{"id":3697,"date":"2015-09-02T05:41:56","date_gmt":"2015-09-02T10:41:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/tomzampino\/?p=3697"},"modified":"2015-09-02T05:41:56","modified_gmt":"2015-09-02T10:41:56","slug":"valerie-herrera-17-be-courageous-and-show-who-you-really-are","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/tomzampino\/2015\/09\/valerie-herrera-17-be-courageous-and-show-who-you-really-are\/","title":{"rendered":"Valerie Herrera (17): “Be Courageous And Show Who You Really Are”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

https:\/\/youtu.be\/0MTqPdZpAQg<\/a>\n<\/p>

A sweet story out of Chicago yesterday, from Cristo Rey Jesuit High School<\/em>.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a good reminder that courage<\/em>\u00a0comes in many forms.<\/p>\n

Sometimes we just have to put our past behind and rise up to the unexpected challenge that\u2019s right in front of us.<\/p>\n

For 17-year old Valerie Herrera, bullied for her appearance in middle school because of skin condition called vitiligo, it meant first turning to music.<\/p>\n

And then, when an unexpected guest appears \u2013 here, Pope Francis via satellite \u2013 and he encourages you to \u201cbe courageous<\/em>\u201d by displaying your considerable talents in front of a televised town hall meeting being broadcast, live, to hundreds of people in Chicago, Los Angeles, and McAllen, Texas,<\/p>\n

Well, you just step up:<\/p>\n

Herrera said she figured she would be speaking with school administrators or, maybe, she joked to a friend, \u201cWhat if the mayor comes?\u201d [But] minutes before the pope\u2019s satellite feed, she was told she would be addressing Francis.\u00a0\u201cIt caught me off guard, but I\u2019m really happy and blessed that it happened,\u201d Herrera said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe always thought he was a really good pope and that he was really humble and has just been one of the few popes that have actually made an impact on the people.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Herrera briefly recalled her story for the\u00a0Chicago Tribune<\/a>:<\/p>\n

The bad memories\u00a0[from all the bullying]\u00a0still linger, Herrera said, but the words the pope shared with her on air to be courageous and to walk in good company help her know that she can be great and succeed.<\/p>\n

Sharing her story on national television has also helped, Herrera said, as she is able to remind others who are bullied that they are not alone.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t just apply to me but to anyone else \u2014 to show your talents, just be courageous,\u201d Herrera said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough people might think you\u2019re different, be courageous and show who you really are<\/em>.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Good advice from this young woman.<\/p>\n

And from Pope Francis.<\/p>\n

It leaves me wanting to find that one courageous thing today that I, myself, can do.<\/p>\n

You can read the entire story here<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 and share it.<\/p>\n

Peace<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A sweet story out of Chicago yesterday, from Cristo Rey Jesuit High School. It\u2019s a good reminder that courage\u00a0comes in many forms. Sometimes we just have to put our past behind and rise up to the unexpected challenge that\u2019s right in front of us. For 17-year old Valerie Herrera, bullied for her appearance in middle […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1976,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3697","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nValerie Herrera (17): "Be Courageous And Show Who You Really Are"<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A sweet story out of Chicago yesterday, from Cristo Rey Jesuit High School. It's a good reminder that courage\u00a0comes in many forms. 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