.com/oddwalk) Beyond them, Bernadette Farrell, St. Louis Jesuits, Rich Mullins (I’m sure there are many more.)

[Z is for Zeal for the faith]:
You definitely have a lot of zeal for the faith if you have made it this far.

This “Catholic Alphabet” has been circulating the blogosphere lately. So I though I’d add in my two cents worth. Hopefully you’ll enjoy it… and think about how you would answer the questions yourself!

[A is for Apparitions - your favorite]:
The most intriguing to me… I don’t know about “favorite”… Devotion to Divine Mercy- St. Faustina Kowalska. “Jesus, I trust in You.” What a message!

[B is for Bible- the one you read most often]:
The one that I hold near and dear to my heart is the New Revised Standard Version- Catholic Edition. I have a certain affinity for footnotes and color maps. It’s filled with post-it notes and underlining.

C is for Charism- the one you would most like to have]:
Charisms—gifts given to us to give away. And seeing as the church doesn’t know how many there are, it’s kind of hard to know what I would ask for. But Wisdom and Knowledge—to have insight for particular situations and to be able to see the big picture—are what I pray for most often.

[D is for Doctor of the Church- your favorite]:
At a school run by the Dominican Friars of the Province of St. Albert the Great, I suppose I should say St. Albert. And being under the patronage of St. Thomas Aquinas, it would be easy to say that he is my favorite. But personally, still within the Dominican theme, I have to say St. Catherine of Siena is my favorite.

[E is for Essential Prayer - What’s yours?]:
Nunc Dittimis (also known as Night Prayer, Compline, and the Canticle of Simeon):

Lord, now you let your servant go in peace:
your word has been fulfilled.
My own eyes have seen the salvation
which you have prepared in the sight of every people;
A light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.

(Second favorite- the Magnificat)

[F is for Favorite Hymn]:
No way can I pin it down to just one. But… here are a few: “As the Deer”; “For the Beauty of the Earth”; “Canticle of the Sun” (Haugen); “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”; “Ubi Caritas”… just to name a few.

[G is for Gospel - your favorite author?]:
John… because he’s different than the rest. Because, with young children in catechesis, his is the Gospel we read from most often—especially the Good Shepherd and the True Vine.

[H is for Holy Communion - How would you describe it, using one word?]:
Faith, hope, and love- and the greatest of these is LOVE.

[I is for Inspiration - When do you feel most inspired by God?]:
In nature—particularly along the beach of Lake Michigan. But also when in the presence of children. Their prayers are so much more attuned to being in close relationship with God.

[J is for Jesus - When did you first meet Him?]:
Some time in elementary school. Two of my best friends and I used to walk the outdoor Stations of the Cross (mostly because we were not the kind to succeed in any sports-related activity) during recess.

[K is for Kindness- Which saint or person has most inspired you by their kindness?]:
~From our tradition: St. Martin de Porres and Bl. Andre Bessette
~ From my life: My youth minister, Joe, who used to lead our Bible Studies in high school. Two words: LIVING SAINT!

[L is for Liturgical Year - your favorite time in the liturgical cycle?]:
Advent- the time when as a whole church we proclaim that we live in joyful hope waiting for the Parousia.

To be continued…

The following is a paper I wrote for my Lay Liturgical Leadership class I’m taking this semester. The questions from the original assignment are maintained within my response. The goal of the assignment is to reflect on where we’re coming from in ministry, and then to reflect on what we’ve learned at the end of the semester.

“What is your ecclesial identity and what does that have to do with worship? What is meant by the “authority to lead” and where is it rooted?”

My personal understanding of my ecclesial identity begins with the black and the white—with what I am and with what I am not: I am a baptized Christian. I am not (going to be) an ordained priest. I am a lay woman. I am active in two parish communities. And gradually, my identity moves toward the grey: I am post-Vatican II worshiper; I have only been to a Latin Mass twice. I am a ministry student seeking both an academic and a professional/pastoral degree (Master of Divinity). In one parish, I am a trained, certified catechist. In another, I am a ministry intern working under the supervision of a female pastoral associate.

The later parish above is my field education practicum site. As I reflect and write goals for my learning contract this semester, I wondered about what connection (if any!) there is between “pastoral leadership” and the “authority to lead”. Could I have the authority to lead and not be a pastoral leader? And, if these two are related, how are they connected to our baptismal identity as priest, prophet, and king? While I do not have a definitive answer to my questions, I posit that both pastoral leadership and the authority to lead flow directly from our baptism. And while is it necessary for pastoral leaders to have authority, it is not necessarily the case that those with the authority to lead will also be pastoral leaders.

“How do you feel about exercising a leadership role in your community’s worship?”

Having been at this parish for a semester already, I wonder if my prolonged presence has given me authority—internal authority as I gain my bearings, and a visibility and willingness to help out in the parish. But even more so, I wonder if my authority as a lay minister, in large part, has been “given” to me by those lay ministers who have paved the way for me in the past forty years. Even ten years ago, I wonder what kind of welcome at 23 year-old woman would have received as she brought communion to the homebound.

“Is there anything distinct for lay presiders to do, or are they just simply substitutes for the priests?”

In order for the Church as a whole to answer this question adequately, there is much work to be done in the development of a theology of lay ministry and a theology of ordained ministry. And such theologies, in addition to be rooted in scripture and tradition, ought to be harmonious and not undermine the other. Richard Gaillardetz’s presentation of an ordered communion (”The Ecclesiological Foundations of Ministry within an Ordered Communion”, in Ordering the Baptismal Priesthood, Susan K. Wood, ed.), based out of our baptismal call, gives power and authority to groups within the church without confusing or subjugating such power. From a practical, and particularly a liturgical standpoint, Gaillardetz’s line quickly becomes blurred. But it is necessary for this tension to inform our theology and how we do ministry.

One of the first blog entries I posted was a reflection on petitions written by the 9-12 year olds I teach at College Church. This past weekend, I was blown away once again. Two fourth grade girls, clearly reflecting on the goings on in the world around them, wrote and read the following during our communal prayer:

~ We pray for all the children in the world, especially those in Iraq or who are orphans. We pray to the Lord…

~ For all those people who are in the war, that peace will spread over the world. We pray to the Lord…

~ For all people who do not have homes this winter, that they will be warm and safe. We pray to the Lord…

~ That all parents who have lost their children, that they will stay happy. We pray to the Lord…

~ For all our prayers that we hold in our hearts. We pray to the Lord…

~ That God’s help will be ours whenever we need it. We pray to the Lord…

A blessed Christmas and healthy, happy New Year to everyone. It\’s nice to be on break from required readings.
(My brain had nearly turned to mush!)
In a personal effort to live out Christmas in my life these next few weeks, I offer the following poems for your reflection.
_________
Dialogue:
A Word, a Word
Thou, Lord, didst utter which Thy willing handmaid heard,
And infinite, small Life within my own life breathed and stirred.
A blessed space
My Lord in me and I in Him found resting place;
In such divine repose I waited, silent and full of grace.
Answer is nigh;
O God, I lift a Child up heart-and-heaven high
And say,  “This is my Flesh and Blood”; Thy Word is my reply.
_________
Sheepfolds:
The shepherds are stricken; the sheep have fled;
Their folds are broken, their watch-fires dead.
Not only the lost and wayward one;
The ninety-nie, they, too, are undone.
The laden ewes, the driven sheep,
Where can they lay their young to sleep?
This Lamb, new-born and weak and cold,
This Lamb of God, -will you be His fold?
_________
Stars:
We are the old stars that have watched the night skies with the prophets of old;
We are the magi from out of the East; we are bringers of gold.
Heaven has incense of praise from censers seraphic to bring;
Earth, the world-weary, bears bitter-sweet treasure of myrrh to the King.
Homage of incense and myrrh for a God and a Savior are meet;
We are your stars, little King, and we scatter the gold of ourselves at Your feet.
_________
SOURCE:
Wolff, CSC, M. Madeleva.  “The Four Last Things: Collected Poems.” 2nd ed. Notre Dame, IN: Saint Mary’s Press, 1986.

I can’t put my finger on it exactly… but Advent may just be my favorite liturgical season. Maybe it’s because it’s so hope-filled. Maybe it’s because we celebrate the coming(s) of Christ in a truly counter-cultural way.
And in this maddening and slightly chaotic exam season, I wish to share with you some of my favorite Advent prayers that ground me and reconnect me with God:
A Prayer for Lighting Advent Candles:
In the darkness we light a flame of hope. May it dance not only upon our Advent wreath but within each of our hearts as well. Hope is the flower that blooms from the ground of faith. And so, with joy, we keep the tradition of ages past as we encircle our Advent wreath with love and prayerful expectation. May this Advent season bring us a new birth of hope in the ancient promises of God. Amen.
(2006 Advent Calendar, compiled by Julia Schloss and Mark Neilsen for Creative Communications for the Parish, Inc. Fenton, MO)
A Christmas Prayer:
Source of divine Light, Emmanuel, God-with-us,
your radiant love illuminated our waiting world
with the surprise of your Bethlehem birth.
Each year since then we celebrate this astonishing event,
rejoicing in your coming anew, not as a newborn Babe,
but as the presence of divinity contained within each of us.
To our great astonishment, we have become your dwelling place.
We are now your Bethlehem.
Now you are a Treasure birthed in the secret place of our soul.
Now you are a Light gleaming through our gestures of generosity.
Now you are Hope radiating inside the core of our courage.
Now you are Joy shining into the dark caves of our gloom.
Now you are Peace glowing quietly in the crevice of our anxiety.
Now you are Love brilliantly reflected within our kindness.
O Christ, Light of all lights, Star of all stars,
dweller within these human homes of ours,
open our wandering minds and hesitant hearts
so your endless goodness radiates more completely within us.
We welcome you again and again, with gratitude and trust,
not only in this Christmas season of rembrance and celebration
but all through the new year that awaits us.
~ Joyce Rupp, OSM
(from: “Welcome the Light” written for Creative Communications for the Parish.)

How often, as Catholics, do we use this term? In what context do we use it? Last week, in my Ecclesiology class, we talked about understanding the church as “mission.” And a week later, I have more questions than I do answers!

What does it mean to be a part of a “mission” church? Does a “mission statement” make a “mission” church? Which came first: the mission or the church? In today’s world, do we use the words “mission” and “evangelization” interchangeably?

Who are the evangelizers? Is it everyone or some? How can/do I evangelize? Does it mean putting a bumper sticker on my car, passing out flyers, being involved in my parish?

Who/what informs this “mission” identity? What motives does the church have in evangelizing? (Should I have the same motives?) Is there a relationship between solidarity and liberation and the evangelizing mission of the church?

Who do I know—personally and throughout history—is an exemplary evangelist? Why? Will my understanding of the church—and the Kingdom of God—change as a result of thinking about these questions?

Today’s questions were brought to you by:
~ my Ecclesiology class
~ Fr. Tom Esselman
~ Pope Paul VI’s apostolic exhortation: “On Evangelization in the Modern World” (Evangelii nuntiandi)
~ Pope John Paul II’s encyclical letter on mission (Redemptoris missio)
~ Pope John Paul II’s apostolic letter: “At the Beginning of the New Millennium” (Novo millennio ineunte)