The Way

This film showed a realistic depiction of grief and sadness. Tom's struggle over his son's death really touched me and reminded me that grief is healed slowly with the help of friends and family. Additionally, the pilgrims' desire to improve their lives was inspiring. The way Tom evolved throughout the journey showed true personal growth, and his purpose for walking the Camino evolved along the way. He started out looking for a way to deal with the death of his son, but during the journey, it became more about Tom himself finding a better way to live his life. Tom did not just deal with his son's death, he improved himself. The movie showed that the pilgrimage is a really positive experience, no matter what the goal or purpose. Both religious or personal reasons are noble pursuits.

Mixed Messages

While I think Emily Reimer-Barry makes some good points about the way women are treated within the Catholic Church, I think it is important to recognize the positive messages sent to women. For example, the Church clearly states, with no room for doubt, that men and women are equal. This message is at the heart of feminism, and the Church's statement is very significant and powerful in today's society. The Church also encourages all people, especially young women, to respect and honor their bodies as a gift from God. This message encourages women to recognize their worth and treat themselves with the dignity they deserve. A lot of these messages have been translated to me through my years of Catholic schooling. Especially in high school, I have been taught that being a woman means being a powerful "agent of change." Although some of the message are a bit lofty, they convey an important message that being female does not make me any less of a person. Quite the contrary, it makes me a strong and powerful person capable of just about anything. However, as with anything, there are always some negative messages mixed in with the positive ones. I have heard many of the traditional opinions about the differences between men and women. For example, some people still believe that a woman's sphere is the home, and that this responsibility should come above all else. Nevertheless, the many positive messages tend to override the few negative ones.

Abortion

Bryan Cones's article sends a very different message than what one typically finds in Catholic publications. However, I completely agree with what he is saying. He is taking a very practical approach that better fits what the modern world needs. While I understand that the Church would not want to given up on such an important ideological belief as pro-life, I think it is worth noting that more lives may be lost from unsafe abortions than from safe abortions. In a safe abortion, the fertilized egg dies, destroying one life in the Church's opinion, but an unsafe abortion can lead to two deaths: the mother and the fertilized egg. I also think Cones brings up a good point that having access to birth control dramatically decreases the number of abortions. By providing some type of contraception to women in developing nations, the abortion rate would drop greatly. If the Catholic Church could consider these other factors, they might be able to develop a new position that better fits with modern society and modern views on abortion.

IVF

The main pro of IVF is the opportunity for an infertile couple to experience the joy of parenthood. It allows couples who don’t want to adopt the opportunity to have a child of their own. Cons are the high cost and the possibility that certain embryos may be destroyed, thus ending life. While I believe the Church makes valid points, I don’t believe that a couple who uses IVF because they can’t get pregnant is doing anything wrong. If two people are so dedicated to having children, then they should be able to pursue any and all possible options to do so. If a couple is worried about preserving life, then they can make the commitment to use all of the embryos. The pain of being unable to have children is very difficult, and I believe that given the opportunity by modern science and technology to have a child, people should be able to make that choice. In my opinion, the cost of IVF does not change whether or not it is morally correct.

He's Just Not That Into You

The relationship between Beth and Neil is a perfect example of how being married is more than having a wedding and signing a slip of paper. Even though Beth wants to be married, a completely normal wish, it takes losing Neil to realize he was more of a husband to her than her sisters’ actual husbands were to them. She realizes that their life together already has everything she thinks she’ll get in a marriage; they just never signed a piece of paper. Their commitment to one another is built on love, trust, loyalty, and respect. The scene where Beth walks into the kitchen and sees Neil washing dishes is a great example of what it means to be in a relationship. It means being there for the person you love in good times and in bad times. At the exact moment when Beth needed someone to help her and comfort her, Neil was there, committed as ever to Beth. Although Neil ended up giving in and proposing, a plot point I didn’t entirely agree with, he showed an important component of a committed relationship: dedication to making the other person happy.

Gigi is an example of someone who is unable to find a happy, successful relationship because she is not happy and secure with herself. She misreads “signals” and overanalyzes her dates, then worries incessantly when guys don’t call her back. She does not see herself or her relationships clearly, and is further enabled by her friend Janine who is not honest with her. It takes Alex’s brutal honesty for Gigi to make a positive change. She becomes more confident in herself and less dependent on finding a boyfriend. Gigi’s struggles show that healthy relationships require individuals who are happy with themselves. They also show that happiness does not depend solely on the success of romantic relationships.

The Changing Face of Marriage

My experience with the ‘domestic church’ has been my Catholic schooling and the Christian principles my parents have taught me. Growing up, I attended church every weekend, and my parents consistently encouraged my sister and me to practice Catholic values of honesty, kindness, generosity, etc. Based on what I viewed in “He’s Just Not That Into You” I believe the changing structure of marriage is positive in many ways. First, the growing acceptance of all types of families and marriages—not just the cookie-cutter man, woman, 2.5 kids—is a wonderful trend that allows all people to find the “happily ever after” that fits their specific situation. Also, while divorce rates have skyrocketed in the last few decades, one positive is that people are not forced by society to remain in unhappy, harmful, or destructive relationships. Considering all of these factors, I hope to someday raise my kids in an environment with Christian values, but more importantly, with acceptance of all people and all types of families and marriages. 

Dating

The anti-daters criticize the practice of dating for several reasons. First, the believe that dating is essentially practice for divorce, in which conflict causes the couple to break up. They believe the temporary nature of dating is the heart of the problem. I completely disagree with this view. Dating allows us to figure out what qualities are important to us in a partner. If you don't date, you don't know how to be in a relationship, and that can also lead to divorce. Also, other than an arranged marriage, there is no way to get married without dating first. You have to meet someone and get to know one another first in order to get married and have a loving relationship. If you follow what the anti-daters say, that would imply that the first person you meet in a romantic way has to be the one you marry in order to avoid dating and "practicing for divorce."
Those who support dating say that dating prepares us for a successful marriage in which we know how to treat one another. Also, they say that dating offers possibilities for personal transformation not found in other relationships. I agree with this; I believe dating is essential for building a successful relationship. I don't see dating as against God's story of love. I think it's in line with building successful, loving, faithful relationships.
The anti-dater's point of view is very opposed to the modern dating culture. Young adults often feel pressured to be in relationships and worry about finding someone to spend their life with. Dating is such a crucial part of being a young adult in his/her 20s. It is one of the main social activities.