The Way

After watching The Way, there are a lot of things I have learned. When Tom began his journey, he had one goal in mind. Giving his son one last final tribute and placing his ashes along the Camino trail. Just like each of us when we begin a journey, we have one goal in mind. However, throughout is journey, Tom met people along the way who changed his view on life, and also his goal in mind. Similarly, we meet people along our journey that change our goal. I believe that the Camino Walk is an inspiring way to find the true meaning of life, and if i were ever given the opportunity to do it, i definitely would. This movie taught me that it is not always about the destination of a trip, but the journey you take to get there. Through all his trials and tribulations along the way, Tom was shaped, changed and inevitably grew throughout his journey. Likewise, we all change and grow along each journey that we take.

Mixed Messages

Some of the positive messages sent to women were mentioned in the article. Official teachings in the church honor women as equal to men in dignity. These messages can remind us that relationships should be unifying love. Here at the Mount, in a Catholic school environment, we are taught as young women to be leaders and founders. I think this is a privilege and a gift to learn this at an all girls Catholic academy, and gives us the confidence and wisdom we need as women in our society today. Some negative messages women have received is that they are not always equal to men. For example: why can men be priests but not women? Why are there more male saints than female? All of these examples pose the question of why women are sometimes not equal to men.

Abortion

The article presented brings in a new controversial topic to abortion debates. In these countries, the abortions are being done illegally, but also unhealthy. These unsafe abortions are causing problems to obviously the unborn baby, but also the mother. This new topic further suggests the unsafe and unethical opinion to abortion. In these developing countries, things like contraception would prevent pregnancy and furthermore prevent these unhealthy abortions.

IVF

There are many pros and cons that go along with IVF. The obvious pros, are that of a child being born and brought into the world. Parents who are not able to conceive are given another shot at creating life. However, this process can also come along with some cons. The cons to this process were as seen in the Dateline special- a mother could receive the wrong eggs to be fertilized. Additionally, IVF is very expensive. The church teaches that it is immoral to have a baby other than in the way of having intimate sexual intercourse with your husband/wife. However, some women biologically are not able to conceive a baby. In this case, I find it completely moral and appropriate to try IVF. God's plan of man and wife was to create a family and bring others into the world. However, how are two supposed to accomplish such a task if the woman is not biologically able to? I believe that IVF is a moral way of conceiving children and starting new life.

He's Just Not That Into You...

In the movie "He's Just Not That Into You", my favorite couple to follow were Beth and Neil. In the beginning of the movie, we are introduced to the fun loving couple as one of the relationships in the movie that seems to be going great. They are both madly in love and have been together for seven years. However we eventually learn that Beth is upset because she wants to get married and Neil does not. This was an example that I had never really thought about much. It was always an issue of getting married too early, or for the wrong reasons. However, the relationship between Beth and Neil was so perfect, it led me to the question; Why would he never want to get married?


So it got me thinking. There was no obvious reason for Neil not wanting to marry. It obviously was not a commitment issue-they had been together for seven years. As a girl, I could tell where Beth was coming from. She wanted a huge ceremony and a beautiful dress to match what she had drempt about for all of her life. This would seal the deal for her and Neil's relationship-and be a new beginning. The only thing I could find wrong in Neils request to not marry, would be that it is harder to raise a family in a relationship where there is no husband and wife title. In the end of the movie, Beth realizes that Neil is exactly what she wants-no matter if they are married or not, exactly when Neil realizes that he wants to marry Beth. All in all, I have realized that there is no harm in marriage when a couple has been together for many years, but also no true rush to tie the knot.

The Changing Face of Marriage

Growing up, my parents always did a great job of raising my siblings and I. We were taught to share, learn, and most importantly, we were taught about our faith. We attended Church every Sunday, (still do as much as our demanding schedules will let us), received every sacrament, and although we did not attend a catholic grade school, we attended CCD every wednesday night, with my mom as the teacher. Ultimately, faith has always been a big role in my up-bringing. Along with this, I have learned and experienced much of my parents loving marriage, the trials and tribulations, and how they use faith to keep a healthy and happy marriage. One thing that I have learned is that it is important to bring up your children in a stable home and environment. In the movie "Hes Just Not That Into You", Jennifer Aniston was unhappy about her partners not wanted to get married. I agree with her in the fact that marriage should be a step in life to seal the love you have for another person, and also to being the foundation of a family. After all, I have learned that my parents together are the strongest bond that holds my family together. With studies being done about college graduates with degrees potentially being less probable to get a divorce, it gives me hope that i will have a successful marriage one day. I feel that marriage is an important stepping stone in establishing a life the way that God would have planned for me.

Dating and "hooking up"

After reading chapter 5 and also the article on busted halo, I noticed that there was a negative connotation on dating. In today's society as a High School student, dating is usually pretty casual. Both the article and the chapter talked about the sexual part of being in a relationship. In the chapter, it was perceived more as a sexual relationship with a person you are dating. However, in the article on Busted Halo, the sexual part was just a "one night stand." I think the article portrays more how the sexual part of a relationship is bad only if you are not dating that person, or maybe not even friends. I think that having a sexual relationship with a person you are not dating or have no true long-term interest in is pointless. However, I think dating is an essential part to life, giving a person the opportunity to find what you like in a person you are going to spend the rest of your life with.