This past Saturday the Catholic Daughters of the Americas had the outstanding opportunity to take a step back from the world and spend the day on a girl’s retreat, focusing on what it means to be daughters of the King. It was an outstanding day of fellowship and spiritual growth.

For me, being a first time college student, as well as a first time non-Catholic-school student, the retreat was a super charge of strength. As women, the world is constantly telling us that we are too much and not enough at the same time. The day, carefully planned by Mama Kristen (definitely going to call her that now…), reminded us that we are perfect just as we are, because we are the beloved daughters of the King. We are princesses, and the whole retreat made us feel that way, from the tiara’s on the tables, to the talks given by Mama K, and to the time spent in prayer and reflection. It was a great day that made me feel very loved.

One thing that really stuck out to me is the role women have in today’s world. As Archbishop Fulton Sheen once said:

“To a great extent the level of any civilization is the level of its womanhood. When a man loves a woman, he has to become worthy of her. The higher her virtue, the more noble her character, the more devoted she is to truth, justice, goodness, the more a man has to aspire to be worthy of her. The history of civilization could actually be written in terms of the level of its women.”

Wow… talk about pressure! This means that, if we, as sisters in Christ, started to expect more from our brothers, change could happen. We have a special ability, different than our men, to lead people back to the Lord. There is a well known saying that a girl should be “…so lost in the Lord that a man will need to find the Lord to find her.”  If we stopped focusing on the world, and focused only on the King, others would be inspired to do the same.

My favorite part of the retreat was definitely Adoration. After spending the morning talking about the unconditional love shown to us by our Father, and the passionate love shown to us by Jesus, it was spectacular to spend some time in front of Christ loving Him right back. While there are only a few instances in Adoration that I’ve actually cried, and wasn’t really expecting to this time, when the Blessed Sacrament was exposed, my eyes welled up and tears started to fall. Yet unlike my other experiences, these tears were tears of happiness. I felt the most overwhelming sense of peace and love right there looking at the Lord. Time didn’t seem to move as I sat there in front of Him, and I was able to say thank you for all of the ways He loves us.

We ended our day with Mass, and left St. Peter’s with a new resolve to be lights for the world. Overall, the retreat was a wonderful experience and I am so very pleased that I went. I challenge all girls to learn about our roles in this world, and to shine on others the way princesses are called to.

“The King is enthralled with your beauty. Honor Him, for He is your Lord.” ~ Psalm 45:11

“She is clothed with strength and dignity, and laughs without fear of the future.” ~ Proverbs 31:25

“God is with her, she will not fall.” ~ Psalm 45:6a

Alex Scheibner will be joining Fr. Anthony on a 13 Day Pilgrimage to holy sites in Italy and ending in Rome.  Alex shares his thoughts in anticipation of the pilgrimage and promises a “Part II” upon his return at the end of June.  Be looking for the post-pilgrimage reflections post in July. Alex also invites prayers for their safety and spiritual insight and growth on this journey.

At this time two years ago, I was living in a tiny room on the roof of a four-story building, next door to a mosque in Calcutta, India.  I had gone there with the intention of learning how to serve from those whose lives are an embodiment of service, the Missionary Sisters of Charity, founded by Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta.  God’s divine providence in placing me amongst some of his most holy and humble servants for two months prompted numerous changes in my life, the greatest of which was my joining the Roman Catholic Church upon my return to the United States.  While I only spent a total of sixty days in Calcutta, the ripple effect of my experiences there has shaped nearly every aspect of my life since then.  Now, two years later, I have a new opportunity before me which, while very different in nature, has equal potential to be life-changing.

More than a trip, I will be embarking on a pilgrimage.  This pilgrimage will take me to holy sites throughout Italy and conclude in Rome, at the Vatican.  As excited as I am about the destination, I am even more excited about my travel companions.  One will be my mother, Susan.  My mother planted the seeds of faith in me before I can even remember.  Her steadfast faith and patient, loving example of Godly living while I was growing up was and is a light shining in the darkness for me.  I can’t think of another person that I would rather share this experience with than her.  My second travel companion will be Father Anthony Odiong, my priest from St. Peter’s Catholic Student Center at Baylor University.  Father Anthony has patiently guided me through my first two years as a Catholic, and has been more than a priest for me.  He has been a spiritual father, teaching me to move past the visible reality in front of me to see the deeper spiritual reality in everything, from the meaning of human life all the way down to the flickering of a candle.  I cannot think of a person better suited to be the spiritual guide for this pilgrimage.

Some of you may wonder why this pilgrimage, which may seem like a simple sight-seeing adventure, is so meaningful for me.  Here is why: Two years ago in India, I realized that my church family is much bigger than the people who gather with me on Sunday morning.  On any given day, every Catholic Church in the world joins together reading the same passages of Scripture and receiving the same Body of Christ in Holy Communion.  This amazing unity among Catholic churches means that I can go to any Catholic church in the world and participate fully in a form of worship which has remained virtually unchanged for 2,000 years.  Not only that, but the life and works of thousands of God’s most dedicated followers have been preserved over the centuries in the Church Tradition, so that we might know what God has done in the world through Christians since the time of Christ himself.  The lives of these Saints and the places where they lived and served God are holy to me and my Church family.  For me, visiting these holy sites is like visiting a childhood home that I barely remember – the people and events that occupied these places made me who I am today and are an essential part of God’s salvation history, his redemption of our broken world.  They encourage me and give me hope in my attempt to answer God’s universal call for all of us to become Saints.

I hope that all of you will pray for all of us taking part in this pilgrimage to Italy’s holy sites, and that your prayers will help each of us draw closer to our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the source of all holiness.  May this summer be a time of growth and blessings for you.

If you’re anything like me, you’re constantly on the lookout for new music. A problem I constantly come across is that a lot of it is simply morally offensive. That may sound prudish, but I like to be uplifted by music, not made to feel like I need to visit a confessional. The genre of “Christian music” can be equally frustrating, because while the lyrics are encouraging, the music itself can be really bad. In light of this, I’ve decided to start tracking my quest for Catholic-friendly music and sharing it on the Baylor Catholic Blog! I hope you find it helpful.

Sufjan Stevens is one of those musicians that I not-so-secretly wish were Catholic. (Yes, I have a mental list of musicians who ought to convert, don’t judge.) I recommend the album Seven Swans if you’re looking for good music with Christian themes. Spin magazine describes it as sounding like “Eliot Smith after 10 years of Sunday school,” and who wouldn’t want to hear that? It’s definitely his most overtly Christian album. In fact, the song “To be Alone with You” is written directly to Christ. The entire album makes great study music if you need background noise that isn’t too distracting. My favorite song from this album is “The Transfiguration.” It refers to—what else?—the transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain, and always remind me of the Eucharist.

Give it a listen here, or check out the whole album on Spotify:

What are some of your favorite Catholic-friendly bands? Are there any musicians out there you wish were Catholic? Leave us an answer in the comments!

Feel free to send music tips or reviews to newmedia@baylorcatholic.org.

 When I first walked into St. Peter’s at the start of my freshman year, I had no idea of the tremendous impact it would make on my life. During these past few weeks as graduation day drew near, I realized that while I love Baylor and am going to miss it terribly, saying goodbye to St. Peter’s is what I dreaded most.

I had no idea that a place that wasn’t home could feel exactly like home, but St. Peter’s became just that for me during these past four years. If it wasn’t for St. Peter’s, I probably would not still be at Baylor. During the first semester of my freshman year, I enjoyed Baylor and made good friends, but I did not feel completely happy here. At the start of my second semester, I looked into transferring to another university; during that time, I started to go to St. Peter’s more because it was the only place I felt a sense of peace. Looking forward to daily Mass and the chance I would have to spend time at church is what got me through those days.

Out of a desire to nurture this spiritual growth I was feeling and to become more involved at the center, I signed up for its spring retreat, Bear Awakening 7. That’s when I was completely drawn into St. Peter’s; that retreat had an indescribable impact on me. It fueled my fire for God and planted the seeds of friendships that have flourished during these past few years. Although I have made wonderful friends of varying faiths here at Baylor, the bond I share with my friends at St. Peter’s is closer; it’s a family. There is something so special about sharing one’s faith with one’s friends and believing the same things. The chance to form friendships through attending Mass, serving in ministries, and staffing retreats together is an incredible gift, and I am so thankful that St. Peter’s is here to provide this opportunity for students.

My days left in Waco are numbered, and I’d be lying if I said my eyes didn’t fill with tears at the thought of leaving St. Peter’s. There is something so special and rare about this place that is difficult to put into words. At the beginning of April after the weekend of Bear Awakening 10, for which I was blessed to serve on the leadership team, the reality that I would soon be saying goodbye to this place and these amazing people hit me hard. I cried for several days. What would I do without this place? The spiritual guidance I have received from Father Anthony and the love and support from everyone in the community has helped to shape me into the person I am today. It is here that I truly realized the beauty of the Catholic Church and how strangers can become family through their shared faith in Christ. I had grown and learned so much at St. Peter’s that I couldn’t bear the thought of not coming here.

However, I’ve realized that I’ll only be saying goodbye to St. Peter’s in a physical sense, and this realization is a huge comfort. The relationships that I have made, and the fire for God that St. Peter’s has fueled, will not vanish because I will not be attending this church anymore. They have formed me into who I am and prepared me for what God has planned for the next stage of my life. I have the tremendous blessing of starting law school at St. Louis University in the fall. I know that God has called me there for a purpose, and I will take the spirit that fills St. Peter’s with me. No matter how far away I’ll be, St. Peter’s and everyone here will always be in my heart and prayers.

      In case you didn’t see on Facebook, Six Rivers Planned Parenthood partnered with Clergy for Choice and an organization called Faith Aloud to put on a 40 Days of Prayer. These prayers petition to further the cause of abortion and Planned Parenthood. There has been a ruckus about this everywhere, and a common response to this initiative is fear—specifically a fear of God. And no wonder! 40 Days of Prayer implies that God would will someone to have an abortion. Why would He forcibly kill His own creation before he or she is born?

     Some of the intentions on the list are prayers that the Pro Life community would also ask God for, such as Day 24: “Today we pray for an end to hateful language that diminishes the dignity of women.” However, other intentions are quite appalling. One that especially offended me was Day 14: “Today we pray for Christians everywhere to embrace the loving model of Jesus in the way he refused to shame women.” It hurts my heart how much these people are confused. Jesus refused to shame women by accepting them after they had sinned, like the adulterous woman in John 8. However, He told her to ‘Go and sin no more.’ He loved her and wished her no harm—he was not defending her sin.

      Jesus would not want women to get an abortion; killing is never the answer. In fact, because Jesus refused to shame women, he would stand up for anyone who believes that an abortion is their only option. Abortion goes against the law of nature (that of maternal instinct), and going against who you were created to be can only shame yourself.

     The main emphasis on this campaign is a women’s right to choose. God himself gives us the freedom to love him or not–to choose Him or choose to be without Him. This organization is fighting for the right to sin, which we already have. But they are also encouraging women to sin and praying for the right to kill unborn children. I could not possibly explain all the Church’s philosophical reasoning against abortion in this short blog post, but abortion can’t ever be right if the pre-born baby is a human person. A baby’s right to life trumps a mother’s freedom to choose. In this case choice prevents another person from living, and that’s wrong. I gladly sacrifice my freedom for love because although freedom is good, it is nothing without love.      

      Another prayer intention that really hit home was Day 6: “Today we ask for blessings upon the women who pass through hostile protesters on their way into an abortion clinic. May they be shielded from physical and emotional harm from those who do not know them.” This should be a wake-up call for those of us Pro Lifers who have gotten too bruised in the battle against Satan, and allowed ourselves to harden. We cannot forget that we do this out of love. In the spirit of St. Mark the Evangelist whose feast day was this week, may we offer truth to everyone who opposes our views with love and charity. Let us put on the armor of God and keep persevering in prayer, for this is a spiritual battle just as much as it is a fight for real human lives.

Click here for the 40 Days of Prayer brochure.

I was raised Catholic.  As a youth, I went to Catholic summer camps, attended Catholic talks and events and went on Catholic retreats. I expected Bear Awakening would be more of the same thing: lots of songs, talks, reflection and probably a few of the sacraments. I thought I had heard and experienced everything before and this would just be review of the same.

Boy, was I wrong!

Awakening is one of the most reinvigorating and fulfilling retreats I have ever been on. I attended BA10 two weeks ago and I wish I could share more openly about all of my experiences. However, due to the need to keep the experience fresh and ‘unexpected’ for future retreaters, I am limited to what I can write. Just know that everything that happens on an Awakening weekend makes an impact on you – no matter where you are coming from.

Thinking back, I had heard all the things the retreat team shared with us, yet the activities impacted me in amazing ways that made me think deeper about the things I thought I already knew. The fact that Awakening hit me so hard with concepts that I had been hearing all my life still amazes me. By making me think about and expanding the most basic parts of my faith, I know I have become a more well-rounded Catholic.

While there is a lot I can’t say about Awakening, here is what I can say: It is an awesome experience that nobody (and I mean NOBODY) will be disappointed by. If you have any doubts the next time Bear Awakening comes around, JUST DO IT!!! It only lasts one weekend and it only costs $40 dollars, but what you get out of it will stick with you for the rest of your life.

Every part of Awakening – from the staff, to the events, to the talks, to the activities, is fantastic! It is THE college Catholic retreat to go on. If you are ever able to go, then do. If for some reason you aren’t able to go please pray for those who are considering attending, as well as those who will attend in the future. Every student should go. I am glad I did!

Peter (right in blue shirt) at BA10 with some of
his new Awakening family.

Now that the season of Lent has begun, I want to take some time to reflect on the significance of Lent in the Church, specifically how it pertains to those entering the Church who will receive the Sacraments of Initiation at Easter. These sacraments initiate catechumens and candidates into the mystery of salvation, the practice of faith, hope, and charity, and other virtues in a succession of liturgical rites. They are Baptism, first Holy Communion (Eucharist), and Confirmation.

As Deacon Frank Jasek so eloquently described this past Sunday in his homily, Lent is modeled after the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert. The number 40 has significant meaning tied to preparation. The forty days Moses spent on Mount Siani, the forty days and nights God sent rain in the flood of Noah, and the forty years the Hebrews spent wandering the desert looking for the Promised Land, all these are times of preparation and penance. During Lent, the Church prepares for Easter by fasting, prayer and charity. Currently,  the mandate is to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and abstain from meat on Fridays. Earlier in the history of the Church, fasting occurred throughout Lent, but this was simplified to its current form. People are still encouraged to give something up as a Lenten sacrifice.

Just as the entire Church prepares for the Paschal Mystery at Easter during Lent, those entering the church prepare for their commitment to Christ. Catechumens (those entering the Church unbaptized) and Candidates (those entering the church from other Trinitarian traditions) must be examined by the bishop, priest, and community. Their journeys began with the precatechumenate, a period of inquiry and exploration of the beginnings of faith. When they have decided to take the first steps towards entering the Church, they are brought into the catechumenate at the Right of Acceptance celebrated on the Feast of Christ the King at the end of the Liturgical year before Advent. During the catechumenate, the catechumen explores deeper into the teachings of the faith and are taught the treasures, sacraments, of our Church. This period concludes with the Rite of Election, celebrated on the first Sunday of Lent.

Elect Rae Gracedel meets Bishop Joe Vasquez during the Rite of Election

This rite is celebrated by the bishop where he and the Church see those who wish to share our faith. The catechumens resolve to be initiated into the sacramental life of the Church, supported by their sponsors and catechists (teachers). They are now known as the Elect. Following this rite, the Elect enter the stage of Purification and Enlightenment during Lent as they prepare to receive the Sacraments of Initiation. The Scrutinies are celebrated on the third, fourth, and fifth Sundays of Lent where the elect reflect on the full meaning of the step they are preparing to take. The entire parish community examines their own lives alongside the Elect and intercedes with God for them. The period of Purification and Enlightenment ends at the Easter Vigil mass where the Elect receive the Sacraments of Initiation and become full members of the Church.

I ask for your prayers for our catechumens, candidates, and those Catholics who are receiving Confirmation as they prepare to receive the Sacraments of Initiation this Easter. For those interested in becoming Catholic, or those who want to learn more about the teachings of the faith, I invite you to attend RCIA, Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. We meet every Tuesday at 7pm in the Narthex of St. Peter’s Catholic Student Center.

The season of Lent has officially arrived! The biggest questions of “what do I give up?” or “what can I take on?” are answered (hopefully) and now we, as celebrators of Lent, can fully immerse ourselves in prayer, fasting, and almsgiving in order to prepare our hearts and minds for the ultimate sacrifice of Our Lord and His glorious Resurrection.

Throughout my years in college, I’ve learned that there is so much more to Lent than just giving up my favorite soft drink or candy. The Church gives us this beautiful opportunity to spend the next 40 days in deep prayer and reflection. Lent calls us to build a closer and deeper relationship with Christ. Some may argue that you just give something up for 40 days and then forget all about it once Easter’s over; everyone will settle back into their old ways and forget about the growth might have occurred. That’s true, it could happen, but it doesn’t have to be that way!

Regarding prayer: I’ve made the decision to say Morning and Night Prayer every day (Sidenote: I highly encourage praying the Liturgy of the Hours. It’s beautiful. And it’s the official daily prayer of the Church!). Through these prayers I begin and end my day in prayer. Oh, what a wonderful way to start and end my day! These last few days, I’ve opened my day, and heart, with His words and closed my day with His peace.

Regarding fasting: Fasting disciplines us. You may surprise yourself with the amount of discipline that remains with you once Lent ends, if you allow it. These last few years of college, I decided to ‘give up my time.’ My sophomore year, I decided to attend Daily Mass every Tuesday and Thursday. My junior year, I added Friday and Communion Service on Monday. And now, as a senior, Daily Mass has become a part of my routine. I allowed the Spirit of Lent to move in me and carry on beyond the holy days of Easter.  This year, I still attend Daily Mass, but I’ve taken it a step further, I gave up…my snooze button! Ugh. These last two mornings have been awful, but a good friend reminded me this morning that it’s not something that happens right away. It takes time and it’s something I have to work on. The fact that discipline is a process just illustrates the growth that is occurring. I have now finally learned that I’m not really giving up my time. I’m giving it back to God.

Regarding almsgiving, or works of charity: I’m gonna be honest, you’d think as a social work major my whole life would be about community service, well…not exactly. Like anyone, I can get so caught up in my busy schedule that I forget to stop and think of those who are in need. This Lent, I’ve decided to dedicate my time to serving the most vulnerable, the unborn. Fridays I plan to be sitting outside of Planned Parenthood praying a rosary for lives lost due to abortion. This act of service is not only a physical representation of charity, but it’s a uniting of prayer with the Church Militant in Heaven to end abortion and support the beauty of life.

Now, why I did I tell you all of this? (Besides plugging Liturgy of the Hours, our Daily Mass schedule, or “40 Days for Life”) Am I asking you attend daily Mass every day, stand in front of an abortion clinic, or give up your snooze button? No. But I’m asking you this: what can you do NOW?! God is calling each and every single one of us today, right now, to rid ourselves of every burden and give it up to Him as we remember His Passion. Y’all, the time is now! Live and make sacrifices for Him now. Now, with your brothers and sisters in Christ, and the rewards will be far greater than you can ever imagine and you’ll find them in the arms of God.

‎”For he says: ‘In an acceptable time-I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.’ Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation” [2 Corinthians 6:2]

It might be a bit of an exaggeration to call myself the world’s worst procrastinator, so I’ll spare you the melodrama—I actually run a close second. When I was hired at St. Peter’s, I told Mama Debs that I’d do an introductory post about myself for the blog. But then I got the flu the first week of school. I spent the second week recovering, and the third scrambling to catch up on school work. By this time, of course, writing a blog post had officially Gotten Away From Me, and was therefore mentally categorized as Not a Priority. Eventually, the idea that I “should probably write some kind of intro post or something” drifted through my mind, but as a pro-procrastinator, thoughts like these are typically shot on sight.

So time passed, and a kind of guilt began to steal over me. I had to admit that I couldn’t put the blog off forever. I would write an intro post! I had to! And so I tried. And I deleted. And I tried again. It’s not like I was required to write the Great American Novel or something—I was just supposed to tell who I am and what I do for St. Peter’s. But, as I slowly came to realize, writing a blog post isn’t easy. I began to feel anxious. It had already been delayed so long; wouldn’t a post this late just be awkward? But eventually Mama D intervened. She insisted that I write an introductory post and gave me a deadline, which I promptly missed.

But here I go. Let me (finally) introduce myself.

Hi there. My name is Katherine, and I’m Ms. Debbie’s new student worker. I help with St. Peter’s website, Facebook page, blog (hahaha!), and other various projects that need an extra hand. I’m a “senior” at Baylor, meaning I won’t be graduating for two more years, and I’m studying studio art with a concentration in printmaking. (If you aren’t sure what printmaking is, ask me! I’ll try to explain it and you still won’t know what it is.)

It’s always a little intimidating to start a new job and get involved with a new community, but St. Peter’s has been so great. You guys are incredibly welcoming and sweet and encouraging. I have always wanted to get more involved with the St. Peter’s community, but I wasn’t sure where to begin. Around Christmastime I saw that the center was looking for an assistant, and after praying about it, I submitted my application, thinking, “If I don’t get it, it’s not where God wants me to be.” But here I am, and I can only hope that by being here I can learn something from all of you, and be at least somewhat useful in the meantime. I look forward to meeting all of you, and I hope you’ll be patient with me as I get the hang of things. I promise that one day, I’ll even stop being a procrastinator.

Just not today.

This is video is about an extraordinary girl who learns to play the violin against all odds. The video focuses on her journey to learning how to master the sound of music not though her ears but her mind, while facing the hardship of being criticized and put down by others.
Although this is an extremely touching piece of work, I seem to lose all most all of my respect for it after I found out that it was a Pantene commercial. It’s hard to believe that this video belongs to Pantene because it has little to nothing in common with the products that it’s selling. As for those who don’t know what Pantene is out to sell, they are a company who sells hair products to mostly women but I believe they have extended their line for men recently.
Pantene is trying to appeal to the female kind in general; however it does seem to focus more on young adults and teenagers. The message that it is sending here is that if you use Pantene you will not only end up with long shinny black hair, but you will also be amazingly talented and be able to overcome any possible hardship that life may throw at you. As for the older women in this group this commercial is playing on the emotional side of the interest bar. Since many women are very sensitive and emotional they will feel this story line and get hooked like a fish on live bait.
Even though this is a greatly put together commercial, it still seems to have many flaws on the practical side of the story. Like for one, in the beginning of the video it shows the young deaf girl walking in front of a car… this doesn’t make sense because even though she is deaf it doesn’t mean she dumb enough to be walking in the middle of the street in front of cars. Second, a jealous fellow student hires someone to threaten and smash the young girl’s violin, but somehow the day of the contest the girl magically tapes her violin back together and gives an amazing performance, is that really possible? Can you tape together a smashed violin? And last but not least the end of the video when the young girl is performing on stage playing her violin to the Canon in D by Bach, she moves and swishes her hair violently with the music as she plays. That can’t be possible in real life because wouldn’t her hair get stuck in the violin strings as she plays? And no one’s hair could possibly move like that without a huge fan in front of it right?
All in all this is such a deep and meaningful commercial that teaches such wonder lessons about life but they seem to have used it for a meaningless cause.

This morning I woke up to a quiet, cool Friday morning, rolled out of bed and walked to St. Peter’s. I got into Amy’s car and we drove south down the streets of Waco just three minutes away to 18th and Columbus… to Planned Parenthood. We parked a short distance away and slowly walked to the front of the “Audrey Rapaport Women’s Health Center”. We stood there as cars drove by like on any other day, so many ambivalent or ignorant to what was going on. Just by being there, we were witnessing for life.

I watched parents across the street unload their children and walk them into the Waco Montessori School. I thought of all the children that wouldn’t get to go to school because their lives would be ended in the building behind me. The happy morning seemed to drain away or be sucked out by the knowledge of the place I was in, but the children across the street were alive and happy. As soon as our friend Martin arrived we started to pray the rosary- the Sorrowful Mysteries. As we prayed and meditated on the passion and death of Our Lord, several cars turned inside to the Planned Parenthood parking lot.

One time I looked up and I felt a thorn pierce my heart. For some reason I looked up right at the moment a man was driving his daughter into the clinic. She looked really young and scared. I prayed that she wasn’t here for an abortion. I wanted to tell her that there is another choice- that she didn’t have to go through with this. No one should have to go through that. How do we tell the world about the preciousness of human life? I am pained to think that even now she is somewhere hurting for the child she would never know. Abortion is something we don’t like to think about and we deny it has any affects on us. But babies are being aborted just some five minutes away- real people being killed. Why don’t we care more? Mother Church longs to wrap her protecting arms around the mothers and their babies- our arms.

The hope and love our presence and prayers bring to that place of death make a difference. One time while praying outside of the clinic I heard a car door slam and looked up to see a woman coming over to us. Crying, she hugged each of us and explained that she came to say thank you. Years ago, she was once in the situation of an unplanned pregnancy, and that people praying outside made a difference. Who knows- maybe other cars driving past were headed for planned parenthood but the sight of us changed their mind.

Come out to the vigil with us- witness for life!

Pro-Life Ministry meets at St. Peter’s every Friday morning at 7:30 a.m. to hold a vigil outside of Planned Parenthood from 7:45 to 8:45, back in time for 9:05 classes. For more information please email Amy_Freeman@baylor.edu or M_Hale@baylor.edu.

Life is PRECIOUS!

Ever since fall semester of my freshman year, I have served St. Peter’s through liturgical ministry.  That first semester the liturgical director at the time trained me to serve as a sacristan, an usher, and a lector.  I thoroughly enjoyed serving St. Peter’s during the Mass and had a special love for being a sacristan.  Therefore, I was scheduled almost every Sunday to serve as a sacristan and eventually was asked to become the sacristan captain.  In the next few semesters, I became trained to serve as an altar server and an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion (EMHC). Now I am blessed to serve as the liturgical director at St. Peter’s.

Liturgical ministry has definitely impacted my life and has brought me so much joy.  Almost every Sunday I serve at the 9:30 AM Mass as a sacristan.  I love the quiet in the chapel at 8:30 am when everyone is still at home getting ready for Mass.  I love the time I get to spend with God while putting all the sacred vessels on the credence table.  And I love being able to serve not only God but also all my brothers and sisters in Christ through the simple act of making sure all things are in place.

After Mass, I always feel this peace inside of me that I cannot explain except to say that God has granted me joy and stillness throughout the Mass.  Walking out of St. Peter’s on Sunday mornings always makes the day much more enjoyable.  In addition, being a liturgical minister has also made me more aware of all the small details about the Mass and has made me more curious about why Catholics do what they do.  Have you ever thought about why Catholics genuflect to the altar during Mass or why altar servers ring the bell at certain points throughout the Mass?

There are 76 liturgical ministers at St. Peter’s, and each of them inspires me each and every day.  Seeing their desire to serve always pushes me to fall deeper in love with God and deeper in love with service.  I see the humbleness of these liturgical ministers and know that I want to be more like them.  Trying to follow in their footsteps, I want to serve God not to be seen, not to be recognized or admired, but instead because I love God and want to give back a little of what He has given me.

I encourage everyone to pray about serving at Mass through liturgical ministry and/or the choir at least once and experience the spiritual fulfillment that inevitably arises through service.

I’m currently sitting in Elizabeth’s Honda Fit reflecting on the sounds of Brandon Heath as she drives past Exit 264, northbound I-35. Yes, I’m literally typing out this blog on the way back from a very fruitful meet up involving an up and coming social media lay apostolate.

Austin Catholic New Media is the perfect example of John Paul II’s vision of the new evangelization. This beautiful apostolate “seeks to provide relevant information and services for ministries, organizations and parishes seeking to start using or learn more about new and social media”. They also provide insightful blogs, podcasts, and resources relevant to the 21^st century Catholic.

In the very beginning of this meet up, I was a little worried about how I would personally fit in to all of this. These were my thoughts: “I’m a social work major. What in the world could I bring to this table of media savvy minds? There is nothing that I would have in common with these people.” I was already intimidated before stepping into that room.  However, there was something that I didn’t even stop to consider until the opening prayer, we’re all in love with spreading the Truth! That’s what we have in common!

The very first speaker, Cris Almanza, opened up his talk by saying that the greatest tool in evangelization is joy. This immediately struck a chord with me because it is so true. The greatest tool is to use the light of the Spirit that God instills in all of us at our Baptism, to use what we have in front of us to spread God’s message to all people. Our Lord says, in Isaiah, that He will make us a light to all the nations so that His Salvation may reach to the ends of the earth (Isaiah 49:6). Y’all, that’s totally us! We are that light!

We need to use our resources to let our light shine to the ends of the earth. God wants us to be so filled with this light that it is not only within us, but that it resonates to others. And what do we have right in front of us? What resources do we have? Social media, of course! Think about it. How did you hear about this blog? How long ago did you tell the entire Facebook world what’s on your mind? How many tweets do you post in a day?

Have you ever thought about using those tools as a way of spreading the Gospel? Spreading the Truth? God longs to use us, as believers of Christ, as the messengers of His endless love and mercy. Why can’t that message be in the form of a Facebook status or tweet? In today’s generation, it’s almost the best way to send that message out.

Very recently, I’ve been inspired to update my Facebook status with the words that Jesus spoke to my patron saint, St. Faustina. Without fail, I would get “likes”, comments, and Facebook messages saying how much the words meant to them and it’s exactly what they needed to hear during that particular time. People would thank me, but here’s the thing: those were not my words. Those were Jesus’ words! Yet, I am so humbled that God used me as a vessel to bring those few words to life on Facebook and to touch someone’s heart. Do you ever think that God could be doing the very same thing with you?

Well, my exit is slowly approaching. You officially just read every feeling I could muster in the sum of one hour. I pray that this blog reaches you with precious blessings and tender mercies. And may every Facebook status, every tweet, and every check-in be for the greater Glory of God.

The Knights of Columbus Council #13577 at St. Peter’s Catholic Student Center is committed to exemplifying the principles our order proudly touts: patriotism, fraternity, unity and charity.  We offer entrance to all Catholic young men currently enrolled in higher education in the Waco metropolitan area, however, our proximity to Baylor University allows us a unique caveat in presenting our visibility to the community of St. Peter’s as Catholic gentleman.

The way our relationship to Baylor University influences our council is contingent upon the vision to which our council wishes to aspire.  Despite the principle of fraternity providing an essential component to our Council, we are by no means defined as a college fraternity.  Our purpose of existence is grounded in the notion that we are an order; an order primarily invested in the security and well being of each brother Knight.

How does this translate tangibly into the actions and responsibilities our order provides?    The answer to this would have to be deferred to our worst kept secret – our insurance program.  The history of the Knights is grounded upon our founder, Fr. Michael J. McGivney’s vision to have life insurance available to each member of the Knights of Columbus.  At the time of the late 19^th century, when Catholics were treated as second tier citizens, the idea of security and solidarity could not be greater exemplified than with the foresight he had to assure that loved ones wouldn’t forgotten or left uncomforted.

This solidarity is equally important to today’s young collegiate gentlemen.  At a time where new things are abound, the Knights of Columbus at St. Peter’s offers young Catholic men a semblance of brotherhood, and an opportunity to engage in community volunteerism.  Although no Knight is forced to accept the insurance program, it provides each Knight with the opportunity to engage in another principle that is exclusive to all college councils – an ascension of maturity.

Go Roman Week, The Knight’s recruitment weekend, is taking place this week. For more information about the Knights or Go Roman week please email knights@baylorcatholic.org

I was sick of making new friends.  The insane amount of people I had already met had far exceeded my expectations, and my ability to socially interact had been pretty much exhausted. I had a fairly steady group of friends already, and was seriously considering faking sick so I could spend the weekend sleeping. If we’re being honest, and I like to think we are, my desire to participate in St. Peter’s had sort of worn off. It was cool and all, but as long as I went to Mass every Sunday and made an effort to live a Catholic and Christian lifestyle, nothing else really mattered. After all, this isn’t high school anymore.

From K-12, I went to a Catholic school. My faith had been a huge part of my life ever since I was a child. My family said Rosaries together, went to Mass together, and read scripture on Sunday evenings. We had our problems as a family, but I was always taught to stay grounded in Christ, no matter the situation. This probably helps to explain my nervousness in coming to Baylor. I was extremely scared of not finding other Catholic students who were just as passionate about their faith, and made a daily effort not only to live a Christian lifestyle, but a Catholic one. When I heard that St. Peters was hosting a New Student Retreat, I immediately hoped on board.

When I showed up at St. Peters with my sleeping bag and pillow, I had no idea that God was going to transform me in ways I couldn’t possibly imagine. After traveling to Lake Whitney State Park, and getting past the silly awkward icebreaker games, I realized something. These people were like me. Each of us had very unique qualities, but we were all one body in Christ. This idea became more and more apparent to me over the course of the weekend. I began to learn the details of these people’s lives. I smiled with radiant joy the entire three days, comforted in being surrounded by friends who believed in the awesome power of the Eucharist.

The friends I now have through St. Peters are ones I already know will last a lifetime. God has already blessed me with great Christian friends who love to live for the Lord, but knowing I have a strong set of Catholic friends supporting me and constantly welcoming me makes me feel more at home at Baylor than I ever have. We share a connection in our faith that is simply cannot be explained, but must be experienced. NSR made me feel so alive in my faith, so at peace with being at Baylor, and extremely thankful to have found such amazing friends who continue to make me feel completely at home.

St. Peter’s is certainly a gift from God, and I already cannot imagine a Baylor without it. New Student Retreat transformed my life here at Baylor, and I know St. Peter’s will continue to bless me and many other students in this way for many years to come.

I’m sure by the time that this is posted, St. Peter’s will be a zoo. We’ll have students running in and out packing up supplies, food and college students for our annual New Student Retreat. You’ll hear next week about our retreat on our blog, so make sure you check back!

Anyways, when I was part of the leadership team for the Awakening retreat, we all received St. Ignatius medals to wear for the weekend. We were told that he was the patron saint of retreats and I’m sure we kept him busy with prayers all weekend!

Here are some quick facts about St. Ignatius:

• He was born in 1491 and served as a Spanish officer for King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella.
• He underwent a spiritual conversion after being injured in the Battle of Paploma in 1521.
• He noted his spiritual experiences and they grew into the little book of “The Spiritual Exercises”
• In 1539 he formed the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits
• He was beatified in 1609 and canonized in 1622.

Coming up next we’ll have a reflection from Father Anthony, a recap of New Student Retreat and a post from a member of Knights of Columbus! Have a great weekend.

If you’re anything like me, a twenty-something college student, I’m addicted to social media. In fact, I obsessively check the site stats on our blog to see exactly how many hits we get. In fact, our first friday post, got 33 hits in the first three hours on the web and that’s our traffic just from our Facebook page! We’re still new to this and still learning the ropes.

But if you have not checked out these people, you should!

Austin Catholic New Media is a collection of bloggers, podcasts, Sunday homilies and resources from around the Diocese of Austin. My favorite is their podcast, “Two Guys, A Girl, A Catholic Podcast”. They also have tons of contributers from around the diocese and always have cool stuff posted.

You can also friend them on Facebook or check out their Twitter page to get your social media fix! If you don’t have those, you can check them out on Linkedin or even Foursquare!

(And no, they didn’t pay me to advertise for them, I just think they’re super cool!)

Awakening: an act or moment of becoming suddenly aware of something; coming into existence or awareness.

Words have never been truer to me until the spring of my freshman year in 2009 when I attended Bear Awakening 7 as a retreater.

To preface my “moment of awareness”, I was born and raised Catholic. When I was a lot younger, I loved the idea of going to Mass, singing songs about God, and getting to share in the Eucharist with others, even though I didn’t really know what that meant at the time. However, when I stepped onto my high school’s campus, all of that love slipped away. Sunday morning Mass became a routine, I wouldn’t participate, and I spent the time during homilies sitting and thinking about what I had to do during the school week. Seriously. I prolonged thinking about my to-do list until the homily that Sunday morning.

Moving to Waco in the fall of 2008 and beginning my college years at Baylor, a private Christian university, I knew what I was getting myself into. I knew that I would run into a lot of people who had an unconditional love for God that I could not relate to. I promised my mother that I would continue to go to church on Sunday, so I attended the Catholic church that my brother attended as an undergrad at Baylor. St. Peter Catholic Student Center was close to campus and it didn’t take too much effort to get there every Sunday. The fall semester came and went. I did not get plugged in to the St. Peter’s community and had no intention of doing so.

A few months into the spring semester, after much grief from a few of my friends who attended St. Peter’s, I signed up to attend Bear Awakening 7. The weekend flew by, and my life has never been the same in the most beautiful way possible.

The weekend was filled with talks, activities, and small groups, but at the heart of it was so much love. And not just any type of love, but an unconditional love that I thought left me when I stopped believing. It is the kind of love that God has been romancing me with ever since I was created. It was that love that lead me to my “moment of awareness”; my awakening.

A lot of time and 2 Bear Awakenings later, I am humbled and blessed to be the Coordinator of Bear Awakening 10. Through God’s goodness, I am honored to give back all that the Awakening program has given to me.

I ask for your prayers as Awakening continues to grow and touch lives through its staffers and future retreaters who have heard God’s call.

God may be calling you to have your “moment of awareness”. Will you answer him?

There’s no denying that we live in a digital age. According to a recent PEW Research Study, 65% of adults use social media. Of those that do, 83% are ages 18-24. The amount of adults who use social media have doubled since 2008, just three short years ago.

Think about the types of interactions that happen daily on social media. We coordinate events, we post pictures, we share our thoughts on everything from what we ate for breakfast to what we learned in class. We support our college teams, root on our favorite actors and actresses and wish each other happy birthday.

But what if we could use something that has become so commonplace in our daily lives to share our love of Jesus Christ and our Catholic faith?

Pope Benedict XVI, in his address on World Communications Day, calls us to action.

“It falls, in particular, to young people, who have an almost spontaneous affinity for the new means of communication, to take on the responsibility for the evangelization of this ‘digital continent’”.

That’s us.

He’s urging us, young adults, to use what we already know – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Youtube, ect. – as a new way of preaching to this new ‘digital continent’ we find ourselves living in.

He continues, “Be sure to announce the Gospel to your contemporaries with enthusiasm … The greatest gift you can give to them, is to share with them the “Good News” of a God who became man, ho suffered, died and rose again to save all people.”

St. Peter’s Facebook Page has over 400 friends. 89% of our friends are ages 18-24. Most people find out about us from our website or a simple Google search. We have found social media to be one of the best ways to reach our students to tell them about our Mass schedule, our mission and our upcoming events.

And now, St. Peter’s Catholic Student Center is entering the blogging world.

Here’s the plan for our blog:

• Monday: Schedule of events for the week
• Wednesday: A reflection from one of our staff members
• Friday: A student post featuring a ministry, event or personal reflection

We’re keeping it simple, but we promise it’ll be interesting.

Pope Benedict XVI sums it up the best.

“Thanks to the new communications media, the Lord can walk the streets of our cities and, stopping before the threshold of our homes and our hearts say once more: Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me. (Rev 3:20)”