Work work work work work

Rihanna debuted the new music video for her hit song Work yesterday. Rihanna is an artist that works hard and has a natural talent in the music industry. I don’t want this to seem like I am downing her. I enjoy her music, but I have to acknowledge my thoughts.  I am disappointed by her music video for the lessons it sends out to the next generation.  Here are a few things I noticed:

1.      Sexy clothing

Rihanna is known for making a lot of ‘fashion forward’ statements at award shows and the like. A good amount of the outfits she wore showed way more than we anticipated seeing. This music video was no exception. The clothing was very sexy and revealing, to the point of being uncomfortable. Why did they have to have such revealing costumes?! Honestly, as I watched the first version and then the second version of the music video, I was looking away because I felt bad for just how much of Rihanna’s body she was sharing with the world. Maybe she didn’t have a choice, but this seems to me that she was not remembering her value as a person and just who was worthy of seeing her body. This is not all of us. I have been in that situation, where I was wearing very sexy clothing. The attention received is fleeting and usually results in men looking for a booty call from the girl as a reaction, even if this is not her goal. Not worth it.

2.      Dance moves

I mean come on, does every music video need to have them practically having sex on the dance floor through grinding and twerking? I lost count of how many shots in the video were just of their crotches thrusting together- taking away their humanity completely- to just focus on a collection of parts. It is dangerous to have this out in main stream media because people already think it is acceptable and perfectly ok to act as such when dancing. The video just perpetuates this lie. In case no one told you, there are other dance moves you can try that don’t involve compromising your dignity.

3.      Met me in the club

No one ever meets their prince charming in the club. One minute they are meeting, then the next they are rubbing IT all together, but they don’t really know each other. Very odd. Of course the video showed the crowd smoking and drinking, which obviously brings to the table its’ own issues. Are they of age? Are they drinking in excess. Not a good habit to get into. I can tell you, from experience, the hangover which comes around the next morning is the worst. I learned my limits to never drink that much again. They are not being very realistic about the consequences either. They do not show how people are so easily used sexually after a night out partying.

4.      The man’s role

Drake is a very talented artist, but I was not impressed by his role in this video (more specifically the second version). He sat on the couch while Rihanna danced for him/the camera. Remind you of the scene in a strip club? Ew. It seemed to feed into the stereotype that men should not need to work in a relationship, that they can just be lazy. Men should not be passive; the first time that happened was when Adam let Eve eat the apple. We don’t need to have repeats of that in every relationship. Men are called to be the providers and protectors of their girlfriend/fiancé/wife and family. I guarantee if you asked a Godly man, “Would be ok if his GF/fiancé/wife danced as such in a club?” He would say, “No thank you. That is a floozy. She is not wife material.”

5.      A women must be sexual to keep a man

Many types of media have this theme, but it is so far from the truth. In the video, as you listen to the lyrics, it makes clear that the women must put it all out there to catch/keep the man’s interest. Instead of trying to sexually ignite the man you are with; why not strive to ignite his heart. Seek to do what is best for each other, leading to true authentic love. Not seeking a one night stand.

Work might be a catchy song to work out to, but it falls very short of God’s plan for humanity.  

A Catholic Girl Walks into a Bar

A Catholic girl walks into a bar… Oh wait this is not a joke, it’s my life… Recently I walked into a bar and found the man of my dreams. Kidding, but he was pretty ‘McSteamy’ in essence. All evening we chatted and became familiar in a new friendship blossoming. I remember thinking how fun he was during our conversation considering we had a good bantering act in play, and how I would love to get to know him more. As the night was winding down, He invited me to sleep with him, which was flattering. I was tempted and thought about it for a second, but overall it was a buzz kill because I do take my faith seriously and fully embrace the Church teachings about sexuality so I declined the offer and went home alone.

Yet, I loved being desired by him- I just didn’t want him in the same way.

Teaching chastity has had funny affect on transforming my thoughts. Anytime a man is speaking to me, I am mentally doing a check (like a reflex) to see how Theology of the Body oriented our conversation is. The teachings have just weaved their way into my own thoughts and whole life. I do not enjoy being desired by a man when I can tell it is a very disordered desire towards their own selfish gain. Fortunately, it is very easy for me to spot these types of men so I can at least attempt to avoid temptation. I am not perfect, just experienced enough to know my weaknesses and not afraid to admit my screw ups.  

This would not be a blog of mine if I didn’t quote Saint Pope John Paul II at least once, he teaches the following about love in Theology of the Body:

Love as attraction: recognizing the good of another person; seeing the inner and outer beauty of another person.

Love as desire: wanting a good for yourself; desiring the goodness and happiness.

Love as goodwill: willing (or desiring) the good of another person.

These are all needed in a relationship but, ordered towards God.    

I’ve been reflecting on all of this constantly, as of late. To clarify, no, I was not just swimming around in my own fantasy of lustful thoughts about ‘McSteamy.’ But (as humbly as I can say this) a man’s interest is not foreign to me. Especially this year it seems to be raining men as potential suitors, from the guys who offer a one night stand to the gentlemen who are ready to be married tomorrow and treat me like a princess. If any of ‘said men’ are reading this, I do honestly thank you for your time and what I have learned from you.

 The world is starving for beauty, especially for ALL women to be confident in how authentically beautiful they are. I know my beauty and worth as a woman, and I am not afraid to allow the world to encounter the Lord through me, even if they don’t always see me as anything beyond physically attractive. One of the greatest powers a woman has is just simply ‘being’ and allowing others to take refuge in her. ‘Being’ woman is an art woman can spend our whole life unveiling and thereabout I have become enticing to men. But, I have been wondering why it is that I cannot muster up a hint of romantic affection in response to the men who have been pursuing me.

Something must be wrong with me.

On one fine Tuesday afternoon, I figured it out.

[Scene: in daily Mass. The readings have been proclaimed and all present are awaiting the reception of our Lord in the Eucharist.]

As I sit, or really kneel, in anticipation the tension is building in my heart. My prayer to the Lord bubbles up in my mind, “Beloved, I just want you. I long for you. I crave your intimacy in the restlessness of my soul.”  All of a sudden, in the depth of the sweet silence before receiving him, it made sense. I should want to be with and desire my earthly spouse in the same way, but not to same degree of intensity because even Scripture says only Christ will fulfill all our longings.

Desiring to be with my future spouse is a good thing. If I am not feeling it with a gentleman who asks to be mine, it is also a good and important thing to let him go. How nice would it be if I dated a man for a period of time, then after I tried it for awhile tell them I was never into the relationship but I just wanted to wait and see if my heart would come around? So as nicely as I can muster, I try to explain why the man should move along in life.

Waiting with full peace and joy in the arms of my Beloved, for the one he is preparing for me, is the greatest thing, ever. I am at a place in my life where I can recognize the vocational call to marriage, but I am not hurried to get there. I love my life, the way it is going, and the mystery in the adventure I have yet to explore! My heart is overflowing with a comforting, soothing love from and for the Lord. I am confident he is working on my own heart for the man I will marry. In that knowledge, as my gaze is locked on my Beloved, much of my heart does not want to be disturbed by a man trying to fit into it romantically.  

 

This does not mean I want to wait forever. I now understand the desire I should have towards a man in relation to my desire for the Eucharist. It makes me excited to anticipate that one day I will be so ‘over the moon’ about a man’s pursuit, which in a way will mirror my constant longing to receive the Lord in the Mass. Honestly, I have no idea how that love will take shape in my life, but that is what I enjoy most about this splendid adventure. I don’t have to worry or stay up all night wishing for prince charming to show up. God knows what is best for me, and I trust him with my heart. I am free to just be in the Lord and live in the truth of his glory each day, each hour, each moment. For he says this:

 “I want you to see in the flesh a picture of your relationship with me.

And to enjoy materially and concretely the everlasting union

Of beauty, perfection and love that I offer you with Myself.

Know that I love you utterly.

For I am God.

Believe it and be satisfied.” - From St Anthony of Padua

I am the Lord’s and he is mine. When the time is right I will meet, then later share a beautiful, crazy, sanctifying marriage with another… To bear the cutest little fruit in kiddos, of course. Till then, I continue to be with my Comforter in the breaking of the bread.

Who would have thought all of that could come from walking into a bar?

Lady Gaga: A Struggle?

I'm curiously and oddly fascinated by Lady Gaga. After all, she's catchy . . she turns heads . . . she's crazily successful in the music world . . . and she's a talented vocalist. And yet, that odd fascination is just that: odd. I can't think of a more odd persona than Lady Gaga in the music industry at the moment. Her music has always made me wonder, "What the heck . . . really . . . is up with her music?"

She's an interesting woman to take a look at.

I was glancing through this today, and this caught my eye:

"What we see in Ste­fani, or Lady Gaga as she is called, is a strug­gle. A con­stant inner con­flict, between express­ing and explor­ing her dark­est and most ter­ri­fy­ing thoughts and feel­ings, and doing what she knows is right and what will make her the hap­pi­est on the deep­est level, the level of truths that don’t change. It’s a strug­gle between find­ing a way to be unique while still try­ing to be pop­u­lar. It’s about fight­ing to expose the things we think are great about our­selves, while hav­ing a war with those things that hurt our con­fi­dence and self-​​image. . . We all do our best to present an image that will impress oth­ers, but when life presents ques­tions we can’t fig­ure out, where will we go for answers?"

A struggle. Lady Gaga's music, music videos, and the image she's created have always seemed to me to be one of a struggle - a breaking away from what is traditional in an attempt to create something, to rebel against something, a shock, to be a "goddess" in some sense, all in an attempt to get something she can't find. It's not something that is spelled out, but the struggle seems to be present. We all struggle. And then the question comes: where do you go for answers?

Read the whole article here.

TLC’s Virgin Diaries: Everything You Need to Know About Virgins?

 
     Well, no one can accuse TLC of false advertising. As expected, “Virgin Diaries,” was an hour-long, nearly painful display of awkwardness. Throughout the show I asked, “What do the producers want us, the audience, to think? How do they hope we will react?” The answer to those questions was pretty obvious: the six protagonists were portrayed as little less than a circus side show, as TLC implicitly hollered, “Step right up, ladies and gentlemen! Come see six real, live, abstinent adults!”
     The word of the day is syllogism. This may help you on the SAT. Wikipedia tells me “A syllogism … is a kind of logical argument in which one proposition (the conclusion) is inferred from two or more others (the premises) of a certain form.” For example, the producers wanted their viewers to arrive at the following syllogism:

Major premise: All the people on this show are incredibly weird.
Minor premise: All the people on this show are virgins.
Conclusion: All virgins are incredibly weird.

     Here’s the problem: the show focused on the one thing that all six people were not doing, having sex. This makes about as much sense as producing a show (and drawing conclusions) about six people who don’t eat broccoli or six people who have never had braces.
     A virgin may or may not be weird. A weirdo may or may not be a virgin. I have friends who have reserved kissing for marriage. Not one of them regretted it, and not one of their weddings imposed a moment of repulsion or discomfort upon their “dearly beloved” family and friends.
     I am a 22-year-old virgin, by choice. It’s not that I have never had the opportunity or desire to have sex, it’s not because I believe sex is bad, it’s not because I’m afraid of the consequences. I am a virgin because the virtue of chastity is such a worthwhile pursuit. I strive to be pure in my thoughts, words, and actions so that I can see others as God sees them, and treat them as such. I dress modestly because I recognize that my body is valuable and therefore worth protecting, and because I profoundly respect men who train themselves to look lovingly at women, not lustfully. I practice chastity because I desire to give myself (which includes my sexuality) to my future husband with as much integrity and wholeness as I possibly can. As a result, I live a life filled with confidence, joy, and freedom. I am enjoying this season of my life (which, gasp, does not include sexual activity) but I look hope to get married someday. When “someday” comes, I can guarantee you, I will not regret choosing virtue over “experience.”

Twitter, Facebook, iPhones, and Life

I picked up the latest TIME magazine in the teacher's lounge today at school and sat down to stare at the incredibly unattractive cover which sported a schnazzy title: "2045: The Year Man Becomes Immortal." Yikes. I wenton to read the entire article, which focused on the "Singularity movement" or how eventually computers and humans would "become one." Sing - gu-lar-i-ty: n: The moment when technological change becomes so rapid and profound, it represents a rupture in the fabric of human history.

Hmmm.

I flipped a few more pages and turned to the "Life" section of TIME, which included an article titled "Wired for Distraction? Like it or not, social media are reprogramming our children's brains. . ."

And then, in "Money" there was one that introduced Starbucks' plan to allow customers to use a bar-code app on their phones to buy coffee in 6,800 of its stores.

Now, you might be asking what all of these articles have to do with each other, and you're probably scratching your head wondering even more so what this has to do with chastity for gosh sakes, but hang tight here.

Slowly, over the past year or so, I've been becoming more and more aware of the way that technology seems to be affecting my life, the lives of the people I hang out with, my relationships, my students, my job, and my life in general. And it's caused me to stop and wonder if the change has been a completely positive one.

Pope Benedict recently came out with a message regarding the use of social media, saying that the time had come to "urgently demand a serious examination of the significance of communication in the digital age." What was widely noted was the fact that the Pope encouraged the use of social media as an evangelization tool. On the flip side, however, I've found myself reflecting on the world of craziness that is twitter, facebook, Androids and iphones, and wondering to what extent these modes of communication have done good, and to what extent they've done some harm.

The "Wired for Distraction?" article that I mentioned earlier pointed out that researchers have found that on average a child spends 7 hours and 38 min. a day using entertainment media, and - if you add in texting - they are logging almost 11 total of hours of media usage a day. That's a lot - a lot - of media.

The author, Dalton Conley, says that children today spend so much time with the media that "The result could be that we pay more attention to environmental stimuli - Hey, another text! - at the expense of focus." He goes to say that he, for one, is concerned with the effect that "24/7 connectivity" has on his 11 year-old son. "School-lunchroom behavior - gossipy whispers, competition for attention, etc. - now goes on around the clock. There's no downtime, no alone for him to develop his sense of self." The article ends with "Hence my 9:30 rule, which falls into that age-old parenting category: Do as I say, not as I do."

The "24/7 connectivity" doesn't just stop with children or teenagers, as Conley admits at the close of his article. If I were to take a look at my life, I think I would probably find myself in the "24/7" media world. But do I want it to be that way? I don't.

We live in a blackberry-driven, iphone-loving, and texting-obsessed era. And while these modes of communication certainly aren't bad, and in fact do much good (as the Pope pointed out), they can also begin to change our daily interactions and affect our relationships. This past weekend my roommate and I spent ten hours in the car driving to and from a conference together, and it was then I realized that it had been a really long time since I had had a long, uninterrupted conversation with a person without having to compete with that person's cell phone. At times it can seem that facebook, twitter, texting etc. create a "parallel world" that can overshadow the things, opportunities, and most importantly the people that have been placed into our lives at that moment. John Paul II points out, "The human being is single, unique, and unrepeatable, someone thought of and chosen from eternity, someone called and identified by name" and a gift that has been given to us as a "task" and a "responsibility." Simply put, each person deserves our respect and attention before the text that we've just received, the email that's just come in, or the latest post on facebook. A culture of life is one that truly places the human person and his value first in our lives, and our personal witness to this is vital in creating and nurturing authentic relationships in our day-to-day lives. Obviously I'm not advocating that we throw out our cell phones or cancel our texting plans, but just to challenge ourselves to perhaps take a closer look at the way that we use modern technology in the details of our everyday lives and to use them well for the service of others.

"Gestational Carriers"?

This week Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban announced the December 28th birth of Faith Margaret, born by a paid surrogate mother - the "gestational carrier." This is becoming a fairly popular option, particiarly for those who either can't have children, or perhaps simply don't want to go through a pregnancy themselves. This area can often be difficult to understand, so check out a few quick Catechism references to see the problem with "gestational carriers":

"Techniques that entail the dissociation of husband and wife, by the intrusion of a person other than the couple (donation of sperm or ovum, surrogate uterus), are gravely immoral. These techniques (heterologous artificial insemination and fertilization) infringe the child's right to be born of a father and mother known to him and bound to each other by marriage. They betray the spouses' "right to become a father and a mother only through each other." (CCC 2376)

"They dissociate the sexual act from the procreative act. The act which brings the child into existence is no longer an act by which two persons give themselves to one another, but one that "entrusts the life and identity of the embryo into the power of doctors and biologists and establishes the domination of technology over the origin and destiny of the human person. Such a relationship of domination is in itself contrary to the dignity and equality that must be common to parents and children." (CCC 2377)

"A child is not something owed to one, but is a gift. The "supreme gift of marriage" is a human person. A child may not be considered a piece of property, an idea to which an alleged "right to a child" would lead." (CCC 2378)

No Easy Decision

On December 28th 2010 at 11:30pm the season premiere of MTV's "No Easy Decision" aired.

I felt it started out well intentioned as the couple found out they were pregnant for a second time and worried about what to do and recognized the 3 possible options (Keep the child, adoption, or abortion) and said they wanted to do what was best for their baby. After the "procedure" there was an argument between the couple after the "father" called their recently deceased child "nothing but a bunch of cells" and the "mother" got extremely upset basically saying that is was a baby and "that bunch of cells could turn into this" (as she points at her 1 year old daughter). She seemed heart broken at her decision, but MTV always has to put their editing skills to work to make it look as though everything is fine the next day. They bring 2 other "mothers" onto the show as they all meet and discuss with a doctor about their "heroic" choice for their "family". It was extremely upsetting how these women justified their abortion, one woman even said "I am proud of it" and could not understand why abortion is not a more acceptable choice in our society. The show is very upsetting and I found it sad to watch a teenage couple go through the pain of abortion. If you choose to watch this show, be mindful that MTV has no problem editing their footage to put out any skewed view/agenda they want or have in mind.

On a more positive note, I found it very encouraging to know that most of the viewers that wrote on the MTV community site were very displeased with what they saw and some even spoke out about their own pain from abortion or family members. I have yet to read a comment saying "I am also proud of my abortion" which I am happy to report.

Here is the link to the Fir st Episode:

http://www.mtv.com/videos/no-easy-decision-special/1654990/playlist.jhtml


Below is a link to the MTV blog if you have any comments or want to read others opinions and thoughts:

http://community.mtv.com/Discussion-Thread/NO-EASY-DECISION-WRONG-WAY/0D3FCFFFF02098AEE00090129B3BC

I would like to conclude by stating that the view of "killing your child and justifying it as doing what is best for them" is false and should not be recognized as a reason for abortion. The only time that it is not a sin for your baby to die before birth that is recognized by the Catholic Church is: due to miscarriage, during birth, or the life of the mother is at risk. Adoption is always an option and their are millions of people on lists that want a child that cannot physically get pregnant.
















Taken from the Catechism of the Catholic Church

2270 Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person - among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life.⁷²

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you."⁷³

Please continue to pray for all women that have had abortions and are considering it. Jesus guide them in Your Truth.

Movie Review (Letters to Juliet)

I love movies, especially a good ones! Movies that make me think, laugh, appreciate life, movies that dont try to scandalize or hinder my faith through repetitive bashing or blasphemy(either outright or in a more undertone way). I am married and because of this I can not watch action movies every day, I now have a significant other that needs to agree on what movies we watch together. Because of this we have found ourselves in the genre of "Romantic Dramas and Comedies"!


The movie I want to review is "Letters to Juliet". It is about an engaged girl (Sophie) who goes to Italy with her Italian fiancee on a "pre-honeymoon" but he is so involved with work that they spend no time together. She goes touring by herself and goes to the "Wall of Juliet" where tradition has that if you write a letter to Juliet, she will answer you with an letter back. Sophie finds these "secret women" and wants to help write back. She discovers a letter from 50 years past and answers it to find that the older woman comes looking for her "Romeo" once again. And yes, she has a grandson the same age as Sophie!


This movie is rated PG and is not a kids movie, how often does that happen these days! There is no fowl language, The clothing attire is very modest and is a beautiful love story between both a young couple and an older couple. It touches on the concept of true love as well as what marriage is and is not. The concept that was new and strange was a "pre-honeymoon", but i am glad they portrayed it as being so boring and did not recommend it. The whole idea of a pre-honeymoon is very against what a real marriage is and be sure to let whoever watches it know that it is immoral. I think part of the reason they put it in the movie was to show that the fiancee cared more about his buisness than their marriage.


I think women would enjoy this movie very much. And unless you are Scott Stephens, msot men would not enjoy this movie due to the fact that it is one of the most "girly chick flicks" I have ever seen! Lets put it this way, it makes "The Notebook" look like "Braveheart"! But to the women, if you are young or old and looking for a wholesome and satisfying love story, "Letters to Juliet" is the movie for you.

I give it a thumbs up!

Letters to Juliet Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AmB8spntgg

Catholic Actor Refuses Racy Sex Scenes

I'm always inspired by people who stick to their principles and radically live out their faith. I read this story this week about Neal McDonough, an actor who was recently kicked off T.V. show "Scoundrels" by ABC for refusing to do explicit sex scenes with actress Virginia Madsen.

McDonough is a Catholic married man with three kids, and because the role was paying McDonough around $1 million dollars, it really causes us to ask - is it worth it? Some people argue that it's not a big deal because it's not like he's "actually" having sex with her or cheating on his wife because he's an actor - this is what he does. So is it a big deal?

I think it is. For one thing, no matter if it's just acting or not, when you're doing a sex scene with someone you're physically close to them in a way that reveals your whole person. Any kind of sexual activity is a gift for your spouse. Our sexuality is who we are; it's our person. When you have sex with someone you're giving yourself away - no matter if it's acting or not. I admire this guy because he obviously loves his wife deeply enough to respect her as the one and only person who receives the gift of himself.
Bella actor Eduardo Verastegui has faced the same issue. And I think he has an awesome response:

"When you kill somebody in the movies, you’re not killing anyone. But when you kiss someone, it’s really a kiss,” Eduardo stressed. “In sex scenes, you’re really half naked. So I would recommend that people be careful, because you are working with fire and you’re gonna get burned. Don’t risk yourself for some role. I know because I did it. And I’m telling you, 12 years of that was nothing but emptiness, pain and suffering.” Eduardo described sex scenes as what they are: “legal adultery.”

Eduardo Verastegui:"Yes to Christ, yes to purity, yes to chastity, and yes to God."

If you are a Bella fan then this is for you! Eduardo Verastegui, an actor in Bella, spoke this week at the first Congress for Catholic Youth in Guatemala. The event drew about 7,000 young Catholic youth, who promised “to work for the virtue of purity” and to "lead a chaste life.” The goal of the conference was to "motivate the youth to say yes to Christ, yes to purity, yes to chastity, and yes to God." At the congress, Eduardo himself led the youth in kneeling before the Eucharist and praying the chastity promise prayer. (Catholic News Agency)

Eduardo used to be a Mexican soap star, and he eventually gave it all to Christ and has done amazing work to promote life and chastity. I love his conversion story! You can read more about it here.

It's always so encouraging to see others, especially teenagers and young adults, commiting to living a pure life - definitely not an easy task in our culture today. Those are who aren't having sex aren't just surviving...they are living incredibly fulfilling lives. Purity IS possible!

A Positive Media Influence

Sixteen year-old Maddy Curtis, the daughter of an award-winning pro-life blogger, appeared on American Idol this week. American Idol featured a segment showcasing her family of 12 children, including four children with Down's Syndrome. Here's what she had to say about the sanctity of life: “I think some people are a little skeptical of down syndrome. Those four boys bring out the best in every person they meet. They see the world in colors, and we need to see the world that way.”

-- taken from www.lifesitenews.com

Speaking of Beauty . . .

Last week Cosmopolitan magazine hosted the 2009 Cosmopolitan Beauty Awards in London, where awards were presented to the top beauty products in the business. Awards went to the “Best blemish buster,” the “Best body-firming potion” and the “Best age-busting night cream." Reading about these awards made me smile, because I am always amused by the enormous amount of attention given to beauty products, designer jeans, hair salons, and expensive pedicures. The covers of magazines like CosmoGirl sport catchy headlines such as “909 Tips to Look Amazing this Fall” or “50 Ways to Get Sexy Hair.” Our culture puts an incredible emphasis on being beautiful . . . that is, on the outside.

Sadly, not nearly the same attention is given to inner beauty. While the war is raging on the outside to have the perfect body, complete with the perfect clothing and perfect skin, it’s sometimes hard to remember how incredibly important it is to cultivate one’s inner beauty, or focus on developing a beautiful soul. What makes a person beautiful? It’s someone’s dedication to growing in virtue that makes him or her truly beautiful. Every time you take steps to become more courageous or more generous you’re growing into a more beautiful person; every time you go to Mass or spend time learning to pray, you grow more beautiful; every time you come out of yourself and selflessly seek someone else’s good you become more beautiful. The closer you grow to Christ, who is Beauty itself, and the more you become like Him, the more beautiful you become. It’s your character that makes you a beautiful person.

This week we celebrated the feast of another awesome saint: St. Kateri Tekakwitha. This girl had smallpox when she was very young, and so her face was permanently covered in scars. Based on her outward appearance, others probably would have labeled her as “ugly.” This girl, however, truly had a beautiful character. She consecrated her virginity to Christ and dedicated herself to the Virgin Mary. The scars on her face miraculously vanished when she died, revealing a woman of incredible beauty. This quote from a priest always reminds me that true beauty is a matter of the heart and comes with great responsibility: “A girl’s real beauty is still within. It is a thing of her soul . . . It is something by which she makes men aware of the truth and beauty and goodness of God by reflecting that beauty and goodness herself.”

(Fr. Poage, In Garments All Red, 1950).

http://www.cosmobeauty.uk/.

Teen Pregnancy linked to Sexual Content on Television

When we are in the classroom, Thom and I talk with our students about whether or not the media and it's message about sexuality has any effect on us. Some students are able to see how the media does have an effect on us, while other students are not able to see so. Check out a new study just release yesterday, Monday, November 3, 2008, that show girls who watch TV shows with lots of sexual content have a higher pregnancy rate. Click here.

An attack on the dignity of the human body.

Read this pastoral letter entitled "Bought with a Price" by Bishop Paul S. Loverde to learn why pornography is so bad. Click here.

On "The Moment of Truth"

Hello everyone! I wanted to tell you all about an article I read in the Plugged'n magazine about a new TV show called "The Moment of Truth." The contestants of the show are placed in a hot seat and asked questions meant to uncover their deep dark secrets while their loved ones watch from the crowd. Weeks before the contestants go on the television they are hooked up to a lie detector and asked 50 to 75 tailored questions. The results of the polygraph are not revealed to the contestants until they appear on the television show where they then attempt to match their previous answers. My first thought is that lie detectors are not a reliable source of truth so much so that they are not allowed to be used as evidence in any court case.

My second thought is even if lie detectors were reliable, "What is the point of this TV show?" The purpose of the TV show is to entertain Americans by destroying marriages and families. The contestants are paid to reveal their deep dark secrets on television for the whole world to witness. The more they reveal the more money they win. The article shares about one contestant who "admitted to extramarital sex wishing she'd married an ex-boyfriend - as her husband sat 20 feet away, head buried in his hands."

The article poses several great questions to ponder. One of them being the following question, "What does it say to teens when immoral confessions earn applause?" For a few seconds the crowd is shocked, but then they applaud the contestant when it is discovered that they have answered truthfully - even if they have answered honestly about something sinful. Is it okay for us to sin as long as we are truthful about it?

Here are some other good questions the article proposes for families to discuss about this TV show, as well as, insightful scripture references:

(1) What's the difference between a confession inspired by true repentance, and one motivated by greed or other selfish gain? (Proverbs 28:13; Psalm 51; 1 Timothy 6:9-12)

(2) When is better NOT to share our dislikes, temptations or other secret thoughts? (Ephesians 4:29; James 3; Proverbs 11:13)

(3) What is more noble, disclosing misdeeds under pressure or living a moral, upright life without a closet full of skeletons? (Proverbs 2:7-8; Psalm 11, 112 and 84:11)

Selena Gomez

As websites and news services update the world concerning the birth of Jamie Lynn Spears' daughter, another celebrity is making known her intention to practice chastity. I hesitate to highlight celebrities who announce their views of chastity, because one never knows if they are truly committed or are pulling a publicity stunt, but it appears that Selena Gomez may be for real. In this article she explains her desire to wear a purity ring since she was 12 years old. And in a stunningly counter-cultural comment, she answers the question, "Do you have a boyfriend?" with, "I'm fifteen. I don't need a boyfriend." Read the whole article here.

American Idol and a new view on sex

In school today we were discussing the negative stereotype perpetuated by the media of those who practice chastity. One of the seventh graders innocently said, "There are some good influences out there, like this one song on American Idol." So we agreed to search for the song on YouTube.

Well, it certainly isn't the typical media perception of sex, but it's definitely confirming the stereotype that those who practice chastity are a little odd, out of touch with reality and simply not popular. You can watch it here.

Hopefully someday we will see chastity portrayed by the media as a positive virtue, instead of the choice of a few confused individuals. Please name me a media source that confirms the idea that chastity is a decision worthy of respect.