A Summer for Christ

I have been thinking a lot about my summer with Totus Tuus, mostly because I have  I have been working on Dennis and Father at my home parish to being it to St. John. I think that Vacation Bible School at our parish is so tame, timid, and fails to preach the gospel to the young people of our parish, the people who will soon be standing up for their and and the Church or will be leaving it the Church all together. It also fails because there is nothing for the middle and high schoolers. In Rediscovering Catholicism, Matthew Kelly write, "The ironic thing is that most young people are looking for someone who has the courage to look them in the eye and tell them the truth. Young people want above all to be their own person. But they want to be the-best-version-of-themselves. And they need and want guidance in their lives." This is why Totus Tuus works. College students stand up in front of a group of high schoolers and say, "The truth is, Christ is worth you whole life. Look at us, we have been broken, we are confused, we have no idea where our lives are going. But God is so important, He will be with us throughout the entire journey. Christ is so important that we are willing to give up our whole summer to tell you about Him." Totus Tuus teachers are willing to stand up in front of these high schoolers and tell them the truth and to give them guidance. This is how the Church will change and grow.

Fall Break Experience

This is the beginning of a back log of entries from my Fall Break Immersion trip in Tucson, AZ. Here is a little about what we did first:

We spent Oct 16-Oct 20 in Tucson. We went there and stayed at Most Holy Trinity Parish. The pastor there, Fr. Bill, and the social justice coordinator, Leo, helped us see the many side of the immigration issue in America. Saturday we saw a play called "No Roosters In Arizona." It is based on the true story of four women who wandered the Arizona desert trying to find a home in America. Sunday we went to a Mariachi Mass (very fun!) and then to a forum about Scripture and Immigration. Fr. Bill gave a talk about what the Bible says about hospitality and Leo gave a talk about the history of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and their recent statement, in conjunction with the Mexican Bishops, about immigration reform. Monday we drove down to Nogalas, AZ (right on the Border) and toured the Border Patrol Station and let them tell us about what they do. Then we went to downtown Tucson and set in on Operation Streamline, the governments way to streamline the plea hearings of people who entered the country illegally. Most pleas guilty and are sentenced in less that 3 minutes. We were there for an hour and fifteen minutes and about 70 people had their hearings and were sentenced.  Tuesday we went out with a group of Samaritans. The Samaritans is a group completely funded by volunteers and donations. Their goal is to go out into the desert, to leave water for those traveling through the desert, and to offer emergency first aid to those who are dying. They first took us to Sasabe, AZ where we drove to the wall that has been put up on the Mexican/American border. Then we drove and saw some wells that are on a federal wildlife reserve. They have put taps on them so people can refill their water jugs. Then we walked a migrant trail with them, checking to see if any water had been taken from a drop earlier that week (to see if the trail is being used) and we picked up litter (bottles, food tins, clothes, backpacks, etc.) on the trial. It was a very trying, testing, educational trip. I learned a lot, learned I knew so little, realized that I am blessed more than I ever knew, and tried my faith a little. But I know I came out of this experience stronger than I was before.

I will put up more journal entries later. :-)

Quick Thought

I wrote a couple of weeks age about my struggle with the passage from Job made famous by the praise and worship song "Blessed Be the Name." Then on October 24, 2010, the Psalm response for Mass was

The Lord hears the cry of the poor, blessed be the Lord.

I have been struggling with this. With what I have just experienced (in my immersion trip, by visiting with my Hospice companion every week, etc.) it is easy to think that the Lord does not hear the cry of the poor.  But, maybe the Lord does hear the cry of the poor. Maye He calls people like me to answer and alleviate the cry whenever, wherever, and however we are needed. I think it is important for me and for humanity to stand up for this call: to hear the cry of the poor.

Thoughts Post Immigration Immersion (more to come later)

For those of you who don't know, I was in Tucson over Fall Break doing an immersion trip to learn about immigration issues on the border. I will write more about the experience, but here are some brief thoughts that I have going through my mind right now.


I've been thinking a lot about suffering. I see a lot of injustices in this world and I have a vision of how to heal them. We, as a human family, seem to have lost sight of the intrinsic human worth of each individual in our search for personal gain and selfish desires. Yet, how can I affect all of these problems when there are so many? Do I just pick on and work on that? Do I try an affect change in all areas? 
A recognition of everyone as worth something would go far in this world. Yet, how is the best way to do this? I hope that by teaching (or youth ministering) I can help affect change. I can teach people and maybe a few will take what I  have said to them to heart and affect change in their own unique way. I just hope I can make some sort of difference in someone's life.


I think Natalie Grant says is beautifully in her song "Human"

We gotta do better than this cuz we only got 

One chance to make a difference 

We gotta do better than this cuz we only got 

One life that we've been given 

A little love, a little kindness 

A little light in this time of darkness 

It'll be what makes us different 

It'll be what makes us human 

I'm human, you're human, we are human 

Walking on God's Path: Introduction

Please bear with me. Almost all of this is straight out of my head onto the computer screen. I made typos, some grammar makes no sense and sometimes whole bits don't make any sense. Eventually I will edit, but for now writing it is the biggest accomplishment.

An Introduction, Preface, or Whatever Else You Want to Call It.

Hello! My name is Katie. This is my attempt at a memoir. Over my few years on this earth, I have seen God working in my life in many ways, helping me grow in my love for Him, my faith, and my desire to be a part of His Church. This story is about that journey that He has lead and is still leading me down. This is God’s path and I am just walking down it, trusting in Him and trying, despite my human weakness, not to get lost: lost in my selfish desires, lost in this materialistic and secular world, lost by following prompts from the Devil that may sound good, but in the end are not. This is a manifesto of how much God loves each and every one of us, a manifesto of how He works in our lives, and the goodness and happiness that overflows from us if we just follow His will for us. Come with me on this journey. Some dates may only be approximate, the conversations are not exact quotes, but typical to what that person may have said, and names are changed, but it is truth. Stick with me; I am working from memory and journal entries here! Let us being walking on this path and see where the Lord takes us, and thanks for joining me!

            Recently I heard from a very good friend of mine that life is a roller coaster and we need the seatbelt of prayer in order to not fall off the roller coaster. So, on that note, I would like to begin this book with a prayer, that the words I am writing are the words God wishes me to speak.

Come Holy Spirit,

fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.

Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created.

And You shall renew the face of the earth. 
O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit,

did instruct the hearts of the faithful,

grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise

and ever enjoy His consolations,

Through Christ Our Lord,

Amen.

After a long time away...

Sorry I haven't updated all summer. I was working with Totus Tuus in the Diocese of Tulsa all summer and had very, very, very limited internet access. I just have to say...this summer was AMAZING! I grew so much in my prayer life and my relationship with God. This summer gave me a new outlook on my future and what I am planning to do with my life. I am wanting to write down my life, especially this what happened this summer. I want to compile my journal entries into a coherent memoir. I think I will do that in little installments on this blog, so if anyone is reading out there, you can stay tuned. :-)

My awesome team!