A Catholic Teen's POV (VibrantCatholic's first Blog Series!)

     For those who have looked at my blog before, you may have realized that there is not a specific topic in which I discuss in my blog posts. I tend to find certain things that are interesting or sometimes annoying me and I will rant on them.
     I have decided to create a new blog series: A Catholic Teen's POV. I intend for this series to explore certain issues and popular events available in the common Catholic teen's lives. For example, I recently wrote on my personal experience at a Lifeline at NET Ministries.  Some topics that I have thought of writing on include, but are not limited to; Steubenville Conferences, Kairos retreats, abortion, charismatic prayer and other forms of prayer, etc.
     It's also important to note that I will not speak on behalf of every Catholic teen, but I will only give my opinion which may be the same or different than others. I hope everyone will anticipate my blog series! Oftentimes it seems as certain experiences that "every Catholic teen loves" are very inaccurate in that truth, but more of an advertising device.

Thank you for reading this short notice, and please read about my first experience at Lifeline to have a glimpse of how I'll be writing.

I'll keep you all in my prayers, God bless you!

If you have any topics I should write on, please let me know in the comments or in any other way of contacting me! :)

Gregorian Chant and Organ Music?!

     I was able to attend a pipe organ workshop recently, and although it was at a First Presbyterian church and led by an Episcopalian organist, I was able to realize something very important about Catholicism. I'd just like to say that I am not incredibly knowledgeable about pipe organ music (I've only been playing for about 2 1/2 years) or the official Catholic Church documents music on Vatican II and related documents on music in the liturgy.
     Near the end of the organ workshop, the presenter spoke on Vatican II and I was incredibly impressed by his knowledge on it. He talked about how Gregorian chant and other traditional hymns were greatly used before Vatican II, and although Vatican II did not specifically say on the topic, those beautiful forms of music tend to have been forgotten after Vatican II in many places. At this moment, me, being the youngest person there and also being a Catholic thought to myself, "Wow, this guy has more respect for Pre-Vatican II church music than most Catholics do!" On a more serious note, that is a problem.
     Many Catholics today have been embedded to think that the only music that should be played at mass is Praise and Worship or songs written by David Haas and Marty Haugen. My own parish has about one traditional hymn a month, and about 85% of our songs are modern songs. There is little to none of Gregorian chant and organ music at my parish and surrounding parishes. We're so used to not having those beautiful types of music, that we now think they shouldn't be at mass.
     Now, I understand it'd be impossible for every Catholic church with NO around the world to immediately turn back on the P&W songs and other similar music, and begin to use correct Gregorian Chant and Latin at mass. But, in no way does that mean we shouldn't try. It can be doing one more traditional hymn every month, but please liturgists, I beg you, show your parishes the beauty and reverence of Gregorian chant and the phenomenal capability of the pipe (or electric) organ. There is so much power and wonder in those two traditional ways of liturgical music.
     Being an organist and pianist myself, I believe that other instruments such as piano, guitar, and drums should be used less at mass. The mass isn't about trying to engage the congregation since the mass is in no way, a performance or a concert. I just wanted to say Gregorian chant and organ music can bring much more respect and reverence for the Blessed Sacrament than any other forms of music at mass.

First Lifeline Experience

Yesterday was the first time I attended a Lifeline at the NET Center. I mostly wanted to go because I wanted to hear Fr. Mike Schmitz who was the speaker yesterday. I do want to point out that I am not someone who particularly likes Praise and Worship music, and I don't believe it should be present at mass either.

The First Things

The first thing I noticed as I walked into the building was "Wow, it's really loud. Oh, we're going to be in a gym." I have gone to masses in gyms before since when my parish church was renovating, masses were held in the gym. When it was about 5:15 pm, we were able to go in and the people I went to sat nearer to the back of the gym. One thing I was waiting to see was whether we'd kneel during the Eucharistic prayer or not. 

We started out with a countdown and then continued with Praise and Worship music. Now this is when I started questioning a few things. First of all, one of the singers from the band said, "Worship is essentially praying and singing together," which is definitely not true, but I was extremely glad when Fr. Schmitz later emphasized "Worship is about sacrifice." I also found the song "God's Great Dance Floor" by Chris Tomlinson to be very strange since I don't see any theological reasoning behind the song as to why God would have us on his "great dance floor." 

I almost forgot, there was a lip-syncing competition at the introduction. One person lip-synced to Adele "Hello," and another person did "Drag Me Down," and let's just say I didn't appreciate all the head banging/flipping of the second. Those performances seemed inappropriate to have in front of the altar. We hadn't even gotten to the mass, yet...

The Mass

The mass? Actually, I was impressed with certain things. The space between the rows of chair was very limited, so I was unsure if we were going to kneel at all. But after the Sanctus, everyone (except those on the risers) knelt down between the crowded area. We continued kneeling until after the Great Amen, then knelt again after the Agnus Dei. Even after communion, people returned to their seats and knelt again, although some sat when the priest returned to his seat, many still remained kneeling until the priest said, "Let us pray." I thought of other places where I've seen people have much more space between the chairs and wouldn't kneel, but in this small area, everyone knelt. 

Fr. Mike Schmitz was a wonderful celebrant for the mass. His homily connected everything that we heard about and genuinely inspired us all. One of the best parts of his homily for me was when he said that God doesn't want our 90%, but God wants our last 10% since it's that last 10% that makes a difference in the world. He had great reverence for the Eucharist and it was shown through the way he celebrated the mass. 

Music during the mass was 40% alright for me...there was a chant psalm, and there was another song that I was used to and not too much Praise and Worship. The songs were alright, but the mass parts were something I wanted to complain about. I didn't like the Gloria, at all. And what is the reason behind "Allelu," during the Alleluia, I was definitely confused on that since I didn't think that was correct. The Agnus Dei had some Latin in it, such as "miserere nobis" and "dona nobis pacem," but that was about all the Latin I heard. The P&W songs that were used were not horrible (as in super upbeat), and there wasn't any clapping until the closing song. 

The Talk

Then we had the talk, which was honestly my favorite part of last night. I took down a whole page filled with great quotes from Fr. Mike Schmitz. I'll list a few of my favorites:

God has a vision for your life, for you to become a saint. Nothing more or less than that.

Where you are right now is the result of choices. Who you will be is the result of your choices.

Intensity did not get me here, consistency got me here...consistency will beat intensity every time.

They don't choose greatness one time, they choose greatness every time.

A small 'Yes' today can be a great 'Yes' tomorrow.

Adoration 
After his talk, we had adoration. And...it was incredibly hard for me. It was somewhat reverent, but we only had a few minutes of quiet adoration. The deacon processed around with the monstrance and it was the first time I saw people reaching their hand(s) and arms out toward the Blessed Sacrament. When the monstrance was finally on the altar, the band had played multiple songs. I tried praying, but that didn't work, I tried closing my eyes, but it was still very difficult to pray. I tried listening to God's voice, but it was extremely hard to do so with the music, even if it was softer. People would get out of their seats and head towards the area closer to the altar and kneel there, while others like myself stayed at our spots kneeling. The only two songs played during that time that I like were "Down in Adoration Falling (Tantum Ergo)" and "Lord, I Need You." 
Final Remarks
Although I mostly went to hear Fr. Mike talk, I didn't think it was a terrible experience. I was especially amazed by the kneeling, since we don't even do that at my school with more space between the rows of chairs. There's a sixty percent chance that I'll go to another Lifeline, and part of the reason of why I would return would be that there was still some reverence in certain parts of it. If anyone wasn't sure whether to go or not, I'd say go, but just know that there's a lot, A LOT, of Praise and Worship music. 
Feel free to share your own experiences at Lifeline in the comments below! :)

True Happiness of the Soul or an Empty Worldly Wish?

This was a parable I had written for my sophomore Christology course. I decided to share it on here since I still have a writing block...

There was a man who lived quite happily with his family and was surrounded by love, but one day that all changed when he was presented with a temptation. One day, he met a person who began conversing with him. The two talked and time seemed to stop, until the other person questioned the man if he had everything he wanted. The man had a lovely family; a beautiful wife, and a child who he so dearly loved, but there were times he was greedy and wanted more things in his life. He replied that he was very grateful for all he had, but also admitted to the other things that he wished he had; Money, power, fame, and all things related to vice.

    After hearing the man’s answer, the other person nodded and remarked, “Would you be willing to give up your soul for those things?”

    “Well, I don’t know about that,” the man uneasily replied.

    The other person smiled and said, “I think your actions and thoughts will answer my question.”

    Then quickly disappearing into the night, the other person left the man standing still, trying to comprehend what had just happened. He walked to his car, an older model with a few things that could be fixed, but only if they had the money. Driving through the town, he noticed the high buildings and the glamorous lights that surrounded the elite. When he arrived home, he had noticed that his wife and child were already asleep, so he sat down on the couch and looked out the window while imagining a better life for himself.

    It was only a few days later that he was in an argument with his wife, who had been so enraged by his surprising negative attitude, that she had taken their child and was planning on driving to her parents’ home. He sat alone once again thinking, letting the thoughts of his wife and child quickly come up in his thoughts, only to be pushed away by the attractive idea of an investment he was thinking of making. His wife and child remained at his in-laws home, and he had not apologized for his actions, but instead, slowly pushed them away when they made any attempt at communicating once again.

    Time had passed, and while his wife and child were away, he had been successful in his new investment, upgrading and living a life filled with vice. He received a call though, one day, the call had left him in shock, his wife and child were reported to have died because of an automobile accident. Contemplating his life, he was in a state of utter confusion and chaos.

     His useless thoughts drove him to insanity and he took his own life, not valuing the importance of life itself and his likeness in God’s image. By choosing worldly possessions and refusing the virtuous way to live, he became tangled in a life that would promise him nothing everlasting.

Starting the Day Off

     The best way for me to start the day is by going to mass. Well, truthfully, my morning schedule is; wake up, pray the rosary, maybe pray the morning office, then get ready for the day. That's my schedule for the school year during the weekdays, at least.
     When it's the weekend during the school year or summer, I find something inspiring about going to daily mass in the morning. Ever since third grade to eighth, I've been attending morning daily mass for mostly everyday. People assume morning mass is for the elderly, but let me tell you that it's not entirely true. For example, I see young parents bringing their children to daily mass since they were little whenever possible. I also witness young men and women who take part of their day to celebrate the mass before heading off to their busy work lives. But then of course, you can also see loving elderly couples going to mass together every morning, and it definitely makes you feel something moving in your heart at that sight. How about middle-aged folks, aren't they there? Of course they are! Middle-aged people definitely go to daily mass, some bring their family intentions to mass, while others also go to have a meaningful start of their day.
     It's not just lay people that go to these daily masses, though. Often, I see religious sisters from several different orders. I've seen missionaries, Rochester Franciscans, Nashville Dominicans, Schoenstatt Sisters, and even a Handmaid of the Heart of Jesus. There's also been seminarians from my diocese and others. There's something beautiful about seeing those choosing the religious life and the priesthood at mass. I've witnessed the inspiration that they have brought to me and to others.
     Me? At first I was just a child who was told by my parents to go, and so I went. On days when there wasn't mass, I was a little happy. But, that was a few years ago...before I realized the importance of the mass in my life.
     While I am in high school, it's not possible to go to morning mass since it starts after the beginning of school. I still go on Saturday mornings and of course, I will attend Sunday mass. During the school year, about every two weeks we have an all-school mass that everyone is required to attend, and every Wednesday there is an optional mass before school. There's something I must say, as a student, if you're at school early, why don't you take spend some time with Jesus instead of standing around in the halls talking about worldly things? I don't mean to be hypocritical, but it's heartbreaking to see a maximum of 4-5 students at an optional mass on Wednesdays, when the school has over 400 students.
     Why go to morning mass? I can't give you a definite answer, but I'll tell you my personal experience. I've received so many blessings known and unbeknownst to me. I've experienced tiny miracles that I give all credit to the Eucharist. That is the main reason why I go to mass, to receive the Eucharist. Although at times, it seems like there's better things to be doing. I guarantee you, going to mass brings a peace and wellness to the rest of your day. I've had terrible mornings, but when I entered into prayer in the mass and received the Eucharist, I was open to the goodness of more things.
     Morning mass is something that I treasure very deeply. When I could go all the time, I took it for granted, but now when I can't go everyday, I long for the days that I can. So, I sincerely hope that anyone that is able to go to mass everyday, to take this opportunity and attend morning mass. It'll make a difference in your life, I promise.

Being an Informed Catholic Teen

     I'd say about 85% of the Catholic teens I know are not informed about Catholicism as much as they could be. I'm not saying I'm well-informed either, just that we all can take time and resources to improve our knowledge on Catholicism. The majority of Catholic teens probably cannot quote scripture and cite it, or be intellectually aware of the differences between the Novus Ordo mass and the Tridentine mass.
     At this point, you're probably wondering, "Well, why aren't they aware?" If you're also a teen yourself, maybe question how acknowledgeable you are of the Catholic faith. The importance in being an informed Catholic teen especially in the 21st century is crucial for the world. If the amount of informed Catholic teens in the world decrease rapidly or slowly, it can still cause damage to the Church. When issues such as the sex abuse scandal or the topic homosexuality appear, Catholic teens need to be able to firmly respond correctly and in accordance with the Catholic teachings. For example, many people have an inaccurate view of Catholicism possibly because the Catholics they have met are misinformed and have misspoken about the faith.
     Many teens might not even understand the seven sacraments or be able to accurately state why all human life is sacred. This is concerning. This isn't the fault of a certain person or group of people. The reason is partly due to religion seen as a "negative" in the media, and that other things are more important. This whole idea takes away from the true discovery and education of Catholicism. If only more people understood what the Catholic Church stood for and taught instead of the misconceptions, then Catholicism would definitely take another step in the journey to save as many souls as possible. We're all at fault here, I would personally say that I'm accountable for someone being a less informed Catholic teen.
     In my opinion, I don't think we lack any resources, especially in first-world countries. We have TV channels and radio stations, films/media, books, music, etc. It's unlimited! But it comes down to the individual teen, many are lacking that push to actually find out resources about the faith. It's to the point when we see Catholic teens supporting Planned Parenthood, some even posting IG pictures of products of companies (largely Starbucks) that support Planned Parenthood. We also see many claiming to be "Catholic," but then not understanding the Catholic teaching on homosexuality and marriage between one man and a woman.
     The big question is how can this be fixed? I honestly have no idea, I'm still trying to become an informed Catholic teen myself. But that's the first step, to understand that we lack knowledge in at least one aspect of the Catholic faith, and to change that by taking the initiative to expand our wisdom. If every Catholic teen would take fifteen minutes everyday or more to learn something new about the Catholic faith that they didn't know before, it would not only benefit them, but the entire Catholic Church.
     So other Catholic teens out there, are you an informed Catholic teen? What other things can you do to improve your current position? There's many questions you may have, but there's definitely answers out there.

Good luck to all of you, and please keep me in your prayers as well.

VibrantCatholic

St. James Coffee: Catholic Coffeehouse

     If you happen to follow me on any of my social media, it'd be very likely you've heard about St. James Coffee. But if you haven't heard of St. James Coffee, let me tell you about it! Who doesn't love coffee? Well, I suppose some people don't, which is why I'm here to tell you St. James Coffee also offers others drinks such as teas or smoothies. And you don't have to be Catholic, everyone that goes there is respected and welcomed! Conversations about faith are always welcomed, though!

     How about a little history on this lovely coffeehouse, shall we? It was an idea by a priest when he was still in the seminary, and the idea came to fulfillment in the summer of 2012. It is now a non-profit Catholic coffeeshop in Rochester, MN in the Diocese of Winona. Something really awesome about this place, is about 90% of the hours are covered by volunteers, me (VibrantCatholic) being one, too! How could I have forgotten?! There's a chapel there, too! Although it's not fancy or intricate, it's simple and has Jesus, which I think is more important than anything else.
   
     Now for a little testimony, I just wanted to say that this place has absolutely transformed me to become a better person. Not just because of the physical surroundings in the coffeeshop, but the people I've met there. At St. James Coffee, I've spoken with people who have helped me to grow in my faith and to also see my vocation a little bit more clearly. During this summer, I was going through some personal difficulties and didn't have much hope, but I was also started volunteering around that time, and working there and interacting with those there gave me more hope. I was also able to spend more time in the presence of Jesus and that has definitely been a plus!

Here's the website if you'd like to see it: stjamescoffee.com
Also, please give St. James Coffee's Instagram account a follow! (It may or may not be that I'm one of the people managing it) St. James Coffee Instagram

Things Every Catholic Teen Should Do

     Hello! I'd like to say that of course this list can't hold everything that everyone thinks a Catholic teen should do. This is just my own personal take, I would even say it's sort of a bucket list for me. Well I probably shouldn't keep you waiting too long. On with the list!

-Come and see a religious order. (There's many to choose from!)

http://vocations-syracuse.org/ 

-Pray the Morning Offering every morning

http://www.catholicspringtime.com/large-size-cards/morning-offering-prayer-card-LARGE.html 

-Make at least one holy hour every week

http://www.stbrendansatl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/adoration.jpg 

-Try to attend daily mass whenever you are able to. (And every Sunday no matter what).

http://daybreaktv.org/RegularProgramming/TheDailyMass.aspx 

-Spend at least 15-30 minutes everyday to learn something new about the Catholic faith.

http://www.aboutcatholics.com/beliefs/the-role-of-the-catechism-of-the-catholic-church/

-Attend the March for Life wherever you are able to, whether it be in Washington D.C. or your state capitol. 

http://www.olmcumberland.org/right-to-life-2014/

-Use every opportunity that you have to share and stand up for your faith.

http://www.stpeterslist.com/3834/i-stand-with-the-catholic-church-10-pictures-in-defense-of-the-church/ 

Our Lady of La Vang/ Marian Days Mobile Background

I took many pictures at Marian Days! And my devotion to the Blessed Mother has increased daily. So I wanted to share the photo I edited to have an Our Lady of La Vang and Marian Days phone background. Feel free to download and use for your person use, and I hope you like it!

Marian Days

     Maybe you've heard of Marian Days, maybe you haven't. Either way, this blog post will give you a little bit more knowledge on this lovely event. To start off, it's held in Carthage, Missouri every year around the first week of August. It takes place on the grounds of the Congregation of the Mother Co - Redemptrix. Thousand and thousands of Vietnamese Catholics gather at Marian Days every year for this event.
     Usually it starts on a Thursday an opening mass, but if you're unable to make it to that one on time, there's another mass for souls later at night. There's been about 80,000 people at the recent years, but I'm sure that the amount will increase over time. There's multiple masses throughout the next few days of the event which lasts until Sunday morning. Throughout the week there are speakers for families, adults, and youth. I can't even begin to count how many religious orders are there, to even participate or to showcase their order. Wherever you go, you'll see people excited about not only the Vietnamese culture, but also about their Catholic faith. For many, they were refugees or first-generation immigrants. This event brings many Vietnamese Catholics together to celebrate who they are as Vietnamese Catholic.
     Of course this doesn't mean that others who aren't in the two general groups cannot attend. Anyone can come!! The local Knights of Colombus have a stand where they sell food. And I almost forgot, there's plenty of places to enjoy authentic Vietnamese food and cuisune. Before I forget to mention, there's also plenty of places where you can get smoothies and other wonderful cold drinks for the hot weather. There's also many talks given both in Vietnamese and English for everyone there. Another great thing is that there's usually always confession avaliable, either outside or near the adoration chapel avaliable in English and Vietnamese! Also, there are wonderful spaces to visit such as the area for the stations of the cross, or the garden with names of deceased ones. Usually on Saturday night, there's a concert from either of the two Vietnamese entertainment companies, Paris by Night or Asia. 

     I personally enjoy the shops that are avaliable. They range from religious books to tiny keychains, to fans or to personalized mugs. My personal favorite is all the t-shirts avaliable! There's so much to be done at Marian Days and so much to learn more about the Catholic faith and Vietnamese culture. I'd say one huge negative is the bathroom lines. Usually you wouldn't see bathroom lines of thirty or forty people for both men and women. But it's alright since it's a time to be more spiritually aware than anything else.

     Overall, these couple of days are a time for renewal and appreciation. Many first-generation immigrants will be thankful for the opportunity that we have given to us by our parents and grandparents' sacrifice. We learn more about the Vietnamese culture, and another reminder to look back at ourselves to see if we're the best that we can be. It's time spent with family and friends, for some, it may even be a time to discern. Whatever a person's purpose is of being at Marian Days, everyone's invited!

Reflection on "Son of God" movie (past assignment of mine)

I was looking through my homework from my sophomore year and I found this assignment which was to reflect on the movie "Son of God" that we watched in class. Hope you enjoy my reflection.

     I really enjoyed the movie Son of God and I think it did a good job of portraying the ministry and life of Jesus. After watching most of the movie, I felt guilty for my sins being one of main causes of Jesus’ death. I went to Stations of the Cross later one of the days and being able to connect the stations with the gospels and some scenes from the movie created really gave me a better understanding of Jesus’ love for us that he would suffer in order to save us from sin. The parts with the Sanhedrin and Caiaphas were interesting because we were able to see what they could’ve talked about. While watching the movie, I was able to reflect on some feelings that Jesus must’ve had while going through his last years on Earth. I didn’t like the actors and actresses very much, especially the person who portrayed the Virgin Mary.
     I don’t think this movie was exactly accurate and some lines from the gospels were adjusted, but I was still able to enjoy the movie. I felt that the first half had scenes with transitions that didn’t work very well, but during the second half, it seemed to get better. I think that the overall movie was a beautiful production and it seemed to be somewhat accurate with the gospels. Some things were put together such as the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector was when Jesus was calling Matthew to follow him. One thing I found intriguing was the fact that Jesus’ mother Mary had not followed him everywhere, but the second time we see her in the movie is when she is told that Jesus has returned.  I really liked the beauty of the film and especially the portrayal of the power of Jesus such as when Jesus met Barabbas.
     This movie made me appreciate the great sacrifice the Father made by sending his only Son for us. I think that everytime I consider doing something not right, I should remember that my sins cause a heavier cross for Jesus and they cause Jesus’ crucifixion. I enjoyed watching an interesting portrayal of Jesus’ life and the important parables and moments in the gospels. It was a great film that powerfully shows Jesus’ life and especially during his years of ministry. This film is one that I would want to watch again, and I think it’s great for the Lenten season!

Female Altar Servers? Women Being "Ordained"?

Certainly, there have been numerous debates among the Catholic community everywhere on different topics. The one topic I’d like to discuss today is the topic of female altar servers. I’d like to first say that this could be very controversial and each person may have their own opinions, but in this blog post, I’d like to talk about my own experience as one and my views. Thank you, and I hope you will read this blog post in its entirety.

    I grew up in a parish in the Diocese of Winona, and female altar servers were very normal to me. My older female and male cousins were at one point servers, so it just seemed like a very normal ministry in my church that I could do. After receiving my First Holy Communion at age seven in second grade, I had to wait until I was in 3rd grade in order to be trained as a server. I remember the first time I was being taught how to serve and how anxious and nervous I was on the first mass I was to serve at. My parents constantly reminded me that the altar was very sacred and I had to be extremely respectful and reverent.

    My experience as an altar server was not only limited to Sunday masses, but I started attending daily mass in which I participated in serving everyday. The congregation who attended mass never said anything about how females shouldn’t serve, so I still found females altar serving to be very normal. I expanded my daily mass ministry by playing piano or organ for a communion reflection, and then returning to serve afterwards. I was surrounded by people who never said a thing about why females shouldn’t serve at mass.

    When I was a freshman in high school, I attended a High School Immersion at a religious sisters’ house of formation. It was in a different diocese than my own and there was no one else from my diocese there. It was there that I learned so many other young females my age had the thought that females shouldn’t be serving at mass. It was very eye-opening and all though the view on the subject was very different from mine, I still appreciated and tried to understand their view.

After that retreat, I spent time looking up the topic and reasons why females shouldn't be altar servers. Among those reasons, one that stood out to me was that altar serving was to try and inspire vocations to the priesthood to males. There's concern that females might interfere with that vocation, or that they themselves might think it's possible for females to become priests. I didn't quite agree with the thought since I myself had never had the intentions or belief that females can be ordained in the Catholic Church. My cousin is a seminarian in our diocese, so I've gotten to know some seminarians quite well...and let me tell you, I support the priesthood more and more everyday. I pray for those in the seminary, and I take any opportunity to explain to people why women shouldn't be ordained.

I do understand that female altar servers are still a topic of discussion within and outside the Catholic Church. I think the main point is the difference of the diocese. If a girl grows up in an environment where female altar servers are the norm, there is a very small percentage that the girl will think that females altar serving is wrong. I personally have decreased my time altar serving and have instead played piano/organ during daily mass for communion, or accompanying on Sundays.

The few points I wanted to make was that not all female altar servers think that women should be ordained. I think that altar serving was something that brought me closer to God and a clearer understanding of my vocation. Because of the close proximity to the Eucharist, I've found myself more conscious of the actions, thoughts, and things that I say. In a way, I could say that altar serving has brought me to be more open about becoming a religious sister. Although, there's still a lot of time and prayer before I know what God is truly calling me to be, I and many other female altar servers know that ordination to the priesthood is not one of them.
Please let me know your thoughts in the comments :)

~VibrantCatholic

Culture of Life Group!

Hello everyone!
I hope everyone has had a lovely day whenever you are reading this blog post. I am currently writing this post with finals a week away, but there is something very exciting I wanted to talk to everyone about!
It's been an idea of mine for awhile to start some type of pro-life group or a group promoting the culture of life in general. I wasn't sure whether it was something God wanted me to do...but one day (3/11/2015 to be specific) I went into my school's chapel to spend some time in prayer and was praying to God about the group. When I left to use the restroom, I had not noticed any bugs or insects in the chapel. After taking a rosary from the book stand in the outside of the chapel, I went back inside the chapel and was about to kneel down. Then, I saw a bug on the ground and found it strange...I'm not really a fan of bugs, so when I saw this bug where I was going to kneel down, I almost killed it. But stopped.
I thought about the mission of the group I wanted to create. It was to protect life of all living things, and that counted bugs. Then I made a connection that maybe when a unexpected pregnant woman thinks that she feels threatened or not alright because of her child, she will want to kill the child in order to provide "safety" for herself. I felt at that moment, it could be connected to why I wanted to kill the bug in order to cause me ease, but that was not the correct thing to do. We need to let everything a chance to live, because that is what is deserved and entitled.
Anyways, back to the group...it is happening!!! I discussed the ideas with my friends and we've brought it up with our campus ministry, and it should become an official group next school year :) I am so thankful that everything is working out. In our group, we wanted to protect all life and promote the culture of life. I am so excited to share this wonderful news with everyone. Since my city still has a Planned Parenthood, I am hoping that with this Respect for Life group, we will be taking another step in the movement towards a culture of life.

~Thao-Vy

Pro-Life in Korean Drama, "Hogu's Love/Fool's Love"

     Well, since this is a new blog, I'd like to introduce myself. My name is Thao-Vy, currently 15 years ago.

(May contain spoilers...DOES contain spoilers)

     That was a short introduction, but a longer one can happen later because today I'd like to introduce to everyone a wonderful show. The name of this show, more specifically, Korean drama is called Hogu's Love a.k.a Fool's Love. What is this Korean drama (kdrama) about you may ask? Well, our main two characters are Hogu and Do Hee. These two have known each other since high school although they didn't keep in touch later on in life.
     When we start getting into the show, we see that Do Do Hee is now a professional swimmer, but is not contempt with her monotonous silver medals. Hogu on the other hand, is an artist and animator, although not very successful, he smiles freely at everyone. After several new encounters between the two, Do Do Hee recommends that they go to the seaside. Hogu, being the fool his name indicates (in Korean), kindly agrees and they go to a sea in South Korea.
     During the time there, Do Hee says multiple things and does actions that indicates to the viewer that she's most likely pregnant. Do Hee tells Hogu to smoke so that the "thing" inside of her will go away, she screams to the sea to "take it away! Take it away!" The next day, she informs Hogu she is staying for a surgery, but while they are on the bus, they are robbed by a woman with a baby. Do Hee confronts the woman in the bathroom, only to hear that the woman would rather do these things than to abandon her child.
     Now this is where I'll speed ahead and talk about the rest ahead of the drama and the pro-life ideas and themes in this drama. After watching the entire drama we learn that Do Hee was actually sexually assaulted by a fellow swimmer. Even through that hatred for the one who hurt her, she didn't get an abortion. She went to the abortion clinic, but the conversation with the woman who robbed people, but wouldn't abandon her child, Do Hee leaves the hospital.
     She goes into hiding, and not even her coach can find her. The only person that can is Ho Gu and someone who Ho Gu mistakes is the one who got Do Hee pregnant. In the end, when Do Hee and Ho Gu are finally a couple, Do Hee is worried that Ho Gu will hate the baby in the future, but Ho Gu denies and they decide to get married and raise the child. Do Hee is an example of someone who chose to keep her own child even though she was raped and her career was on the line. We see examples of people who would do anything in order to provide their children with a better life, such as the woman that stole, but would later allow her child to be adopted.

Hello!

Just wanted to say hello! I'm currently writing my first blog post, so please look forward to that!