You Know You’re in the Ignatian Family When…

The Jesuit Post recently ran an article “You Know You’re a Jesuit When…” by the always wonderful Fr. James Martin.  I thought it would be hilarious to expand this to all of us who live in the Jesuit world (and thereby use words like “informatio” on a regular basis), yet clearly are not Jesuits. 

I present to you, “You Know You’re in the Ignatian Family When…”

1. Your favorite pastime is the “Name all the Jesuit Colleges and Universities” game.  You even have a strategy that you argue is best, i.e.: Start with the Loyolas, go west to east.  And, you pride yourself on the fact that when you name “LeMoyne,” everyone else looks at you in astonishment.

2. James Martin and Jon Sobrino constitute “Jesuit Royalty” in your eyes, and you probably have an embarrassing story about freaking out when you met them.

3.  At some point, your email signature has been “Go forth and set the world on fire,” “Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything” or a Hopkins quote.

4. Even though it is overused, you still tear up every time you hear Pedro Arrupe’s prayer, “On the Love of God.” And you have it posted in your house somewhere. And probably include it in at least 85% of the talks that you give.

5. You also know the “secret” access code to the majority of Jesuit residences.  But, you have good enough boundaries not to use them.

6. You have a favorite Jesuit residence, a favorite item on the menu, and a favorite place to sit during social.

7. You wish that you had a cloth napkin at the Jesuit Residence that you frequent the most.

8. November 16, the Feast of the UCA Martyrs, is a solemn day for you.  You mark it in a variety of ways: prayer, liturgy and of course, a facebook post.

Because why wouldn't you have a picture with Father General?

9.  When you mention that you went on a silent retreat to someone not in the Ignatian family, they look at you like you have 3 heads.  When you mention that you really want to do a 30-day silent retreat, they have no way to process what you are talking about.  You hope that one day you’ll have a break in your work schedule that will allow you to complete the exercises.  Also, when you hear “the exercises,” you think of Ignatius, not Richard Simmons.

10. You get irrationally upset when people think that Notre Dame is a Jesuit school.

11. Words like solidarity, consolation, desolation and indifference are commonplace in your lexicon.  It’s not unheard of for you to call a friend and say, “Let’s grab a drink.  I’m experiencing some desolation today.” (via Katie Bignell).

12. There are four letters that guide your life: AMDG. 

Everything Is Yours: Essay in America Magazine

The October 28 issue of America Magazine is easily one of their best.  I do not say that because I am in it, I promise.  "Women in the Life of the Church" features all-female writers and topics important to women.  In my opinion, it is the best work that has been done in the church regarding women and the church.

I was honored to write, "Everything Is Yours: Self-gift as a framework for ministry."

The entire issue is worth reading.  In particular, I recommend "Conscience of America," in which the editors reflect upon women in the magazine and how this issue came about.

Struggles with Solidarity

Solidarity.
It is a tenet of Catholic Social Teaching that calls us to be connected to people throughout the world, especially those suffering.

For me, there are few words more powerful, yet also few words more cliché.

When I was in college, we threw around this word for everything. If I’m being honest, I’ll admit that when we wanted to make something sound good, we just threw in the word “solidarity” and knew that the inclusion of this buzzword would get us whatever we wanted- whether it was funding for a spring break trip or approval for any number of activities.

In Paul’s Letter to the Colossians, I am struck by his description of community, for it is really a description of solidarity. Listen to this:

For I want you to know how great a struggle I am having for you
and for those in Laodicea
and all who have not seen me face to face,
that their hearts may be encouraged
as they are brought together in love,

I mean, it is practically a definition of solidarity.

When I hear this passage, immediately a question comes to my mind,

“Am I struggling for anyone who I have not seen face to face?”
or, asked in another way,
“Am I in solidarity with anyone?”

And the answer to this is hard for me to admit:
If I’m being generous, then I’ll respond “not as much as I should.”
But if I’m being honest, the actual answer is “no”

And here’s how I know at my core, that the actual answer is no:
Immediately, as soon as I ask myself “am I in solidarity with anyone,” people jump to my mind, people who I know God is calling me to be in solidarity with. I know this is from God, because it is so close to my heart. I don’t even have to search my mind for it: as soon as I ask myself this question, the people of Syria are on my heart and mind.

Life has been crazy for me recently. The months of August and September in Student Affairs are so busy that it's hard to keep up with daily activities, let alone look at big world issues.

But this busy lifestyle, well, it’s only an excuse for not living a life of solidarity. We put our time to what we value, and I have not prioritized solidarity as something worthy of my time or energy.

So, why am I making this public confession?
It’s not because I want to feel sorry for myself, or beat myself up
Rather, I’m going out on a limb and thinking that some of you might struggle with this too.

Balancing all of the demands that come with life in a college is difficult as it is. Opening up the question of solidarity can be overwhelming. I mean, there are so many issues in the world, so many people suffering, how do we even begin to care for others? It seems impossible, right?

But, here’s what I know:
God does not call us to do everything.
That does not mean that we are off the hook.
God calls us to do something, and to do that well.

And here’s where solidarity comes in:
God calls us to do this with one another, but also importantly, for one another.

Solidarity is realizing that my struggles are not the only struggles in the world.
It is recognizing that there is a connection between myself and people in Syria who I have never met and likely will never meet.

And this connection is God.

Our call in this is to listen to God in our lives:
Where is God calling you?
With whom is God calling you?
For whom is God calling you?

While I cannot say for certain what God is calling you to do, there are two things of which I am sure
1) God is in fact working in your life
2) This call is communal, that is, God is calling you through other people and FOR other people

This call to solidarity does not mean that I need to quit my job and move to Syria. In fact, that’s probably a bad idea all around.

But here’s what it does mean:
I need to listen to God in my life
I need to respond to God in my life
I need to be aware of the struggles of others and ensure that they are not alone.
And finally, I need to act.

And that is the beauty of our God:
Through Jesus, we are united with others.
Through prayer, we ensure this community.
Just as Paul was joined with others in the early days of our Church, here we are, 2000 years later, called to do the same.

My prayer for all of us is that we can form a community, a local community, wherever you are, that is in solidarity with those throughout the world. And as we do this, may we avoid the trite meaning of the word, but instead focus on the call from Paul to the Colossians:
How can we be with those struggling throughout the world?

While I may not be certain of the answer, I am certain that God is calling us to be with one another- in solidarity.

This reflection is adapted from a Gospel Reflection delivered on September 9, 2013 at Lucernarium night prayer on Col 1:24-2:3

The Feast of the Transfiguration

Today marks the Feast of the Transfiguration.  This passage from the Gospels is one of my all-time favorites.  As someone who ministers in educational settings, each year I am hit with 1/4 of the community leaving with everyone saying, "Can't we just stay here, just like this, for forever?"  My response to this is to pray with the Transfiguration.Here is a portion of a Gospel Reflection I offered at the end of the school year at a high school.  Note:  the school was on a hill, hence the references to "on the hill"


So here, we have Peter, James and John on a mountain with Jesus.  And they have a beyond incredible experience!  I mean, Jesus is transfigured.  He turns white, there are bright lights everywhere, and then from a cloud comes the voice of God.  Talk about a great experience.

Peter then begs Jesus to let them stay on the mountain. I have to say, I totally identify with Peter in this moment.  Here they are, on this beautiful hill, having a wonderful experience, and then it has to end.  

Haven't many of us felt this way about leaving this hill?  Right when it is getting really good, when we have it all figured out and are enjoying ourselves, Jesus tells us it is time to leave.

But looking at it this way is missing the point. The whole purpose of the transfiguration is not what happens on the hill---- it's what happens after the experience on the hill.         

The whole purpose of this high school isn't what happens on this hill.  It's what happens after the experience on the hill.

Isn't that what faith, integrity and truth are all about? These aren't values that matter only on the hill. In fact, they are values that matter the most once we leave this hill. 

What happened to the disciples in the transfiguration was transformative.  This year has been transformative for me.  I imagine it’s been transformative for many of you too. 

Jesus calls us to look at what this transformation means for us. Seniors, now that you are leaving, what does living a life of faith, integrity and truth mean for you?  How will you allow yourself to be shaped by the friendships with your classmates?  How will you continue to see God around you once you leave the hill?  This is the true question of the transfiguration.         
           How will you continue to see God around you?

And this message doesn't just apply to the seniors.  It applies to all of us--- how will we as the FSHA community continue to see God around us?  
How will we continue to experience God? 
How will we continue to be a community that is FIT--- a community of faith, integrity and truth? 
The good news is that there are endless replies to this question.

We all have this community to support us, a community that continues to show us God’s love.

 This community will continue to love and support all of us as we respond to Jesus’ call and journey down the hill. We’ve all been transformed while at this school.  The question that lies before us today is what we will do with this transformation.

Paula Deen: Reasons It Impact ALL of us

Clearly, Paula Deen has been making quite a bit of news recently.  The setting is a lawsuit:  waiter Lisa Jackson is suing Deen and her brother Earl "Bubba" Hiers for  exposing Jackson to “violent, sexist, and racist behavior” while working in their restaurants.

While reading about the lawsuit, everything seemed to be business as usual.  Until I got to this point:

In the complaint, Jackson is described as a “white female.” However the complaint noted she has biracial nieces, so “derogatory remarks regarding African Americans are even more personally offensive to Ms. Jackson than they would be to another white citizen.”

Um, I'm sorry, what was that?  Was that an implication that a white citizen without biracial family would not be offended by behavior such as making African Americans use separate bathrooms and entrances?

And let's be clear: that was stated factually, as though it is an agreed upon fact in our society that white people will not be offended (or, if I'm being generous, as offended) by racist behavior as minorities.

The attorney had to make the point that the white waiter had a personal investment in this discriminatory environment.  Or else- what?  Would the case be thrown out?  The implication is that this behavior is only offensive to those who are being targeted by the discrimination.

This has to change.

As human beings, we should all be offended by this.  Any discrimination, whether in practice or in thought, is an attack on human dignity that should outrage all of us.  To say that just those who are Black should be offended by Deen's statements continues discrimination.   And maybe it even makes it worse.

Using language of faith, this line of reasoning is not just divisive, it is actually an injury to the Body of Christ.  Faith calls us to a community of solidarity.  It does not mean that as a white female I have experienced this discrimination in the same way that someone who is the target of such discrimination has.  It is ludicrous to think that I could will myself into experiencing this on the basis of "standing in solidarity" with others.  What it does mean is that I recognize that an attack against someone else is also an attack against me.  It means that I do not sit idly by when this happens.  And it means that I speak and act when this happens.

Racism is real.  It is not a thing of the past.  And maybe more importantly: racism impact us all.

The Visitation: An Invitation to the In Between Moments

The Feast of the Visitation is perhaps my favorite moment in the liturgical calendar.  Here is a brief reflection I offered after communion a few months back at the blessing of a chapel dedicated to the Visitation:

In order to understand the Visitation, we need to back up a little:

The Angel Gabriel comes to Mary and tells her that she will become pregnant with the Son of God.  Mary, being the all-star that she is, responds “let it be done to me.”  While Gabriel is visiting Mary, he tells her that her cousin, Elizabeth, is also pregnant.  Now, Elizabeth was very old and thought to be barren.  So, really, there are 2 major miracles here.

So, then we get into the Visitation. 

Mary, while pregnant, takes off for Judah to visit Elizabeth.  When Mary arrives, Elizabeth is ecstatic.  She describes her child, who we know as John the Baptist, as jumping in her womb.  Elizabeth’s response is gorgeous, and many of you know it from a prayer we often pray today: the Hail Mary.

Often times, that’s where people cut off the story.  But, that misses my absolute favorite part--- the part I consider to be the meat of it:

Mary stays with Elizabeth for 3 months.

That’s all the Bible says.  That’s all we get: Mary stays for 3 months.

I like to imagine what those 3 months were filled with.  I’m sure there was some freaking out about how on earth they became pregnant.  And probably lots of girl talk.  I’m sure there was praying, and laughing and some tears too.

But my guess?  There were a lot of ordinary, every day moments.

And I LOVE that.

So, for 3 months, they just hung out and went about their lives. 

And most definitely, God was present in those ordinary moments.

And here’s what I love the most:

they were together for 3 months, and our semester is roughly 3 months.

Think about these next 3 months of the semester. 

There will be profound moments. 

There will be excruciating moments. 

But most of all--- there will be a lot of in between moments.

Those moments that aren’t especially note worthy.  The moments that fill our day.  The in between moments.

So when I look at the Visitation, I see that it’s about two main things:

 Friendship

God is with us in the in between moments.

In those moments that don’t stand out, in our every day busyness:

God is there.  God is here.

If we pay attention to our every day moments, all the moments that we often just let pass by, we’ll realize the many ways that God is working in our lives. 

So whether you are trying to figure out what to major in, or whether to keep up that long-distance relationship from home, or what to do after graduation--I am confident that God is already speaking to you through your every day experiences. 

It is our job to pay attention to those moments.

So, here is my invitation to you:  listen to God in your lives.  Not just in the big, profound moments, but perhaps more importantly, in the everyday.

When the Finite Meets the Infinite

TED Talks are awesome.  We can all agree on that.  This one, however, takes the cake.  Susan Haarman is a campus minister, IronMan and my best friend.  She recently gave a TED Talk at the TedxLUC conference.  Her topic:  When the Finite Meets the Infinite: Spirituality in Endurance Sports.

It's 19 minutes of your life, and I promise, whether you are an athlete or not, it will make an impact.  "Endurance can actually help us brush up against the infinite, and when that happens, we are able to live more authentically and more deeply."  Check it out.

Liturgy on Fire- Literally

Earlier this week, I preached at Lucernarium*, a night prayer liturgy.  Joining this liturgy in this capacity is always an honor.  The liturgy is planned by students, yet it is also led by students in the role of the presider and cantor.

This particular service was one that by all external measures went awry, but from my perspective, was pretty incredible.

For starters, I was
incredibly frazzled.  To say that my day was crazy was a huge understatement.  Easily one of my Top 10 hardest days ever.  I arrived much later than I would have liked, and definitely not in the mindset that I would like.

Still, we began the liturgy with a sense of peace.  The cantor, presider and myself lit our candles and began the prayer service.  In the middle of the responsorial psalm, I smelt burning.  A lot of burning.  Not just a little spark, but something was on fire.  I looked next to me and the paper wax catcher was on fire.  Not just a little fire, but really, the whole thing was consumed.

As my liturgy training has engrained in me, we addressed the issue (my pet peeve is when people pretend something didn't happen, when it obviously did), the Rector assisted by grabbing the candle and taking it to the sacristy.  I tried to step on the smoldering paper on the floor of the chapel, praying that my TOMS did not catch fire as well.  We appeared to be in the clear.

Then the lector got up to read the first reading, on which I had prepared my sermon: Isaiah 7. This was the Solemnity of the Annunciation and I was ready to relate Isaiah, Mary and the students' lives.  Only the lector did not read this reading (it was set to the daily reading, not the Solemnity).  My internal monologue went something like this:

Um, this is the Acts of the Apostles, not Isaiah.  My entire reflection is on Isaiah.  ENTIRE.  It's ok, I'll just preach on the Acts instead.  But I don't know what this reading is about.  I need to listen.  OH NO. I keep freaking out instead of listening.  Listen, Annie, listen.  AHHHH.  THE READING IS OVER.  I'm up NOW.

So, for the first time in my life, I preached off-script.

I am typically quite attached to my paper when I preach.  I tend to be an external processor, which is not a good trait of a preacher, so I tend to stick to the script pretty strictly.  But here, I had no choice.  And honestly (and to no surprise to other preachers out there), I think what I said was much more suited to the community than my prepared remarks.  It was truly a sense of the Holy Spirit guiding me.

From an outsiders point of view, this liturgy was probably a bit of a mess.  But from the inside, it was an incredible experience of people gathering together, somewhat clumsily, to worship God together.  And isn't that what liturgy is all about?  The work of the people, when done authentically, has an inherent element of clumsiness.  We didn't let the desire for perfection overpower what we were there for: praising God as a community.

*If you want a sense of Lucernarium, I recommend this video of Luce at Moreau Seminary.

Habemus Papam!

At this point, I think I might be a little too excited to form coherent thoughts about the new papacy of Francis.

Here are my initial thoughts:

-I like that he isn't easy to nail down on the conservative/liberal spectrum.  He was appointed by Pope John Paul II, meaning he obviously is going to have a conservative streak.  Yet, his actions seem to line up with a liberal pope.  I like that he is a little of each; this means that he is someone who really engages the issues and grapples with them, not someone who just does what is expected of him.  A great trait in a pope.

-Of course, a lot has been made over his choosing of his name.  The Vatican confirmed it was after St. Francis of Assisi.  There is so much to this that I don't even know where to start.  I love that as a Jesuit he picked Francis.  This seems fitting with his track record of looking for the best in others, whether it be religious orders or other religions.  St. Francis' spirit can be characterized by renewal and commitment to the Gospel.  Obviously, these have huge implications for the papacy.  I'll be interested to hear more about why he chose Francis.  I also love that he is the first Pope to choose Francis.  Could this signal that he is looking at the papacy through a new lens?

-He is the first non-European pope in 1200 years.  This is so huge that I cannot even explain it in words.  We are truly a global church, and this affirms it.

-Most importantly, he began his papacy by asking the world to join him in prayer.  To me, this signals that he sees the Church as the people.  He knows he must rely upon the people throughout his papacy.  There are few things that a Pope could do that is more encouraging than this.  In fact, I cannot think of one.

As the product of 8 years of Jesuit education, I'd be amiss not to mention that he is a Jesuit.  I literally screamed nonstop when I realized this.  And then we had to explain to my 15 month old niece that they were good screams.  AMDG.


And of course, he takes public transit.  I just love this picture.

I'm thrilled.  THRILLED.  Seriously, words cannot describe how excited I am.  I consider myself someone who is generally hopeful about the Church and this is probably the most hopeful I have ever been.

Welcome, Pope Francis!

Sede Vacante: Transitions and the Neutral Zone

Even though I have known for more than 2 weeks that Pope Benedict XVI's resignation was coming yesterday, there was a finality and sadness to it that I wasn't anticipating.

Rationally, I knew he would fly to Castel Gandolfo.  I knew this resignation would take place at 8 pm.  But somehow, seeing this, made it real in a new way.  

Yes, the Vatican website is what made it real to me.  With Pope Benedict's coat of arms missing, and the words "APOSTOLICA SEDES VACANS," there was a finality to it.

Likewise, seeing the locking of the papal apartments sent a wave of sadness and communicated the finality.  Even this tradition, which was established to prevent the looting of the apartments by Roman citizens (which is not really a threat these days...), has a beauty in its simplicity.

It's no secret that I love to study transitions, and one of the most basic parts of transition is the structure: end, middle/"the neutral zone", a new beginning.  The locking of the papal apartment marks a solid end.  Yet it also takes us to a new space: the neutral zone.

The neutral zone is the meat of the transition (ironic, as I write this on a Lenten Friday).  It is where the ups and downs happen; it's the core of the transition.  William Bridges describes it as a time when our former existence no longer fits, yet we aren't quite ready for a new beginning yet.

So, as we sit in this time of transition, there is one thing we are called to do above all else: pray.  Pray for our Church.  Pray for the College of Cardinals in the Conclave.  Pray.

Catholic Conversations: The Young Faithful on the Papacy

Last week, I had the incredible opportunity to speak with Amy Eddings of WNYC's All Things Considered regarding the future of the papacy.  It was truly a bucket-list item (or my equivalent, 30 before 30).  I was joined on the call by Brandon Vogt, a blogger who is quite prolific and worth a look if you don't know him already.

More than anything, it was an opportunity to take a step back and reflect on the future of the Church in this time of transition, as well as to get into some of the nuances.

You can find the full interview on WNYC's website by clicking here.  Or, you can also listen to it below.  It's just 5 minutes of your time!

A Relevant Church, aka a Church That Takes the Gospel Seriously

In my piece The Church Young Catholics Want, I discussed the need for the Church to take seriously the experience of the faithful.  This turned out to be one of the most debated, as well as misunderstood, points.  I am not shirking responsibility on this one.  I assumed that people were on the same page as I was, which is probably the most dangerous thing a writer can do.  I didn’t take people along on my thought process or explain the teachings of Vatican II, paving the way for misunderstanding.  What I hope to do here is to bring the teachings of the Church into this conversation, as they are essential to this discussion.

Here’s why I think it is dangerous for the Church to render itself irrelevant:

-The Gospel is Always Relevant.  The Gospel always has something to speak to culture.  If the Church is irrelevant, that means the Church has strayed from the Gospel.  There may be some who think it is impossible for the Church to stray from the Gospel.  Given that the Church is made up of humans, there remains a possibility that we prioritize issues over the Gospel.  The Gospel needs to remain at the forefront of our work as a Church.  As long as we do this, the Church will be on the right track.

-Gaudium Et Spes, The Pastoral Constitution of the Church in the Modern World.*  Gaudium et Spes is unequivocal in its call for the Church to engage the world.  Simply reading the first few sections brings this to light (but read the whole thing.  It’s excellent, really).  Here are some of the passages that bring this home.

The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the men of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ. GeS 1

 THE OPENING LINE!  Is there anything more beautiful?! 

Hence, giving witness and voice to the faith of the whole people of God gathered together by Christ, this council can provide no more eloquent proof of its solidarity with, as well as its respect and love for the entire human family with which it is bound up, than by engaging with it in conversation about these various problems. GeS 3

I love that this calls for conversation.  Engaging with the world is crucial.

To carry out such a task, the Church has always had the duty of scrutinizing the signs of the times and of interpreting them in the light of the Gospel. Thus, in language intelligible to each generation, she can respond to the perennial questions which men ask about this present life and the life to come, and about the relationship of the one to the other. GeS 4

I swear, this is one of the most incredible statements I’ve ever read.  Bravo, Second Vatican Council, Bravo.

Gaudium et Spes demands that we read the signs of the times and respond accordingly.  It calls the Church to take human experience seriously.  In taking experience seriously, we are not necessarily validating what is out there, though that obviously can happen.  Rather, the aim is to look at culture through the lens of the Gospel and respond accordingly.  We need to critically engage the world.  This is not only what many of the Catholic faithful are yearning for, it is also what the Church is calling us to do.

Seeking a relevant Church does not mean throwing out the Roman Catholic Church and rebuilding from scratch to create a trendy gathering that tells people what they want to hear.  It does not mean striving to be cool above all else, or even at all.  It’s quite the opposite in fact.  It means using things like tradition, scripture, social sciences, prayer and community to thoughtfully engage the world.  From this context, the Church can speak powerfully to what’s going on in the world.  At our best, the Church does this and does it well.  And there are countless examples of this, ranging from encyclicals to letters on war to the everyday lived experiences of parishes and the faithful.  By engaging with the world, the Church is able to speak truth to the world and preach the Gospel in unique ways that resonate with people, thus building rather than dividing the Body of Christ.

---

*For those want a little background, Gaudium et Spes was the final document of Vatican II.  It is the Pastoral Constitution of the Church in the Modern World.  The title translates to “joy and hope,” which is the first phrase of the document.  It was approved by a vote of 2307 to 75 and promulgated on December 7, 1965 by Pope Paul VI.

Oscar Picks

IT'S THE BIGGEST NIGHT IN HOLLYWOOD!  I'm so excited for the Oscars tonight.  My picks are bolded in red, with my commentary in purple italics.

Actor in a Leading Role
Bradley Cooper in "Silver Linings Playbook"- But I really want it to be Bradley!
Daniel Day-Lewis in "Lincoln"
Hugh Jackman in "Les Misérables"
Joaquin Phoenix in "The Master"
Denzel Washington in "Flight"

Actor in a Supporting Role
Alan Arkin in "Argo"
Robert De Niro in "Silver Linings Playbook"
Philip Seymour Hoffman in "The Master"
Tommy Lee Jones in "Lincoln"
Christoph Waltz in "Django Unchained"

Actress in a Leading Role
Jessica Chastain in "Zero Dark Thirty"- Total Toss-up between J.Law and Jess
Jennifer Lawrence in "Silver Linings Playbook"
Emmanuelle Riva in "Amour"
Quvenzhané Wallis in "Beasts of the Southern Wild"- But I love her!
Naomi Watts in "The Impossible"

Actress in a Supporting Role
Amy Adams in "The Master"
Sally Field in "Lincoln"
Anne Hathaway in "Les Misérables"- Anne is by far my least favorite actress, but she'll probs win
Helen Hunt in "The Sessions"
Jacki Weaver in "Silver Linings Playbook"- I WISH she would win.  Incredible, little Jacki, incredible!

Animated Feature Film
"Brave" Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman
"Frankenweenie" Tim Burton
"ParaNorman" Sam Fell and Chris Butler
"The Pirates! Band of Misfits" Peter Lord
"Wreck-It Ralph" Rich Moore

Cinematography
"Anna Karenina" Seamus McGarvey
"Django Unchained" Robert Richardson
"Life of Pi" Claudio Miranda
"Lincoln" Janusz Kaminski
"Skyfall" Roger Deakins

Costume Design
"Anna Karenina" Jacqueline Durran
"Les Misérables" Paco Delgado
"Lincoln" Joanna Johnston
"Mirror Mirror" Eiko Ishioka
"Snow White and the Huntsman" Colleen Atwood

Directing
"Amour" Michael Haneke
"Beasts of the Southern Wild" Benh Zeitlin
"Life of Pi" Ang Lee
"Lincoln" Steven Spielberg
"Silver Linings Playbook" David O. Russell

Film Editing
"Argo" William Goldenberg
"Life of Pi" Tim Squyres
"Lincoln" Michael Kahn
"Silver Linings Playbook" Jay Cassidy and Crispin Struthers
"Zero Dark Thirty" Dylan Tichenor and William Goldenberg

Makeup and Hairstyling
"Hitchcock" Howard Berger, Peter Montagna and Martin Samuel
"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"  Peter Swords King, Rick Findlater and Tami Lane
"Les Misérables" Lisa Westcott and Julie Dartnell

Music (Original Song)
"Before My Time" from "Chasing Ice," Music and Lyric by J. Ralph
"Everybody Needs A Best Friend" from "Ted," Music by Walter Murphy; Lyric by Seth MacFarlane
"Pi's Lullaby" from "Life of Pi," Music by Mychael Danna; Lyric by Bombay Jayashri
"Skyfall" from "Skyfall," Music and Lyric by Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth
"Suddenly" from "Les Misérables," Music by Claude-Michel Schönberg; Lyric by Herbert Kretzmer and Alain Boublil

Best Picture
"Amour" Margaret Menegoz, Stefan Arndt, Veit Heiduschka and Michael Katz, Producers
"Argo" Grant Heslov, Ben Affleck and George Clooney, Producers- Probably gonna win, but I really want SLP
"Beasts of the Southern Wild" Dan Janvey, Josh Penn and Michael Gottwald, Producers
"Django Unchained" Stacey Sher, Reginald Hudlin and Pilar Savone, Producers
"Les Misérables" Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Debra Hayward and Cameron Mackintosh, Producers
"Life of Pi" Gil Netter, Ang Lee and David Womark, Producers
"Lincoln" Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, Producers
"Silver Linings Playbook" Donna Gigliotti, Bruce Cohen and Jonathan Gordon, Producers- This may be more hopeful than anything, but I gotta go for it.
"Zero Dark Thirty" Mark Boal, Kathryn Bigelow and Megan Ellison, Producers

Visual Effects
"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" 
"Life of Pi" 
"Marvel's The Avengers" 
"Prometheus" 
"Snow White and the Huntsman"


Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
"Argo" Screenplay by Chris Terrio
"Beasts of the Southern Wild" Screenplay by Lucy Alibar & Benh Zeitlin
"Life of Pi" Screenplay by David Magee
"Lincoln" Screenplay by Tony Kushner
"Silver Linings Playbook" Screenplay by David O. Russell

Writing (Original Screenplay)
"Amour" Written by Michael Haneke
"Django Unchained" Written by Quentin Tarantino
"Flight" Written by John Gatins
"Moonrise Kingdom" Written by Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola
"Zero Dark Thirty" Written by Mark Boal

And just to be fun, my predictions for best red carpet:
Best:
Beyonce (is she even going?  I don't know.  But if she does, she'll sweep the red carpet)
J. Law.
Octavia Spencer


Worst:
Jessica Chastain--- she's been on the struggle bus with dresses this awards season
Amy Adams
Anne Hathaway, obvi

Insights on Freedom: Flannery O'Connor

One of the recurring themes of the negative comments on my Washington Post op-ed are that I am a relativist, which in reality, could not be farther from the truth.  However, I think one of the most obnoxious things in blogs is when the writer defends himself against anonymous critics.  Instead, I thought the words of Flannery O'Connor shed some insight on the situation.

"Even in the life of a Christian, faith rises and falls like the tides of an invisible sea. It's there, even when you can't see it or feel it, if you want it to be there. You realize, I think, that it is more valuable, more mysterious, altogether more immense than anything you can learn or decide upon in college. Learn what you can and cultivate Christian skepticism. It will keep you free - not free to do anything you please, but free to be formed by something larger than your own intellect."
-Flannery O'Connor, writing to a college student.

Live Life Week 1: Fast

For Lent, I am joining up with the Live Life program from World Vision.  Each week has a different challenge.  This week is fasting.

I've never been a fan of using Lent as a diet, so I immediately ruled out the idea of fasting from some sort of food.  But what could I fast from that might bring me closer to God?

My phone.

I am addicted to my phone.  Especially email.  And facebook too.  And twitter and pinterest.  And checking the weather.  And texting my friends.  So yeah, pretty much all of it.

Given that I still want to be employed at the end of the week, I knew that fasting from my phone entirely was not an option.  So I kept it simple:  I will not check my phone while walking places.

No kidding, this just might be the hardest challenge ever.  The amount of stress it is causing me is unreal.  Yet, when I make it at to the end of a 10 minute walk to my next meeting without checking my phone, there is a sense of accomplishment (obviously, not the point of the challenge, but still, it's there).  In my head, I had romantic visions of enjoying the beauty of campus and feeling close to God that way.  Unfortunately, single-digit weather and high winds are not conducive to me feeling the presence of God all around me.  But I do feel more centered and more connected with others.  And that's a really important part of Lent.

Washington Post: The Church Young Catholics Want

My blog was featured in the Washington Post!  Check it out:  The Church Young Catholics Want.

In the coming days, I'll share my thoughts on the process of writing this blog and of course, reading the comments.  Just letting it all sink in for now...

Lenten Challenge

I've long wanted to work on this blog regularly.  There's always an excuse, a desire to be complacent.  This Lent, I'm finally doing something about that.  In addition to my other Lenten intentions (which I'm sure will be topics of later blogs), I'm getting serious about this blogging thing.  At the suggestion of my brother, I'm writing one post a week.  Maybe more, but hopefully not less.  Get excited, folks, we're off for a wild ride.