Calling All Catholic Writers

Several prominent Catholic writers will speak at the fifth annual Catholic Writers’ Conference LIVE taking place August 7-9, 2013, at the Garden State Exhibit Center in Somerset, NJ. Sponsored by the Catholic Writer’s Guild and the Catholic Marketing Network (CMN), and held in conjunction with CMN’s annual retailer trade show, the Catholic Writers Conference LIVE provides Catholic writers with a prime opportunity to meet and share their faith with editors, publishers, fellow writers, and bookstore owners from across the globe. The theme of this year's conference is “The Year of Faith.”

Speakers at this year’s conference include authors Patti Armstrong (STORIES FOR THE HOMESCHOOL HEART), Teresa Tomeo (Ave Maria Radio, WRAPPED UP, EXTREME MAKEOVER), Michelle Buckman (RACHEL’S CONTRITION, MY BEAUTIFUL DISASTER), Randy Hain (THE INTEGRATED CATHOLIC LIFE), Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle (EWTN, CATHOLIC PRAYER BOOK FOR MOTHERS), Ellen Gable Hrkach (STEALING JENNY), Regina Doman (RAPUNZEL LET DOWN), author, blogger and podcaster Pat Gohn (BLESSED, BEAUTIFUL, AND BODACIOUS) and many others.

The conference will give authors an opportunity to meet personally with publishing professionals and pitch their writing projects. Some participating publishers are Ignatius Press, Full Quiver Publishing, Ave Maria Press, Christus Publishing, Tuscany Press and Servant Books.  In addition, attendees have the opportunity to sign up for critique workshop with award-wining short fiction writer Arthur Powers, and attend a writing workshop with award-winning novelist Michelle Buckman. Information for these events can be found on the conference web site.

Maurice Prater of Missionaries of the Holy Family attended in 2012, and he says he did not know what to expect at first. “But, what I gained from attending the Catholic Writers Conference, in terms of personal contacts and what I learned, has proven to be one of the best decisions I have ever made." Author Ann Frailey, concurs. “I met writers, publishers, artists and a whole host of other people whose mission it is to transmit the message of truth and hope to the world in a living, vibrant manner.  It was an exciting adventure!”

The Catholic Writers Guild, a religious non-profit organization affiliated with the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, sponsors this conference in August, an online conference in March, and a writers' retreat in October to further its mission of promoting Catholic literature. "With members all over North America, these events bring our diverse membership together for fellowship and networking to promote our mission of creating a rebirth of Catholic arts and letters," says CWG President and award-winning novelist Ellen Gable Hrkach.

Registration costs $80 for CWG members, $85 for non-members and $45 for students. There's also a discounted combined membership. To register or for more information, go to http://www.catholicwritersconference.com.

Lauda Sion Sequentia--Gregorian

Note the different founders of religious orders surrounding the Divine Presence.

You Have the Right to be Wrong

G.K. Chesterton once said that he didn't want to belong to a church that told him he was right, when he was right. He wanted a church to tell him he was wrong, when he thought he was right.

I always liked that thought.  I think wrestling with the church's teachings are good.  It shows that you are taking the church seriously.  You have to think through the reasons why the church is teaching a dogma.  The church never tells you what to do because all humans have free will.  The church explains its teachings and asks for the respect to consider its teachings.  They need to be studied, maybe researched, and definitely prayed upon.

Like Chesterton, I want to know when I'm wrong.  I'll take it seriously and look into it.  Praying, all the while.

Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival

This week I wrote every day, except for Saturday.  We celebrated Father's Day that day, a day earlier. It was just easier.  When you're adult children have children, they have three fathers to honor, i.e., their own, their spouses', and their husband (he's a father, too).  So we spread Father's Day out--all weekend.  Anyway, no post.

The best ones this week was my first attempt at a ballad about the Boston Marathon.  I also choose the parable called, A Prayer Group Tale.  This story was so much fun, I think I'll  make it a series.  I'll have this simple, self-effacing, prayer group tell tales of spiritual heroism.

What I find strange is that my favorite posts are the ones that get the least hits.  I know all I have to do is post something controversial and I'll get lots of hits.  But I'm not about "getting in your face."  And what I find very, very sad, is that my most popular posts, are about getting jobs.  I pray for job seekers.

Anyway, here's this Sunday's Snippets.  Be sure to check out others at This n' That Blogspot.

Fat Rapunzel

This is a skit, I've made for my  T.O.P.S. chapter.  What do you think?

Rapunzel

 4 people: narrator reads the bold parts.  Rapunzel.  Prince.  Mother.

Props:  ladder and a large ribbon

###

Nowadays, it is very hard for a single mom to raise a daughter all by herself.  This mother thinks that she has solved the problem by locking her daughter, Rapunzel, in the tower of their attic, at the very top of their old Victorian house.

        There Rapunzel grows up to be a beautiful teenager.  Although she has everything she could possibly want, Rapunzel doesn’t get enough exercise living in a one room tower.  This doesn’t really bother her all that much, after all, who cares if she’s fat.  She never sees anybody except her mother.  So she wiles away her time by reading and listening to music.  She likes to sing, however, and daydreams that she’s a famous opera star, traveling around the world singing in opera houses.

        One day, a handsome prince hears the beautiful voice and follows the music.  He is enthralled to see a beautiful girl, way up in the window of the tower.  As he looks up and enjoys the music, we join him…

Prince:  Her voice is so beautiful.  She is beautiful, too.  I could listen to her forever.

The prince claps, when the song ends.  (Clap, Clap, Clalp)

Rapunzel:  Oh!  You startled me.  I didn’t see you.
Prince:  Please don’t stop singing, beautiful lady.  You sing so beautifully.

Rapunzel:  You embarrass me.  I –I – I don’t think I can sing, anymore.

Prince:  What a pity!  What is your name?

Rapunzel:  Rapunzel

Prince:  Come down so we can get to know each other.

Rapunzel:  I can’t.  I’m  locked in this tower.

Prince:  Why?

Rapunzel:  My mother loves me and is so afraid of the world.  I’m locked away to keep me safe.

Prince:  I’ll protect you.  Ask your mother to let you out.

Rapunzel:  OK.  I will ask her tonight when she brings my supper. 

Prince:  I’ll come back tomorrow, the same time.  Good-bye beautiful lady.

Rapunzel:  Goodbye, sweet prince.

Later on in the day, Rapunzel’s mother unlocks the door to the tower and brings in a huge platter of spaghetti and meatballs, garlic Italian bread, butter, whole chocolate milk, and pecan pie with ice cream. 

Rapunzel: Oh mother, thank you.  The most wonderful thing happened today.

Mother:  Yes dear.

Rapunzel:  I met the most handsome prince, and he wants me to leave the tower, and go down to meet him.

Mother:  What!  Oh dear, this is what I was always afraid of.  Think Rapunzel.  Why does he want to meet you?

Rapunzel:  He likes my singing.

Mother:  Ha!  Don’t be naïve.  You think he’s impressed?  Wait till he sees you.  You are over twenty  pounds over-weight.   He’ll back off faster than ice cream on a hot day.

Rapunzel:   oh (sadly)

Mother:  Never mind, my dear.  Mumzie loves you.  Now be a good girl and clean your plate, I’ll be up later and we can play cards.

Poor Rapunzel ate her food choking back deep sobs.  What can she do?  Fate is so cruel.  She finally meets a young handsome prince, and she’s too ugly to let him see her. 
      The next day, the prince comes back.

Prince:  Rapunzel, Rapunzel, come out and play.

Rapunzel:  I can’t dear prince.  My mother forbids it.  I must stay in the tower.  But I will sing you a song.

Prince:  But why?

Rapunzel:  Because it’s safer than outside.  What song would you like to hear?

Prince:  I don’t understand.

Rapunzel changes the subject by singing.  She sings so beautiful that the prince is lost in thought.  When she finishes, they bid each other good night.
     The next day, he’s back.

Prince:  Rapunzel, how’s this idea?   If you can’t come down, can I come up?

Rapunzel:  Er…er…er The room is a mess.  I’m embarrassed for you to see it.  

Prince:  I don’t care about the room.  I just care about you.  You can clean the room and tomorrow I’ll bring a ladder.

Now what was Rapunzel going to do?  Once the prince saw how overweight she was, he’d never come back.  Maybe she’ll tell him she’s very sick with something contagious.
     The next day, he’s back.

Prince:  Rapunzel, I’m here with a ladder.  Let me come up.

Rapunzel:  NO!  No, you can’t.  I’m sick.  I’m sick with measles.  It’s highly contagious.

Prince:  That doesn’t bother me.  I’ve been inoculated. 

And the prince starts to climb up.  But the ladder is too short to reach all the way to the window. 

Prince:  Oh Rapunzel, what can I do? 

Rapunzel:  Whew!  Oh.  I mean, Oh Well!  Maybe it’s not meant to be.  Let’s just talk and get to know one another.

Prince:  We’ve done that.  And I already know that I love you.

Rapunzel:  And I love you.  But you, well, you don’t really know me.

Prince:  I do.  I love you.

Rapunzel:  What if I’m fat and ugly?

Prince:  I’ve gotten to know a beautiful girl.  If the outside of this beautiful girl is fat and ugly, that won’t matter at all.  That’s just the outside.

Rapunzel:  Really?

Prince:  Yes, I mean it.

Rapunzel:  Well, I could let down all my hair, and you could climb up.

Which was exactly what the prince did.  The prince and Rapunzel are together.  And he was not repulsed by Rapunzel’s weight, at all.  She was not ugly, just overweight, and he knew exactly what to do about that.

Prince:  Rapunzel, it’s no wonder you’re overweight.  You don’t get enough exercise.  You won’t be able to escape out of this tower if you can’t fit through the window.  Let’s set up an exercise regimen.

Rapunzel:  Yes, you are so right.  I get no exercise at all.  And I’ll eat less.  My aim is to fit through that window to be with you.

We will now fast forward to a month, ahead.  Rapunzel has been dancing to her singing.  She has taken up zumba and pilates.  She also dropped out of the clean plate club and told mumzie that she wants salad to be part of her dinner and cut the portions drastically.  Mumzie wanted to keep Rapunzel happy and Rapunzel never seemed happier.  The prince came everyday.

Prince:  Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair. 

Rapunzel:  Here you are.

Prince:  My goodness.  Look at you.  Your clothes are too big for you.

Rapunzel:  I’ve lost ten pounds.

Prince:  I think if you keep the regimen up, we can elope, next month.  Let’s dance to that.

And so Rapunzel and the prince danced the night away, planning their elopement.  The prince made wedding arrangements and planned the great escape.  Finally, the day came.

Prince:  Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair.

Rapunzel:  Here you are.  Why, what are you carrying?

Prince:  Rapunzel, you can fit through the window now.  You can also fit this engagement ring on, and the wedding ring that awaits you.  Here is a strong satin ribbon to tie on the bed post, so you can lower yourself out the window.

Rapunzel:  The ring fits!!  And I fit through the window! 

Prince:  Rapunzel you have made me so happy.

Rapunzel: You have made me happy too.  Who knew what exercise and eating less would do?

 

Stinkin Like Low Tide

You have to follow my thinking process, here.  I was reading Sunday's Gospel Luke 7: 36-50.  This reading tells the story of the woman washing Jesus' feet, drying them with her hair, and perfuming them.  This washing of the feet reminded me of a few weeks ago.  Hubby and I were at the beach.  I went for a walk.  It was low tide, and I haven't walked and explored the beach, since last year.

You know how it is.  I poked in ebb pools, lifted periwinkles, watched sea anemones, slushed, splashed, and smushed, in the low tide mud.

I had a ball!

I had picked up so many interesting shells and rocks that my pants were hanging off my hips.

When I arrived back to the car, hubby was none too pleased.  I smelled like low tide.  "Wash your feet off."  He said.

So, I walked back down to the water and let a few waves wash my feet off.  But going back to the car, they got all dirty again.

Hubby was not amused.  He told me to sit down with my feet out of the car, and he'd wash my feet.

I thought he was fooling.

He wasn't.  He did.

It reminded me of Pope Francis I washing the feet of prisoners.  I just had to take a picture.  (Dick emulating Pope Francis I).

A Ballad

Ballad of the Boston Marathon

                      (bombing 2013)

“I’m thinking of going to the Marathon,
leaving early in the morn,
and watch the runners cross the finish line
at the Boston Marathon.”

“No! You know what a mess traffic is,
today will be more than crazy,
parking will be impossible and expensive,
and the crowds whipped to a frenzy.”

“We’re taking the ‘T’ to Back Bay Station.
The finish line is there.
And my friends will guide and protect me,
we’ll be good and take care.”

The mother finally smiled in acquiescence,
to think her child safe
and happy with sensible companions.
All too soon that smile was erased.