Paper-Writing

One o'clock till 3 o'clock is two hours.  Not three.  In case you were wondering.  Which is why I'm blogging instead of researching.  It makes perfect sense I tell you!

On a related note, I just found the section in the library where they keep the Greatest Adventure videos.  We borrowed them from the church basement when I was a kid, and they were pretty much the best thing ever: three archaeologists go back in time and meet Biblical figures.  (The female lead was a blonde feminist.  What could be better?)  Now I just need someone with a VCR...

In the meantime, here's my favorite one on YouTube.  If nothing else, watch the intro... it's classic!

Day-Maker #52

Coming back to Steubenville to three birthday cards from far-away friends and an exclamation of "It'll be a birthday meat cake!" from a near-by friend.

On Matilda

In the book by Roald Dahl, rather than the movie, Matilda's gifts are caused by an excess of brain power.  So, in the end, when she is challenged in the classroom, her ability to send erasers and china dolls flying through the room goes away.

I'm like Matilda.  Except my excess brain-power flowed into a blog.  I figured out the reason my posts have felt forced and uncreative lately: now that I am being mentally challenged in school again, my energy goes elsewhere and does not need an outlet.  With this pseudo-apology, I offer a Cliff's Notes version of adventures of the past few weeks:

Part I: The Crazy Weekend

*A few Fridays ago, right before the faith study that Victoria is leading, I got a text from Percy, asking if I wanted to travel to PA the next day.  So the next morning, I went to western PA to hang out with him and Mama and Papa Percy.
* While there, I visited the Croatian Club with a cousin of Papa Percy.  It reminded me of the Lodge in Everybody Loves Raymond or the Loyal Order of the Water Buffalo in The Flintstones.  I didn't know places like that existed.  I played the Percy cousin in a brief game of Boccie on their indoor court.  (I won.)
* The Percy cousin is dating his high school sweetheart, fifty years after the fact.  It's adorable -- I didn't know things like that happened outside The Baby-Sitters Club!
* I, like the Magi, returned by a different route.  Not because Herod was following me, but to avoid tolls. I decided that when I am traveling through the middle of nowhere, I prefer state routes and back roads to highways.
* That night, I was supposed to see A Midsummer Night's Dream on campus, but they were sold out.  Instead, Thom (Are you keeping track of new characters?  This is his intro.) grabbed his pipe and we all went out star-gazing, then watched A Few Good Men.  The conversation after turned to the Penn State football sex-abuse scandal; the two are arguably related.
* The next day we visited the largest statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which is two hours north of Steubes.  She is 33 feet tall; with her base and sunbeams, she stands 50 feet above the ground.
* The story of how she came to be there is full of miracles.  If you want to hear, ask me!
* I left a few petitions of my own with her; I'll let you know if I add to her stories.

Part II: The In-Between

* I met a group of students starting a social justice group on campus, focusing on the fact that justice  goes beyond partisan politics.  I went to their first meeting and I'm excited to see where we go!
* Shelly and I found the one place in Steubenville open 24 hours!  Tim Horton's is the Dunkin' Donuts of Ohio.  Because Shelly is a die-hard Michigan fan, she got into some friendly banter with Ohio State fans, which resulted in our order expanding free of charge.
* Sunday with the day of "hypo-allergenic cake-pops."  Translation: egg-free, lactose-free, gluten-free chocolate-covered deliciousness.

Part III: Home Again

* I made it back to NoVA for Thanksgiving, despite the entire Atlantic Ocean dumping itself over my car for 8 hours of mountain driving.  I picked up my sister from her school on my way down, which added a little bit of time to my travels.
* I was blessed enough to have Julia and LB at my house that evening for birthday festivities!  And I saw Wendy the next day for the same purpose.
*Thanksgiving happened with all the family home!  We haven't been all together for years, so it was a momentous occasion.
* I brought home a mountain of books, but haven't done enough work.  Something I predicted, but which will make the next week challenging.

Making God Laugh

You do that by telling Him your plans.  After getting excited about the last week of the old translation and Christ the King, I walked into church to discover the altar set backwards and a surprise Latin Mass.  No English and, according to the old calendar, no Christ the King.  A beautiful Tridentine liturgy, but I'm sure God was cracking up.

Call to Action

A "friend" posted this article on Facebook, and since it's about Obama and Catholicism, how could I not click?  (Also, being from the Washington Post, I felt it could not be completely ridiculous.)

Michael Gerdon summarizes recent actions of the Obama administration that he calls its "War on Catholicism."  Perhaps it seems extreme, but he's alluding to a quote from Sebelius.  His case rests on two main incidents: 1) the decision to cut funding to a Catholic Charities program that helps victim of human trafficking and 2) a policy mandating the coverage of birth control in insurance policies, including those of Catholic institutions that are not "churches."

(Side Note:  It amused me a little that Gerdon thinks "Catholics were reassured" by Obama's rhetorical at Notre Dame.  It did not reassure those who were upset about his invitation.)

I'm sure you can imagine my internal rant about HHS's decision to stop funding a program that has been proven effective at helping trafficking victims, simply because they don't refer for abortions.  (If you can't imagine it begins: "I'm sorry, are you saying that abortion is the solution to human trafficking?")  So I won't subject you to that.

I hope for policy changes because, as Gerdon states, the victims of these policies are not the bishops: they are the poor and vulnerable about whom (*gasp!*) the Church cares.  More than that, I realize the importance of Catholics being involved in the political process to change them, because Obama and Sebelius won't on their own.

However, right now, policies are what they are and there is a distinct possibility that Catholic Charities won't get the grant back.  What happens then?  Does a lack of funding mean that Catholics stop caring for the poor and vulnerable?

Quite the opposite.  If Catholic charitable organizations aren't getting funding from the government, this serves as a wake-up call for Catholics in the pew.  We care about people: our next door-neighbors, our next world neighbors, and everyone in between.  So if the government doesn't fund effective aid organizations, we must.  (Not that we should stop giving if the government starts.  The wake-up call is to a duty that has always existed.)  It's something politically conservative Catholics have been saying for a while: It is not the government's job to love our neighbor.  It's ours.

Quotables

It's been a while since I've posted some of the fun little gems my professors have said.  Never fear!  They are still as awesome as ever:

Substitute professor for my morning class, at almost the end of class: "I was going to tell you that I don't teach 8:00 classes and so if I fall asleep, I'd ask you to wake me up, and I'd do the same for you."

Father Pattee:

On metaphysics: "It's a tell-tale sign of plagiarism when the effect is greater than the cause."

"It's not bad, necessarily, to suffer a little bit when you write a paper."

Dr. Bergsma:

On Paul's Letter to the Romans: "He still hasn't put in a period.  And I'm having to take breaths... get a cup of coffee... and a snack..."

On re-writing papers: "I'd prefer to give everyone an A on the first edition... It's more efficient."

"Time flies like an arrow.  Fruit flies like a banana."  (If you don't get it, wait a minute and try again.  Then phone a friend.)

Dr. Sirilla:

"Your author's didn't just make this up!"

"Yes, the guy's name is Bozo.  It's funny.  Because of Bozo the Clown."

"It better be a loving act for me to send my kids to the corner... and that's not the same as hell."

"My duck can quack and all this stuff, but my duck can't do calculus."

"Unless you talk like Yoda, you're not going to get it.  Unless you're used to word order out of place being."

"That's a huge no-no, rewriting Scripture.  Even back then.  You wouldn't have had a council:  they would have run you out of town."

And one profound one from Dr. Hahn:

"I'm quaking in terror, feeling totally inadequate... which is almost a sure sign that God's calling me to do it."

Put Your Listening Ears On

If you haven't been to Mass in a while (or if you haven't been to a Catholic Mass ever) you should go this weekend!  It is a historic moment: the last Sunday Mass will sound like it does now!  Starting the first Sunday of Advent (the Sunday after Thanksgiving), the English Mass in the US will adopt a new translation of the Mass.  The same Mass, just closer to the real meaning of the Latin.

I have a feeling it will be like one of those children's games, where you have to find what's different in the two pictures.  Except that there is an answer key.  So you should come and listen.  (If you're geographically near me, you should come with me!)  Or, if you are a regular Mass-goer, listen harder.  Cherish the words this week, and get excited next week.

I'm sure I'll have more to say about the new translation.  (Let's be honest: I have too much opinion about most things.)  However, I wanted to get this message out, short and sweet, before Sunday: Listen hard!

The Death Penalty and Excommunication

A few weeks ago, when I posted about the death penalty, a friend sent me this article.  The author draws a parallel between the death penalty and abortion, and concludes that if a politician can be denied communion for supporting abortion, shouldn't the same apply to politicians (or Supreme Court justices) who uphold the death penalty?

The short answer is no.  In brief, the Church teaches that some actions are always wrong: intrinsically evil.  These actions cannot ever be morally justified.  Period.  Other actions are made wrong because of surrounding circumstances, either internal or external to the actor.

Example: Adultery is always wrong.  Period.  Marital sexual relations can be wrong (think of spousal rape), but are not so by nature.

According to the Church, abortion is always wrong.  Period.  Therefore, supporting it in a public and effective way separates you from the Church; a politician who does so excommunicates him/herself.  Because a state has the duty to protect its citizens, sometimes the death penalty is permissible.  (The Church's position against it comes from modern circumstances, which render it unnecessary.)  Thus a politician is not supporting an intrinsic evil, but rather going against the prudential judgement of the Church.  And therefore not excommunicating him/herself.

The US bishops released a statement to this effect during the 2004 campaign, according to my Christian Moral Principles professor.  If I can track down the document, I'll share.

Day-Maker #51

Thanksgiving Dinner at the Caf got changed from my birthday to commuter Wednesday, so today I had Thanksgiving, Part One.

A significant part of the Day-Maker: the excitement of Shelly, a fellow GNT, who was literally bouncing for joy at this delicious occasion.

Day-Maker #50

The installation of an "Air Blade" hand-dryer in the lady's room at the student center.

Pray Segment #6: Meditations on Communion

From St. Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life:

When worldly people question you about your receiving Communion so frequently, answer them that it is to learn to love God, to be purified from your faults, to be freed from your miseries, to be comforted in your troubles, to be strengthened in your weaknesses. Tell them that two sorts of persons are to receive Communion often: those who are perfect because, being well disposed, they would be very wrong if they did not draw near to the source and spring of perfection; and those who are imperfect, that they may be able to rightly to seek perfection; the strong, that they may not become weak, and the weak, that they become strong; the sick that they may become well and the healthy that they may not become sick. Say about yourself, that being imperfect, weak, and sick it is necessary that you have frequent contact with him who is your perfection, your strength and your doctor.

Also tell them that those who do not have many worldly concerns should receive Communion often since they have the opportunity; and that those who have many worldly concerns should do the same because they need it; and that he who works very hard and is loaded with troubles must eat nourishing food frequently. Let them know that you receive the Holy Sacrament to learn to receive it well, since we rarely do an action well unless we practise it often.

Receive Communion frequently, Philothea. With the advice of your spiritual Father, receive as often as you can.... I assure you that similarly by repeatedly adoring and feeding in this divine Sacrament, on him who is beauty, goodness and purity, you will become completely beautiful, completely good and completely pure.

On Being Lost and Found

Last weekend, the GNT group hosted a bonfire.  What more incentive do I need to leave the house on a cold night than the promise of a roaring fire, s'mores, and a place where I can see stars?

Answer: a friend to make the trip with me!  Ginny and I made plans to go together.  When I found out that she was going to be significantly late, I considered driving myself and meeting her there, but decided against it.  I think God infused my mind with a bit of wisdom...

We first typed in the address to Ginny's GPS.  "Address unknown."  Next, we tried to put in the name of the state forest.  Still no luck.  We browsed "Camping," "Recreation," "Parks," and even "Tourism"... nothing.  Next we availed ourselves of Google.  At last we found the forest, though not the specific address we'd been given.  Writing down directions and mileage (a lesson I've learned about hand-written directions), we set out into the night.  (Last weekend, clocks changed -- this was the first night of early darkness.)

We found the first turn as we drove past the road -- there had been no street sign coming from our direction and the one the other way was mostly hidden by a pedestrian crossing sign.  Pulling a u-turn in a "do not enter" driveway, we continued on what seemed to be our way.

But we couldn't find the next turn.  We drove past neighborhoods... into the middle of nowhere... past some forest, past some water, past some fields, into some sketchy looking areas.  Eventually, Ginny pointed out that we'd gone way past the distance we should have, and we spun around in someone's driveway.  We drove back up the road, looking intently for our street sign, until we made it back up to the original intersection.  Frustrated and hungry, we stopped into a gas station in hopes of finding a map.  

We found no maps, but did find a very helpful young man behind the counter, who gave us directions, something along the lines of: "Drive through a neighborhood and down a hill and turn at the church. Go through fields and forests and past a county airport and around a corner until you come to a fork.  Watch out for deer.  Go right and over train tracks until you come to a left.  Watch out for deer. Go over a bridge and up a hill and you're there.  Watch out for deer."  

We set off again and his directions were perfect!  (We didn't see any deer.)  Until... we reached the end of the direction and were at the state forest, but not the bonfire.  So we called a few people until someone picked up and then passed the phone to five other people before someone finally gave us directions to the actual fire.  We felt ridiculous as we poked our way down dirt roads with dust flying around us.  

However, everyone else at the bonfire told us that they had to call for directions as well, and we got three phone calls after we got there to help others find us.  The fire, s'mores, and stars were everything I could hope for.  I even got to teach a GNT from Malaysia how to make his first s'more.  We also managed to find our way home with no troubles at all. 

Life's Questions Answered

In today's Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day, I learned the answer to an age-old question that has puzzled America's youth ever since Bianca Stratford's best friend asked it in Ten Things I Hate About You.

"I know you can be overwhelmed, and you can be underwhelmed, but can you ever just be whelmed?"

Wonder no more, young people of America!  According to Merriam-Webster:

You could say that the introduction of "overwhelm" to the English language was a bit redundant. The word, which originally meant "to overturn or upset," was formed in Middle English by combining the prefix "over-" with the verb "whelmen," which also meant "to overturn." "Whelmen" has survived in English as "whelm," a verb which is largely synonymous with "overwhelm." Over the last 600 years, however, "overwhelm" has won over English speakers who have come to largely prefer it to "whelm," despite the latter's brevity. Perhaps the emphatic redundancy of "overwhelm" makes it seem like the more fitting word for describing the experience of being overcome by powerful forces or feelings.

Day-Maker #49

Sitting behind a favorite professor's family in church and trying not to be a creeper while watching his small children play and pray.

Fall Break Adventures

True to a Catholic school, we had All Saints Day off of school.  As did a friend at Dusquene University.  Remember that time I was at Yosemite National Park, with A Christian Ministry in the National Parks?  This is an old teammate from California!  She's from Pittsburgh, so I got a tour from a native.

We started at the top of a hill.  Pittsburgh is built in, over, around, and on top of hills and over and around rivers.  One hill, Mount Washington, gives a gorgeous overlook of the city.  I'm not a fan of most cityscapes, but I love being on top of the world.  Plus, it helped me get a feel for the city.  You can ride up the huge hill in a rickety little cable car, but we skipped that for time's sake.

Next we went to Pamani Brothers in Southside.  They are known for their sandwiches which have: meat, tomato, cheese, coleslaw, and french fries.  Yes, I did actually eat an entire Pamani Brothers' sandwich.  I still don't know how I feel about this.  

Then came the "Cathedral of Learning," a building at the University of Pittsburgh.  It's a state school that got around a building ordinance declaring that the highest building in the city had to be a church with creative naming.  Then, partway through the thirty-six story Gothic structure, they ran out of money.  So they got countries to sponsor rooms (I heard the story from my ACMNP friend, so I don't have all the details) -- and now a bunch of the classrooms are decorated with traditional art, screens, fixtures, etc. from various nations.  If you are seeing a Babel parallel here, you are on my wavelength.

Right next door, we visited the Heinz Memorial Chapel, another not-quite-religious building.  It was made to look like a Gothic church and had  a gold cross on the altar and saints in the stained glass.  However, Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin, "the Pioneer Woman," and other such figures kept them company. The First Thanksgiving appeared next to the First Christmas: labeled "1620."

After that I got a lightening tour of Dusquene and then our time was up -- she had the day off school, but not work.  I still have a lot left to see in Pittsburgh, and will keep you up to date when I do!