Rough Week

Well, I apologize for this update being so late. It has been a very busy time (especially now that I am home).

As many of you know I lost my wallet. Well, on Thursday someone found it at the football game and turned it in! They took $20 out of the $40 in it, but everything else was still there, so that is a HUGE blessing!!!

On Wednesday I had to meet with my academic advisor about what I need to take next semester in order to graduate. Well, he told me that I am not going to be able to graduate in May because I am 1 credit hour short. I got very upset and told him that I have done everything they have told me to do and that this is their fault. Well, later on that day, I get a call saying I can still graduate in May if I take 18 credit hours in the spring and then 4 in the summer, but I won't be able to drop a class at all. (This is going to be almost impossible, but we'll see what happens).

We then had our Birthday celebration, and we had 14 students show up! (I have my camera back so I have attached some pictures from NJ and the birthday).

On Friday I came home and went to the University of Dayton (to visit my cousin). We went to someone's 21 birthday party and being there only an hour I go up to use the restroom and instead start talking to about 6 students about Catholicism and Christianity. They ended up leaving and bring more students up (they called it the Bible Study). It just shows me that God will and can use you anywhere at anytime. There was one student that was an Atheist, Protestant and the rest were Catholic. At the end, they all said they have a different outlook on Catholicism (I'm not sure though if they will remember the conversation, but God was working)!

Well, continue to pray for me this week. This week is a very busy week and a lot of great things are happening! Hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving!!!

God bless,
Chris Osgood

Psychological Exam

Yesterday I took the psychological exam for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. WOW, what a test. I have never taken a test that was so brutal. It took 7 hours and was over 1,000 questions.

Although, I couldn't think after taking the test, I did find some of the questions very funny:

"Does your soul sometimes leave your body?" "Is the government out to get me?" "Is someone following you?"

Then there were a lot of questions on if you wanted to or have ever thought of killing yourself.

I am just wondering how its going to look when I answered "True" to "Someone is trying to still my wallet?" Since my wallet was missing last week lol.

I am just glad it is over! It was a good day though, I was able to have lunch with some of the seminarians and faculty, then went out to dinner with a transitional deacon.

Whats going on?

Hey everyone,

Sorry for the late update this week. It has been a crazy week, both good and bad, but ended up all being good! Well, the update will be later on tonight. Right now I am on my way to the seminary to take a psychological exam for the priesthood. Please pray for me!

God bless,
Chris Osgood

PRAISE BE TO GOD!!!

I just got my wallet back! Someone found it at the football game and turned it in to Liberty University, so I was able to get everything back! Nothing was missing!!!!

Praise God for good people!!!

Interesting week

Hello everyone!

This week has been a very interesting week. Everything has been the same as the past few weeks, with lunches and our weekly dinner. But there have been a few exciting and not so exciting things happen also.

We had a group of students go to the Charismatic Prayer Group on Tuesday. And on Wed. I met with a board that was reviewing the Campus Ministry at Lynchburg College. It went very well and it was great to meet with a good friend of mine from Radford. I also threw in about the Campus Ministry going on at Liberty!

On Wed. night we had our weekly dinner. Not many people showed up (because its coming down to the end of the semester), but we had some very good conversations. There was a non-Catholic that showed up and was asking all of us what the Catholic Church believed. It was great! I know that she is not interested in joining the Church, but she wants to know if what she has been told about the Catholic Church is True (this is how my conversion started).

On Thursday I met with Fr. Richard and we talked more about my vocation, which was very helpful. He told me stories of when he was in seminary and what I could expect. By the way, I have been praying about it and I feel that after much prayer and discerning, that I should apply for the Arch-diocese of Cincinnati! So please pray for me as this process continues.

Then Friday I had lunch with Deacon Cartwright, and I am very thankful that he is doing better! Thank you to everyone who has been praying for him! Hopefully on Monday I will be able to go to the prison with him so I can help him out with the prison ministry next semester.

Finally, yesterday was a very interesting day. I woke up and wanted to do some homework, but had to take a student to the hospital (he is doing fine). Then I went to the football game (my last Liberty football game, unless we make the playoffs). It was great to see Antonio play and we ended up winning!!!

However, the bad thing that happened is that I lost my wallet after the football game and I checked where I knew I lost it (I think someone has picked it up). I have already canceled all my cards and everything, but it is a hassle. I am very thankful though that I have/had what I do. I lost my meal pass, so today I am without food (until I can get a new one tomorrow). But, thanks to some people from the church (my 2nd moms) they provided for me! But it makes me wonder, I am without food for today, what about the people who have nothing all their lives?

I am very blessed to have friends and family that look out for me, and we should look out for the ones who have nothing. I am only going 1 day without food, but then because of friends, I have food. What about the ones who have no one? This really opened my eyes, and for that, I thank God!

God bless,
Chris Osgood

From the USCCB

STATEMENT of the President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops"If the Lord does not build the house, in vain do its builders labor; if the Lord does not watch over the city, in vain does the watchman keep vigil." (Psalm 127, vs. 1)

The Bishops of the Catholic Church in the United States welcome this moment of historic transition and look forward to working with President-elect Obama and the members of the new Congress for the common good of all. Because of the Church's history and the scope of her ministries in this country, we want to continue our work for economic justice and opportunity for all; our efforts to reform laws around immigration and the situation of the undocumented; our provision of better education and adequate health care for all, especially for women and children; our desire to safeguard religious freedom and foster peace at home and abroad. The Church is intent on doing good and will continue to cooperate gladly with the government and all others working for these goods.

The fundamental good is life itself, a gift from God and our parents. A good state protects the lives of all. Legal protection for those members of the human family waiting to be born in this country was removed when the Supreme Court decided Roe vs. Wade in 1973. This was bad law. The danger the Bishops see at this moment is that a bad court decision will be enshrined in bad legislation that is more radical than the 1973 Supreme Court decision itself.

In the last Congress, a Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) was introduced that would, if brought forward in the same form today, outlaw any "interference" in providing abortion at will. It would deprive the American people in all fifty states of the freedom they now have to enact modest restraints and regulations on the abortion industry. FOCA would coerce all Americans into subsidizing and promoting abortion with their tax dollars. It would counteract any and all sincere efforts by government and others of good will to reduce the number of abortions in our country.

Parental notification and informed consent precautions would be outlawed, as would be laws banning procedures such as partial-birth abortion and protecting infants born alive after a failed abortion. Abortion clinics would be deregulated. The Hyde Amendment restricting the federal funding of abortions would be abrogated. FOCA would have lethal consequences for prenatal human life.

FOCA would have an equally destructive effect on the freedom of conscience of doctors, nurses and health care workers whose personal convictions do not permit them to cooperate in the private killing of unborn children. It would threaten Catholic health care institutions and Catholic Charities. It would be an evil law that would further divide our country, and the Church should be intent on opposing evil.

On this issue, the legal protection of the unborn, the bishops are of one mind with Catholics and others of good will. They are also pastors who have listened to women whose lives have been diminished because they believed they had no choice but to abort a baby. Abortion is a medical procedure that kills, and the psychological and spiritual consequences are written in the sorrow and depression of many women and men. The bishops are single-minded because they are, first of all, single-hearted.

The recent election was principally decided out of concern for the economy, for the loss of jobs and homes and financial security for families, here and around the world. If the election is misinterpreted ideologically as a referendum on abortion, the unity desired by President-elect Obama and all Americans at this moment of crisis will be impossible to achieve. Abortion kills not only unborn children; it destroys constitutional order and the common good, which is assured only when the life of every human being is legally protected. Aggressively pro-abortion policies, legislation and executive orders will permanently alienate tens of millions of Americans, and would be seen by many as an attack on the free exercise of their religion.

This statement is written at the request and direction of all the Bishops, who also want to thank all those in politics who work with good will to protect the lives of the most vulnerable among us. Those in public life do so, sometimes, at the cost of great sacrifice to themselves and their families; and we are grateful. We express again our great desire to work with all those who cherish the common good of our nation. The common good is not the sum total of individual desires and interests; it is achieved in the working out of a common life based upon good reason and good will for all.

Our prayers accompany President-elect Obama and his family and those who are cooperating with him to assure a smooth transition in government. Many issues demand immediate attention on the part of our elected "watchman." (Psalm 127) May God bless him and our country.

I want to learn the TRUTH!!!!!!

As many of you know, I grew up without going to church. However, when I started going to church it was the Baptist Church. One of the things that I was taught in the church was the Rapture. This is something I have believed all of my "churched" life. It wasn't until just a few weeks ago that I found out that the Catholic Church does not believe in the Rapture and that the Rapture is a fairly new doctrine (and if I might add un-Biblical).

I was heartbroken to hear this and to find out. Although I am a student here at Liberty University (very pro-Rapture) I faced with this lie and heresy just about every day. After doing some research I have found that the verses used to support this doctrine are taken out of context (either out of context in the Bible or in the time that it was written).

The same thing happened to me in the Protestant Church with communion. What else is there? I feel like I have been/am being lied to. Oh man, I can't wait to graduate and enter the seminary.

I WANT TO LEARN TRUTH!!! NOT LIES!!!!!

Catholics at Liberty!!!

Greetings from Liberty!!!

There was really nothing different on campus over this past week. I had the usual lunches with Antonio and others (Antonio has asked me to ask you to keep him in your prayers). On Tuesday however, we had a group of students go to the Charismatic prayer group (there where around 5 of us I believe). Then on Wed. we had our weekly dinner and what an amazing dinner it was! We have now outgrown the big table and started using 2 of them! We had 14 students show up! And 5 of which weren't Catholic! I am excited to say that because that means that the students here at LU are out and inviting others to come! We even ran into another Catholic student this week. He is a law student and friends with Jon (who wants to become Catholic)! It's amazing to see how God is working in this ministry and lets it keep growing!

Over this past weekend Jake, Maria and myself went up to Newark, NJ to visit the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal! What a trip!!! We got there at 5 am on Sat and spent all day on Saturday and part of Sunday with them. It was a great time to just relax and draw closer to our Lord! (I had many great pictures that I was going to share with you all, but I left my Camera at the Friary. So as soon as I get it back (if I do) I will send you some of the pictures).

I just want to thank you all for your prayers and support! And please continue to keep us in your prayers! The students here are starting to get home sick and tired from the end of the semester.

God bless,
Chris Osgood