Seven Quick Takes

It's my first time ever taking part in Jen Fulwiler's 7 Quick Takes. I feel like this means I've "arrived" as a Catholic blogger. :)

- 1 -

Frank is coming with me to Chicago this weekend! It's his first time visiting my family and I'm so excited I can't even stand it. I'm grinning right now just thinking about it.

- 2 -

It's only his third or fourth time riding an airplane, so I walked him through the online check-in process, which I loved. It's fun to feel like an expert from time to time, even on something as little as riding a plane.

- 3 -

The next 12 hours are going to be pretty wild. First we're going to the reception for the CIC's first-annual John Paul II dinner. We have to take all our luggage to the reception and change clothes there, because right afterwards we're catching a train to the airport. Then we have our 8:50 pm flight, arriving in Chicago at 10 pm, and giving Frank a fast evening tour of my home and introducing him to Cathy (my one sister he hasn't met yet). Then there will be a bunch of crazy preparations for Maggie's bridal shower at 11 am tomorrow!

Lillian sent me a list of my jobs for the shower and hopefully I can get them all done before 11 am tomorrow. Thank goodness Lillian and I are both Maggie's Maids of Honor because one of us is way more organized and efficient than the other, and I'll give you one guess who.

- 4 -

Are you looking for something to do this weekend? Consider going to see For Greater Glory, the spectacular new film about the Cristero Revolution in Mexico in the early 1900s, which was released today.

Source

I saw an advance screening with Frank and I was impressed. Unlike some Christian films (Fireproof, for example, which was cheesy and awkward), this movie was an artistic masterpiece: beautifully made, excellently directed and with an impressive roster of big-name actors. It was awesome. I can't remember the last time I was so inspired by a movie - or felt so personally invested in its cause.

I noticed several rows of little boys around age 12 at the movie screening. I kind of wondered why they were there. I learned after the film that they're all altar boys at local Catholic churches. Whoever thought to invite them made a smart move. This movie is perfect for boys in their early and mid teens - and for girls too. Please go see it and take any teens you know too.

- 5 -

I just read on BadCatholic about the most beautiful new initiative called Imagine Sisters.

Amazing, exciting stuff. The Church can always use more vocations to the religious life. I'm so glad that the sisters are recruiting for new vocations more actively.

- 6 -

Remember a while back when I joked about making myself babysitting business cards with a Mary Poppins theme?  Well, I finally did it.

So cute, right? If you know anyone in the DC or VA area looking for a babysitter, send them my way!

- 7 -

I have two favorite churches near my hometown. There is St. Isaac Jogues, my family's parish, which has the most wonderful pastor and feels like home. Then there is St. Mary of the Angels, which is ridiculously gorgeous and has a plethora of great priests (and GREAT preaching). Hence my dilemma: which church should we take Frank to on Sunday? I wish we could go to both!

My mom suggested that I could take Frank to 8 am Mass on Saturday at St. Isaac's and then go with the family on Sunday to St. Mary's. That sounds like a good compromise... if we can actually wake up early enough on Saturday.

Between traveling, the bridal shower and reception, showing Frank around my hometown and catching up with a bunch of old friends from high school and college, this weekend will be a busy one! I can't wait.