I'm still here (one day at a time)

I suspect this is sort of what it's like for an expectant mother whose due date was last week: my life is about to change radically, but I don't have any idea just when--and there's nothing I can do to be any more ready than I am.  Everything is in my suitcases except for the items I am currently using; I have a box in chapel for the books that will go into storage at the last minute. I still have about 2 pounds of holy cards in my give-away box; send a self-addressed, stamped envelope (or Jiffy bag!) if you'd like some: 172 N Michigan Ave, Chicago 60601.

While I wait for that elusive visa, things keep moving along. (I certainly don't lack things to do!) One thing I am in the midst of (you might want to do this, too, after that giant "spoofing" attack on AOL) is what I think of as "password hygiene". I have gone through every one of my online accounts and beefed up the passwords. This vital information is now in a little handwritten notebook that is going to the motherhouse secretary for safekeeping. (I need to make a copy for myself, too! These new passwords are not the easy-peasey kind I have been using heretofore.)

It has also turned out to be providential that I did not arrive in London a week ago: my community here has had some unexpected needs that I've been able to help address. Yesterday that meant doing my first "J-Club" Catholic school book fair. This was at a school full of enthusiastic readers, where the second-graders were crowding around the table of "Intermediate" level books. There were also a few sixth-graders that kept edging their way toward this title; hopefully the parents will recognize their children's needs even if the kids are putting their game face on... I'm also trying to make progress on a book of my own, on the Mass. It has been in Limbo for a couple of years while so many other projects got higher priority. For now it is out, with pages in chapel for Jesus to work on with me. If I can make some headway on this, my carry-on could lighten up considerably!

Now for community news:

Some years ago, I had to convince Sister Helena to set up a Twitter account. Now she has over 14,000 followers (she left me in the dust last summer, when we were neck-in-neck at 9,000) and is getting noticed by major news/info outlets like Atlantic, HuffPost and NBC. She also appears in this movie, which offers an unexpected message of hope from the Catholic Church to people with same-sex attraction--while delivering a challenge to overly comfy Catholics:


These are real people telling their stories with amazing grace and courage; I can see where this could be very healing for people who are deeply conflicted about their orientation and their perception of the Catholic Church's stance on it.