Thursday, February 14, 2008

Kristen McGuire has a Secret!


Before I share Kristen's secret with you, I'd like to share her recent comment about For the Love of Literature:

Experienced homeschoolers might think they don’t need another compendium of the “right books to buy.” But, Maureen’s lists are very user-friendly for distracted moms shepherding big broods to the library. In addition, she lists quite a few books in the math and science areas that I had not seen before. Furthermore, some of her practical teaching tips paid off in a big way at Casa McGuire…within days of reading her book! Kudos to you Maureen! Thanks for inspiring the rest of us!

Thank you Kristen! For those of you who may be unfamiliar with Kristen McGuire, she is a Catholic author, speaker, and homeschooling mom of eight children. She is also wife to Dan McGuire, retired marine, theologian, and creator of the awesome Blue Knights (my boys are members).

Kristen also has a brand new website and is offering her online newsletter Secretum Meum Mihi for FREE – this is sooooo exciting! It is very user-friendly and, dare I say, chic website.

Secretum Meum Mihi translated is My Secret is Mine and comes from Blessed Edith Stein. Visit Kristen's website to lean more.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I rather wish she hadn't published an interview with a "womanpriest" in the newsletter.

Maureen said...

Ooh, ick. I missed that one. I'll have to go back and read it. Thanks for pointing it out, even if anonymously.

Anonymous said...

I'm happy to have a chance to "explain" why I interviewed a "womanpriest."

Please read the interview before you complain about my interview choices. I believe that I highlighted all of the things worth repeating in my interview.

The newsletter makes quite clear that I do not believe that she did a good thing in forcing her archbishop to declare her excommunicated. However, I wanted to understand why she did it. And, the key question for me is, "Does Jesus love this person?" Of course he does.

It was very courageous of her to sit down with me, knowing that I disapgreed with her, to explain herself. We had a very good, heart-to-heart talk. I believe we both walked away knowing a little bit mroe about the other. I do not agree with what she did, but I can repeat with good conscience her reasoning, so that you might understand her better, and pray for her that she might rejoin us in full communion with Jesus.

Jesus did not ignore those who were not living the perfect life. I know that I am not living the perfect life - because I know more, more is expected of me. AM I living to the full potential of the grace that has been given to me? Have I rejected His grace in ways that do not invite excommunication, but still make me culpable. I think so. I repent of that. Perhaps the same is true for Kathy. But I cannot judge her culpability. Only God can. The bishop in her diocese has already spoken. Believe me, I think that punishment has already hurt her far more than our opinons of her ever will.

Only God can judge this woman's soul and full culpability. As Catherine of Siena says , whether in justice or in mercy, we all belong to the Lord.

Please, feel free to comment on these things. But part of the purpose of my newsletter is to meet and reach out to those who are "different." At the end of my life, I expect to be standing in line in purgatory, praying with many people I will be surprised to see, probably holier than I am. I owe Jesus for all his mercy to me. I will offer that same mercy to others.

Maureen said...

Thank you Kristen!

Nancy C. Brown said...

I agree that I was initially turned off by the idea of this interview, but after reading it, I thought Kristen did a good thing.

We have to be careful not to close ourselves off so tightly that we aren't still inviting people in. If we make enough of our own rules, no one would be acceptable in our Churches, not even us ;-)

I found this particularly in my case when speaking about Harry Potter. Those willing to excommunicate me seem so sure of themselves, and so lacking in humility. I recognized it as such, because I've done the same to others. I think we have to be willing, as Kristen did, to listen, and care, so that people feel welcome to come back home someday. Our love and care may be the first step in someone's return, so we should never be too quick to judge.