Today, as my time in the Claims Department section winds down, I had an interesting call from a lady whose cat ran away, began living under her neighbor's hot tub and bath apparatus, and then died, creating a huge... stink in the neighborhood. Literally and figuratively.
It was a "fun" call. I felt pretty bad for the cat.
Things are currently stressful chez moi. Why do I say currently, they always are! It is time for Boy #2 to try to finagle his way into an institution of higher learning. His scores on the standardized tests were out of this world, he got a perfect 800 on the verbal of the SAT, a 780 on the math, and I believe a 780 on the writing portion as well. His GPA is also pretty high, 3.8ish. The problem is that he goes to an excellent public school crammed with ultra-competitive social climbers and so all the other GPAs are quite high too. He just misses being in the top 10 percent of the class. He wants to go to Notre Dame. We'll see. I would be happy because my impression is that it is one of the few universities that are re-Catholicizing after a lengthy stay in Irrelevant Secularism Land.
Anyway Dearest Mother is tearing her hair out lest this last child of hers fail to obtain admittance anywhere decent and wind up having to go to a second-tier public school like yours truly did. I am not being snide, either, he really is the cleverest in our family and we are kind of counting on him to get some kind of degree in corporate law and make enough money to save the family prestige. It is horribly shallow but to a certain degree we really do live in fear that he will have a horrible accident and be intellectually maimed or that he will decide to be a painter or something.
By this time next year everything will be all over, no more essays to write or applications to fill out or college representatives to butter up, he will be off and launched at whatever university is smart enough to accept him. Hopefully at that time Dearest Mother will still have some of her hair.
Showing posts with label Betsy and family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Betsy and family. Show all posts
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Saturday, May 24, 2008
So
We found out that my kid brother got a 1580 on his latest round of SAT, up from 1510 the last time. The funny thing is when he came out of the testing center he thought he had performed terribly. He checked the score online, twice, he was so shocked.
My parents had employed a very expensive tutor to help raise his Math score from the mid 600s to more closely match his Reading, which was a perfect 800. We all whined about the money at the time but I guess it paid off! Congratulations to him.
My parents had employed a very expensive tutor to help raise his Math score from the mid 600s to more closely match his Reading, which was a perfect 800. We all whined about the money at the time but I guess it paid off! Congratulations to him.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Incidentally
My sister is back blogging. Hopefully 'twill improve her general well-being. She is doing much better, climbing off the steroids, but she had a bad night last night, please pray for us.
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Why, hello
Sorry I've been pretty AWOL for a couple of months! My whole family has been sailing on a sea of seething drama, so the bloggy fell to the lowest spot on my list of concerns.
My sister was sent home from the convent :( She has become extremely ill with ulcerative colitis and her body is now steroid dependent. Conventional medicine has failed to help her and the only cure is removal of her colon.
Her insurance with the convent ran out in March, and the surgery would cost tens of thousands of dollars. the hospital has "pre-approved" her as a charity case, in other words they will probably write the whole thing off. So that is a huge relief.
They want to do another colonoscopy before making a final decision, but surgery looks like the most likely outcome for her.
Needless to say she is very disappointed about being back at home, and she is in pain most of the time, but we hope that her doctors will be able to restore her quality of life. She still feels she has a vocation to the religious life but she is concerned about whether she will ever be accepted to another community, although post-surgery, the downside would just be that she would have to go to the bathroom 5-6 times a day. I suspect that cloistered orders would be more accepting of her condition than "active" ones. Especially the Visitation... I believe that is part of their charism... St. Francis de Sales and all.
In other news, this Lent she and I went to the Cathedral to hear Bishop Lennon give a talk on the Three Great Days, the Triduum. He was a very genial man, self-deprecating and warm. And taaaaaaall.
During questions-and-answers there was a discussion on the practice of washing women's feet at the Maundy Thursday Mass. His Excellency got a twinkle in his eye and noted that the Latin text says "viri," meaning "men," and not the Latin, "homines" for generic "people" of either gender. The Vatican could have easily used "homines" when preparing the document, but they didn't, he pointed out. Isn't it interesting, he added, that if some people find a Vatican document that says what they like, they will "shove it down your throat" (his words!) but if there's one they don't like, they suddenly become all wishy-washy about it and insist that "viri" doesn't mean anything at all.
The bishop said that the reason priests include women in the feet-washing is to avoid a blow-up, but that if he had been the Ordinary when the document came out he would have only washed men, weathered the avalanche of criticism, and then ten years afterward nobody would think anything of it because it was just the accepted thing. But by the time he was made Administrator in Boston, and when he got to Cleveland, there was already an established "custom" of washing women's feet as well, and it would cause a debacle to simply waltz in and overturn it.
Personally I think he should just weather the debacle the same way he would have weathered the initial blow-up. But it was eye-opening to hear the issue discussed from a bishop's perspective and I definitely have more sympathy and understanding now.
He also mentioned that he was trying to get "my girls" to re-establish a Catholic bookstore in Cleveland. He means the Daughters of St. Paul, to whom he was chaplain for some years in Boston. Apparently they had a great relationship, to the point that they sometimes called themselves "The Lennon Sisters." I would love a Catholic bookstore. Drooling.
My sister was sent home from the convent :( She has become extremely ill with ulcerative colitis and her body is now steroid dependent. Conventional medicine has failed to help her and the only cure is removal of her colon.
Her insurance with the convent ran out in March, and the surgery would cost tens of thousands of dollars. the hospital has "pre-approved" her as a charity case, in other words they will probably write the whole thing off. So that is a huge relief.
They want to do another colonoscopy before making a final decision, but surgery looks like the most likely outcome for her.
Needless to say she is very disappointed about being back at home, and she is in pain most of the time, but we hope that her doctors will be able to restore her quality of life. She still feels she has a vocation to the religious life but she is concerned about whether she will ever be accepted to another community, although post-surgery, the downside would just be that she would have to go to the bathroom 5-6 times a day. I suspect that cloistered orders would be more accepting of her condition than "active" ones. Especially the Visitation... I believe that is part of their charism... St. Francis de Sales and all.
In other news, this Lent she and I went to the Cathedral to hear Bishop Lennon give a talk on the Three Great Days, the Triduum. He was a very genial man, self-deprecating and warm. And taaaaaaall.
During questions-and-answers there was a discussion on the practice of washing women's feet at the Maundy Thursday Mass. His Excellency got a twinkle in his eye and noted that the Latin text says "viri," meaning "men," and not the Latin, "homines" for generic "people" of either gender. The Vatican could have easily used "homines" when preparing the document, but they didn't, he pointed out. Isn't it interesting, he added, that if some people find a Vatican document that says what they like, they will "shove it down your throat" (his words!) but if there's one they don't like, they suddenly become all wishy-washy about it and insist that "viri" doesn't mean anything at all.
The bishop said that the reason priests include women in the feet-washing is to avoid a blow-up, but that if he had been the Ordinary when the document came out he would have only washed men, weathered the avalanche of criticism, and then ten years afterward nobody would think anything of it because it was just the accepted thing. But by the time he was made Administrator in Boston, and when he got to Cleveland, there was already an established "custom" of washing women's feet as well, and it would cause a debacle to simply waltz in and overturn it.
Personally I think he should just weather the debacle the same way he would have weathered the initial blow-up. But it was eye-opening to hear the issue discussed from a bishop's perspective and I definitely have more sympathy and understanding now.
He also mentioned that he was trying to get "my girls" to re-establish a Catholic bookstore in Cleveland. He means the Daughters of St. Paul, to whom he was chaplain for some years in Boston. Apparently they had a great relationship, to the point that they sometimes called themselves "The Lennon Sisters." I would love a Catholic bookstore. Drooling.
Friday, January 04, 2008
Wish us well!
A small contingent of my family is going to visit my sister, Sister Mary Amata of the Divine Love of Jesus. We are crazy and so we are driving down to Alabama from Ohio. Hopefully we'll get there all in one piece!
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Good news!
My sister received the habit and her name in religion yesterday, on the feast of the Assumption.
She's now Sister Mary Amata of the Divine Love of Jesus!
She's now Sister Mary Amata of the Divine Love of Jesus!
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Blush!
So, I've been neglecting my blog. Shame on me!
A lot has been happening this month. First and foremost, please pray for the repose of the soul of Jessie Davis, the young pregnant woman who was murdered a couple weeks ago. She worked in my office, but in a different department.
My brother Andy is getting ready to depart for Officer Candidate School. This is a mandatory part of his program with the Marine Corps, which will eventually result in his being commissioned a Second Lieutenant. Please pray for him, too.
Work is going all right. I was "employee of the month" last month, which benefits include a one time hour-long lunch (as opposed to a half hour) with pizza provided by the company, and a $22 bonus. The money was what I enjoyed/need the most!
It seems that pretty soon I will have to remove the Motu Proprio Random Date Generator on the side-rail, as Papa should be coming out with it on July 7. It will be a great relief to those who have been waiting and waiting for years. It is important, of course, that this moment of grace be marred as little as possible by any gloating. I can understand the impulse, but resist!
And of course, there was on June 13 the feast of my family's patron, the great saint of Padua (or Lisbon, if you are of the Portuguese persuasion), Anthony, Franciscan and priest.
Below is a painting done by Giovanni Antonio Gaili in the early 1600s, currently above the saint's chapel in the Basilica of Ss. Cosmas and Damian. The artist has captured a beautiful expression on Anthony's face.
Ora pro nobis, St. Anthony!
A lot has been happening this month. First and foremost, please pray for the repose of the soul of Jessie Davis, the young pregnant woman who was murdered a couple weeks ago. She worked in my office, but in a different department.
My brother Andy is getting ready to depart for Officer Candidate School. This is a mandatory part of his program with the Marine Corps, which will eventually result in his being commissioned a Second Lieutenant. Please pray for him, too.
Work is going all right. I was "employee of the month" last month, which benefits include a one time hour-long lunch (as opposed to a half hour) with pizza provided by the company, and a $22 bonus. The money was what I enjoyed/need the most!
It seems that pretty soon I will have to remove the Motu Proprio Random Date Generator on the side-rail, as Papa should be coming out with it on July 7. It will be a great relief to those who have been waiting and waiting for years. It is important, of course, that this moment of grace be marred as little as possible by any gloating. I can understand the impulse, but resist!
And of course, there was on June 13 the feast of my family's patron, the great saint of Padua (or Lisbon, if you are of the Portuguese persuasion), Anthony, Franciscan and priest.
Below is a painting done by Giovanni Antonio Gaili in the early 1600s, currently above the saint's chapel in the Basilica of Ss. Cosmas and Damian. The artist has captured a beautiful expression on Anthony's face.
Ora pro nobis, St. Anthony!
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Waiting
I was called in recently for an interview with the committee that arranges the graduate appointments at the School of Library and Information Science. I think it went well, but I am always terrible at judging such things. They did let me know that they are in the final stages of cutting the list. It would be very much like me to nearly clear the bar and then fall flat at the end. Please pray for me; it would be a marvelous opportunity, and I should be hearing soon.
I'm also eagerly awaiting a trip down to Alabama to visit my sister, Sister Elizabeth. It's been many, many months since I saw her last, and I really miss her. The convent atmosphere will be a welcome respite from the working world, which is really starting to chew me up and spit me out. I don't hate it or anything, and I've only been at it for about two and a half months, but I'm just getting worn out.
Of course, we are all still eagerly awaiting the long-rumored, long-hoped for moto proprio. I haven't been to a Holy Mass in the Tridentine rite since Christmas, and it's not a major part of my spiritual life at all, but I think it would a wonderfully positive move for the liturgy of the Church. I can already see people becoming discouraged and embittered at the seemingly endless wait; it's important to realize that the Holy Father, if he does send the moto proprio, will send it when he's good and ready and not before.
I am not very good at waiting. I reckon that few people are, even though Christians are supposed to be "waiting in joyful hope" for the return of Our Lord. Lent is about waiting for Easter, and Advent about waiting for Christmas; Mary spent about nine months waiting, and the whole history of salvation revolves around the wait for the Messiah. But humans don't like to wait; we want it now, now, now. It's hard to keep in mind that the reason God lets us wait is to give us time to prepare for what He has in store.
I am especially rotten at waiting for answer to prayer. My tactics include muttering a quick prayer in such a manner that it almost seems that I don't believe it will get any results; then I immediately begin bothering (badgering?) our Lord about why He isn't making things clear. My intention for this week is to learn at least a little bit to wait, with patience and hope, for the descent of the Holy Spirit.
I'm also eagerly awaiting a trip down to Alabama to visit my sister, Sister Elizabeth. It's been many, many months since I saw her last, and I really miss her. The convent atmosphere will be a welcome respite from the working world, which is really starting to chew me up and spit me out. I don't hate it or anything, and I've only been at it for about two and a half months, but I'm just getting worn out.
Of course, we are all still eagerly awaiting the long-rumored, long-hoped for moto proprio. I haven't been to a Holy Mass in the Tridentine rite since Christmas, and it's not a major part of my spiritual life at all, but I think it would a wonderfully positive move for the liturgy of the Church. I can already see people becoming discouraged and embittered at the seemingly endless wait; it's important to realize that the Holy Father, if he does send the moto proprio, will send it when he's good and ready and not before.
I am not very good at waiting. I reckon that few people are, even though Christians are supposed to be "waiting in joyful hope" for the return of Our Lord. Lent is about waiting for Easter, and Advent about waiting for Christmas; Mary spent about nine months waiting, and the whole history of salvation revolves around the wait for the Messiah. But humans don't like to wait; we want it now, now, now. It's hard to keep in mind that the reason God lets us wait is to give us time to prepare for what He has in store.
I am especially rotten at waiting for answer to prayer. My tactics include muttering a quick prayer in such a manner that it almost seems that I don't believe it will get any results; then I immediately begin bothering (badgering?) our Lord about why He isn't making things clear. My intention for this week is to learn at least a little bit to wait, with patience and hope, for the descent of the Holy Spirit.
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