Out of the Mouths of Teenagers

The other day, I dropped my daughter of fifteen off at the parish office so that she could return something to our parish priest. (She thinks he's pretty awesome, which factors into what I'm about to tell you.)

So, I dropped her off, and she bounced in and bounced out within a few minutes. As we pulled out of the church parking lot, she said, "That office is just like home."

I know what she means. But the best part of the whole thing is that she gets it!

She gets it because we have an amazing staff and an active youth program. But she gets it most of all because we have an amazing priest.

He takes the time to know each of us - even the teen who likes anime and manga. He even knows what anime and manga are. He speaks her language, and in doing that, he is able to find moments when he can teach her the language of faith.

Which brings me to my second happy moment as a mom.

Quote by St. Augustine, St. Monica's son.

Last night, I watched TV in my bedroom, but the door was open, and I could hear my daughter who was showering in the bathroom down the hall.

She was singing.

What was she singing, you ask? Not some tune from her iphone. Nope. My daughter-of-fifteen-almost-sixteen was singing "And I will raise you up on eagle's wings, bear you on the breath of dawn, make you to shine like the sun, and hold you in the palm of my hand."

Okay.

That's my mom story.

St. Monica, pray for us - that our children stay close to the Eucharist and that those children who have fallen away from their early faith will feel the pull to come back. May they remember, somewhere in the deepest recesses of their souls, the beauty they once knew. Lord, hear our prayer!