More Than a Monologue Conferences

I am unsure ... and that is a blessing today.

Tomorrow I will attend the first in a series of four conferences on the subject of homosexuality (LGBT) and the Catholic Church ... from the OTHER voices within the Catholic Church (i.e. the guys without the big hats). The Conference is called "More that a Monologue" and it will consist of 4 one day conferences (9/16, 10/1, 10/22, 10/29) held in New York City, New Haven, CT and Fairfield, CT. Tomorrows free conference, held at Fordham University's Lincoln Center Campus in midtown Manhattan is entitled "Learning to Listen" and should open the Conference Series rather nicely. (if anyone is out there (questionable) and wants to attend (likely), you would have to register soon, as spaces are filling up fast. I hear that they plan to offer CD's of the Conference at a later date, which is great for all those who aren't able to attend or perhaps want to revisit.

I will be going in with my typical combination of cautious reserve and hopeful optimism. Though I've been a practicing Catholic for over a year now and my relationship with Christ is, I believe, growing healthfully there is still a part of me that expects the worst; a scolding or some kind of hate-speak. (Leviticus! Romans! Leviticus! Romans!) The expectation of the worst is only a part of me, however. (a smaller and smaller part I'm happy to report!)

There are some familiar names slated to speak or moderate; John Duffell and Peter Steinfels, and many names that I am interested in getting to know more about; Hilary Howes and Eve Tushnet. I am planning to write about the event afterward, but I wanted to get something up here in the conversation called, "if Andre doesn't write as often as he can on here, he will never develop discipline" and with tonight being Project Runway night, it was a close call indeed.

Oh! I almost forgot, it's Sep. 15th, the feast day of Our Lady of Sorrows and I, for one, plan to meditate on her Passion and her faithfulness to God, even when she knew the sacrifices and pain that lay in store for her and her Son. It also might be a good night to pray the rosary ... just sayin'.

How beautiful this image is.

-Andre