News from ‘All Around:

Congratulations to our friends in England and the CYMFed for the reportedly greatly successful Flame 2012 event in Wembley Stadium!

Congratulations to all our friends on the US West Coast who led and participated in the annual Youth Day at the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress. The theme this year was "Voice Infusing Life/Voz Que Infunde Vida"

GUANAJUATO, MEX —Pope Benedict XVI reached out to the future of the church in Mexico on Saturday, telling a gathering of children to be messengers of peace in their often-violent country.

The pope reserved his only public remarks of the day for a gathering of about 4,000 children and their parents massed in Peace Plaza in the city of Guanajuato, telling them that they are each a "gift of God to Mexico and the world." Referring indirectly to the drug-fueled violence plaguing Mexico, he urged them all to be messengers of peace.

"The disciple of Jesus does not respond to evil with evil, but is always an instrument of good instead, a herald of pardon, a bearer of happiness, a servant of unity," Benedict said. "I will pray for all of you, so that Mexico may be a place in which everyone can live in serenity and harmony."

"We’re excited to hear his words, not just for this moment, but to carry in our lives and to know God better," said 17-year-old Fabiola Gonzalez, who traveled by bus with a group of 45 teenage girls from Guadalajara to the plaza. "We hope they will last more than this week."

Tens of thousands, many of them teenagers, watched his remarks on big screen televisions in a nearby pilgrim camp at the site of the papal Mass planned for Sunday. The atmosphere was like a rock concert as the TVs showed the pope emerging on a balcony in nearby Guanajuato, with campers letting go a roaring chant of "Benedicto, Benedicto." Read more from the Boston Globe.

News from ‘Round Here:

Monday was a usual day.  Slow starting because of the retreat the night before, but good desk time with lots of things knocked off the “to-do” list, including making a formal formal system for the to-do list.  The evening involved a few errands and a surprising better than I thought medifast weigh-in.

Tuesday was already documented with the announcement of a new Archbishop.  It changed a lot about the way the rest of the day ran. the re was some sending out of resources.  Out for an early dinner, a foreign language film, and a delivery of resources to a friend… all in the same trip.

Wednesday featured two forays into the filed. Lay Ecclesial Ministers gathered to participate in the Parish Planning Process in the morning and the evening saw the Youth Ministry Council gathered.  Lots of constructive conversations all around.  Thursday was more in-house with a lengthy e-team meeting.

Friday, the office staff was over at my apartment for a planning day.  We took a look back over the past year and celebrated successes and noted lessons learned. We have a full calendar before us for 2012-13 but are looking forward to it all.  Friday was the Amazing Weekly Experience (AWE)

Saturday day was mostly a wash, but for the fact that I restructured my living room and made a significant purchase of an addition to my collection of angels.  I was off to a party in the evening.  Sunday was a series of office project (council minutes, staff minutes, calendar development, budget projections, survey question formation, drafting parent newsletter) interspersed with additional spring cleaning.

Friday of week eight of my medifast diet paired up with a consistent schedule of workouts  was a very, very special day… I HIT MY TARGET WEIGHT eight days in advance.  (Which means you’ll be spared any more reports!)

From my highest recorded weight this fall, I’m down 37 lbs; 32 from my Thanksgiving weekend annual physical.  Medifast was responsible most of it, however… the last 27 pounds. I’ll be learning maintenance for a a few months, and then plan to go for maybe 10-15 more.