Veni Sancte Spiritus

Come, Holy Spirit. I went to the Red Mass (of the Holy Spirit) today at Cathedral Catholic and I just love being a product of Catholic Education because there is something so special about the first Mass of the school year. I loved loved loved that everyone was dressed in red because from where I was sitting, it truly looked like the fire of the Holy Spirit. That's one of the really amazing things about being Catholic is that we like to capture the theme (or the hashtag # if you will) utilizing all the senses: sight, smell, touch, taste, and sound. It's all there and when all 5 are engaged and hopefully united in their message (theme/hashtag) then this magical mystical cosmic thing happens, it fills the room, you feel it blow by your face, you see it dancing, you hear it singing, you smell its perfume, you can even taste it on your tongue - veni sancte spiritus - the Holy Spirit arrives and we are never the same.

Burning in my Soul

There is power, power. Here in this hour, this hour.
We're all together, together. Waiting here as one.

Get stoked at Mass. 
Hearts on fire for God need some stoking and spending time with THE LIGHT and THE SALT is the best way to get stoked. Let the Holy Spirit breathe on the fire in your heart and grace will re-ignite the flames that may need a little extra fuel. 

Whoa, hear the sound from Heaven. Whoa, a mighty rushing wind.
Who, we're calling for revival. God, let your fire fall again!

Get stoked at Mass.
Fire makes beautiful music. Sometimes it is a quiet crackle, sometimes a roaring storm, sometimes a sweet hum. Sounds from Heaven are the same and they whisper or they roar but they always call us sweetly to unite our hearts with the heart of Christ. 

It's burning in my soul.
It's burning in my soul.

Get stoked in Mass.
When we gather together as one, our souls burn within us whether we "feel" it or not. Grace poured over us through the WORD and the EUCHARIST is the gas poured onto our already kindled flames and our souls transform like gold tested in fire. We become refined, a reflection of God's face, and we are never the same.

Get stoked in Mass. 

Drop In

Years ago, we started this thing called "Drop In". Kids could just "drop in" to the Youth Room any time they. In fact, that's how the idea of Fred's Place got started. Drop In became so popular that we literally outgrew my old office. So we started brainstorming each week about having a Youth Center that would hold all of us specifically for Drop In. Some lofty ideas came out of those sessions like a mote with a lazy river going around the perimeter, and an animatronic statue of Msgr. Fred, and a foam pit to dive into, etc. etc. We all thought it was just a pipe dream but due to the generosity of a person we will call Uncle Tim, Fred’s Place became reality and for the past several weeks we have had the kinds of Drop Ins that this place was ultimately created for.

My favorite thing to do is eaves drop on teens in their element. Their conversations are wild but glorious and now, more than ever, their need for connection, true connection, is paramount in their lives. Fred’s Place gives them a reason to gather, face to face, and heart to heart. I get to experience them in the beginning stages of life-long friendships. I see them as they take care of one another, laugh with one another, and grow with one another. I am there for the break ups, the struggles, the goodbyes, and the grief as well. I am there.

Souls unite at Drop In, at Fred’s Place, at St. Therese. Wherever two or more are gathered in His name, He is there. My job has brought me infinite blessings but one of my very favorite things is when this place fills with teens whose hearts are on fire for God, for each other, and for relationship! It doesn’t get much better than that. Drop In and experience the communion.

Drop In is every Tuesday after school until 6:00pm  

Robin Williams | Joy and Sorrow come from the same well.

All of his movies were great, but I really love this one and yes, it is ironic considering how he died. 

"We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for." John Keating (played by Robin Williams)

Creative Ways To Do Lent by St. Therese Youth Group

St. Therese’s High School and Middle School Youth Groups came up with the following list of creative things to do for Lent. God bless you.

• ·       Only drive the speed limit
• ·       Actually try in P.E. Class
• ·       Actually read the books required in school (not Spark Notes)
• ·       Don’t snack during the day
• ·       Say 3 positive things for every 1 negative thing
• ·       No gossip
• ·       Do not procrastinate
• ·       Do not listen to music in your car
• ·       Give up unnecessary phone apps
• ·       Take shorter showers
• ·       Give one compliment to someone every day and say “good morning”
• ·       Give up Snap Chat
• ·       Dress modestly
• ·       Say a prayer every time you get a text
• ·       Compliment 10 people a day
• ·       Go to one extra daily mass a week
• ·       Hug 10 people in a week
• ·       Put a rubber band around your wrist and snap it every time you curse
• ·       Make positive comments on people’s Instagrams
• ·       Random acts of kindness every day
• ·       Give up ask.fm
• ·       If you get a like on Instagram, say a Hail Mary
• ·       If you get a comment on Instagram, say an Our Father
• ·       If you get a new follower on Instagram, say an entire Rosary
• ·       Give up hair products (except shampoo/conditioner)
• ·       Give up make-up
• ·       If you get stuck behind a slow car or truck, stay there
• ·       Only ask your parents to drive you to one extra place a week
• ·       Do what you’re told the first time, and if you don’t, say a Hail Mary
• ·       If someone gives you a compliment, write it down, keep it and give them out on Easter
• ·       Say hi to random people
• ·       Free high fives to friends and schoolmates
• ·       Pray for patience whenever you get irritated
• ·       Put an ice cube down your shirt every day
• ·       Eat a vegetable instead of candy
• ·       Do push ups when you want junk food
• ·       Take a 5 minute break from your phone when you think of junk food
• ·       Do 1 extra chore every time you complain about them
• ·       Do homework right after school
• ·       Actually turn your phone in at school
• ·       Do progressive Hail Marys for each day of Lent (day 1 = 1 Hail Mary, day 2 = 2 Hail Marys, day 40 = 40 Hail Marys)
• ·       Give up listening to your favorite artist
• ·       When someone asks you how you’re doing, say “amazing”
• ·       Don’t check your phone when you are with your family

18 Things We Should Start Making Time For

I thought this was worth sharing

By BRIANNA WIEST

1. Writing things by hand. Letters to friends, lists for the store, goals for the week, notes for lovers, thank you cards and memos to coworkers. Digital communication is easy and convenient but ask anybody: there’s a huge difference between texting someone to say that you love them and hope they have a great day and writing it on a note and leaving it next to their bed.

2. Savoring time to do nothing. Taking a cue from pre-industrialized society and cultures that enjoy siestas and long, drawn-out, sit-down teas that serve no other purpose than to spend time enjoying the time you have.

3. Thinking before responding. We’ve become too conditioned to require things immediately. Someone asks a question, and we have to respond that second. Such was not the case before instant messaging and comment threads. A sign of true intelligence and confidence, I think, is someone who takes time to consider the question at hand in a little more depth, and then offers a response.

4. Cooking a nice meal just for the sake of doing so. It really trains you to defy your need for instant gratification and of course puts you in touch with something that’s very human and can be lovely if done right.

5. Getting really dressed up for no other reason than just wanting to.

6. Books. Actual hard copy books that you can scribble notes in and mark off sections of and smell ink through and hear the sound of turning pages and bending spines while you read.

7. Making phone calls to relatives for no other reason than to just say hi, and to ask how they’re doing.

8. Disconnecting from technology frequently enough that we won’t be anxious and feeling like we’re missing something when we try to do so for an extended period of time.

9. Celebrating things with long, multiple course dinners that we hold for people as opposed to just drinking ourselves into an oblivion and being belligerent (that has it’s time and place, of course, but having thoughtful, celebratory dinners is a dying art).

10. Cleaning because it’s satisfying and doing things like painting walls or getting fresh flowers just because it’s therapeutic.

11. Spending time with kids, and doing kid things with them. They just know what’s up.

12. Answering things in a timely fashion, not putting off invitations and requests just because we can.

13. Making sure relationships are actually based on time spent with one another. People seem to be sustaining them through only digital means with increasing frequency and I can understand how that’s important if it’s temporarily long distance but in general, physically being with people is the only thing that will give you that sense of human connectedness.

14. Just sitting and listening to music. We’ve made music background noise in our everyday lives, but now and again we should just sit and enjoy it like people used to.

15. Traveling by train, or if that’s not possible, at least exploring places that you pass everyday. Especially if you live in a big city, there are always little hidden gems around that you won’t believe you lived without seeing while they were a block away from you all along.

16. Putting personal health and well-being first, as it often falls to the wayside in importance. This means, aside from the obvious, taking those personal days and using them to just relax. We’ve made such a quirky commodity out of enjoying napping and relaxing, as though doing so makes us boring and old. It doesn’t, it’s healthy.

17. Planning something, especially with someone else, as simple as dinner or as grandiose as a long vacation next year. You always need something to look forward to.

18. Stopping to talk to people throughout the day. Connecting with them genuinely, as such interaction is really important but is becoming increasingly less common. Turning our phones off when out to dinner (who even turns them off anymore?) and learning to not spend all of our time documenting whatever we’re doing for social media. It often takes away from the experience itself. 

Selfie

I am trying to find the best angle.

Looking down?

Looking up?

Sideways?

How’s my make-up?

Smile?

No smile?

There are so many ways to look at myself.
But what really captures me?
The way I look affects the way I look.

When I am loving well

When I am doing good

When I am trusting God

When I am singing

When I am rejoicing

When I am smiling

When I am praying

A ha – when I am looking at you.

     This is my best angle,

     This is my best,

     This is my,

     This is,

     This.

My best selfie is when I am looking at you.

My best selfie is your reflection in my eyes.

My best selfie is your love.