Our Hearts Are Restless

It's Easter!  If you say the Divine Office, you know that Compline or Night Prayer always ends with an antiphon to Our Lady.  The particular antiphon changes according to season .  During Christmas, the "Alma Redemptoris Mater" reflects the birth of Christ; during Lent, the "Ave Regina Caelorum" appeals to Mary as " the door through which the Light of the world is risen".  At Paschaltide, the "Regina Caeli" throws in LOTS of alleluias for an exultant praise of the mother of our Risen Lord. V. Regina caeli, laetare, alleluia.  R. Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia.  V. Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia.  R. Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia. V. Gaude et laetare, Virgo Maria, alleluia.  R. Quia surrexit Dominus vere, alleluia. Oremus. Deus, qui per resurrectionem Filii tui, Domini nostri Iesu Christi, mundum laetificare dignatus es: praesta, quaesumus; ut per eius Genetricem Virginem Mariam, perpetuae capiamus gaudia vitae. ...

In search for inspiration for this blog, I ran across one or two writers using the alphabet as a blogging theme; in particular,  Cara Strickland , a new discovery for me, has some beautiful posts on her site.  At the moment, my brain is split between trying to keep this blog functioning, and planning and writing posts for the new website that is under construction.  (Spoiler alert: Isaiah 58:11 )  In the hopes of managing both creative challenges, this alphabet bandwagon sounds like a good writing goal. Happily, it is also the Easter season, and Carolyn Astfalk is hosting a joyful  "Bonnets, Baskets and Bunnies"  linkup over at My Scribbler's Heart. Therefore, and because the last forty-ish days have been dreadfully lacking in the A-word, I want to shout it out loud: Alleluia!!! Can I say it a few more times for good measure?  Honestly, it's just such an happy word!  Those four syllables (or five if you're particularly enunciating t...

I have an announcement - an announcement! - and I want you all to be the first to know.* *Points to whoever correctly identifies that quote. My roommate and I are getting KITTENS!!!  {insert high-pitched squealing here} Ecce : This is the momma, and attached to her are eight little palm-sized fluffballs with tiny rat tails.  Momma is part Maine Coon, complete with ear tufts and poofy tail.  One of the three little calico babies will be mine!  I'm open to naming suggestions, preferably classical or literary.  At the moment, the two front-runners are "Agent" and "Portia". In other recent news, I had a delightful visit with my ex-roommate, thesis partner, and honorary sister Lindsay, who is expecting a little one this summer.  After eight months of only Skype and texting, we had a few hours of much-needed girl time before her baby shower. Notice the adorable baby bump! Lindsay's family's dog apparently decided over the weekend that I was...

Over the last few years, I have developed an interesting relationship with St. Joseph.  In all honesty, I pester him about everything from guys to freelancing to "help me get everything done that I need to get done today."  He's the patron saint of pretty much everything that's relevant for single young adult Catholics.  And having a spiritual father in addition to my earthly father equals the best masculine support system I could ask for. Our friendship started during senior-year chaos, grew through a summer of panicked job hunting, and solidified during my transition to independence.  I figure he could handle it, but I still feel a bit guilty about throwing all the difficult bits of my life at him. Recently, I realized just how well St. Joseph understands me.  Before Christmas, God threw the inspiration for a major writing project at me.  We're talking the kind of God-curve-ball that feels like a ton of bricks dropping on your head.  My respo...

Am I exhausted?  Yes.  What language do I not want to hear again for another year?  Polish.  What road covering would I like to never see again?  Cobblestones.  Likelihood of coming down with some random disease passed on by one of a million strangers: 80% probability.  Am I certifiably insane?  Almost definitely! These few basic questions essentially sum up my adventure of the last 24 hours.  To make a long story short (don't worry, not too short) I camped in/curled up on/shuffled across the streets of Rome for about 20 hours for the sake of attending a most historic event, the canonization of St. John Paul II and St. John XIII.  There you have the certifiably insane part.  You'd be surprised how comfortable it is to curl up on cobblestones and a backpack at 3 in the morning!  Round about that time, I started looking forward to a shower and clean clothes. To start from the beginning!  I joined my fellow campers around 5 pm on Saturday, and by 6.30 we had a decent spot staked o...

The Triduum holds a dear place in my heart, connected as it is with so many memories of growing up.  My family and I do a lot of volunteer work for the parish.  I practically grew up in the sacristy, choir loft and parish hall.  Nowadays I treasure those experiences, and the love and devotion my parents have always shown for the liturgy.  Honestly, working for the church has taught me so much about life and my faith!  I missed those times this Easter, since I'm so far away from my parish.  In a way, though, that separation forced me to focus more on the liturgy itself, rather than the backstage work.  I was able to notice and appreciate details that sometimes I miss when I'm caught up in the bustle of Holy Week.  I rediscovered things like the silence of the Altar of Repose, the evocative chants and voices of the Passion, the coldness of a barren altar, the privilege of kissing the feet of my dead Lord at the Veneration of the Cross, the pain and loneliness of the Reproaches, t...

[caption id="attachment_1640" align="alignnone" width="645"] On the morning of Easter Sunday, we walked over to the North American College for Mass and lunch. Our chaplains had graciously invited us, and made it a wonderful Easter for all of us. After the Mass, we walked up to the rooftop terrace to enjoy the view of the city and wait for the Pope's Urbi et Orbi blessing.  The circular brown building to the left is Castel Sant'Angelo, originally the tomb of emperor Hadrian.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1641" align="alignnone" width="645"] Terrace. and classmates enjoying the view.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1644" align="alignnone" width="645"] This is Father Daniel, our wonderful Aussie chaplain and friend.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1645" align="alignnone" width="645"] Yours truly! Greetings and happy Easter from Bella Roma. That's ...

[caption id="attachment_1634" align="alignnone" width="645"] In front of the Blessed Sacrament chapel is this beautiful crucifix and flowers.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1635" align="alignnone" width="645"] The Pieta is the perfect image for meditation today.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1636" align="alignnone" width="645"] They're setting up for the Easter Vigil tonight. We're aiming for the closest seats possible! It will probably involve an 8-hour wait, but what the heck.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1637" align="alignnone" width="645"] Setting up St. Peter's Square for tomorrow morning. It is so weird to not be doing anything this morning - my brain is telling me I should be decorating SOMETHING or at the very least ironing altar cloths!!![/caption] This morning I popped down to St. Peter's bright and early to get to confession ...

We discussed this image in art and architecture class, and saw it for real in the Vatican Museums this week.  I wanted to share it, because it is such a striking and relevant piece.  Look at how the painting breaks out of the space - Christ looks like He will fall onto the altar underneath.  His hand points to a void, which is meant to be filled by the viewer.  Mary Magdalene is eloquent in her sorrow, and Our Lady's face is equally expressive.  The light moves you down from John to the white cloth falling on the stone.  Especially when seen up close, this is such a beautiful image, and very fitting for this day. [caption id="attachment_1609" align="aligncenter" width="645"] Caravaggio, The Entombment of Christ[/caption]  

[caption id="attachment_1612" align="alignnone" width="645"] After taking my Italian final (*ll*lu**) I headed down the river to Mass for Holy Thursday. My destination was Sanctissima Trinita dei Pelligrini, the FSSP parish in Rome, for the Extraordinary Form liturgy. I passed this view along the way.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1613" align="alignnone" width="645"] Daddy, be glad you don't have to worry about the server boys lighting 6-foot candles from a platform behind the altar with a giant curtain behind them.  Mommy. notice that they clearly didn't have women iron the cloths before they put them on - I can see the grid of creases on the crucifix cover. :)[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1615" align="alignnone" width="645"] After Mass was the short procession to the Altar of Repose. In Rome, almost all the churches are open until midnight with their Altars of Repose, all dec...

Ideally, this post would be chock-full of inspirational quotes. ... At any rate, I bid my native land a temporary farewell!  Tomorrow morning, I and my travelling buddies depart for Chicago, whence we shall wing our way to the Eternal City. I've had mixed feelings all week - stress, fear, sadness, excitement, et cetera.  Truly, this trip is a wonderful gift.  It's a blessing to be able to travel to such a wonderful place in these circumstances.  While the semester will be tough, just being so far away from family, friends and boyfriend, it will also be a chance to spread my wings and explore.  Not too far, because I will come back.  Just far enough. This blog will turn into a travel journal for the next three months - I promise to post as much as is humanly possible.  For pictures, however, my travelling buddies and I have set up a Shutterfly site for everybody.  Look at  operationeternity.shutterfly.com ! In the mean time, please pray for me and my friends as we depart for bel...

Today is the feast day of my confirmation patroness, St. Agnes, to whom I have had a devotion since I was little. There is a beautiful article on St. Agnes here (thanks to Fr. Z for the reference). I took St. Agnes as my patroness because I saw in her another Catholic girl, about my age.  Her heroic purity was a model, and I still ask her intercession to protect my purity; but mostly she seemed very human and accessible to me.  Maybe I read her story so much that she just seemed real, or maybe God was giving me the grace to draw close to this virgin martyr in a way that I particularly needed and still need.  St. Agnes is a model not just of purity, but also of humility, a virtue which I sorely need!  She showed immense strength in a time that, in most girls' lives (or at least in mine) was a time of weakness, an in-between childhood and maturing.  I know that at the age of twelve I wanted to be an adult but knew I wasn't.  St. Agnes, however, had the courage and fortitude of an...