Chatting about: What is Love

Ruth (Guest): System wasn’t working –– at least at my end. I thought I was the only one here, and after signing in with my name, I was listed only as “me.“

Ruth (Guest): Glad I’m not alone. Greetings. Lisa, Dawn and –– a new chatter? Caroll V.

Ruth (Guest): appears to be. Than ks.

Ruth (Guest): Hi Amy, welcome.

Ruth (Guest): Yes, indeed. – 13 degrees F and going down!

Ruth (Guest): Welcome Carroll V.

Ruth (Guest): So, somebody does actually read those postings besides us.

Ruth (Guest): I think Sr. Susan has not been here yet tonight. She posted the questions a couple of days ago.

Ruth (Guest): How far back does it go, Dawn.

Ruth (Guest): I was just this evening trying to figure it out.

Ruth (Guest): I remember chatting in a motel room near NYC on a laptop on the bed when I was in the City getting all the pre-op testing for my TKA –– that wound up being cancelled while I was on the gerney , ready to be rolled into the OR. That must’ve been Jan 2015 and I’d been with the group at least a few sessions by then.

Ruth (Guest): Interesting Dawn. Thank you Carroll.

Ruth (Guest): I watched it a while back. Not sure how this is going to work out. What do you think of the speaker/and SFdS listing women under men and close to the animals?

Ruth (Guest): Just now Dawn?

Ruth (Guest): Amy, The whole series is Treatise on Love, St. Francis de Sales. Tonight, LOVE is a DECISION, not a feeling.

Ruth (Guest): Maybe that’s why in some cultures marriages can be arranged by parents –– sometimes even without the couple meeting one another –– and they usually work out pretty well.

Ruth (Guest): I used to print the selection and questions, but I have a new printer now, not yet set up.

Ruth (Guest): Even in our “culture,“ at least until recently, the potential husband would ask the potential wife’s father/parents for permission to date and/or to marry the woman he loves. And the father/parents/brother or uncle if the parents were deceased would “give away” the bride.

Ruth (Guest): Lisa, that’s true, but I think –– though who am I to make any claims to know anything about it –– it all depends.

Ruth (Guest): Good work Lisa. I’d reread that earlier, but didn’t remember as much.

Ruth (Guest): Yes, Dawn. In the practicing Jewish household that is very clear. One 12 year old Catholic girl after spending a long weekend with a Jewish friend in her home, came home and said to her parents: Now I know what the difference is between being Jewish and being Catholic.

Ruth (Guest): For the Jewish people, everything important happens at home. For the Catholic everything important happens in Church.

Ruth (Guest): IS a priest “married” to God? I understand that he is an “other Christ” –– at least as far as his role as celebrant at Mass and as Confessor is concerned.

Ruth (Guest): Dawn, that reminds me of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.“ I don’t see many movies but that was one that I did and I enjoyed.

Ruth (Guest): Hello Carol Ann, Happy New Year to you, too. And Happy

Ruth (Guest): Solemnity of Mary, The Mother of God/ and World Peace Day –– Jan 1

Ruth (Guest): Dawn, I think a lot of Italian families are similar. I knew very well an Italian –– Irish couple, even went to some of their family gatherings.

Ruth (Guest): It seems to me that Jan 1 used to be the Feast of the Circumcision.

Ruth (Guest): And New Year’s Eve was Sylvester all day long.

Ruth (Guest): No, Dawn, you are with us. It’s just hard through this medium. We are still going to have to get together –– face-to-face –– someday.

Ruth (Guest): Can we still scroll back to the questions as you’ve restated them?

Ruth (Guest): Still is. But in Germany that was “BIG” , less so here.

Ruth (Guest): I’ve just gone back to the summary of questions you re-posted Lisa. I think JPII, St. JPII, got it right. We love as a total person.

Ruth (Guest): And that’s why distinguishing sexual love –– AS IF it were separate from total gift of self (though, sadly, it has been used this was) doesn’t help me understand what is meant here.

Ruth (Guest): In the early 70′s –– when there was much talk of the Church possibly allowing priests to marry (and today a some are, in the Orthodox church in union with Rome, and married, Protestant priests who convert to Catholicism) . . . oh, I’ll go into that another time.

Ruth (Guest): Yes, that makes sense, Carroll, but for a married couple, their marital love, ideally, assists each to a deeper love of God. Marriage is meant to lead to SANCTITY –– of BOTH partners, and even the children.

Ruth (Guest): I think it has a LOT to do with the VOCATION of the individual. IF a priest is truly called to live celibacy, then he will find it freeing. IF he is “torn” and feels lonely –– that can be more an obstacle than having a supportive, loving wife would be.

Ruth (Guest): Interesting, your Rule. What’s it called, Carol Ann. There are single, and married people in your community?

Ruth (Guest): Every blessing in the New Year to you, too, Carroll! Thanks for signing in this time.

Ruth (Guest): Oh my, we’ve gone overtime again. I hardly noticed. Good night Carol Ann, Amy (still here?), Dawn, opps, and Lisa (already signed out); I wish you prayerfully a blessed 2018.