Need Look No More

I am on the road this week. On Tuesday, I left NYC for Las Vegas where one of my younger brothers, Cliff, got married on Wednesday. (Cliff is the proprietor of Big Shot Bob's -- be sure to stop by if you're ever west of the Pittsburgh and hungry for some excellent wings.)

The wedding was at the Luxor, which had very poor wifi access (hence the lack of blogging mid-week).

On Thursday, I flew from Las Vegas to Pittsburgh. This leg of the trip was for the wedding of my cousin, Ben, yesterday at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Burgettstown, PA.

While here in wonderful Western Pennsylvania, I've been staying at my mom's house in the village of Primrose, west of McDonald Borough. The house is situated in a spot with lots of trees and a small creek ("crick") abutting the back yard. Early Friday morning, I was pleasantly surprised by a symphony of birds out back.

But, while the nature is nice and all, mi madre has neither wifi nor standard Internet (hence the lack of blogging late-week).

So, tonight, I come to you live from Crazy Mocha on Pittsburgh's South Side. (They have wifi ... whew.)

I'm pleased to report that, in addition to Ben's wedding, this visit to PA afforded me the opportunity to meet Nora Louise, as well as catch up with Mariah Paige.

On Tuesday morning, the Delta flight to Vegas included personal television sets with satellite TV. Like many others on the flight, I watched nearly the entire CNN coverage of the Michael Jackson memorial.

I know, I know. The coverage has been too much. MJ should not be seen as a role model. I agree. But, indulge me. For this week's rather late "YouTube clip for a peaceful weekend," I have chosen another MJ song: "Ben." (It fits rather well with the nuptials theme of this post.)

I actually had forgotten about "Ben." Dual hat-tip to my old high school buddy, Ed, and my cousin, Amy, for mentioning it.

There are YouTube clips of MJ himelf singing "Ben." But I think I prefer this newer, in-concert version by another vocalist (song starts after 0:19).

Peace:

Course-Correct

An essay in the technology section of Saturday's New York Times ended with this quote from Scott D. Anthony, president of Innosight, a consulting firm:

“You see again and again the companies that succeed are not the ones that have the brilliant strategy,” he said, “but the ones that course-correct along the way.”

Perhaps true for life in general, actually.

Baby Boom

The baby boom continues.

Late Sunday afternoon, my friends John and Allison Welch of Houston, PA, became parents to their second daughter.

Nora Louise Welch is pictured at right. She was born at Washington Hospital.

Welcome to the party, little Nora! May the Holy Spirit always be your guide.

Nora is a little sister for Molly, who was born exactly two-and-a-half years ago today.

Photo hat-tip: Grandpa Jack

His Native Place

Unlike last Sunday's Gospel, with its two great examples of faith and healing, Jesus has a more difficult time in this week's Gospel at Mass. And, in his hometown nonetheless.

From Mark Chapter 6:

Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples.

When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished.

They said, "Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?"

And they took offense at him.

Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house."

So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them.

He was amazed at their lack of faith.

Deacon Greg has a very good homily for this Sunday.

The image above is from A Concord Pastor.

A City Baby

Tonight, as I was walking into my apartment after watching the great fireworks display over the Hudson River, my cell phone rang.

The call brought the wonderful news of the the birth of a daughter to my friends Melissa and Tim. Ann was born at 2 a.m. on July 3.

Check her out:

Welcome to the party, little Ann! May the Holy Spirit always be your guide.

Melissa, who also grew up outside of Pittsburgh, told me that Ann is a true city baby. As Ann needed some coaxing to make her big entrance, Melissa and Tim were able to calmly take the N-W subway from Queens to the hospital in Manhattan for the birth.

Photo hat-tip: Waldie's World

Liberty at Night

A very happy Independence Day to all!

For this Fourth of July, I thought I would give a brief report from an outpost of America's favorite pastime.

Tuesday evening, I went a game of the Staten Island Yankees minor league baseball team.

It was my first exposure to this Single-A franchise of the New York Yankees -- thanks to an invite from Mike and his friend Donna. We went to the game as part of a group from Regis High School.

The S.I. Yanks play in a great little stadium at the northeastern tip of Staten Island, conveniently located next to the ferry terminal. The stadium boasts beautiful views of the New York harbor and the Manhattan skyline.

It was great to be in a ballpark where you could see the action up close. And, I was very glad to see so many families with children there.

Watching the S.I. Yanks reminded me of the Washington Wild Things, the Frontier League team in Washington, PA, as well as some of the campaign events we held there. A lot of things on Staten Island actually remind me of Pennsylvania. Parts of the island have quite a small town or suburban feel.

We took the Staten Island Ferry back to Manhattan after the game. It may have been my first time in the harbor at night. The clear nighttime view of the Statue of Liberty from the ferry was beautiful:

Flashbacks: Independence Day posts for 2008 and 2006.

Bring Salvation Back

I can't deny that my inner-soundtrack this week has been dominated by the music of Michael Jackson.

An MJ-related song that I particularly like is "I'll Be There," a hit of The Jackson 5 from 1970.

So, for this week's "YouTube clip for a peaceful weekend," here is a great take on that piece by the ACM Gospel Choir.

Peace:

"A Religious Man"

Sister Rose has recalled another instance when Karl Malden (1912-2009) portrayed a priest -- in what sources say was his last appearance on screen.

A scene from an episode of "The West Wing" called "Take this Sabbath Day":

"It's a Crucifixion!"

The Academy Award-winning actor Karl Malden died today at the age of 97.

Over at In All Things, America magazine's blog, Jesuit Father Jim Martin has the goods on one of Malden's most memorable roles -- Father Pete Barry, the priest in the 1954 film "On The Waterfront." The character was was inspired by the real-life "Waterfront Priest" Jesuit Father John Corridan.

Here are two clips from that classic starring Malden and Marlon Brando:



Here is another famous scene (without Malden) from "On The Waterfront" with the oft-quoted line "I coulda been a contender":

Hat-tip: Deacon Greg

Cardinal Newman on Theology

Food for thought -- on theology:

"Theology cannot always have its own way; it is too hard, too intellectual, too exact, to be always equitable, or to be always compassionate; and it sometimes has a conflict or overthrow, or has to consent to a truce or a compromise, in consequence of the rival force of religious sentiment or ecclesiastical interests; and that, sometimes in great matters, sometimes in unimportant."

-- John Henry Newman from here.

Flashback: Kindly Light

Sophia Would Be Pleased

The great blogger Amy Welborn and her family have been vacationing in Sicily. It's made for quite enjoyable reading.

Picture it ...

Flashback: Tipici Siciliani

"A Deeply Painful Process"

Bad news last week from my one-time employer of fond memory:

Observer Publishing Co. eliminated 12 positions at its newspapers Wednesday.

Most of the jobs eliminated were from the editorial department of the Observer-Reporter, which serves Washington and Greene counties daily. One position was dropped at The Almanac, the weekly newspaper serving the South Hills.

"The economic downturn has resulted in lower advertising revenue, and we - like most other newspapers - have had to adjust," said Observer-Reporter editor Park Burroughs. "This is a deeply painful process, but we have an obligation to remain this area's main source of local news."

Observer Publishing Co. employees 184 people at its offices in Washington, Waynesburg and McMurray.

Park Burroughs elaborates further on the cuts at his blog.

Mike Jones, one of the O-R staff writers to get a pink slip, has started "The Bread Line Blog." His goal: "I hope this blog will explain the story of unemployment and the journey of finding a new job in this environment."

Memo to my family members and friends in Washington County: now would be an excellent time to begin home delivery of the O-R.

That 201-year-old newspaper needs your support. Without a daily newspaper, the county would be a weaker place politically, economically and culturally.

"Do Not Be Afraid; Just Have Faith"

This weekend, my parish here in NYC -- the Church of St. Paul the Apostle on Manhattan's West Side -- has been celebrating the final days of the Catholic Church's "Special Jubilee Year to the Apostle Paul."

Friday evening, the celebration at St. Paul's included a reading of the entire text of Saint Paul's Letters to the Colossians. Saturday (really Sunday) at midnight, the parish began an all-night Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

Along with other young adults, fellow parishioners and guests, I attended the adoration from midnight to 2 a.m. Fr. Stan Fortuna, C.F.R., led us during those hours with song and reflections.

Today, St. Paul's is having special Masses at 11 a.m. and 5:15 p.m. -- both to be followed by parish socials. I'm assuming that the Gospel readings proclaimed at these Masses may be the passage designated for the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (which falls on Monday).

Most Catholics, however, will hear proclaimed this Sunday at Mass a very powerful Gospel passage in which two Jewish women are healed through the power of Christ. It's such an important passage I did not want to miss the opportunity to post it here.

From Mark Chapter 5:

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea.

One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, "My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live."

He went off with him, and a large crowd followed him and pressed upon him.

There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse.

She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said, "If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured."

Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.

Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who has touched my clothes?"

But his disciples said to Jesus, "You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, 'Who touched me?'"

And he looked around to see who had done it.

The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth.

He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction."

While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official's house arrived and said, "Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?" Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, "Do not be afraid; just have faith."

He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.

When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly.

So he went in and said to them, "Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep."

And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out.

He took along the child's father and mother and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was.

He took the child by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum," which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise!"

The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. At that they were utterly astounded.

He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat.

Fran has an excellent reflection on this passage at the Parish Blog of St. Edward the Confessor.

The image above depicts St. Paul prior to his beheading by sword. It is a detail of "The Martyrdom of St. Paul" by the American impressionist Robert Reid (1862-1929). The painting is on the wall at southwest end of the nave of the Church of St. Paul the Apostle in NYC. St. Paul's is the mother church of the Paulist Fathers.

McSummerfest 2009

I have noticed an increase in blog traffic in the last day from folks searching for information on McSummerfest, the week-long concert series and carnival held in my hometown of McDonald, PA. The annual event is organized by the McDonald Volunteer Fire Department.

This blog is coming up high in the Google and AOL search results due to this post from last year as well as some campaign posts from 2006.

So, as a very, very small bit of a community service, I am pleased to provide a link to the schedule for McSummerfest 2009. Looks like a great line-up!

I regret I won't be able to make it back home for the festivities this week as I already have a trip planned to Western PA July 9 to 13 for a cousin's wedding.

I'm especially sorry to be missing the performance tonight at McSummerfest by The Clarks. (I had a great time at the band's December concert here in NYC.)

But, in honor of the occasion, here is a great live performance (recorded at Mr. Small's in Millvale) of The Clarks with "Born Too Late":


And, for good measure, here is the video for The Clarks' tune "Better Off Without You":

Man in the Mirror

In 1988, I turned 12 years old. It was a big year for my pre-teen self -- I transitioned from 6th Grade at McDonald Elementary School to 7th Grade at Fort Cherry Jr./Sr. High School.

In that final full year of the Reagan administration, I lived with my mother, brother and sister in the upstairs apartment of a little yellow-siding house on Grant Avenue. My favorite pastime was going to the library just down the block.

And, hands down, my favorite song of 1988 was the Michael Jackson hit "Man in the Mirror." If memory serves, I even had a black t-shirt with the King of Pop's face on the front.

I couldn't helping thinking of that tune today following the news of M.J.'s death at age 50.

So, for old times sake, here is "Man in the Mirror" for this week's "YouTube clip for a peaceful weekend." May the voice behind it rest in peace.

Peace:

e-Thought Bubbles

Quote of the Day:

“You’ll have half the participants BlackBerrying each other as a submeeting, with a running commentary on the primary meeting ... BlackBerrys have become like cartoon thought bubbles.”

-- Philippe Reines of the U.S. State Department in "Mind Your BlackBerry or Mind Your Manners" in today's New York Times

Even Wind and Sea

In the liturgical year, today is a Sunday in Ordinary Time. Today's Gosepl at Mass is a passage about trusting in God.

From Mark Chapter 4:

On that day, as evening drew on, Jesus said to his disciples: "Let us cross to the other side."

Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were with him.

A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up.

Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?"

He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Quiet! Be still!"

The wind ceased and there was great calm.

Then he asked them, "Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?"

They were filled with great awe and said to one another, "Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?"

The image above is from A Concord Pastor who has a good homily on today's Gospel. Deacon Greg has a good one for this Sunday, too.

An aside: Happy Father's Day today to all fathers, grandfathers and Godfathers! A special greeting to my friends who are becoming fathers this coming year. God bless you.

Wordplay

Today, before the matinee performance of "Next Fall," one of the songs playing in the theater was "Wordplay" by Jason Mraz. Here it is for this week's "YouTube clip for a peaceful weekend."

Peace:



6/21 aside: "Word Play" is the name of my friend Heather's blog.

Staycation

Since Tuesday evening, I have been on a staycation ("stay-cation?" "stacation?") here in NYC.

Staycations, "a period of time in which an individual or family stays at home and relaxes at home or takes day trips to area attractions," have been much in the news this recession.

My staycation was prompted by the coinciding visits of Mischa, an old college comrade who lives in Los Angeles, and Ed, an old high school buddy from Pittsburgh. Both have been crashing here at the ole' pad in Little Italy.

Mischa is in NYC for the wedding this weekend of Sarah and Jesse.

Ed's motivation to visit the Empire State was the USGA's U.S. Open at Bethpage State Park on Long Island.

I joined Ed at the U.S. Open (thanks to some affordable tickets from StubHub). We attended the practice round on Wednesday as well as the competitive round on Friday. I had an excellent time -- I find watching golf to be very relaxing -- even if I do have a sunburn to show for it.

Thursday, we also journeyed north on the 4 train to the new Yankee Stadium only to be disappointed by the rain delay. After about an hour of checking out the Yankees' new digs, we decided to head back into Manhattan and spent the rainy afternoon at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Lots of walking around the city, dinners with other assorted friends and bar-hopping also have been on the agenda. Tomorrow, we're catching a matinee performance of the new Broadway play "Next Fall."

So, no, I'm not on a sunny beach or visiting a glittering European capital. But, I'm ruling my staycation a success.

Prayer Request

Today, a cousin of mine is having a serious investigative surgery to determine the nature of a large growth in her chest.

Please keep her and her family in your prayers.

6/20 Update: My cousin came through the surgery well, two hours less in duration than expected. The growth was removed and the doctor's initial reaction was that it was not cancerous. Thanks to all for your prayers!

Iranian Green

Sully, who has been providing excellent coverage of the situation in Iran, has gone green in solidarity with the protesters there:

Here, here.

Could now be a historical turning point in Iran?

Like The Anchoress, I'm praying for the people there -- prayers for freedom, liberty, democracy and peace.

Most Holy

For English-speaking Catholics, the proper name of today's Corpus Christi feast is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. It's a day set aside to celebrate our belief in the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist (the bread and wine used during Communion).

The Gospel at Mass today was from Mark Chapter 14:

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, Jesus' disciples said to him, "Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?"

He sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the city and a man will meet you, carrying a jar of water. Follow him. Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?"' Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there."

The disciples then went off, entered the city, and found it just as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover.

While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, gave it to them, and said, "Take it; this is my body."

Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it.

He said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many. Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."

Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

For good homilies today, be sure to check out A Concord Pastor and Deacon Greg.

I especially appreciated the beginning of Deacon Greg's homily, in which he remembered Dorothy Day's devotion to the Eucharist:

Back in the 1970s, when there was a lot of liturgical innovation going on, Dorothy Day invited a young priest to celebrate mass at the Catholic Worker. He decided to do something that he thought was relevant and hip. He asked Dorothy if she had a coffee cup he could borrow. She found one in the kitchen and brought it to him. And, he took that cup and used it as the chalice to celebrate mass.

When it was over, Dorothy picked up the cup, found a small gardening tool, and went to the backyard. She knelt down, dug a hole, kissed the coffee cup, and buried it in the earth.

With that simple gesture, Dorothy Day showed that she understood something that so many of us today don’t: she knew that Christ was truly present in something as ordinary as a ceramic cup. And that it could never be just a coffee cup again.

She understood the power and reality of His presence in the blessed sacrament.

The photo above shows the 1648 painting "Chalice and Host surrounded by garlands of flowers" by Jan Davidsz de Heem (1606-c. 1683). I found this photo at Idle Specuations.

One Bread, One Body

I know it's already Sunday evening but, for good measure, I thought I would still post a "YouTube clip for a peaceful weekend."

Since today is the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, here is "One Bread, One Body" by John Foley, S.J., as sung by John Michael Talbot.

Pax:

As Grain Once Scattered

I'm coming to you live from the airport in Atlanta, GA, while waiting for a flight back to LaGuardia.

I was here this weekend exhibiting for my gig at the Archdiocese of Atlanta Eucharistic Congress.

It's been a good visit. The Congress drew a very large and diverse crowd both in terms of ethnic background and age. I was especially impressed by the young adult gathering on Friday night.

But, with much respect for a Eucharistic Congress held on the vigil of Corpus Christi, a part of me did wish I could have been in Pittsburgh Friday night for the celebrations after the Penguins won the Stanley Cup championship in Game 7.

Congrats to the Penguins and everyone back in the City of Champions. Superbowl and Stanley Cup wins in the same year -- good news for a great city.

Any Club That'll Have Her

From the cool new blogs file:

"Clubs are Trump"

It's subtitled "The Club Sandwich Tour of Pittsburgh and surrounding areas."

Panned today: Gullifty's

Hat-tip: Heidi (who I wish was still blogging herself and who, coincidentally, once worked at Gullifty's).

What is in the Water?

Sam (a buddy from church) and his family welcomed a new baby a few days ago:


Welcome to the party, Olive Sophia! May the Holy Spirit always be your guide.

I have at least six other friends expecting babies this year. This is in addition to the birth of my sister's daughter in April.

What is in the water? (I'm jealous, if you can't tell. Can men have biological clocks?)

Scenes from a Retreat

Some scenes from the weekend retreat at St. Mary's on the Lake:



Created by: Christine C.

Behold

For Catholics, today was the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity.

I went to Mass while on a relaxing retreat at Lake George. We had Mass at the lakeside with the Adirondack Mountains in the background. It was beautiful -- and seemed to fit well with today's readings.

The Gospel at Mass was from Matthew Chapter 28:

The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them.

When they all saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.

Then Jesus approached and said to them, "All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age."

The photo above is again shamelessly cribbed from an archived post by Gashwin. I'm using it again because these beautiful morning scenes from the bedroom windows remain such a dominant memory of a trip to the Paulist Fathers' house on the lake.

Merciful and Mighty

This weekend, I'm heading to Lake George, NY, for a retreat with the young adult group from the Church of St. Paul the Apostle. We'll be staying at St. Mary's on the Lake owned by the Paulist Fathers.

This will be my second visit to Lake George. I went to a "movies retreat" there last summer.

Tomorrow, as part of morning prayer, we plan to open with "Holy, Holy, Holy" in the style of Sufjan Stevens. So, for this week's "YouTube clip for a peaceful weekend," here is that tune. It's fits perfectly for the eve of Trinity Sunday and also isn't a bad retreat song.

Peace:



Please pray for us!

The Spirit of Truth

I have been remiss this week in posting the Gospel from Mass for Pentecost Sunday. I attended the 10 a.m. liturgy at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle on Manhattan’s West Side followed by a party to mark the end of the parish’s R.C.I.A. program for the year.

Leaving St. Paul’s, wowed by the sunshine and warm temperatures, I decided to scrap the indoor plans I had for the day. This led to unexpectedly seeing a bit of the Israel Day parade on Fifth Avenue and a beautiful walk around Central Park.

Good for the body and soul – but bad for the prospect of some new posts on the ole’ blog.

So, playing some catch-up:

The First Reading at Sunday Mass contained the story of the Pentecost itself -- the coming of the Holy Spirit 50 days after the Resurrection.

Parishes had two Gospel passages from which to choose for Mass. In one of the passages, Jesus speaks of the coming of the Holy Spirit.

From John Chapters 15 and 16:

Jesus said to his disciples:

"When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.

"I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth.

“He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.

“Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you."

Veni Creator Spiritus

Here's another piece in anticipation of Pentecost.

"Veni Creator Spiritus":

Veni Sancte Spiritus

Tomorrow is Pentecost Sunday. So, for this week's YouTube clip for a peaceful weekend, here are some Taizé settings in various languages beginning with "Veni Sancte Spiritus" (Come, Holy Spirit).

Pax:

"The Dating Graph"

I spied the graph below on Facebook. I'm not necessarily endorsing its conclusions but it's interesting food for thought:

Mary's Month

For many Catholics, the month of May is a special time for remembering Mary, the mother of Jesus. One way to do this is to pray the rosary, a series of prayers that are said while meditating on specific events in the lives of Jesus and Mary.

From Spain, here are two videos for the month of May featuring young people who pray the rosary:





Hat-tip: Karlo M. Leonor

In honor of Mary's month, A Concord Pastor has found this great clip, too, with Bobby McFerrin performing a version of "Ave Maria":



"Oy vey, Maria" :-)

Memorial Day: We Remember, We Pray

In prayer and remembrance this Memorial Day for all men and women who died while serving in the military:



This day also should be a day of prayer for peace, for an end to all wars and violence.

God, grant us peace!:



First Video Hat-tip: Deacon Greg

Consecrated in Truth

Today, some U.S. Catholics will be observing the Seventh Sunday of Easter. Others will be observing the Feast of the Ascension.

Catholics here in the Archdiocese of New York are observing the Seventh Sunday. So, at the Mass I attended (the 12:45 p.m. Mass in English at St. Patrick's Old Cathedral), we heard a gospel passage in which Christ prayed to God the Father on behalf of his disciples.

From John Chapter 17:

Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed saying:

"Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one.

"When I was with them I protected them in your name that you gave me, and I guarded them, and none of them was lost except the son of destruction, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

"But now I am coming to you. I speak this in the world so that they may share my joy completely. I gave them your word, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world.

"I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the evil one.

"They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth."

Lost Coastlines

For this week's "YouTube clip for a peaceful weekend," I'm going with a tune by Okkervil River, a band I just learned about this week.

Here they are with "Lost Coastlines."

Peace:



Hat-tip: Ta-Nehisi Coates

"He Was Lifted Up"

For many Western Christians, today (Thursday) is the Feast of The Ascension of the Lord.

From Acts of the Apostles Chapter 1:

When they had gathered together they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"

He answered them, "It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority.

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them.

They said, "Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven."

A Concord Pastor chose this unique painting by Salvador Dali to help illustrate the day:

Stepping Right Into The Issue

Food for thought from Ta-Nehisi Coates on the POTUS' speech at the Notre Dame commencement:

Making Your Enemies Look Petty

Obama really excels at it. I was a kid during Reagan's day, so I'm not sure if that was the key to his success. But I watched Obama's speech yesterday, and he did it again. His basic pose is--"I'm willing to concede your good will, and maybe even a couple of periphery issues." When his adversaries can't do the same, they just look small-minded.

It's almost unfair to people who disagree with him--if I truly believed that abortion was the murder of children, I don't think I'd be interested in trading "fair-minded words" with pro-choicers. It's murder, and I think I'd pursue it with exactly the sort of zeal as those who were booing Obama. But that's my perspective, and my outlook--obviously it isn't the outlook of all pro-lifers. I'm just saying, I can see why you might be an extremist on the issue.

Politics aside, I think you have to give Obama credit for stepping right into the issue. I've seen weaker politicians drowning in handlers, reading from a carefully prepared text which fails to acknowledge the elephants dancing in the room. Obama, like he did in his race speech, went right at it. It likely won't please a lot of folks on either side, but if your goal is to grow the base, and expand the party, you've got the best man for the job--even if it, at times, grates on people like me. But, hey. Expanding the party isn't my job--it's his.

Dishonorable?

I wouldn't call myself a Rachel Maddow fan. But, it's hard to deny that she nailed it with this one:



Hat-tip: Patrick Appel at The Daily Dish

Stomp, Clap

I've been meaning to post this YouTube clip for weeks.

Enjoy:



Hat-tips: Deacon Greg and Mike

Lighthouse & Crossroads

I do not agree with President Obama's positions on abortion or embryonic stem cell research.

And, I know that some of my pro-life and conservative friends might not like to hear me say it.

But, the POTUS' speech today at the Notre Dame commencement was memorable and contained many fine elements. I was especially impressed by his personal remembrance of the late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin of Chicago.

In case you missed it:



An important passage on faith that caught Sully's eye:

In this world of competing claims about what is right and what is true, have confidence in the values with which you’ve been raised and educated. Be unafraid to speak your mind when those values are at stake. Hold firm to your faith and allow it to guide you on your journey. Stand as a lighthouse.

But remember too that the ultimate irony of faith is that it necessarily admits doubt. It is the belief in things not seen. It is beyond our capacity as human beings to know with certainty what God has planned for us or what He asks of us, and those of us who believe must trust that His wisdom is greater than our own.

This doubt should not push us away from our faith. But it should humble us. It should temper our passions, and cause us to be wary of self-righteousness. It should compel us to remain open, and curious, and eager to continue the moral and spiritual debate that began for so many of you within the walls of Notre Dame. And within our vast democracy, this doubt should remind us to persuade through reason, through an appeal whenever we can to universal rather than parochial principles, and most of all through an abiding example of good works, charity, kindness, and service that moves hearts and minds.

Blogs with Attitude & Gratitude

I have no idea where the "Lemonade Stand Award" started but I'm proud that, last Sunday, this blog was given the nod by A Concord Pastor.

Muchas gracias!

A Concord Pastor was nominated by Deacon Greg who was selected by Deacon Scott Drudge who was affirmed by A Roman Catholic Convert who was given the shout-out by the okie-booklady who was saluted by Book Bird Dog -- and the list could continue.

Part of the award involves my selection of five new blog awardees. According to the good pastor, "The best thing about this award is that there's no voting - bloggers just hand it on to others whom they qualify as bloggers 'with great attitude and gratitude.'"

So, here are my picks:

Googling God

Ambrose-a-rama

The Parish Blog of St. Edward the Confessor

Carolina Politics Online

Travel with a Beveridge

Wish I could have chosen more! See my links lists at left for many other great blogs and Websites.

"Love One Another"

Today is the Sixth Sunday of Easter. The Gospel at Mass today contains phrases that will ring familiar in the ears of many.

From John Chapter 15:

Jesus said to his disciples:

"As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love.

"I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy might be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.

"It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another."

I pray that this passage is in the hearts of everyone today at the University of Notre Dame where President Obama is to be awarded an honorary doctor of laws degree and speak at the university's commencement.

Prayers for peace and understanding among all those today in South Bend, especially those who are protesting.

Prayers for the conversion of hearts, especially that of President Obama on abortion.

From A Concord Pastor, the Notre Dame alma mater:

A Secret Cord

For this week's "YouTube clip for a peaceful weekend," I thought I would use another a cappella clip.

Here's a group of youg men performing Leonard Cohen's powerful 1984 tune "Hallelujah" that was covered by Jeff Buckley, Rufus Wainwright and others. (I posted two of those versions in April '08.)

Pace:



And, from a group of young ladies:

A Bridge Between Old and New

Last Saturday night, while I was still back in Western Pennsylvania, we caught the new "Star Trek" movie at Destinta Theaters in Bridgeville.

It was an enjoyable flick that I think will be appreciated by both longtime Star Trek fans and those less familiar with the franchise.

My only major critique of this prequel is the overuse of a "time continuum" storyline that we've seen before (most notably, of course, in "Back to the Future").

In his L.A. Times review, film critic Kenneth Turan correctly observes:

... it is pleasant to report that though it's not perfect, the reconstituted "Star Trek" is successful enough for everyone to breathe a sigh of relief. Though it has its over-caffeinated aspects and its missteps, this "Star Trek" has in general bridged the gap between the old and the new with alacrity and purpose.

I would be remiss if I failed to note that Zachary Quinto, who does a fine job portraying a young Spock, grew up in the Pittsburgh area and is a graduate of Central Catholic High School.

As of this writing, "Star Trek" has a well-deserved 95 percent approval rating at Rotten Tomatoes.

The True Vine

My trip to Western PA -- and being generally busy since I got back -- are to blame for the lack of blogging these past few days.

For starters, I've been remiss in posting the Sunday Gospel. I heard it proclaimed at the 4 p.m. Saturday vigil Mass at my hometown parish, St. Alphonsus in McDonald, PA. I can't deny it was a well-attended liturgy. But, I'm still not certain what I think of a vigil Mass that early on a Saturday.

Sunday was the Fifth Sunday of Easter.

The Gospel was a well-known passage from John Chapter 15:

Jesus said to his disciples:

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.

"You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.

"I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.

"Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.

"By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples."

Image hat-tip: A Concord Pastor, who has posted his homily for this past Sunday.

On My Way ...

I'm headed to Pittsburgh this afternoon for a weekend visit -- to see my new niece and for Mother's Day. Early Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers, grandmothers and Godmothers out there!

In honor of my Western PA visit, for this week's "YouTube clip for a peaceful weekend," here is a fun take on the great tune "Send Me on My Way" by Pittsburgh's own Rusted Root.

Pax:

Torturing Democracy

Tonight, while doing an hour on the elliptical at the gym, I watched much of a documentary on WNET called "Torturing Democracy."

The program detailed the interrogation of enemy combatants during the Bush Administration at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp as well as the abuse of the prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.

It was very disturbing, notably the interviews with the U.S. Department of Defense attorneys who argued against the use of torture in defiance of the Geneva Conventions.

You can watch the entire program on-line here or here.

One clip:



Another:

Make It Better

I would love to take part in one of those large faux-spontaneous events in the T-Mobile commercials. They look like so much fun.

Here's the latest -- "Hey Jude" from Trafalgar Square in London:


Hat-tip: Jay R.

Intellectual Honesty

Monday evening, I went to Theology-on-Tap NYC at Metro 53. The Midtown East bar was packed for a talk by Denver's Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap.

It was the largest crowd I've ever seen at a TOT with folks almost out the door.

Archbishop Chaput's remarks, titled "This Dual Life Will Self-Destruct," were forceful and intellectually honest in the kind of way that would make many uncomfortable (including, at times, yours truly).

The archbishop was unambiguous in his strong critique of the secular domination of our culture. He called upon Christians not be "part-time" in their faith -- and to be fully engaged in bringing Christian ideals and morals to the civic debate.

The archbishop also critiqued those who would downplay the identity of Jesus as "Lord" or "Son of God."

To frame his talk, Archbishop Chaput told the story of Blessed Franz Jägerstätter (1907-1943). The Austrian layman, a conscientious objector during World War II, has been named a martyr by the Church.

Blessed Franz was a Christian who, to paraphrase the archbishop, lived his faith "full-time."

GOOB in Union Square

Sunday night, en route home after Mass and a young adult event at St. Paul's, I stopped at the Virgin Megastore at the southern end of Union Square.

I was surprised to see the store's doors covered in "Going Out of Business" and "Everything on Sale" signs. Inside, a cashier told me that the store will close May 31 -- and that they were out of the item I had specifically gone there to buy.

This news broke in late February. One of my co-workers told me at the time but I didn't believe it to be true.

The recession is hitting home.

There's even a blog called Going-Out-Of-Business (GOOB), which just days ago reported on the demise of the Balducci's locations in Manhattan.

The image above is from here.

One Flock

For Western Christians, today is the Fourth Sunday of Easter. Catholics call today "Good Shepherd Sunday."

The Church also has designated this Sunday as the World Day of Prayer for Vocations.

The Gospel at Mass is a discourse of Jesus from the Gospel of John.

From John Chapter 10:

Jesus said:

"I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep.

"I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd.

"This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father."

The image above is from here via A Concord Pastor, who also has posted his homily and music for Good Shepherd Sunday.

Even Got the Month of May

On Wednesday, while still at the NCCL conference in Dearborn, MI, I attended the gathering's Motown-themed lunch. Among the musical selections was "My Girl," the smooth tune made famous by The Temptations in 1964 and 1965.

Here is that classic for this week's "YouTube clip for a peaceful weekend."

Peace:



And, here's an even more mellow version: