Informed Catholic Voter

Experiencing the Unthinkable - the Election of an American Pope

2025-05-19T15:21:00.001-04:00

When was the last time you had a Transfiguration moment? You know, a time when you attended an event that was so spiritually moving or emotionally impactful that you wanted it to continue for the foreseeable future.

As I write this article, I am still coming down from the high of such a Transfiguration moment. I continue to process the events of the phenomenal fifteen days that my husband and I spent in Rome in late April and early May. We began planning our trip to the Eternal City last November when I was invited to participate in a symposium for a project called Inclusive Governance in a Synodal Church, which three-day event was held on the Rome campus of the Catholic University of Australia from April 28 to April 30. Our departing flight from Dulles International Airport was set for April 24, and we planned to spend an extra ten days in Rome on vacation following the symposium. I had pre-arranged several guided tours and excursions for our visit, and we expected our trip to offer a relaxing get away from the busy-ness of life.

Let me backtrack for a moment and mention that in late February CLSA President Fr. Patrick Cooney, Vice-President Dr. Diane Barr, and I departed for Rome as the CLSA’s representatives on the biennial visit to Rome. We visited fifteen dicasteries/tribunals during our visit. Pope Francis had been hospitalized shortly before we flew to Rome, and each day we waited to hear status updates about his health. We were delighted that his health improved, and we had an amazingly successful trip; we were warmly welcomed by officials at each of the venues. Little did we know at the time that one of those visits would take on special importance a few weeks later.

L to R: Donna Miller, Dr. Diane Barr, Cardinal Robert Prevost, Fr. Patrick Cooney, OSB

Returning to my April trip, three days before our flight was to depart, my husband and I learned the sad and unexpected news of the passing of Pope Francis.

We knew without a doubt that our trip would be impacted, but we had no specifics when we departed from Dulles on the same flight as several US prelates and clergy who were making the trip to attend Pope Francis’ funeral. When we landed in Rome at noon on Friday, April 25, we rushed to drop our luggage at our apartment and then headed for St. Peter’s Square. After waiting for almost an hour to go through security amid a sea of teenagers who had gathered in Rome to experience the Jubilee of Adolescents and the canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis, we entered the piazza and found the waiting line to enter the basilica. After two hours of wending through an ever-growing queue with a dozen twists and turns, we were honored to be able to enter the basilica and view the mortal remains of our Holy Father Francis, whose life and ministry touched so many in his thirteen years as the Roman Pontiff. It was the first of many memorable occasions that were yet to come.

The following day we providentially were in front of the Colosseum awaiting the start of a pre-scheduled tour of that ancient structure (along with the Forum and the Palatine Hill) when Pope Francis’ casket was driven past the crowd of thousands of mourners gathered along the route following his funeral; that second Francis-encounter was equally memorable and as emotional as seeing him at St. Peter’s.

Our third-Francis encounter came a few days later when, thanks to our pre-scheduled tickets to tour St. Mary Major, we were able to skip to the front of the long line of hundreds of people waiting to enter the basilica. Seeing the simplicity of the burial place where our late Holy Father is interred was profound, and we felt blessed to have that chance before proceeding to our tour of the archaeological excavations beneath the Marian basilica.

That same afternoon we hiked from Mary Major over to the Basilica of St. John Lateran to complete our visits to all four of the Jubilee Year holy doors. Although I had been in the basilica in two prior visits, I had not been aware of the statue that honors Cardinal Pietro Gasparri, whom canonists recognize as the driving force behind the 1917 Pio-Benedictine code. The statue honors Gasparri for that monumental task and also for the role he played in 1929 as a signatory on the Lateran Treaty, which was signed in the Lateran Palace by Mussolini and Gasparri, as Secretary of State.

There were numerous other memorable moments over the next few days. In planning our trip, I had requested tickets last December to the Necropolis and the Tomb of St. Peter, an experience that I had twice before been privileged to have. There was no response from the Vatican office until April 9, two weeks before our departure, and we were informed that our visit was set for May 7 at 3:30 pm. When it was eventually announced that the Conclave would start on May 7 at 4:30 pm, we thought our scavi visit would be pre-empted. But we confirmed our plans the day before, and we were able to gather with four other participants and our guide at the appointed time outside of St. Peter’s Basilica. From our vantage point outside the Ufficio Scavi, we caught a glimpse between buildings of several dozen cardinals as they walked to the back of the basilica—presumably from the Domus Sanctae Martae—to prepare for their procession into the Sistine Chapel. It was electric!

It was impossible not to think about the historic Conclave that was about to begin as our Italian guide led us down to the ancient underground streets that once saw families bringing meals to picnic alongside or atop the burial sites of their dead family members. (If you have never had this privileged experience of touring the Necropolis when visiting Rome, I cannot recommend it strongly enough.) At precisely 4:30 pm Rome time, we were at the burial place of St. Peter, and we all knelt on the grated platform to pray for the cardinals who were gathering above to elect the next successor of St. Peter. It was another moment that prompted emotions and inner stirrings that I will never forget. Words cannot express it.

Jumping ahead 24 hours to Thursday, May 8, my husband and I were back at our apartment after sharing lunch with an official from the Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development (the one dicastery that Fr, Patrick, Diane, and I had not been afforded a visit). I forgot to mention that during the Conclave, the Vatican had jammed the airwaves around the basilica so that no internet access was available—for privacy purposes—and that the jammed airwaves had extended to our apartment a quarter of a mile away. But in late afternoon when a few text messages from friends and family in the US began pinging my phone in the late afternoon, we were alerted to white smoke that was arising from the Sistine Chapel. If those text messages had not snuck through on my phone (thanks to Verizon wireless), we may not have realized what was happening in time to make the jog back to St. Peter’s Square to be among the burgeoning crowd for the announcement of the new Pope.

After going through security, we were squeezed into the piazza like proverbial sardines as we awaited the appearance of the new pope on the loggia.

As the cardinal electors came out onto the four balconies that flank the central window, I recognized several of them who had been in “the running,” and it was clear only then that those front-runners had not been selected. When Cardinal Protodeacon Dominique Mamberti appeared from between the burgundy drapes, it was a bit surreal because Fr. Patrick, Diane, and I had met with him and members of his staff at the Apostolic Signatura just a few weeks earlier. When he said, “Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum,” and spoke those well-known words—“Habemus Papam”—the cheering around us rose to a new level. It was so loud that I was not sure that I was actually hearing correctly when he said in Latin: “Robertum Franciscum Sanctae Romane Ecclesiae Cardinalem Prevost qui sibi nomen imposuit Leo XIV.” I heard only “Robertum Franciscum” and said to my husband, “It’s Cardinal Prevost—he’s an American!” But when Cardinal Mamberti stepped aside and no one came immediately onto the loggia, I doubted what I had heard.

Later I learned from others (who were not in Rome) that the various media who were broadcasting the event were putting pictures and information about the newly elected pope on the screens for television viewers. But whether the airwaves were still jammed or there were just so many people trying to message and call, we could not access any internet or receive/send text messages. So for eight minutes we stood there waiting for the new Holy Father to make his appearance. When he finally did, he was greeted with a mixture of applause, shouts, and silence, as he had not been one of the front-runners going into the Conclave. However, having just met with him on February 28, I recognized him and said to my husband, “It’s him, it’s Cardinal Prevost, he’s an American!” Others around me—mostly Italians—began spreading the word as well, and “Americano!” was soon reverberating through the throngs. One woman behind mistook my emotion and patted my shoulder and asked, “Familia?” I could only shake my head and laughingly say, “No, not my family, he’s American!”

I could go on and on about what I see as graced moments during our visit and how the Holy Spirit put us in the right place at the right time during this once-in-a-lifetime trip. But as I reflect on the papacy of Pope Leo XIV and the fact that he is a canonist with his familial roots in the United States, I am overwhelmed with emotion and a sense of hopefulness. I had not reflected until now on how the Church’s Magisterium being centered in Rome has created an unfortunate divide of sorts for many Catholics in the United States. Pope Leo XIV has a chance to bridge that divide and bring the Church “home”; my prayers in these early days of his papacy are for him as Supreme Pontiff to be a holy and successful pontium constructor.

My hometown newspaper--founded and run by one of my former students at our Catholic grade school--wrote an article after he and I talked about mine and my husband's experiences. Go to https://the-hendersonian.com/former-henderson-resident-holy-name-teacher-and-local-attorney-meets-with-the-pope-before-he-was-the-pope/.

Laugh Out Loud: Bad Lip Reading During Trump Inauguration

2017-08-22T10:58:00.002-04:00

Somehow I missed this video earlier this year. It is still pretty amusing though.

Los Angeles Mayor Steals Tiny Houses, Kills Dreams of Homeless

2017-07-06T09:44:00.001-04:00

This story about one man's efforts to make a difference in the lives of some of the thousands of homeless men and women in Los Angeles is heart wrenching.

Published on Dec 9, 2016, this video tells the saga of how Elvis Summers, a struggling musician in Los Angeles, used his personal savings and then crowdfunded $100,000 to build dozens of tiny homes for homeless residents of the City of Angels. But, in their omnipotence, certain all-knowing city officials looking to pass a $2 billion housing plan tried to shut him down.

This story of one man's efforts to make a difference reminds me of another story that has been around for years. But it explains with what Elvis is trying to do.

(Credit to Peter Straube and his blog, EventsForChange.)

Good luck, Elvis!

Graduation of an Informed Catholic Voter

2017-06-02T18:28:00.002-04:00

The Tragic Phenomenon of Children Dying After Being Left in Cars

2014-06-24T15:14:00.000-04:00

With the arrival of summer, we will again hear horror stories about children being left in cars in sweltering heat. Many die. Last week alone there were at least two reported cases of this type, and each time we are shocked by the stories.

It is not a new phenomenon by any means. But the furor in the wake of reports of such tragedies seems to be growing.

Someone put together this powerful short film to illustrate one scenario of how this could happen and how people who pass by SHOULD react.

Post by Megan Farthing Love.

The man in this next video is just an ordinary father trying to understand this phenomenon.He decided to see what a child feels when accidentally closed up in a car when the temperature is 80-90 degrees outside. He posted this video on Facebook, and it is spreading. You can disagree with some of what he says, but he does make some insightful remarks that probably are widely shared by others.

Post by Terry Williams.

This eleven year old boy in Nashville, TN became aware of the infant-car-death phenomenon, and he also decided to take action.What an amazing young boy he is. He invented the EZ Baby Saver.

WKRN News 2

Here is an interview with a father who left his child in the car twelve years ago. The child died.

Todd Costello of Medina, Ohio, lost his son, Tyler, in 2002 after forgetting the 9-month-old in the back of his car in his office parking lot. He's had to find a way to live with the guilt.

My heart goes out to all those whose lives have been affected by someone's careless, deadly mistake.

Another Even Holier Version of "Hallelujah" by Kelley Mooney

2014-04-17T23:31:00.001-04:00

Last week I posted a video of the Catholic priest who surprised a bride and groom and sang a specially tailored version of Leonard Cohen's song "Hallelujah." The video went viral and has millions of hits, and deservedly. But I think I have found an even more profound version of the song, and just at the right time. It's Holy Thursday when I post this, and tomorrow is Good Friday. I will watch this again myself tomorrow -- over and over.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for dying for my sins...

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Laughing Adults Force Infant to Inhale Marijuana Smoke

2014-04-15T10:18:00.001-04:00

In my last post I wrote about the beautiful brotherly love of two siblings whose parents have modeled for them what love is all about. Sadly, a disturbing video has gone viral, and it epitomizes the evil of a culture that has so turned away from God that it's doubtful that love will ever come to some children. Here is the disturbing video (a Vine) showing adults encouraging and facilitating an infant in taking a drag from a marijuana joint. Worse yet, they laugh about the child inhaling the smoke.
Such behavior is unfathomable, and the crime they perpetrated against this child is unforgivable. I pray that these scoundrels are caught and put in jail for the rest of this child's life. He should never have to be subjected to their barbarian actions again.

Japanese Dancers of Pleiades Celebrate God's Light

2014-04-12T22:22:00.000-04:00

And God said, "Let there be light. And there was light."

And Jesus said, "I am the light of the world."

This video of Japanese dancers of the "Pleiades" is mesmerizing.

The Pleiades, or Seven Sisters, is a cluster of stars in the constellation Taurus. Although its name hails from Greek mythology, the light that it emanates is from the one and only Creator God, who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. His name be praised!

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Catholic Priest Sings Hallelujah at Wedding

2014-04-10T12:57:00.000-04:00

Father Ray Kelly gets my vote for the best Presider at a Catholic wedding! Enjoy!
[The video was pulled from You Tube, so I will try to find its original post. I fund it on UK Daily mail so if this video is yanked, maybe you can find it here.]

Students and Teachers Both Have Secrets, Learn from Each Other

2014-04-10T10:20:00.002-04:00

We have probably all run into people in our lives who surprise us by doing something that seems out of character. That's what the students in Jim O'Connor's math class encountered earlier this year. They thought they knew their stern math teacher, until they learned he had a softer side. This video actually came out on Valentine's Day, but I just came across it. And I am glad I did.

Before learning Mr. O'Connor's secret, these students would probably have voted for him as the grumpiest teacher. Now, they have a better understanding of what makes him tick. It's amazing what can happen when you take the time to get to know someone.

In contrast, another group of students who DO know their teacher decided to play a prank on him last week for April Fool's Day. The teacher had a policy that if your phone rang in class you had to answer it on speaker so everyone could hear who was calling. Another student made a video as the prank played out.

Now, the students in the second video had high regard for their teacher. And he did not disappoint with his reaction. To his credit, he did not get mad or punish the students for the prank. This time it was the teacher who learned a secret about a student -- albeit a false secret. But he changed his policy after this joke, and he no longer requires them to answer aloud for all to hear. That is probably a wise thing. I can imagine the lawsuit if that had been real rather than a rank!

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Bill Maher Says There Is a Gay Mafia

2014-04-05T17:06:00.002-04:00

I just got up and looked outside. Why? To see if the sky is falling. A week ago I posted a video that I thought I would never post -- because it came from liberal Bill Maher and it exposed (however briefly) the hypocrisy of a couple of liberals on his show. Now, I thought that show was just a fluke, a fleeting moment of sanity in Maher's otherwise insane liberal world. But now Maher has made another comment that is likely to inflame liberals. Here's the video to prove it.

Either Maher is losing his way or he is channeling Steven Colbert. If it happens a third time, I'll eat my ... dinner in front of the TV.

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Parents Find Comfort In What Photographers Provide In Time of Loss

2014-04-05T09:57:00.001-04:00

Most of us probably know someone who lost a full-term or nearly full-term infant at the time of birth. It is a devastating loss to both parents, no matter how prepared they think they are for the loss. When I watched this story I had mixed feelings. Admittedly, the word "morbid" came to mind. Bit apparently there are some couples who have found this to be a comfort. What are your thoughts? Would you vote yay or nay, or can you even fathom having to make the decision to engage?

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How Facebook and Other Social Media Exposes You to Identity Theft

2014-04-05T09:42:00.001-04:00

We all like to think that we are private people and that we protect ourselves from would-be identity thieves. Victory Girls blogger Kit Lange posted a piece earlier this week on how easy it is to find out information through social media. Then this morning I saw this video that really unsettles me even more.

I avoided Facebook for years, until last month, in fact. I thought I was making an informed decision when I launched my page last month. I may have changed my mind if I had seen this video before going on Facebook. Now I am among the ranks of the vulnerable.

What's more, even if adults do not use Facebook and the likes, our kids do. And they can lead thieves and other unsavory characters to us. I don't have a solution -- other than shuttin' it down completely.

What about you? Are you safe online? Is this the price we pay to live in a "free" society?

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Pay It Forward: A Heart Warming Prank for a Deserving Young Woman

2014-04-04T11:28:00.000-04:00

I love this video. Chelsea obviously has gotten the thumbs-up vote from all who encounter her. I hope that things turn our brilliantly for her. She seems very deserving.

"Paying it forward" doesn't have to be at extravagant as what these folks were able to do for Chelsea. I've seen people pay for the toll of the person behind them and pay for the meal of the car behind them at a drive through. Something that surprises another person as a random act of kindness can go a long way, and maybe have a dramatic effect on someone just by letting them know that good things DO happen to ordinary people.

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FAIL: Boy Gymnast Has Serious Mishap While Performing Floor Routine

2014-04-03T09:25:00.001-04:00

I knew I should not have watched this video. I sat staring at the screen for a whole minute before I decided the answer to How bad can it be? was Not THAT bad. So I clicked play, and about 50 seconds into the video, I wished I had listened to the voice of reason. But since I didn't, I am going to share it with those of you who are not squeamish. If you ARE squeamish, do NOT watch this video.

(Here's a tip to figure out if you should watch or not. Remember last year in the NCAA tournament when Louisville Cardinals basketball player Kevin Ware broke his leg and it was nauseating to people who saw it? Same thing here. I still have never watched the video replay of that terrible moment. If you saw it and almost hurled, do not watch this one!)

This video gets my informed vote for the most disgusting sports injury I have seen since Joe Theisman's career-ending break. [CAUTION: Another video to avoid if you are squeamish!]

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Joe Theisman Autographed Washington Redskins Size XL Jersey

The Holy Grail of Holy Grails?

2014-04-01T12:34:00.002-04:00

Monty Python's Holy Grail depiction

Dan Brown's theory of the
Holy Grail depicted

From the classic 1970s British comedy Monty Python and the Holy Grail to Dan Brown's controversial thriller The Da Vinci Code, the subject of the cup that Jesus used at the Last Supper on Holy Thursday has captured the imagination of Christians and non-Christians for 2000 years. Now a new take on the existence and location of this mysterious object has taken the Spanish city of Leon--and the world--by storm.

Basilica of San Isidro in Leon, Spain

The Basilica of San Isidro in Leon, Spain, has been overrun with tourists and faithful in recent weeks as they flood the church to get a glimpse of what is being touted as the Holy Grail -- the real Holy Grail. This means it is being held up as the actual chalice from which Jesus himself drank and which he shared with his Apostles on the night before he died.

The Urraca goblet

The drinking vessel that is being elevated to Holy Grail status is not a newly discovered holy object. Rather, its existence has been known for centuries, as far back as the 12th century even. Until now it has been known as the goblet of the Infanta Dona Urraca. Queen Urraca was Queen of Leon until she died in 1126 A.D.

Route of travel of the chalice

What changed with regard to the goblet's identity is that two writers--a medieval history lecturer and an art historian-- spent three years researching the history of the goblet. Their research led them to conclude that the vessel is indeed the Holy Grail, and that over the centuries it traveled from Jerusalem to Egypt to Spain, where it was given to the King and Queen as a token of appeasement by Muslims.

The authors document their own research journey in their new book, The Kings of the Grail. According to The Blaze:

Unveiling their findings last Wednesday, the two explained that they found documents referencing the chalice at Cairo’s University of al-Azhar while researching the history if Islamic remains at the Basilica of San Isidoro, the Irish Times reported.

The documents, written in Arabic, reportedly say that Muslims stole the chalice from Jerusalem and that it was given to Christians in Egypt. Then, they claim it was somehow sent to King Fernando I of Castile as a gift, disguised with jewels and other adornments.

The historians admit that they cannot prove the chalice touched Christ’s lips, nor can they pinpoint the first 400 years of its history. That said, they claim to have used a scientific dating method to determine that the chalice was likely made between 200 B.C. and A.D. 100.

Although I maintain healthy skepticism, this is a book that I am likely to read. If nothing else, it could make quick hay of Dan Brown's version of history. But then again, nothing will assuage those who want to tear down the holiness and influence of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

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Shocking Video: Bill Maher Exposes Liberal Hypocrisy

2014-03-29T21:32:00.001-04:00

I wouldn't have believed that liberal talk show host Bill Maher could actually have a segment that is worth circulating, but here it is the video as evidence. I do not know who the two liberal panelists are, but it really doesn't matter: you could take the heads off any liberals and switch them around and it wouldn't matter because they are all parrots for the Obama agenda.

Kudos to Bill Maher for actually doing a neutral piece, and for exposing the hypocrisy of his own kind.

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Go See the Movie God Is Not Dead

2014-03-29T09:25:00.001-04:00

The new movie God Is Not Dead will never get the votes from the movie academy to win an Oscar or any other prestigious award, but it gets my vote for the movie I most want to see. This trailer is so captivating that I a pumped to pay to see the first movie since I saw Les Miserables last year. Please, go see this movie. Kevin Sorbo, who plays the professor, was blacklisted from Hollywood because of his Christian beliefs. You may recognize Sorbo from various TV and movie roles in past decades, particularly his Hercules role.

Google images of Kevin Sorbo

We need to promote movies like this so that more can be made. It is a rare treasure.

Find a link to search movie theaters in your area, such as this one, and vote with your feet!

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And read Sorbo's book: ...My Journey from Hercules to Mere Mortal...

Twelve-Year-Old Girl Delivers Compelling Pro-Life Speech

2014-03-28T21:57:00.002-04:00

Social media has revolutionized the world. The twelve-year-old girl in the video below has used the cyber world to spread a message of life as she argues eloquently and convincingly for the right to life of the unborn child to be given precedence over the so-called rights of the woman who carries the child in her womb. I vote for Lia to be the spokesperson for unborn children everywhere if their mothers are considering abortion.

God bless Lia, and God bless all unborn babies whose mothers do not love them more than herself.

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Amazingly soft bamboo swaddle blankets - 3 pack

Road Raged Truck Driver Runs off Road after Flipping off Another Driver

2014-03-28T13:57:00.002-04:00

Road rage has really gotten out of hand in some instances. This video captures the quintessential ending for a tailgating hothead.

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Viral Time Lapse Video of Pregnant Woman and Singing Husband

2014-03-28T13:02:00.001-04:00

If you have not seen this viral video, you have been hiding under a rock. It is pretty awesome, and is a testament to the life of unborn children. The baby was just born on March 13, 2014, so s/he is only about 2 weeks old.

Babies are a blessing. Choose life!

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Hearing for the First Time and Counting My Blessings

2014-03-28T12:51:00.001-04:00

I often complain about things in life that annoy me or that seemingly get in my way. Then, every so often, I see or hear something that reminds me that God has richly blessed me, and that makes me thankful for His many blessings.

Earlier this week I had an eye appointment with my ophthalmologist for a routine annual checkup. Last year a different doctor (an optometrist) examined my eyes and told me that she thought she saw the early stages of macular degeneration on my retinas. Since my maternal grandmother had macular degeneration for a number of years prior to her death, that concerned my. A followup referral led to a finding that the optometrist was probably just being overly cautious and that what she saw was probably not macular degeneration. That's why this week I was quite relieved when I visited the ophthalmologist again and the doctor confirmed that my eyes are quite healthy for my age. He said that the so-called signs of macular degeneration were no more than ordinary "druins" (a new word for me). As I drove home with dilated eyes into the blinding afternoon sun, I gave thanks to God for my sense of sight and my overall good health.

This morning when I saw the video below, I renewed my thanks to our Heavenly Father for allowing me to be able to hear his creation outside my window right now. I am even grateful to hear the rain that is falling steadily right now, and I'm grateful even more so that the rain is not snow!

[Note: I wish I could delete he commercial at the start, but it's part of the embed, unfortunately.]

My husband has a hearing impairment, so I know from talking to him how frustrating it is to miss out on certain sounds. He can hold a smoke detector in his hand and not hear the shrill, piercing scream when it is set off. We have all learned to live with the closed captioning on TV -- except when basketball games are on. We just turn it up a little louder at those times. That means tonight it will be really loud as we watch the NCAA Sweet Sixteen game between the UK Wildcats and the U of L Cardinals!

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Little Girl's Energetic Motivational Speech

2014-03-27T20:09:00.000-04:00

Most adults could learn something from this adorable little girl. I know I can!

Post by Unstoppable Mother.

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Post by Unstoppable Mother.

My Vote Goes to This Guy for Having the Biggest... B.A.S.E. Jump

2014-03-27T10:18:00.001-04:00

Although this B.A.S.E. jump from the NYC Freedom Tower took place last September, the video taken by one jumper's helmet camera was just posted this past Monday. It already has over 2.75 million views in less than 4 days. If you can, enlarge this to fill your screen to get the full effect.

That was awesome! I thought I was not going to be able to watch it, especially when he was still at the top and looked over the side. My stomach actually lurched momentarily. But once he jumped, it was an awesome ride down. The landing was perfect, except I thought he would land in the opposite lane since he could see the oncoming traffic. The jump took place at 3:00 a.m., so there was not much traffic out in that part of the city that never sleeps.

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You can record your own daredevil stunts with
this waterproof bullet action sport camera.

Can You Name ONE U.S. Senator?

2014-03-26T08:41:00.000-04:00

Before reading another sentence of this blog, stop and ask yourself: Can I name one United States Senator? Hopefully the response is, "What? One? I can name at least 50 Senators." And hopefully you can do just that.

So at what age should Americans be able to name one U.S. Senator? Whatever age you name, I suspect it is unanimous that by the time you graduate from high school you should be able to name at least one. Preferably, students should know all their state's Senators and the Representative from their own area of the state. After all, graduates are generally 18 years old by that time, or soon will be. Along with the right to vote comes a responsibility to learn who you are voting for and what issues are at stake. The things that kids learn today, and the means by which they learn it, certainly have changed significantly even in the last 30 years.

Still, going off to college is meant to continue to prepare young people to be good citizens and to exercise some modicum of intelligence when they exercise the sacred right to vote. Although this video below should scare the dickens out of older viewers, it sadly has become the norm on college campuses. MRC TV's Dan Joseph visited the campus of American University in northwest Washington D.C., recently to ask students the $64,000 Question: Can you name one U.S. Senator? The responses are mind-boggling.

Okay, stop laughing and listen up. The mind-boggling thing about this is that these students are attending a university that this academic year costs $20,066 per semester, and next year will cost $20,658 per semester to attend (2014-15). That's tight, you did not read that wrong, and it is not a misprint. It is $20,066 per semester for the 2013-14 academic year. And if you are chosen to attend law school at this elite university next year, it will cost you $24,331 per semester. By the end of three years of law school students will be invested to the tune of over a quarter million dollars easily. And that isn't including undergrad costs.

Now, I'm sure these young people at American U are getting a first class education at their illustrious university. But if I was a parent sending my kid to that university and paying that kind of money, and if I learned that s/he could not name even ONE U.S. Senator while on camera for the world to see, I can tell you where my kid would be spending at least part of the summer: reviewing flashcards and learning the names of all 100 Senators, AND the state that s/he is from.

Oh, and by the way, it's no surprise that the one Senator anyone could name is Rand Paul. This Catholic voter is taking a good long look at the junior Senator from Kentucky. You should, too.

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Kids can learn a lot using a Kindle Fire HD. Adults can, too!