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My intention with this page is to give my opinion of something that I have read, or heard. This is a personal opinion and should be taken lightly. In other words, it should be taken more humorously! I will begin.  
 
Today I read an interesting artile in Inside the Vatican. It was written by Father Benedict Groeschal, titled '"Follow the Book," the Pope's recipe for reform Father Groeschal would like religious to consider.'
(ITV, April 2008). In the article Father Groeschal lists 'essentials for reform' for religous. I will list them here:
 

    
Agreement that comprehensive reform is necessary for survival. 
    
Joint action to return to the literal observance of the vows. 
    
Wearing common identifying religious garb. 
    
Common life, that is, living together, sharing necessities, and apostolic work. 
    
Daily common prayer, devout celebration of the Mass, meditation. 
    
Adoration of Christ, especially in the Holy Eucharist, and real devotion to our Lady. 
    
Embracing the whole of the Catholic Christian faith (orthodoxy) and loyalty to the Holy Father. 
    
Love for and generous help to the poor and needy. 
    
Personal mortification and frugality, giving good example. 
    
An atomsphere of joyous enthusiasm and trust in God. 

 
I have been fortunate in my life to have collaborated (in the true sense of the word) with many religious who live this kind of 'reformed life.' Some have been hurt by their own communities, but most have thrived spiritually and in completing Christ's work.
 
I think it is a good thing to ponder these points however and ask ourselves how these things can help the Christian community to grow in communion with each and in Christ.
 
Young people will possess an even greater hunger for God than they do today. They will need to readily identify those of us who are committed and especially consecrated to Christ the Bridegroom. Young people need to have clarified by our living that they are indeed hungry and their hunger is really for God. No material thing or educational height will fill that void. The only love that means anything is the love Christ has for His Church. The encounter with Jesus is something that is personal and communal. I can touch Him without first understanding my own place among the Christian community. We are brothers and sisters, touched by the Hand of God and called to be in union with Him through Christ, the Church. 
 
All of us have our strengths and weaknesses, none of us is perfect. However, we do seek Him! We do love Him and truly desire to be good laborers in His vineyard. If reform is needed, then reform for the sake of His Love and His desire for us to be one with Him. Our young people have eyes, but they are blinded by materialism and greed. Our young people have ears but they are deafed by the noise and busyness of the world. They have become afraid to be silent before God, afraid to listen for His Voice. We need to give them eyes to see and ears to hear the Word and the Presence of Jesus in the Tabernacle. We need to show them the way. There is nothing in these reforms that is objectionable to this end. But it will take courage and love! V
 
I am presently reading ,Home, the autobiography of Julies Andrews. Ok, I am struggling with it's informal style. I am giving it one more day and chapter, if it doesn;t work, I'm consigning it to....well, maybe I'll give it to somebody else.
 
OK, it just burns me when the national media subvert the teaching of Christ with glib, emotional arguments in an attempt to appear 'hip.' In this week's TIME "Briefing," the article "Not Separate, Just Equal," the writer, John Cloud, uses words like "typically,"and "exaggerate" to trivialize a basic component of natural life. Yes, I am a naturalist and for that I bow to the far more 'intelligent' opinions of those 'hip' minds, who, weak as water, can not tolerate or accept as human any opinion that is not 'popular.' Intellectual freedom is being oppressed by a tyranny of 'hipism.' 
 
There is a higher reason for man and woman to exist other than to fulfill 'evolutionary impulse.' PLEASE. I respect all human beings as persons who were born into nature and live through nature to fulfill their personhood, I believe in Christ, which as a Catholic means the Church. I can reach ultimate joy by imitating the life of Jesus in the communion of the Church. I am not a judge, I am a simple seeker of the Truth which I believe is permanent and beyond trite flips of fantasy about what it means to 'get hitched.'  
 
ON THE DEATH OF TIM RUSSERT - I liked Tim Russert. I respected his point of view and his treatment of guests. I liked the way he thought. I was shocked to learn of his death, but I was really shocked by the way the media bled for him becasue he is after all a Catholic, a family man, a man who lived his faith the best way he could. Makes me wonder sometimes, if we have our heads srewed on the right way  
 
Tim's death reminds me of how fragile human life really is and how, at any moment, death is ready to knock on the door. The only person who keeps me going and makes it all make sense is the Son of God, Jesus.