Saturday, February 23

Good, although complicated things going on in a Perpetual Adoration Chapel in Fall River, Massachusetts: homeless people taking shelter.
A poignant, personal remembrance of Mexico's anti-Catholic past from a 91-year old religious sister.
This article ticked me off. It's about the Project Rachel post-abortion support program in the Diocese of Orlando. What angered me is the reporter's use of "mental health professionals" to question the group's methods, fretting that there are no "licensed counselors" involved, merely "facilitators."

Oh.

Do they have the same criticisms of AA or any of the other countless support groups out there? I doubt it.

Do they consider that perhaps the reason this program lies outside traditional mental health counseling is because most mental health practitioners, from psychiatrists to your basic MA in social work, are trained to do nothing but blow off abortion and cover up the true nature of the act? One of the "professionals" worries that the groups might "increase guilt" feelings. Therein lies the problem. You minimize, cover-up and hide appropriate and necessary guilt, you end up with a demolished and fractured self.

I've forgotten to mention that my son David got his driver's license last week. I've sent him out on several short trips to the grocery store, barbershop,etc. in the past few days, but this afternoon he's gone on a more challenging journey: to see The Lord of the Rings (for the fifth time) at a movie theater halfway across town, and with a friend. It will be an afternoon of frayed nerves for me, at least, until he returns. I really love it when my kids are able to drive, and take care of more of their own needs themselves, but the first month or so is really scary.