In a few weeks I start my graduate program at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, where I will specialize in Reporting and Writing. The aspiring writer in me is craving this impending grammatical exorcism. I know that I am fortunate to be in a program that allows me to focus so intently on a lifelong passion of mine: the telling of stories through words. Books like A Cloister Walk, which I have been reading this summer, have taught me about writing’s inherent spirituality. As the start of classes draws near, I am hearing a call.
In Catholic school, I was taught a broad definition for vocation, summarized here in an Online Pocket Catholic Dictionary:
VOCATION, (Noun): A call from God to a distinctive state of life, in which the person can reach holiness. The Second Vatican Council made it plain that there is a “Universal call [vocatio] to holiness in the Church” (Lumen Gentium, 39). (Etym. Latin vocatio, a calling, summoning; from vocare, to call.)
Now this call from God, of which so many Catholics speak, must have been muddled on its way to me, because for years now I have heard a call to be a ponytail-wearing, newspaper-toting, married priest/nun/deacon-writer with several well behaved children. And my unusual conglomeration of passions, according to the church at present, means that I must have been getting mixed messages from above, because in the Catholic Church married women are excluded from serving as priests and as women religious. (Remember that married men may serve as Deacons). Married women are the lone category of adults without the opportunity to serve within the church as men or women religious. They are much-burdened spiritual orphans. I will soon join their ranks.
But I still have my words. We still have our words. And over the past few years, I have been ministered to by writers Lauren Winner, Kathleen Norris, Anne Lamott and Sue Monk Kidd. Some are married, some are mothers. They are doing holy work. That is their vocation.
I am going to study and practice journalism because I care about storytelling, and I want to improve as a writer. But I know that, for me, reporting is more than getting the facts straight. Singer/Songwriter Jack Johnson, in his song, “The News,” asks an intriguing question:
Why don't the newscasters cry when they read about people who die ?
At least they could be decent enough to put just a tear in their eyes. . .
Well, tonight I watched NBC Nightly News’ report on three brothers who searched for –and found –the long lost WWII submarine on which their father died. Watch the video and try not to cry. There is holiness in a journalist’s work. There are stories that need to be told. And there are people who are desperate to help and to serve.
Comments (6)
Ms Tenety
When are you going to join the married women who are unwanted in the church?
Uncle Bob
Akron Ohio
Posted September 21, 2007 11:36 AM
Posted on September 21, 2007 11:36
another unthinking liberal feminist out for blood against traditional values and cultures...you should fit in well with the media/papers if they are still in circulation after you graduate.
propagandist is a more appropriate term than journalist, btw, didn't you see how the NYTs and Wasington Post cheerlead our way into this lastest war?
Posted August 30, 2007 12:59 AM
Posted on August 30, 2007 00:59
Women spiritual orphans?
I guess they are if you don't consider delivering children to Christ a uniquely female vocation. Last time I checked it was married women who are the top candidates in the Church.
Posted August 28, 2007 11:41 PM
Posted on August 28, 2007 23:41
&Diams;
Posted August 28, 2007 12:36 PM
Posted on August 28, 2007 12:36
Howdy again dizzy Lizzy, et al;
As ECLATi-On(s)a/k/a Apocalyptarion(s) and "NOT" Pre-Apocalyptari-offs who are superstupidstitious folk, know that;
"WE ARE "Students-Forever" With SOURCE-ONE, The Holy, NoMan, Lord G-d/ECLAT + "i" and WE NEVER GRADUATE!
In the beggining of August, I got my 12 year old, "Alexander" The great, a/k/a Son Of G-D, a "Specialized High school Exam" Practice Book @ Barns-n-Noble. And On the "High School SAT's etc section, I picked-up a Thick Practice Book called "CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL EXAM." similar. And;
I noticed that there was very little said or asked about Jesus! Otherwise, Interesting.
Little one, Here under, is is an ECLATi-On or APOCALYPTIC definition of "Students Forever Never graduate" :
"A Person who becomes Conscious of the UNIVERSE as an ongoing process of SORCE-ONE and who continues to "LEARN" from that Process of Changes which produce other changes, also known as the passage-of-History, in which IT is possible for the "Student" to see that those "TRANSFERS" Of "Energy" are the FINITY's in Motion which "Historically" constitute the TRANASFINITY of the UNIVERSE, having IT's own PRODUCTIVE-CAPABILITY, from which OUR species on this Planet, a/k/a
Space-Ship Earth/Tellus/Gaia, learned how to make machines that make machines that finally allows US ti Civilize OUR selves more & more with the things that WE can do with those machines, the definition of OUR "Humate-Progress" thus being that WE learn-by-doing and WE do better by learning, which is the APOCALYPTIC definition that the on-going "Student" is progressively utilizing in order to make the case of LIFE & LOVE more clear , to Him self or Herself, so that
"He or She" can bennefit the most from the "Things to be learned" as the moments of His/Her BIOFINITY age back into the TRANSFINITY (you Holy immortal "Reality" on the eternal move) of the UNIVERSE where BIOFINITE-DEATH IS NOT TRANSFINITE DEATH and Her/His PHOTOFINITE ESSENCE (Heuristica/o, Spirit, Breath) shall also be a "Student forever" of the ESCHATOLOGICAL POSSIBILITIES in the PRODUCTIVE CAPABILITY of SOURCE-ONE, whether the student "Truly" believed in "IT" as Eponymous ECLAT (G-D/CREATER that caused the "FIAT-LUX") or not at any TIME [same as "Temperature", not Clock or Space-time, Lord/Eclat is about thr reality and awareness that,
IT is, Eternity avoiding Linliness, via US-ALL, doing the MIRACLE by Holy Cosmocially Balancing ALL animate(s) & Inanimate(s) via the immortal Absolute HOT & Absolute COLD balancing act via the Holy Cosmic Machine, so to speaketh] during the "Vapor & the Mist" of Her/His BIOFINITY as a "Member Of Humanity & Citizen Of SpaceShip Earth" (a/k/a HUMATES) OR in SPACE-FORTH ACTIVITIES ..." Ya!
Praise The Holy no Man Lord/G-D/Eclat + "i". a/k/a I+i appearing, together Forever with Source One ,in a Miracle & never , Contrary to any misguided Pre-Apocalyptic INFIXUS-BOOK(s)[Scriptures/Bibles/], was an HUMATE born in any kind of biblical definition of sin. Comming from the MAGMApercolation, Enjoying LIFE Today and then Poof Time agonna WE ALL goeth towards the PLASMAtriculation that brings us to the Holy Cosmic Non-Gravity place for another Planet Hopping miracle. Hence;
WE are Always on the Holy Cosmic Move, Together forever. [Like Electric Charge & Static Electricity, yet seperate entitys yet forever together. This Holy Cosmic LOVE & miracle Ya.] Thus ;
Eclati-On(s), not Off thinkers, never Died nor can Die! Just try to be "Good & Nice". And Never Snuff out or DIM the "Holy Cosmic Heart Beat" & "Light Of LOVE" of another Humate intentionally or Oneself, or unjustifiably, knowing or not!
Note: MODEN-MORALITY Rules! Not Pre-Apocalyptic Biblical Morality. Seq Passim, I've "Posted" the "TEN-FIATS" OF THE "NEW-SONG" that comliments, in liue of the Ten Commandment, the Eclati-on version of Ethical & Moral Behaviours. Please know that ECLATi-On(s) Holy Cosmic feeler(s) Book is called "The Book Of OURS" a/k/a "O.U.R.-BOOK" or OUR-BOOK.
OUR= One Universal Religion system BOOK! IT is both G-d Made & Man Made. IT is also a Humanity Doctrine for ALL to uphold & Make Honorable for "Healing of Nations, World Peace , GRIDARION DEMOVRACY, World Faith Exchange, VOTARY ASSOCIATION & More "Good" tidings that is Prophetically, as Promised via ALL Pre-Apocalyptic Infixus Books that are the Old-Songs now, yet
Lord/Eclat is Given each unique, always-On & frequencied "i" with Source-One, The Awarenes to see the NEW-SONG that came from them old-songs! Nothing is Forever, Includes the Catholic Church & All Other five Major religions of Space-Ship Earth future Bound, never Backwards Bound in thinking of G-D! So, Eclat Philosophy is already cometh to you anew & Is always Dynamic & never Static in Faith or Philosophy! Since you just read this then, Now you are Blessed "Little-Sistar" [Your Eclation Dynamic "New-Name"], so to speaketh.
- Jacob Jozevz ORM, (Ordained Revelation Minister. & CRUXOLOGIST & BIOMENTALIST of the Eclati-on Holy Cosmic feeler(s) Faith).
P.S. My Alma Mata is MARIST-COLLEGE. "The-Brothers" & Sistars School."
VOTE: (((( Peace-Love-Rock-n-Roll-n-Rap, Mitt-ROMNEY for Prez, 2008, YA! )))
Posted August 28, 2007 12:12 PM
Posted on August 28, 2007 12:12
Good luck in your studies and your career.
Just don't ask the mother who has seen her beautiful four-year-old daughter run over by a garbage truck how she's feeling about that [as many of your colleagues would].
Best wishes.
Posted August 28, 2007 10:18 AM
Posted on August 28, 2007 10:18