8 | FRIDAY APRIL 15, 2016 | The Observer

YOung Observer (Photo provided) Marmion Flannigan Ri es Win Commander’s Trophy Marmion Academy’s Flannigan Ri es Drill Team placed  rst in the Homer L. Clendenen Memorial JROTC Drill Meet held at Concordia Lutheran High School in Ft. Wayne, Ind., on March 19-20. Led by this year’s Team Commander John Callahan of Geneva and Executive O cer Jake Miller of West Chicago, Flannigan Ri es won the event for the 11th time, taking the coveted Commander’s Trophy to Aurora for the third YO consecutive year. Units and individuals of the team took additional honors. Helping IN AURORA Rosary SADD Club leads collection for Mutual Ground

AURORA—Rosary High School’s Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) club collected supplies to help Mutual Ground in Aurora in its work with victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse. Rosary homerooms and faculty donated items on a wish list to “fi ll-the-box” for Mutual Ground. The project was part of SADD’s recognition of Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. In addition, the club also worked to raise awareness by creating public service announcements and leading morning prayer. Mutual Ground is a non- profi t organization providing programs that focus on safety, healing and prevention for domestic violence and sexual assault victims. SADD moderators are Kim (Photo provided) Baleskie and Lisa Sustersic. Rosary students display items collected for a domestic violence shelter Tell us what Works of Mercy your school or youth group is doing. Write to [email protected].

VOCATION CORNER Sunday is World Day of Prayer for Vocations

lthough we ought to pray for vocations a plan for the lives of every soul that walks this who either do not know yet what God is calling them to the priesthood and religious life earth. to or don’t even know that they should be striving to everyday, Sunday is a very special day When I was a seminarian, I remember that follow God’s plan in their lives! because it is the annual World Day for complete strangers would frequently come up to me So I ask you to in a special way Prayer for Vocations. It is a day to recall how prayer pray, pray, pray A and tell me that I was in their prayers. This gave me Sunday and know that it would not be a bad idea to has borne fruit in our own lives and to joyfully pay it so much joy and confi dence because I knew that I keep it up Monday and Tuesday and the next day as forward for men and women throughout the world had a whole army of prayer warriors backing me up well. who have yet to discern their call. as I continued forward in my desire to follow God’s Happy World Day of Prayer for Vocations! So too it is a day to be fi lled with gratitude for all will each day. that God has done in our lives. It is a day to thank Sunday you have an opportunity to be a part of — Father Keith Romke, Diocesan Director of Vocations God for creating us out of love and in turn for having this army for billions of people throughout the world, Write to him at [email protected]. The Observer | FRIDAY APRIL 15, 2016 | 9 How will I know? Discernment house helps women hear the call in their hearts

By Amanda Hudson | News Editor and in Catholic schools, and that allows 2016 Nun Run agenda “Sometimes people will ask me the sisters to determine their schedule. what is the point of the Nun Run and The annual Nun Run provided by the they met the Franciscan Sisters of The fundraising itself ended up being other vocations events,” says Father Office of Vocations for the Diocese of Perpetual Adoration. a part of the formative process. The Keith Romke, diocesan director of the Rockford headed north to Wisconsin, They also toured the Shrine of Our women discover “it’s not just me and Vocations Office. “My response is March 17-20. Seven women ranging in Lady of Guadalupe and the chapel at Jesus,” Sister Luka says, “It’s me and always the same: without them I might age from 20 up to 43 took part. St. Rose Convent, met with some of Jesus and the Church.” not be a priest as I am a product of our The women and their diocesan the sisters, got up for early morning As they explain their goals to potential summer vocations camps! chaperones first visited the Cistercian (3:50 and 4:50 a.m.) prayers and drove donors, the women must clarify their “I guess you could respond by asking Monastery in Prairie du Sac, Wis., through a surprising couple of miles of story and, Sister Luka adds, it makes why kids go to baseball, engineering, then headed to La Crosse where significant snow. them take the whole process a lot more or art camp seriously. and I think the LEFT, BELOW: “It has worked reason would Another way out very, very be the same: young people well, better than I because it in the Rockford anticipated,” she gives them Diocese learn says. joy and just about voca- maybe they’ll (Observer photos/Amanda Hudson) Four FSGM fall in love with it tions is the sisters staff and enjoy it for annual Here I the Mater the rest of their Am Lord con- Redemptoris lives!” ference offered House of Formation. There This year for 14 years by St. Patrick are six women the seven going through Church in St. participants the process in the annual Charles. this semester Nun Run had (maximum room a chance for seven). to stop at a special place The ministry for considering follows an vocations, academic year, the Mater from September Redemptoris to May, with 15- House of week semesters. Formation in La The formation Crosse, Wis. house also Mary Pat provides: Davies, 23, of n Educational St. Thomas retreats for Parish in Crystal middle school Lake says, “I students and (Photo provided) really liked the Women who took part in the Nun Run this spring pose with sisters at high school formation house. Mater Redemptoris House of Formation in La Crosse, Wis. students to When I went on introduce the Nun Run, I religious life; three years As didn’t know there was something like ago, (it t has worked out very, very formation n Discernment retreats for young that ... . It was really interesting to me, became) director, adults that run two to three days, interesting that people there who were ‘Iwell, better than I anticipated.’ a live-in Sister Luka providing direction on how to take not in a religious community, but still program works with the first steps in exploring a possible were being educated in preparation for —Sister M. Luka Brandenburg, formation for college- individual religious vocation; that. It was also very nice they were age women director at Mater Redemptoris House of women working together as a community as n Spiritual direction for college-age who were Formation on any well.” women who are trying to discern in interested particular general what to do in life. MaryMalia Shroka, 22, of Aurora, in, but not needs they Sister Luka also provides consultation who was on this year’s Nun Run saw ready for, religious life. That’s the group have. Each woman has a spiritual service to religious communities upon the house of formation as a “very we’re targeting.” director, seeing an area priest for moral fruitful way to ease (your) way into the request. Usually, she says, the women are formation. discernment process.” The community is at work writing simply too young or not yet mature Initially, the women would pay up a program for dioceses who want While there, the women from the enough to be accepted into a religious room and board and had to get a to begin a similar program, and Rockford Diocese received individual order’s novitiate. job, Sister Luka says, adding that the formation direction from Sister M. Luka they have become a source for up- Some are home schooled and have arrangement, “made it difficult for us to Brandenburg, formation director at a to-date information about religious never lived away from home. What the do what we’re doing.” unique, pre-novitiate formation house congregations all around the country. house of formation does is pre-novitiate She and other sisters went to the that is geared for women who are formation to help the women “get ready National Evangelization Teams (NET) “I tried to kill the aspirancy program discerning God’s call. for convent life,” Sister Luka says. Ministries to find out how they work three times, but it kept coming back,” The Mater Redemptoris House of with people in order to accomplish their Sister Luka says. “God has been “Part of it is having a very structured good in leading us. We’ve been very Formation is a project of the Diocese of lifestyle,” she explains. “They pray ministry. Now the women who come La Crosse and the Sisters of St. Francis to Mater Redemptoris for a year must successful in getting the young ladies with us … have assigned chores … ready to enter the convent.” of the Martyr St. George (FSGM). do volunteer service with Catholic first raise $5,000 for the diocese, which “We spent two and a half years Charities” and take classes in supports and maintains the program. Info: www.altonfranciscans.org/ experimenting … with retreats, “different things that people need to During the year, the women do apostolates/formation education,” says Sister Luka. “About know how to do.” volunteer service for Catholic Charities or [email protected] Like Young Observer on Follow @young0bserver on Media /Arts The Observer | FRIDAY APRIL 15, 2016 | 11 on YO t h e record By CHARLIE MARTIN | CNS iven Coldplay’s global reputation, you engineer, but you may also wouldn’t think that they would feature discover the joy of writing dancing, singing and guitar-playing chimps poetry or become someone Adventure of Gin the video of their recent release “Adventure of a who understands better why Lifetime.” But hey, whatever sells, right? people act as they do. a lifetime The song invites us to consider what adventures Also, feed your passions. we want in our lives. The song’s character says Sung by Coldplay God gave you immense gifts © 2015, 2015, Parlaphone Records that “I feel my heart beating … like I’m alive again.” (Observer photo / www.parlophone.co.uk/artists/coldplay) and abilities. Let these inner While he does not say what diminished his sense Turn your magic on (Alive again) strengths guide you toward (Repeat refrain.) of feeling alive, he clearly attributes his personal To me she’d say Oh, you make me feel your deepest interests. We are diamonds renewal to a relationship. Everything you want’s a Like I’m alive again dream away Taking shape Don’t settle for a small vision Said I can’t go on, not in He says that “everything you want’s a dream We are legends every day We are diamonds of what your life can be. You this way away” and that “we are diamonds taking shape.” That’s what she’d tell me Taking shape are on this earth to enjoy who I’m a dream that died by Moreover, he adds that “if we’ve only got this life, If we’ve only got this life you are but also to make the Refrain: light of day This adventure oh then I ... this adventure, oh then I want to share it with you.” rest of us better. Think about Turn your magic on Gonna hold up half the And if we’ve only got this How all of this will work out for them as a couple how your natural interests can To me she’d say sky and say life remains unknown. However, for the rest of us, also become a service for Everything you want’s a Only I own me You get me through it’s important that we remain feeling alive. As the others. dream away I feel my heart beating And if we’ve only got this song suggests, sometimes a new relationship can Under this pressure under I feel my heart life For example, if you are good energize us, but ultimately, how we live is up to us. this weight underneath my skin In this adventure oh then I with technology, play around What can one do to create a personal “adventure of We are diamonds Oh, I can feel my heart Want to share it with you with creating new apps that a lifetime”? I feel my heart beating beating With you could help others. Maybe you I feel my heart ‘Cause you make me feel With you Like most expansive questions, there is not one could start a tech company underneath my skin Like I’m alive again Yeah I do answer, but I would offer these suggestions for living that markets your app and I feel my heart beating Alive again Woohoo with adventure and meaning. thus spreads the value of the Oh, you make me feel Oh, you make me feel Woohoo First, explore opportunities outside of your app around the world. Think Like I’m alive again Like I’m alive again Woohoo familiar environment. big when it comes to making a positive difference for our tipping point. We are either heading toward more I don’t mean solely geography, but also explore world. destructive violence or upward toward compassion mental and spiritual opportunities. For example, if and understanding. Give your love away freely and openly. you want to have a career in science, that’s fine, but As today’s followers of Jesus, we know which way explore different areas. Push past the familiar. Take All love comes from God and thus is based we want to see the world tip: love, love and then a course in an area of study that doesn’t fall into in an infinite supply chain. Expand how kind, love some more! Life is a tremendous gift from God. your major. Try creative writing or psychology. how generous and how forgiving you can be. Value it greatly and live it boldly. You are called into You may still end up being a scientist or an Our modern world has brought humanity to a an adventure of a lifetime. Send comments to Charlie Martin at [email protected] or at 7125W 200S, Rockport, IN 47635. At the Movies The Boss jokes, rampant profanity and spurned lovers in the Windy lewd sexual behavior com- City. In a comic take on the (Universal) prises this wretched comedy, horror franchise that began O After a prison stint with 2013’s “The Purge,” the R for insider trading, a directed and co-written by clan is soon under siege disgraced business- Deon Taylor. An African- from gun-toting neighbors woman (Melissa McCarthy, American family relocates and angry creditors, all tak- who also co-wrote the script) from Chicago to an all-white ing advantage of an annual moves in with her former as- gated community in Beverly 12-hour event during which sistant (Kristen Bell) and the Hills, California. The patri- any crime may be committed secretary’s preteen daugh- arch (Mike Epps) hopes for a with impunity. ter (Ella Anderson). While better life for his wife (Zulay THIS FILM CONTAINS bloody minding the youngster, she Henao) and kids (Bresha violence, strong sexual con- strikes on the idea of stag- Webb, Alex Henderson). But, tent, drug use, profane, rough ing a comeback by starting a unbeknownst to them, he’s and crude language. for-profit version of the Girl also running away from a — Catholic News Service Scouts to market her long- string of unpaid debts and suffering hostess’ outstand- ing brownies. But her plan is threatened by the ex-lover- — A Theatrical Play — turned-rival (Peter Dinklage) whose tip to the authorities “Born British, Died American” brought about her downfall. Travel back in time and eavesdrop on Ben Franklin Tickets: Dead-end subplots and trashy $ humor alternate with failed and his daughter as they work on his memoirs. 12.50 attempts at a more serious Sunday, April 17th, 3 p.m. tone in director and co-writer (Observer screenshot/S. Boehlefeld; CNS photo/handout) Ben Falcone’s dim star vehicle. Historical Hain House, 149 Hilltop, Lake in the Hills, IL 60156 Women’s Online Magazine Debuts McCarthy’s character makes a Info: 847-567-5476 or www.bornbritishdiedamerican.com thorough nuisance of herself, A screenshot (above) shows inspiring more grimaces than some of the stories in Aleteia For giggles. Her, a new digital magazine for THIS FILM CONTAINS slap- “the modern Catholic woman.” stick violence, pervasive Cynthia Dermody (left), editor in Watch ‘Catholic Mass’ vulgar humor, drug use, an chief, says of “For Her” magazine implied premarital encounter, fills a void not met by popular Sundays at 6:30 a.m. on WREX-TV, women’s fashion and lifestyle rough and crude language. Channel 13 in Rockford magazines. Aimed at women, Meet the Blacks or you can watch on the Web at 25-55, the staff also intends to (Freestyle) http://observer.rockforddiocese.org. evangelize for the Catholic faith O according to its website. Find it at A sloppy assem- Brought to you by The Diocesan Office of R Communications and Publications http://forher.aleteia.org. blage of tasteless