Jessica Coblentz

I've moved--ONLINE!

2009-08-10T16:38:00.000-07:00

Change your RSS feeds and bookmarks--I've got a new home-base on the Web! From now on follow my writing and join in the conversation at www.jessicacoblentz.comLet me know what you think of the new site!

Old Habits Need Loyal Friends

2009-08-09T01:47:00.000-07:00

I am currently suffering from a minor case of a writer's worst nightmare, that is, tendonitis of the wrist. I experienced my first bout during my sophomore year of college. With the help of an ergonomic keyboard and an awkward tan-colored wrist brace, the fatigue cleared up after a few months and the remainder of college was trouble-free in the wrist department. However, the tendonitis has

From My Dream of A Common Language

2009-08-06T21:45:00.000-07:00

I spent the evening at ArtXchange, a gallery in downtown Seattle dedicated to promoting cultural exchange through the art they showcase. As I studied the featured exhibit by Deborah Kapoor against the captivating, meditative chant of a live Indian music group, I kept thinking about how my love of art is so bound up with spirituality. In the opening stanzas of "Origins and History of

Condemned to Greatness

2009-08-05T21:45:00.000-07:00

Adam said, "I've wondered why a man of your knowledge would work a desert hill place." "It's because I haven't the courage," said Samuel. "I could never quite take the responsibility. When the Lord God did not call my name, I might have called His name--but I did not. There you have the difference between greatness and mediocrity. It's not an uncommon disease. But it's nice for a mediocre man

Something New in Something Old

2009-08-05T18:17:00.000-07:00

In my mind, one of the great wonders of religion is that its old things--its texts and rituals and doctrines--can be made new time and time again. Generations fade and arise, and people still find meaning for their lives in many of the same traditions. It's because so many components of religion are rich, dynamic, so full of potential that people far removed from their origin find themselves in

Thoughts on an Old Friendship between the Institution and Me

2009-07-30T06:55:00.000-07:00

Check out my latest post on CTA's Young Adult Catholics blog, entitled "Thoughts on an Old Friendship between the Institution and Me."

From the Pews in the Back: My First Reading

2009-07-27T14:21:00.000-07:00

Check out my latest post on the blog that accompanies From the Pews in the Back: Young Women and Catholicism, a recently released book to which I have contributed. My post is called "From the Pews in the Back: My First Reading." If you are also reading the book, I'd love to know about your "first reading" too!

A Life Lesson from Sister Act II

2009-07-25T13:07:00.001-07:00

“Rita Louise Watson! You better get your behind back in here…” If that line carries a ring of familiarity and the image of a young Lauryn Hill, you probably grew up watching Sister Act II just like me. My friend Steph and I wore out a VHS tape with our exhaustive viewing. We can recite the script along with the actors and dance the film’s choreography. To this day, we have

Champagne from the Bottle

2009-07-23T23:01:00.000-07:00

"Well, folks...the cup I left on the table flew away, so do you still want to have the champagne...um....from the bottle?" No, that was not a line from some classy college cocktail party gone wrong. The line was straight from my lips, and it was spoken during the Communion service at my cousin’s outdoor wedding last weekend. The wedding officiant, a Protestant pastor and friend of mine, asked

Ritual, in friendship and faith

2009-07-22T22:02:00.000-07:00

This afternoon Casey and I swung back and forth in the hammocks that hang between his front porch and the trunk of the large, leafy tree in front of his house. After a bit of catch up concerning the recent happenings of our lives, he had picked up his latest book, The Art of the Commonplace: The Agrarian Essays of Wendall Berry. He wanted to read to me, and I had consented on the contingency

Ice Cream, Jesus, and Others: Part II

2009-07-21T17:51:00.001-07:00

If you are a regular reader, you may recall an entry I posted a couple weeks ago called, “Ice Cream, Jesus, and Others.” It explained my recent unrest with my too-frequent ice cream indulgences. Should I be purchasing ice cream cones when there are plenty of other things I claim to prioritize more? The whole frozen dessert thing had simply surpassed moderation so I decided to exercise a little

Visit a New Blog! Revisit an Old Post!

2009-07-17T01:03:00.000-07:00

I like to think of blogging as a conversation. Therefore, I read blogs that inspire me to speak up. I'm always looking for new interesting online discussions, and when I happen upon one that is particularly engaging, I try to join in. Today I joined one such conversations with my first post on "Emerging Women." Emerging Women is a blog comprised of female writers belonging to various Christian

Kneeling Before A Difficult Debate

2009-07-17T01:01:00.000-07:00

Check out my latest blog entry at CTA's Young Adult Catholic Blog, entitled "Kneeling Before A Difficult Debate."

"...the trauma I have experienced as a woman."

2009-07-14T21:38:00.000-07:00

For months I had been hearing about this friend-of-a-friend. We have so much in common, I was told. She recently finished up two Master's degrees, one in social work and one in divinity, so we share commitments to social justice and faith. What's more, during her studies an intense interest in feminist theologies blossomed. After hearing all this, I eagerly awaited our introduction. A few weeks

Tending a Garden before Tending to Romance

2009-07-10T14:49:00.000-07:00

My friend’s roommate has a fabulous vegetable garden at their house. Recently I asked him if he’s always had a green thumb. He told me no with a smile. His first attempt at tending the plot had failed. He went on to tell me a little bit about how he has come to make sense of gardening, both its past failings and current successes. “There is a movie that came out awhile back called 28 Days,” he

Showing Up

2009-07-09T20:46:00.000-07:00

My legs could barely hold me yesterday at Mass. I hadn't slept much the night before, or the night before that really, and my body had been reminding me of it since I rolled over to turn off my alarm clock that morning. There are not enough hours in the day lately, which means I am burning the midnight oil. What's more, I'm certain my physical tiredness is compounded by all the emotional up's

A Miracle of Speech

2009-07-07T21:09:00.000-07:00

Today's gospel reading begins with a miracle: "A demonic who could not speak was brought to Jesus and when the demon was driven out the mute man spoke." I do not think in terms of demons and miracles with the ease and frequency of the Biblical writers, but I do recognize similar sorts of astounding encounters like the one depicted in this passage. Some people really do have the amazing ability to

Ice Cream, Jesus, and Others

2009-07-05T22:18:00.000-07:00

"Ice cream is the original soul food." --Lexie Saige"Live simply that others might simply live." --Elizabeth SeatonOn a day retreat I attended in LA this year, the facilitator, a Sister of Notre Dame, said something about the Eucharist I had never considered before. "Why did Jesus give his disciples bread and wine?" she asked rhetorically. "Because Jesus wanted them to have what they needed--

Craving Dillard

2009-07-03T12:09:00.000-07:00

“I am a frayed and nibbled survivor in a fallen world, and I am getting along. I am aging and eaten and have done my share of eating too. I am not washed and beautiful, in control of a shining world in which everything fits, but instead am wondering awed about on a splintered wreck I've come to care for, whose gnawed trees breathe a delicate air, whose bloodied and scarred

The Word Became Flesh

2009-07-03T08:21:00.000-07:00

I'm delighted by the fact that Jesus is "the Word" in the beginning of John's gospel. I've always loved words. For as long as I can remember they have served as a medium for profound truth, sympathy, and beauty in this life journey. The incarnation is similar in that sense. Because words have long moved, inspired, and challenged me, I've wanted to be a writer for a long time. I have wanted to

In What I Have Failed to Do

2009-07-01T19:55:00.000-07:00

Check out my latest post on CTA's Young Adult Catholic Blog, entitled "In What I Have Failed to Do."

Anticipating Sunday: Reaching Out

2009-06-28T07:26:00.000-07:00

Check out my latest entry, a reflection on today's Gospel reading, entitled "Reaching Out." You'll find it at "From the Pews in the Back: Young Women and Catholicism," a blog accompanying a book project I contributed to. The book comes out NEXT WEEK. If you are interested in getting yourself a copy, check out the book's homepage for a discount code from Liturgical Press. In the meantime, enjoy

When the Earth Stops Spinning

2009-06-24T21:09:00.000-07:00

There are days when the earth stops spinning. It happened today. The scene was rather ironic: I walked out of German class where I had spent the last half hour laboring over a German passage about the Galilean controversy. Having finally conquered those simple sentences about the earth's rotation, I picked up my cell to dial a friend whose call I had missed during class. Her words stopped my

Dear Karl Rahner,

2009-06-22T12:57:00.000-07:00

Dear Karl Rahner, I realize that you are not a saint, and I'm not really sure how this whole "asking-for-intercessions-from-people-who-aren't-saints" thing works in the Catholic tradition. But I'm asking, and I'm asking you for intercessions because you are a major contributing factor to my current situation: I started a summer of intensive German language study this morning, a course I am taking

City Psalm

2009-06-19T08:46:00.000-07:00

The killings continue, each second/ pain and misfortune extend themselves/ in the genetic chain, injustice is done knowingly, and the air/ bears the dust of decayed hopes,/ yet breathing those fumes,/ walking the thronged/ pavements among crippled lives, jackhammers/ raging, a parking lot painfully agleam/ in the May sun, I have seen/ not behind but within, within the/ dull

Thanks, Dad

2009-06-17T22:22:00.001-07:00

Check out my latest post on CTA's Young Adult Catholic Blog entitled, "Thanks, Dad."Yep, it's a nod to my dad in honor of Father's Day.

What would you tattoo?

2009-06-16T13:55:00.000-07:00

My younger brother Joel, a junior in college, came home for summer break with three tattoos. He had none when he drove away from our house and off to school last fall. These aren’t your wimpy little markings, either: One covers his forearm, another the entire left side of his torso, and another the center of his chest. To my mother’s dismay, Joel reports that he’s always scheming about the next

Corpus Christi

2009-06-14T22:52:00.000-07:00

Today is the celebration of Corpus Christi, that is, the "Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ." As a church we reflect on Christ's embodiment, both historically in the person of Jesus and continually in the gift of Christ's mysterious presence in the sacrament of the Eucharist. I kept thinking about this as I lay on the cement floor in St. Mark's Cathedral this evening during

Practicing Courage

2009-06-12T09:59:00.000-07:00

Last night I went to the Century Ballroom in Seattle for a night of salsa dancing with friends. As I mentioned in a recent blog entry, salsa dancing is a new hobby and one I am embracing with the knowledge that I will endure a significant amount of frustration with myself and my (lack of) salsa skills before I enjoy the pleasure of confident, care-free dancing. I wrote that this might be good for

UP!

2009-06-10T23:55:00.000-07:00

Go see the movie "Up." You know, the goofy looking 3-D one? Go see it. Just do it. Pay the $10 to see it in the theater, and even pay the extra $3 they will try to get from you for the flimsy 3-D shades. I just got home from seeing it and I have a great urge to write all about the profound reflections that the film generated. However, the movie surprised me in so many ways--in plot and in

Absolutely Lovable

2009-06-09T12:28:00.000-07:00

Who are the people in your life with whom you feel absolutely loved, and absolutely lovable? Who are they? And why in the world aren't you spending more time with them? This morning I woke up with the sunrise to meet Becky at our favorite local coffee spot before she headed to work. This is a regular ritual we've shared since I met her during my sophomore year of high school. She was leading a

Compline

2009-06-07T22:57:00.000-07:00

St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral in Seattle sits atop Capitol Hill watching over the cityscape with its big, round eye of a window. Since high school, I've periodically made pilgrimage to their Sunday night Compline service where their pitch-perfect men's choir chants the evening prayers in a vast sanctuary full of Seattle's most eclectic crowd. Some nights I sit in a pew next to a homeless man;

My Theological Inquisitions

2009-06-06T11:12:00.000-07:00

What does it mean to claim to be a Presbyterian, or a Protestant, or a Christian?...What if we were to walk through the Protestant churches of the United States today, especially the centrist-to-liberal churches, and ask such questions of every member? How many would be left in the pews if all had to profess a belief in the supernatural claims about God and Jesus? I won’t venture an estimate, but

Summer Project: Learn to Fail (or just not be very good at things but do them anyway)

2009-06-04T23:15:00.001-07:00

Recent strange (and slightly troubling) realization: Somehow, I've gotten through 23 years of life without learning to fail. When I realized this, I recalled the enneagram personality tests that were all the rage my senior year of college. My enneagram personality (type 3) suggests that I am motivated by a fear of failure and rejection. "Maybe that explains it," I thought to myself, "My whole

Ordinary Green

2009-06-04T08:53:00.000-07:00

Check out my latest entry on CTA's Young Adult Catholic Blog, entitled "Ordinary Green."

Thank God She Minds

2009-06-03T23:48:00.000-07:00

My friend Lacey is finishing up a one-year Master’s program in Critical Theory. I am really terrible about keeping in touch with her, like I am with so many special friends unfortunately, so I often sneak a peak into her life via the blogsphere. She has an interesting, creative space on the Web called She Minds. The blog’s title, “She Minds,” really sums up one of Lacey’s greatest qualities:

To Living Like I Cook

2009-06-01T18:36:00.001-07:00

I just had a spiritual experience with a simmering pot of beans and rice.I've been in a slump lately. Due to various circumstances, I've been wrestling with uncertainty, disappointment, and a bit of loneliness in life. Unfortunately, these sections of sadness sometimes cloud a lot of the good things in life too--the good opportunities, the good people, the good changes.Consequently, I've been

Celebrating One Year of Church

2009-05-31T00:21:00.000-07:00

One of the sites I write for, CTA's Young Adult Catholic Blog, is celebrating its one year anniversary today. In honor of the special day, numerous writers will be making posts about the day, and its accompanying Holy day, Pentecost. Read my contribution to the cyber celebration, entitled "Celebrating One Year of Church."

True Confessions: The Benefits of a Boyfriend

2009-05-29T11:02:00.001-07:00

I'm always surprising myself. Saying things I never thought I would hear myself say. Accompanied by a flurry of qualifiers and justifying assertions, yesterday I told a friend how much I long for a romantic companion at this phase in my life. She and I are the most ambitious, career-driven, independent people we know—so we were both a little startled by my confession, and by her subsequent

Catholic Companions

2009-05-27T20:31:00.000-07:00

The other night I was startled to find tears streaming down my face in the middle of a downtown Seattle coffee shop. I was there with a friend, and we found ourselves talking about Catholicism, our common faith, as we often do. As he candidly shared about the difficulties he faces in his job as a full-time minister, and the many other challenges he faces as a devout and pro-reform Catholic,

Religion and a Rock Band

2009-05-25T01:18:00.000-07:00

Check out my latest post on CTA's Young Adult Catholic Blog entitled, "Religion and a Rock Band."

My heart is very heavy

2009-05-08T12:28:00.000-07:00

"In their first year of marriage, my parents had already moved twice. Baba said that moving was part of being Palestinian. 'Our people carry the homeland in their souls,' he would tell me at night as he tucked me in. This was my bedtime story when I was three, four. 'You can go where ever you want, but you'll always have it in your heart.' I'd think to myself: 'That's such a heavy thing to

Living the Name of God

2009-05-07T11:57:00.001-07:00

Check out my latest post on CTA's Young Adult Catholics blog, entitled "Living the Name of God."

Dear Saint Mary,

2009-05-04T22:42:00.000-07:00

Dear Saint Mary, My name is Jessica. I am told you know this. I was reading somewhere that this month—May—is your month, and whenever I hear things like this—that you are so beloved that you have your own month!—I am reminded of how strange I feel as a Catholic who doesn’t seem to know and love you as well as my peers. I didn’t grow up in a Catholic family or parish with a particularly strong

Just holding on for the ride...

2009-05-04T21:44:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I ask to sneak a closer look/ Skip to the final chapter of the book/ And then maybe steer us clear from some of the pain it took/ to get us where we are this far/ But the question drowns in its futility/ And even I have got to laugh at me/ No one gets to miss the storm of what will be/ Just holding on for the ride… --From “The Wood Song” by Indigo Girls Last Wednesday evening I had

This I Used to Believe

2009-04-28T13:27:00.000-07:00

Another recommendation! If you've been following the blog for awhile, you probably know I am a big fan of "This American Life," the Chicago-based radio show about the ordinary and extraordinary lives of Americans today. Each show explores a different topic, and a recent episode's theme was a spin off of another famous American radio show, "This I Believe." Rather than exploring what people

The Beauty and Challenge of Being Catholic

2009-04-27T20:45:00.000-07:00

The Catholic Studies Program at Santa Clara University, my alma mater, is sponsoring me for a lecture this Thursday on the subject of "Catholic Identity Today." The great Jesuit I am working with pointed me to a wonderful podcast for some inspiration, and now I'm recommending it to you."The Beauty and Challenge of Being Catholic" is one episode in a series of podcasts called "Speaking of Faith"

The Good Body

2009-04-24T19:35:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I spent my Friday night reading The Good Body, a series of monologues written by Eve Ensler. The format and feel of the book is similar to the work that made Ensler (in)famous, The Vagina Monologues. I finished it the night I started it because it is short, fast, and fun, so you really have no excuse not to read it yourself. ☺ The storyline follows Ensler, the narrator, all over

"Welcome back to non-practicing Catholics!"

2009-04-23T08:28:00.000-07:00

I've been quiet in the blogsphere...but have no fear, new posts are coming soon! In the meantime, check out my latest post on the CTA Young Adult Catholics blog, entitled "'Welcome back to non-practicing Catholics!'"

Good Friday

2009-04-10T11:04:00.001-07:00

Yesterday afternoon while sitting in the passenger seat of my boyfriend's car, I tried to make plans to get together with a friend over the phone. "We don't have many plans for Friday," I said, "Just Mass sometime in the afternoon or evening." My boyfriend interrupted from the driver's seat, "It's not a Mass, Jess." I rolled my eyes and smiled, finished making plans with my friend, and hung up

Holy Thursday: Flavors and Friends

2009-04-09T09:27:00.000-07:00

Check out my blog entry concerning Holy Thursday, entitled "Holy Thursday: Flavors and Friends" on the CTA Young Adult blog.

I Want A Ritual

2009-04-02T19:46:00.001-07:00

At St. Monica’s Church in Santa Monica this past Sunday, I experienced an emotion I may have never had during Mass before. As the congregation raised its hands in blessing during the recession of the Catechumens and Candidates, I was jealous. That’s right. Jealous.When I looked across the hundreds of lifted hands I remembered what it felt like to be the recipient of this symbolic gesture. The

Exciting Announcement!

2009-03-30T14:39:00.000-07:00

I wanted to let all of you know that I have received the wonderful opportunity to study at Harvard Divinity School for a Master of Theology Studies degree. I will begin next fall, and I anticipate a trove of great new experiences that will inform my writing on the site. Thanks for your loyal readership and support!

You read my writing. Now hear me speak!

2009-03-27T15:05:00.001-07:00

Check out my podcast interview on Young Adult Ministry in Los Angeles!Raymond Nanadiego, a Young Adult Minsitry Coordinator at St. Paul the Apostle in Chino Hills, CA, runs an a great Web site with online resources for Young Adult Ministry. He interviewed Theresa Thibodeaux, the Coordinator of Young Adult Ministry in the Archdiocese of LA (she's my wonderful supervisor), and I for insight into

Sex and the (Vatican) City?

2009-03-26T22:32:00.000-07:00

I have a problem. I’m addicted to Sex—Sex and the City, that is.A friend lent me a couple seasons on DVD recently. I needed an episode for a program I host at the women’s college where I work. The students and I gather for popcorn, Oreos, and an episode of Sex and the City, followed by a thoughtful discussion about sex, dating and spirituality. Ideally, the show provides a point of reference for

A Humble Call to Action: Tithe

2009-03-26T08:22:00.000-07:00

Check out my latest blog entry, "A Humble Call to Action: Tithe," on CTA's Young Adult Catholics blog. It's a follow-up to a post I made on this site awhile back.

A Room of One's Own for Ruth Kolpack, and Me

2009-03-19T12:39:00.000-07:00

Check out my post, "A Room of One's Own for Ruth Kolpack, and Me" concerning the firing of Pastoral Associate Ruth Kolpack at CTA's Young Adult Catholic Blog.

Lenten Laziness (or a Catalyst for Self-Reflection)

2009-03-17T20:12:00.001-07:00

I have a hot and cold relationship with the current liturgical season, Lent. On one hand, the season's invitation of intentional fasting, almsgiving, and prayer has led to significant instances of self-reflection and change in the past. One year I gave up television and instant messenger after realizing how much time I wasted on dull sitcom reruns and (mostly) superficial online chats; this

Criticism "for the sake of the whole"

2009-03-12T21:48:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking a lot about my recent post at From the Pews in the Back concerning my experience at LA Congress, especially my dissatisfaction with the Cardinal's treatment of vocation during a major liturgy there. It has left me with a few worries and questions:1) I worry that readers will perceive my concern for the oversight of lay vocations as an abasement of or disregard for priestly

No Day But Today

2009-03-12T20:33:00.000-07:00

I'm blogging for another site, Young Adult Catholics. It is a blog hosted by the NextGen group at Call to Action, a Catholic lay movement with origins in Vatican II. The blog's contributers are some of my favorite young writers on the web, so I am really quite honored to join their team. Check out my first entry, "No Day But Today."

A Reality Check from LA's Religious Education Congress

2009-03-10T03:29:00.000-07:00

Check out my latest post at From the Pews in the Back: Young Women and Catholicism, entitled "A Reality Check from LA's Religious Education Congress."

All Saints

2009-02-17T20:46:00.000-08:00

I'm not a Catholic that grew up with the saints. No altars to Mary, no rhyming prayers to St. Anthony whenever I searched for a lost sock, no St. Joseph figurine buried in our front yard. Actually, it was not until I grew older and peers started asking, "What's up with Catholics and all their saints?" that I even realized these popular Catholic devotions were absent from my upbringing. These

When was the last time I tithed? (Really.)

2009-02-03T19:27:00.000-08:00

My move to LA and work in two different ministry offices has taught me an important lesson about the power of the coin: The difficult reality of our world, and thus, our Church, is that money is necessary to get things done. And frankly, we do not have enough of it for ministry.This may seem obvious, but it has hit home in new ways recently. First, I have been talking with lots and lots of

Read this: Regarding SSPX

2009-01-27T22:36:00.000-08:00

Check out this excellent summary of the controversy surrounding B16's lifting of the excommunications of bishops from the Society of St. Pius X. Catholic journalist David Gibson has one of the best blogs around. Whenever there is cutting-edge Catholic stuff I want to learn about, his blog "Pontifications" on beliefnet is my go to. He also has a great sense of humor, which is a good and necessary

Because it is a lot easier to write about (not) writing than it is to write

2009-01-25T20:30:00.000-08:00

Okay. Some of you loyal readers out there have heard about the book project that I have been working on for a little over a year now. It started as a solitary venture, with encouragement from my pal Mags who was working on her own project. It morphed into a collaborative project, shifted approaches, and now Mags and I are back at it again. I have writer's block, though. And it's not that I

What a week!

2009-01-25T20:05:00.000-08:00

Every day this week, I opened my browser to find one--or two, or three--things that brought about intense emotional response. Sometimes, they were good emotions. Other times, negative. Here's a recap of the week's crazy news and events:MLK DayThe presidential inauguration of Barack Obama, our first African-American presidentMarch for LifePope B16 lifts the excommunications of four bishops in the

Yes We Can

2009-01-15T22:09:00.000-08:00

With a small gathering this afternoon, I had the joy of celebrating the Eucharist with Bishop Gabino Zavala, the auxiliary bishop of the San Gabriel region in the Archdiocese of LA. Bishop Zavala frequently sacrifices the afternoon of his single day off during the week to celebrate Mass at the college where I live and work. The staff and students here have great affection for him, so I eagerly

A Humble "How?" from LA

2009-01-13T20:04:00.000-08:00

I recently moved to Los Angeles where I have the honor of working with a collection of amazing, wise, inspiring Catholic ministers. As is not uncommon in the Church, many of them are laywomen working in professional service to the Church.As I relish in the privilege of working with these great role models, LA has simultaneously brought me face to face with the challenges of my tradition: Women (

Coming Home: An Advent Reflection

2008-12-16T11:09:00.000-08:00

For as many times as I've heard the Christmas story, it amazes me that new aspects of the tale still capture me. This year it was the realization that, like Joseph, my advent is marked by a return to my hometown after significant time away. I have never before thought of the Christmas story as a homecoming. Imagine Joseph, a good, honorable man, heading to his hometown with a mysteriously

All in a Name

2008-12-11T08:37:00.000-08:00

Check out my latest posting at Young Women and Catholicism, entitled "All in a Name."

From Research to Reality

2008-12-04T10:03:00.001-08:00

Check out my latest posting at Young Women & Catholicism, entitled "From Research to Reality."

Dear God, Does this make me look fat?

2008-11-30T11:02:00.000-08:00

First off, thanks to all my loyal readers who have stuck with the blog in the last few months. I am now back from my trip through Europe and settled into life in the States. In the meantime, however, I started up graduate school applications that consume a great deal of my time at the computer, so I have been very slow to get into a regular blog writing routine again. An online article I read the

Anticipating Sunday: November 23, 2008

2008-11-24T09:36:00.000-08:00

Check out my reflection on this Sunday's readings, entitled "Lessons in Livestock," at Young Women and Catholicism.

One Night İn İstanbul

2008-09-27T05:32:00.000-07:00

"The individual soul touches upon the world soul like a well reaches for the water table. That which sustains the universe beyond thought and language, and that which is at the core of us and struggles for expression, is the same thing." –from The Life of PiWhen Casey and I arrived in Istanbul, we walked straight into the crowds. "You must go eat now, or wait until well after sundown," someone

Pilgrim.

2008-08-31T18:59:00.000-07:00

Important Notice! I am happy to inform you that I am setting out on a new journey. For the next two and a half months I will be wandering the European continent. I don't plan to stop writing--however, I will be temporarily writing on another Site. I have decided to set up a temporary "travel blog" for my trip because it will allow my family and friends to "subscribe" and receive email updates of

Anticipating Sunday: August 24, 2008

2008-08-23T20:24:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking a lot about being surprised by God.On one hand, surprises can be life-altering because they force us into a space of unfamiliarity, and thus, often lead us to a more attentive state of self-awareness. These experiences of enlightened perspective have the potential to change our world-views permanently, and sometimes do.On the other hand, surprises often challenge what we have

Anticipating Sunday: August 17, 2008

2008-08-15T22:23:00.001-07:00

Last weekend I was out of town for family vacation and discovered that we had dodgy Internet access upon arrival. I apologize I was not able to begin my weekly “Anticipating Sunday” entry last week! Instead of responding in prose this week, I decided to propose a number of questions that arose in my consideration of the readings this week:Do we have a global worldview of our church? What are the

Anticipating Sunday

2008-08-05T21:31:00.001-07:00

During his transition from the position of Editor of America Magazine, the great weekly published by the American Jesuits, Father Tom Reese spent a year at Santa Clara while I was a student there. While our personal run-ins were brief but pleasant, I did have the wonderful opportunity to hear him speak at length on one occasion. That evening, he spoke on "A Survival Guide for Thinking

The Ten Commandments

2008-08-04T20:53:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are not regular listeners to the fabulous Chicago-based radio show, This American Life, please check out their episode entitled, "The Ten Commandments." The Decalogue is the focus of this one-hour radio program, which divides itself into ten creative segments, each dedicated to a commandment. You can listen by streaming online. Enjoy!

Heading to the Market--I mean, Mass

2008-08-04T19:30:00.000-07:00

With sweaty palms and a wondering gaze, my attention slips in and out as the Sunday morning Mass continues under the high wooden beams of the Pacific Northwest parish. I am distracted by many things—the pitchy cantor, the uninterested child sprawled out on the pew before me, the “Mass for Kids” picture book that I wish they had when I was growing up, and most recently, the silly sway of my

Bursting the Bubble

2008-07-17T13:24:00.000-07:00

While many of you may have noticed my hiatus from blogging, I can assure you that I have been busy reading, thinking and writing. I recently finished up my engrossing second summer read: Generation Me by Dr. Jean M. Twenge. With a young, spunky voice, Dr. Twenge presents a synthesis of her own research, as well as other notable sociological and psychological studies, concerning "Generation Me,"

To Pope, or not to Pope?

2008-06-19T15:51:00.000-07:00

When a friendly Jesuit offered to assist in arranging a papal audience for me and a friend during our visit to Europe this fall, I unquestionably accepted his generous offer. Of course we would make it to Rome if it meant we could be members of the the small weekly audience at B16's weekly Mass (by "small," I'm talking thousands).After discussing the necessary preparations we would need to carry

Church?

2008-06-19T15:43:00.000-07:00

Recently, I curiously opened an email with this word--Church?--in the subject line. It was from a friend in Boston, raised Presbyterian and Jesuit educated, inquiring with a couple friends about the real meaning and purpose of "church" after an interesting gathering he attended on the subject. He wrote:[The speaker] attempted to show why church is different from a Christian fellowship group on

Women and the Priesthood

2008-06-06T16:14:00.000-07:00

Two summers ago I set out to research the reality of pro-change Catholics. What I wanted to know was this: How do these individuals understand themselves as "Catholic" while upholding non-traditional beliefs? It was this question that led me to my first academic exploration of Catholic feminism as I investigated Catholic identity formation amongst members of the Women's Ordination Conference.

In Sorrow and Gratitude, A Piece for Professor Catherine Bell

2008-05-29T12:25:00.001-07:00

[This piece was written for the Santa Clara University Religious Studies Department Newsletter, "Perspectives," upon the recent death of Emeritus Professor Catherine Bell, a renowned scholar in History of Religions and a mentor of mine during the last three years. She died on Friday. Please hold her family and friends in your thoughts and prayers.] I will never forget one particular afternoon

Love Rules.

2008-05-15T22:27:00.001-07:00

"Love Rules." That's the text message I received from Greg this afternoon. Eagerly, I had messaged him earlier in the day after hearing that the California Supreme Court overturned the ban on same-sex marriage. I had texted something like "YAY California!," I think. It was the first time I felt a real sense of pride about living in this state, one foreign to my upbringing.Greg is one of the

My Pastor's Politics

2008-05-12T09:22:00.000-07:00

What's the big deal about the politics of the presidential candidates' pastors?Don't get me wrong--I love politics, and I think it is only natural that religion and politics are bound up together in people's lives. Furthermore, I think politics can be discussed from the pulpit in productive manner (side note: barring pro-choice candidates from the Eucharist is not what I would classify as

Why don’t Catholics read dating books?

2008-05-09T15:07:00.000-07:00

"I would never read a Christian dating book," my roommate stated with the characteristic unapologetic honesty that I love so much."But why!? Why not?" I inquired. "There are so many protestant girls our age who grew up on this stuff! What is it about you--about Catholic girls--that makes us so freaked out by Christian dating books?"She had happened upon me and a few girlfriends discussing the

"Facing" Our Religious Views

2008-05-09T14:57:00.001-07:00

"Catholic who plays well with others""Let your religion be less of a theory and more of a love affair." -G.K. Chesterton"In support of but not""Love""C*۞אּعI ร †; Holy Spirit+love...mysticism at its finest."These lines are a few gems from the "Religious Views" section of my friends' facebook profile pages. It may be no surprise that a religious studies junky like me would find these self-imposed

Reflection from the Bench

2008-05-06T12:18:00.000-07:00

Lately, I find myself on a particular bench in the gardens surrounding the Mission—the old, magnificent stucco sanctuary that sits in the center of our campus. Birds of Paradise, with their green stems and orange beaks, line the wall behind my clean, wooden seat. In front of me the squirrels dance, and the spring roses smile back at me, their blossoms as large and round as my face.It is

Confirmation

2008-04-07T00:14:00.000-07:00

[This posting has been edited from its previous form. The original beginning of this entry will be included in an anthology coming out next July: See Young Women & Catholicism for details.] Tonight, I received full initiation into the Roman Catholic Church--the church of my infant baptism, my blissful first communion and confession, and the institution that I abandoned in high school. I began to

"Do you have dancing at your church?"

2008-03-02T20:07:00.000-08:00

"Do you have dancing at your church?" I looked up at the middle-aged woman standing in front of me. I was sipping on chai tea, people watching on this beautiful Southern California Sunday morning, when she startled me with this peculiar inquiry. "Liturgical dance?" I responded. It was the beginning of my final day at LA Congress, a Catholic religious education conference of 45,000 students

"Americans Change Faiths at Rising Rate, Report Finds"

2008-02-25T15:16:00.000-08:00

True confessions of an emotional religious studies major: I got a little teary eyed when I read this New York Times article. "Americans Change Faiths at Rising Rate, Report Finds," discusses a new survey on religious affiliation from the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. It unveiled some startling statistics about our very religious nation. For instance, more than a quarter of Americans

Bad at blogging

2008-02-14T23:47:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I'm bad at blogging. And I know why: I'm writing all the time as a student. That's why I don't blog: At the end of the day, I'm tired of thinking and writing. I want to read religion and pop culture blogs, the NYTimes op-ed, Barak Obama's website, and not write anymore. Sort of. There is a part of me that does want to write. I want to blog that other type of writing. That writing that

Cafe Lulu II

2008-02-03T12:18:00.000-08:00

Twenty feet behind Beaudoin and Freitas, Maggi and I walked out of Cafe Lulu onto the busy Gas Lamp street. We had decided on Indian food for dinner, so we walked down the busy street in that direction, weaving in and out of the crowds. "So let's make a pact" I told Maggi. It was the first thing that came out of my mouth. "We'll have a first draft by next year. We've just gotta do this." I

A Note from the Ceiling

2008-01-26T00:14:00.000-08:00

I was going to blog the next part of the story today--Cafe Lulu Part II--but I am having one of those out of body, hovering over oneself moments. It's distracting me from writing more. You see, I received 3 emails in the last 24 hours regarding the end of one of the most formative periods in my life.Email 1: "Jessica, you MUST turn in your "petition to graduate" form by the end of this month in

Cafe Lulu

2008-01-24T21:11:00.000-08:00

If I had to pinpoint a single moment, the book thing started in a coffee shop (not surprising, right?). Cafe Lulu is one of the hippest spots I have visited--it's a hooka bar/coffee shop/interesting wine and beer retailer with European fashion shows paying on screens behind the counter. Despite its high ceilings and large windowed storefront, Lulu is dark all the time, which totally completes

Welcome to my blog!

2008-01-23T20:32:00.001-08:00

So I've been telling myself for quite sometime that I want to start writing more. Over Christmas vacation I began to actualize this goal by starting, what I like to call, a "cohesive writing project" (aka: a book--but that sounds a little intimidating still). Simply having a big-picture framework for my writing discipline helped tremendously. What I found even more inspiring, however, were the