The bottom part is a little blurry. It says:
Registration deadline is September 23. Late fee on all registrations received from September 24–September 30. Contact your parish youth ministry leader for more information or Amy at the Diocese of Cheyenne, alarsen@dioceseofcheyenne.org
307-638-1530
The young man inside of me wanted to climb all the way to the top. However, the altitude and the steeper terrain told my tired. old body to take the path more heavily traveled. Although it has been five months since getting out of the hospital my stamina and endurance levels aren’t too high. My mind still pictures me doing the strenuous things of yesteryear, but the reality of what my body can endure is a completely different snapshot. Trained rock climbers were precariously scaling some of the walls of rock. My feet stayed on solid ground and I enjoyed the beauty from a lower level during the 2.34 mile trek. Enjoy the pictures.
Several visitors passed by the house this morning. It was nice to watch them stroll through the yard. Even though they dare to pass very near the house, they are always vigilant and watchful.
I will be taking some time this afternoon to go hiking in the mountains and soaking up some of this cool weather. The smoke from the wildfires doesn’t seem quite as thick today. It should be a good day to get some exercise and enjoy the beauty of God’s creation.
Have a blessed Sunday!
The days are getting shorter. The sight of school buses will soon be prevalent, if they are not already. It is a time of transition once again. However, today is Friday and that means it is time for the weekend. I hope you take some time to get out and enjoy these final days of August.
As for me–I’m on the road again. I am looking forward to spending Saturday with the catechists at Holy Name Parish in Sheridan, Wyoming. The 325 mile trek from Cheyenne to Sheridan is not a problem during the summer. I will get an opportunity to enjoy the mountains and the vast wide-open spaces. On Sunday, I will be back in Cheyenne to join Bishop Etienne for the 9:00 A.M. Mass at the Cathedral. On Monday, I will be headed to Laramie to finalize details with the hotel and conference center for the diocesan September Institute. On Tuesday, I will venture down to Loveland, Colorado for a new experience as I serve as the speaker for Night With The Knights.
Finally, please check out www.catholic365.com tomorrow at 1:00 P.M. Eastern Time (12:00 P.M. Central and 11:00 A.M. Mountain) as my next article is published, Selfie Stick Christianity.
Have a blessed weekend!
Look at the picture. Study it for a little bit. What captures your attention? Is it the height of the swing? Is it the speed at which the swing must be going? Do the dark clouds in the background make you pause a moment? Do the cables all appear to be secure? Is the swing safe?
I snapped the photo during Cheyenne Frontier Days. I had no reason for the picture at the time and had no topic in mind to connect with the photo. I just took it to have it in case I wanted to use it on my blog. I was going to delete it today without using it, but then something caught my eye. It reminded me of some criticisms I have heard in regard to the life of the Church.
Have you ever been scared and needed someone to cling to for comfort? Have you ever been excluded from a group because you weren’t part of the clique? Have you every yearned for a suitable companion to share your life with as husband and wife? Have you ever felt the desperation and loneliness that comes from being alone almost constantly? Have you ever been in a crowded room and still felt all alone? Have you felt the devastating loss of a loved one after many years of marriage? Have you ever felt invisible–and not in a cool, exciting sort of way?
Single people have frequently expressed their discontent in regard to life at church? Some have told me, “The church ministers to married people and children. Sometimes the elderly get a little more attention as well.” One person went on to say to me, “Do you know why young people aren’t in church?” I didn’t have to respond because the answer immediately followed the question. “They don’t come because they think no one cares.”
Obviously, this discussion gave me food for thought. It compelled me to do some evaluations and assessments of things. Look at the programs offered at most churches. How much is addressed toward single, young adults? How much attention is paid to the single, divorced individual? Six months after the funeral is over, how much attention is paid to the surviving spouse? Are we simply a church for couples?
When Jesus invited people it was a widespread invitation. “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) Where have we failed in communicating that same message today? How can we better extend that type of hospitality which brings rest for the weary? There is no simple “one-size-fits-all” approach to the dilemma. However, intentional effort to include single people in our outreach can make a huge difference. What is included in the homilies? What classes are offered and promoted at the parish? What programs of interest are developed? Are we listening to the parishioners in regard to their needs and desires?
What caught my attention in the photo above? It was the empty swing. Was the individual alone or was there an odd-number of people in his group? Was the individual with someone who was too scared to go on the ride so he just went alone? I have no idea what the story is behind the picture. All I know is that the empty swing reminded me of the loneliness we can sometimes feel. If that loneliness persists for a long period of time the consequences can be devastating.
Let’s be honest. Life can be very difficult and painful at times. This is true whether we are single or married, young or old. It is my prayer that the local church community will always be a place of hope when we are afflicted. This includes everyone. It is my desire that we serve others well by being attentive to their needs. May each of us bring the love, mercy, and comfort of Jesus to those who are hurting!
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:29-30)
My thanks to Wyoming Catholic College for an interesting gathering Thursday evening in Cheyenne. The Liberty Lecture Series is certainly raising awareness about the issues we face in modern times. I am grateful for the presentation by Kyle Washut and for all of the interesting discussions following his presentation.Speaking as Friends: Freedom of Association as the Peak of the First Amendment and the Foundation of Civil Society
Kyle Washut, Instructor of Theology
While freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and even freedom of the press are much discussed freedoms of the first amendment, the right to free assembly is often forgotten in the public mind. As pressures mount to force associations to be sufficiently inclusive of various identities and positions, the vibrant life that free association offers to civil society is being slowly smothered. Correctly considered, freedom of association is the right whereby men gather in community to speak freely with each other and lay claim to the public square in so doing. Such association is the very source of healthy democratic life, and it is essential in order to allow freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and the right to petition their full force.
You never know what might pop up on your social media pages. Last night I received a link to an article on Facebook and was asked to comment. The article appeared on www.dailykos.com and was written by Leslie Salzillo entitled, Catholic Nun Explains Pro-Life In A Way That Will Stun Many (Especially Republican Lawmakers). The article goes on to quote Sister Joan Chittister, O.S.B. after a lead in sentence to let everyone know Sister Joan is going to expose the hypocrisy of the pro-life movement.
Sister Joan said,
“I do not believe that just because you’re opposed to abortion, that that makes you pro-life. In fact, I think in many cases, your morality is deeply lacking if all you want is a child born but not a child fed, not a child educated, not a child housed. And why would I think that you don’t? Because you don’t want any tax money to go there. That’s not pro-life. That’s pro-birth. We need a much broader conversation on what the morality of pro-life is.”
The author of the article then adds to Sister Joan’s comments with words like “anti-choice extremist” and referring to “misogynist laws.” No bias in this article, right? Sister Joan is lauded near the end of the article highlighting her accomplishments. She is the author of 50 books, holds a Ph.D., and has appeared on many major television shows. Sister Joan certainly has an impressive resume and is well-known for her stance on women’s issues. One thing the article didn’t point out is that Sister Joan also writes for the National Catholic Reporter. This is a publication which many have asked to please drop the word Catholic from its title because it frequently promotes agenda items clearly in defiance of Church teaching. Knowing this bit of information may assist in putting Sister Joan’s comments in larger context.
The paragraph-long quote from Sister Joan assumes many things and makes some generalizations that are simply not the reality of my own lived experience. My work and cooperation with pregnancy care centers has shown me that many people are striving to feed children, house them, and provide other material necessities to support parents in need of assistance. To make the assertion that these people in the pro-life movement have a “morality that is deeply lacking” is quite judgmental and inaccurate. The hours of volunteer work provided by well-formed Christians not lacking in sound moral judgment is phenomenal. Their direct financial support of these institutions reaching out to women in difficult pregnancies is also amazing.
How did Sister Joan reach her conclusion about people being pro-birth and not pro-life? Simply stated, “Because you don’t want any tax money to go there.” I have one question for Sister Joan. Why is the government viewed as the answer? We have all witnessed government waste and the ineffectiveness of government bureaucracy. Over a half billion dollars a year going to Planned Parenthood is not exactly providing the kind of help that feeds a child, houses a child, and educates a child. Why would Sister Joan believe that the only logical response to caring for children and families is through the institution of the government with direct handouts to anti-life organizations like Planned Parenthood? Where is the morality in that?
Are you a single woman, Catholic, and between the ages of 17 and 30? Have you considered a vocation to the religious life? If you are actively discerning God’s call in your life, a vocation retreat may be helpful in your discernment process. The Nashville Dominicans are offering two vocation retreats in 2016 at the St. Cecilia Motherhouse. They are January 6–10, 2016 and May 25–29, 2016. Check out their website for more details.
http://www.nashvilledominican.org
After you click on “Enter Site” you will be taken to the home page. Put your mouse over the “Vocations” tab at the top of the page. A drop down box will appear. Click on “Retreats at the Motherhouse.” Then click on “Vocation Retreats” to see the details.
Discerning God’s call in our lives can seem like a daunting task at times. There are many resources available to aid us in our discernment process. This particular retreat experience is just one way of exploring the possibilities a little deeper. If you want more guidance or suggestions in this area, feel free to contact your local diocesan vocation director–or get in touch with me.
Here are some additional on-line resources.
http://www.religiousministries.com/
http://www.vocations.com/womenrel.html
http://www.vocationnetwork.org/directory/community_search
http://www.deoestgloria.com/us.o.master.html
If you live in the Cheyenne area make plans to attend the next presentation of the Liberty Lecture Series this Thursday evening (July 30) at the Laramie County Library.
Speaking as Friends: Freedom of Association as the Peak of the First Amendment and the Foundation of Civil Society
Kyle Washut, Instructor of Theology
While freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and even freedom of the press are much discussed freedoms of the first amendment, the right to free assembly is often forgotten in the public mind. As pressures mount to force associations to be sufficiently inclusive of various identities and positions, the vibrant life that free association offers to civil society is being slowly smothered. Correctly considered, freedom of association is the right whereby men gather in community to speak freely with each other and lay claim to the public square in so doing. Such association is the very source of healthy democratic life, and it is essential in order to allow freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and the right to petition their full force.
Cheyenne ~ July 30th, at 7:00pm in the Cottonwood Room at the Laramie County Library
Check out the flyer on the Wyoming Catholic College website for details.
http://www.wyomingcatholiccollege.com/data/files/gallery/ContentGallery/Liberty_Combo_2015.pdf