All Else Confusion

When I was growing up, it was understood that a roommate of the opposite sex would not be tolerated. It just wasn't done. In fact, in high school and college it was stressed by my parents, teachers and administrators that it was a serious responsibility to be vigilant about not creating situations where temptation could begin to exercise a serious pull on your resolve. My mother always said that it wasn't a good idea to give space to the devil. That's how I grew up. And, it was a given that anyone who was Catholic (at least in serious Catholic circles) also acted in the same way.

I've been running into a strange phenonenom lately. I've met many single young adults who are active in their church, attending bible study, Theology of the Body study groups, seeking to make Catholic friends and develop a spiritual life - and have roomates of the opposite sex.

So, I've taken a step back. Do I believe that it's wrong for single men and women to live together because that's how I grew up or because there is truth to that statement? Is there something new in today's society that makes this co-habitation now acceptable? Or should it at least be looked at in a different light? After all, women wear pants today and that would have been unthinkable years ago.

I've done some thinking, talking to friends and reading on this issue for a while now, and I found a good synthesis of my conclusions in a book by Fr. Tom Morrow entitled Christian Courtship in an Oversexed World. It's not perfect, but, by and large, I think that it offers a clear reasonable explanation of the need to protect chastity by not living in co-ed situations.

Part of the problem is that most people today seem to think that not living together is about not having sex. And, it is. But, it's not only about avoiding sex. There's much more to it, including how you view the other sex, creating an intimacy with the other sex that isn't appropriate (Fr. Morrow calls it "compromising mystique"), and giving scandal to those who know that you are are Catholic and may assume that the Church's teaching has changed.

As Fr. Morrow puts it:

You can't very well put a sign on the door saying 'for those who might care, we want you tho know that we are not having sex in here'
There is simply no way, short of an emergency, that a woman should compromise her own mystique and give scandal by letting a man stay overnight in her apartment.

Happy (Confirmation Saint) Feast Day to my sister. Today is the Feast Day of St. Catherine of Siena, youngest of 25, mystic, theologian, Doctor of the Church. (And she didn't even learn to write until the end of her life!)

Labels: Feast Day

It's good to see that the experience of women who have had negative experience with abortion is finally getting press. This article from the Washington Times is about the women who testified in support of the South Dakota ban on abortion which was passed earlier this year.

"We were sold a bill of goods that abortion is a good thing, and when we find out that it's not, we're told to be quiet," said the Louisiana resident [Cynthia Collins], who also told her story to the task force. That mentality is finally starting to change, she said, and "as those voices are heard, then we're going to see the true picture."

I don't know any women who have had abortion. I knew about Project Rachael, but I had never personally heard the pain of these women until a few years ago, when I encountered the women of Silent No More. It was a powerful experience. I have seen these women every year since at the March for Life in Washington, DC, and I greatly admire their courage in telling their painful stories.

I was sent a link to The Catholic Catechism Dialog Blog which is planning on studying the Catechism of the Catholic Church over the course of the next year.

The description of the blog says it's:

A group blog for devotional & practical dialogue with sacred Scripture and sacred Tradition via the Catechism of the Catholic Church to the glory of God, for unity with the mystical body of Christ, for personal growth and the new evangelization

The study began the week after Easter. Each Saturday they post the readings from the Catechism for each day of the following week. Looks interesting.

I found this over at Some Have Hats and being a sucker for such quizes, I promptly took the test. I found out that I am NOT A NERD. In fact, 91% of quiz takers scored more nerdy than I am. So, what's the opposite of nerd?

Your nerdiness is:

Definitely not nerdy, you are probably cool.

That's right - I'm cool!

Labels: Quiz

Father,
you gave Saint Mark
the privilege of proclaiming your gospel.
May we profit by his wisdom
and follow Christ more faithfully.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ,
your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Collect of St. Mark

Labels: Feast Day

Tempers and tensions continue to rise at Ave Maria School of Law over Tom Monaghan's desire to relocate the school to Ave Maria Town in Florida. The Law School is the latest in a series of projects in Michigan that Monaghan has sought to either relocate to or pull funding to use for the town. Rumor has it the only ones to stand up to Monaghan and win were the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist who threatened a lawsuit and settled out of court.

In independent moves this past week, the Faculty Board and the Alumni Board both submitted votes of no confidence in Bernard Dobranski, Dean and President of Ave Maria School of Law, to the Board of Governors. Likewise, a student petition was submitted to the BOG showing a vote of no confidence in the administration of the school. (There is some debate about the petition, but it does seem that it was signed by at least half the student body.) The Alumni Board letter to the BOG has recently been made public. The BOG's answer to these letters? A vote of confidence for the Dean.

Many of the first students at the law school made enormous sacrifices to attend the school, including passing on already accredited schools with reputations in the law community. There was no guarantee that the school would have accreditation in time for the first classes to be able to sit for the bar. Now these same students are watching and seeking answers as it appears their degrees may soon not be worth the paper they were printed on. Already the ranking of the school in the 4th tier of the current US News & World Report is causing concerns about employment and questions about whether the ranking will be used as a tool to enhance the feasibility of moving the school.

And, they are not watching quietly. Maybe the Board of Governors forgot that the first graduating classes of this law school were recruited from the very best (GPA/LSAT), received a very good legal education, and are currently practicing lawyers.

Watch for upcoming articles in The Wall Street Journal and The Wanderer concerning this issue.

Labels: AMSOL

Tomorrow is the Feast of Divine Mercy, established for the Universal Church on the 2nd Sunday of Easter in 2000 by John Paul II. In his revelations to Sr. Faustina, Jesus asked repeatedly for a feast to be established to His Mercy. The feast had already been granted to Poland, which is why my Polish family was already celebrating the feast day when I was growing up.

The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments stated that "throughout the world the Second Sunday of Easter will receive the name Divine Mercy Sunday, a perennial invitation to the Christian world to face, with confidence in divine benevolence, the difficulties and trials that mankind will experience in the years to come."

There will be Divine Mercy activities in Worcester at Holy Name of Jesus Church on Illinois Street starting at 1PM. Confession and Mass will be included.

Labels: Feast Day

Yard Sale season is upon us. Today the entire town of Rutland is having a yard sale. There will be some people set up at the common and maps to other locations where people are selling stuff. You never know what bargains you might find.

Thursday at Fumare lists several reasons why there is so much unrest at Ave Maria School of Law. Judging from the number of comments, I'd say he struck a nerve.

For those who haven't been following, Tom Monaghan is proposing to move the law school to Ave Maria Town in Florida, in the same way that he moved (or rather closed) Ave Maria College in Michigan amid many questionable practices (see this letter by Dr. Edward Peters, for example).

Labels: AMSOL

My alumni newsletter from Franciscan University had this little item of interest:

For all history teachers, home-schoolers, or anyone interested in the history of Catholics in the United States, FUS alumnus Kevin Schmiesing (’94) has developed a new web site, CatholicHistory.net. Of special interest to alumni, will be retired FUS history professor John Carrigg’s memoirs of World War II.

As a lover of American History and with a grandfather who also fought in World War II, I'm looking forward to using this new resource.

Hobbs at Dirdy Wadah participates in a new sport.

I love classic movies. Have I mentioned that?

I probably shouldn't admit it, but my VHS collection has about 300 titles and my DVD collection is closing in on 200. There are some modern movies in my collection, but mostly they are classics. When I say classic, I mean made before 1970 (often before 1960), not necessarily all great movies.

I think that there are certain movies that eveyone should see. Not all of them make the top 100 movies list, mostly because a lot of them are comedies. (You won't find Preston Sturges' The Miracle of Morgan's Creek on the list, but take it from me that it's a must see.) So, I'm on a crusade to introduce as many people as I can to the movies that I love. These movies are our heritage. Nowhere can we learn more about the American culture of the 20th century than by seeing it documented decade by decade on the silver screen.

Daniel Akst of the Opinion Journal agrees with me.

But in these old movies they discover that art and commerce can coexist, and that there's an enormous cultural legacy awaiting them that we all can enjoy together, even on screen.

While I can't agree with Akst's assessment of The African Queen (it's one of the movies in my collection), he's right that there are great lessons to be learned from these films as well as a lot of enjoyment. Some of my favorite movies are the sophisticated comedies of the '30's and '40's. I don't know that there are any deep lessons to be learned from these films, but I just revel in the witty dialogue.


From The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947) directed by Irving Reis starring Cary Grant, Myrna Loy and Shirley Temple (as a teenager).

Richard Nugent: Hey, you remind me of a man.
Susan Turner: What man?
Richard Nugent: Man with the power.
Susan Turner: What power?
Richard Nugent: Power of hoodoo.
Susan Turner: Hoodoo?
Richard Nugent: You do.
Susan Turner: Do what?
Richard Nugent: Remind me of a man...

You just can't find dialogue like that any more!

I watched the first 4 episodes of God or the Girl last night. Despite it's misleading title (choosing the Girl does not mean that you are leaving God behind - if you are in fact called to marriage, God is there too), the series was well done and very respectful of the discerning process. I had a few quibbles, but most were minor. Mostly, I was annoyed by the people who seemed to be pushing the men toward the priesthood. Though, for the most part, the idea of following God's call, rather than making a decision on their own was evident in the comments made by each of the men.

After watching the series, I agree with Jason's (from Sirach 40:20) assessment of the men.

It was obvious from the start that Mike was going to choose marriage over the priesthood. I thought that Fr. Pauselli remarks about his disappointment over Mike's decision were regrettable. The call to the priesthood is something to be responded to, not a decision that is made on one's own. A young man does not choose to be a priest, rather he accepts God's call.

I think that Steve will make a great priest, whether he chooses to be a missionary or not. I was really impressed with the way that Steve's friends supported him, wanting him to be happy.

I'm a little worried about Joe. His problems with the priesthood and celibacy seem to show an immaturity that would not be good in someone looking to enter the priesthood - or marriage.

I thought that the encounter with the Bible Christian at Ohio State was interesting. I felt respect for him for standing up for his convictions, while I also thought he was absolutely wrong! And, I liked Dan's response to the fallen away Catholic that he met while carrying his cross. At first, I thought, there's a lot more to it, but he didn't have time to go into a whole theological argument for celibacy (at least in an edited show). His simple statement that if he was married, he would have to devote himself to his wife in a way that would not allow him to completely give himself to his priesthood seemed to make sense to the man.

I also liked the faith shown by each man, the trust that they placed in God to make His will clear to them, the acceptance of the sacrifices that were required and the unexpected paths that God was leading them into.

And by and large, I didn't see any of the problems found by Fr. Nuss. Granted that a lot of the discernment process isn't the stuff of exciting television, there is still something dramatic happening that can be documented and shared. Most of the second half of the show was following the men as they went on pilgrimage or retreat to get away from the distractions and focus on what God is calling them to. That's something everyone who is seeking to hear God should do.

I hope that the series will encourage other young men to give the priesthood serious thought, even if they eventually decide that they aren't called.

If you missed it, the A&E will show all 4 episodes back to back on Friday starting at 8. The final episode will air Sunday (4/23) at 10.

Check out this parody of the famous Who's on First skit by Abbott and Costello on WBZ radio, using the names of all the new Red Sox players.

Click on "Youk's on First" on the right side of the screen.

Enjoy!!

Labels: baseball

I just took the eHarmony quiz.

I've been meaning to check out eHarmony for a long time because I keep seeing those commercials on TV about the 29 dimensions of compatibility. I'm pretty skeptical about on-line dating - at least for me. I've been on the Ave Maria site for a few years now, and I've done a little searching on Catholic Match. I know a number of people who have had success on those sites, but there's something about them that I don't like. I think it's the trying to get to know someone over e-mail thing. If I met someone, thought he was interesting, and then spent time e-mailing to get to know him, that would be different. But, just looking at a profile, thinking "OK, Maybe you'll do" and them e-mailing? I'm just not that comfortable with it.

I must say that the ideal mate described in my Compatibility Profile does sound like a dream man (maybe literally). If you know of anyone who fits this description, please send him my way!

Here's the summary:


He has a very strong intellect which he enjoys exercising.

He tends to be very interested in understanding why things happen.

He enjoys knowing and learning about new things.

He generally prefers to solve problems based on rational causes, rather than emotions.

He loves to spend time catching up with friends.

His easy conversational manner makes him a great companion.

He tends to be generous and supportive of his friends.

He sometimes enjoys sharing a great joke or humorous movie with friends.

It is very important to him to be part of a religious community.

His religious faith is a key part of who he is.

He has some strong, traditional views.

Personal values are important to him.

From And You Thought You Knew Classic Movies! by John DiLeo.

I found a section of quizes that ask you to match certain movie situations to the movie. I like these!

Match the light comic Cary Grant situation to the film in which it appears.

1. He is engaged to Julia, but ends up with her sister Linda

2. He must pretend to be Joseph the gardener.

3. He announces that he just went gay (no, not the modern usage) all of a sudden.

4. His uneartly powers cause a bottle of sherry to be bottomless.

5. His soon-to-be ex-wife embarrasses him by pretending to be his floozie sister Lola.

6. He has been working for Spy Magazine ever since his divorce.

7. He gets some of his relatives admitted to Happy Dale.

8. He tries to come up with an ad slogan for a ham product.

9. He describes his rival Bruce as looking like Ralph Bellamy (Bellamy plays Bruce).

10.He is alarmed to learn that his wife was recently known as Eve to a hunk she called Adam.

The Films:
a. The Bishop's Wife
b. Arsenic and Old Lace
c. Holiday
d. The Awful Truth
e. His Girl Friday
f. The Talk of the Town
g. My Favorite Wife
h. The Philadelphia Story
i. Bringing Up Baby
j. Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House

Labels: movies

Dic nobis Maria, quid vidisti in via?
Sepulcrum Christi viventis,
et gloriam vidi resurgentis,
angelicos testes, sudarium et vestes.

Surrexit Christus spes mea;
præcedet suos in Galileam.
Scimus Christum surrexisse
a mortuis vere.

Tu nobis victor Rex, miserere.

Amen. Alleluia.






Tell us, Mary: say what thou didst see upon the way. The tomb the Living did enclose; I saw Christ's glory as He rose! The angels there attesting; shroud with grave-clothes resting.

Christ, my hope, has risen: He goes before you into Galilee. That Christ is truly risen from the dead we know.

Victorious King, Thy mercy show!

Amen. Hallelujah.

Labels: Feast Day

During the Easter Season, the Church sings the Regina Caeli in place of the Angelus. It's one of my favorite chants.

Regina caeli letare, Alleluia. Quia quem meruisti portare, Alleluia, Resurrexit sicut dixit, Alleluia.

Ora pro nobis Deum, Alleluia


O Queen of heaven rejoice! Alleluia:
For He whom thou didst merit to bear, Alleluia, Hath arisen as he said, Alleluia.

Pray for us to God, Alleluiah.

Here is Bishop McManus' Easter Message as printed by the Catholic Free Press.

The Victim of the cross is now the Victor over death

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

“Peace be with you!” (John 20:21) This greeting of our Risen Savior brings us great joy! On this Easter Sunday, we stand in the garden before the empty tomb with Mary Magdalene. Recognizing Jesus’ voice, we say with her, “I have seen the Lord.” (John 20:18) Like the disciples on that first day of the week, we too experience Jesus’ risen presence and proclaim, “The Lord has risen indeed.” (Luke 24:34)
Yes, the joy of Easter is to stand with the disciples at the empty tomb and share the exhilarating realization that Jesus is risen! For it is happening now just as truly as it did then.

The Lord’s resurrection proclaims that God is always acting in the lives of those who surrender themselves to His holy will. God shares with us the gift of new life, and He does so with the same love by which He called us to life. The resurrection of Jesus assures us that in our struggles and in our crises, God is there. In overcoming sin, in striving to be a more committed Christian - more loving, more compassionate, more joyful - God is present to us. In dealing with suffering, rejection, loneliness and addiction, God is our hope.
We are never alone! We are not powerless! We are loved indeed!

From the tomb of sin we can rise to new life with Jesus. We have a new beginning and achieve a new outlook. Easter gives us courage beyond our own, and strength we have never known, to face life not as victims but as victors. The Victim of the cross is now the Victor over death. The Sacrificed has truly become the Savior! The Risen Christ has won the victory.

This Easter Sunday we rejoice in the Lord who shares His life and His love with us We profess in faith that He is the Lord of Life. Worry and anxiety, difficulty and failure give way to trust in Him and in others. Easter celebrates the Lord’s care for us, for in both life and death we belong to the Lord who is risen and lives forever.

Easter is the first day of a whole new creation. Rejoice and be glad! May the Lord’s victory over sin and death renew you in faith, hope and courage! A blessed Easter to all!

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Robert J. McManus
Bishop of Worcester

Confession seems to be the topic of the day. I was considering writing about my own confession experience last Saturday. I went to the church around the corner from me because I was just getting over strep and I didn't want to go far. I usually avoid going to the 2 churches close to me - yes, there are 2 Catholic Churches within a 2 minute drive of my house, there are 5 within a 5 minute drive - because the priests never seem to be in the confessional during the set time for confession. Instead, they're always doing something else, so that either someone has to go and get them, or they suddenly appear from the sacristy to ask if you wanted to go to Confession. I know that if I'm truly sorry for my sins, it should be an act of humility to have the priest know who I am, but I haven't gotten there yet. I like all that anonymity. So, I usually avoid those churches in favor of the one where I know that priest will be in the confessional. (He's also one of the handful of very good, young priest we have in this diocese.) The other reason that I usually don't go to those churches is that I find Confession at 3 on a Saturday afternoon to be very inconvenient. So, I am grateful for St. John's in Worcester, which has Confession every night after the 6:15 Mass.

Anyway, as I say, I was considering posting these thoughts of mine, when a discussion on this very subject erupted over at Dom's blog. He notes an article that says Confessions are in decline in parishes, but on the rise at other sites. The Lady in the Pew picked up the discussion. The 3rd post on the subject by Karen Hall seemed a sign from God that discussion on Confession right now is a good thing. I guess there can never be enough.

Normally, I'm not a big fan of chain letters. In fact, I almost always delete them. The Lady in the Pew would be proud of me!

The one exception I make is for the getting to know your friends type chain letter. I like getting to know little details about my friends and sharing about myself. So, I here give you the 2006 edition of "Getting to know your friends".

1. What time did you get up this morning? 7:55

2. Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds (April is my birth month)

3. What was the last film you saw? Laura (the Queen of the Film Noirs)

4. What is your favorite TV show? What Not to Wear

5. What did you have for breakfast? Sweet Ginger Peach Tea

6. What is your middle name? Marie

7. What is your favorite cuisine? Italian and Mexican. I love cheese

8. What foods do you dislike? Where do I start? Meat of almost any kind, mushrooms, shrimp, coffee (but not coffee flavored ice cream!)

9. What is your favorite chip flavor? Lays Cheddar and Sour Cream

10. What is your favorite CD at the moment? Michael Buble

11. What type of car do you drive? Hideous tan 1990 Geo Prism

12. What is your favorite drink? Anything with Tequila (esp. Margaritas) or Rum (and coke)

13. What characteristics do you despise? Inflexibility

14. Favorite item of clothing? Anything that makes me feel great about myself. Love Ann Taylor Loft.

15. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Rome
(I feel like Audrey Hepburn - Each, in its own way, was unforgettable. It would be difficult to - Rome! By all means, Rome. I will cherish my visit here in memory as long as I live.)

16. What inspires you? Holiness

17. Favorite saying? None

18. Where would you like to retire to? I can't think that far ahead. I don't know where I would like to be in two years.

19. Favorite time of the day? Dinner time (with a classic movie)

20. What was your most memorable birthday? 30th My sister threw me a surprise party 2 months after my birthday and so many friends were there

21. Where were you born? Hayward, CA

22. Favorite sport to watch? Baseball - go Sox!

23. Who do you least expect to send this back to you? No idea

24. Who do you expect to send it back first? No idea

25. What fabric detergent do you use? Arm and Hammer

26. Coke or Pepsi? Coke

27. Are you a morning person or a night owl? Night Owl - no question about it

28. What is your shoe size? 5 1/2

29. Do you have any pets? No, though I'd like to get another fish (my brother and sister killed my last one)

30. Any new and exciting news you’d like to share with your family and friends?
My brother, the Marine, called me this morning. It was very exciting since he almost never calls.

31. What did you want to be when you were little? A mother

32. Summer/Winter/Fall/Spring? Late Spring

33. Favorite color? Lime green, but I'm also getting into pink

-------------RIGHT NOW------------------------------

Wearing? black pants, Pink 3/4 sleeve top, black shoes

Listening to? Bing Crosby sing Samantha from High Society

*****THE LAST 24 HOURS**************

Met someone new? Yes - new guy at work

Cleaned your room? No

How many hours of sleep? 6

************DO YOU BELIEVE IN**************

God? Yes

Yourself ? Yes

Your friends? Yes

Destiny/Fate? Not if this means we don't have free will. But, I do believe that we have a destiny as in a purpose for our lives, which is eventually to be with God in Heaven

Ghosts? Um, I try not to think about that

**********FRIENDS AND LIFE**********

Who have you known the longest of your friends? Trisha - when we were both studying in Austria

Who do you go to for advice? Mom

Do you want your friends to do this and send it back to you? Yes, I love little personal tidbits

And the answers are...

1. Audrey Hepburn in the Lavender Hill Mob
2. Alan Ladd in Citizen Kane
3. Tony Curtis in Criss Cross
4. James Dean in Has Anyone Seen My Gal
5. David Niven in Rose Marie
6. Gary Cooper in Wings
7. Myrna Loy in The Jazz Singer
8. Lucille Ball in Top Hat
9. Dorothy Dandridge in Since You Went Away
10.Gene Nelson in Gentleman's Agreement

See here for the original quiz.

Labels: movies

In the 1930's Christ appeared to a Polish nun, Sr. Faustina, requesting a Feast of Mercy. He instructed her to prepare for the Feast of Mercy by making a novena to start on Good Friday.

I desire that during these nine days you bring souls to the fount of My mercy, that they may draw therefrom strength and refreshment and whatever grace they need in the hardships of life, and especially at the hour of death. (From St. Faustina's Diary)

The Lady in the Pew links to a good site for the Divine Mercy prayers of the novena which starts today and ends on Divine Mercy Sunday - the Sunday after Lent. There is also a link to the chaplet which should be said in conjuction with the Novena prayers.

Crux fidelis inter omnes arbor una nobilis:

nulla silva talem profert fronde, flore, germine.

Dulce lignum, dulces clavos, dulce pondus sustinet.

Pange lingua gloriosi lauream certaminis, et super vía trophæo dic triumphum nobilem: qualiter Redemptor orbis immolatus vicerit.

......

Sempiterna sit beatæ Trinitati gloria; aequa Patri Filioque, par decus Paraclito; unius Trinique nomen laudet universitas. Amen


FAITHFUL Cross! above all other, one and only noble Tree!
None in foliage, none in blossom, none in fruit thy peers may be; sweetest wood and sweetest iron!
Sweetest Weight is hung on thee!

SING, my tongue, the Savior's glory; tell His triumph far and wide; tell aloud the famous story of His body crucified; how upon the cross a victim, vanquishing in death, He died.

Blessing, honor, everlasting, to the immortal Deity; to the Father, Son, and Spirit, equal praises ever be; glory through the earth and heaven to Trinity in Unity. Amen.

Labels: Feast Day

Hoc corpus, quod pro vobis tradetur: hic calix novi testamenti est in meo sanguine, dicit Dominus: hoc facite, quotiescumque sumitis, in meam commemorationem.

This body will be given for you. This is the cup of the new covenant in my blood; whenever you receive them, do so in remembrance of me. (I Corinthians 11:24-25 )

-- Communion Antiphon for Holy Thursday

Labels: Feast Day

The Worcester Telegram and Gazette carried this facinating news item today:

College students back troop withdrawl

Sixty percent of American collge students think the United States should begin withdrawing troops from Iraq, a 20 percentage-point increase from the fall, a new Harvard poll indicates.
However, the poll by Harvard University's Institute of Politics released Tuesday indicated fewer college students support a total withdrawal of troops, down from 22 percent in the fall to 12 percent.
The nationwide telephone survey of 1,200 college students was conducted between March 13 and March 27. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8 percent
Other results of the poll include:
-Nearly three out of four college students (72 percent)believe the United States should let the United Nations and other countries take the lead in solving international conflicts.
-President Bush's approval rating is 33 percent, down 8 percentage points from the fall survey
-If the 2008 presidential election were held today, 40 percent of college students would vote for Democrat Hillary Clinton and 40 percent for Republican John McCain.

Well, I'm sure we're all glad to know what the college students think, though why it should be newsworthy is beyond me. I wonder, would there have been a little blurb entitled, "Majority of college students support War in Iraq" if the numbers has been reversed? Also, I can't help wondering where those 1,200 representative students were from. Anyone out at Steubenville get a call?

Former Red Sox pitcher Bronson Arroyo has done it again. He's made 2 starts this year and has 2 home runs. That's more than Manny Ramirez has and Manny's played all 6 games of the season.

It's too bad we didn't know about all this power last year. Think of all the possibilities: We wouldn't have had to worry about the 4th outfielder. There could have been another right-handed bat besides Doug Mirabelli to come off the bench. Papi could have had a day off.

Opportunities squandered!

Labels: baseball

Just when I was finally going to log off, I got suckered in again. There it was before me - "10 Cities That Young People are Moving To". Of course, I had to click. (I've always wanted to know where all the young people are.)

Here it is (drum roll please)

Best places to live and work for those under 35

Atlanta, GA
Boston, MA
Chicago, IL
Denver, CO
Minneapolis, MN
Portland, OR
New York, NY
San Francisco, CA
Seattle, WA
Washington, DC

Funny, Worcester's not on the list.

Mr. Write is looking for a good woman. Only trouble is, according to him, they don't exist. So, he's got a novel idea - stick all the good ones you can find in a chick zoo.

But seriously, good women - and I mean truly good - are just too few and far between. I can't be sure, but I think if they were animals they would qualify for the endangered species list.

Hmmm. I'm pretty sure it's the good men that are an endangered species.

That's why I think we should be able to create a place where we can keep good women behind glass for paying customers to observe; sort of a living museum. Alright. A woman zoo.

Well, anyway, I found it amusing.

I can just see the newsperson reporting “Dana has an MBA from Brown, can drink a pony keg of Molson in 45 minutes, speaks four languages and can explain - in great detail - the infield fly rule. Isn’t she cute?”

MBA - check, pony keg of Molson - well..., speaks four languages - check (it doesn't say fluently!), can explain the infield fly rule - check

Hey! One good woman over here!

Labels: fun

I thought Holy Week was a good time to post this article listing the Perpetual Adoration Chapels in the Worcester Diocese. The chapels are in Webster, Spencer, Worcester, and Fitchburg. Chances are, there's one near you!

The Catholic Free Press has a listing of Holy Week Events in the Worcester Diocese, including the events being presided over by Bishop McManus.

On Holy Thursday, following the Mass of the Lord's Supper at the Cathedral, there will be the traditional visitation of churches.

On Holy Thursday Bishop McManus is to celebrate the Mass of the Lord’s Supper in English and Spanish at 7:30 p.m. at St. Paul Cathedral. It is to be aired live on WCTR-TV 3. After the Mass, those interested can join a free pilgrimage by bus or their own vehicles to visit seven area churches, concluding with night prayer at 11 p.m. at the cathedral.

Also, Bishop McManus will lead the outdoor Stations of the Cross on Good Friday starting at St. John's on Temple Street and ending at the Cathedral. Confessions will be available after the Stations until the 3 o'clock service.

On Good Friday Bishop McManus is to lead Stations of the Cross in downtown Worcester. They are to begin at noon at St. John Church, 40 Temple St., proceed to Notre Dame Church des Canadiens Church at Salem Square, and conclude at St. Paul Cathedral. A bus is to be available at the cathedral to return participants to their cars parked at St. John’s. Confessions are to be held at the cathedral after the Stations until 3 p.m., when Bishop McManus is to celebrate the Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion, which is to be televised live on WCTR-TV 3.

This morning I woke to the sound of my five-year-old nephew in the kitchen covering the Carpenters.

Sing, sing a song

Sing out loud

Sing out strong

Sing of good things not bad

Sing of happy not sad

Here I thought, "He's going to go back to the beginning." But no...

sing, sing a song

Make it simple to last

Your whole life long

Don’t worry that it’s not

Good enough for anyone

Else to hear

Just sing, sing a song

La la la la la

La la la la la la...

Yup, he had the whole song down.

It would have been cute...if it hadn't been first thing in the morning.

Labels: family

I love classic movies. Some might say I'm obsessed with them. (Is it possible to be obsessed with more than one thing? Just wondering.) So, I thought that it might be fun to issue a challege to other classic movie buffs. Can you get all 10? For the record I've seen 6 of the listed movies and I think I might get one right. Take a stab. Two pats on the back if you get them all right.

From And You Thought You Knew Classic Movies! 200 Quizzes for Golden Age Movie Lovers by John DiLeo

Match the star to the film in which he/she made an early (and very brief) screen appearance.

1. Audrey Hepburn
2. Alan Ladd
3. Tony Curtis
4. James Dean
5. David Niven
6. Gary Cooper
7. Myrna Loy
8. Lucille Ball
9. Dorothy Dandridge
10. Gene Nelson


a. Criss Cross
b. Top Hat
c. Since You Went Away
d. Has Anybody Seen My Gal
e. Citizen Kane
f. Gentleman's Agreement
g. The Lavender Hill Mob
h. Rose Marie (1936)
i. Wings
j. The Jazz Singer (1927)

Labels: movies

Heather Grimes is helping to spearhead a new chapter of Rock for Life being started in Worcester County. Here is a short list of some of the activities of Rock for Life:

*Volunteer time at a crisis pregnancy centers
*Pray outside abortion clinics
*Wear pro-life shirts to school
*Write letters to newspapers and polticians
*Write pro-life papers for school assignments
*Be a voice for the culture of life
*Set up booths and merch tables at local christian concerts
*Participate in National Pro-life T-shirt Day

The first official event of the group will be to meet outside Planned Parenthood in Worcester on Saturday, April 8 at 8:30 to pray the rosary followed by breakfast at Denny's. All are welcome to join.

See here for more information about the Worcester Chapter.

A year ago I was here.

It was crazy. My mother, my sister, and I were to spend a week in Normandy with my grandfather who is a D-Day veteran. We flew into Paris on Wednesday morning, and seeing as how we were already in Europe, decided to take a side trip to Rome. An 18 hour car trip later, at 4 in the morning, we were knocking on the door of a convent just blocks from the Vatican. It was a good thing we got there so early in the morning or we would never have been able to get anywhere near the place.

There was a rumor in Rome that the line to view John Paul II was closed. The day before people had stood in line for 16-20 hours and it was feared that the crowds would be even larger on Thursday. In the afternoon, we set out toward the Vatican, wanting to be part of the crowd, even if we couldn't view the Pope. My mother and my sister had never been to Rome before, and I kept heading them toward the Via della Conciliazione so they could at least get a look at the front of St. Peter's. We kept walking until we hit a mass of people and could go no further. That's when we found that we were in fact in line for the viewing of the Pope. The line wasn't closed after all.

The atmosphere in that line was amazing. Every where there were flags and signs. There were people from all over the world of all ages, a great many of them young. The women behind me were from New York. One lived in Rome and the other had been visiting when John Paul II died. She had extended her flight a week to be in Rome during the funeral. They stood behind me trying to remember how to pray the rosary.

A short 4 1/2 hours later, at almost 9 o'clock at night, we entered St. Peter's Basilica. An aisle had been created down the center, leading to the body of the Pope before the altar. People were being kept moving to the left and right of the altar and back out again. I maneuvered my mother and sister to the right side so that we would exit past the Pieta. Everywhere, people were pausing to sit or kneel, to remain in the moment a little longer.

Outside, we quickly hit the shops to buy prayer cards and rosaries and then made our way back to the convent. We passed through one square that had been closed off and was being used as a sleeping ground. The square and all the streets leading to it were lined with young people in sleeping bags or sitting in groups, praying and singing. I have never seen anything like it, even at World Youth Day.

We had heard that the road into Rome would be closed the next day for the funeral, so we decided that it would be best to get out that night. At midnight, after 20 hours in Rome, we were headed back to Normandy.

As we headed out, we saw the lights of buses and cars still heading into the city.

I'm sick. For the 3rd time already this year. I had a 2 week cold in January and a really bad cold with fever in early March. Now I'm home from work again with strep. I'm feeling a little guilty at having already taken 3 1/2 days off of work. I always think that I should be able to manage the pain. Now I know better!

Hat tip to the guys at Sirach 40:20

And a special thanks to Fred for the ginger ale and crackers!

Melanie Bettinelli over at The Wine-Dark Sea Blog comments on What does a Catholic look like? It is, of course, the perpetual balancing act that we must perform - viewing our own particular stamp of Catholicism as best for us, while leaving room for other varieties. The trick is to realize that the Church is much larger than the little piece we see in front of us. In the US, I sometimes think that we are at a disadvantage. Our country is so big and so isolated from other cultures that we sometimes forget that ours is not the only way of thinking. As Melanie says,

I realized a part of that truth during my semester abroad. Just standing in the wide arms of Bernini's piazza, the famous St Peter's square, surrounded by pilgrims from every nation, speaking most of the languages known to man, you realize that we are members of the Church universal. Few Catholics in the US today seem to have a clear sense of the bigness of the Church and the variety of pieties, devotions and practices that she encompasses.

Like Melanie, I've never been able to develop a habit of praying the rosary regularly. But, I do pray the office, morning prayer and night prayer. I love how the psalms in the office seem to echo everything that I'm dealing with in my life.

In you O Lord, I take refuge.
Let me never be put to shame.
In your justice, set me free,
hear me and speedily rescue me.

Be a rock of refuge for me,
a mighty stronghold to save me,
for you are my rock, my stronghold.
For you name's sake, lead me and guide me.

Release me from the snares they have hidden
for you are my refuge, Lord.
Into your hands I commend my spirit.
It is you who will redeem me, Lord.


Accepting a variety of modes of being Catholic was something that I had to face during my years at Franciscan University of Steubenville. I came from a background that included Latin Mass and Gregorian Chant. I encountered a Charismatic environment with music I had never heard before. It took me several years to understand that while I would never be Charismatic, there were some things that I could take from that expression of worship. And, more importantly, that we were all worshipping the same God in the same sacraments. It was an invaluable lesson.

The argument of what makes a good Catholic becomes even more heated when we begin to talk about cultural issues. What is modesty? What is the place for women in the Church? Should they serve at the altar?

I have my own list of things that are important to me. I always wear a skirt for Mass on Sundays. It's my own way of reminding myself that it's an important day. I know others who feel that being comfortable in Mass is more important than being dressed up. I can't agree, but I won't force them to change (though I'm not above a little friendly discussion.) I don't like female altar servers. I don't like Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist used habitually. I like polyphony and chant and not modern hymns. My preferences for liturgy tend to the traditional, though not as far as the Tridentine Mass. On the other hand, I wear pants, and I like fashion. I enjoy classical music, but would much rather listen to country when I'm driving in my car. But, that's me.

In the end, I've realized that the Church would be very impoverished if everyone looked exactly like me. It's part of the adventure to see how all the pieces fit and how beautiful a picture they make when they're all in harmony.

Bronson Arroyo deserves a big "Atta boy!" for hitting a home run in his first start of the year for Cincinnati yesterday. No one was sadder than I that Arroyo was traded to the Reds. He's the kind of guy that we like here in Boston, a guy willing to do anything for his team. And, he loved Boston.

Even though the trade saddened me, I could understand why the Red Sox did it. And, it was nice of them to trade Arroyo to the National League Reds. No conflict for me wishing him all success since he's in another league (especially since the Reds really don't factor into anything anyways!)

So, Congrats on your first homer Bronson!

Oh, and the pitching line was too bad either: 6 2/3 innings, 3 ER, 0 BB, 7 K

Labels: baseball

It's 01:02:03 on 04/05/06.

Enjoy your second. You won't get another one for one hundred years.

Labels: fun

On June 24, 1970, my uncle was killed in a construction accident. He was working on the I95 Piscataqua River Bridge when the scaffolding he was standing on fell. He had just graduated from Notre Dame and was working this summer job until he left for the Air Force in the Fall. It was his second day on the job.

I never met my uncle, but all the stories came flooding back as I heard of the accident at Emerson College in Boston yesterday. The scaffolding outside one of the college buildings came crashing down onto Boylston Street. Three men were killed in the accident, including a 28 year old doctor who was just driving by. Dr. Michael Ty was a member of the Young Adult community at St. Clement's Shrine in Boston.

Please pray for the repose of their souls and for their families.

Update:
It turns out that Michael Ty was the co-founder with his wife of a Catholic Theater in Boston which put on a production of a play about St. Edith Stein. I saw the production and it was very good and thought provoking. He was also married to Robin Crotty, a graduate of my alma mater, Franciscan University of Steubenville. See Dom Bettinelli's blog here for more information.

I attended the baptism of my friends' 5th child this weekend. He's a beautiful baby and I always love visiting my friends, but I have to admit that I approached the weekend with a little bit of trepidation. You see, nearly all my friends have 5 children (more or less) which means that most of my friends have been married long enough to have 5 kids. While I've been holding down a variety of jobs, they've been changing diapers and investigating schools. I'm not making a judgement on either lifestyle, they're just different. Which often leaves me feeling like a creature from outer space trying to look like the humans when we have these types of gatherings.

Which brings me back to the baptism. I needn't have worried. It became something of a college reunion with old friends visiting from out of town, catching up on the last few years. And, all those kids were awfully cute. One little girl, daughter of an old friend from high school and college, has the biggest, brightest smile that I've ever seen. It's hard to not feel joyful when you're around a smile like that.

After all the dust cleared and the kids were sent down to the basement, we settled down to a serious game of poker, continuing an old school tradition. These friends and I have played cards across half the US and most of Europe too. As my 6 year old goddaughter said, "It's always a good time to play poker, except at school or Church because in school you learn and in Church you pray." She learns fast!

I didn't win any money, but the pleasure of being with good friends was more than enough for me.

The crack of the bat, the green of the grass, the smell of hot dogs, the sound of vendors crying, "Get your programs here"...it all adds up to one thing: Baseball Season has at last started again!

The glow of our incredible World Series victory in 2004 has worn off. We're back to second guessing, complaining, and cheering like no others. It's a tradition that's handed on from father to son and mother to daughter. A tradition where every Red Sox victory and loss is as important as breathing.

And I couldn't imagine it any other way.

Labels: baseball

May 18, 1920 - April 2, 2005

It's an old custom that saying "Rabbit" on the first day of the month brings luck. Double luck if it happens to be your birth month - which this is!

In my family, we have a variation where being the first to say "Rabbit" to another person brings you "good luck". Apparently, we're not the only ones.

It has been the custom in my family, for as long as I remember, for family members to greet one another on the first day of each month by saying "Rabbit Rabbit!" To say 'greet one another,' however, doesn't quite describe the custom. There is something like a contest as to who can say it first.

"Rabbit Rabbit!" can only be said once between each pair of relatives, and only on the first day of the month, and it goes only in one direction: If I say "Rabbit Rabbit!" to my brother, he cannot say it back to me; instead, he can only say something like "You got me (or 'You Rabbit Rabbited me'), but I'll get you next month." "Rabbit Rabbit!" does not have to be spoken, but can be written in a letter (lately in an email letter) or left on a phone answering machine.

We do not do this for a particular reason. The custom does not bring good luck or forefend bad; it has no ostensible purpose or utility whatever. It does of course fulfill the social function of keeping various family members in touch, but that's not why we do it. We always do it simply because we've always done it.

And because it's great fun.

Labels: Rabbit