BELLA

I don't normally advertise other peoples' things, especially with my favourite local band being on a break, but this is just too incredible not to pass along!

The film is called Bella, and it's just bound to be an amazing film-- it's quickly becoming the rave around different circles that I am connected to, and you need to check it out!

The trailer is on iTunes, but you need to check out the website-- it's really an amazing thing these guys are trying to do, and after winning the People's Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival, they are on the right track!

The website is http://www.bellathemovie.com

But really the thing you need to read is the article here:

http://www.bellathemovie.com/resources/news/archives/195#more-195

It's not in Raleigh yet, but I guarantee you it will be! I have only seen the trailer, but I am telling you this has Academy Award written all over it! You may want to try and do what you can to help support this film and get it to be showing locally! If you are blessed enough to live elsewhere that it is playing, go see it and support this film!!!

All I can say is "wow," especially after reading that article! Even the name of the production company, Metanoia, says volumes about the message that these guys are trying to get across! (don't know what it means? Go wikipedia it!)

Just to let you know as well, it's not some hype, either.... even the CFRs have a banner on their home page in support of it!

A day to catch up...

.... but not on much.

I kind of got a bit sick sometime during the night.... not the horrible, vomit-inducing sick, but just the sinus stopped up and serious pressure kind of nastiness.

Yeah, so... that put me out for the day as far as work is concerned. But I used it to catch up on some important things, like sleep. and laundry. I finally took my bike out for a brief spin!

I have been doing really well with my time management, I think... other than the fact that I haven't done any academic work at all! But my prayer life is settling down and I am not completely overwhelmed by the double life of Maryvale and Newman House anymore.

And it's Wednesday, which means it's almost Friday!

I am heading to London this weekend for a meeting with youth2000, as well as some time to do some academic work, and some quiet time at the friary.

Anyways, this is a short one-- sorry, not really inspired right now.... too much of a headache still.

Cheers!

Busy couple of weeks

Things are not quite in the full swing here yet, but I already feel incredibly overwhelmed! Let's see... there is:

Chaplaincy
Maryvale Work
Maryvale Course
Personal time

Right now, the average work day for me is something like this... wake up at 7:20, go to morning prayer. Come back for a shower and breakfast. Get ready to run out the door and catch a bus. Mornings like today where 2 busses don't show up means that it takes over 2 hours to get to Maryvale to be able to start work! Work a full day at Maryvale, minimizing the amount of times I go get coffee, so as not to get pulled in to too many conversations, as I need to put in a good 6-7 hours a day, and if I stop to talk for too long, then I don't get to leave until 7pm, which means I don't get home until 9pm! :-/

Monday nights are good, as it's community night, and we have a good meal, plus we do a gospel reflection and get a good hour of exposition in...

I forever feel like I am not pulling my share around the house, in just trying to maintain myself. Even my "days off" from Maryvale, I don't feel I have the energy to do much.... the Holy Spirit is definitely sustaining me through the being active and present in the Chaplaincy...

My BA Divinity starts this weekend! I have no idea where I am going to find the time to do it all.... I barely take any personal time as it is, much less time for coursework.

I did build my bike up, finally, on Sunday afternoon... I can't wait to go for a good ride-- it's been ages!

I am sure that things will settle down a bit, once I have gotten in to the swing of it all. There's a bit too much newness at once, possibly, especially given everything else that has happened recently.

One really nice thing about being on the bus for 3 hours a day is that it gives me plenty of prayer time... If you feel like you don't get enough time to pray, start taking the bus-- it's worth the £3 just to pray! As I overslept morning prayer in community (AGAIN!), I did morning prayer, got through a few chapters of Leviticus (tough!), and read some more of Frank Sheed's Theology for Beginners. This afternoon, I hope to do Evening prayer, a rosary, and read some more of St. Augustine's Confessions, which I just started. How's that for productiveness?!

Right, well, I have procrastinated enough, but since there are people reading this now, I figured I would post another entry... Peace in Him!

new to the blog scene...!

Alright, it's my first post, and I am already peeved that my name was stolen by someone less worthy of the title "Roamin' Catholic"!!!

As it is, it took me a bit to decide on a different name, and I opted for the where I am from root, as opposed to adding UK or USA or something like that to my name.

Yes, this is me, I am from Raleigh, North Carolina, and I am the roamin' Catholic....

There is an irony in the fact that up until a year ago, I had never lived more than 15 miles from the centre of Raleigh, and now I feel as if there is a real truth to the statement "home is where your hat is" (or where your head rests!)

Last year, I lived in the West Highlands of Scotland, in a lay community that worked as an outreach mission team to go do retreats in secondary schools and parishes all over Scotland.... I was pretty hesitant about leaving everything I knew and was comfortable with, good bad, or ugly; and even made plans of only staying for 9 months, then returning back to the USofA! Well, God had other plans and now I am living in Birmingham, England, working at the Maryvale Institute, living in a community at the Newman House at the University of Birmingham, and also finally about to start my undergrad after taking 6 gap years!

Yes, so... that's I guess about all there is to know about for an introduction to me-- I hope you'll stay posted in on my life, and all of the adventures I have as I travel all over the UK and beyond!

God Bless you,
Chris