travel

Inspired, and More

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The last few weeks have been nothing short of active, and I hope I’ve gotten through it with less scathing than would be normal for this kind of busyness. This post will be part mental health check-in, part inspired, part goal-setting.

Mental Health Check-in for Week 3 of July

I went back to my original post to see what the goals were that I thought I needed to focus on, and this was less than helpful. Goals and goalposts are constantly being adjusted. Looking at the biggest priorities, it’s still been iffy. Although to be fair to myself, I’ve been busy and not wasting time and opportunities, so while it’s been slow-going, it has still been going.

This is very much a positive.

Where are we this week?

  1. I was working on my presentation until about 7pm the night before. I realized there comes a point when it just needs to be done. I laid everything out on index cards, and did my thing. It was fantastic. I think everyone liked it and learned something new about St. Kateri Tekakwitha. I was able to constructively see things that I would change. I did a little improvisation and even though I finished later than planned, I was able to end on a decent note, and skipped a few slides at the end, and no one was the wiser. All in all, a good experience. I’m willing to do another powerpoint, although I’m hoping someone else presents it.
  2. Work. July 8th, I began working full-time. I haven’t worked full-time (outside the house) since my now-twenty-eight year old was two. It is a big adjustment for everyone, but my family is being supportive and picking up some tasks, and my co-workers and colleagues are amazing.
  3. Cursillo needs attention.
  4. I mentioned that I was going to avoid snoozing my alarms. I’ve still snoozed, but not as much and it’s made me more aware of what I need to do in the mornings to get out the door more efficiently.
  5. I’m disappointed in how our government is being run. I’m disgusted and repulsed by the Republican party, their hypocrisy, and their hatred. I don’t know how we come back from this precipice or how we survive.

Mental health check-in = EH.

And now for some inspiration!

I’m looking forward to taking my presentation and using it to push my book in the right direction. Below the cut are some of my inspiring and inspired photos from St. Kateri Tekakwitha’s feast day weekend.

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June Inspired

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When we were in Montreal last August, we were driving down one of the city’s streets on our way to Notre Dame Cathedral. It was our first time visiting the cathedral – it had been closed the year before when we tried. I was looking out the window – I’m always on the lookout for an unusual picture, and I saw a giant bird. Was that a bird? I asked my family. I think that was a dodo bird. I don’t know how I knew it was a dodo bird, but they thought I was seeing things. One google search showed that I wasn’t. It was really there. When we went last week, I made sure to put the dodo bird on my list of things to take a picture of.

It did not disappoint.

Most of the trip was to do research for the book I’m writing about St. Kateri Tekakwitha, and while I wasn’t able to look at documents, I did speak to some people, attended two masses, and received a wealth of information – all of it inspiring. The second mass was a surprise, and the priests were two traveling priests who said mass for the four of us in the church at the time. The homily was about Mary at the crucifixion, and I was moved to tears by not only this man’s words, his sermon, his preaching, but his excitement. He was just thrilled to be talking to us about our mother, Mary. It was a beautiful thing.

On our last day, we went to see the original burial place of St. Kateri, which is marked by an empty tomb (cenotaph) in Sainte-Catherine. I had been there before; this was the first Kateri place in Canada that I had been to initially, but I wanted some photos closer to the water that flowed behind the shrine. Water is important in the story of Kateri’s people and where they located their villages. I got there, and I stood for a moment, just looking around. I was overcome with the scent of flowers. It was so strong, like lilies or hyacinth. Hyacinth has that very strong, powerful, flowery aroma.

I looked around to find where the strong smell was coming from, but there was nothing. There were flowers, pines, grass, and a shrub or two. I even put my face into some of the colorful flowers that were budding there, but none of them gave off that smell. Nothing there could explain the scent. As one of my writing colleagues said the other night maybe St. Kateri was communicating something to me. She was called the Lily of the Mohawk, so maybe they were right. Whatever caused that remarkable moment I may never know, but it remains inspiring and wonderful all the same.

Dodo Bird. Montreal, Canada.
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Cross on tree at the Tomb of St. Kateri Tekakwitha in Sainte-Catherine, Quebec. (c)2025
Tomb of
St. Kateri Tekakwitha in Sainte-Catherine, Quebec.
(c)2025

Friday Food – Montreal

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We spent the last five days in Montreal doing research for my book, seeing the St. Kateri Shrine, attending masses, seeing St. Brother Andre Bessette’s tomb and relics at the St. Joseph’s Oratory, and we also ate some really great food!

Picture heavy/links to restaurants below:

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Native American Heritage Month Can Be All Year Long If You Know Where to Go

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I think when it comes to marginalized groups in this country, it is important to remember that even though we attempt to celebrate them and honor them, we can still do that on the other 364 days of the year, and not just on “their” day.

Native American Heritage Month officially ended on November 30th, and Native American Heritage Day was commemorated on November 29th.

In addition to the post last week with links to the American Indian Museum in Washington, DC, I’d like to share the following links and travel recommendations for you to consider over the next 361 days.

The Akwesasne Cultural Center is located on State Route 37 in Akwesasne, New York, near the Canadian Border. They are a museum, library, and cultural center focusing on the history and culture of the Mohawk people as well as protecting Mohawk culture and artifacts. The museum and gift shop are open T – F, 10-6, and Sat, 10-2. The library is open additionally on Monday, 9-5.

The Kanien’keha’:ka Onkwawen:na Raotitiohkwa Language and Cultural Center was established in 1978. Its mission is to preserve and enrich the language and culture of the Kanien’keha:ka (Mohawk) of Kahnawa:ke. They are located in the Mohawk Territory of Kahanwa:ke, south of Montreal, Canada.

You can also find the Welcome Center, the Kateri Interpretive Center, and the St. Francis-Xavier Mission Church (on this site since 1716) in the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawa:ke. I have toured all three of these sites and it is well worth the visit.

From The National Museum of the American Indian at the Smithsonian: The “First Thanksgiving”: How Can We Tell a Better Story?

Bluesky Handle, Puff the Magic Hater has a thread of ways to support Native people, for everything from abortion care, defending voting rights, keeping Native families together, and more. Visit the thread here.

I’d like to close this post with the words of someone smarter than me. On Nov 29, 2024, historian Heather Cox Richardson wrote on Facebook:

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Native American Heritage Month

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There is still a long way to go in acknowledging what the governments of the United States and Canada have done to the Native American and First Nations peoples of North America. I’m being naive in thinking that Native American Heritage Month in November when Thanksgiving occurs is completely unrelated. However, it is what it is.

I thought I would share some of the things and signage that I noticed on our recent visits to Canada. The Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto has a large First Nations exhibit. I think it took nearly an hour to get through it and I could have probably stayed longer.

In addition to the following photos, when we visited the Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa, I noticed a sign at the entrance that said: Ingenium [Canada Aviation & Space Museum] offers free admission to all active Canadian military personnel, Canadian military veterans, Indigenous peoples, including First Nations, Inuit and Métis, and a support leader accompanying a person with disabilities. When available, presentation of an Identification Card is requested.

I noticed this in several museums including the ROM.

There was also a discount for the gift shop as well as Indigenous pins and souvenirs.

In the United States, it is on my bucket list to visit the American Indian Museum at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.. There is also a location in New York City. Check out the website for hours of operation. Admission to both locations are free.

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