Saint John Summer Conference Video

This is one of the two videos I made in one week. The other is longer and so, it takes a little longer to upload.

Canoe Paddles and Hiking Shoes

I spent last weekend and part of this week on an outdoor adventure with the Eagle Eye girls, Father Nathan and Brother John James. Friday through Sunday I spent with a group called Four Seasons who plan events for each of the four seasons. For this trip, we canoed down the Castor River in Missouri. It was definitely worth the 6 hour drive. Again, we stayed with a very generous family during this part of the trip.

We spent Saturday canoeing down the river, which was relatively low in places, so it was necessary to get out and walk the canoes back into the current in places. At one point, Kristy and I successfully maneuvered through an obscure side passage around a fallen tree. It involved a lot of shrinking into the canoe to travel under branches, but we definitely conquered in that moment. We celebrated Mass on the riverside that day, using flipped over canoes as the altar. I don’t know if any of you have seen pictures of John Paul II celebrating Mass in that fashion, but it was definitely a beautiful moment for me.

After making some new friends as well as celebrating old friendships, the Eagle Eye Institute parted ways from the Four Seasons crew and made our way to Southern Illinois. We set up a camp on Sunday night and then hiked Monday and Tuesday, heading home on Wednesday. I was rather intimidated going into this part of the trip as I’ve never really backpacked, nor have I camped off trail. It ended up being a great experience, as well as giving me added excitement to partake of Eagle Eye Alaska this summer (hopefully). We hiked to the Garden of the Gods—or as Father Nathan calls it, “God’s Garden”—as our final destination.

My favorite moment of the weekend was during the hike. On Monday night we camped off trail near a rock formation overlooking the vast valleys of trees. After setting up camp Father Nathan celebrated Mass for us on the top of this rock formation as the sun was setting. Aside from capturing some stunning pictures of this Mass, it was a beautiful and uplifting time with God.

In our Metaphysics class with Fr. Nathan last night, he said that the whole point in taking us on outdoors adventures is to put us face to face with the reality of our limitations. To feel the solid rock beneath our knees as we knelt before our Lord, to feel the breeze as it swept by, and in the still moments to feel the ache of muscles after a great day of activity. In that moment I was placed before my very existence: not in a way that I was aware of, but through subtle things I often take for granted. It is in confronting the reality of being and finding delight in life, in the world and in the Love of God that I can begin to take small baby steps toward discovering who I am.

A beautiful facet of the Eagle Eye Institute is that our experiences together often relate back directly to what we’re learning in the classroom. We’re not always aware of the lessons as we’re learning them, but with them, we are being formed and shaped to see the world for what it is and to truly begin to live life. So often we allow ourselves to be swept downstream, when there is such richness is striving to swim upstream. Discovering what is truly real and living of it each day with each purposeful stroke, we can begin to discover who God is calling us to be in our daily lives.

September 18: All Roads Lead to Vocation

I’ve been at the Eagle Eye Institute for 2 weeks now and things might begin to slow down a little any day now. And by slow down, I mean, become familiar enough that I know exactly when I can take the time to update all my friends and family about my life here.

Our first week in Princeville, we shot into life as a community by traveling to LaCrosse, Wisconsin, to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadelupe. It was a beautiful weekend and we had a lot of fun. We did some hiking, had an outdoor Mass, and visited with some very generous families who opened their homes to us. Most importantly of the weekend was that as a community, we consecrated our year in the Eagle Eye Institute to Our Lady of Guadelupe. Her image has been following us ever since.

I wanted to relate one wonderful encounter that we experienced on this first adventure together, a story which has become a running joke and dear to our hearts. On our way to Wisconsin, we visited a Polish woman in a nursing home, her name is Mary

We entered the room when she was waking up from a nap and she was still in bed while we talked with her. She had a blanket around her legs, her snowy white hair fluffy in the front and flat in the back. We asked her how she was before Father Nathan and Brother Gabriel Maria came in and her first comment was, “This is the life!” and with that she threw herself back into the embrace of her soft blankets and pillows, in a pretend swoon.

When Father Nathan and Br. Gabriel Maria came in and asked how she was she said, “I’m good….” And in a shrill voice of remorse followed it with, “But I am not a nun!!!” Then she continued, “I wanted to be a nun when I was younger and now I have 10 grandchildren!” Then in turn she stared each of us down with eagle eye contact and asked, “Are you going to be a nun???” no answer, on to the next, “Are you going to be a nun???” no answer and then turning to Agata, who is from Poland, she asked, “Are you going to be a nun????” Her Polish glare pointed fixedly at Agata, who said, “Maybe.” Mary’s face relaxed and she smiled angelically on Agata, with a wrinkled finger to Agata’s cheek, Mary said, “Maybe… she says Maybe….” And then just as suddenly and with a youthful teasing she said with the hint of a Polish accent, “Maybe… Maybe a BABY!!!... maybe a baby…” To which of course we all laughed.

There is something to be said about Mary. The first of which touches the heart of something Pope John Paul II said in “Crossing the Threshold of Hope.” On page 125 he says of himself and young people, “Even though he is getting older, they urge him to be young, they do not permit him to forget his experience…” Mary’s playful spirit and her wealth of experiences from life inspired me. Her simple statement, “Maybe… Maybe a Baby” is just another reminder of the beauty of vocation. To be called to, through your experiences, discover the reality of friendship and true love. Discovering what love is, what it means and what it costs (the cross) can only be done through our experiences. We can’t define love or friendship without first coming face to face with reality. These lived experiences can lead us into deeper truths about life, love and friendship.

This incredible journey that I’m on with the Eagle Eye Institute is giving me the opportunity to look at my life with eyes wide open to God’s will and to discover how he is calling me to love. My heart is totally His and I desire for Him to make His residence there. Pray with me, that he will show me little by little how he wishes me to love in this world. That I might dive in with both feet and no longer say “Maybe… Maybe a baby,” but firmly and concretely, “FIAT, be it done unto me according to your word!”

Introductions

In the interest of your well being as you go through this blog, allow me to introduce the beautiful women of God that I am blessed to be sharing this year with. The introductions will only touch the surface of how wonderful these women are, especially since that is something I, myself, am still discovering. Aristotle once said, “To truly count someone as your friend, you must first eat a bag of salt together.” We have a long way to go.

Agata was born in Poland and moved to the U.S. when she was 19. She’s been here for 10 years studying. She works as a Physicist and is on the precipice of earning her PhD. She loves being outdoors and I have nick-named her “Agata the Worker,” as even when she was little her favorite toy was a hammer and nails.

Becca and I met when she first came to an Eagle Eye Summer Camp for teens. Her family doesn’t live far away from the brothers. As my roommate I have the pleasure of sharing some great moments with Becca. She’s the youngest of the group, but possesses a beautiful maturity that puts her way ahead of me. She’s a sassy individual with a quick wit and sense of humor, which, I’m sure, will come out in many of the stories of this year.

Emma is from Florida. She has a beautiful angelic voice and loves to sing. Last year she worked with LAMP ministries and the Sisters of Life. Her attention to detail is a wonderful blessing, as not much escapes her notice, and the apartment looks more beautiful and welcoming as an effect. She is very warm and caring, and one of these days I’m going to get her to play football.

Erin is also from Illinois. I met her on the first ever teen Eagle Eye 6 or 7 years ago when I was 16. She and I then attended Franciscan University of Steubenville together, where we truly developed our friendship. To describe her in one word would be impossible as there are so many excellent words to choose from. My mind rests on Prankster, the effects of which are already rubbing off on me. We laugh and have a lot of fun, but the best of all is that I am already comfortable sharing little moments with her and am thankful every day that she decided to come this year.

Graceanne, who moonlights as Park Ranger Clarence, is from Pennsylvania. Although I haven’t heard her play violin yet, it seems as though she is very good in her humble way. She once played at a school in Italy for 5 weeks where she went on several adventures and saw the Holy Father by happenstance. One thing she has made perfectly clear, is that she LOOOOVES St. Therese of Lisieux. She is surprisingly unsurprising: which in plain English means that I can hardly ever believe the things that come out of her mouth, but each time I wonder why I’m surprised. She’s got a great sense of humor and is very quick to laugh.

Joan is from Wisconsin but also has a great love for Canada. She attended a Catholic Bible School in Canada for one year and remained for a second as their secretary. She also worked in Youth Ministry at a parish in Wisconsin. She loves the outdoors and is great to have along for hiking adventures. On the many car rides we’ve taken together thus far, she is found occupying herself by making beautiful rope rosaries. So far she’s given a rosary away to every new person we’ve encountered. She has a very giving nature and her vibrant laugh and smile brighten up the apartment.

Kristy is also from Wisconsin, she and Joan have many mutual friends but never met until Eagle Eye. Kristy and I have shared many laughs and adventures these last two weeks. Her sassy sense of humor and compelling story telling keeps us laughing around the dinner table. She counseled at a youth camp for a couple summers, but at the moment I can’t remember what camp.

Father Nathan is my Spiritual Director, founder of all things Eagle Eye. He began Eagle Eye as a week-long summer camp for teens in response to a need he saw in 3 sisters he encountered on a rock-climbing adventure. He asked them where they went to go deeper, and when their answer was “no where” he created for them a week long camp. It was meant to only be the one-time, but the Holy Spirit and Our Lady had different plans. He then moved into weekend retreats throughout the year as well as the summer camps and now he has formed a school for young adults called the Eagle Eye Institute. Father is a very compelling teacher and I am always riveted in his classes. He has a way of portraying the truths in ways that show me passages to deeper waters, always challenging me to become closer to Christ through forming my intelligence.

Eagle Eye Institute: It is such a gift to be able to step away from the world and enter into a life of ora et labora, prayer and work. Prayer is the center of my life at the Eagle Eye Institute. We live the monastic prayer life with the Community, that being: Silent Prayer in adoration in the morning, Morning Prayer, Midday Prayer, Mass, spending time in thanksgiving for the Sacrifice of the Mass, Vespers followed by Adoration and the Angelus three times a day. I will eventually go into the beauty of each of these prayers in subsequent posts. In the afternoons each of us has an apostolate we work on for the brothers. Mine are acting as Father’s right hand for planning the Saint John Summer Conference, Advertising the Summer Conference, Organizing SAP Saturdays and WOW Weekends for Teens as well as audio and video work for the Community. At this point all 8 of us, women, are living in the Contemplative Sisters’ guest house. I have a room in the beautiful and cozy apartment and there are 4 girls in the main extension of the guest house. The Brothers recently purchased a house and some land very close to the monastery. We are in the process of working to renovate the house and once the necessary changes are made they will allow this year’s Eagle Eye Institute girls to move in. Next year the property will either be used as a guesthouse for the Brothers or as a Novitiate for the Apostolic Sisters in America.

Detachment

I've been given the word, September 13 the Eagle Eye Institute will open its doors for this year's class. The few days I have left before I leave will be spent hanging out with friends and family, tying up loose ends, and... packing.

Packing used to be easy: you take almost everything you own, stuff it in bags, suitcases an boxes, geometrically place all of it in the back of the family car and drive off into the wilderness. Pictured is what I brought with me to my first semester of college, sheesh!

Since those earlier days of packing up and heading to school I have realized something: I only use about one third of what I bring along. A semester abroad in Austria cured me of my need to bring EVERYTHING. The question becomes, "What do I really need?" This part of detaching myself, I'm okay with. I've done enough activities with the Community of St. John to know what to expect and what to bring along.

I'm leaving in a few days and the question running through my head now is, "How can I leave life in Iowa?" And the odd thing is that I never thought I'd say that. I love Iowa, but I had never really felt that attached to it. I came back after school to be close to my family before giving God a year of my life through Eagle Eye. I worked a very rewarding year at the Catholic Radio Station and was touched by the stories of the staff, the hosts and their listeners. My parents moved to South Carolina, giving me a nice place to visit and my brother and sister-in-law bought the house we grew up in.

So many changes in one year and yet I know that leaving Iowa is going to be the hardest part of beginning Eagle Eye. My older brother and his wife have two beautiful and amazing children, Roman and Judah. I've mentioned them before. As I write this, Judah is sleeping on my shoulder. It's the playful light in their eyes that will be hard to leave: the hugs, kisses, laughs and squeezes. It's the gentle and nurturing love Ruth Ann has for her boys and the steadfast friendship she shows me. It's the antics of my brothers as they make up games and tease me. It's in the friendships I have fostered and the wisdom of the women at Bible study.

One thing is certain, God is calling me to this life. He will provide me with the means to keep those I love close to my heart as I open it to new people and experiences. I can walk forward with the eyes of faith only because of He who walks with me.

Thank You

I am overwhelmed by the response to the fund raising letter I sent out for the Eagle Eye Institute: School of Evangelization. All those who received the letters are in my thoughts and prayers. It is such a blessing to have so many amazing friends and family who have a willingness to serve the Lord through their gifts. So thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

Each day I get closer to leaving for the Eagle Eye Institute and I am so excited. Pray for me and all those who are coming as well as those who are now discerning whether to spend the year in the Institute.

Baptized into Christ

Judah Gerard Pometto
Born: June 2, 2009
Baptized: August 9, 2009







Last night, Judah Gerard Pometto was Baptized into the family of Christ. As his godmother, I found myself waiting for it to begin, suddenly nervous. This beautiful bouncing baby boy is now my spiritual charge. I have been entrusted to bring him forward in prayer. It is a new opportunity to offer my sufferings to the Lord, that they may be put to better use.

I hope that the Lord will renew my spirit each day that I my small sacrifices would enrich Judah's life.

As Judah's older brother Roman expressed during the ceremony:
The water was poured over Judah's head in baptism, Roman,
watching this says
"Want the water? Want water on your head."
Ruth Ann patiently reminded Roman that "You've already done this."
Roman perks up and reaches once again for the baptismal font "Want to do it again?!"