Speaking Out

When I was young, I did not clearly understand why every May, Vietnamese girls would dress in the traditional Vietnamese áo dài, hold bouquets of flowers and dance in front of the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary before Masses in May. 

Being a young Catholic often means straddling a line between being part of the secular world and embracing who you fundamentally are in the Divine Plan. 

Growing up, there wasn’t the option to not go to church. In our household, if you don’t go to church, you don’t get to celebrate Christmas or Easter, which are two pretty big holidays for a young kid.

There was one important lesson my friends Matthew Remedios and Monika Cyfko learned while volunteering at our parish’s summer camp — youth need this kind of bonding and faith experience all year round.

The other day I was hypnotized in my Instagram Stories when I saw that a friend posted a meme. If you’re not in the generation familiar with memes, they’re generally a photo that’s been edited with words to add humour.

Young people rediscovering sacred music, learning the beauty of the pipe organ and young women veiling for Mass.

It was Week 1 of my Exodus 90 fast and I really wanted a brownie.

This year, I decided to read the Bible all the way through, starting at the book of Genesis.

Whether it’s online shopping, banking or even dating, it’s as if we can live our lives entirely online. This is why the news about the banning of cellphones in all classes across Ontario next school year came as a surprise to me. The exceptions to the ban are when they are used as part of a teacher’s lesson, or for students with medical or special needs.

This was one February reading week that certainly won’t be forgotten.