My first March for Life

It is never far from mind how fortunate I am to be in the DC area and close to so many incredible Catholic events. Truly, if I were not here, I am not sure I would have returned to the Church, due to the great wealth of people, leaders, clergy, events, talks and physical churches available to nourish one's spiritual needs.

Friday was such a day. As opposed to the hundreds who came from around the country, hopping on buses at the crack of dawn and staying in hotels, I went to work Friday morning and then sashayed down to the Catholic Information Center to walk to the March in the afternoon. 

I should add, too, that proximity to so many buildings related to the governance and justice of our country never gets old, either. I felt that way especially once we ended up in front of the Supreme Court, where women were giving their testimony. It was moving, to the point of tears, to listen to these women, who have undergone such trauma, but are able to find the courage to speak about it. Their courage could save lives.

I found this quote from Dorothy Day:

"I fell in love with a newspaperman named Lionel Moise. I got pregnant. He said that if I had the baby, he would leave me. I wanted the baby but I wanted Lionel more. So I had the abortion and I lost them both."

That sums it up for me. Abortion is not a solution, it is a tragedy which begets further tragedy. I don't mean because she lost her boyfriend; but the regret, the shame, the humiliation, the "what if" and the darkness that is a separation from God. Taking a child's life does not end a problem, it begins to spin a web of problems that cast out into a woman's life, through her years.

Although I have been in DC a while, I never felt particularly moved to attend the March. I think this year was different because I am better understanding what it means to be pro-life, from all perspectives, including the value of those whose lives are considered unworthy due to disability. Further, many of my friends and family members now have children whose whole beings are full of love and light, and I see that. There is one little girl in particular to whom I am very close, deeply so, so much that I feel our souls must be connected, she is that singular and important. However, if her mother had not made a distinctly pro-life choice, I would not know this special angel. It is clear to all who know her that she is a direct gift from God, even if unexpected. But what if the gift had not been accepted? It is unthinkable.

God reaches us and teaches us in ways we sometimes do not fully understand. I have no children, and thanks be to God, have never had to make such a choice as many of the women I heard from Friday did. What I see as I begin to more fully understand this whole issue and debate is the inter-connectivity between all life. When you snuff out one part, the consequences echo out in ways you can neither anticipate nor all gather back to you to make right. I believe an abortion sets off a chain reaction, both emotional and material, which Dorothy Day's quote illustrates. If for no other reason, this is why protecting life matters - it is the right thing to do for the child, yes, but the metaphysical consequences bear out in ways that I think most women, fathers and families could never begin to comprehend in the moment that choice is made.

One of the speakers said she was given a receipt for her abortion. A receipt in exchange for the life of her child, as if it were a gas station exchange. Women deserve better than this. 

What I want to know is how women who DO choose life can be supported. It may be that I have not done enough research into this and that there is an abundance of policy ideas and models already being implemented. But, I get the feeling there isn't. Who is at the forefront, who is the loudest voice, providing solutions for how women and their babies can be supported? It could be a tax credit program, a housing solution, I don't know. Who does know? If you know, will you point the way? This is something I feel called to think about.

The Gift of the Magi

Here's a new thing, friends! In honor of the the Solemnity of the Epiphany, traditionally associated with the visit of the Wise Men - also known as the Magi - to the Christ Child, I have made a recording of my favorite Christmas Story, The Gift of the Magi, by O. Henry. 

This is a beautiful, and brief, story of the true meaning of giving - within and without the Christmas season. The recording is just short of 12 minutes and I hope you enjoy, and I hope you have someone in your life like Della and Jim.

Wishing you all a happy and blessed end to the Christmas season.

Benedictine Sisters of Virginia: Celebrating 150 Years

I have the pleasure of being great-niece to one of the holiest women I have met, Sr. Andrea Verchuck, OSB, or as the family calls her, Aunt Zuzu. Aunt Zuzu has been a religious sister with the Order of St. Benedict since she was 15 (she is now in her late 80s) and in addition to being a loving, kind and prayerful woman, she is also incredibly intelligent, witty, a world traveler and a true leader. In other words, I - and everyone who meets her - learn a lot from her.

Every once in a while I go to visit her and the sisters at St. Benedict's Monastery in Bristow, VA. The monastery is situated on acres of land, set back from the road, and is a quiet and peaceful place for reflection. When I made my annual Christmas visit last month, I learned that this year the Benedictine Sisters of Virginia are celebrating their 150th anniversary on May 1, 2018. That is to say, 150 years of a Benedictine presence in the Commonwealth of Virginia; and in 2019 they will celebrate 125 years of having a presence in Bristow.

One of the very creative ways they are celebrating this milestone and drumming up interest among the public is by doing a daily email countdown, called Countdown 150, for the 150 days leading up to May 1. Each day they send a message that contains a picture, a story, a related psalm and a prayer that delve into the deep history of the community. With roots in Virginia going back to the immediate post-Civil War years, there is much to cull from. From stories of typhoid to a (supposedly) haunted cabin, and the vision of those early pioneering nuns - who basically showed up to the wild lands of Bristow with nothing but prayers and the good will of those around them - the story of the Benedictine Sisters of Virginia is fascinating. You can jump into the action by reading the first 35 days here and sign up to receive the updates directly to your inbox here. I highly recommend!

During that visit, and while Sr. Joanna showed me their recently-made "Meet the Sisters" video (see it at the top of their Facebook page here - see if you can spot my dear Aunt Zuzu) and explained about the countdown, I realized this was absolutely something I had to write about. So, in my January article for Catholic Stand, I did just that:

The Benedictine Sisters of Virginia: Celebrating 150 Years

It has already received a higher than usual number of shares, and I believe this can be attributed to a few things. One, given the breadth and depth of their presence in the Commonwealth, they've got a few friends. That includes the generations of children educated in their schools in Richmond, Bristow and elsewhere; individuals served in their ministries, which include literacy services, transitional housing for homeless women and children, and a clothing ministry in Appalachia; and then their community right there around them. Something I realized particularly on this most recent visit is that although the nature of a Benedictine monastery is to be self-sufficient, the sisters do still rely heavily on the community for many of their needs and wants, and the public often happily meets them in their needs. For example, all the sisters get their hair cut monthly by a stylist who loves the community and donates her services in kind. Little things like that you wouldn't even think about, on the outside of monastic life.

The other reason I think this article is resonating with people is because of the notion of Benedictine living. I don't mean "the Benedict Option," which I haven't read, but rather the actual Benedictine way of living, pronounced in their motto, "Ora et Labora:" Work and Pray. It is seeing Christ in others, which is, as Sr. Joanna told me, rather counter to the current secular way of doing things. But then, following Jesus is defined by its counter-culturalism.

In their guest house there is a sign that says something along the lines of, "All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ." This comes from the Rule of St. Benedict, which forms the foundation for the sisters' way of life.

Aren't we all crying out for that? To be welcomed by others with love, as if we were Christ? Where else do you receive that kind of reception? Aside from your dog, of course. It's a radically different thing than what we receive on the metro, in traffic, waiting in line at the DMV, at an interview, etc. And it's genuinely what it's like to be a guest at the monastery, and, I assume any Benedictine monastery around the world. Those who experience it don't soon forget it, and those who learn of it hunger to experience it.

Religious orders come and go, and St. Benedict's has been long-lasting, the proof of which is seen in Virginia. As the sisters enter this jubilee celebration I will be keeping them and the future of their community in my prayers, and I hope you will, too. St. Benedict, St. Scholastica and all the others of this blessed order, pray for us.