Journeys of a Catholic Poster Girl

Just when you thought there couldn’t be more….

More book reviews on the way:

–I’m just about finished with the Imitation of Christ, so look for that soon.
–New books to add to the pile: Spirit and Liturgy by Scott Hahn, The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy by C.S. Lewis, and Mary: the Church at the Source, by two heavy-hitters– B XVI and Hans Urs Von Balthasar. That one might take awhile to get through!!
–Also look for my review of the great Peggy Noonan’s new book about JP the Great which comes out tomorrow.

All these great reviews…just in time for Christmas!! Make your shopping easier and read them! I’ll also post a “quick” review at the top so you can just skim them if you don’t have time to read the whole thing…but you *want* to read the whole thing, don’t you?

(great hymn, by the way…..)

It’s that time of year…Thanksgiving! And in that spirit, I’ve decided to offer the list of things I’m thankful for (both seriously and irreverantly), and invite readers to do the same in the “comment” section. God asks us to number our blessings, and to “give thanks in all circumstances”, so we might as well start with Thanksgiving, and get in the habit of being grateful for all the things, big and small, that God’s given us.

1. Obviously, this year I am thankful for my new gift of life (see the post “Donate Life!” for more info. here). I wouldn’t be celebrating this great holiday season with everyone if it wasn’t for the priceless gift of selflessness I received from a family I will probably never know. I am immensely grateful to them, and to all of you who are organ donors (if you’re not, please consider being one!).

2. My amazing family. I love them all–parents, brother, sister, and the great big extended family–that are so awesome and fun. I cannot wait to see them all (well, OK, most of them) on Thursday! Especially the kids! We all have a lot to be thankful for and it will be great to get together, eat the food, celebrate the season, and go shopping on Friday ( ) with my family. They are a great bunch. I thank God for you all!

3. My friends. Awesome, awesome, awesome. You’re lucky in life if you only have one or two good friends, and I’ve got more than that, so I’m really, really lucky. They’ve been so supportive this past year–thank you!! (Now, if you would all let me know what you’d like for Christmas…) Note to you guys: You are all witty, wonderful, intelligent, fun, and great Christian folk (even if we do argue about Tennyson at dinner….). I love you!

4. That Notre Dame will actually go to a good Bowl game.

5. That my clothes fit again! Yay!

6. My job, which I really enjoy and is a lot of fun. I’m especially grateful for coworkers who are both fun and intelligent and understanding about the craziness which has been my life since I’ve worked with them.

7. That it hasn’t snowed yet.

8. and, of course, I am grateful to God for seeing me through all this with the help of fabulous, intelligent, and fun (that’s very important) people who have made me into the great RoadRunner that I am today!! All the docs, nurses, PTs, RTs, LPNs, Father Mark at Children’s ( yay!)…you know who you are! You are the best and I am so grateful for everything you’ve done for me! I couldn’t hvae done it without you!! God knew what I needed when He sent you all.

PHOTOS: (clockwise from bottom)
1. My mom’s parents–Grandma and Pa–who have taught me so much about the Church and Catholic living. They are awesome! Here they are at my grandfather’s 80th birthday party in May.
2. Me and my other best friend, Amilia, at our friend Troy’s house after celebrating early Thanksgiving this week.
3. Some of the Gang of 24: Ryan, Andrew (Andy), Matt, and Carrie after playing basketball at Aunt Patty’s in May. Aren’t they great looking? Rematch on Thanksgiving (provided it isn’t snowing!)

I was reading on Catholic Exchange over the weekend (www.catholicexchange.com) an article about the “vocation of being single” and how it relates to the Church, since a lot of the vocation talk gets centered on married couples and vowed religious. Singles kind of get the shaft. Now I’m only 23, so it’s not like I’m an old church lady yet, but I will say it can be kind of a bummer to be Catholic and single, because there’s so much emphasis on family and children, which I want, but don’t have. In the meantime, though, I guess I’ll just have to take the article’s suggestions, which are that since I’m single, I have more “free time” and can do more for the Church, which is definitely true. I’m in the Church choir, on Spiritual Life Committee, and a Eucharistic Minister, and I volunteer at various things. I will admit it’s nice to be able to have the freedom to commit myself that way without having to check the family schedule or see what my boyfriend’s doing that night. I know there are plenty of ways I can serve the Church in my current “life state.” But I’ve always wanted a family. Isn’t it crazy how God will sometimes give you a yearning that isn’t yet fulfilled (or–gulp–might never be?). That always struck me as odd. But I guess I’ll just have to learn to let God work His ways and do with me as He pleases, since that’s the only way I’ll really be happy, anyway. But the holidays are coming, which means the inevitable, “So, are you seeing anyone?” Can we call a moratorium on that question, please?? Thanks! It’ll help me adjust to the vocation I’ve got now, instead of wishing for the one I had!