NunEssential

How can a TV show that I don't even watch irk me so? I get tired of seeing all the headlines about this musical show, watched by many elementary and middle aged students, continually destroying boundaries of dignity and decency. A few weeks ago, the show, set in a high school, apparently featured a young gay "couple" and a heterosexual couple both deciding whether they should sleep together for the first time. Now the show will feature a new episode with the girl cast singing Katy Perry's song "I Kissed A Girl, (and I liked it)". One website promotes the new show as such, " They’ve always been known for pushing the envelope, and the “Glee” cast members have once again outdone themselves with a provocative new performance. Santana and Rachel (Naya Rivera & Lea Michele) have a fabulous and flirty time with Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl” much to the delight of their male classmates. As the song progresses, Quinn, Brittany, Mercedes, and the re...

check out this link for a simple and understandable explanation of the debt crisis in Europe and how it could affect us here in the US (because we don't already HAVE a huge debt crisis of our own....) When we look at the signs of the times, it seems that something large is coming our way, perhaps something that will readjust life as we know it. Perhaps we will have all of our "gods" paraded before us-- our "gods" of money, power, arrogance, etc. Will they save us? Uh, no. and everyone is about to find that out firsthand. The awesome thing is that the REAL God never abandons us. We are like children who need correction and education. I came across a very telling and true quote from John Adams (the second US President) who spoke these words in 1797, " Avarice, ambition, revenge and licentiousness would break the strongest cords of our Constitution, as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is ...

When I first heard the song Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella , I pondered it for a long time. The setting in the musical is the royal palace garden and the Prince has just seen Cinderella and danced with her. He is captivated by her beautiful form and finds himself falling in love with her. He then begins to sing "Do I love you because you're beautiful or are you beautiful because I love you?" Obviously fairy tales speak a deep meaning and are meant to be more than just a superficial story, and so it is with this song. Philosophers and theologians from of old have heralded beauty (ultimately Divine Beauty) as the attraction of our souls. We are attracted to beauty. But there is another, deeper, aspect to love. Love makes things beautiful. When love is placed in a situation, it invites and elicits beauty. What may appear "ugly" to someone on the surface, is beautiful to the one who loves. This is why ...

This is a really moving video. Tim Tebow seems like an authentically decent person. Its really beautiful to see people who are famous and wealthy use their gifts to help others and make dreams come true. God bless them all. Sometimes, even on Thanksgiving Day, it can be easy to feel sorry for one's self and compare situations and find your own lacking. Yet, when we re-enter reality, and see the true crosses many others bear, it reminds us that God knows what He is doing and will bring good even out of darkness.

This commercial made me laugh! people think of creative ways to get their "fix" ;) "yeah, this is great..."

This is SUCH a cool video. The background is not computer generated but created from 288,000 jelly beans. It took TWO years to make this video because of the painstaking work of shooting each scene and then moving the jelly beans a little at a time. Love the creativity!

I love this particular song Halo by Beyonce. In her music video, she sings it to a man but perhaps in the depths of her heart she is singing it to Christ the King. For it is He whom we ultimately find so attractive and captivating. He is the Light and He breaks down the barriers of our hearts, He awakens us and surrounds us by his grace and his embrace. Truly breathtaking..... Speaking of Beyonce, there is some of her music that I like very much and would like to post the videos here, but unfortunately, Beyonce seems to have bought into the lie that tells women that if we want to be considered attractive by the world, we must show nearly all our body has to offer. This makes me very sad because Beyonce is obviously very talented and she is absolutely physically gorgeous- she has been given many great gifts from God. However, all of us have the choice to use our gifts to glorify God and bring true beauty to the world, or turn our gifts back on ourselves and bring glory and attentio...

Very good commercial---

Apparently even Cookie Monster has a bone to pick with the 99%. He joined the Occupy Wall Street movement today....check out www.theblaze.com

The Vatican is preparing legal action against the Italian company Benetton after the company used the Holy Father's image in a manipulated photo showing him kissing a prominent Islamic imam. Read the full story here . I will not post the image because it's disturbing and unnecessary but I would like to explore the company's response to the outcry. The clothing company is featuring an ad campaign entitled "Unhate" and other images show US President Barack Obama kissing Chinese President Hu Jintao, other images feature leading figures kissing one another. But get this, regarding the image of the Holy Father, Benetton released this statement, "we are sorry that the use of the image had so hurt the sensibilities of the faithful ... The point of this campaign was solely to battle the culture of hate in all its forms." oh....right.....what a surprise that manipulating the image of the Holy Father to show him in a homosexual kiss would "hurt th...

The current generation of young men suffer a tremendous wound of being raised without fathers. Although perhaps these young men "get by" in their lives and try to cope, being abandoned by a father is a deep, deep wound. Many years ago there was a long running sitcom on TV called, "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." Will Smith played a young man from a poor neighborhood who was sent to live with his wealthy uncle Phil and family in Bel-Air. The show was funny and touching and poignant at times. One of the most powerful scenes of the entire series was when Will encounters his father who abandoned him as a child. His dad "Lou" returns to Will's life and promises he has changed and that he wants to be a part of Will's life again- only to change his mind and abandon his son for a second and final time. Will Smith really captures the deep agony of a fatherless son in this scene and it's heart-breaking. I apologize for the poor video quality- the b...

In the never-ending quest for all that is good, true and beautiful-- i found an echo of the natural law in the song "My Heart's A Stereo". I love the lyrics-- especially the rap lyrics because what the guy is really saying is this: "will you love me even though I am not perfect and if I become inconvenient?" love it- because that's what we all long for, that's the deep desire of human love for human love is an echo of divine love. I am not particularly a fan of Adam Levine who is featured singing the chorus, but i like the rest of the song. (my random thoughts continued below...) This week's Sunday readings featured an excerpt from the Book of Proverbs about the characteristics of a worthy wife. This incredible book gives us some concrete examples and tools for living an authentic and happy life, and some solid advice to men on how to choose a good woman-- It speaks of a man who finds a worthy wife AND entrusting his heart to her (love that...

I just saw a similar clip to this one and couldn't really believe my eyes. A divorce ceremony as a cause for celebration? wow. It makes my stomach turn when the divorcing couple smash their wedding rings in an act of "unity." A covenant ends with a smile and a handshake? Not on your life.....

Penn State University officials have fired head football coach Joe Paterno over the mishandling of sexual abuse allegations of one of his staff members.  The students reaction: Riot. yikes....

By now, I am sure many people have read about the disheartening abuse scandal regarding a former Penn State football coach. Legendary head coach Joe Paterno (left) announced today that he will be resigning at the end of the season and he expressed his sorrow that he wished he had 'done more' regarding gross mishandling of the situation by his staff. From this event, we see many realities at hand. First of all, we see that sexual abuse is not a problem solely encountered by "religious organizations." Whenever a priest is accused of abuse, critics are quick to attack and often drag in the issue of celibacy as a reason for abuse. This is untrue. Sickness and brokenness are the reason people abuse others, not celibacy. We also see that the tendency and desire to keep problems quiet or to deny their existence isn't only a "church problem" but is trait of fallen human nature. Many times when bad things happen or we have trouble in our family or organi...

 I am late on the draw on promoting the awesome work of Fr. Robert Barron, but better late than never! Fr. Barron, a prolific teacher and writer, has recently produced an incredible media project on the truth of our faith that was made into a series called Catholicism . Check out Fr. Barron's website here . Lend your support, pray for him and his mission and pass it on!

In the past few weeks, certain Catholic "leaders" have spoken out on a document that seemingly lends the Holy  Father's support to the Occupy Wall Street chaos. George Weigel writes another excellent article, clarifying the matter. Read it here .

Our very masculine convent bear (who is a eunuch for the kingdom, by the way) takes one for the team and dons a purple apron to help wish Sr. Giovanni a very happy birthday! Go Birthday Bear!

 Beary, the giant convent bear, intently watches the LSU/Alabama game...who will win? Beary thinks he knows... (or maybe he just wants to drink some tea and be civilized while watching the game.....)

I LOVE song #3, At Your Gate by Mike Mangione and the Union. It was so awesome to hear him sing it live and listen to the accompaniment by awesome band members Patrick and Kristina when we were in Spain. It was breath taking. God has surely filled the world with talented and beautiful people. Offering by LLRLRR

Happy Friday. Here is a beautiful song by Lifehouse. Enjoy!

If we want to change the world and the way things are, the best way to do that is to have a daily conversion from the depths of our hearts. True freedom comes from the forgiveness of sin. We must personally take responsibility for our sin and brokenness and allow Jesus to come and heal us. From this place of healing comes true transformation. Blowing things up and starting riots doesn't lead to peace. Occupy The Confessional and Receive Grace and Mercy!

From his book written in 1951- Three To Get Married: "There comes to every human, at one period or another, the discovery of his nothingness. The man who wanted a certain position eventually becomes dissatisfied with it, and wants something higher; he who has wealth does not have enough, not even with the first million. So, in married love, there comes the crisis of not completely realizing the ideal. But this crisis of nothingness which comes to everyone, married or not, does not mean life is to be mocked. One has not hit the bottom of life, but only the bottom of one's ego... During this crisis of nothingness, the thing that hearts are kicking and complaining against in not their destiny, nor their nature, but their limits, their weakness, their insufficiency. The human heart is not wrong in wanting love; it is wrong only in thinking that a human can completely supply it. What the soul yearns for in the crisis is the Light of love, which is God, and not the shadow...ins...

Love this address from our Holy Father given today in Rome for the Solemnity of All Saints.

In Part 2 of the ridiculous "marriage" drama of Kim Kardashian- she apparently MADE nearly 18 million dollars from her wedding event from start to finish. Kim has recently denied this claim stating she made no money off of the wedding and that she "married for love." There seems to be such confusion of what "love" is. The essence of true love is not powerful, pleasurable feelings but the willingness to do what is best for the beloved. True love is not fixated on the masculine or feminine traits found in a body but reaches deeply to the person as a whole- a creation of God who is unique, precious and unrepeatable. I found it interesting that the person quoted in this article speaks of how the industry makes money off of young people-- "But Gene Grabowski of Levick Strategic Communications said that the divorce could actually enhance Kim's brand, and isn’t likely to do any real long-term damage as she wasn’t taken particularly seriously in t...

We begin our road to sanctity very young. Is there anything more delightful than this? A kiss from a little boy to his mother :)