7 Quick Takes Saturday: Fall edition!

— 1 —

So, the New Brunswick election happened on Monday and, although the results are still being contested, the Liberals won. Which means unfettered abortion access that my tax money will be paying for. I’m not impressed, discouraged and more than a little annoyed. But the fight continues with a whole lot more obstacles.

My friend tagged me in this photo after my irritation about the election became extremely apparent.

— 2 —

I got some new cookbooks! Super exciting. One of these days I’ll write my full food manifesto (ha!) but for right now, I’m going to be tabbing up my new books to mark off all the of recipes I can eat (the ones that don’t include fish (ew) or nightshade vegetables). Nightshade veg and I do not agree, at all. For a really long time I just thought I had an issue with tomatoes, but once I started removing all of the the other nightshades I started feeling SO much better.

My slow cooker shall become my best friend!

— 3 —

It is glorious in New Brunswick right now. Sunny and warm and feeling more like late August/early September than September actually did. So I’ve been taking advantage. Last week I went on a 7km walk and today, 9km! 9! I was barely walking by the time I got home (I think I need new shoes) and my back was SO sore, but, now I’ve stretched and am drinking the most delicious smoothie.

 

1/4 cup of water
1/2 a banana
1/4 of an avocado (frozen)
handful of frozen berries
1 cup of Silk dark chocolate almond milk

And yes, I have Wizard of Oz cups. I’m a total WoO fangirl.

— 4 —

Tomorrow will be a youth group gathering and prayers would be greatly appreciated. The frustrations and difficulties that I’ve been dealing with are seriously making me think that my time would be better spent working on other things. It’s hard when the other youth group leaders are constantly try to make the Church “hip” and “relevant” by watering it down and trying to be cool instead of just teaching the glory and beauty of the Catholic Church.

They also have a really strong love for Development and Peace and the UN and neither entities are things that I can look upon favourable as a Catholic (the promotion of abortion and birth control overseas is not something worth supporting)

—5—

My bootcamp is still going well. The workouts never seem hard and when I’m doing them I’m always feeling like it’s not doing anything, but then the next day…ouch. I’ve not weighed myself this week (Sunday mornings are my weighin’ days) but after the first week I had gained 2 pounds. I call it muscle. We will see if there is any change tomorrow.

I did have to tighten my bra this morning, so, that’s something.

—6—

Some more photos from my walk! There is something so ridiculously magical about walking on a dirt path surrounded by tree. The beauty and the glory just surrounds. God is so good.

—7—

Does anyone else’s iTunes every shuffle from Audrey Assad to Eminem? Because mine just did and I thought the transition was hilarious. So, in my 7 (never on Friday) Quick takes tradition, here’s a song for you:

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

And now for something completely different….Boot Camp Week One

I’m going to try blogging more. I know when The Dweej hit a blogging slump 7 in 7 broke her out of it. I don’t plan/want/have fodder for 7 posts in 7 days (I don’t think?), but I’m going to try for like 4 or 5.

Any way, I started a gym bootcamp this week. It’s called Downsize Fitness and it is specifically designed for people with 50+ pounds they need to lose. I have like 80 to lose to get to my “healthy weight range” but I also know that health is so so so much bigger than a number on a scale. Although, the number helps.

I signed up for this bootcamp for a few reasons.

First, back in 2013 I got down to my lowest weight ever. I was in the 180s, and I felt great and my clothes fit and shopping was fun. Then I started to get super busy and my planning skills are not great so eventually the weight started creeping back on. Then I could never find a rhythm again, I had to much going on finding time to work out was…not impossible, but not easy.

Second, my motivation level on my own is zero. I need accountability and I had no gym buddy. So that is a problem. I tried the apps, setting reminders on my phone, the DVDs, the 15 minute blasts and I couldn’t stick with anything

Third, I like working out with people. I like competition and I like to feel pushed. Working out on your own doesn’t give me that same edge.

So far,  I’m really liking the bootcamp. There are only 4 other people and I’m the youngest (though not by much) and the thinnest, so I sometimes feel that the trainer might have higher expectations of me. I have met with her one on one and she gave me some strength training exercises that I can do outside of the bootcamp times. Which is great. I’m not much for strength training. So I love having someone guiding me through it.

The bootcamp is on Tuesdays and Thursdays for an hour, which means that for the next 4 months I’ll be late to my Catholic adults group, but ultimately, worth it.

The downside, is that because it is only 2 times a week that gives me a lot of time to screw it up, working out intensively for 2 hours a week and then doing nothing for the other 5 days? Not super effective.

So on that note, I’ll be incorporating some other gym time based on the exercises that the trainer gave me and I’ll be trying to hit 10,000 steps a day at least 3 times a week. Apparently that’s good for you, probably cause it forces you to move about. So far, 10,000 steps has amount to ~7.5km a day.

I’m super excited for this next adventure and will keep you all updated.

God bless,

R.

Brian Gallant, Postcards and the Economy

On Wednesday I participated in the Face the Children postcard campaign initiated by the Canadian Centre for Bioethical Reform and Campaign Life Coalition – Youth.

And I felt conflicted the entire time. Dropping off postcards in people’s mailboxes with pictures of aborted babies? Did it need to be so graphic to make its point? Does it have to be so in your face? What about the dead babies? Do we really have a right to use them in this way?

My head was a bundle of conflict and anxiety. What if there was a confrontation? WHAT IF SOMEONE SEES ME?! What if they yell? Swear? Attack?

I was nervous, I was anxious and the whole morning before I went postcarding I was certain I was going to throw up. (I am really good at working myself up into an anxious frenzy).

But then I realized 2 things:

1. I have really great friends who listen and respond when I am being a complete head case 
2. If I don’t speak for these children, who will?

Their lives mattered. People deserve to know them. To see their faces. To see their bodies. 

Their lives matter, and people need to see what choice does. The heartbeats that it stops. These children deserve their voices to be heard. 

In the postcard campaign, they get a voice. People see them. People see their faces, their hands and their feet. People see their humanity.

We live in our comfortable little bubbles. We talk of abortion using flowery language to disguise its nature. We talk of choice, reproductive health, and bodily autonomy.

We never discuss the children. The children who had no say in their conception and no choice in their death. We treat them as disposable garbage, as inconveniences. We deny them their right to life.

And that is wrong. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms states that all Canadians have a right to life and freedom of conscience. Abortion on demand eliminates that right, and the Liberals want to eliminate freedom of conscience both federally and provincially.

“The existing incumbent MPs were green lit (to seek nominations) originally through a different process that we respect. But the policy going forward is that every single Liberal MP will be expected to stand up for women’s right to choose.” – Justin Trudeau

“Some Liberals who oppose abortion have insisted their leader won’t impose his beliefs on them, but Gallant has said the party will adopt a policy similar to the federal Liberals’ and promote a position “that respects a woman’s right to choose.” – Brian Gallant

The Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the very thing our politicians are meant to uphold, they are willing to violate.

And, just so we are clear, in Canada there is no constitutional right to an abortion.

People are quick to say that abortion doesn’t matter in the New Brunswick election. The economy matters. According to the CBC, New Brunswick is barrelling towards bankruptcy.

But, Brian Gallant’s Liberals, the NDP and the Green party want to tax fund abortions.

According to the CBC: “Annual increases in public spending on health care in recent years have exceeded economic growth, inflation and population increase. In other words, massive infusions of money into health care are impossible”

But, the Liberals, the NDP and the Green Party want to tax fund abortion.

“The province’s net debt currently stands at about $11 billion and could jump to about $62 billion by 2035, he said.” 

But, the Liberals, the NDP and the Green Party want to tax fund abortion.

Abortion is not an essential service. Abortion on demand is not necessary and not economically reasonable. “Medically necessary” abortions would still be available. 

New Brunswick, like Canada, is below population replacement rate. More people are aging and drawing pensions, the median age of workers is 44, and there are no young workers coming up to replace them and pay into the social programs that provide the pensions.

You can’t recover an economy if there are no workers. The economy will continue to suffer if people are not here. Jobs get outsourced when people aren’t here. Population growth, again from the CBC, drives economic growth.

But don’t worry, because even though we don’t have people to work and stabilize the economy, we can use the precious tax money we do have to fund the elimination of unborn children instead of funding programs that would foster life, families and actual growth. Tax funded abortion perpetuates economic decline, it doesn’t foster population growth and it takes money that could be used on practical and necessary services and wastes it.

Wasting money on abortion is not what is good for New Brunswick, a woman’s  choice is more than one woman and one baby. The ramifications effect everyone.

That is ultimately why I chose to involve myself in the postcard campaign because even with all the violence we see in the movies people still react such an outcry to images of dead babies because it makes us uncomfortable but it sparks a discussion, as it should.

We need to ask why it makes us so uncomfortable. Is it because we know the only outcome to pregnancy is a baby? Is it because we know that what we all have in common is that we were all at that stage of development in our mother’s wombs and someone could’ve made the choice to kill us? Is it because we were given life and they were not?

Or, is it because seeing these images make it harder for us to deny the humanity of those aborted babies?  People don’t like to be wrong. Facing choice makes it harder to reconcile the pro-abortion viewpoint with human rights. And I think that is why people respond so strongly. They are so committed to the euphemisms they aren’t able to see the reality and when they do, they don’t want to be wrong so they get angry. 

And that is why I decided to help people Face the Children, because their voices may be silenced, but mine is not. 

Never thought I’d see myself agreeing with this guy…

If you are interested in seeing the postcard that was distributed, it can be seen here: http://www.unmaskingchoice.ca/sites/default/files/gallant_web_large.jpg

Five Favourites: Robin Williams Edition

I hesitate to even write about this because it feels selfish because I didn’t even know him. Not in person, we never met and we never had a single, solitary conversation. Yet, I’m indescribably sad, or morose as John Keating would prefer, over the death of Robin Williams. I’m devastated.

I finally understand when people say they lost part of their childhood, I understand the upset when Marilyn Monroe died, I finally get how you can be so upset over a person you didn’t know.

Sure, I was sad when Heath Ledger died because 10 Things I Hate About You is and was one of my most favoured movie but the loss of Mr. Williams is hitting hard.

Suicide isn’t something uncontrollable no matter how it seems. I’ve been to the depths of despair and depression and sometimes it really did feel like the only option I have because depression hurts, it creeps in and it settles until you just give up all hope. Everything is so black you don’t see the light, the worthiness, the dignity of your own life. You stop feeling like you are accomplishing things and truly, truly believe that there is no way out except death. When you don’t see the joy in living, death really does become your only option.

We must always remember to treat people with love, with charity, and respect. We must  remember that they are beloved by their Creator. We must remember their dignity and worth. We must remember to be examples of joy. We must be able to be available and open to them. We need to make sure to ask people how they are and listen to what they say.

Most importantly, we, each and every one of us, needs to be able to ask for help. We need to be able to humble ourselves enough to become vulnerable with another person because “many hands make light work” isn’t just in regards to physical toil, emotional toil is meant to be shared too. 

In a society where everything is closed of and human contact has resorted to simply “liking” and “retweeting” we need to remember that nothing, not a thing, will ever replace human contact, true friendships and filial and agape love. 

Will talking, sharing and asking help? Yes, but not entirely, depression is insidious, but if we start living and treating and value every life it will help to see people see their full value and dignity.

I know God is merciful, I pray that Mr. Williams is released from purgatory, I pray that he is able to find this joy basking in the love and glow of God. I pray that God is able to heal the pain of Mr. Williams family, that they may know that their husband and father is waiting for them in paradise. I pray that they find solace in God, their memories and Mr. Williams vast body of work.

The world is a bit dimmer without Mr. Williams but we’ll always remember the first time we saw (or heard) his exuberance on screen. When our first encounter was. And how it made us feel.

And, on that note (and the longest preamble to a five favourites list ever), I give you my:

Five Favourite Robin Williams Clips

(in no particular order)

1.  “Prince Ali” – Aladdin

Friend Like Me is great, but this is my favourite

2. The Dinosaur Scene – Mrs. Doubtfire

I sing this song all the time, I just can’t get over it

3. From Dead Poets Society

What will your verse be?

4.  Jumanji

Nothing deep, I just always really loved this movie

5. I Need My Children – Mrs. Doubtfire

This isn’t the scene I wanted but I love this one too. I wanted the scene at the end where he reads the letter and says,

“Where there is love, those are the ties that bind”

Good bye, Mr. Williams, you will be forever loved and sorely missed. Your mark on this earth was permanent and your family and friends were lucky to know you. I pray you find the peace and answers you were looking for in the arms of our Saviour.

In Which I am told that I Should be Offended, When I’m Not

Yesterday on Facebook I posted this meme:

Today a well meaning friend on my Facebook advise me that the term “fair sex” in relation to women is offensive. I said that in this context I didn’t find it offensive and most contexts I don’t. I then stated that I find it more degrading that women fight so hard for something that objectifies them and causes death, cancer and blood clots. 

He ignored everything and again stated that no, fair sex is sexist to all women.

And I was truly flabbergasted. Not that he said anything really offensive, or because he ignored the entire point of the post or raising awareness to Natural Family Planning (NFP) during NFP Awareness week, I was shocked that a man could tell me that I should be offended by a term he deemed as sexist. That a man could tell me (a woman) what I should feel.

Because he is one of the progressives, the feminists, the one who value equality, equal rights and the opinion of others. And it again cemented why I can’t consider myself a feminist.

I can’t consider myself a feminist because I can think for myself and have my opinions.

I can’t consider myself a feminist because I believe that women are my equals, my sisters and not my competition.

I can’t consider myself a feminist because I can’t support the the killing of unborn children in the name of my empowerment.

I can’t consider myself a feminist because the wage gap scandal? It’s a lie.

I can’t support feminism because I do not believe that free, legal, birth control and abortion on demand are more important that the plight of women around the world who are being raped, trafficked and kidnapped.

I can’t support anything that the puts the value of self over the value of others. And that is what feminism does.

I was raised in an environment where I was treated no differently than my brother, where my dad didn’t do much housework because he was the sole wage earner and my mother stayed at home. In this environment I was never taught that a women’s responsibility was to be in the home, I was taught that I could do what ever I wanted and be whoever I wanted to be. I was taught that men and women were equal, and that working outside the home or being a stay at home mom were both stressful, fulfilling and worthy decisions.

But then, a few years ago after I got over my whole “I never want children” thing, and I realised that, at the age of 24, I wanted nothing more to be a wife and mother and have lots of children. I kept this to myself, however, because I had learned in university that being a stay at home mom was not worthy. It was something to want or to desire. Women are more than mothers.

I told my aunt I wanted to be a stay at home mom, and she said, “you could accomplish so much more than that”.

Feminism is not about equality, no matter what the dictionary says. Feminism in the 21st century is about the value of self above all. Feminism is about competition and one upping women. Feminism is above valuing all the thing things that make women, women. Feminism is about smashing an invisible patriarchy and rising above men. Not equality.

Modern 21st century Feminism, in all the collective power and call to action, can never manage more than hashtag outrage against the plights of women in developing world, but they can cause a stink and a stir if you try to take away their birth control or abortion.

They tell you to think for yourself, and then shame you if you disagree. The vitriol that spews from the comments that I’ve seen on the internet and heard in real life is atrocious. They tell you what to think, and then beat you into submission if you try to tell them they are wrong.

Feminism is not a term I can comfortably associate with because feminist action often disagrees with the definition of what they claim to be.

I don’t believe that men are the enemy.

I don’t believe I am a victim because I am a woman.

I don’t believe that I am oppressed because I am a woman.

I don’t believe women are the competition or the enemy.

I don’t believe than anyone has the power to tell me what to think.

I am not scared of my ability to make children or having a child depend on me.

Modern 21st century feminism has sown nothing but seeds of mistrust and anger sown with the blood of children aborted for the cause.

If they were throwing their power to actually change the world and fight for equality, real equality that isn’t based of contraception and abortion, instead of squabbling for freebies, then, maybe, I could consider myself a feminist.

Standing with the Nasrani

Today on Facebook, I changed my Profile Picture to this:

I did this because I’ve been ready some scary, scary stuff about ISIS, Iraq and the Christians of the Middle East.

I’m going to preface this by saying that I have no animosity towards Muslims. Many, many, many of them are peaceful, loving, respectful men and women of great faith. I still pray for them and ultimately for their conversion to the Catholic faith, but ultimately I understand that cultural ties to a religion make it difficult to convert and the God will be merciful upon them. I believe the ecumenism is important and religious tolerance is important as well.

That said, I am alarmed and concerned about ISIS and the more militant Muslims. I am concerned about Sharia law and I am concerned with their complete lack of religious tolerance. 

According to several news reports and a letter from the Patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church, ISIS is specifically targeting Christians. These Muslims are spray painting the Arabic letter N which is an indicator that Christians live there. 

They are giving these Christians 3 options: Convert, Pay a tax that non-Muslims must pay (undisclosed amount) or face death. 

Many people are still claiming that most Muslims disagree with ISIS and they are targeting other Muslims as well and this is true. Many people are commenting that this is just a small group, we out number them and they will be defeated. 

But at what cost? I don’t like to make comparisons to Nazi Germany, but some of the comparisons are startling. 

source

Painting on building to indicate that an unwanted lives or works there? Creating ID cards to indicate what religion or sect you belong to? This  has happened before and, like now, people were told not to worry because Hitler was just one guy and we can beat him.

And we did. But only after millions and millions of innocent people were slaughtered.

It shouldn’t have happened then, and it shouldn’t be happening now.

It’s time to pray. 

It’s time for solidarity.

It’s time to say no more.

No more unnecessary deaths.

No more innocent deaths. 

No more jihad.

No more white-washing and in offensive newscasts.

I believe most Muslims don’t want this, but, just because a majority may not want this it doesn’t mean we should be afraid to report the truth.

Something needs to be done. I don’t have answers, and I don’t know what to suggest but pray. Pray for the leaders.

Pray for the innocents.

Pray for harmony.

Pray for conversions of heart.

Pray for conversions of mind.

Pray unceasingly, Pope St. John Paul II helped end communism in the USSR using only prayer. It works and it is powerful. The Lord listens to His people, but sometimes we need to learn lessons first. Sometimes we need to realize we don’t have other options. 

He listens, call on him to end the terror. 

Pray for Israel, Palestine and the Gaza region as well.

Just pray, and never cease. 

Because the Muslims have declared jihad on the Holy Lands before, and now, just like then, we can win them back.

Also: http://www.crisismagazine.com/2014/common-heritage

Sources:
http://www.aina.org/news/20140720122948.htm
http://www.aina.org/news/20140720122948.htm
http://www.buenanueva.net/Cruzadas/CruzTheDefensGest.htm
http://www.thearma.org/essays/Crusades.htm#.U8xp9YBdW_c

20 Reasons I don’t Use Birth Control

When I am at work and it gets quiet and I have exhausted the articles on every single other website I read, I sometimes check out Buzzfeed. This week there were 2 articles this week and both of them made me sad.

22 Reasons Why Women Take Birth Control.

 

Now, I only have 20 but I am also only 1 person:

 

 

1. Self Control is real. Humans are not animals and it is disrespectful to ourselves to act like we have no control over our impulses and decisions
2. The birth control pill is a level 1 Carcinogen. The same level of classification as tobacco and formaldehyde (http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Classification/ClassificationsGroupOrder.pdf (pdf))
3. Because I want my future marriage to have the best chance of success http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8226959/Couples-who-dont-have-sex-before-marriage-are-happier-study-claims.html
4. Because I don’t want my future marriage to end in divorce (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2558098/posts)
5. Because I don’t want an unnecessary death (http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/yaz-yasmin-birth-control-pills-suspected-in-23-deaths-1.1302473  and http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/2014/01/nuvaring-lethal-contraceptive-trial)
6. Because I don’t want a blood clot (http://www.drugwatch.com/yaz/blood-clots/)
7. Because I don’t want a stroke (http://womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/stroke.html#j)

   

8. Because I don’t want to risk my health in order to break my normally functioning body. There is no reason to take a prescription when your body is working as designed. Breaking something that isn’t broken and risk serious side effects and death doesn’t make sense to me
9. Because I believe that all life is important and unique, even in the pre-implantation embryonic phase. Some birth control pills cause early first trimester abortions. I don’t intend in taking a life intentionally, and I certainly don’t want to take one accidentally. Birth control that causes abortion:  Plan B, IUDs, Yaz & Yasmin, The Pill, The Minipill and Depo-Provera (http://www.lifeissues.org/abortifacients/)
10. Because women are powerful because we can bring forth life. We don’t need to supress what is distinctly female to move ahead in life. 
11. Because I believe sex and love should not have exceptions or conditions. To say “I like every thing about you and I want to be with you. But I don’t like what your body can do.” Is not love, love should be free, unifying and giving. 
12. Because I have control over my life by tracking my cycles. I know when I can become pregnant and when I cannot. I don’t need chemicals to regulate me.
13. Because there are other ways to treat acne (http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/acne/basics/treatment/con-20020580)
14. Because there are other ways to treat cramps (http://breakingmuscle.com/womens-fitness/treating-cramps-and-heavy-or-irregular-cycles-without-birth-control)
15. Because there are other ways to treating women’s reproductive health (http://www.naprotechnology.com/surgical.htm)

    

16.  Because taking contraception puts all of the responsibility on the women, natural family planning requires communication, trust and commitment. Things that lead to successful relationships
17. Because there is power in knowing your cycles, when you smother the indicators with chemicals prescription you can miss warning signs that something might not be working properly in your body
18. Because it can take up to 6 months for your body to become fertile again. 6 months for your body to start to do what it was designed to do. 

    

19. Because I try to eat clean and care about what I put in my body, I try to avoid overly processed food and junk food. I care about hormones and additives in my food and prefer cooking from scratch. Why then would I willingly take large amounts of unnecessary hormones?
20. Because Natural Family Planning is not your great grandma’s rhythm method. It’s based on science and can be uniquely tailored to each women’s cycle. Plus there are apps you can get for your phone which make it super easy to track

 

 

So, I don’t have pretty pictures or hashtags but I strongly believe that the best thing a woman can do is ditch the pill, ditch the birth control and actually take control of her body. There is only a 7 day window in the month a woman is fertile. If having sex and not making babies is that important to you there is still an all natural way of avoiding pregnancy. 

 

And it leads to stronger relationships because it requires support, trust and understanding. In our society that is littered with broken hearts and broken families, maybe it is time to reconsider how we treat ourselves and each other in our sexual relationships. Maybe the focus should be less on sex and more on building a strong foundation (which NFP does).

 

 

Just a thought.

 

More information:

1flesh.org

iusenfp.com 

 

PS. It’s also equally as effective as hormonal methods and more effective than barrier methods when done correctly:  http://www.aafp.org/afp/2012/1115/od1.html and http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6375261.stm

PPS. Couples who use NFP tend to have more sex and for longer periods of time in their life: http://www.nfpta.org.uk/faq.html#q5

 

7 Quick Takes: Social Justice, Steubenville and Buzzfeed!

I haven’t blogged in so long I’m concerned I’ll forget how to do it properly.

— 1 —

I went to Steubenville Atlantic last weekend and it was glorious. Actually completely wonderful, and completely exhilarating. It was for teenagers, but, I had a blast. I’d never chaperoned anything before and this was my first time doing so but the girls in my group seemed to like me so that went well. Some of them even chose to sit up at the front of the bus on the way back home to sit closer to me. Wins all around.

It was a good time to just sit and be with God. To sing His praises and see him in the Eucharist at Adoration. I haven’t been to Adoration in ages and I knew it was coming and I actually got giddy, because JESUS IS COMING. It’s like Santa, but so so so so much better.

— 2 —

Some videos not from the one I went to:

 Sister Miriam was so wonderful!

 Father Leo Patalinghug (how had I never heard of him before?! He has cookbooks!)

Watch here: http://new.livestream.com/halifaxyarmouth/steubenville2014

For some silly reason they will not embed. Which is a paaain. But I’ll get over it. 

 

— 3 —

I saw this article on Buzzfeed earlier (slow day at work…) 

http://www.buzzfeed.com/yezminvillarreal/thoughts-everyone-has-at-catholic-mass

And I realized how far I’d come in my Faith, because, literally about 80 of these were me just a few years ago. I didn’t realize that the Eucharist was actually Jesus. 

I knew Jesus was the source and summit and yadda yadda, but I had no idea what transubstantiation meant. Texting during Church? Yep, I did it. Ugh, dark times people dark, dark time. This article didn’t offend me as it apparently did some (based on the few comments I skimmed) but it made me feel sad for the author, because she doesn’t know what she is missing. Praying for her, for her eyes to be opened.

— 4 —

I am in the middle of reading 2 books. A Man for All Seasons, which I’ve barely started, and The Urgency of the New Evangelization: Answering the Call. I have barely started AMFAS, but, I’m about 1/4 of the way into Urgency, and I am loving it. How do I still know so little about the Church. 10 years of Catholic education and 1 full year since I willingly crossed the Tiber and my goodness, I still know so little. It’s ridiculous. 

I am leading a discussion on Thursday on the New Evangelization, and I don’t even know what it is….so, I get to educate me self. I watch Fr. Barron’s Catholicism: The New Evangelization back in December, but, I’m not sure how much I retained. 

My favourite quote from the book so far: 

“If I were to describe how very many of our fellow Catholics, as was believers in the wider culture, look at these matters today, I would describe it like this: “Broad and wide is the that leads to salvation/heaven and almost everybody is on that way. Narrow and difficult is the path that leads to condemnation/hell and, very few, if any are on that road.” 

He then goes on to discuss Matthew 7:13-14 and Luke 13:23-24, because we know what the Bible and the Church said about certain things and we are willfully disregarding them.

 8 But you yourselves wrong and defraud, and that even your own brethren. 9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor sexual perverts, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.  (1 Corinthians 6: 8-11)

3 And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?” 4 He answered, “Have you not read that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder.” 7 They said to him, “Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?” 8 He said to them, “For your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for unchastity, and marries another, commits adultery.” 10 The disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is not expedient to marry.” 11 But he said to them, “Not all men can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given. 12 For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to receive this, let him receive it.” (Matthew 19: 3-12) 

We need to evangelize, we are called to evangelize, because the narrow gate leads to Christ. There is one truth, one Church, and one way to salvation. Through Christ’s Church. Through being Catholic, because you cannot have Christ without the Catholic Church and you cannot have the Catholic Church without Christ.  Go and make disciples of all nations!

— 5 —

I finished another book Saints and Social Justice by Brandon Vogt. It’s so good. I’m woefully undereducated on Catholic Social Teaching, but this was good. Plus I got to learn about different saints I’d never heard of. If you want to learn about some new saints and Catholic Social Teaching, check it out! 

— 6 —

Losing some steam. But, my goodness, I like Orange is the New Black. Honestly, most hilarious,   and weirdly uplifting show I’ve seen in a while. The power of redemption, consequences and friendship, yes, I’m ignoring the friends with benefits. They don’t count. Watch it, it’s inappropriate, addictive, and hilarious.

— 7 —

This:

I love this song. 

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Definitions, and, Why They Matter

Context: the circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea, and in terms of which it can be fully understood and assessed

Tolerance: the ability or willingness to tolerate something, in particular the existence of opinions or behavior that one does not necessarily agree with

Love: an intense feeling of deep affection

Judgement: the ability to make considered decisions or come to sensible conclusions

Pope: the bishop of Rome and the earthly head of the One Holy and Apostolic Church

Now, on the front these may not seem like they are related and that I have no clear purpose, but in the last week I’ve been told that:

• I dislike someone for the sole fact that they are gay and I’m judgemental

• I am more tolerant, liberal and loving than my friend. A friend that I happen to agree with on everything

• That I/we shouldn’t judge because both Jesus and the Pope didn’t judge.

It frustrates me beyond belief. 

I love people but loving isn’t about making sure they are happy it is about wanting what’s best for them. Loving an alcoholic doesn’t mean you love them drinking alcohol. Loving my homosexual friends doesn’t mean I love their actions or support their marriages.

Separating the action from the person is something that is possible, but so many people are not able to disengage the person from the action.

Fact: I don’t like Kathleen Wynne and think she will be a terrible premier of Ontario. For the following reasons:

• The Ontario Liberals have already turned Ontario from a have province to a have-not province
• She has tried to pass extremely explicit sex ed programs for schools (including Ontario Catholic Schools)
• She has cost Ontario 1 billion dollars due to some failed gas plants
• She believes that government should be involved in the minutiae of everybody’s life
• One of her former advisors has been arrested for exploitation of a child

She also happens to be a lesbian. But her sexual orientation had nothing to do with my decision to dislike her as a politician.

I have a friend who is loving, caring and wonderful and who also happens to be gay. I don’t love him any less, however, he is under the impression that I am accepting of his engagement and pending “marriage”. I don’t. He and I aren’t close and homosexuality and the Catholic teaching on it are so often misunderstood that I don’t like getting into it on my Facebook page. I keep it to easy topics like life issues and Jesus. 

The common threat with both accusations is Pope Francis. In both of the Facbook threads Pope Francis’ “who am I to judge” quote reared its ugly head (seriously, that quote is like a hydra. The heads just keep growing) and how Jesus asks us not to judge but love. Because Jesus never judges.

…..

The problem with these phrases and misconception is that people miss the context. Context is important because it tells us the intentions of the speaker.

“Then you spoke of the gay lobby. Goodness knows! So much is written of the gay lobby. I still have not met one who will give me the identity card with “gay”. They say that they exist. I think that when one meets a person like this, one must distinguish the fact of being a gay person from the fact of doing a lobby, because not all lobbies are good. That’s bad. If a person is gay and seeks the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge him? The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains this in such a beautiful way, it says, Wait a bit, as is said and says: “these persons must not be marginalized because of this; they must be integrated in society.” — Pope Francis

And what about Jesus?

Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment. – John 7:24

15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. – Matthew 18: 15-18

 3 For though absent in body I am present in spirit, and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment 4 in the name of the Lord Jesus on the man who has done such a thing. When you are assembled, and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our paschal lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Let us, therefore, celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with immoral men; 10 not at all meaning the immoral of this world, or the greedy and robbers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But rather I wrote to you not to associate with any one who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or robber–not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 13 God judges those outside. “Drive out the wicked person from among you.” – 1 Corinthians 5: 3-13

Jesus asks us to judge in order to lead others to Him. Pope Francis doesn’t judge those of “good will” who are “seeking the Lord”. Honestly and intentionally seeking the Lord means chastity. Chastity is contrary to premarital sex, support of same sex “marriage” and support of homosexual acts. We are asked to lead these people to Christ. This requires judgement and admonishment.

I, personally, would rather that someone tell me that I’m being sinful (especially if it is a mortal sin) and let me know rather than be non-judgemental and letting me risk my own salvation. 

Mortal sin separates us from God and his graces. This is why the sacrament of Reconciliation is so important.

The final judgement, the final word, is always God. He sees our souls and upon our death he will purify us in purgatory (provided we are willing). But, and this is big, we are still responsible for getting each other into heaven. We can’t rely on being non-judgemental and hoping they will find Jesus on their own. Jesus commands:

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age. — Matthew 28:19-20

So, in summation:

Tolerance: Not restricting or discriminating against people that you disagree with or dislike

Love: Accepting a person, and loving them for their inherent dignity, without enabling or accepting their sinful actions. Wanting what is best for a person.

Context: the most important thing to consider when you are quoting a person

Judgement: separating the sin from the person. Admonishing the sin because you love them and want what is best for them

Pope: a son of the Church

But, and this is a big, huge, important but, we must remember that all of what we do must, first and foremost, come from a place of charity.

If charity is lost our message is lost.

And if our message is lost we have failed at Jesus’ command to make disciples of all nations. 

Frivolous Lunacy

I am tired of writing about things that matter. I feel like this blog has taken a slightly depressing turn of late.

 

And I am SUPER unimpressed with OECTA’s decision to be involved with the Pride Parade in Toronto. It only reaffirms my belief that public schools shouldn’t be allowed to label themselves as Catholic.

 

Anywho, my work handed out pedometers and issued a challenge to us employees to see who can accomplish the most distance between June 23 and September 23rd. The goal is to see if, site wide, we can accumulate the distance to say that we’ve “walked to Jupiter”. Which is 36000 km.

Which is 395 km a day for the 91 days of this challenge. I did the math. 3600 would be like 39km.

 

So my goal is the nice round number of: 680km. Which is about 7.5km a day (my daily goal).

 

Here is how it is going to work:

-I’m going to walk home from work (about 4.5km)

-I am going to go for runs 3 mornings a week (about 1km, still working up my run tolerance again. I’m woefully out of shape compared to last summer)

-The random walking around you do during the day

-the stairs in my apartment building.

 

So, ultimately, I’m thinking it won’t be hard to accumulate the 7km/day goal.

 

I’m also going to be tracking cals, weight, and pace. So we will see how it goes. I plan on posting updates and maybe even divulge the weight situation (*15 pounds heavier than last July!)

 

Walking music?! Don’t mind if I do:

 

 

Also I got to make some spreadsheets! My favourite. I’ll share those once some super OCD data in them. I’m concerned I have some sort of spreadsheet, list making OCD but I’m not sure if that’s a thing. My momma says our family is inclined towards degrees of OCD. lol

 

 

ALSO,

I saw Jersey Boys. Walk, don’t run, and see that stuff! It’s so good. I’ve been wanting to see the stage show for ages, but this is as close as I’m getting for now.