"Here I AM Lord" Conference

Every year St. Patrick's parish in St. Charles, Illinois has a huge vocation awareness conference for the young people. Many religious orders come to get the word out about vocations and their particular community. There was a lot of awesome talks about topics that young people need to hear about. Each day was targeting a different but similar audience. They spoke about the dignity and worth of each person despite of life's circumstances. Rebecca K.... she was born 3 years before Roe. vs Wade so she was saved from being aborted. She was conceived in rape and her mother put her up for adoption. She was adopted by a Jewish couple and raised in their faith. When she found out how she was conceived she sought to find her mother. They were reunited and her mother told her that she tried to abort her and if it was legal she would have. After years of struggling she found her identity is Christ as an adopted daughter of Christ and became Catholic. Her biological mother eventually changed her mind and was glad to have the opportunity to be hr mother. She is now the face of all those children conceived in rape and are killed. The statistics say that the trauma of abortion is harder for the woman than the trauma of the rape. 100% pro-life!

There was a lot of good music and awesome skits that the youth did as well. On Friday morning, I spoke with 8ish 7th and 8th graders about vocations and answered their questions.
1. Yes we wear PJs.
2. Yes, we occasionally eat fast food
3. Yes, we sleep in beds.
4. NO, religious life is never boring.

Oh, and the questions they ask.... on Saturday morning Sr. Mary Michael and I taught a portion of a First Communion retreat to a bunch of cute 2nd graders.

That evening we heard a great homily by the Bishop of Rockford, on being open to a vocation and how all vocations are a gift. We then retreated to a delicious supper where the Sisters, brothers, priests, and seminarians surprised the guests with a flash mob of the "Salva Regina" based on Sister Act. All the finally professed Sisters got up and did the slow part and where it speeds up the young ones (ie sisters and brothers in formation and seminarians) stood up and liven it up. :) Also, it always amazes me how quick-like phones, cameras, etc come out to film it.

After supper, the Bishop gave a talk about the importance of and beauty of all the vocations. It was a beautiful talk. It also urged the young people to ask the question "Lord, what are you calling me to?" After his talk we did an encore of the flash mob only this time in the Church and all ended up on the altar/steps. It was being filmed, this time, by the "Imagine Sisters" crew and a few others. Look for it on youtube soon. :) And while you are at it, check out Imagine Sisters.

Our host family was awesome! They spoiled us and I got to read to a 2 year old and an almost 5 year old and was told I was the best reader. :) 4 years of college and an education degree taught me something. The 2 year old called me "Lady" and St. Mary Michael was simply "Michael." 2 year olds are great.

I am now safely home and looking forward to a little down time. Next week is Spring Break so all the Sisters will be home which is always a blessing. We will be attending a retreat done by Immaculate is a couple of weekends. It should be good!

I promise I will write Lori more often!