Tuesday, November 26, 2013

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Catholic sees comedy as part of everyday life, a form of evangelization

INDIANAPOLIS (CNS) -- A peek into the halls of the Indiana Convention Center during the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis Nov. 21-23 would show different aspects of the faith. A bishop talked about turning off electronic devices to find time for God. A priest discussed how to combine fitness and prayer time. And on a stage in a large exhibit hall, comedian Judy McDonald commented on the questions she is asked as result of her service dog, Daisy. "They'll ask if I'm blind -- while I'm texting," she jokes. McDonald and Daisy were part of the conference's afternoon recreation portion Nov. 23 in an hour-and-a-half session called the Comedy Club. The pair was joined by seven other comedy acts to lighten the mood after two-and-a-half days of praise, worship and faith-growing sessions. "Comedy is in our life every day, like depression and dinner and pancakes and snot," said McDonald, a lifelong Catholic and former youth and campus minister. McDonald has struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder for the last three years, and Daisy helps her cope.