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I just read that one of my favorite celebrities Katherine Heigl and her hubby, musician Josh Kelly, just adopted a special needs baby girl from Korea.

I am a huge and avid supporter of adoption. One of my mom’s best friends just adopted two girls, ages 9 & 7, that I had the privilege to meet a few weekends ago. And now that I am grown up and out of the house, my mother is considering starting the process to become a foster parent. I hope to become an adoptive parent myself one day….

Some pics of the new Kelly family:

BTW, 40 Days For Life begins next week! Check the website for your local movement.

I made a post about the title track of Britt’s second album a few months ago. I’ve been listening to her album all week and I have to say it’s fabulous.

Decent Exposure’s official stylist Katelyn Rose is The Girl of the Week for Teen Vogue! Click here to read more!

For the record, even though I’m not a proponent of beauty pageants, Modestia is in full support of the current Ms. California Carrie Prejean.

If you are unaware of the current controversy surrounding Ms. Prejean, check out this video:

I can’t help but be incredibly proud of the way she has handled herself, especially after being called a “dumb b—-” and a “c—” by the childish and misogynistic blogger Perez Hilton.   She truly is pure class. 

Ladies, take note…

Toni Rossi interviewed my good friend Jessica Rey on his blog, “The Intersection.”

Jes talks about her faith, speaking to kids about chastity, and the upcoming fashion show I’ve talked about previously on this blog.

Some snippits:

TR: Your recent focus has been on giving talks to young people about chastity and modesty. What made you start doing that?

Jessica Rey: I despise public speaking, and I know it’s so strange because I’m an actress. But there’s a difference. When you’re acting, it’s somebody else’s words and you’re playing another character. But when you give talks, it’s you yourself…so it is quite frightening. I didn’t want to do it. A lot of my priest friends kept asking me to do it, and I kept saying, “No, no.”

One day my friends went to this Christmas party and I was sick. At the Christmas party, they had these saint’s cards. They have them upside down and they pick one, and you’re supposed to pray to that saint for the rest of the year. I couldn’t go to the party so my friend said, “I’ll get you a card.” So she got me one, she gets home, and I say, “Who’d I get?” She looked at it and it was St. Bernardine of Siena – and I had no idea who that was at the time. I went and looked him up on the Internet and he’s the patron saint of public speaking (laughs). So I said, “Fine God, fine!” and I gave in and started doing it.

TR: Did those topics interest you throughout your life or did you learn about them the hard way by doing the opposite for a while?

Jessica Rey: I wasn’t doing the opposite to an extreme but I definitely didn’t understand fully chastity and definitely not modesty, especially having been in Hollywood for a while. I had a stylist who would dress me in these crazy outfits and I would walk down the red carpet thinking I was all that. I really wasn’t (laughs). So thankfully I learned about it fully before I really got into some bad stuff. But I grew up Catholic and always kind of knew. I just didn’t fully understand it. I learned about it from some people that I met in Hollywood. We actually had a group called “Holywood” and we would do a lot of formation, lots of different talks, Theology of the Body type stuff. So that’s how I fully learned about it.

TR: How do you make the concepts of chastity and modesty appealing to young people when you’ve got so many cultural forces promoting the opposite?

Jessica Rey: I think it’s really important that the people who give these talks are themselves younger and…they’re hipper and with the times. You know, (kids are) not really going to listen to it if it’s from their parents. Most kids don’t, sadly, so it does help that I’m younger, it helps that I’ve been on TV and kids think that’s really cool…And it’s crazy because I was just a Power Ranger (laughs)! I’m not an a-list celebrity that has been in a ton of blockbuster films. But they still think it’s cool that someone in Hollywood is living this life.

TR: So what should churches be doing better to reach out to young people?

Jessica Rey: My friends and I are actually starting – and I know that these exist throughout the country – but we’re going to be starting up some fashion shows here in Southern California. And the fashion show again is this cool thing that the girls want to be a part of. But it’s (also) going to be six weeks of formation on what it means to be a woman, how a man should treat you, we’re going to talk about courtship, modesty and dress, and just all of (those things) they’re not really getting.

Read the rest here.

Congratulations Lila! Modestia supports you!

A student that has made national headlines exposing wrong-doing at abortion clinics, is the recipient of its 2008 Person of the Year Malachi Award.

“Lila Rose exemplifies the new wave of pro-life activism and best reflects Operation Rescue’s own efforts to expose illegal conduct in our nation’s abortion mills,” said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. “Her work has helped raise public awareness of the seedy underbelly of the abortion industry and has helped to launch criminal investigations that we pray will eventually hold out-of-control abortionists accountable for their criminal acts.”

Lila Rose is the president of Live Action Films and has released a number of undercover sting videos of Planned Parenthood employees coaching girls to cover up for men who are committing statutory rape.

Each year Operation Rescue presents the Malachi Award to pro-life activists who are impacting the nation for the cause of life. The award is named after an aborted baby that was discovered in an abortion clinic dumpster, whose image has been used nationally to bring attention to the desperate plight of the pre-born.

Previous recipients include Dr. Johnny Hunter of LEARN, who is exposing the devastating effects of abortion on the African-American community, Leslee Unruh, who spearheaded efforts to ban abortion in South Dakota, and Phill Kline, the Kansas prosecutor whose abortion investigations have led to 107 criminal charges against Planned Parenthood. 

Source

Your favorite Catholic gentleman Eduardo Verastegui recently visited “La Ciudad de la Alegría” in Cancun, Mexico and decided to have a ridiculously adorable moment with one of the Carmelite sisters.

Photo Credit

The oh so very lovely Catholic singer and songwriter Marie Miller took some time out of her busy schedule to talk with us here at Modestia: 

When did you start playing music? Who or what would you say are your musical influences?

Marie:  My musical journey is a little scattered, but I started singing when I was about eight or nine, and I began playing mandolin when I was eleven. I didn’t pick up the guitar until I was about thirteen, which was when I started songwriting. I feel like I have so many musical influences, but big ones for me are: Nickel Creek, Cat Stevens, Jaci Velasquez, John Mayer, Point Of Grace, Coldplay, and my DAD! My dad’s a a great musician.

Your music has great Catholic undertones. What made you decide to make more religiously inspired songs rather than become a secular artist?

Thanks for talking with us Marie!

I’m in the process of writing an adaption of Left to Tell, a NY Times bestseller about the true story of Immaculee Ilibagiza, a woman who survived the Rwandan genocide in 1994. She was in her early 20s when the genocide began, and all but one of her brothers was killed.

I recommend you buy this book….NOW. I read it over the course of two days, and just couldn’t put it down. I was ecstatic when I was given the rights to the property (meaning given permission to write the movie) and there is a production company out here in LA currently developing a film. The CEO of the company is alumni from my film school, and I’m hoping I can show him my script.  

In addition to being A-M-A-Z-I-N-G, she’s drop dead gorgeous, no?

I wrote in an earlier post that Selena Gomez is the spokesperson for UNICEF’s Trick-or-Treat Campaign.

You may ask, what does it mean to be an “Official Modestia Chick?” #1 it means you love God, #2 it means you serve Him by loving others!

She’s…just…so…adorable…

Seriously.

Mexican actor does sidewalk counseling in Los Angeles as part of 40 Days for Life campaign

 Eduardo Verástegui, the Mexican actor who starred in the movie “Bella,” joined pro-life sidewalk counselors and prayerful demonstrators at a Los Angeles abortion clinic last Saturday as he counseled women to turn away from aborting their unborn children. 

Many of the demonstrators were present at the Family Planning Associates abortion clinic as part of the 40 Days for Life campaign. 

John Anthony, co-coordinator of 40 Days for Life Los Angeles, described Verástegui’s efforts in an e-mail to CNA. The actor arrived at the clinic just after 8 in the morning and stayed until shortly after noon. According to Anthony, Verástegui spent time in prayer and counseled and encouraged women to keep their babies, acting with “love, tenderness, humility and compassion.” 

Verástegui and four of his friends showed some women the pro-life film Dura Realidad (A Hard Truth) and directed mothers to the Los Angeles Pregnancy Services (LAPS) crisis pregnancy center for help. 

Anthony told CNA that LAPS was “busier than ever,” reporting that one LAPS staffer said the morning was the busiest they had ever seen. 

“Five babies were saved that morning!” Anthony said. “Prayer and love in action were key and beautifully exemplified by all present. 

“The day had a dramatic ending when eight nurses from the mill came outside to meet Eduardo!” Anthony continued. “He spoke with them and gave them a Miraculous Medal as well as a copy of the video Dura Realidad.” Source

I actually met Eduardo two weeks ago. He was very amiable and gave me and my male companion a miraculous medal before we parted ways. (Click the link for pics.)

I will be out at the downtown Los Angeles post for 40 Days of Life this weekend, and hope to be at the Life walk on the 18th. If you’re in LA, come on down. 40 Days for Life is nationwide, so find a location near you and let’s stand up for life.

Ali Landry was interviewed in Tasty Baby:

Your adorable daughter Estela just turned one! After having her last year, you got back to your rockin’ body so quickly. What tips would you give other mothers looking to get back in shape after giving birth?
Give yourself a break, you have just gone through the most miraculous experience and you really need to honor your body. I do recommend eating a well balanced diet and drinking lots of water because it gives you the energy you need to care for and nurse your little one. I had meals delivered by a company called Chefs Diet so I could make sure that I was getting balanced meals with enough calories to sustain my milk production. Also, it was awhile before I started working out again, so I was really depending on my diet solely to gradually bring my weight down.

We know you love organic goodies, how do you try to keep a “green” lifestyle for your family?
I buy as many organic products as I can. I am becoming more conscience on the decisions our family makes every day and how it can affect our environment. I am trying to educate myself on keeping it “green”, but mostly we are really trying to be aware of our lifestyle choices.

Are you the cook in the family? Or do you prefer to eat out at restaurants?
We do a little but of everything. I still get my meals delivered from Chefs Diet which i so enjoy, but with our busy lifestyles and travel schedules we do eat out. Lately I have been cooking a lot more and I swear I feel more love and appreciation from my husband because of it.

Being the Southern gal that you are, do you find that your taste buds are still influenced by your Louisiana upbringing?
Most definately! I usually travel with packets of cajun spices in my purse at all times. When I am visiting home, all of my discipline goes right out the window. I refuse to say no to rice and gravy, shrimp stew, gumbo, snowballs, homemade cakes and bread pudding. I always know that I will probably gain 5 pounds each trip so I just work extra hard when I return to get it off. It is so worth it!

As a former Miss USA, you are an incredible role model for several women. Has that experience affected who you are today?
It was an amazing experience but what I remember most fondly about it was the pride and joy that it brought to the people of my small town and surrounding area.

We are envious of your resume! You’ve been named one of People Magazine’s 50 most beautiful people, and topped the Sexiest 100 lists at FHM and Stuff Magazine. Does that inspire you to keep yourself healthy and in shape?
I really do not consider myself any one of those things but I am definately flattered. iI keep healthy for me. I love the way it makes me feel after a good workout or a healthy meal. I am a happier person when i take care of myself.

Now that you’re a mother, do you think there are more children in the future for you and Alejandro?
We would love more children. I am thinking that we go one at a time, and of course he wants a soccor team, but absolutely, more children would definately be a blessing.

You made your mark as a spokeswoman for Doritos – we just loved those commercials! Do you still get tasty cravings for those guilty pleasures?
Always, and if I am craving something I usually eat it. Life is too short not to eat chocolate cake!

You and Alejandro met on the set of Bella, and you manage to keep a happy marriage by staying out of the Hollywood madness. How do you keep your relationship tasty
We really guard our relationship from this business. We are very aware of the realistic temptations and we have boundaries that we never cross in order to protect our marriage. Our relationship and our family come first…no compromise. We also pray together and go to church together as a family every Sunday.

And of course, something we ask everyone, what makes you tasty?
Funny! I am “tasty” because I recognize my faults and I have no pride about admitting them. I also really try to work every day on becoming a better person, friend, mother and wife.

Former America’s Next Top Model contestant Leah Darrow is being featured in the Sept./Oct. issue of Faith and Family Magazine:

Excerpts from the article:

After being eliminated from the show in 2005, she received contract offers from top modeling companies such as Ford and Elite Modeling, but the conditions of the contracts were troublesome. She decided not to sign a contract, and instead went independent. Soon she had many offers.

Yet something else was going on in her soul. She was feeling a weight of sorrow. There were relationships and other elements of her life that were not right. There was a value being given to her body that seemed to make her soul worthless and irrelevant.

On her conversion experience:

And his help came in an unforgettable way. “One day I found myself in the midst of a high-powered photoshoot,” she says, “where the outfit I was modeling was anything but modest.
“I had to sit there and think about the responsibility I had, as a model, to myself, my family, the world, and most importantly to God.”

As the photographer snapped picture after picture, her mind was racing. “What if this is my last moment on earth?” she thought. “What if my life ends right here and now? This is what I would be holding in my hands as I faced God.”

On her style icons:

I have three fashion inspirations,”

1. The Blessed Mother. “She is the purest definition of a woman of grace and dignity.”

2. Audrey Hepburn. “She always kept an image of modesty with her clothing, never less than respectable.”

3. Jacqueline Kennedy-Onassis. “Jackie’s style has never gone out of style.”

What she’s doing now:

Pure Fashion is an international faith-based program affiliated with Regnum Christi and the Legionaries of Christ designed for girls ages 14 to 18. It helps young women discover their deepest beauty: that of being images of God’s love. It affirms their innate value and authentic femininity.

This year, Leah helped to put together the first St. Louis Pure Fashion team.

I never talk politics on this blog because 1) it’s not what this blog is about and 2) because I write about politics almost every week in my news column back home and I already have to take behavioral drugs just to do that.

I’m kidding.

But I, like many Americans (and global citizens for that matter) was shocked—SHOCKED I TELL YOU—when I learned that John McCain had picked Alaskan governor Sarah Palin as his VP. But unlike many Americans I knew exactly who Sarah Palin was, and by consequence was ecstatic to hear the news. I’ve been keeping track of her for at least 7 or 8 months. Palin’s name came up when I did some research on possible female VP’s I would actually vote for, but she really hit my radar when I read she was suing the Bush administration on behalf of her state Alaska.

You can consider this post an endorsement. I will be creating a “Palin Watch” thread on this site. There are already a plethora of lies being spread about her (which I will be addressing in this week’s news column)…and I look forward to watching her put the press in their place. Plus, she’s got style!

Pax Christi, Rebecca.

PS: My prayer intention this week is for those affected by Hurricane Gustav. And if you’re interested in other GOP newcomers, keep your eyes on the Golden Boy.

Dare I give in to the hype? Jindal/Palin 2012? *gasps….sucks in breath*

Update Numero Uno:

Palin’s daughter is pregnant? Do you care? I don’t, but I do think we should have known on day one.