I don't know if anyone follows closely what the US Bishops are doing, but I came across their marriage project titled Marriage: Unique for a Reason. I've only read a little bit of the writing portion and haven't watched the video yet. I mean, with all my spare time and all I don't know how I haven't found time. ;) Anyway, just thought I'd give it a shout out on our blog. :)
http://www.usccb.org/marriageuniqueforareason/
15 September 2010
01 July 2010
First Day
Same place... different job. It feels as if I never left St. Andrew! There are some positives and negatives to staying at the same parish as my apprenticeship: I already know the staff and community, but it doesn't feel any different yet... should it!? Today I spent part of the day filling out paperwork for the real job and then I spent time writing an article for the Monday Greeting from Lee Nagel and NCCL. Now I have an hour and a half left before I'm heading home, so I suppose I should start doing my new real job. So many ideas for youth ministry...
26 June 2010
25 May 2010
What a Show about a Mysterious Island has to do with ECHO
As you may have surmised from perusing the internet, Facebook, my G-Chat Status, or any other form of media these past couple of days, the LOST finale was this past Sunday. A lot has been said already and a lot will continue to be said. As for me, I thought it was beautiful in how inspirational and thought-provoking it was. Emotionally satisfying. Incredibly Theological and Catholic-Communal Redemption FTW!
Jack: Where are we, dad? Christian: This is the place that you all made together so that you could find one another. The most important part of your life was the time that you spent with these people. That's why all of you are here. Nobody does it alone, Jack. You needed all of them and they needed you.
Jack: For what? Christian: To remember and let go. Jack: Kate. She said we were leaving. Christian: Not leaving, no. Moving on. Jack: Where are we going? Christian: Let's go find out.
At the end of the episode, the hero of the story, Jack Shephard, meets his father Christian Shephard (yes seriously that's his name) and they have this conversation:
Echo 5-for the past two years, we have lived this conversation. The two years that we had in community and ministry has shaped us indelibly and will continue to influence us wherever we go. The time that we had spent with each other may indeed be the "most important part of [our] life". That sure would make Jerry and Colleen happy. Like the castaways on the island, we needed each other to survive through our constant and helpful emails (Here's to you Kathy Haninger!) or affirming letters (Meli Barber!) or deep conversations (Tom Jackson!). People had no idea what we were doing or there for. Like the concept of the show, being an ACL was hard to explain succinctly to people without losing them. There were moments to rejoice and moments to ruminate-and we discovered in those moments; nobody does it alone. Being an Echo Apprentice-let alone a Catholic-I see that I needed all of you and hopefully you needed me as well(Here's to Echo Minority Council!)
The conversation between Jack and his father continue:
And here we are in our final weeks of being in our parish. As I sit here, my parish staff is going through next year's calendar. It's weird not being there (I will be there for the luncheon however). We did it, Echo 5. Let us remember the good times we had and celebrate what we have gained these past two years from all those we were fortunate to encounter. For some of us, this week is relaxing as we have jobs lined up, simple things to pack, and pleasant farewells ahead. For some of us, this week is stressful as the search is a challenge, more things to finish planning before we leave, and uncomfortable conversations to be had. We know that we are in solidarity through all these experiences and we move on together. So let's go find out. It's going to be crazy. And by crazy, I mean...
27 April 2010
The Other Side
We're hiring a new DRE to replace my mentor, the parish saint. She's the only DRE they've ever had (going on 28 years) and built the program from scratch.
I'm a member of the search committee. My invitation was scrawled on the first of a slew of resumes I discovered in my mailbox: "Here's the info-- but you're not voting." Despite that initial welcome, I slithered onto the interview panel and have since spent three full days in interviews.
It's been so helpful to be on the other side. The first time I saw the search committee (friends and coworkers) in interview mode I thought, "If I were the person on the hot seat I would think everyone was mean and hated me. But I know these people. And they're normally nothing like this." As I've undergone my own interviews since this process, I've tried to remember that each person in the room is just a regular person who doesn't intuitively hate me (even if it seems like it).
Another thing I noticed was that we might all go on as if we really liked the candidate, and even talk to her in a way that suggested she was going to be hired, when, really, everyone in the room knew from ten minutes in that she was absolutely the wrong fit! At the end of those interviews I often wondered why we let it go on so long. I'm still not sure. Since then I've decided not to make myself crazy (when I'm on the other side) trying to read what I think are the committee's cues.
I learned that the elite candidates were specific. They could list their top three ministerial qualities without hesitation. They clearly articulated their weaknesses. ALL of their answers included particular examples from previous experience. They could apply seemingly unrelated experiences and skills to answer questions that were a bit outside their background.
So, my advice: apply to join a search search committee, and then apply for jobs.
I'm a member of the search committee. My invitation was scrawled on the first of a slew of resumes I discovered in my mailbox: "Here's the info-- but you're not voting." Despite that initial welcome, I slithered onto the interview panel and have since spent three full days in interviews.
It's been so helpful to be on the other side. The first time I saw the search committee (friends and coworkers) in interview mode I thought, "If I were the person on the hot seat I would think everyone was mean and hated me. But I know these people. And they're normally nothing like this." As I've undergone my own interviews since this process, I've tried to remember that each person in the room is just a regular person who doesn't intuitively hate me (even if it seems like it).
Another thing I noticed was that we might all go on as if we really liked the candidate, and even talk to her in a way that suggested she was going to be hired, when, really, everyone in the room knew from ten minutes in that she was absolutely the wrong fit! At the end of those interviews I often wondered why we let it go on so long. I'm still not sure. Since then I've decided not to make myself crazy (when I'm on the other side) trying to read what I think are the committee's cues.
I learned that the elite candidates were specific. They could list their top three ministerial qualities without hesitation. They clearly articulated their weaknesses. ALL of their answers included particular examples from previous experience. They could apply seemingly unrelated experiences and skills to answer questions that were a bit outside their background.
So, my advice: apply to join a search search committee, and then apply for jobs.
14 April 2010
Just When You Thought My Modeling Career was Over
How can you not want St. Peter T-shirts after this?
But the real models are
Anna and her twin nephews Daniel (left) and Cameron (right)!!!! They like me; they really like me!
12 April 2010
On being Darth Vader
"The circle is now complete; when I left you, I was but the learner, now I am the Master."
My Echo mentor is becoming the DRE next year, a job which I've been struggling to manage since returning to work in August. We have a series of meetings scheduled between Wednesday and the end of May (when I leave) wherein I will tell her how to be DRE (well, DFF) at the Cathedral.
As I type out instructions, lists of names and numbers, master calendars and suggestions for the future, the irony is too apparent. There were so many times over the last year when I said to myself, "my goodness! I How wish I had a mentor-figure to tell me how to do what I'm trying to do!" And now I'm becoming that person for the person who was supposed be that figure all along and was simply unable to given her lack of experience and training in position.
God sure does have a sense of humor.
My Echo mentor is becoming the DRE next year, a job which I've been struggling to manage since returning to work in August. We have a series of meetings scheduled between Wednesday and the end of May (when I leave) wherein I will tell her how to be DRE (well, DFF) at the Cathedral.
As I type out instructions, lists of names and numbers, master calendars and suggestions for the future, the irony is too apparent. There were so many times over the last year when I said to myself, "my goodness! I How wish I had a mentor-figure to tell me how to do what I'm trying to do!" And now I'm becoming that person for the person who was supposed be that figure all along and was simply unable to given her lack of experience and training in position.
God sure does have a sense of humor.
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