I rather spontaneously jetted off to New York City this weekend.On the outside, I went to be with my dear friend Anne and to participate in Catholic Thrive, an incredible conference for young adult Catholic singles. I say "spontaneously" because I actually hadn't made up my mind about going until precisely 3 AM when my phone alarm rang, the very moment that I would have to get up if I wanted to be showered and dressed and in the New Yorker Hotel by 8 AM.
But on the inside, I had gone because my heart was aching. I was struggling in my present vocation of being a single woman, and I needed to be uplifted, encouraged, and reminded that the path I was on--while indeed sometimes lonely--was still a path to eternal happiness. I went because I needed to trust God more with my life. And there's no better way to do that than to be surrounded by a bunch of people who have precisely the same goal!
Anne had invited me to attend the event to help her promote the new organization she just established, which is the premiere of its kind. Called the the John Paul II Center's Gianna Healthcare for Women, it is the first-ever clinic where couples can receive authentic Catholic, 100% pro-life treatments for infertility. Her hard work and dedication to this process is astounding and incredibly inspirational to me! Girls in Manhattan, consider yourself lucky! What a resource!Anne is such a selfless person that--no sooner did we set up the promotion table--she told me to run off and simply enjoy being a participant in the conference. I was so elated and spent the entire day making new friends and learning about the application of my faith.
The conference was a delightful mix of contemplation and socialization. A chapel with the Blessed Sacrament had been created in one of the smaller conference rooms, and confession was always available. Mass took place in the largest, most ornate and beautiful room.
The speakers were wonderful, and David Slone--the co-founder of Catholic Thrive--taught us that, really, the only two "requirements" we should see in a life partner are:1. Attraction
2. Virtue
He went on to say that the virtues of chastity and charity are a surefire way for determining if that person is capable of loving you properly over a lifetime.
With regard to charity, he encouraged us to watch and see how a person treats those who are incapable of giving anything back. For example, if a man is not kind to the weak or poor (because he can receive no beneficial reciprocity from them), then I should not expect him to be so generous with me when I am elderly, forgetful, and a cranky burden to care for.
But if he does carry the virtue of charity in his heart, then he will regard all persons with dignity and, in turn, is capable of loving me even at those moments or seasons of life where I find myself most unlovable. And I, of course, am charged to do the very same for him!
Much of what I learned at the conference was stuff I already knew but of which I definitely needed to be reminded. But, as Franciscan Father Stan Fortuna said, "Repetition is the mother of Perfection." So obviously I need to keep having these lessons repeatedly before I actually internalize it!
Everyone at the conference was so friendly and outgoing, and I was delighted to run into sooooo many people from Philadelphia that I already knew!
At the end of the night, amid an array of delicate desserts and endless beverages, we danced our hearts out. Oh, if only every night could be spent on the dance floor like that! What a sweet ending to a wonderful day.I came back rejuvenated in my faith and confirmed in my present vocation. God truly rescued me this weekend, and I couldn't have imagined a more delightful way to conclude my Summer and to prepare for the start of a new school year.
Thank you, Jesus!
