Before I Forget…

• The Titanic had a sister ship, the slightly lighter Olympic, which was built first. Upon being launched, the Olympic collided with the British Cruiser, Hawke, and had to steer to Belfast for repairs. The designer, Alexander Carlisle, remembered a conference where lifeboat capacity was discussed for "five or ten minutes," whereas the time allotted for the discussion of decorations for the ships ran up to five hours. 
  -Isaac Asimov, Book of Facts
  
• "There are no experienced young people.  Time makes experience."
  -Aristotle, Greek Philosopher 
  
  · 7 Deadly Social Sins
  -Politics without principle, Wealth without work, Commerce without morality, Pleasure without conscience,
  -Education without character, Science without humanity, Worship without sacrifice
    -Ghandi of India
  

     When writer, Anne Lamott, defended her practice of making her fourteen-year-old son go to church even though he hates it, she was bombarded by critics who accused her of child abuse and brainwashing.  Ms. Lamott's response:  We live in bewildering times and a little spiritual guidance never hurt anyone.  Besides, teenagers left on their own would opt out of many important things that they didn't enjoy, like homework or flossing their teeth.  "It's good  to do uncomfortable things. It's weight training for life." Lamott knows God also loves teenagers who don't go to church, but such teens are deprived of seeing people who love God back.  "Learning to love back is the hardest part of being alive."  She also makes her son go to the church's youth group, "youth want guides," she says, adults who "know how to act like an adult but with a kid's heart.  They want people who will sit with them and talk about the big questions." 
     Do you agree with Ann Lamott?  I certainly do.  Do we have a responsibility as Catholic parents,  as a Catholic parish, as Catholic adults, to provide "wisdom"  figures for  our  teens?  Not just "intelligent"  people with degrees, but "wise" people who see the big picture of life, people who have learned about the meaning of real living from pain.

     Using Gandhi as a guide, ask yourself if and where the teen in your life is learning principles to live by; the dignity of work; morality that will guide them; a conscience; a character that is real quality; a sense of being  a part of humanity, not above anyone; the meaning of sacrifice.  Will the world be a better place when our young people take over as leaders, as "wisdom" figures?  I pray for that every day.
     Using the first fact from Asimov, do you spend more time on the "decorations" of your teen's life, or as a parent are you equipping them with the "lifeboats" that will serve them well when the accidents of life happen… not if they happen, but when they happen… every last one of us hits an iceberg or two or three in a lifetime. 
     Aristotle was a genius and his writings are still read and studied today.  As parents, are you helping your teen to learn from many sources and experiences, including a faith community?  Or, are you cheating them by letting them tell you what they want to experience?
     FACT:  Adults with a strong faith life face the major hurts of life much better than those without faith.   
     Parenting!  Isn't it great?!?

      Fr. Bill

Next weekend, September 13/14, is the Feast of The Exaltation of the Holy Cross, and we will have a guest homilist at all Masses, Reverend Gary L. Langness, who will share his experiences with us about joyful giving: "The denial of affluence is the major issue facing our church and our society. We need to help our people understand that they are affluent… People always compare themselves with someone who has more, not with the realization that 95% of the world has less."

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