I have a cousin named Abby who is a year older than I am. Abby is a very devoted Christian--she goes to Church every Sunday, attended Bible school when she was young, and taught Bible classes to preteens the past few summers. I think her parents, my aunt and uncle, have been inspired by Abby's devotion to God and Christianity. My uncle now reads the Bible and has favorite quotes from Scripture, and their whole family attends mass together on a regular basis. Overall, they are just a very caring, generous family. They always put others needs before their own, and they do not place much value on material objects. Abby has been an inspiring role model not just for her immediate family, but for our extended family as well. We all admire her for taking time out of her life to teach others about God, and for devoting hours to prayer and helping those in need.
Baptism can be the entrance into the church for parents as well as children. Since parents are around their children daily, caring for them, feeding them, and looking out for their best interests, kids can be viewed as an extension of parents. Therefore, when the children are welcomed into the Church community, the parents are being invited in with them. When the priest washes away a baby's original sin, the parents are sort of being cleansed from their sins and mistakes. The Church views the parents as figures present to guide the newest member of the community by keeping them close to God. The parents take on the challenging, yet rewarding responsibility of walking their children through a Christ-filled life.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Wal-Mart: Blessing or Curse?
Wal-Mart is a great place for one-stop shopping. The many sections allow you to purchase a wide variety of things in the same location, which ultimately saves money on gas. Unfortunately, Wal-Mart is not known for its exemplary treatment of its employees. In some ways, Wal-Mart blatantly goes against the themes of Catholic social teaching, but in others, the coporation indulges lessons of the church (probably without even realizng they're doing so).
1. Life and Dignity of the Human Person -- Wal-Mart does not always uphold the dignity of each individual. They tend to look at employees as a massive group, rather than unique individuals with personal needs.
2. Call to Family, Community, and Participation -- The store is actually very good at involving various members of the community. I have been at Wal-Marts that employ people with special needs as their greeters, and the large amount of job availability gives teenagers and other minorities a place to earn some cash. Since Wal-Mart sells a wide variety of products, the store appeals to all members of families with different interests.
3. Rights and Responsibilites -- Sadly, Wal-Mart does not always allow people their justified rights. I overheard a cashier talking to her co-worker about her request to come to work later on Sundays. She said her manager told her she would probably be fired for making that request. To me, this desire does not seem unreasonable in the slightest--everyone deserves a day on the weekend to sleep in and be with their family or friends.
4. Option for the Poor and the Vulnerable -- As I mentioned earlier, Wal-Mart is very efficient at employing different types of people (even people who may not be able to get a job at another mass retailer).
5. The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers -- This is probably the main issue people have with Wal-Mart--they just treat their workers unfairly. Although they may hire many people, they don't allow those same people flexibility or an input once they begin working. Many over-time hours go unnoticed, women and minorities are denied management positions, and requests for holidays/time off are constantly shot down.
6. Solidarity -- Wal-Mart is a coporation that has the power to bring people together. I believe the store can bring families together because it caters to all hobbies and interests. The management should work closer with the employers to ensure fair wages, and attmept to make Wal-Mart a more just place overall.
7. Care for God's Creation -- Wal-Mart can go either way with this principle. In a way, they care for God's creation by providing nourishment and other necessities for families. However, they also do not treat their employees in the most just manner.
Personally, I would not apply to work at a Wal-Mart, because I feel as if most large enterprises clump their workers together into one group, rather than consider indiviual needs (I also don't like the vests . . . blue just isn't my color).
I will probably think twice before I get wrapped into the "lowest price" claim that Wal-Mart is famous for. After watching the documentary, I felt so deceived! I automatically assumed that Wal-Mart had the lowest prices for most objects. I am also more aware of how the employees are treated, and I do feel somewhat reluctant to shop at Wal-Mart for most of my basic needs. Honestly, I will continue to shop at Wal-Mart because my family has been going there for so long, and has saved a lot of money by doing so. Hopefully in the future, Wal-Mart will embody justice and equality as well as good buys and a variety of products.
1. Life and Dignity of the Human Person -- Wal-Mart does not always uphold the dignity of each individual. They tend to look at employees as a massive group, rather than unique individuals with personal needs.
2. Call to Family, Community, and Participation -- The store is actually very good at involving various members of the community. I have been at Wal-Marts that employ people with special needs as their greeters, and the large amount of job availability gives teenagers and other minorities a place to earn some cash. Since Wal-Mart sells a wide variety of products, the store appeals to all members of families with different interests.
3. Rights and Responsibilites -- Sadly, Wal-Mart does not always allow people their justified rights. I overheard a cashier talking to her co-worker about her request to come to work later on Sundays. She said her manager told her she would probably be fired for making that request. To me, this desire does not seem unreasonable in the slightest--everyone deserves a day on the weekend to sleep in and be with their family or friends.
4. Option for the Poor and the Vulnerable -- As I mentioned earlier, Wal-Mart is very efficient at employing different types of people (even people who may not be able to get a job at another mass retailer).
5. The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers -- This is probably the main issue people have with Wal-Mart--they just treat their workers unfairly. Although they may hire many people, they don't allow those same people flexibility or an input once they begin working. Many over-time hours go unnoticed, women and minorities are denied management positions, and requests for holidays/time off are constantly shot down.
6. Solidarity -- Wal-Mart is a coporation that has the power to bring people together. I believe the store can bring families together because it caters to all hobbies and interests. The management should work closer with the employers to ensure fair wages, and attmept to make Wal-Mart a more just place overall.
7. Care for God's Creation -- Wal-Mart can go either way with this principle. In a way, they care for God's creation by providing nourishment and other necessities for families. However, they also do not treat their employees in the most just manner.
Personally, I would not apply to work at a Wal-Mart, because I feel as if most large enterprises clump their workers together into one group, rather than consider indiviual needs (I also don't like the vests . . . blue just isn't my color).
I will probably think twice before I get wrapped into the "lowest price" claim that Wal-Mart is famous for. After watching the documentary, I felt so deceived! I automatically assumed that Wal-Mart had the lowest prices for most objects. I am also more aware of how the employees are treated, and I do feel somewhat reluctant to shop at Wal-Mart for most of my basic needs. Honestly, I will continue to shop at Wal-Mart because my family has been going there for so long, and has saved a lot of money by doing so. Hopefully in the future, Wal-Mart will embody justice and equality as well as good buys and a variety of products.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Possessed?
Nicki Minaj is known for her eccentric performances; however, her show at the Grammys was more controversial than people were prepared for. The fact that she was mocking the Catholic church was a foolish thing to do, especially at a nationally viewed event. While some aspects of her performance may be humorous (like the thought of a bishop at a concert), overall the act was highly inappropriate. A lot of Catholics are very dedicated to their religion, and will take huge offense at the negative aspects Nicki Minaj was implying about it.
Personally, I am not offended by this song or performance, but I am not a strong Catholic. I think the Catholic church can be extremely uptight at times, and I do not approve of many of their practices. I also thought that the alter boy joke was slightly amusing (even though I wouldn't have recommended it be included). I believe Catholics sometimes need to lighten up and not take matters so seriously or literally.
In regards to Minaj's feelings about her own performance, I don't think she has much remorse. She appears to be the type of person that obtains satisfaction from standing out and starting controversy. Even though she probably won't apologize, I don't think she meant to hurt anyone's feelings or purposely make Catholics feel uncomfortable. In my opinion, her performance was most likely an attempt to create something completely different from any other singer--she just executed her goal in an unaccepted manner.
Personally, I am not offended by this song or performance, but I am not a strong Catholic. I think the Catholic church can be extremely uptight at times, and I do not approve of many of their practices. I also thought that the alter boy joke was slightly amusing (even though I wouldn't have recommended it be included). I believe Catholics sometimes need to lighten up and not take matters so seriously or literally.
In regards to Minaj's feelings about her own performance, I don't think she has much remorse. She appears to be the type of person that obtains satisfaction from standing out and starting controversy. Even though she probably won't apologize, I don't think she meant to hurt anyone's feelings or purposely make Catholics feel uncomfortable. In my opinion, her performance was most likely an attempt to create something completely different from any other singer--she just executed her goal in an unaccepted manner.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Rotten Apples?
After reading this article, I feel horrified by the way Apple supposedly treats its workers. I can't imagine having to stand for hours, work six days a week, or live in cramped, unsatisfactory living conditions. When I was reading the article, my consciousness was definitely raised about the hardships these people must endure. However, this story quickly left my mind when I went to the gym and mindlessly turned on my Ipod. I truly care about the health and safety of the Apple workers, but using their products is such a common part of my daily life that I don't think I could stop. The conditions don't seem real until I read about them, and the only way I might give up using these products was if I witnessed, and continued to witness, the maltreatment of these workers. I don't mean to sound selfish or uncaring, but eliminating my use of Apple products doesn't seem like a realistic goal for me right now (especially since we use Apple computers in school).
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