an end to the rockies

Well, I sure wish this letter was coming to you from the shadow of the Rockies, but it is coming at you from lovely Furlong instead. I was asked to leave the Cabrini Mission Corps on august 13th because I don’t express my feelings well enough. I don’t have enough inner maturity for the program and the director is not at peace with herself sending me to Denver. A messed up way of telling me I’m not enough peace and justice-y for her. I am mad, hurt, and sad all rolled into one. Everything I’ve done, all I’ve studied these past four years, has been so I could be the correctly educated person for that job. The mission corps gave me four years of faith and friendship. I wanted to follow in Mother Cabrini’s footsteps. Literally, she started the Denver shrine as an orphanage that became the shrine.
I applied to several places around and interviewed last Monday at Trenton Catholic Academy. Tuesday I dropped Dave and his stuff at the seminary and interviewed at the Archdiocesan offices for a vicariate position. I really really wanted that vicariate position, what better way to incorporate my college experiences into something tangible. Then I could progress to a high school spot. It would basically be providing resources for all the youth ministers in the county I was assigned. Well I am doing it backwards. I accepted last Thursday the Trenton Catholic position. I will be the campus minister for about700 students ranging from pre-k to 12th grade. That’s a really wide variety.
I started today with basic orientation to the school, schedules, procedures etc. my office is actually the outer room to someone else’s office, there are no windows and the lights have a yellow orange tint to them. I am far from excited about that, but the rest of the school is pretty nice and pleasant to be in.
I kept meaning to post here, but it was supposed to be a joyous place to learn and grow from, so it was really hard for me to come back and relive all the negative. I’m still learning about myself, and I know I am just being jumpstarted into a new life. I by no means meant to exclude you people, I just did not want to be around them or talk about it. Thanks for all your love and support!

an end to the rockies

Well, I sure wish this letter was coming to you from the shadow of the Rockies, but it is coming at you from lovely Furlong instead. I was asked to leave the Cabrini Mission Corps on august 13th because I don’t express my feelings well enough. I don’t have enough inner maturity for the program and the director is not at peace with herself sending me to Denver. A messed up way of telling me I’m not enough peace and justice-y for her. I am mad, hurt, and sad all rolled into one. Everything I’ve done, all I’ve studied these past four years, has been so I could be the correctly educated person for that job. The mission corps gave me four years of faith and friendship. I wanted to follow in Mother Cabrini’s footsteps. Literally, she started the Denver shrine as an orphanage that became the shrine.
I applied to several places around and interviewed last Monday at Trenton Catholic Academy. Tuesday I dropped Dave and his stuff at the seminary and interviewed at the Archdiocesan offices for a vicariate position. I really really wanted that vicariate position, what better way to incorporate my college experiences into something tangible. Then I could progress to a high school spot. It would basically be providing resources for all the youth ministers in the county I was assigned. Well I am doing it backwards. I accepted last Thursday the Trenton Catholic position. I will be the campus minister for about700 students ranging from pre-k to 12th grade. That’s a really wide variety.
I started today with basic orientation to the school, schedules, procedures etc. my office is actually the outer room to someone else’s office, there are no windows and the lights have a yellow orange tint to them. I am far from excited about that, but the rest of the school is pretty nice and pleasant to be in.
I kept meaning to post here, but it was supposed to be a joyous place to learn and grow from, so it was really hard for me to come back and relive all the negative. I’m still learning about myself, and I know I am just being jumpstarted into a new life. I by no means meant to exclude you people, I just did not want to be around them or talk about it. Thanks for all your love and support!

Preparation

Well, this whole packing up your life and moving across the country for 10 months has definitely taught me about necessity. What is necessary to your life? The life I am to lead for the next 10 months is dedicated to a grade school and a shrine. Helping with Drama, religious education, confirmation prep, service club for older students, and sharing the story of Mother Cabrini’s affect on Denver. These are my tasks, am I ready for them? I think so. As a product of catholic schooling my entire life, from kindergarten until this may fashion has never been my strong suit. Easily hidden in a generic Catholic school uniform until college, my wardrobe developed comfort over creative. College helped me become independent in my person style, and this past year I have develop din spite of my inherent cheapness a fairly good wardrobe. I liked learning, and am prepared. I even got shoes that cover my toes and socks. After having lived without socks for the better part of four years that was a hard purchase.
I have been racking my memory banks for the activities I did with the campers in ’04. I try to remember the creativity that the other counselors used to develop new experiences, and then I remember the genius came from the kids. I need to let the kids tell me what they need and then serve that specific goal. I am ready for them.
I’ve been reading all about mother, I’ve loved her form the moment I got the notion to go to her college. I don’t know enough about her Denver story, but I’ll learn. Sr. Bernadette I will be my guide and the books I have will help. I am prepared to learn more about my hero.
I think I’m ready folks.

Goodbyes

Date: Fri, 4 Aug 2006 08:19:56 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Goodbyes
If you’ve ever seen the last episode/movie of M*AS*H you realize the significant good byes the characters made to each other. The one person who refused to say goodbye was BJ Hunnicut to Hawkeye. Hawkeye was going back to Crab Apple Cove Main and BJ was going back to San Francisco. BJ refused to admit that he would probably never see Hawkeye because of the distance and the way their lives were going to change.
Long story short, I’ve never been good at goodbyes, and in this case they are not necessary. I am not saying farewell forever, it’s only a year. And my close friends know about my lack of communication skills. I hope to be forgiven my indiscretions about returning letters, calls and e-mails. I have made a conscious effort to become a better writer and speaker. Things need to be shared with you my dearest friends and I will work on being there for you though it may be a distance.
My journey is about to begin and I am at the starting line ready for the go. Thanks for being my cheering crowd in spite of it all. I want to be a better person when I come back to Philly next year; I need to learn about myself. Denver will let me help their community and hopefully let me know if this church is one I can work in.