“In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.”
Thessalonians 5:18
Thanks to the hard work of Women of Grace and the Altar and Rosary Society of St. Joseph’s Church in Coopersburg, Pennsylvania, dozens of women were able to enjoy an afternoon of reflection on the meaning of Advent.
Commentary by Susan Brinkmann, OCDSWith a sigh of (partial) relief, I am happy to report that the controversial teen magazine, Teen Vogue, has shut down its print edition and will revert to an on-line version only.
Women’s Wear Daily is reporting that the magazine has been shuttered in a cost-cutting effort by owner Conde Nast that resulted in the slashing of 80 jobs. While its other publications, such as GQ, Glamour, Allure, Bon Appetit, will experience a reduction in the number of issues, Teen Vogue, which was cut from 12 issues to just 5 last year, was shut down entirely with the hopes of capitalizing on what it describes as “tremendous audience growth” on-line.
“As audiences continue to evolve around content consumption, we will modernize and calibrate how, where and when we produce and distribute our content to be in sync with the cultural moments and platforms most important to our audiences,” the publisher said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “Though the quarterly print editions will cease publishing on a regular schedule, we will explore re-imagined special issues timed to specific moments (vs. months) as we do in social."
The fate of its new editor, Elaine Welteroth, who sparked one controversy after another since she took over the magazine last year, is still unknown. There is speculation that she will become the editor-in-chief of Glamour or Allure.
Welteroth is the editor who began to introduce far-left politics into the magazine as well as sexual content so vile that it sparked magazine burnings and a backlash of parental outrage.
For example, the magazine came under fire in February of this year for an article suggesting the “perfect gifts” for post-abortive teens. The choices included “angry uterus heating pads” and a Ruth Bader Ginsburg coloring book.
In July of this year, the magazine published an article entitled “Anal Sex: What You Need to Know” which provided teen girls with graphic instructions on how to engage in sodomy. When confronted for this dangerously irresponsible article, the magazine’s digital editor, Phillip Picardi resorted to the usual tactics used by the intolerant left by branding all complainers as “homophobic.”
This resulted in a literal firestorm online when Elizabeth Johnson, known as The Activist Mommy, posted a video of herself burning the magazine. It went viral and sparked a campaign to #pullteenvogue.
Whether this controversial year had anything to do with the decision to cut the magazine is anyone’s guess; the publisher insists that it did so for financial reasons.
However, Teen Vogue isn’t entirely out of our hair yet. They’re sponsoring the first Teen Vogue Summit in Los Angeles next month which will feature Hillary Rodham Clinton and several other “activist” speakers. The two-day event will offer a variety of workshops and @Werk immersion sessions. With a hefty price tag ranging from $299 to $549, it’s debatable how many teens will actually be attending this event.
The other problem is that Phillip Picardi, who defended the magazine against its “homophobic” critics, will be the digital editor of the on-line version of the magazine.
Even though it’s good that this raunchy magazine will no longer be staring us in the face as we stand in line at the supermarket, parents need to remain vigilant about what their teens are reading on-line. This is especially true with girls who are being bombarded with negative messaging packaged as “fashion” and “trendy looks.”
As our Young Women of Grace study teaches, women are not the sum total of their body parts. We are meant to infuse this dark world with the bright light of our feminine genius, to allow our unique sensitivity and generosity to melt the coldness of hearts that divide us, to bring our life-giving maternity into a culture that embraces death, to allow our receptivity to open the doors to respectful dialogue.
Women have too important a role to play in this world to allow ourselves to be sidelined by the “body beautiful” crowd who is only too content to keep us on the cover of magazines where we will remain just another pretty face.
© All Rights Reserved, Living His Life Abundantly®/Women of Grace® http://www.womenofgrace.com
College is an exciting time for young adults, an opportunity to grow as individuals. And whether you’re experiencing college as a freshman or finishing it up as a senior, it never hurts to get some advice that will help you live out your time at college to the fullest.Here are some helpful tips:
1. Find balance in your school and social life (Romans 12:2) Easier said than done! There are two different types of people at college: one that places school over everything and the other that doesn’t prioritize their education enough. For the ultimate college experience, balance is essential. Make sure to work hard but also schedule in some fun! Writing in your agenda and keeping track of how you are spending your time is crucial. And remember, learning to maintain balance is a life learning goal. Don’t worry about trying to perfect it.
2. Find your community (Proverbs 18:24) If you are a freshman, being proactive in searching for a community can be really intimidating. But let me tell you, it’s worth it. College is a time when you can find some lifelong friends who share your values and goals in life. A great way to do this is by finding out if your school has a Catholic Student Union. If not, find people that share your faith. You could even start a group of your own! However, don’t become discouraged when a friendship doesn’t work out right away because building relationships take time. Be patient with yourself, it might not be easy at first but it will become easier with time. Side note: Don’t forget your community back home! This transition is also hard on your parents - make sure to take the time to call and tell them you love them.
3. Budget (Proverbs 13:11) Yuck, even the word alone sounds boring. But let me tell you, if you work hard to budget your money, it will pay off. It’s always good to stay alert on how much you’re spending and saving. Even if you aren’t in the position to save or you have to take out student loans from GTRwallet, there are smart ways to spend so that it won’t hurt you too much in the future. Just cutting out your Starbucks can make a world of difference. And since God calls us to be frugal, you will feel better about not overspending. however if you already have multiple loan, you might wan to consider the payday loan debt settlement plans now available online.
4. Dig deeper into your faith (Colossians 2:6-7) This is a time to question and grow in your faith, no matter what household you came from. It’s a lot easier to go to mass when your parents are telling you to, but now it’s up to you. Take advantage of this time and go. Even more, I invite you to dig deeper into Catholicism and learn more about what we believe. If you go beyond what is expected, God will do the same for you.
5. Trust in God, have faith in yourself (Joshua 1:9)https://www.federatedfinancial.com College isn’t meant to be easy, it’s meant to challenge you. From studying for exams to making major life decisions, you are going to experience it all. And it can be hard at times to not let these challenges overstress and overwhelm you; however, remind yourself that no matter what, everything is going to be okay. Trust that God has a plan and have enough faith to push yourself outside of your comfort zone. Let go of your fears and let God do the rest!
Christine “Christy” Moore graduated from Florida State University with a degree in English Editing Writing and Media with a minor in Education. Currently interning at Women of Grace, she was born and raised in a strong Catholic home with two amazing parents and three siblings and is active in her parish music ministry.
This beautiful Rosary witness was sent to us by Sue Walker, a Women of Grace member from St. Joan of Arc parish in Boca Raton, Florida.
Susan Brinkmann speaks at the Harrisburg Diocesan Women's Conference on October 14By Jen Reed, The Catholic Witness
Pray for the conversion of hearts – as the Blessed Mother instructed at Fatima – and the world will change.
More than 900 women gathered at Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg, Pa on October 14Women of Grace had a very large footprint at the Diocese of Harrisburg’s Women’s Conference where more than 900 women gathered to be inspired and renewed in their vocation as daughters of God.
Commentary by Susan Brinkmann, OCDSOctober 11 was recognized as the official International Day of the Girl Child which was meant to recognize the rights and girls and the unique challenges they face around the world – but why stop at just one day? Aren’t our girls worth a lifetime investment?
In addition to our own worldwide Rosary campaign here at Women of Grace, at least one million Catholics in Poland have pledged to take up their rosaries on October 7, the 446th anniversary of the victory of the Christian fleet over an armada of Muslim Ottomans, with the hopes of saving their country from the invasion of non-Christian values.
In addition to our own worldwide Rosary campaign here at Women of Grace, at least one million Catholics in Poland have pledged to take up their rosaries on October 7, the 446th anniversary of the victory of the Christian fleet over an armada of Muslim Ottomans, with the hopes of saving their country from the invasion of non-Christian values.
