So the reason that I didn't get back with time to put up another update was I was trying really hard to sleep on a normal Irish schedule and I think I did it.  I won the battle against jet lag.

On to the more exciting things that happened yesterday... my first day in Wexford (it already seems so much longer than that).  The day started after a much needed sleep-in with a little breakfast and then Jess, one of the members of the House had spiritual accompaniment (what they call spiritual direction).  We got a lift (NOT A RIDE) from a woman who works at the parish to the Ballyvaloo retreat centre (look at how Irish I am!!)  which is one of this areas best kept secrets.  The facilities were gorgeous, as were the grounds.  All of the pictures except for the very last one in the parish came from the retreat centre or between it and their private gate to the private beach on the coast of Ireland (hard to believe it's the same water isn't it??).  

We then got our lift back to the House where I took it east in the afternoon in an attempt to stay awake until bedtime.  I watched a little rugby, played a little guitar, and uploaded some pictures.  Then we headed over to the vigil Mass at Clonard Parish which started at 7pm.  This was the choir that is actually directed and lead by the members of the House of Brigid.  It was fun to hear some of the same songs that we sing in Folk  Choir done in a completely foreign country with the same faith.  At first I was a little taken aback by the huge crowd that turned out for Mass... the church was probably 3/4 full.  Then I asked a friend and she let me know that the Confirmation class was having a special ceremony of light for them and their parents.  Part of this ceremony was "the pledge" in which the 2nd and 3rd grade students pledge publicly to avoid alcohol until they turn 18.  This is a tradition that was started over 75 years ago, but the members of the House were impressed by the serious thought that each student put into it before they made the pledge in front of the entire community.  They also promise to avoid hard drugs for their entire lives.  The part of this ceremony that I was most impressed by was the prayers that came just after these.  The nest set of prayers was devoted toward the parents and then the entire community.  The parents made a promise that they have spoken to their child about the dangers of these two activities and promised to support them in their decision through faith and action.  The words of the prayers were powerful and I hope they struck home with someone other than just myself.

After Mass we went out with a volunteer to get some good ole Chinese food (a tradition after the Vigil Mass that I was happily introduced to).  We enjoyed a full family meal of take-away Chinese in preparation for walking down to the town.  We then decided to walk down and spend the evening in a pub.  It was a great night, and thanks to the vistas in in the photos, the accents all around me, the afternoon rainstorm, and the pub life I think I finally feel like I am in Ireland!

You are all in my prayers... and thank you for yours.  I can feel them every moment.

There isn't long to talk, but I will explain the day behind these pictures later tonight.  Until then enjoy!!

As I type this I am sitting at the gate for my flight from Copenhagen to Dublin… but as I submit it I will be somewhere else – somewhere with internet.

First of all: Happy Birthday to my sister Grace!! Sorry I can’t be home for it.

Now a few of the things that I have learned since leaving the campus of Notre Dame:

• Sometimes buses break down and don’t show up at all, but luckily a friend was waiting with me and we were able to drive to the airport in his car.
  
• Airport security thinks much more highly of you when the guy in front of you hasn’t even signed his passport.
• Full body scanners feel like you are being frisked by air.
• Two and a half hours early is plenty of time to be at your gate.
• Apparently elderly Swedish women who sit next to you on the airplane tend to not warn you as they try to stand on their seat and climb over you to go to the bathroom, and when this fails they simply sit on your lap and wiggle themselves over you.
• Little kids can be so cute, but they can also be so loud.
• Exchanging currency at a bank is frustratingly expensive.
• In Denmark the urinals are really really high. 
• Also in Denmark the “assistance center” is not where you go to ask for directions to Terminal 3… it’s where you go if you need a wheelchair.
• At the 7/11 in the Copenhagen Airport right above your water bottle in the cooler on the wall is a Corona Light.
• And last but not least… I am capable of traveling all by myself!!!
  

All in all it was pretty smooth day of travel.  I made it to Teach Bhride and now it is time to force myself to sleep so that my recent time-traveling doesn't throw off my entire week.  Tomorrow will be so exciting!

Hello all!

This will be my mode of keeping the world (or at least my friends and those who are interested) up to date on the next 10 days of my life.  A brief summary of what I will be doing.  The Notre Dame Folk Choir tours in Ireland every few years and over the past few trips they realized that they were seeing fewer and fewer people in the Churches that they visited.   Now compared to the world this is no big surprise, sadly this is happening everywhere, but it took back a few members of this group from Notre Dame.  We are the Fighting Irish and are quite proud of that heritage, just like we are quite proud of our Catholicism (and our catholicism).  So to see the land that brought our faith to us struggling in its own faith was a bit discomforting.

In response the Folk Choir with the help of a few primary leaders and a few blessed benefactors established a lay ministry community in Wexford Ireland call Teach Bhride (or the House of Brigid) and this is my destination.  I could and would love to go on about the program, but for a more convenient way here is the link to the Teach Bhride website: http://www.houseofbrigid.org/  I was blessed with the opportunity from the Nanovic Institute and the Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish studies to be supported in my endeavour to immerse myself in this ministry and see if it is not only a fit for the Church in Ireland, but also a possible fit for me in the future.

When I return I will definitely be a more informed person, but I also bet that I will be a changed person.  This blog (the spell check while typing in a blog thinks that the word "blog" doesn't exist... o irony) will help me to keep track of my experiences and will help to form the work that I hope to do when I get back.  I hope you enjoy, and my goal will be to post everyday/night.  Thank you for your thoughts and prayers... the first of which are for a safe trip :-)