What would Jesus do for a Klondike Bar?

Laughing, Cryng, Updating....

2007-09-01T21:30:00.000-04:00

This time last year I was embarking on a journey I had no idea if I could even handle. 10 months later I completed a wonderful year at Trenton Catholic Academy. They chose to not renew my contract. They hired a fellow who I had actually worked with at TCA to bring a Kairos retreat to the students. He can teach more classes, and has a masters in Theology. The truly shameful thing about it on the school's part is that the students were the ones who told me they had already hired him for the next year. My students found out in an awful way and were devastated. I've been working all summer to get them to give him a chance this year. I love them so much, and would sincerly do anything those special kids needed.

I was unemployed, again, and I searched New Jersey, Philadelphia, and even contemplated picking everything up and just moving to New Orleans, or Boston, Europe even crossed my mind once or twice. But something kept me back. I wasn't ready to run away again. So I spent the summer in front of my computer applying to every campus ministry/DRE/youth minister position I could. I went from St. Agnes in West Chester to St. Elizabeth ann Seton in Three Bridges, NJ, to Limerick, PA, to Belmar, NJ. I fell in love with so many of the jobs but each one systematically turned me down. Most were for lack of experience or education. I have a BA in Religious Studies, I graduated in 2006.

All this time I was still getting the paycheck from TCA, as it was much easier to get year round paychecks then save money during the year. My last paycheck will be issued today. I got a part-time job at a church I originally did not send my resume to because it was only part-time. Someone from my young adult prayer/bible group encourage dme and informed me the job actually offers benefits. I was finally able to get sick!! The church, St. Albert the Great in Huntingdon Valley, has already been so welcoming so I changed my own worship sight to there.

Thursday night I got a phone call from the Pauline book store on Route 1 in the Northeast. They are offering me the part-time sales associate position. I am fully employed. God took my time and made me be on my own for the summer, but I can make it.
The hardest part of this entire summer was when I was going to Buffalo with the Trenton Diocese for the Black Catholic Congress (I know, crazy, but 80% of TCA kids identify as black in some way). My mom had a minor stroke and there was nothing I could do. I had to give her up, and trust that when I got back 3 days later everything would be ok. She is back to as normal as normal will ever be now. My dad is unreliable now, so my mom showed me the paperwork that makes me in charge of her health decisions. What a reality check that was.
This wound up so much longer then I meant it, but with summer's end this weekend I've been getting nostalgic and happy that this awful summer is over. I have grown so much, but that doesn't make it less painful or less scary. this year promises to be a good one.

Harry Potter Potential SPOILER

2007-08-05T01:16:00.000-04:00

I really really really really really really want to post about harry potter.
I will put major spoilers. and I don't want to annoy the few of you who have not finished the latest installment. I also will not enable the rest of you to cheat your way into finding out if snape is good/bad and if dumbledore comes back as a ghost.
peace

My Mom

2007-07-12T13:40:00.001-04:00

My mom had a mini-stroke last night. she's apparently ok and will be released from the hosital later today. my idiot of a father didn't tell me until I was already on the road for 3 hours. I don't know when he took her last night, but he didn't tell me until 8am this morning. I right this while sitting on the New York Thruway aout a half hour outside of Buffalo where I am stuck for the next 4 days rather then with my mom. I know, there is very little I can do for her anyway. I know, she is ok. I know, I'm just angry that I can't do anything for her and taking it out on my dad. No really, he is a selfish jerk who problly got home and went to bed rather then speak to his children about their mother. I know, my first instinct of getting to buffalo, renting a car, driving back to doylestown would have only gotten my mom mad at me. You see, My mom was born in Albany, but she was adopted to Buffalo. This is her "hometown," how's that for Irish Irony?

soundtrack

2007-07-04T11:05:00.000-04:00

My recent soundtrack of life... as viewed from me. I tconsists of several songs blatantly taken out of context.

Chris Duaghtry
I'm going home,Back to the place where I belong,And where your love has always been enough for me.I'm not running from.No, I think you got me all wrong.I don't regret this life I chose for me.But these places and these faces are getting oldSo I'm going home.Well I'm going home.

Paul McCartney
Everybody gonna dance tonightEverybody gonna feel alrightEverybody gonna dance around tonightEverybody gonna dance aroundEverybody gonna hit the groundEverybody gonna dance around tonight(Chorus)Well you can come on to my place if you want toYou can do anything you want to doEverybody gonna dance tonightEverybody gonna feel alrightEverybody gonna dance around tonight(Whistling)Well you can come on to my place if you want toYou can do anything you want to do

Hannah Montana
Dont let no frustrationEver bring you down...no, no, no, no!Just take a situationAnd turn it all aroundWith a new attitude... everything can changeMake it how ya want it to beSaying mad, why do that... give yourself a breakLaugh about it and you'll see...(that)CHORUS:LIFE'S WHAT YOU MAKE ITSO LET'S MAKE IT ROCKLIFE'S WHAT YOU MAKE ITSO COME ON...Everybody now

Plain White T's
Why be sad, broken heartedThere's so much to do... yeah, yeah, yeah, yeahLife is hard or it's a partyThe choice is up to youHey there DelilahDon't you worry about the distanceI'm right there if you get lonelyGive this song another listenClose your eyesListen to my voice it's my disguiseI'm by your sideOh it's what you do to me

2007-06-23T10:35:00.000-04:00

I've interviewed throughout New Jersey and PA. Several ofers came in for part time work, ut none could do benefits. perhaps the latest position will pan out. I could do this part time thing and then maybe work at a really great place i really really want to do.
I won't say what any of these are because I do believe in not tempting the fates. No matter how uncatholic that is, I am still Irish and my mother's daughter. She was a Murphy, and truly has passed to her children the fate "what can go wrong, will go wrong, at the least opportune time."
It's been a week. I miss my kiddies. I saw a few of the most special last night at a play that hit very close to home. Someone who barely knows me was shocked that I was no longer at TCA. I felt pretty good after seeing this show to. It was about a catholic school and a group of teachers who were held hostage by students angry about a name change. I wish kids had the guts these days to get up, and be angry, and stand for what they believe in. it is truly a shame to see something wonderful die because of neglect.
hrm thoughts to ponder for myself.

2007-06-13T10:47:00.000-04:00

Jp II, Mother Teresa, Mother Cabrini, Dalai Lama, and Gandhi are off the walls. This is the reason I didn’t want to take the stuff down until the kids had left. It is so bare, and ugly. I miss the high schoolers. Yesterday I bawled because one of them started so of course it was a chain reaction. Tomorrow will probably be more of the same. Sadness prevails in my life right now. I wish I had a new placement, so I could tell them where I am headed. Soon I hope.
Life should be exciting for me, 2 conferences, planning a trip to New Orleans, and possibly Albuquerque/boston. I should have been getting paid to do nothing, and a part-time job to have a reason to get up in the mornings. In reality, I should be just planning on getting a job in the area because I should have been in Denver for this past year. But realities are meshing together on me. I don’t know what to do, who to greet, how to grieve, or why I need to move on.
Many questions, very few answers. Hrm, I’ll think about it a little more.

Sorry, this post was a little stream-of-conscious, only with punctuation. Seeing EightK a week or so ago reminded me that I truly need to get back to this. I felt so good when I posted weekly things. I also recently started reading a funny nun, called Sr. Mary Martha and she posts just about every other day. Maybe I’ll aim to get just that frequently.
Peace

Lenten Atonement

2007-02-16T07:37:00.000-05:00

Perhaps it is time for another round of accomplishing new and exciting things.
Only this time it is done in regard to completing atonement for me for the past year. I'm an adult, or so they tell me, these days and I need to look at lent like an adult. It's no longer me eating meat on Fridays in order to spite the greater catholic world. It has to be something great and worthy of my energy and Love. God has called me into this ministry for a reason, how can I justify my blessings within my atonement?
Hrm, some thought must be put into this. I will wait and see what happens.

soon...

2007-01-26T17:17:00.000-05:00

uhoh, blogger went nutso on me.... i think i need to explore and figure it out some more. hrm. i promise, more witty, loving, thoughtful, insightful entries of me soon!!!!

goodbye 2006.

2006-12-31T18:56:00.000-05:00

Fare thee well 2006, it's been a good year. And here' a drink to 2007, that is a great year!

new years retrospective

2006-12-22T23:44:00.000-05:00

Well, its been far to long my friends, though I am still a faithful reader I just havent had the time to write a good entry. Now you can get a retrospective of my year.

I did my last eastern regional winter sectional for Special Olympics.

I went to see shannon over spring break cus I wasn’t allowed to go on the alternative spring break trip.

At the same time of not being able to go I found a sort of kindred spirit about many things cabrini-ana.

I was inducted into Phi Alpha Theta, a national history honors society.

Passed on the Student gov presidency (THANK YOU GOD!)

Weasled a graduation/certificate from St. Charles seminary in youth ministry after bugging them for 6 months.

Finished a senior thesis 4 months behind schedule, but finished it!!!

The same day I passed my thesis I was accepted into the Cabrini Mission corps and attended my last philosophy club dinner and had my very last class ever as an undergraduate (baseball and the american tradition)

Fought to graduate cus my department chair wouldn’t give me the make-up assignments for 2 years…

Graduated from Cabrini College.

Spent my summer studying maps and figures and spreadsheets of the significant histoical trees of my college.

Put together a neat map for the campus community to use to see ages/kinds cool tree things.

Quit the best job I have had to date in my life, because I was going to Denver for a year.

Packed my life into a box and 2 bags, lived with the senior sisters for a week and was kicked out of the mission corps.

My sister-in-law helped me make an awesome resume converting a Curriculum Vitae and work History into a resume.

Sent out at least a couple dozen resumes across the tri state area.

Interviewed at the archdiocese of Philadelphia for a Bucks county vicariate (a position they told me they filled, which is still vacant…) and TCA.

Hired the next day, and slept and prayed it over for a night and accepted.

Taught my fist kids, something I swore I would never do (become a teacher that is).

Ran my first liturgy, first prayer service and so many other firsts.

Moved to Morrisville in my own apartment with the help of my wonderful mom.

Hosted my first holiday (Thanksgiving).

Swore to NEVER cook a turkey on my own again, microwave? Sure! Buy one from a deli? Sure! Never prepping and cooking one again.

Shannon turned 21. the end of an era for me. Adult-hood scares me, my kiddos turning fully legal is frightening, I can no longer hide in their innocence and naivete. Darn.

It’s been a good year in retrospect.Though I type this from my apartment in Morrisville, I feel as though it should have been in Denver Colorado. I can’t let go of it. I want to and

I’ve been trying really hard to move past CMC, but I still feel as though there is a large whole in my heart. I’ve become closer to a few classmates/friends from Cabrini especially in the past 6 months. When I didn’t talk to most folks during the summer, when I couldn’t handle having to say goodbye for a year, I alienated a lot of people. But the best of them came running when I needed help the most.

When I called Ash crying that I just got kicked out, I showed up at a turf field dedication, I asked my roomie to watch a horribly dumb show every week, I asked several friends to go to Nifty- Fifty’s to just get a goofy soda, when I talked to Matt and Conor about living alone, Wayne, Brookie and Frank about having real jobs, when I asked friends to just not talk about it anymore, they responded and made me feel at home again.

When I was a small child and my family would go on vacation I often asked my parents if we had a home yet. I was always concerned that we wouldn’t have a place to stay, that we wouldn’t have a place to call home in whatever location we were. When my mom came to visit for easter she gave me a card congratulating me on moving into my first place. She said I finally had my own home, and I should make it my own in my unique way. I do have my own home, it is wherever my heart is and right now it is in my bed in Morrisville. Thanks for being my friends and being there for me at some really great highs and some awful hard lows. I hope tha tmy worst enemy doesn’t have to go through what I just did. I can’t wait to see where I am a year from now, I know it will be interesting. Prayers and blessings on you and yours for the coming year.

Learning lesson

2006-12-13T12:17:00.000-05:00

Well, I know I really don't use this very often, but Some of the students at my school have discovered my online persona, so therefore I will delete the school name so they can not goodle it.
I really do like being a campus minister, in spite of trying to figure out people, responsibilities and prayer services. Parent teacher conferences were last night. only 2 parents showed up. I wish parents would come with their kid, that way you can show the parents why their child is doing so poorly. One of the parents I got to congratulate however because the student is a shining star in my class. Wish I had a class full of them.

faithful dissenter.

2006-11-02T08:29:00.000-05:00

“The church’s long history of “faithful dissent” offers both hope and perspective to Catholics in our time. It echoes the call of the Second Vatican Council, which, in 1964, declared that expressing opinions “on matters concerning the good of the church” is sometimes an obligation for the faithful.” From the op-ed page in the New York Times. "Saints That Weren't" and, it was written by a priest (philadelphian to boot!) who so far hasn’t been accused of heresy. I like that term, faithful dissent. I think I shall have to use that someday. It might make a great blog title. Who knows, maybe if I had enough time like my favorite blogger wishpers in the loggia to write about what I love I will use that title.

Anyway, I just wanted to let folks know I am still alive and well and I have survived yet another mass here at good old TCA. My creations for mass were considered gradeschool and childish by some folks, but the kids, upper and lower, were asking me when they would have the chance to do something for mass. That is of the most importance to me, that they enjoyed themselves and desired to become bigger members of our faith community.

Campus Minister

2006-10-16T14:59:00.000-04:00

I feel as though this is some super secret diary. Very few people know it exists outside of the folks I keep on my blog-roll. I keep it I suppose cus it was to hard to turn my back on everything the Mission Corps did over the past 4 years for me. Though I am at odds with the current director, it does not affect the ministry they do, or the community that I still feel strongly drawn towards. The MSCs are in a special part of my heart. I know, in my heart of hearts, that they will always remain there, I wish I could go have a visit with some of the girls; I miss their close presence in my life.
TCA is getting better, it re-affirms to me each day that I will never proselytize. The kids get so angry when I try to teach them the catholic faith because it has been forced on them for so long. It is taking a lot to unravel them and get them to let loose with me. I am not a preacher; I am a student like they are. They are my studies though now days and I like that. I have always been a people watcher so it’s kind of neat to see how they treat me differently after the trip to D.C. last week. It’s sort of like I really am a human being, not just the campus minister who must be a nut.
To steal a Mel Brooks line, it’s good to be the king: It’s good to be the minister around here.

TCA Adventures

2006-09-27T11:24:00.000-04:00

Well, TCA never ceases to amaze me. My students are way to chatty, and the organization for mass is chaotic. But it is good to have a job and a paycheck so I really can’t begrudge it all that much. I also really dig the whole Trenton Diocese thing.
Some old Cabrini bits and pieces, I was there for a thank you dinner for major donors to the turf field on Friday and yesterday Elie Wiesel spoke. TCA read Night as a summer project so it was neat to be able to be in the presence of a pretty neat man. The turf field dinner was great, I had a blast and a half+ because I got to hang out with the best of old friends and just see what has changed so dramatically. We all change, and I am making the best of this nutsy place. I’m on my feet, the most important thing.

an end to the rockies

2006-08-29T14:26:00.001-04:00

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

2006-08-29T14:26:00.000-04:00

Preparation

2006-08-05T20:37:00.000-04:00

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

2006-08-05T20:30:00.000-04:00

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.

Ceili Rain kindness lessons.

2006-07-30T14:37:00.000-04:00

Ceili Rain. A ceili is a party, generally with live music and lots of dancing. Think of a Phish concert, only jamming to old Celtic tunes. Rain, it’s the stuff that comes from the heavens in buckets in Ireland, and this past season has caused some serious flooding. So that makes Ceili Rain a party from heaven. I fell in love with their lively tunes, and witty lyrics 6 years ago at an archdiocesan sponsored overnight rally held for the young people. What an event for the youth of our fair city. It truly was a weekend of many blessings, including some friendships I still have to this day, and renewed faith for many of those young people.
Since that fateful evening of praise, worship and Ceili Rain, I have gone on to see ceili rain only once more. My e-mail to the band consisted of begging and pleading for them to find a way for me to be able to attend their 21+ show at a local bar/venue. The leader of the gang, Bob Halligan, personally wrote me back and said; hey you can do merchandising for us, get in for free, and hang out with the band. What, I thought, I get to hang out with the band? What an experience that was.
I went up to their merch table yesterday to see if they had the latest cd that I do not own and I see Bob standing there. He greeted me and said his son will do sales mid way through their set and after. Then he gives me a look that says I know you. He asks me if he should know me because he remembers my face. I reminded him of his performances at the tin angel and he immediately remembers I was the underager trying to see them.
I thoroughly enjoyed there set and sang along to almost every song. I truly could listen to these wonderful folks all day. After the show I went down to snag the latest cd and I had Bob sign it. I then went in search of the other lads and managed to get every single current member of Ceili Rain to sign my cd. I was floating on air back to the car and home. Each one of them took time from the other folks they were speaking to and at least said thanks for showing up. Billy talked with me about how I grew to love them, and Matt seemed surprised I asked him to sign it (his skills are not on this cd, but should be on the one to be released in October). What an experience they helped create for me. One faithful listener they treated with great kindness. Truly a learning lesson

The Shrine

2006-07-28T08:17:00.000-04:00

Wednesday I had another conference call, this time with Sr. Bernadette of the Cabrini Shrine. She is making a very special journey to Philadelphia to “pick me up” so to speak. She was gravely ill for a while and she wants to visit with the senior sisters in residence at the 67th and Callowhill home as well as participate a little in the events of the orientation. She has been recommended to me as a generous, kind, sweet woman who all people get along with and enjoy. My conversation with her was as good as the one with sr. jean. Sr. Bernadette wants me in my work with the shrine to get out and tell the story, not just do paper work and administrative duties. I think I have much to learn from her, as I would like to go out and be more productive.
You might wish to google the shrine, unfortunatly the webpage is seriously lacking currently.

paths

2006-07-21T11:02:00.000-04:00

OK folks, I’ve been way more lax then I anticipated in this blog, yet the posts have had more substance and reflection put into them then my other online communities have ever had total put into them. I beg you to be patient as I first define my jobs and then proceed to orientation, and eventually actually go to the Mile High City. I am really eager to go to the Capitol steps and say that I am a mile above sea level. I think this goal is important to me because I need to keep my eye on the prize so to speak. I really want to be able to go to Denver fully confident of what my jobs are and my capability to fill the need that is there.
I had a conference call this past Monday with the delightful Sr. Joan of Annunciation School. A small, parochial, Hispanic majority school, it needs unique help. It seems I will work in 5th grade with a brand new teacher in his religion classes, and we may be able to jointly do some theater work as he hails from New York and I am told is an actor. 8th grade needs help with a service club, confirmation prep, mentoring, and tutoring.
I never thought I would be working in elementary school, but this one is going to be very special to me I can tell. Sr. Joan’s love for her students is very evident and I eagerly anticipate the next stepsdown the path of my journey.

The Wedding of Elizabeth Randall O’Shaughnessy and Joseph John Friel

2006-07-15T16:56:00.000-04:00

Wow, my brothers first words to my mother and I at the reception were amazement of the sacrament. Everything that had led up to the wedding, the decisions about flowers, dresses, hairdos, his uniform, the wedding parties, all the excess, and he was astonished at the sheer sacrament of joining together with Beth for their life in the future. They are currently in Ireland for their honeymoon (I plotted the places and gave suggestion of things to do!) and will be back in Illinois on Wednesday. The wedding was beautiful and exciting for all involved. It was the first for either side and I am so glad the Reilly’s made it all the way out to share with my family and my aunt. The O’s are wonderful hosts who shared so willingly with all of us Friels and basically anyone who came along. The best hosts I’ve seen in a long time I believe (next to my friend Sam and her parents)

It was interesting finding my place in the middle of the hectic goings on. I was there as the only young girl on the groom’s side and not a member of the wedding party. I was the reader and really enjoyed that, but I needed to be different from the other girls. Beth expressed remorse at not having me in her bridal party. The last thing I wanted a year ago was get swept up into this world of wedding craziness. I loved being able to participate in the “four day festival of the wedding” but I doubt I would have survived a year of it. I don’t think we would have become such good friends in the course of the “festival” either if we had it lingering that as the grooms little sister I was in the party. I am better at identifying where I need to be in situations like this though, so definitely a learning experience.

It reaffirmed my desire to get married in Las Vegas or some other justice of the peace related place. If I ever post a date, place and time and tell my friends to be there, I certainly hope they realize it will be my wedding. I can’t justify spending that much time on one day of my life. I still miss my sister who is on her way back, already she is in Thailand. I hope for nothing but the best on her return journey across the seas to San Diego.

Carnivals and Kites

2006-07-15T16:54:00.000-04:00

I can’t for the life of me figure out how to post date this entry so it’s date should be july 4th I think.

Carnivals and kites never cease to amaze me. While attending to either joyous celebration you get to put aside the adult responsibility of the day and shoulder a lighter burden. I get to be transported to a place where the decisions consist of the gravitron or the sizzler next. The only work to be had is catching the wind or following gravity in circles on the tilt-a-whirl. Such simple things, yet to me very important because it is truly a stress reliever and safety net that becomes so necessary. I started working 4 days a week 8 hour days, commuting to and form said work and that has been nothing shdort of exhausting and tedious at times. Nothing like some good old fun with the dearest of friends however to brighten the prospects. The wedding is coming up and I eagerly anticipate the joys to come out of this event in my family’s life.

Colorado

2006-07-03T10:44:00.000-04:00

So, what I should have told all of you, my non-existent readers, 2 weeks ago is that my placement is indeed Golden, Colorado. My "job" is working at the National Mother Cabrini Shrine on Sundays I think, and then working in a grade school, Annunciation School, in the more Denver area 4 days a week.
Red Rocks, Buffalo Bills grave, Mile high City, pseudo home of John Denver, four-corners state, here I come. It is kind of cool and ironic in my mind that the states motto, "Nil sine numine" means "Nothing without Providence." I am looking forward to these 10 months, but am also relying heavily on other people providing. Should be pretty cool, and educational to me.

My friend Phil used to do these amazing thought of the day quotes, anecdotes and musings. He is currently in The Gambia, Africa. His most recent post was in reference to the Fourth of July tomorrow. I will now unashamedly and blatantly steal from him.

I remember the first baseball game after September 11th between the Phillies and the Braves. Before the game they had a moment of silence before the National Anthem and God Bless America. I remember during God Bless America they had a picture of Larry Bowa's face on the big screen. His face was streaked with tears as the song played. After the game a reporter asked him why he was crying during the song. Larry replied " Because I love this country" Thats exactly how I feel. If you can read thank a teacher. If you can read in English thank a veteran. Ciao
Thanks Phil.
And thanks to my sister who just qualified for Officer of the Deck and stands her first solo watch of 5 hours on the USS Germantown this afternoon ( I think that is how it works out time difference from the Persian Gulf), and my older brother who gets promoted sometime this week to 1st lieutenant in the Air Force, and gets married Saturday, and anyone else who serves, has served, will serve, in the military forces, National Guard Units, State Militias, Fire departments, Police Departments, and remind us freedom isn't free in this day and age. Happy Fourth of July, thank the forefathers for their foresight!

Discernment

2006-06-04T13:45:00.000-04:00

So this is the beginning for me. I am on the journey that I think I need in order to figure out the basis for further adventures. I am fairly confident in my self assessments, but I need to utilize my skills, strengths, weak points in a different setting. I am done with educational settings and the drama associated with those for the time being. I would like to chose to live in the present, not the past. My high school and college past were good to me and set me up with invaluable experiences, but now is the chance to find a clear direction in my life.

I am working with the Cabrini Mission Corps to create a life long lesson from a year of service. Gina, the director, has been to Chicago and Denver to check out the people the missioners work with and get a feel for the Cabrinian family. I had the chance to go to lunch with Gina Wednesday and she told me about the community, its members, the other volunteers, its surroundings, and some of the work that would be possible for me if I am called to use Golden Colorado as my ministry. Another missioner, Carla, will be going to Chicago. I have just begun chatting with her, and will let you know about her as I learn about and hopefully befriend my fellow missioner.

This is going to be a place I can share the stories of my adventures with the Mission Corps. I will be keeping 2 other online community sites for the sole purpose of checking up on some friends. This will be the main site for the next year.

hi

2006-06-01T09:31:00.000-04:00

Hello, is this thing on?

What would Jesus do for a Klondike Bar?

Laughing, Cryng, Updating....

Harry Potter *Potential SPOILER*

My Mom

soundtrack

Lenten Atonement

soon...

goodbye 2006.

new years retrospective

Learning lesson

faithful dissenter.

Campus Minister

TCA Adventures

an end to the rockies

an end to the rockies

Preparation

Goodbyes

Ceili Rain kindness lessons.

The Shrine

paths

The Wedding of Elizabeth Randall O’Shaughnessy and Joseph John Friel

Carnivals and Kites

Colorado

Discernment

hi

Harry Potter Potential SPOILER