News from ‘All Around:

BOONE, NC – – For more than 20 years, young people have been fighting hunger and poverty in their own communities through Souper Bowl of Caring, raising more than $81 million for soup kitchens, food banks and other charities. Several churches within the High Country are set to participate in this nationwide outreach next Sunday. including St. Elizabeth of the Hill Country Catholic. Read more from the Watauga Democrat

LAKE HOUSTON, TX – – Coinciding with the 2012 Texas Rally for Life in Austin on Saturday, Jan. 28, the Youth Ministry of Huffman’s St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church prayed the Holy Rosary and spoke prayers of petition outside a surgical facility.

“We are honoring what they are doing in Austin, remembering the Roe v. Wade decision, but we are coming here, local, because [the message] is still incredibly powerful and it is easier for the kids to get out here — get a lot of them involved in it rather than one or two that can take the trip to Austin,” Youth Ministry Director Becky Pursell said, pointing out the benefit of teaching young parishioners the faith in a practical sense. “I think it is wonderful for the kids to actually see it. I think that anytime we can get them out of the church, where we are teaching them the truth and we are teaching them what the church believes — and show them how it actually works in real life — that is going to help them as they get older. They leave the school environment of learning and are actually doing. Of course, it is so much more powerful for all of us to be out here and see the people.” Read more form the Lake Houston Observer.

News from ‘Round Here:

The week started out, of course, with the annual celebration noting the occasion of my birth. A solid work day followed by a lovely glass of wine and the girls coming over for dinner.

Tuesday was our St. John Bosco lunch and meeting. We get to hang with some of the most thoughtful and professional youth ministers in the land.  It was certainly an Awesome Weekly Experience (A.W.E.) In the early evening, I met with Harford County Area Youth Ministers (HAY) and their Respect Life counterparts and we started negotiating a shared event.  Then, after a long day, it was off to home.

Wednesday involved setting up the office newsletter for delivery the next day, cutting a few videos, and other tasks. In the evening Georgina Vac and I met with a local volunteer regarding doing some human sexuality training with Hispanic young adults. Thursday was a daylong e-team meeting at O’Dwyer. Friday was more editing of videos as well as starting to write a potential article for the Catholic Review.  The evening involved home-cooking and an On-Demand viewing of Moneyball.

Saturday was a very chill day full of relaxing and writing.  Snow and slushy rain came with sundown.

Sunday- Ran out to the Archdiocesan Youth Council Meeting – It was their turn for the parish planning listening session (last week went to young adults).Watched the first half of the Super Bowl and Madonna (awesome!) at a friends and was home asleep before the final whistle. 

Back on Monday, I started a medifast diet – tough to start with both a birthday and a big meeting- In my first seven days, anyway  I also continued into a second week of being much more consistent regarding workouts. Since Monday, I’ve dropped 7.4 pounds. (according to my scale in the am); 8.5 lbs. according to the official weigh-in later in the pm.)