Breakfast with 30 Bishops

I got a call at 3:30 PM from my teammate Sara saying we got invited to go attend the USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) Annual meeting in Baltimore, and we would be heading to Bmore that night and staying in a hotel. I remember thinking...only a FOCUS missionary life...

So Wednesday morning Team Navy headed to the Marriott in Baltimore to attend a breakfast that FOCUS and the Augustine Institute were holding. The morning was for any Bishop that was interested in learning more about these programs. FOCUS had a presentation along with the Augustine institute. Dr. Sri and Dr. Gray were there representing the Augustine Institute. [Random, but here is Dr. Sri's son playing piano. He's only 9!]

It was such a great opportunity and a gift to see so many Bishops that want to have FOCUS in their diocese. Many of the Bishops that attended the breakfast, didn't have FOCUS in their diocese. FOCUS is growing and it was so great to see this side of FOCUS for the morning. After breakfast we headed back to campus and had a "regular" day on the Yard. 


Please pray for our Retreat this weekend we have 70 Mishipmen attending. I'll be sure to write about it next week!

Team Director Summit

The Main Ranch House where we stayed

Kyle, Sara, and I all piled into my car and headed out to Hume, VA  to the Marriott Ranch. (I highly recommend the place, if you're looking for a nice B&B out in the hills of Virginia.) I was asked to attend to see if this was a future role I wanted to pursue in FOCUS.

The 3 days I spent out in the hills of Virginia were a great time to think and pray as to what God is calling me to next. I got to see another role within FOCUS. The team director's job title is to maintain the team and the program at his or her college/program. There is a lot that happens behind the scenes as a Team Director.

Standing next to our "Force Field Analysis" Chart

A team director has the privilege to serve everyone on their team be the direct spokesperson for the Chaplain. Every team has a team director that leads team meetings and helps delegate and monitor tasks. Kyle is our team director, or as we like to say "he's the boss." :)

As well as learning about the new things in FOCUS and some of the roles of a team director, Msgr. Swetland came out from Mount Saint Mary's and gave us a talk on Padre Pio and his life embracing the cross and how that must be a part of great Christian leadership. "The way the world sees love is the cross today." Embracing the cross. Padre Pio had stigmata but also had the wound on his shoulder. He had the wounds of Simon, who helped carry the cross.

All in all it was a great few days spent with some holy men and women!

I'll leave you with a snipit from Msgr. talk,  "Leaders are the first to love and the first to forgive. That's true leadership

Striving for Sainthood

Happy Belated All Saints Day!

Recently I have been thinking a lot about sainthood. The Magnificat (the little book that has all of the daily Mass readings in it) had a great reflection on sainthood. I'd like to share some of the greatness.

"He delights to see his goodness not just in himself, but reflected in thousands of different ways in all his creatures, so that, seeing him everywhere, we may be all the more amazed and happy at his generosity..."

I can't remember who said this but saints have saints as friends. Each person in our lives has so much to show us. We were made in the image and likeness of GOD. It warms my heart and I have a deep down love for all those in my life that show me who God is through their talents and their love everyday. From family to friends, to the lady at the check out, to the friendly face on the street that makes an intention to say "Good Morning" every day. We are so blessed to have friends that live their lives to become the best version of themselves and teach us to do the same.

Do you know SAINTHOOD is real? So we must strive for sainthood! Follow the Lord with your whole heart and give your whole life to Him. Everything, I mean EVERYTHING must be for God and giving Him glory every day. Even when it gets hard, give it to the Lord, He will never leave your side, He is forever in control.

There are many men and women up in heaven praying for us every day and moment. "And even if we do lose heart, they (the saints) do not lose heart, even if we are overcome by terror, they are not overcome by terror, even if we are broken by grief they are not broken by grief; and we are one with them in Christ, members of one another." Turn to the saints, they have so much to teach us!

Let's encourage each other to follow God with ALL of our hearts and to strive for the goodness of sainthood. Thanks for all those who show me everyday what it means to strive for sainthood.

Love to all!

On a non related note: This weekend is Navy's last home football game. They painted Tecumseh for the Troy game.

We're in full swing!

Homemade Lasagna

I can't believe it but we're just about half way through the semester. Where did the time go? I was told that the semesters would fly by here at the Academy but, really, this fast?

This past weekend Sara and I decided to have a girls weekend away. Kristin and Colleen (two seniors here at the Academy) were able to get away from the craziness of school and join us on our adventure. We left Friday afternoon and headed to my home!

The weekend was great time full of laughter, sleep and good home cooked food! My parents treated us well! I loved it, 2 worlds collided. You always feel closer when you go on a trip together. Quality car ride time and the adventure of going some place new. Sadly we could only stay one night.

Rock the Red!

Saturday night: Kyle, Sara, her boyfriend Bryce, and I headed to our Nations Capital for some good ol' hockey. A Student Leader, who is on the Navy Women's hockey team so generously donated 4 tickets to the team! I was in my glory. If you didn't know already, I am a huge Caps fan. The Caps won 2-1 and everyone was happy!

The weekends fill up fast here and so do the weeks. But, when you love the ones you're with you don't mind at all!

Cathoic Midshipmen Club

"It is by following Christ, renouncing themselves, and taking up their crosses that spouses will be able to "receive" the original meaning of marriage and live it with the help of Christ. This grace of Christian marriage is a fruit of Christ's cross, the source of all Christian life."

Paragraph 1615 in Catechism of the Catholic Church

Catholic Midshipmen Club is a club here at the Academy run by our Chaplains and has a board of students that plan the evenings. We met every Tuesday night at 1900. (That's 7pm for all you trying to do the math.) This week they brought in a well-known Captain on the yard to speak on married life and practicing your Catholic faith in the military. Captain Thorp has been at the Academy for sometime teaching students and being a mentor to so many.  This was one of the best meetings thus far this year.

Capt. Thorp opened up the with how the vocation of marriage is downplayed and how it society sees it today. He did the math and only 28% will grow up in a household where the parents are still together. Capt. Thorp mentioned the policy at the Academy "only if it's consensual" and challenged the mids to practice what the Catholic Church teaches, and to be a witness to everyone else at the Academy. Hearing these stats and being challenged from a high-ranking military officer was huge! Capt Thorp was an inspiration to many, including myself as he shared his personal testimony to the grace and beauty of marriage.

The Sisters of Life

Angel and I in Vermont Fall 2010

Angel and I after the entrance Mass

This past weekend I went to NJ/NYC. Angel my teammate, more importantly my dear friend, was entering the Sisters of Life! If you have never heard of the Sisters of Life, they are amazing! I first heard about them at George Mason University, they came and visited for a few days every year. It was a special treat whenever they came! These sisters are the most joy-filled people you will ever meet. You can't help but be changed by their love of God in every human being. Over the years I have had more encounters with them especially through FOCUS. I went on one of their Women's retreats this past March, talk about LIFE CHANGING!

The order does so much for the good of the Church. Like all religious orders they take vows of poverty, obedience and chastity, but they take a fourth as well, a vow to protect and enhance the sacredness of human life. They have a retreat center and do all kinds of retreats (go on one! best deal out there, they are run on donations and have a beautiful retreat center in CT). They also invite pregnant women to live in their convents and give them they care and love that they need. A sister once told me that, once these women decide to keep their child they feel so lost and alone because no one is there to help them. That's where the sisters come in, they hold the women's hand and are a support system for them.

So my dear friend Angel is now a postulant! I am beyond excited for her and she is going to impact so many lives in NYC. This past year, was a total gift from God, she made such an impact on my life and will forever be on of my best friends. This past year I was able to watch her enter her vocation after many months of praying and visiting different orders. It was an honor to meet her family this weekend and to be there for her as she made this huge leap of faith for Our Lord and His Church. She will be living at the formation house in the Bronx for the next year. Please pray for her and the other 7 women who entered postulancy.

To learn more about the order visit their site here