My First Meme!

Shannon gave me my first meme. It's this bookish type one. Well...here I go!


1. One book that changed your life: Introduction to the Devout Life St Francis de Sales - See post I wrote on it for reasons. Keys of the Kingdom by A.J. Cronin had a huge impact on me as a kid as well. I think that it was this book that began my understand about what Priesthood really was.

2. One book that you've read more than once: One?! Um The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe CS Lewis -Also the first book I ever read.

3. One book you'd want on a desert island: Desert Islands for Dummies

4. One book that made you laugh: My Family and Other Animals Gerald Durrell - Who knew that natural science could be this good?

5. One book that made you cry: Seven Little Australians Ethel Turner - How DARE Ethel kill off Judy. I've never been able to get over it.

6. One book that you wish had been written: Hard one. Have been thinking about this one for ages. Will get back to you 'cause I want to post this before I leave work!

7. One book that you wish had never been written: Any Jane Austin sequels. Why set yourself up for failure?

8. One book you're currently reading: Return to Modesty Wendy Shalit - Very good read!

9. One book you've been meaning to read: Well I've been meaning to read Return to Modesty but I'm actually reading that now, so .... CS Lewis' Sci-fi Trilogy. Have been meaning to read them for AGES.

10. Seriously, all the people I know have been tagged so if you haven't been tagged by this one ... consider it done! Also if Meg ever gets herself organised into the blogsphere she's tagged too.

Now how absolutely fabulous is this??? I thought that I would work out how to post pictures AND put up one of my most recent favourite ones! I got a magnet of this picture as a present and now it is stuck up on my door at work.

Busy Busy Busy

Things have been so busy today and I haven't had time to post anything too substantial. Two pieces of exciting news though:

1. My oldest, and one of my most dearest friends, is coming down to Melbourne tonight for a week or so. I'm so damn excited. I haven't seen her for two years and both of us are really ordinary at keeping in touch and so therefore we have a multitude of topics to catch up on. I credit myself with helping her to find her brilliance in the world of Science (She is 23 and doing her Doctorate in some kind of Biological Chemistry thingy) by doing all sorts of experiments with her has we were growing up. One being some kind of celery, water, food colouring thing which we kind of forgot about, only to find it in a most disgusting decaying state. I blame this rotting celery experience for my complete and utter rejection of both this vegetable and science. I do digress.

2. I have a computer! I know. Primitive. But for the last nine months I have been computerless at home and it has been a sad existence. True, I don't have internet connection, but at least I can write things for this blog at home and bring it in to upload, instead of cramming it into my lunch hour or some other break. How joyous.

Well, I have broken my record for posts in a week, it's Friday, nearly the end of the working day, so I think I'll celebrate with a pint or two tonight! :)

Note to self...

Learn how to post pictures and whatnot!

Our Lady of Fatima

In Melbourne at the moment the "traveling" Our Lady of Fatima statue is visiting various parishes. I went along to the first of these parishes last night in St Fidelis,Moorland . It was a blockbuster! Car parking was difficult to say the least and then you really had to look hard for a spare inch or two or pew to squeeze yourself into! I don't know when I last heard a packed parish church say a Rosary. It's really quite an amazing sound, try it yourself! See if you can fill a church one day, just for fun. The confession line was busy and people kept on coming and coming! All the while there, at the front, was the really lovely statue solemnly gazing over proceedings. (Just a note to random visitors...no I don't believe that the statue is actually Mary.)


I have a personal devotion to this particular, "version" I suppose, of Our Lady. It captured my imagination when I was very young and it stuck. Perhaps this was helped along by my very devoted grandmother, who would tell us the story of when she was carried the statue when she was in her 20s, around the age I am now.

When I heard this was going to be on I decided to make sure I could get along to one of the nights. As wonderful as it was, it really was quite an old crowd that was there which really quite saddened me. Does this mean that in say ten years the Fatima message will pretty much be forgotten? In our climate of war and violence, is this a time to forget that in order for peace to be even a blip on the horizon, prayer and even sacrifice (oooo extreem concept I know) perhaps might be a way to go. Just a thought.

Mea Culpa ect...

Shannon has chastised me for not writing properly. For writing the way I talk and for general “word vomit” (a phrase he is very proud of coining). I know he is right. You can do a lot more in this world if you write out your ideas, premises and whatnot, with a certain finesse – read here “literary structure”.

For my lack of style at present, I blame the years and years I have had to write ordered and coherent essays. Sometimes I just want to vent…without the confines of structure and without having marks deducted from me because of the lack there of. This is what I have been doing here, on the odd occasion when I do actually DO blog. Childish, I know.

I really should practice my writing. I actually need to work on explaining what I think. Therefore, I will, for the main part, make sure that I write properly and avoid my stream of conscience (word vomit) style. As long as I can be forgiven for every now and again, having a rantish type post in which I let my inner Miss Monification think straight onto the blogpage and in which I can make up as many words as I like.

Mass Preferences

Something that has become an increasingly asked question around the Catholic traps is “What is your Mass Preference?”, "What kind of Mass do you go to?" or some other varient.

I have a problem with this. It really doesn’t sit all that comfortably with me. Why? I’m not overly sure. However, I’ll try and give some kind of reason.

Firstly you are talking about MASS here. You know, Christ, transubstantiating Himself into the form of bread and wine, the most incredible and wondrous mystery that we have been given by God. So when asking what is your Mass preference it can seem a little like they are saying, “So how do YOU like YOUR Jesus?” Whether they mean to or not.

Secondly, whether it is meant or not, this kind of question seems to me to breed a kind of snobbery. A “My Mass is better then your Mass” kind of mentality. Now I have been accused myself of being a liturgical snob. In some of my most formative years I was lucky enough to have as a Parish Priest Fr William Fitzgerald, who is an incredible liturgist and who now resides in the States. Because of this kind of formation, I cringe every time I see a glass/wooden/clay/ “insert other obnoxious material here” chalice/pattern/ect. Or when women, who don’t understand their own feminine genius, get up and perform various roles and tasks of a priest. The other day I saw a women exposing the Blessed Sacrament while THE PRIEST WAS ON THE SANCTUARY Ahh!!!! It nearly killed me!

Yes liturgical abuses make me cry. But this is because the liturgy has been fomed in oder to link back to salvation history and to our faith. The Church has guidelines on it because if you do something wrong, then it can be like preaching a heresy in action rather than in words.

The snobbery I can’t stand is where if you say that you like the Novus Ordo, done well, and without a navel gazing focus, there is the danger that some will either see you as a liturgical fool who knows nothing, or as some kind of psycho-conservative who doesn’t understand the “ebb and flow of the spirit of Vatican II”.

Sheesh… I just can’t win!!!! You know what? I am not a “Traditional Catholic” but I don’t mind going to an Old Rite Mass every now and again. I am not a “Charismatic” by any stretch of the imagination, but I have been to “Charismatic Masses” which don’t abuse the liturgy. I am not a “Liberal Catholic”, I am not a “We are Church” Catholic, I am not a conservative Catholic, I am not a Feminist Catholic, or a “Neo-‘insert favourite phrase here’ Catholic”. Do you want to know what I am? I am a Catholic. That it! Just that. I have no Mass preference so long as it is in the truth, beauty, goodness and oneness of the Church.

Hmmm this is starting to sound like a rant. I might post part two of this later… hey!! At least it will mean that I have to post again! That will keep Shannon happy.

Awesome Book!

For a long time now I’ve been looking for someone or something to help me in a practical way in my prayer life. Any time I ask for some kind of ‘how to pray’ advice I pretty much get the ‘just do it and it will become easier’ kind of answer. But seriously, that just has never helped me at ALL. Where do you start to be able to ‘just do it’?

The other day I went to go to do an hour or so of Adoration for and was browsing through my bookshelves for some kind of book to take along with me. I found St Francis de Sales Introduction to the Devout Life and though “Well, never read this one,” and then ran out of the house.

Ok, so now I’ve found the best book in the world! Big call I know… but sometimes God puts the right book in your hands at the right time and boy did I need this book. Seriously if you need a pick me up in your prayer life this one really helped me. I know that heaps of people have already discovered it but if you haven’t, discover it now!

It’s not just a why you should pray, it is more of a why wouldn’t you want to pray. If you want to become closer to Christ, then here are some prayers, things to think about and guidelines which can help you. Practicalorama!

One of the best things is that he is writing so that the normal person who is trying to live in the normal world can come closer to Christ.
Sigh… in case you hadn’t picked up on it: I. Love. It.

Hmmmm let’s try this AGAIN!

Ok. So I am, perhaps, the most inconsistent blogger in the world, who also consistently breaks her blogging promises...I’m not going to make any more promises about this blog. I will blog when I want to and I make no apologies.

Ahem….sorry.

Anyway just in case you were wondering … yes I bought that suit. Minutes of trauma ended with me just saying “Eh! What the heck!” Besides it’s a very cool suit.

Ok lets see if I can come back later and blog again. The bets are ON.

Materialistic Dilemmas

To buy or not to buy.... this is a question that is haunting me today (apart from my work which of course I am doing will my utmost attention). It has also proven to me that I really should NOT get a credit card.

You see I am now working in the corporate world. A suit-wearing world. A childhood dream of mine actually. All I wanted was to work in the city, have a brief-case, and a suit. When I was little I didn't really care what it was that I was actually doing. Y0u see as long as I had those three things, I didn’t really care.

It seems that I was a very unambitious child and have now come to the brink of realising my dreams! I work in the city, I have a brief-case (type thing) and now...drum roll.... I am suit shopping.

Now suit shopping is great fun. I love it. But it has one most awful drawback. Cheap suits look cheap. Shocking in fact. Ergo anything worth buying costs me about a weeks wage.

Then, I found it. Exactly what I've been looking for. With a $700 price tag... jacket, skirt and pants... all just gorgeous! If I had had a credit card I BET I would have just bought it then and there on the spot. Luckily for me I don't and have had to think about it! Is it an investment or is it a waste of money?

So...to buy or not to buy!?

Knowledge

Have you ever met some one who knows everything? Now I don't mean that the person thinks they know everything. That is something different all together. Rather they actually seem like they do know everything.

Well I have and he is the most fascinating man I have ever met. He's a De La Salle brother in his eighties and seriously if you bring up a topic, he knows all about it and more.

My family had him over tea last night and I was wondering, while he was talking, whether or not, if I stared hard enough, some of his immense knowledge would seep its way into my empty chasms of brain space. Unfortunately this exercise was fruitless and probably looked somewhat scary to the poor man.

I am however resolved…I need to fill this very empty brain of mine with knowledge and though my own efforts and not by trying to steal excess brain from others.

Well that’s all very well, good, noble, ect ect but how on earth do you do it? Where in the sphere of knowledge (don’t know why I called it a sphere but it sounds good) do you begin? I do have my own interests. History, in particular the history of the Church, is incredibly fascinating to me. I have majored in linguistics at University (I have another bone to pick with education which deal with another day) which I just loved. And then there’s a myriad of other areas, literature, philosophy, anthropology, politics… I mean it’s just ridicules! There is just too much to know and too much to be interested in.

Perhaps it’s just my good Catholic upbringing but I don’t really see all of these things as separate ‘subjects’ as it were. I hate compartmentalising things. They are all interrelated and so, in order to really understand one area of study, you have to study everything else as well!
Yes, Miss Monification even Maths and Science (shudder).

Sigh, so perhaps you see my dilemma. Where do you start?

I’ve been thinking…perhaps the best way before you start looking at everything around you, maybe you should start by looking at you. Not you specifically but you, meaning, what are you. What is a human person? Hmmmm me thinks I might start there.

Next dilemma…..how to fit it all in between everything else that goes on in my life!

PROMISES AND FULL-TIME WORK

I do solemnly swear that I will update this blog much more often and to use paragraphs…. I promise, I really do. I also will ATTEMPT not to write massive, long posts…..attempt being the operative word here.

I have been so busy this week it’s incredible! I have just started a new job and am learning all the ropes and believe you me… there are a hell of a lot of ropes to learn. But I’m up for a challenge. The main one at the moment is learning to work 9 – 5. No one ever told me that you actually have to get USED to this! Who knew that it can completely drain you? Perhaps someone should write a short "Guide to Full Employment". Particularly for graduates I think. They have been taught the idea that one should only work in single hour chunks and that if you must work for two hours, you will be given a ten minute break in which you can stand up and release your massive desire for talking to someone, anyone, even that strange person in black makeup sitting two seats away. Now where in the real world does this occur? That's right ...NOWHERE!

Well such is life! My lunch break is nearly over so I must get this posted and attack the massive piles of work in my desk before they attack me!

Ok so we're back! Due to popular demand (thanks Credo and Meg) I have returned to the blogsphere. I really should be doing an assignment.....but hey my public need me. Its been a while since I got back from World Youth Day but I can tell you it seriously has taken me this long to get over it. Physically it takes a lot out of you and spiritually it will always pick you up where your at and then plonk you down somewhere else and you have to learn how to deal with life as you left it in your new state. I went on WYD 2002 in Toronto and that was difficult, rewarding of course, but difficult... This time it was even more difficult. I would probably say that it was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. In saying that though, I probably have got more blessing out of it. I think that on this trip the things that became most apparent to me was that you can't just say "yeah sure I trust in God" you actually have to live it. I know...sounds a little crazy but I mean I don't know how many times I've heard from various people "Trust in God" and I've just been "yeah yeah sure I do whatever" But to really trust in God means so much more. It's a whole way of life. For me it's kind of been easier to trust God on the big things, like perhaps my vocation, what does God want me to do with my life...hey trust God and it will become clearer. But it is SO much harder to trust him in the little things day to day type things. Like oh my goodness I have just put about 40 pilgrims on a train in Cologne that's going the wrong way what am I going to do. I would normally panic at this point but I had learned that panicking just gets you no where. Say a quick prayer of help and trust. We get of off at the next station and hey whatd’ya know there's a bus here that goes straight to where we are staying! Another example. We all were going to Düsseldorf and my group of about fifty had about one and a half hours of free time then we were all meeting and I would get them on the right train (REALLY made sure it was the right train!) the right platform the right time ect ect ect. Now I had everything planned to the minute and my group were a (generally) on time bunch (good on you guys!) and so I knew that it would all be fine. But my plans went out the window when two of the priests I was with decided that everyone should go to the Church around the corner and pray for a short while as there was adoration there. Adoration, RIGHT NOW. 5 minutes before the train leaves.....ARE YOU SERIOUS!!!! Actually I was quite appalled at myself!!! Sigh, fine…go pray I’ll go and work out the trains….. again. I went to the train station and as I was looking up the new train with the new time on a new platform an announcement came over the speakers, first in German then in English….The train (whatever it was that we were catching) had been delayed for 30 minutes sorry for the inconvenience….I just had to laugh, shake my head and chastise myself for not trusting God! Ok and mildly annoyed that Fr Mark and Fr Anthony would be able to say “See we were right” and they so love being right….don’t you Frs! Of course we made the train. Hmmmm Credo, has commented that my posts are like I open up my brain and let the thoughts out on a page….I have a terrible feeling that he’s right! I think I’ll leave it here and post on WYD a bit later, just so it’s not broken up a little…besides I REALLY have to do my work! Cheers!

Hi there! Over the past few months I have had a temp job as receptionist two days a week. This has meant that I have had a HUGE amount of time on my hands and the internet in front of me. Has anyone ever found that when it's right there in front of you, you can just never think of ANYTHING to look up? I complained about this to a priest friend of mine (I might as well tell you now that I'm Catholic) and said that I was soooo bored. He then told me off and said that I should have a look at all the lovely Catholic websites around. So I took his advice (See Fr Mark I DO listen to you!) and discovered the world of blogs....to be exact, the world of Catholic blogs. It's been FASCINATING! I've loved just getting a glimpse of other people's lives and their thoughts on life, on Christ and His Church. So today, as I finish up this job (silly girl should have started earlier!) I will begin to give you glimpse of my own crazy life which would not be possible without the amazing love that Christ has for me and the Church which nurtures my faith. I'll tell you about myself and what's happening with me, and make comment on various happenings as they...well... happen I guess. Firstly a bit about myself( if you know me well, then just my blogger name will give away who I am!), I'm a 22 year old girl (hence the lovely pink shades on my blog) and am the oldest of five children (I have a sister and three brothers ranging from the ages of 21 to 7). I live in Melbourne, Australia and am FINALLY going to be finished my double degree in Arts/Commerce at the end of the year (there will be much rejoicing!). I work in the Catholic Archdiocese here in various capacities! The job (apart from my reception work) that has been taking up most of my time at the moment has been helping to organise young Melbournians get to World Youth Day. I can tell you right now it's been CRAZY! Good crazy, I actually like crazy, but it has been crazy. Our first group of pilgrims leave on Saturday, which is TOMORROW, and it’s just been go go go! This group does a pilgrimage around Italy first and then makes their way to Cologne. The rest of the group is leaving on the Wednesday and is going to Aachen for a few days and then will be meeting up with the other group in Cologne. Slowly getting very excited! I haven’t packed yet (don’t worry I am not going tomorrow, I’m going on Wednesday!) so it’s not been a reality to me yet! It’s just been great to work in this office, and it has been made even better because I get to work with two of the most FANTASTIC people in the world (Hi Jo and Blair!) and have just been brilliant. They have organised within an inch of their lives!!! Champs both of them! When I get back I’ll tell you all about it and put up some pictures! I get to see Pope Ben XVI! SO exciting!

Well that’s a bit about me, as you can tell, I can ramble on a bit….but hey that’s me, and it is MY blog so ramblings is what you will get! ;). Oh and before I sign off, happy St Dominic’s Day to all the Dominicans in Australia (For the rest of the world’s information, St Dominic has been shunted to the 5th of August ‘cause our own almost saint, Blessed Mary McKilliop, aka as, Blessed Mary of the Cross, has her feast on the same day!) I’m a lay Dominican so Solemnity for me today! God bless!