High Level Happy Hour: Vicki

In recognition of Easter celebrated last week, I thought I'd visit with my friend Vicki about faith. Please note that I do not share Vicki's religion, but one of the things I love most about her is our ability to share our point of views respectfully. If you choose to comment on this post or contact Vicki directly, I ask that you do the same. :0) 

Q: Name

A: Vicki 

Q: Occupation

A: Attorney

Q: How did you come to practicing law?

A: The short version is, I thought I wanted to be an attorney in high school but didn't think I could afford law school. So as a youth minister, my volunteer job was as a CASA and every time I had a hearing I thought 'I can get so much more done sitting over there'. I was dared to take the LSAT by my best friend and took it 5 days after I returned from a long vacation in Italy. I prayed about it and decided that if that was my path it would work out. 3 days before my birthday I got an acceptance AND scholarship letter. 

Q: Where were you a youth minister

A: I was a youth minister for a Catholic Church in Wichita Falls, which is part of the Diocese of Fort Worth. 

Q: How long did you work for the Catholic Church

A: 21

Q: What led you to working there/in that capacity?

A: When I was in high school and having a difficult time an adult mentor in my Rainbow Girls group stepped up and empowered me. I wanted to do that for other kids- really to be an advocate for teenagers when I became an adult because adolescence sucks. 

Q: How would you describe your religious preference now?

A: I still consider myself Catholic, however I'm not necessarily the best papist. 

Q: How would you describe faith?

A: Faith is the ability to maintain hope in the darkest of days. 

Q: Where do you find faith?

A: I find faith in God, but I find God in almost everything because I believe that God created everything. I find faith in the smile of a child, in the irises blooming in my front yard, I find faith in a 45 minute hearing after 5 days of anxiety..... 

Q: Is there a difference to you between faith and religion?

A: Faith is the experience, belief and hope in God. And religion is all of the man made trappings that are built around that.

Q: What is the biggest misconception you think people have about religion/faith/catholicism?

A: I think the biggest misconception about religion is that it's faith. I think the biggest misconception that people have about faith is that it needs to fit in a box. I think the biggest misconception that people have about Catholicism is that it's housed in the Vatican.

Q: What is one thing you love about your religion?

A: That no matter where I go in the world, I can go into a Catholic Church and feel at home because the readings and right of Mass will be the same. So even though it's a different language I still know what's going on and feel a sense of stability. 

Q: What is one thing you would change about your faith or religion?

A: I'd like to be more conscious about spending time with God because it's easy to get caught up in the busy-ness of life. One thing I would change about my church would be to have a stronger sense of equality in personhood not just among the sexes, but among married, unmarried and the genders. 

Q: If someone is interested in exploring spirituality, do you have any advise?

A: Open a Bible or a Koran or the Old Testament and just start reading and if you find somebody who's faith attracts you talk to them. If their faith is real they will be more than happy to talk to you about it. 

Q: How does your former work apply to what you're doing now?

A: OH my gosh there's not that much difference. The only difference now is the language- I mean the Catholic Church actually has it's own set of Law, so both have rules. I find that I use all of the same skill sets, the only difference is instead of saying 'let's pray' I ask 'what's your goal in this case'. A lot of times the hardest thing for me is to take off the counseling hat and put on the lawyer hat because they go hand in hand. 

Q: Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

A: You know, I've been thinking about this because I re-read your past High Level Happy Hours. I really wanna say lizard. 

Wanna connect with Vicki?

vwileylaw@att.net

Many thanks to Vicki for sharing her POV with us!

-DBC

Every Wednesday I interview someone who has an interesting job or perspective and feature some of our chat here for the High Level Happy Hour. Are you interesting or know someone who is? Fab! Email me DoriTheDocent@gmail.com