"Pfffft... various..."

Retreat: Surprisingly wonderful. First of all, our mission trip group is going to rock. Second of all, the speakers were both really good! There was Scott Anthony, a youth-guy from St. Joseph's in York, who was a good speaker and a funny chap, and Father Rothan from Good Shepherd in Camp Hill, who was also really cool. 'Twas a nice, nice day, with lots of good food!

Confession: Unsurprisingly wonderful (it always is). Me, Manda, and Povs ended up being the last people there. I ended up with Father Weitzal, and even though he'd been there for two hours already, he was really nice and let me say or ask whatever I felt like. I got the weirdest penance in the world, though...

Whoa, though, Fr. Weitzal apparently knows a lot more about me than I thought! He was like naming off all my friends...

"You know you're a Catholic nerd when intstead of comparing Confession to a shower, you find yourself comparing a shower to Confession." (I forget where exactly I read this, but I liked it.)

I really think that post-Confession is just about the nicest time in the whole wide world. Disregarding everything about it that is theological in nature, I think it might just be the most refreshing, relieving, and super experience in the world, even when it's embarrassing or painful or whatever else. It makes me love being Catholic, and I do pity other religions. You know guys, while you may think that it's just an extra hassle and embarassing to spill all the beans... really, you guys are missing out! And again, I'm not even talking theologically right now, just psychologically and emotionally...

Father Rothan was there, too, and I think I (or me and Povs and Mandy) should email him to see if he'd be willing to be a spiritual advisor. A bit again I talked to a seminarian from Mt. St. Mary's, and he said that one of the best things you can do for yourself is to get a spiritual advisor. (He also said I should study theology in Rome at the Angelicum... but one is more practical than the other! Gosh, though, wouldn't that rock? The Angelicum [aka the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas] is where the late John Paul the Great studied for his doctorate.)

Whoo God! Whoo Catholicism! Whoo God again!