Remembering Dorothy Day

Today, November 29, is the 30th anniversary of the death of Dorothy Day, co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement and one of the great figures of the church in the 20th century.

Fr. Stephen Wang has penned a tribute to Dorothy at his fine blog.

On November 9, I attended a vespers service in memory of Dorothy at the Church of St. Joseph in Greenwich Village (home of the Catholic campus ministry at NYU).

The evening included a powerful homily by New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan in which he outlined six insights from Dorothy's life that "could be enlightening to us right now."

For your consideration:

6 Insights from the Life of Dorothy Day from Province of Saint Joseph on Vimeo.

Advent 1

Another Advent begins today. Another four-week period of pondering over The Incarnation.

Today's Gospel reading at Mass, from Matthew 24, includes Jesus' powerful admonition to his disciples:

" ... Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. ... "

What it mean to be "awake" or perhaps "spiritually awake"? How does this happen?

The really hard times in life can knock you awake. We all know that.

The really good times can, too. Myself, I am in a period in which I am intensely aware of my blessings and of how (I think and fervently hope) God has answered my particular prayer to be in a good relationship.

I suppose the challenge is staying spiritually awake in moderate times, on normal days.

How do we keep the rust from building in our relationship with God?

For reflections related to this question and more for the First Sunday of Advent, visit Deacon Greg, Fran, A Concord Pastor, The Anchoress, Mike and City Father.

Flashbacks: First Sundays of Advent 2009, 2008, 2007 and 2006.

Night Music

Friday night, we saw the Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim's 1973 musical "A Little Night Music" at the Walter Kerr Theater on 48th Street.

The show was quite good. Bernadette Peters was superb in the leading role of Desirée. Her stirring take on the Act II ballad "Send In The Clowns" will stay on the brain for quite some time.

A sample:



Many famous singers (female and male) have recorded "Send In The Clowns" since the '70s.

According to on-line sources, Sondheim specifically tailored "Send In The Clowns" to match the vocal capabilities of Glynis Johns (the first Desirée). (Johns is perhaps most well known as the mother in the film "Mary Poppins.")

So, for this week's "YouTube clip for a peaceful weekend," cue the original Broadway recording of "A Little Night Music."

Peace:

Fun and Persuasive

Some weeks back, over at Twitter, I stopped "following" another user. It wasn't a big deal. The man had tweeted something I found slightly offensive and I also wasn't interested in his usual topics. So, I utilized the "unfollow" option.

It happened that the man had activated an automatic tool that put all who unfollowed him into a list. In response to my "unfollow," he appealed to me by linking to my profile page and a clip of Smash Mouth performing their cover of the 1975 song "Why Can't We Be Friends?"

It was a clever move the quickly regained me as follower.

For this week's "YouTube clip for a peaceful weekend," here below is that fun and persuasive tune.

Peace:



An aside: I'm writing today from my mother's house outside of McDonald, PA. I'm in the finished attic that has been set up as a guest room.

I'm in Western Pennsylvania this weekend for an early Thanksgiving week visit. I'll be back in Gotham on Monday evening and for the rest of the week. (On Thanksgiving Day, I'm set to meet the steady's parents -- wish me luck.)

A Marvelous Love

Verse of the day:

“ … He has put into my heart a marvelous love
for the faithful ones who dwell in his land. … ”

- Psalm 16 (although not in all translations)

Subterranean Jazz

Regular readers of this quiet corner of the blogosphere know that I reside in New York City's Little Italy, which is located in lower Manhattan.

My steady lives in Hudson Heights, a charming hilltop neighborhood adjacent to Washington Heights. It's at the northern end of Manhattan (and also home to the St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Shrine).

So, for the past several months, we've logged more than few hours riding Gotham's A Train ("Eighth Avenue Express") north and south to reach our respective pads.

A talented Pittsburger named Billy Strayhorn (1915-1967) composed a famous tune about this subterranean marvel called "Take the A Train."

Below are three versions of that jazz standard for this week's "YouTube clip for a peaceful weekend."

Pax:

Forever

I'm typing this late afternoon from Gate E14 at Chicago's O'Hare Airport while I wait for a flight back to JFK.

I was in Rosemont, IL, these past few days to exhibit for my gig at the Archdiocese of Chicago's annual catechetical conference. It was a good visit.

Since I'm in a spiritual frame of mine, here is Coffey Anderson again for this week's "YouTube clip for a peaceful weekend" with his take on the catchy Christian praise anthem "I Could Sing of Your Love Forever."

Nice bit at 01:53.

Peace:

Vote Tuesday!

Tuesday, November 2, is General Election Day 2010 in the United States. It’s going to be a historic one – and deserves a good turnout. Please remember to vote!

(Hey, moderates who only vote every four years for president, that means you! Remember, no voting = no complaining!)

Smart Voter is a great tool to see the names of all the candidates who will be on your personal ballot (you just plug in your street address and zip code).

If you live in Pennsylvania or New York, below is a list of candidates I think are worthy of support. Observant eyes will note the list includes Republicans, a Libertarian and a Democrat:

Tom Corbett for Pennsylvania Governor

Warren Redlich for New York Governor

Dan Donovan for New York Attorney General

Harry Wilson for New York Comptroller

Ryan Brumberg for U.S. Congress (NY-14)

Michel Faulkner for U.S. Congress (NY-15)

Nan Hayworth for U.S. Congress (NY-19)

Greg Deluca for Pennsylvania House of Representatives (46th Dist.)

Brandon Neuman for Pennsylvania House of Representatives (48th Dist.)

Richard Yeager for Pennsylvania House of Representatives (50th Dist.)

Janet Duprey for New York State Assembly (114th Dist.)

Paul Niehaus for New York State Assembly (73rd Dist.)

That Old Devil Moon

Friday night, the steady and I went to the Cheyenne Jackson and Michael Feinstein "Power of Two" concert at Carnegie Hall. The fine evening of music was filled with ballads from "The Great American Songbook" of the mid-1900s (lots of George Gershwin, Cole Porter, etc.).

One of the tunes performed was "Old Devil Moon" from the 1947 musical "Finian's Rainbow."

For this week's "YouTube clip for a peaceful weekend," here is that song from the show's 2009 Broadway revival (also starring Cheyenne Jackson).

Peace:



An aside: As a native of Western Pennsylvania, I struggled Friday with how to pronounce the concert venue. Was I at CARN-egie Hall (NY style) or Car-NEY-gie Hall (Pittsburgh/Scotland style)?

Like Love

Tuesday night, after work, I went to the Supercuts on University Place for a haircut.

During the wait, I pulled out the October 8 edition of Commonweal. My eyes fell upon an interesting piece called "How to Shut Up" by someone writing under the pseudonym Unagidon. The essay, subtitled "An Old Devotion Quiets A Modern Mind," is about the author's personal experience of praying the Rosary.

It included this great quote from Fr. Herbert McCabe, O.P.:

"Prayer is like love; you won't really begin to understand it until you actually do it."

Hold Us Together

This weekend, I was in Dallas, Texas, to exhibit for my gig at the University of Dallas Ministry Conference.

It was my second time at this fine gathering of about 4,000 Catholic school teachers, catechists and other parish leaders sponsored by the university, the Diocese of Dallas and the Diocese of Fort Worth.

On Friday evening, I went to Matt Maher's concert at the conference. Among the tunes he performed was his original song "Hold Us Together." Here it is below for this week's "YouTube clip for a peaceful weekend."

Pax:

Take My Hand

Today is the steady's birthday. To celebrate, we went last night to see the acclaimed musical "Next to Normal" on Broadway.

We liked it. The show has a compelling story. I did grow a bit weary of the high-pitched belting – but would recommend it nonetheless.

For this week's "YouTube clip for a peaceful weekend," here is a piece called "A Light in the Dark" from "Next to Normal."

Peace:

Live It Again

For this week's "YouTube clip for a peaceful weekend," below is the beautiful standard "Autumn in New York."

I've used it before in this space -- and I try not to repeat. But, since it's such an appropriate tune for this time of year, I'll make an exception.

Cue Ol' Blue Eyes.

Peace:

Burning

Great quote:

"A soul that is burning with love cannot remain inactive."

- St. Thérèse of Lisieux

Slovenian Sunshine

For this week's "YouTube clip for a peaceful weekend," here is Perpetuum Jazzile with a fun, jazzy take on "You Are My Sunshine."

Peace:

On the Wings of the Wind

Verse of the day:

“You walk on the wings of the wind,
you make the winds your messengers
and flashing fire your servants.”

-- Psalm 104: 3-4

A Blazing Fire

Two weeks ago, at the wedding of my old college friend Pete in Burbank, CA, the first scripture reading was the passage from Song of Songs (a.k.a. Song of Solomon) that includes the verse "Set me as a seal on your heart."

I heard the same passage proclaimed last Saturday morning at the Mass of First Profession of Sr. John Paul Marie, C.F.R., at St. Adalbert Church in the South Bronx. (Sr. John Paul's college roommate is married to one of my high school buddies.)

In case you're unfamiliar, here are those beautiful verses:

Set me as a seal on your heart,
as a seal on your arm;
For stern as death is love,
relentless as the nether world is devotion;
its flames are a blazing fire.

Deep waters cannot quench love,
nor floods sweep it away.
Were one to offer all he owns to purchase love,
he would be roundly mocked.

These words have been the inspiration for more than one than one piece of music, including a classical setting that is often performed by choral groups.

But, I think the song related to this scripture that I most appreciate is the contemporary take of Matt Maher. In honor of Pete and his bride, Sr. John Paul and everyone with a burning love, I post it below for this week's "YouTube clip for a peaceful weekend."

Peace:

Here Comes Everybody

Quote of the day:

" ... old Polish ladies, tweedy gents from the shires, African hospital cleaners, self-consciously cool teenagers, Filipino checkout assistants and, as one of my friends put it, “some rather tarty-looking traveller women who’d obviously had a glass or two”. They don’t call it the Catholic Church for nothing ... "

-- Damian Thompson, in a post on B16's visit to the United Kingdom

Hat-tip: Deacon Scott on Facebook

The image above is from Flickr. The pilgrims at the Mass are reading from special editions published by my gig.

Sentimental Reasons

I learned today that two of my friends here in NYC have gotten engaged.

To them, and especially to my own steady, I dedicate this week's "YouTube clip for a peaceful weekend."

I have chosen one of my all-time favorites: Nat King Cole's rendition of "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons."

Peace:



And another take:

Prayer of Remembrance

I'm writing today from the Starbucks at the Galleria in Sherman Oaks, CA. I've been visiting the Los Angeles area all week (following the SCRC conference in Anaheim) to attend the wedding of an old college friend tomorrow in Burbank.

It's been a great visit. But as the other old college friend with whom I'm staying doesn't have wifi, my infrequent time on-line has been limited to checking e-mail and the social networking sites.

And, while I missed the chance to do my usual post about Sunday Mass, I didn't want today to pass without a note here at the blog that today is the ninth anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks upon the United States.

We must not forget.

Below, for this week's "YouTube clip for a peaceful weekend," is a rendition of J.S. Bach's setting of "Dona Nobis Pacem." It is posted as a prayer of remembrance for all those who were killed that horrible day, for all who mourn them, for our nation and for peace in our world.

Peace: