Lent

One thing I found valuable about writing all the blogs is reading others' perspectives on the topics in class.       I found it helpful to contemplate the material and then answer prompts about it at a later time.  It gave me more time to contemplate the information and create a thoughtful reflection.  I think this is also true of the other girls in the class.  Reading over their blogs, I realize that we have many of the same views and perspectives.  It is comforting to know that other people share my values and perspectives that are not necessarily those we see in the media every day.  This class has definitely gave me confidence in myself and my values.  I know that I want to graduate college, have a fulfilling career, and start a family.  After this class, I feel more confident to live my life in a way that would put me on the path towards a successful future.  I have more respect for myself after this class and know that I should not settle for anyone because I have the right to be happy.  Confidence in myself and my ideals is the most important thing I am taking from this class because it will help guide me towards my goals.

Holy Saturday is a very important time during which St. Vincent's is quiet.  I think is important to reflect on one's actions during that time.  It is the time historically when people's actions took away Jesus's life, and it is important to reflect and make sure that our actions do not take away others' lives.  I do not mean physically, but by cutting down people's self esteem and gossiping, one can harm others mentally.  In some cases that is worse because it harms people's spirits.  Writing in a journal is a good way for me to reflect.  It helps me recount my days and is my way to pray and thank God for all the blessings I have in my life.

Religious Freedom

The Catholic Church has always maintained an attitude against contraception.  Now, with the looming 2012 election, Catholic officials are working harder than ever to make birth control illegal.  As we read in the USSCB article and America magazine, the bishops are trying to use theology to determine politics.  The Church does not agree with the government's attempts to try to regulate healthcare in a manner that would make it mandatory for religiously funded insurance programs to cover birth control.  It argues that the use of birth control prevents a couple from giving fully of themselves to one another, thus weakening the bond between them.

Outside of class, I have learned that this issue is overshadowing other political objectives.  Politicians and church officials alike are becoming more preoccupied with whether or not people use birth control than issues regarding hunger.  While statistics show that the percentage of people out of work is still high, the issue highlighted in debates is contraception.

My family is in agreement that contraception should be offered to the public.  With so many people hungry and homeless, it seems frivolous to argue over contraceptives.  I agree with this.  Regardless of of whether or not the church funds birth control, I believe people will continue to have sex.  Not covering birth control in health care plans will not effect people's actions.  However, I think that there would be an increase in abortions.  If one could not afford to get the birth control one needed and one ended up getting pregnant and could not support that pregnancy, one might be led to get an abortion.  In my opinion, it is better for the church and politicians to let the couple decide what is right for them.  Each couple is different and has different circumstances.  In our world, I think that the issue should not be around birth control, rather around helping those who are already living to live better, more dignified lives.

Love

I thought this story was so cute and inspiring.  I think so often we here negative comments about marriage.  I think the negative stories and high divorce rate are probably causes of the "hook-up" culture that many people are concerned about.  The thought is that if you try to block yourself off from the emotional side of a relationship and just focus on the physical, you will be less likely to get hurt.  I think this article was a reassuring reminder that not all marriages are awful.  Although love changes over time, the author discussed how couples can cope and grow in love through that.  I thought this article had a beautiful message and really enjoyed reading it.

Domestic Church

For me, religion has always been a center focus in our family.  We usually eat dinner together as a family at least five nights a week.  Sometimes this means waiting until 8:30, but as a family we have decided that we feel more connected with each other when we designate time to spend together.  Our lives get very hectic, and without this time, it is hard for us to hear about each other's days and talk.  Before dinner, we always pray, but eating and praying together are only two of the ways that my parents have created a domestic church in our family.


My parents have always had a strong inclination towards service work and always encouraged Erin and I to participate.  However they never forced us, they wanted it to be our choice in hopes that it would be more meaningful.  They explained how God works in relation to service work and that we are doing His will by helping others.


When I have a family of my own, I think I will follow the model of my parents and create a domestic church around service work.

Wanted: A Solid Relationship

In the future, when I find someone I want to marry, I think I would ideally like our relationship to be a mix of the self-sacrificing and self-fulfilling.  I want a husband whom I can communicate with and share the experiences that frustrate me or make me happy.  Common values are also very important because I think that there is a lot of room for conflict if you go into a relationship with opposite viewpoints.  For example, if one partner is against in-vitro fertilization and the other is not, but the couple ends up not being able to get pregnant, the infertility could cause a breach in the relationship that may be very difficult to heal.  Additionally, I want a husband who will introduce me to new experiences and make me more daring and excepting of spontaneity.  Currently, I think I am uptight.  Although I am trying to change that, I would like a partner who would help me relax more.  Hopefully, as the New York Times article states, then I would eventually acquire those traits and become less uptight.


I think my intentions are a mix of Catholic teaching and modern society.  I think for me, that is a healthy balance because it is both idealistic and realistic.