Waiting for Patience

While I was in Poland for World Youth Day a friend shared this article  which I thought was very good, until I read the comments, which (as per usual) infuriated me. This is a really bad habit of mine (reading comments) and I have been thinking about it ever since. The article is a great piece about the English speaking event on Wednesday evening of World Youth Day at the Touren Arena, renamed "Mercy Center" for the week. The author commented how people came to adoration there to meet Jesus and experience Heaven. I was there, not even inside the building, and had this feeling. I have it whenever I attend World Youth Day - I've been four times now (Toronto, Cologne, Rio, Krakow). This is an amazing gathering of Catholics who are coming for the same reason. We all want to be close to our Holy Father, experience the Church, and meet people like us. Now, not everyone who goes to WYD is SUPER CATHOLIC, that's true of any church event. Some people go to travel and see t...

--- 1 --- Well, today is Halloween - my absolute least favorite holiday.  It has nothing to with the devil, religious reasons, calling it 'all hallow's eve' or any like that.  It's actually because I don't like dressing up or acting like someone I'm not.  I can appreciate what Kendra has as a tradition with her children - super scary, super cool saints and Halloween costumes .  I am also excited to see all of the babies in my life dressed up in super cute costumes - Doug, a puppy, and an old man are in the works for today! --- 2 --- This week I had a chance to put some old pictures from CDs onto my computer and upload them up to my google photos ... check out some of these fun ones! Mike (now Father) and I in Germany for WYD more here Yes, that is JPII!!!  A SAINT! more from WYD here There are more, but you'll have to wait a few weeks! --- 3 --- Brenda, over at Triple Braided Life , featured me on Tuesday as a Single Wo...

The 'story of my life' this past year has been pretty crazy.  Stepping foot on four continents: Rio de Janiero, Brazil, South America: World Youth Day with our Diocese and the Holy Father last July. Mukumary, DR Congo, Africa: 3 weeks in Africa with my friend, Father Emmanuel, and so many new friends that I made in the journey. Rome, Italy, Europe: On my way home from Africa I made a quick 72 hour trip to Rome to see the Eternal City. Finally - the United States, North America:  So many cities, but the notables are Denver, New York City, Atlanta, Savannah (see below), Latrobe (yeah for friends being ordained), and, of course, Charlotte (where I am most of the time). There are so many adventures I could recap from all of these trips (seriously, I cannot believe how the Lord has blessed me with these trips this year) but this post is dedicated to the NASavannah trip I went on two weekends ago. About a year ago I found Jen and Morgan and their fantastic Not Alone...

For More Quick Takes, visit  Conversion Diary ! 1. Going back to work this week was difficult after the 10 days in Brazil.  We've made it to Friday though - and I just might come home this afternoon and take a nap. 2. Tomorrow the girls and I are going to Atlanta for the weekend to have a little road trip before life takes over when Baby A comes in October.  Then we'll be making road trips over to Huntersville to hold the cutest baby!  I'm excited cause we're going to go to the Cabbage Patch  Patch!  My sister and I always wanted to go there - I wish she was coming with us! 3. On Facebook the girls we met in Brazil, Giuliana, Lorena, Patricia, and their other friends have been talking about how they miss us like crazy - it's hard to go to work and deal with the crazies  when I could be hanging out with the most wonderful Brazilians I've ever had the pleasure of meeting.  I'm so grateful for the experience of being at World Youth Day. 4....

  I have been in Brazil for the past 10 days at World Youth Day with a group of 12 pilgrims!  So here are five favorite (quick) moments! 1.  These fabulous pilgrims! 2. The 3 million people we prayed with on Saturday evening during the Vigil. 3. The most delicious caramel dessert I've ever eaten! (needed a pick-me-up one day)   4. Being on the beach - artists there did the coolest sand art! 5. And of course, Papa!  It looks like he's waving right at us! Check out Hallie and friends for more favorites today!

I'm showered, my bags are unpacked, and all of my dirty clothes are in the laundry.  The pilgrimage is over, but the mission has just begun. The Holy Father's final words on Sunday were: 1) Go, 2) Do Not Be Afraid, and 3) Serve.  This is the mission from the theme to the entire week, "Go and Make Disciples of All Nations."  I feel more prepared to do this than any other time in my life.  I also feel more compelled.  There were a few things that happened this week that opened my eyes to the other side , if you will.  On Saturday after we got to the secure line of armed guards at the end of the beach, we saw about 7 to 10 people who were protesting the Church, Brazil, and the Pope.  They are upset about women priests, the perspective on gay marriage, and other things.  What baffles my mind is that they aren't Catholic, and don't want to be - so why the protest?  But anyway - it brought to mind the fact that so many people truly have no idea w...

Well today we saw the Pope! We were at the front of the gate and couldn't believe how blessed we were. After we took the bus we were walking to the avenue near the beach since the bus dropped us at Ipanema. We walked for about 10 or 15 minutes and got a spot near a few women who were seated next to the gate. They let us hang out with them until the pope arrived about 90 minutes later. As the pope crossed our path we were all screaming and shouting Papa Francis with the other 1.5 million people on the beach with us.  It was amazing, all we wanted to do was see the pope today. We were prepared to be disappointed but once we found the place near the gate and we were in the front we knew it would be amazing.  From the beach you can see the naval security detail they have right off the beach to protect the pope. There were many helicopters flying over and we heard on the radio that Pope Francis was circling the beach and going to land at the Copacabana Fort which was j...

Today began with Catechesis about 5 blocks from our host family's home. Bishop Moses Costa from Bangladesh was our teacher. He discussed on the topic of Thirsting for Hope; Thirsting for God to the English speaking pilgrims staying in our area of Rio. Focusing on three points he gave us much food for thought. The state of youth in the present day especially in the areas of communication and our search for high ideals. He spoke of the joys and the sufferings, commenting specifically on the tendency for us to be in tight communication with people from around the world but unable to be united with the person right beside us. He also spoke of our looking for high ideals, but noted the discouragement that many find when the world isn't able to offer goodness. "Deep down we all have dreams of being beautiful!" The solution offered to us is to have an encounter with Christ. Not one time but every day to encounter him. Change each day to grow closer to him.  After we...

Day 1 - Monday The first day has been a whirlwind of airplanes, buses, airports, and pilgrims from all over the world. One of our pilgrims, Michael, has collected signatures from every continent, and that's just at our accommodations site! We arrived in Rio with many other pilgrims from around the world. Making bonds by helping them practice English and them helping us learn Portuguese.  When we arrived at our accommodations site we learned that most of our group would be hosted by individual families in the area. The remaining are at the school where our Daily Catechesis will be. This evening was filled with gathering pilgrim packs from the Church in Santa Cruz and attending the party hosted by our hosting church.  As we traveled to the Santa Cruz for the kit distribution we were able to see Campus Fidei all lit up and ready for the Vigil on Saturday night! While in line we found some pilgrims from San Francisco and another group from here in Brazil who was abl...

For More Quick Takes, visit  Conversion Diary ! - 1 -  I just returned from visiting Elisabeth in Denver.  The Rocky Mountains are amazing!  I had never seen them up close, well as close as you can get to a giant range of mountains.  But anyway, they are amazing! More Pics Here - 2 - I've begun my packing for World Youth Day, we leave next Sunday!  I'm getting a little nervous - but, I purchased a rain coat and a super  absorbent  towel for showering - now just all o the things with a brown dot on my list need to be purchased, a map needs to be located, and it all needs to be packed! why doesn't internet explorer rotate that pic? whatever! My concern is how all that is going to fit into that?! But as I told our pilgrims, 'Light as a Feather makes everything better!'!!! - 3 - And I wrote a little paragraph for our Catholic Newspaper yesterday, thought I'd share it here, because it probably won't be printed in its...