St. Dominic: Preacher of Grace

As Maria says in The Sound of Music, "Let's start at the very beginning." If we're going to talk about Dominican saints--and we are, oh boy!--we need to start with the founder of the order, and that's St. Dominic. 

St. Dominic was born in Caleruega, Spain, in 1170, to Bl. Jane of Aza and Felix Guzman. Before his birth, his mother had a dream of a dog emerging with a torch in his mouth, which seemed to set the earth of fire. The dog in the dream is seen as a play on words: "dog" in Latin is "canis" and Lord is "Domini"--thus, "dominican"="hound of the Lord."  At his baptism, his godmother saw a star on his forehead, hence the reason the saint is often depicted with a star about his head in sacred art, and why he is the patron of astronomers. 

St. Dominic receiving the rosary from Our Lady. Notice the dog with a torch in its mouth at his feet. 

St. Dominic received his schooling in Palencia, where he spent six years studying the liberal arts, and four years studying theology. In 1191, when a famine was raging throughout the country, St. Dominic sold his precious textbooks, clothes, and furniture to help feed the hungry. "Would you have me study off these dead skins, when men are dying of hunger?" he asked his astonished friends. 

In 1194, around the age of twenty-five, he joined the canons regular of in the Diocese of Osma. Canons regular were men who followed the Rule of St. Augustine and lived in community. Unlike monks, the canons were engaged in public works and ministry around the diocese. 

Ten years later, when Dominic was around thirty-five, he joined the Bishop of Osma on a diplomatic mission for the King of Castile. The mission itself failed, but it brought St. Dominic to the event that would lead to the foundation of his new order. 

In the South of France, Dominic and the bishop entered the Albi region of the country, where a heretical sect, the Albigensians, had taken root. (Albigensians were also called Catharists, in some places). Briefly, the Cathars believes that there was both a "good" and a "bad" God. All visible matter, including the human body, was created by the "bad" God, and thus was full of sin. Thus, even the body of Christ, the Incarnation of Jesus, was sinful in their beliefs. The "Good" God was the New Testament God, and the 'bad" God was the God of the Old Testament. Of course, this is directly opposed to the idea of one God that the Catholic Church teaches. 

St. Dominic, upon meeting an innkeeper who held these beliefs, stayed up all night discussing the errors and the True Faith with him. At dawn, the innkeeper realized his error and returned to the church. St. Dominic's zeal for the salvation of souls. But as St. Dominic traveled throughout Southern France alone (the bishop having returned to Osma), he saw the devastating effects of the heresy, and knew that he had to combat it. But how? 

The first people to join the order were women, who wanted to return to a strong practice of their faith. St. Dominic established a monastery for these woman at the church of St. Mary of  Prouilhe. These women became the first nuns of the order. 

On the night of July 22, 1206, St. Dominic saw a a globe of fire descend from the sky and and rested above the church. He saw this sign (called "Seignadou--"Sign of God") as a confirmation of his work. He would form an order of itinerant preachers who would go all over the world, combating heresy and bringing the truth of the gospel to the people. His friars would live in community, but not in monasteries, and they would devote much time to study, because in order to preach the truth, one must first know the truth. They would preach in the language of the people, so that everyone, from prince to peasant, could understand them 

It took several years, but in 1214 St. Dominic established the first religious community of his new order in Toulouse. It would be governed by the Rule of St. Augustine, the same rule he'd followed as a Canon Regular, and which gave a lot of flexibility to its members. The Order was founded for two purposes: Preaching and the Salvation of Souls. This is why members of the order have O.P. after their names--it stands for Ordo Praedicatorum, "Order of Preachers." 

The Dominican seal, with the motto "To praise, to bless, to preach" around the shield. 

The order was formally approved by Pope Honorius III on on December 22, 1216. 

St. Dominic founded convents and friaries (the priests are called friars) throughout Europe, mostly in University towns, such as Paris and Bologna. The pope invited St. Dominic and his friars to take up residence at the Church of Santa Sabina in Rome, which is still the headquarters of the order and the home of the Master General today. 

St. Dominic abstained from meat, and undertook long periods of fasting and silence. He "never allowed himself the luxury of a bed", and often stayed up all night, or late into the night, praying for sinners. He died at the age of 51, on August 6, 1221. His feast day is August 8 and he is the patron of astronomers, astronomy, and the Dominican Republic. 

Besides the Dominican order, St. Dominic gave the church another treasure: the rosary. The rosary was given to St. Dominic at Prouilhe in 1214. Bl. Alain de la Rouche, a Dominican priest, spread devotion of the rosary in the 15th century. The habit of Dominican friars, nuns, and sisters includes a rosary worn on the left side of the body, where knights use to wear their swords, since St. Dominic said that the power of the rosary was more powerful than any other weapon. Pope Pius XI said that, "The Rosary of Mary is the principle and foundation on which the very Order of Saint Dominic rests for making perfect the life of its members and obtaining the salvation of others." 

he habit of the Dominicans is representative of white for purity, and black for penance. There are three "orders" in the Dominican order: the friars are the first order; the nuns, who live in monasteries, are the second, and the sisters and laity are the third. 

Writing Updates

It's been awhile since I've done one of these, so here we go: 

• The book proposal has been sent to an editor with Ave Maria Press. I'm preparing the final touches to my manuscript so I can send it to Ignatius Press, pending a response from AMP. Ignatius Press is one of of favorite publishers, so getting them to accept the book would be like winning the lottery...and I've never been lucky. But nothing happens if you don't try, right? They want the entire manuscript, so I have to add an epilogue to it and give it a quick polish in the formatting department. 
• My July piece for Real Housekeeping was Books To Read To Babies and Kids. My August piece, which is forthcoming, is about Pantry Stocking, and my September pieces are written from the points of view of Amy March and Almanzo Wilder. I'll post August once it's up!
• Today I'm starting a series on Dominican saints. Powwowing with a few Twitter peeps led me to see that many people are not aware of the awesomeness that is Dominican saints, so I'm going to fix that. Yesterday was St. Dominic's feast day, so I'll probably start with him, and then go through the Greatest Hits list, including some saints that weren't Dominicans (born too early!) but are nonetheless patrons of the order. 
• I also do editing projects! Currently I'm helping the good people at St. Mary's Parish here in Columbus with an anniversary book they're putting together. If you would like some editing help, just use the contact form on the site here. 

St. Dominic

St. Dominic performing penance; the Metropolitan Museum of Art 

Today is the feast day of my "spiritual father", St. Dominic. As a Third Order/Lay Dominican, I am always happy to celebrate his feast day, and glad that God has given me a vocation to this great order. 

Here's Pope Benedict XVI on St. Dominic and his friars. Here, the Pope talks about St. Dominic and prayer.  

Dear friends, St Dominic reminds us that prayer, personal contact with God is at the root of the witness to faith which every Christian must bear at home, at work, in social commitments and even in moments of relaxation; only this real relationship with God gives us the strength to live through every event with intensity, especially the moments of greatest anguish. This Saint also reminds us of the importance of physical positions in our prayer. Kneeling, standing before the Lord, fixing our gaze on the Crucifix, silent recollection — these are not of secondary importance but help us to put our whole selves inwardly in touch with God. I would like to recall once again the need, for our spiritual life, to find time everyday for quiet prayer; we must make this time for ourselves, especially during the holidays, to have a little time to talk with God. It will also be a way to help those who are close to us enter into the radiant light of God’s presence which brings the peace and love we all need. Thank you.

There are three branches of the order: the friars, the nuns, and the sisters/laity. The order is celebrating its 800th anniversary next year! 

We have a winner!!

The winner of the 2015 Powersheets set is.....

Rebekah Peterson!!!!

Yay! Rebecca, if you could shoot me an email with your address, I will send them off to you! 

Thanks to everyone who entered! We'll be doing this again with a 2016 set. :) 

{Pretty, Funny, Happy, Real} 2

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~

{Pretty}

So, if you've ever been to Columbus, you've probably heard of German Village. If you haven't, now you have! Essentially, it's an area directly south of downtown that was home to many of the city's German settlers in the 19th century. Thanks to preservation efforts, many of the original buildings and infrastructure have been preserved (like that brick sidewalk--but be careful!), making it an adorable part of town, but also one that is a great combination of restaurants, shops, and residences. 

Recently, the weather has been perfect--maybe 80 for a high--so I've gone to the coffee shop on German Village's "main drag" and done my writing and reading there (much of today's Emma post was written with this view in front of me!). It's lovely really any time of year (except winter. Winter on cobblestones? Not good.), but when the weather is perfect, it's sort of magical. 

{Funny}

So while I was writing, a young woman (probably college age) came by with this adorable dog. She wanted to pop into the shop to get a coffee. "Do you mind if I tie my dog up here?"

"Nope!"

So I had a little friend for a few minutes while her owner got her coffee. People passing by loved her and thought she was mine, which, as we know, she is not--but she was super cute. 

{Happy}

Last weekend was the annual Irish Festival held in the suburb of Dublin. I don't go every year, but this year the weather was too perfect to miss it. So I drove up and treated myself to some Irish music, dance, and general culture (and yummy food). The second photo from the right is of the amazing group Cassie and Maggie MacDonald--if you like Celtic music, check them out. 

And the giant bug? That's Stinger, the Blue Jackets' (our NHL team) mascot. He was distributing St. Patrick's Day themed Blue Jackets t-shirts and getting us excited about the upcoming season. 

My planning list for a dinner party I threw on Monday, complete with mail and notes on the back of envelopes. Eventually, this table was cleared off, dusted, and polished....but not when this photo was taken! 

The Great Jane Re-Read: Emma

Previous entries:Sense and Sensibility; Pride and Prejudice; Mansfield Park; Northanger Abbey 

We're heading in the home stretch of Jane novels. Emma is her penultimate novel, if you're looking at them in the order she wrote them. Persuasion and Northanger Abbey were published posthumously, but she actually wrote Northanger Abbey first. 

I've written about Emma before, and quite honesty, I don't have a favorite movie version, because I've only seen one. I know there are a lot of them, but since Emma is my least-favorite novel, I haven't seen as many of the movie versions as I have of the others (Like S&S and Mansfield Park). 

So what's my beef with Emma? 

Emma herself. Jane wrote, when describing the book, "I have created a heroine that no one but myself will much like," and I think she's right. While critics generally decry Fanny Price, in my experience, Emma Woodhouse is the heroine that drives most people mad. She's an incredible meddler who might mean well, but it also overbearing and snobby, as seen in her description of Ben Martin to Harriet. (At least she starts that way.) 

Part of this is probably because Emma didn't have a mom for most of her life, and thus lacked her influence. Her father, while a good man, isn't much concerned with Emma's upbringing beyond the basics (and making sure she doesn't die from some crazy illness), and her sister lives in London, so Emma becomes the Queen of Highbury early on, and isn't corrected as perhaps she should have been.  {When I say "Queen of Highbury", that's pretty accurate; she runs the house for her father, and she's the woman of highest social standing in the village/town. She's the Queen Bee of the Social Hive.}

Emma is also the richest of Jane's heroines, so she doesn't need to worry about money when she marries. She can marry whom she likes, but she also seems disinclined to marry for most of the novel. "She always declares she will never marry, which, of course, means just nothing at all," Mr. Knightley says early in the novel. Emma declares to Harriet,

"And not only am I not going to be married, at present, but have very little intention of ever marrying at all...I have none of the usual inducements of women to marry. Were I to fall in love, indeed, it would be a different thing! but I have never been in love; it is not my way or my nature; and I do not think I ever shall. And, without love, I am sure I would be a fool to change such a situation as mine...I believe few married women are half as much mistress of their husbands house, as I am of Hartfield; and never, never could I expect to be so truly beloved and important; so always first and always right in any man's eyes as I am in my father's." 

Emma is often portrayed as a matchmaker, but that's not really what Emma does. She's a bit of a Henry Higgins. She doesn't just try to set Harriet up with Mr. Elton, for example, but she persuades Harriet to give up her attachment to Robert Martin, whom Emma deems "unsuitable" for Harriet. " I could not have visited Mrs. Robert Martin, of Abbey-Mill Farm," Emma exclaims. She sort of wants to form people in a certain manner, or "in her image", as I guess we could say. 

Emma's age may play some part, but remember that Elizabeth Bennet is also Emma's age, and even though she had a very silly mother, is still more practical and sensible than Emma is, when it comes to social interaction. Elizabeth, for example, would never act like Emma did at Box Hill. (Nor would Elinor, Catherine, or Fanny, for that matter. Marianne--possibly.) It shows an incredible amount of impropriety, almost like Emma were drunk. 

Emma doesn't think before she does things, and that's probably her biggest flaw. She doesn't anticipate Harriet becoming so attached to Mr. Elton, and she's unhappy that her scheme affected her friend so.By her interference, she makes Harriet's life more complicated, not less. 

Mrs. Elton drives me mad, but at least with her appearance we have the beginning of Emma's reformation, even if Emma herself doesn't realize that. She sees Mrs. Elton's ridiculous pretensions and condescension to the people of Highbury, and is irritated by it. It's sort of like families--you can tease them, but woe betide anyone else who does! In seeing Mr. Elton's choice, she realizes how deeply deceived she was in Mr. Elton's character. 

Mr. Knightley is a great character, isn't he? I love how he argues with Emma; he's the only one that seems to get away with it, or to hold his own with her. Everyone else never pushes "dear Emma" (as Mrs. Weston calls her). He is 16 years older than she is, which makes him probably the oldest of Jane's heroes, and it does hive him some material advantages over Emma in understanding and knowledge of the world. "I have still the advantage of you by sixteen years' experience, and by not being a pretty young woman and a spoiled child," he tells her. 

He's not perfect. He has a temper and he holds grudges longer than Emma does; he likes to hold on to being mad, while she tries to smooth it over. But they do complement each other very well, which is important in Jane's novels. She always notes that an ill-matched couple does not get on together (think Sir and Lady Middleton, or, even more vividly illustrated, that of the Bennets). And even if the Eltons get on together, they clearly bring out the worst in each other. Emma and Mr. Knightley (it's easy to forget his first name is George!) will go well together because they mesh. 

Emma becomes better throughout the novel. She has the most drastic evolution, I think, of any of Jane's heroines. Elizabeth changes her mind about Darcy, but in materials, she is well-set. Elinor and Marianne become more balances in their temperaments, and Fanny Price is proven correct in her behavior. But Emma really grows up, especially after the Affair at Box Hill, and it's because George has a good yelling at her. Emma knows, I think, that she has behaved badly, but I don't think it's until Mr. Knightley really tells her off that she perceives just how deeply her carelessness has  been felt. 

What do you think of Emma, both the character and the novel? Do you find Emma "insupportable" in the beginning? 

 

Yarn Along No. 31

Ta da! They're finished! The washcloths are off the needles and that project is done!

But now I need a new one? 

So, again, there are probably two projects on the horizon. One is another scarf for the VA project we're doing in Lay Dominicans. Another is conquering the purl stitch, which means.....

more washcloths. 

I'm sorry, folks. But really they are the easiest way to learn this. I don't want to start a scarf and then have to rip out tons of rows. One day, I promise, my YA entries will be epically awesome, with wonderful projects. I'm hoping by the end of the year to start a basketweave scarf with a wonderful yarn I have in my stash. But first, I gotta get the purl stitch down. 

So, a washcloth it is. I'll have the colors and such ip next week, I hope. Or maybe I'll make one super fast and we can move on from there with speed. :) 

As for books: Middlemarch and Emma. Emma I will be finishing quickly, because it's tomorrow's Jane Re-Read Entry Also Sky Burial, which is a nonfiction book about a Chinese woman who goes to Tibet in search of her husband, who is reported dead by the Chinese army--but she doesn't believe it. Thus far it's been an interesting look into Tibetan culture and an engrossing read. 

(And have you entered my giveaway yet? It runs until Friday!) 

Summer Dinner Party

I throw a dinner party a few times a year, and at least once during the summer. This year's event was last night. (And no, it wasn't as involved as Babette's! Still, that's a great movie to watch before you feed people!) 

When I say "dinner party", it's not like a Downton dinner party. (Does anyone have those, anymore, other than the queen?) It's much more casual. For one thing, my house is small, and my dining table is even smaller. I have four chairs, so that's how many people I can have for a dinner party. A party, sans dinner, can be more people, but not that many. (I only have so many spots where people can sit that aren't the floor.)

This one was a bit impromptu, but here's the menu: 

Fried Onion Dip with Kettle Chips

Green salad with French Vinaigrette 

Lemon chicken with cherry herb tomatoes

strawberries, cookies, and vanilla ice cream

One of the things I've learned over the years is not to make everything for a party. You'll see the dessert is all store-bought things that I can make fancy. 

I also plan out how things are going to go. The onion dip needed time in the fridge, and was also the most labor intensive, so I made that first. The chicken needed not only to cook, but to rest for 15 minutes once it was out of the oven. The salad could be made two hours ahead and left to sit at room temp until serving time. The tomatoes can also be served at room temperature, and will be made closer to dinner time. Nothing needs to cook in the same space (i.e., the oven) at the same time.  (And yes, I deleted things from the plan as needed!) 

I don't mind finishing things up when people are here. That's what the onion dip is for. They can eat and talk and chat while I'm doing the last-minute things, but I like to keep it to one or two at the most last minute things. So, the tomatoes being rolled around in a skillet? That's fine. Doing the onion dip with people around? No. It involves clarified butter, chopping, frying onions--no. I don't want to do that when other people are around. I'll burn something or myself. Better to make that before!

I also cook things I know taste good and can be made in my kitchen. (That's important. This probably isn't the time to test a new Julia Child recipe that will require every mixing bowl you have.) The only "new" thing on this menu is the vinaigrette, and you really can't go wrong there, especially when it's an Ina Garten recipe. 

As for drinks--I've noticed this can be a point of contention at dinner parties. I usually offer coffee and hot tea (loose and bagged, because I am a Queen of Tea), my homemade iced tea, and a soda. Sometimes we have wine, and I usually have some sort of diet soda around. 

I ask people if they have any food allergies/severe dislikes before I go shopping for the food. I don't want to kill anyone (obviously), and if people have a special diet, I can accommodate it (usually). For example, I'm not supposed to eat a diet high in carbohydrates, so if you have a dinner for me that's all pizza and pasta, I will eat it (because I love it), but it's not the best thing for me to eat. Ideally, I want people to enjoy the meal I'm making for them, and not eat it only because they're too polite to not! And, I'm Italian. Feeding people feeds my hospitable soul! I want them to be happy! 

The herb roasted tomatoes and salad

Last planning tip: When you do as much prep as you can before the party, be sure to run the dishwasher too. It always helps to start with everything clean when the guests arrive, at least as much as possible, and an empty (as much as possible) dishwasher. 

If you don't usually throw dinner parties, I invite you to do it before summer's over, because this is really the easiest time of year to do it. You can grill! Toss some burgers and brats or whatever on the grill and let it go. Grab some tomatoes from the market (or even better, the farmers' market!) and serve them with mozzarella slices. Make some sangria and serve ice cream sundaes for dessert. 

onion dip on my set table. 

How do you like to entertain? Game nights, dinner parties, bowling parties? Do you have any good party hosting tips? 

(Also: have you entered the giveaway yet?) 

Let's Make Things Happen: GIVEAWAY!

Guys! I am so excited to share my first giveaway with you, and for a product that I love so much. 

I wrote about this a few months ago, and I don't think it's a stretch to say that without Lara's amazing product, I'd never have gotten the memoir even close to where it is now. 

Power sheets are Lara Casey's fantastic goal setting sheets. They are undated and can be used ANY TIME at a six month stretch so you can work on what matters in your life. Anyone can use them--students, stay-at-home moms, teachers, entrepreneurs. Whoever you are, these are amazing goal setting tools. 

Goal setting used to overwhelm me. I had no idea where to begin, and I always felt like I was falling behind and not making progress on the big things in life. I always had vague ideas about things I wanted to do. But I read about the Power Sheets and I've used them now for almost two years. They are excellent for making things happen. 

I know--you're probably thinking, are these things magical? Surely you jest!

Guys, I'm not. The way Lara has these set up, you work through what really matters to you. Then you set goals from that place. You're basically distilling down your life to its essence. And your goals don't have to be huge! Some of mine are "clean the house" sorts of goals! I've used them to help deepen my prayer life, my writing, my blogging, and even friendships. You can use them for anything, and I guarantee they will help you reach your goals. 

So, to celebrate the new site and the book proposals being sent it, Giveaway time!!! 

The giveaway will run for a week. The rafflecopter below has all the details and ways you can enter. Also, be sure to check out Lara's amazing shop. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Seven Quick Takes No. 82

I. 

I am super excited to share my first giveaway with you! You can read all about it here. Enter often. (Well, as often as you can....)

II. 

The weather is going to be perfect this weekend and I don't know what to do with it. Do I go to the Irish Festival in Dublin (OH, not Ireland. :-P)? The Violet festival? Do I just hang out at the pool? So many options, so little time. And the State Fair started this week, so there's always that. Seeing a butter cow is a fun thing, let me tell you. 

III. 

I am almost done with the washcloth, which means you might--might!-- have something new to read about in the Yarn Along this week. I know that excites you so much! I'm still reading Middlemarch, though, and I have to read Emma this weekend since it's the next in the Jane Austen Re-Read. That post will be up on Thursday. 

IV. 

I have bought my first Christmas present--a book for my grandma. Given that my mom started shopping in May, I am behind. She is the Queen of Christmas. 

V. 

I know you've seen the Planned Parenthood videos on the news and on the web. I can't say anything that hasn't already been said. But I dearly hope that those who are so misguided as to think that these aren't babies that are being killed, by the millions, every year in America, that they will finally see what is really happening in these places. It's not healthcare. It's death on demand. 

Every single life matters, from the moment it's conceived, to the moment of natural death. But we have to start protecting it when its most fragile. 

VI. 

I'm going to a Dominican Rite Mass on Sunday in honor of the feast of St. Dominic, which is August 8. I went for the first time last year and was a bit discombobulated. Let's hope I do better this year--I'll report back. 

VII. 

I'm making progress in my art classes. The assignment this week? To draw part of a piece of toast. Not kidding. So I'm working on that today. 

Happy Feast Day, St. Martha!

Happy Feast Day to St. Martha, who, as we know, kicks dragon butt. :) 

Yarn Along No. 30

If it's Wednesday, it's knitting day! 

As you can see, I'm making progress here, but there's still a bit to go. I figure I'm about halfway done, because I like my knit washcloths to be on the bigger side. But I've been watching DVRd Outlander episodes (for like, the fifth time) while I knit, so that helps me get daily knitting time. It's also a great show to knit to, because so many of the characters have great knitted accessories! 

I'm reading Middlemarch right now. I tried to start reading this in college and never really got into it, but now is the time. It's gonna get read, guys, it really is! I'm only about 120 pages in, and as you can see, it's a big novel. But I'm not in any particularly hurry to get it done.  And isn't this edition gorgeous? I love the Penguin drop caps series. 

Making the Country Accessible: Churches, Catholic Schools, and the ADA

Yesterday, I wrote about the ADA as it celebrates 25 years, and what it's meant to me, personally, as well as what still needs to be fixed. 

Today, I'm going to write about a specific segment of life and the ADA: churches. Specifically, Catholic churches and schools. 

The ADA mandated that buildings erected after the law went into effect had to be what we call "handicapped accessible," meaning people who use wheelchairs or crutches or what have you could access them. But, like this piece in the Cleveland Plain Dealer says, it didn't say how that had to happen. And sometimes it could be a little ridiculous. 

At my school, for example, there were ramped entrances--but you couldn't access the second floor of the building, where the 3-8 grade classrooms were. The bathrooms weren't handicapped accessible. One of the girls' restrooms on the first floor required going down a short flight of stairs to get to it.  This is the sort of thing that made one ponder common sense--didn't the builders of the school ever think someone might be injured and need an elevator to get to class? Or, at the very least, make the first floor of a building all one level? What sense does it make to have to go down three stairs to get to the bathroom? 

(This strange phenomenon I've also seen in older public schools. What was this about, architects?) 

In the many churches I've been in, only a few have had dedicated spaces for wheelchairs in the sanctuary, and no, open space at the back of the church doesn't count.  I've seen one handicapped accessible confessional in my entire life. 

Some church restrooms might have grab bars, but how would a person get into the bathroom? There's no button to push, and the maneuverability required to get in is truly amazing. I was a member at a parish where to get to the bathroom, one had to open a door, which led to a very small hallway, then open another door to get to the bathroom. How is a disabled person supposed to do all this that in a space that's probably not wide enough for a stroller? 

Doors that separate the vestibule from the sanctuary--are they handicapped accessible? Most likely not. Sure, they might be propped open, but what if they're not?  (My church, not to brag, is really good about this. We have handicapped accessible switch plates on the outside doors and inside doors.) 

We've all seen churches that hide their handicapped entrances so well that it's like a scavenger hunt for someone to get in. Couldn't we make God's house a tiny bit easier to access? We've already talked about handicapped parking spaces, and these are especially important in a place like church. 

I've never been to a church that provides homily notes, and I'd like those a lot. Some churches have telecoil systems installed that can help people with hearing aids, or even CIs like mine, if you have the right equipment or programs on your processor. But homily notes on websites would be nice, as would appropriate speaker systems, so everyone can hear. Use the microphones, guys! Also, bulletins in braille? I've never seen that. Does that even exist? Or hymnals or missals in braille? Never seen those, either. (Assuming there's a demand for it....I mean, I'm guessing there are a few blind Christians? :) )

The worst, though--and I hate to say this--are Catholic schools. Very few of the ones I know provide appropriate help/accommodations for physical or intellectual disabilities. The thought is that if you need those services, you have to go to your public school.  What does that mean for parents who want their children to have a Catholic education?  Homeschooling, I suppose. 

Here are two excerpts from a local, independent Catholic school's handbook (Independent meaning they aren't part of the diocesan school district): 

“ [Name of school] does not have the resources to provide evaluation and intervention services. Referrals will be made to the student’s district of residence.
[Name of school] does not have the facilities for students with serious disabilities.
”

So, if you have a child that might be in a wheelchair, or needs additional services--sorry, you can't send your kid here. (And also, who defines "Serious disabilities"? Ten bucks says it's not a medical professional... ) 

(In a quick look around of my diocese's school district website, I couldn't find anything on accommodations for disabled students. My elementary school did provide intervention services, and I know they've beefed this up since I graduated. So this is an area where strides are being made.) 

This isn't something that's just limited to elementary schools. No one will make the argument that there's an overflow of orthodox Catholic colleges. So the fact that one of them, Wyoming Catholic College, can make being physically in shape--and in good shape--part of their admissions program is reprehensible to me. 

The following is from their website: 

“I am disabled and cannot participate in the Outdoor Leadership Program (OLP). Can I still attend WCC?
A
Unfortunately, the College cannot accept students unable to meet the physical demands of the OLP, which is an integral part of the College’s academic program. An applicant who is denied medical clearance cannot be accepted into WCC.”

— http://www.wyomingcatholiccollege.com/about-wcc/faq/index.aspx

This makes me angry. Really angry, actually. WCC has a reputation of being a top-notch, orthodox Catholic college--and I wouldn't have been able to attend. Nor could anyone else who has, say, cerebral palsy, or is blind, or has any other number of physical disabilities. We can't attend because the school has a program that is unaccessible to anyone who wasn't blessed with good health and physical ability. 

I realize that they are a private school, and have the right to impose standards for admission, just like all colleges do.  But the fact that a Catholic School--which serves a God who accepted everyone, no matter their physical ability--has standards like this, is maddening. Truly, deeply maddening. Maybe if there was an abundance of excellent Catholic colleges, this wouldn't be so bad. But there isn't. And this isn't just a standard like a GPA, or an ACT/SAT/AP test grade for a scholarship. This is a line about basic physical ability. 

Public schools can't have standards like this, because they receive federal money, and thus they're prohibited from doing it by the ADA. But when did Catholic schools become places for only the super- intelligent and able-bodied? I realize that funding is an issue. I'm not naive. But shouldn't the message be that however God created you, there is a place in our school--which has Christ as its reason for existence? 

My July Real Housekeeping Article

My piece for July is Great Books to Read Aloud to babies and little kids. I had a lot of fun writing it, and I hope you find some good recommendations here, if you're in the market for kids' books! 

Making the Country Accessible: Thoughts on the Americans With Disability Act

President George H.W. Bush signs the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. 

Although I don't generally call myself this, I'm a disabled American. (And no, I don't use a wheelchair.) The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) made my life a lot easier before transplant--but post-transplant, I see a lot of places where it needs some work.  The Act is 25 years old, so it's a good time to think about this. 

I'm inspired to write about this because most people, when they think about the ADA, think about people who are mobility-impaired--mostly, people in wheelchairs, or who use crutches or canes, or people who are blind. But let's think about people who are Deaf or hard-of-hearing, and people who have respiratory or heart problems. Let's broaden our scope. 

Pre-transplant, I used a handicapped placard for my car. I came upon it rightfully, because the amount of distances I could walk, especially after my stint in the ICU my sophomore year of college, was very limited. Walking around my college campus could be difficult, especially with my backpack full of books. But if you looked at me, I didn't "look" handicapped. I looked fine. I also had about 20-25% lung function. 

Lesson 1: Don't judge someone's handicapped status by the way they look. 

I was very grateful for elevators in my lecture halls, and in other places. There was no way I was going to be climbing lots of stairs (just ask my friend Chris, who had to carry me up the last few flights of the Empire State Building when we visited NYC during Christmas break our senior year. Yeah. Let's all be glad I only weighed about 95 pounds at that time.). My high school also had an elevator--which I never used, but it was good that it was there for students who broke legs or ankles. My elementary school wasn't accessible at all, and students who couldn't go up and down stairs had to be carried by their parents to their classrooms. Not great. 

Even post-transplant, I still used my placard. When I went back to work four months post-transplant, I was still working only half days. I still looked sort of sick--my skin was very pale, I was extremely thin, and my hair hadn't developed the healthy sheen it has now. If you cared to look at me closely, you'd have noticed that I was either sick with something, or recovering from something. Since I worked at the Statehouse, we had Highway Patrol officers that provided security for us, including patrolling the garage. I never paid them much attention to them until one stopped me as I went to my car, shortly after I had returned to work.

"Is this your car?" 

"Yes."

"Why is it parked in a handicapped spot? Are you handicapped?" The tone in the officer's voice indicated that he didn't think I was.

"I just had a double lung transplant."

There are few things more satisfying than watching people realize they've just had a major Foot in Mouth Moment. 

Now, I don't have one anymore. Now I walk across the parking lot with all the rest of you. But let's please remember that there are many invisible disabilities. Arthritis? Check. CF? Check. Autoimmune disease in general? Check. Epilepsy? Check. Diabetes? Check. Etc. 

(also, little side note: CF can cause arthritis. Yeah. That's a fun little holiday treat, as they say in Family Man. One of my friends has terrible CF related arthritis. Mine was not as bad as hers, and there were still days when my joints were so tender and so painful that the thought of putting any pressure on them--the though of even standing--was out of the question.) 

Let's talk about my life now. 

I have a cochlear implant.[ It is only by sheer dumb luck, or God prompting, that I took two years of American Sign Language in high school. I can use it if I have to. Normally, I don't. But I can.] There are so few accommodations for Deaf and hard-of-hearing people! 

Marcus Theatres is the only cinema chain around here--and I live in one of the largest cities in the U.S.--that provides captioning for every movie it shows. AMC doesn't (AMC is our other big local chain). When I want to see a movie, it has to be at the local theater, and if it's not showing there, I can't go, because I won't understand it. Apparently, AMC doesn't think that Deaf people or people like me might like movies. 

The system I use at Marcus is called Captiview. Marcus has about five of these systems and all I have to do is ask for one at the box office. It's easy to use and it's not distracting to others. They can't see the light from the captions (My friends and family have tried to read the captions when we're at the movies, and it's only if I turn it to face them that they can). Sure, it's a bit unwieldily to carry around in the multiplex, but it works. I love movies, and now I can go out and watch them in the cinema like everyone else. I get to see movies, movie theaters get my money! Yay! But if all movie theaters provided captioning, I could see a broader range of movies--and I'm lucky that the theater that is closest to me provides this service. And they're not a nationwide chain. They're Midwest-based and only in states like Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana. So if you live somewhere else, then I hope your local theater has something similar, or you're out of luck. 

Some cable channels aren't captioned. YouTube videos, or online videos? No captions except "automatic" ones, which are about as useful as captions in Swahili to me. Warner Brothers, especially, incurs my wrath, because they do (Pardon my French, here) half-assed captioning. When I watch The Wizard of Oz and the captioning automatically comes on, it doesn't translate word-for-word. It gives a summary of what the character is saying. 

Lesson 2: Deaf and Hard of Hearing People Like TV and Movies. Please caption things for us--COMPLETELY! 

Seriously--the next time you watch anything from Warner Brothers, turn on the captioning, and you'll see what I mean. I know they're leaving words out, because I can hear the dialogue. (Not understand all the dialogue. There's a difference.) 

Some DVDs don't even have functioning captions. What is that about, guys?

Captioning like this isn't covered by the ADA. The only thing that must be captioned are channels that receive federal funding. Well, thanks. 

Normally, I'm a small government person. But this is ridiculous. Provide a basic service that is inexpensive (see the Captiview site I linked to--that's one of the selling points for their technology), easy to use, and not at all inconvenient to other patrons. 

Another area that needs work? The phone. People, not everyone who is Deaf or hard of hearing has a TTY. I don't have one. I don't know how to work one. But if a website provides chat services, I'm fine. We can communicate just great. I use email most of the time because if you call and talk to me, you will sound like Charlie Brown's teacher, unless I know your voice really well. (Meaning, you're my parent. And even then....)

AAA, for example: when I got a flat tire a few years back, I couldn't call them. I had to text my Dad to have HIM call them to come help me. It was ridiculous. Can't we come up with an app that will allow texting to contact services? This is the 21st century. We have apps for everything. Or not even an app--a number that could be reached via text message. 

This is especially true in health care. Oh my gosh. When I have a call with a case manager, my mom or dad has to sit and translate for me, because the case manager can't email me. It HAS TO BE over the phone. What? What sort of sense does that make? If you don't want to email, then set up a chat window on a website, like my bank has, or like many shopping sites have. If Bobbi Brown Cosmetics and the Disney Store can have a chat interface, then medical and insurance companies can, too.  Don't they ever think they might be working with a person who has a hearing disability? 

The law did a lot of good things, but there are plenty of things that still need work, especially in the realm of hearing, as I hope I've shown you. 

Tomorrow I'm going to write about accommodation in a place where you'd think it should be second nature--churches. 

Seven Quick Takes No. 81

I. 

The first full week of the new site has been great so far! I hope everyone is enjoying it and can navigate it easily. I know from my end it's a lot of fun to use. 

II. 

The weather here this week has been fantastic Goldilocks weather; not too hot, not too cold. It has been a bit too cold to go swimming, which is sort of sad, because I do love swimming, but it's nice that I can eat outside and that my car isn't an oven. 

III. 

So the book proposal has been sent to one editor. I'm going to prep the next one but I probably won't send it out until I hear back from the first one. However, that doesn't mean I don't have projects going. My novels are always in revision, and I've got an idea for another non-fiction piece. Also, I've begun thinking about NaNo 2015, and I think I might have a way to approach a piece I abandoned during last year's NaNo. I think if I use multiple narrators it'll solve some of my plot and pacing problems. But I have a lot of time to think about this. 

IV. 

I should probably explain exactly what was in my book proposal, since I talk about it so much.  So here we go: 

The cover page is my name and the title of the book. The second page starts the actual content--an overview of the work, about me, the need for this book (as in, why the market needs another book), current related literature, author promotions (my website and social media feeds--so you guys are important!), table of contents, and then an excerpt from the work. Some places don't want all this--they just want the manuscript. Like I've said before, it varies. But this is a basic non-fiction proposal outline.  The excerpt makes the proposal look longer than it really is, because it's double-spaced. 

V. 

How is July almost over? I mean, really? When I left for vacation is was the 8th, and now it's the 24th? Days are long but the years are short, indeed. 

VI. 

Have you heard Audrey Assad's music? If you haven't, go check it out. Her Fortunate Fall album is amazing. She was the keynote speaker at Edel and she did a fantastic job. I've been working on some of her pieces when I practice piano (I got the sheet music for Fortunate Fall at Edel). Some of the pieces my hands are too small for, but that's OK. 

VII. 

What are y'all reading? I need some more book recommendations. (I know, you're going, 'what are you talking about, Emily?!) But I do! 

The First American-born saint: Elizabeth Ann Seton

I've always loved this saint, and while she's not as obscure as some of the other saints we've talked about this week, her story is definitely worth telling. 

Elizabeth was born on August 28, 1774 (she was a contemporary of Jane's!) and was raised Anglican. Her father was a New York City doctor. Her mother died when Elizabeth was three. Her father remarried, but that marriage ended in separation. For a few years, Elizabeth lived with family in New Rochelle while her father studied in London. A gifted horsewoman, she also spoke French and loved music, poetry, and nature. 

 At the age of 19, she married William Seton, a wealthy businessman who worked in the import trade. They had five children: Anna Maria, William II, Richard, Catherine, and Rebecca. The family was socially prominent and happy, and Elizabeth was heavily involved in charitable activities. 

 William's business went bankrupt due to the Napoleonic Wars., and he was diagnosed with tuberculosis. Elizabeth, William, and Anna  went to Italy for the climate, hoping for a cure, but William died. God, however, had other plans for Elizabeth's time in Italy.

After William's death, she stayed with the Fellici family, who were William's friends. They were devout Catholics who had Daily Mass said in their chapel. Elizabeth began to attend, and was drawn to their faith and worship practices. By the time she left Italy, she knew that she would receive instruction in the faith when she returned home. She was received into the church on March 14, 1805. 

This wasn't the simple decision it may seem. Anti-Catholic feelings were high in the new country (New York's Anti-Catholic laws had just been lifted in 1804, but Catholics still weren't allowed to vote in some places, and their churches were routinely destroyed), and Elizabeth's family warned her that they would withdraw all financial support from her if she did this. She converted, however, and was left to raise her five children without her family's financial help. 

Let's restate that: five kids. no job. Family has abandoned her. 

Was she crazy? Maybe. 

Fortunately, God provided. She started an academy for young ladies, and with the help of Bishop Carroll of Baltimore, she started an order of sisters--the Sisters of Charity, which still exist today. With her fledgling order and her children, she moved from New York City to Emmitsburg, Maryland, where she opened her first school and first convent. 

The first few years in Emmitsburg were hard. Few students, little money, and no luxuries--all of which were hard for her children, who had been raised in the upper echelons of New York City society. 

The Stone House, Elizabeth and her sisters' first school/convent in Emmitsburg, MD. 

Her two sons joined the Navy, but her daughters helped their mother in her work; however, Anna and Rebecca both died of tuberculosis. Katherine became the first American to join the Sisters of Mercy. 

On July 31, 1809, Elizabeth established a religious community in Emmitsburg dedicated to the care of the children of the poor. This was the first congregation of religious sisters to be founded in the US, and its school was the first free Catholic school in America. Mother Seton (as she was known in religious life) can therefore be called the founder of the American Parochial School system. 

Elizabeth died on January 4, 1821, of tuberculosis. By 1830, her order was running schools as far west as St. Louis and New Orleans, and had established a hospital in St. Louis. She was canonized on September 14, 1975, by Pope Paul VI. 

Her Feast Day is January 4, and she is the patron saint of seafarers, Catholic schools, and the state of Maryland. 

“Can you expect to go to heaven for nothing? Did not our Savior track the whole way to it with His tears and blood? And yet you stop at every little pain.
”

The Great Jane Re-Read: Mansfield Park

Time for the great Jane Summer Re-Read! Join me! @emily_m_deardo

This week's contender: Mansfield Park.

I've written about Mansfield Park on the blog here.  It was also the topic of my senior thesis for my undergrad English degree, in which I wrote about how Fanny was a model of femininity to be embraced, not ignored. One of these days I'll upload it to the Internets and share it.

My favorite movie version is the 1999 one.

Previous entries in the series: Northanger Abbey, Sense and Sensibility,

So, let's talk about Fanny and Co. 

Full disclosure: I've always liked Fanny. The very first time I read the book, I liked her immediately. In the margins of my Oxford World Classic's copy, I noted that she was like Cinderella to her family, or, in more contemporary terms, a Matilda. No one really appreciates her or notices she's there, except for Edmund, and he's pretty thick. (I like him, but he is so thick. It drives me crazy when he's mooning about Mary to Fanny when Fanny clearly in in love with him!) Lionel Trilling famously noted that no one could like Fanny, but I've found his view disproved by people I've met. It's actually Emma I have a hard time liking, which jives with Jane's assertion that she'd created a heroine that "no one but myself will much like."

Fanny and her family in Portsmouth. 

Part of the problem with MP, I think, is that it comes right after Pride and Prejudice. But I don't think that was accidental. Jane noted that she found P&P "too light and bright and sparkling" in parts, and MP definitely isn't those things. It's still classic Jane--it has brilliant moments and it's an excellent story--but there isn't the witty repartee of Elizabeth and Darcy, or the humor of the Bennet parents. MP deals much more closely with larger ideas of morality, family ties, what we owe other people, and growing up. 

So tell me what you think of Fanny in the comments. I'm really intrigued to know how you view her! 

I don't think Mary Crawford is evil. I think she has a lot of problems, which we might be able to say are because of the way she grew up, but I think Mary and Henry didn't learn to respect people, to see them as people, with their own dignity. They see them as things to use, as means to an end. Mary "loves" Edmund because he seems pliable, and might come into a fortune. Henry "loves" Fanny because she's a mystery to him. But neither of them really understand love, truthfully. They use people for their own entertainment (this is easily seen in Henry's interactions with Maria and Julia). 

Mary and Henry Crawford 

More than any other novel of Jane's, Mansfield Park illustrates how virtue leads to happiness. Fanny, who will never be a "Miss Bertram", has a moral compass and deep-seated sense of goodness that her cousins (who can name all the principle rivers of Europe!) lack. It might be calibrated in Julia, but Maria has lost her chance for redemption at the end of the novel--in the 19th century, she's disgraced permanently. Julia is a lot like Kitty in P&P, in that once the bad influence of her sister is removed, she can be influenced for the better. 

Fanny's ability to remain true to herself, to what is really important--her self-respect, as opposed to her social and financial standing--is one of my favorite parts of the novel. When she returns to Portsmouth after refusing Henry's offer of marriage, Fanny sees how dire her family's poverty is. She realizes that she probably couldn't live like this, not after having lived at Mansfield and knowing that sort of life (and remember, Fanny doesn't even have the Mansfield experience of her cousins. She doesn't have the maids and the dresses and the fancy education and social whirl. But just living in that house, having enough food and being in a clean, neat environment, is more than she'll ever have with her parents.). But still, she manages to stick to her beliefs. No matter how much Henry may appear to have changed, she still can't make herself agree to marry him. She is not so simple as Henry believes she is. 

Edmund and Fanny. 

Not only do the Crawfords underestimate Fanny, but so does Edmund, who is, for most of the novel, her champion. Edmund never quite sees her as a mature woman in her own right, not until the end of the novel when he sees who Mary Crawford really is. Only once "the charm is broken" does he realize who Mary and Fanny really are, and the stark differences between them. 

what do you think of Mansfield Park? What characters resonate with you? Which characters repel you? And would you ever be in "Lover's Vows"? (I totally would love to do it.) 

The Patron Saint of Butter: St. Brigid of Kildare

OK, she's not the patron saint of butter. I mean, she should be--if anyone in the Vatican is reading this, we could use a patron saint of butter. She is, however, the patroness of milkmaids, and one story about her tells us about her powers over butter: young Brigid once gave a poor man her  mother's entire stock of butter, but the butter was miraculously replaced before Brigid's mother found out (I don't know about you, but I'd definitely notice if all my butter was missing).

St. Brigid is one of the patrons of Ireland, along with St. Patrick and St. Columba, and she an exciting life story. Most of the stories agree that she was born into slavery, because her mother was a slave (her father was a chieftain, and his wife forced him to sell Brigid and her mother after Brigid's birth).  As a baby, she refused to be fed by a Druid because he was "unpure"--instead, she suckled from a red and white cow. From a young age, she showed special care for the poor , as seen in the butter story, and many miracles are attributed to her, even during her life. 

She became a nun and founded a monastery at Kildare in 480. She also founded a school of art and a scriptorium. 

Her feast day is February 1 and besides being a patron of Ireland, she is also the patron of poultry farmers, babies, blacksmith, dairy maids, dairy workers, fugitives, and midwives. 

Yarn Along No. 29

So I have finished the scarf!

I really love this color. I'm going to make another scarf for the VA project in the Chipmunk color way (same yarn--City Tweed). 

As you can see, the washcloth is still coming. It just doesn't knit up as fast because there are more stitches per row, and they're smaller. But that's OK. 

The next thing I want to work on, knitting-wise, is purling. I know how to do it. I've done it. But I can't do it consistently, and that bugs me, and limits what I can knit. So we are going to try some stockinette stitch washcloths. I know. More washcloths. Sorry. But once I get it down, then we can move on to Basket Stitch pattern! Yay!!!! And who knows what else can come after that. 

But first--gotta get the purling down. 

Reading: 

Of course, right? I actually read this the day it came out, but I'm re-reading it. When my dad asked me what it was about, I said, "Realizing your parents aren't perfect," and that feels like a pretty good summation. Have you read it? What do you think?