VHS

             In the past 8 weeks, I have learned a lot about vocations in life and how religion and relationships play a huge role in the importance and value of life. One of the main topics we discussed in VHS is the value of human life by means of discussion about abortion, IVF, and contraception. I kept my opinions on pro-choice, but I really learned how affected people are by the decisions they make towards carrying a child and giving birth. In the video we watched about the couple who carried the baby of another couple, I learned how attached one becomes to a child after carrying him/her for nine months. The difficulty of giving up someone that has been developing inside of you is indescribable, and I realized that I don't think I could ever make a decision to give up a child or terminate a life.
              In The Way, as well as in our many discussions, we saw the importance of realizing your true mission and calling despite the distractions of every day life. Sometimes, an escape from the business of the hectic world is needed to calm your mind and realize your real desires. I learned a lot about acceptance of yourself and acceptance of others. Every one is different in their path, whether it is religious life, homosexuality, single living, or married life. This class was one of the best escapes from the insanity of the Mount and the decisions that come along with Senior year. I'm going to miss it :(

VHS SWAG MRS. KENNEDY

IVF

       IVF is a very controversial topic, especially in the Catholic church. The pro of IVF is that it helps couples conceive who may be having difficulties. A con is that it is considered an inauthentic way of creating life and also, if you do not implant all of the egg and sperms that are extracted, it is considered similar to abortion. Among world religions, it is a known fact that the Catholic church is the strongest against IVF. The Church's argument revolves around the sanctity of life, the importance of the human sex act in the act of conception, and the threat of IVF. The Catholic church is sometimes too rigid in its teachings however. The financial issue is also relevant. The expenses of IVF almost cause the questioning of whether it should be costing that much to have a child. Many families cannot afford IVF and therefore, it is a precedent that rich people can have children when poor people cannot.

Abortion

            When we read about Kermit Gosnell, I was amazed by the horrifying details of the abortions he performed and the lives he put at risk. I did not previously know about the case, which I am surprised by because bad news is everywhere in our world today, and it is especially shocking because it happened in Philadelphia. I think that the reason this has not been a large, national story is because many associations and people that should have been overseeing this operation did not notice the problems that were occurring in Kermit Gosnell's facilities. Many of the people that the horrors were inflicted upon were minorities. Unfortunately, white women were treated in cleaner facilities, which definitely could have been another reason that it was not a huge reaction. It is honestly an outrage to our society that this could happen anywhere.

Marriage

What has been your experience of the 'domestic church'?  Based on what you've experienced in your own life or seen on television/films, what are some pros/cons of the changing structure and composition of marriage and family?  Finally, some good news- a study of marriage and college degree done by the Pew Trust in 2010 suggested that those with a college degree are less likely to experience divorce and multiple marriages than those without a college degree.  Read more here .

What does that mean for you?  Do you feel compelled to someday establish the domestic church in your home?   

My experience of the domestic church is what I am surrounded by in my home life. My parents have provided a religious foundation where they wanted to have children and raise their children in the Church. However, I think that times are changing and family structures are changing too. Just because a family has two moms, two dads, or a single parent doesn't make them any less of a family, and I believe the Church should adjust to the changing times. Even if gay couples cannot marry, I believe that they should have equal rights under the law and church as a devoted couple. It is very promising that couples with a college degree tend to stay together. This trend is probably because of the stability a college education and steady job brings for a family. I hope that I experience a stable and happy marriage when I am older as well. I don't feel compelled, but I definitely look forward to the future when I have a husband and children that I can raise in the Church the way my parents have raised me. Hopefully in the future we will also see the adjustments the church will make to changing times.

Dating

      In Kerry Cronin's videos, she introduces many topics that seem very relevant to today's society. Too many times kids are "hooking up" without even knowing each other and are more comfortable with random hookups than genuine relationships. She emphasizes that is important that there are three levels of dating, with each level increasing the intimacy in the relationship. Teenagers today need to look at relationships with more commitment and understand the importance of forming true bonds with people. A term that is raising controversy is "dating is practice for divorce." This phrase emphasizes our cultures lack of seriousness when it comes to dating and relationships.
     Although a weakness of our society, it is true that teenagers feel pressure to fit in by "hooking up" rather than waiting for the right person. Kerry Cronin's philosophies and thoughts on dating seem to pinpoint all the issues kids and even adults are facing and demonstrate that if we followed in her ideas, the marriage success rates in our country would be much greater

Papal Election

       Many issues will spur the decision of the Cardinals throughout the world in electing the new pope. A primary issue that I have the most knowledge about is the sex abuse scandal in the Church. I recently watched a documentary on the severity of the Church's lack of punishment for priests accused of sex abuse. The documentary told of how they would hide the priests or put them into therapy, and instead of keeping them away from children, they would simply relocate the priests to different parishes. This issue needs to be addressed immediately if we wish to keep damaging the lives of young men and women of the Catholic faith. I think the future of the church needs a leader that will stand up and face issues that are controversial rather than ignore and hide them. The new pope has to be a leader that is strong in character, respects all religions, and works to improve the Church. There is a dwindling of participation in religious life so the future Pope will need to encourage more entrance into the religious vocation.
        Women in the Church can be involved in the preparing of the gifts, becoming sisters, the choir, and coordinating church activities. However unlike other religions, women cannot become priests and head mass. Women in the Church need a larger voice because Church tradition has been that the male is the main presider of the Church and the mass. If I could change one thing about the Church, it would be its lack of flexibility. Although the Bible is a primary aspect of Catholicism, sometimes I think the Church interprets its writings too extremely, such as with gay marriage.
         I think there is somewhat of democracy in the Church, but it still seems very fixed in the ways of old times and focused on preserving tradition. Sometimes tradition is important, but also we need to be more flexible. The Holy Spirit guides priests, nuns, and lay people in making decisions.
       

Becoming Who You Are

     In Parker Palmer's book, Let Your Life Speak, he points out the important element of finding one's vocation or purpose in life, and that is: To be yourself, not someone else. We can find the most meaning and be the most productive in life when we are striving to be the very best versions of ourselves rather than mimicking someone else and trying to achieve what someone else achieves. In our modern world, success is often defined as the amount of money you make, the number of friends you have, or your popularity. In all of the gauges of success, we are forced to compare ourselves with others. In fact, someone who has two best friends makes a living as a special needs teacher is just as successful as someone who is a multi-millionaire CEO and has 100 friends.
     I completely agree with Parker's assertions, although sometimes they are hard to remember in my daily life as I compare myself with every other girl that goes to Mount. There is so much diversity in our world, and if we compare and try to live up to another person's standards, we will never reach our own potential. As Parker says, we spend half of our lives not using our gifts, so instead, we should utilize them from the onset and embrace our talents.