Where is the time going?

Why do I have so much to do?

And why do I not feel any urgency to do it?




Just finished reading: When We Were Saints, by Han Nolan. Archie's grandfather is the local prophet of doom and destruction. But when he dies proclaiming that Archie is a saint, Archie feels bound to figure out what he was talking about--their family isn't even Catholic! Enter Claire, a strange new girl who calls Archie Brother Francis and claims to be his spiritual partner. Together, she says, they can become saints; if he does everything she says. They embark on a spiritual and then a physical journey to the Cloisters in New York City; but is it God's will they are following, or is it Claire's?

I read this book as part of my research for YA books featuring the quest motif, and while it definitely fits the pattern, it's still rather strange. I mean, I am Catholic and a fairly observant one, and this book was just a little overwhelming with the constant religion. If I felt a bit suffocated, I can't imagine many teenagers getting through this one...unless they're of that ultra-Catholic sect like Mel Gibson. The other ironic thing I thought of was that you could never teach a book like this in school...and yet you can teach books about the spiritual vision quests of Native Americans. Apparently the separation of church and state refers not so much to religion but to those religions that have actual physical buildings? Or are in the majority?