Obama at Notre Dame

This was a big deal in the Kuppinger sphere, being from a strong Catholic family and with Notre Dame blue and gold running through our veins, the fact that Obama was speaking at Notre was a big deal (did I already say that?)

Anyway the speech was magnificent, I sat there on the couch with Bryan and (made him) listen to it, he and I both knew it was an important moment in the Catholic world. Two hours later we went to mass and the priest absolutely deflated the importance of that moment, he called it a "travesty" and just horrifying that this man would be applauded for what he was saying. I was holding myself back from standing up and saying something from the pews, obviously this man had not heard what I had just heard! Well below is a great piece that appeared in the National Catholic Reporter that sums up so many of the thoughts I was having about this topic. My uncle sent it out , it is so nice to be from such a thought-provoking family!


It was a 'face-up-to-the-life-you-have-just-inherited' speech

By Joan Chittister

Created May 18, 2009

Yes, I know, I know. At least according to the media and the anti-abortion movement, President Obama's presence at Notre Dame University in South Bend, Indiana as graduation speaker and recipient of an honorary degree, was all about abortion. Except that it wasn't.
The speech was not about abortion at all. It was about lots of Catholic things -- if Catholics will only remember them -- but it was not about the morality or ultimate moral meaning of abortion at all. It was, in fact, more about the model of a Jesus who could talk to Roman soldiers and Samaritan women, to Pharisees and to adulterers with respect and with care. It wa s a recall of the Jesus who refused to condemn either the Roman emperor or his soldiers. It was also a call, at least indirectly, to the next generation to "put down their swords," to stop calling their opposite numbers -- those who seek to make abortion unnecessary than to criminalize it -- "murderers" and to listen to one another.
No small graduation speech.
Obama identified this year's Notre Dame graduates with a generation that must negotiate a global panoply of differences, a crossroads in time in need of lighthouses of faith to enable all of us to find our way.
Essential to the process, Obama insisted, was the willingness not to demonize those who hold faith-based positions different from ours, to realize their own sincerity, to take their positions as seriously as our own.
The speech was a breath of fresh air after living through an administration that fed on -- thrived on -- enemies and hate, that practiced ruthless partisanship in a pluralistic society, that chose party politics over the common needs of the country, that talked about "new crusades" and "terrorists" rather than attempt to relate to the needs and frustrations and ideals of peoples from whom such violence emerged, that chose ill-designed wars over the alliances necessary to marginalize such extremists even from their own.
Obama's speech was, in fact, far more than the standard-brand graduation rhetoric. It didn't extol aphorisms or meander down the Brady Bunch memory lane. It w as not a feel-good speech. It was a "face-up-to-the-life-you-have-just-inherited" speech.
It was a call not only to this year's graduates but to all of those who have preceded them intent more on winning than on working things out.
It was a call to adults to stop acting like sophomores in the name of faith. It was a cry to those on both sides of every issue to refuse to suppress complexity in a global, interfaith world. It was an attempt to move beyond force, beyond the denunciation of those who are just as committed to resolving problems as we are without making outlaws of those for whom the issue cannot wait for long-term answers.
It was, most of all, a very Catholic speech.
It deals with issues that have been a Catholic agenda for over 100 years of social justice encyclicals.
Obama asked graduates to see themselves as responsible for the global good as well as for their own success. He challenged them to go beyond the commitment to personal advantage to global good. He taught them that the zero-sum game, the notion that for me to win everyone else must lose, only means that everyone else will lose, and I, too, eventually. How can anyone in that audience who just went through an economic meltdown driven by greed which eventually brought the entire country down, doubt the value of those words, of that kind of commitment to a pro-life agenda.
He asked them, as an article of faith, to recognize the value of self-doubt that leads us to forego our own self-righteousness and inspires us to learn to listen to the wisdom of those around us.
He called them not to revel in the grandeur of their degrees from an isolated perspective but to remain open to the rest of the world. He called them to live their ideals but to resist the attempt to force them onto others.
He taught them to gain their hope from what has already been done in the past, what we as a people have already worked through and achieved, already overcome as a people together like the oppression of a king, the disregard for civil rights, the exploitation of laborers, the enslavement of a people, the struggle for animal rights, the recognition of women's equality, the movement beyond racism. It was, indeed, a very Catholic speech.
From where I stand, the struggle at Notre Dame to maintain a civil dialogue despite a difference in faith perspectives was another step in Catholic growth. We spoke clearly for the sacredness of life, yes, but we were also called not to leave any part of life out of our search for its sacredness.
Seventy out of 450 bishops criticized the presence of President Obama at a Notre Dame graduation and they denied the value of it. But the President did not. Instead, he modeled his own commitment to engage the country in common cause rather than divide it into mutually disrespectful camps. In the process, he may well have taught every bit as much about the gospel20and total respect for life as the bishops did. For the sake of the growth and impact of the church, I hope so.
From Where I Stand
Copyright © The National Catholic Reporter Publishing Company

Happy Mothers Day

Bonnie, Millie, Loretta, Dorothy and Dar...

Moms, grandmas and moms-in-law all hold a special place in my heart and all had a hand in developing my mothering skills. Teaching me everything from housekeeping, prayer, patience, sense of humor and traditions to discipline, courage and grace.

Thanks to you all!

Milestones

As a Mom of a 15 year old the milestones are coming fast and furious. Last week Bryan got his driving permit, I am happy for him and terrified at the same time. It is a huge step toward independence, not to mention higher monthly bills! He has done well with driving around town but it is truly the most stressful experience I have ever had. I have to stay calm so I don't alarm him and cause him to flip our SUV. But he needs constant advice mainly SLOW DOWN! Everytime we get out of the car I feel like I have run a marathon.

Another milestone he reached this week was his confirmation, 10 years of religious education and community service, with me behind him with two hands pushing the whole time. It was a very beautiful ceremony. Jim and I were very proud of this accomplishment!

Wild weather

We were having a pleasant evening at the ball park, Christopher's team won another game they are now 10-1! As we packed up, the sky started to look strange that yellow-gray glow --the temperature dropped about 25 degrees the wind picked up we got home quickly and down came the hail it was wild , it lasted almost an hour! The boys couldn't resist running out in it to collect some hail stones, Chris said it hurt when it hit him. One crazy night!

Reunion

I have returned from a wonderful reunion/retreat with my dear friend Karla! It was so nice to go back to our old stomping ground, Bryan really got a kick out of seeing where he "grew up." He most likely will end up back in Florida, he really likes the lifestyle, can't blame him! The picture above is the sunrise we watched on Delray Beach.

We stayed at Crane's Beach House just off Atlantic Avenue, what a hidden jem! Very tropical and private and then you walk a block and you are in the middle of the action!

The best part of course was getting together with my long time friends. We talked for hours, it was so great to catch up and see people in person, email and phones are great but "face time" is the best. Below is our awesome dinner at Luna Rosa Cafe right on the ocean, the moon came up over the ocean it was blazing red-- unforgettable.

Can't wait 'til next time!

Siblings

My brothers just went on a "Mancation" to Lake Tahoe. I am so happy for them, they both work very hard and surely deserved a wonderful break.

Of course since losing my sister, those old feelings come back from childhood when they had each other and I was odd girl out. I was so happy when she was born and we got the news she was a girl, I finally had somebody just for me! (Little did I know she was a total Tomboy) but as the years went by we became very close. We had some incredible adventures together and had many other trips planned together. An accident stole her from my future, and I have realized now I have to rely on my longtime girlfriends to fill in for her, because there is nothing like having a common history with people. In a few weeks I am going down to reconnect with my "girls" in Florida and just can't wait to see them!

Our Songs

My sister in law and I took my mother in law to see Elton John and Billy Joel face to face last week--she had always wanted to see them and I had never seen Elton before, it was the 3rd time I have seen Billy. It was phenomenal, 4 hours of memory evoking songs, I was emotionally drained at the end, I think I knew the words to every song and the melodies are so ingrained in my soul, it was something I will never forget.