Hollywood

Last night, we wanted to see "Superbad," the raunchy comedy getting all the good buzz. But, all the convenient show times at the all convenient movie theaters were sold out.

So, we opted instead for "Stardust," the romance-adventure-fantasy flick starring Michelle Pfeiffer, Claire Danes and Robert DeNiro. Check out the movie's wikipedia site for a plot synopsis that's too complicated to go into here.

I found "Stardust" enjoyable to watch -- it was worth the $11. I was genuinely rooting for the main characters.

But, it was lacking in the texture and nuance of "The Lord of the Rings" movies and others of the genre. It just seemed too "Hollywood." In fact, I wonder if it wouldn't have been a better movie without all of the big name faces distracting from the story.

The movie was based on the novella of the same name. But, I can't help think that both would have been better titled "The Wall."

Ode to an E-Mail Account

A few days ago, I ended one of the longest relationships of my life.

Yes, it's true -- I broke up with my Internet Service Provider.

So, after nine years and a month, my longtime e-mail address psnatchk@cobweb.net is no more. I first acquired the account when I worked at the Observer-Reporter, the daily newspaper for Pennsylvania's Washington and Greene counties. The O-R's parent company owned Cobweb back in those caveman days of the Internet and employees got a discount.

In the spirit of supporting a local business, I kept the account all these years -- even after the Observer Publishing Co. sold Cobweb to Winbeam.

The account saw me through three State House races, more than five years on McDonald Council and several different jobs. It's a relationship pattern I've replicated with no other tech company -- I've probably had six or more cell phones in the same period of time.

But, alas, Cobweb-Winbeam does not service my new locale. And, wifi has become my new medium of choice.

Farewell, psnatchk@cobweb.net. You served me well.

All correspondence may now be addressed to my other steady -- hotmail.

The Spy Who Lived

In time for the weekend, I thought I would share some quick movie thoughts:

Last Sunday, we caught "The Bourne Ultimatum."

It might be one of the better action movies I've seen in awhile -- and I was able to follow it despite having not seen the first two installments of the "Bourne" series.

Matt Damon did a credible job portraying the CIA hitman gone straight.

I enjoyed seeing Albert Finney on screen again ("Murder on the Orient Express" is a favorite). Joan Allen stole each of her scenes. And, Julia Stiles and David Strathairn also were fun to watch.

After "Bourne," we had a chance to see "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" (a second time for me, I guess I should admit).

I thought this latest movie of the "Harry Potter" franchise was well-done and a fair retelling of the Book No. 5 -- which was sometimes a difficult read due to the moodiness of the teenage Harry. I also liked the score by Nicholas Hooper.

I hope a future director's cut inserts a few elements from the book that didn't make it onto screen.

Happy Birthday, Betty!

Today is the 85th birthday of Betty Brodmerkel of Frankfort Springs Borough, a good friend and one of the great supporters of my State House races.

Each cycle, she collected more signatures for my nominating petitions than any other single individual except myself. That's in addition to the many, many hours of fundraising, networking and door-to-door campaigning she did on my behalf (along with the rest of our wonderful crew of supporters from southern Beaver County).

In addition to often supporting political candidates, Betty is an active volunteer for other community groups, including the Southside Historical Village Association. Currently, she's also at work on a book about the history of Frankfort Springs and Hanover Township, Beaver County.

Today, when I called Betty to wish her a happy birthday, she reminded me that she, too, once lived in New York City. For a few years during WWII, she worked at the Army Exchange in Manhattan and lived in Queens.

Happy Birthday, Betty! May God bless you and all you do!

Endings & Beginnings

Amelia Soisson wrote a piece for the latest edition of PA Focus on the end of my tenure on McDonald Council.

In the same edition, Amelia has a feature on Joyce Hill's new resale shop on East Lincoln Avenue in McDonald (in the retail space once occupied by the Record-Outlook). Joyce is one of my mother's oldest friends and the sister of my Aunt Patty.

Country Fried Machismo

You know things are bad for the Republican Party when NASCAR embraces a Democrat.

In his article, NYT reporter Danny Hakim refers to NASCAR as "possibly the vehicle for the nation’s most overt display of country fried machismo."

An Inexhaustible Treasure

I was home in PA this past weekend to attend the wedding of my cousin, Mary Ellen Snatchko, to Dan Ketterer. The wedding took place at the Mayernick Center (pictured), a beautiful "log hall" at Avonworth Community Park.

We're all incredibly proud of the bride -- for the nuptials and more. Mary Ellen recently took on a new leadership role in hearing services at Pressley Ridge.

The Gospel at Mass on Sunday had a message that would be appropriate for newlyweds. In it, Christ calls us to have no fear and seek a real "treasure."

From Luke Chapter 12:

Jesus said to his disciples:

“Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.

“Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them. And should he come in the second or third watch and find them prepared in this way, blessed are those servants. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

Then Peter said, “Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?”

And the Lord replied:

“Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute the food allowance at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so. Truly, I say to you, the master will put the servant in charge of all his property. But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk, then that servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish the servant severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful. That servant who knew his master’s will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely; and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beatings hall be beaten only lightly. Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”

Homer & Jim

This week, we saw "The Simpsons Movie." I liked it. The reviews are all pretty much on target -- it's not a blow out but is solid and funny.

We made certain to stay in the movie theater until the very end of the credits to catch any extra moments (and there were a few).

But, staying for the credits also let me see that an old NYU friend, Jim Dooley, provided some of the music for the film.

Five Brothers

I don't consider myself to be a Mitt Romney fan. He just seems to be too plastic -- and I'm skeptical about the evolution of his pro-life stand. But, I have to say, I think his campaign blog is very well done.

It's mostly written by his sons: Five Brothers: The Romney Campaign Blog.

Showing the day-by-day of the presidential primary run largely through the eyes of the Romney brothers is an interesting concept. They do an especially good job using the photos of the day like this one:

I'd bet serious money one of these guys runs for Congress before too long.

I was reminded of the Romney brothers by yesterday's dust-up from a question to Governor Romney over the fact that none of his sons have served in the military (vis-a-vis his support for the Iraq War).

RE the blogs of GOP presidential contenders, John McCain's blog is boring. Hardly any pics at all.

Adjournment

I'm writing tonight from the Starbucks at Union Square West and 17th Street in New York City. But, this post has nothing to do with all the slick urbanites chatting around me, the salsa beat playing in the background or anything else relative to the metropolis in which I sit.

No, my thoughts are on McDonald -- the little town of about 2,000 souls that's nestled in a quiet valley on a county line in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Specifically, I'm recalling McDonald about the time I grew up there in the 1980s.

For four or five years when I was a kid, my mother, brother, sister and I lived in the second floor apartment of the little yellow metal-siding house at 113 Grant Ave. in McDonald.

It wasn't a bad spot. It was close enough for us to walk to school. We attended McDonald Elementary in those last years before the consolidation of the school district's elementary schools. Back then, that block had lots of kids who were often outside playing or going to the library that was just down the street in the old borough building.

I loved the library. In the summer, I was there nearly every day attempting to be the No. 1 reader in the Summer Book Club (which I never did achieve, always coming in second).

Sometimes the librarians showed movies in the council chambers at the borough building. I don't remember what the movies were but I do distinctly remember the little bags of popcorn we were given. Some of the kids even got to sit in the big old chairs used by the council members.

Of the little apartment we lived in, I especially remember the view from the window in the bathroom at the back of the house. From that window, you could see the spires of the old European-style buildings at McDonald's one red-light intersection. It was such a cool view, especially on cold winter mornings when the snow covered all the rooftops. For a week each July, through that open window, you also could hear the sounds of the volunteer fire department's street fair just a few blocks away.

All these memories came back on Monday evening as I walked through that same intersection. I was walking from my apartment on West Lincoln Avenue to the borough council meeting in the (relatively) new council chambers in the (relatively) new borough offices on School Street. I wondered what that boy back in the late '80s would think of the 31-year-old today.

At Monday evening's meeting, I submitted a letter to my fellow council members resigning my seat about a year and a half prior to the end of my four-year term. It was not something I did lightly. Almost five months since beginning my new job in New York, I have stayed on council, flying home for each of the monthly meetings. But, as I'm closing up my McDonald apartment at the end of the month, I soon will no longer meet the residency criteria to serve.

I was a member of McDonald Council for some five years (cumulative in two different terms). I was grateful to have had the opportunity -- it was a source of personal growth and I think my colleagues and I were able to accomplish goals over those years that strengthened the town and made it a better place to live. I am certain that growth is going to continue, too.

As most readers of this blog will know, I made three attempts to represent McDonald and several other local communities as a state representative. (You can call me "Mr. 46 Percent.") In fact, on that walk to the council meeting, I also strolled past the location of my 2006 campaign headquarters in the old G.C. Murphy's 5 & 10. Had some 1,700 Canton Township or Chartiers Township residents thought differently, it might have been the district office of a state rep.

With the help of prayer, time and (yes) distance, I have begun to accept the reality that this goal is not likely a part of my future -- especially as come September 1, I will be a resident of New York State.

But, I don't think I will ever lose my interest in Pennsylvania politics.

And, I know I will never stop loving McDonald.

That little town -- complete with St. Alphonsus Church, the library, the parks, the Fort Cherry Schools and so many good family members and friends -- nurtured me and helped to develop the man I am today.

On my travels through life's quiet valleys and urban canyons, I pray that I will do you proud.

En Route

I am writing this from the small airport in Wichita, Kansas, while waiting for the first of two flights that (hopefully) will bring me home tonight. I'm en route to Chicago for a flight to Pittsburgh. I'll be home in Western PA for just about a day to attend tomorrow evening's McDonald Borough Council meeting.

The Midwest Catholic Family Conference here in Wichita was well organized with a solid turnout of about 1,500 folks. The featured speaker yesterday was Fr. Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R. Fr. Groeschel (pictured) is one of those great old curmudgeons who tell it like it is -- blunt and maybe a bit jaded but always displaying humor and love.

I attended the conference's large Sunday Mass today at the Century II Center. It was celebrated by Bishop Michael O. Jackels. (Bishop Jackels is notable as the last bishop to have been appointed by JPII.)

The Gospel at Mass was Jesus' parable that cautioned to not stockpile wealth and instead seek to be "rich in what matters to God."

From Luke Chapter 12:

Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.”

He replied to him, “Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?”

Then he said to the crowd, “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.”

Then he told them a parable:

“There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest. He asked himself, ‘What shall I do, for I do not have space to store my harvest?’ And he said, ‘This is what I shall do: I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones. There I shall store all my grain and other goods and I shall say to myself, “Now as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry!”’ But God said to him, ‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’ Thus will it be for all who store up treasure for themselves but are not rich in what matters to God.”

Kansas City

For three days this week, I was in Kansas City, Missouri, where we were exhibitors at the Leadership Conference of Women Religious. It was my first-ever visit to "The Show Me State." The conference was attended by approximately 700 leaders of the 60,000-plus Catholic sisters in the United States.

Last night, we had dinner in the city's beautiful old Union Station (pictured above and at right). I'm a sucker for old train stations -- especially ones with such amazing ceilings and other ornamentation.

Being in Kansas City and the old train station put me in mind of the song "Kansas City" from the Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein show "Oklahoma!" You know the song -- when Curly sings of "the skyscraper seven stories high" and states "they've gone about as fur as they can go."

Earlier today, we left Kansas City and drove about three hours southwest to Wichita, Kansas, for the 8th Annual Midwest Catholic Family Conference where we also are exhibitors. This is my first visit to Kansas, too. I'll be here through Sunday.

Hypocrite?

The New York Times did an old-fashioned stake-out to catch NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg being something of a hypocrite.

86 Stories Up

Vince Guerrieri and his brother, Adam, are in NYC for a few days to catch a Yankee game and see the sights. Vince is a friend from the days when I was a writer for the O-R and a freelancer for the P-G and he was covering the same beat for the Tribune-Review.

Vince, now the sports editor at The News-Messenger of Fremont, OH, is getting ready to walk down the aisle this November. (My Grandma Hoag refers to Vince as "Scoop" because he wears old-time newspaperman hats.)

Last night, I caught up with these sons-of-Youngstown at Umberto's Clam House in Little Italy before visiting the top of the Empire State Building and and Times Square.

The view from the top of the ESB never fails to impress, especially on a warm summer night when the line is short. Here's what the view to the northeast looked like from 86 stories up:

Seek And You Will Find

I got back this morning from a weekend trip to Anaheim, CA, where we were exhibitors at the National Catholic Family Conference.

I attended the conference's Sunday Mass at the convention center (pictured). The principal celebrant and homilist was Bishop Andrew Francis of Pakistan who spoke about the status of Christians in his predominantly Islamic country.

The Gospel was from Luke Chapter 11:

Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.”

He said to them:

“When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test."

And he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,’ and he says in reply from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.’ I tell you, if he does not get up to give the visitor the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.

“And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

Honor Flight

The Catholic Times, the newspaper of the Diocese of Columbus, OH, recently did a story on Deacon Tom Johnston's "honor flight" to Washington, D.C. to experience the (relatively new) National World War II Memorial.

You can read the story on page 10 of this .pdf file (there are some photos from Deacon Tom there, too.)

Deacon Tom is an uncle of my aunt, Kay Snatchko of Burgettstown, PA, and a great-uncle of my cousins Amy, Luke, Sara, Mary Ellen and Ben.

A one-time Western Pennsylvania resident, Deacon Tom was drafted into the U.S. Navy to serve in the Pacific theater near the end of World War II. He is a long-time permanent deacon for the Church.

(The image above is the Pacific Pavilion at the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.)

Joachim & Anne

For Catholics, today, July 26, is the feast of Saint Joachim and Saint Anne, the parents of the Virgin Mary.

I've had a life-long connection to these grandparents of our Lord. My parents were married and I was baptized in St. Anne's Church in Bulger, PA. And, I took Joachim as my confirmation name.

July 26 also is a special day in these parts. At 10:18 a.m. today, I turned the big 3-1.

The Tree

Received a good quote in an e-mail this week from BeliefNet:

"When eating a fruit, think of the person who planted the tree."

- Vietnamese saying

The Power of Love

Christianity Today has posted on its Website an excellent review by Bob Smietana of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," the seventh and final book of the series by J.K. Rowling. The review summarizes better than I could some of the theology and Christian imagery in "Deathly Hallows" -- including two direct quotes from the New Testament.

After almost three hours of standing in line with my hardy crew at the Barnes and Noble at Union Square before (and after) midnight on Friday, I spent nearly all-day Saturday reading "Deathly Hallows." I think it was a very good ending to the tale -- which may be the greatest contribution of our era to children's literature.

Like Aslan and Frodo before him, Harry is a messianic character that may remind a whole new generation about the power of sacrificial love.

The Better Part

The Gospel at Mass today was that of Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus who had different perspectives on what was important the day Jesus visited their home.

From Luke Chapter 10:

Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.

She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.

Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.”

The Lord said to her in reply:

“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”

Detours

This morning, following yesterday’s steam pipe explosion at 41st Street and Lexington Avenue, the 4-5-6 subway I normally take from 14th Street to Grand Central Station (to catch the train to Yonkers) was not stopping at 42nd Street.

So, I exited the subway at 33rd Street and walked north on Park Avenue to reach Grand Central on foot.

At 39th Street, where Park Avenue becomes two-tier, the street was blocked to vehicles allowing pedestrians to walk on the elevated part of the street to continue approaching Grand Central. It was surreal to be on the road – and it afforded probably the best look I may ever get of the clock and sculpture of Minerva, Hercules, and Mercury (pictured above) that adorns the top of Grand Central’s south facade.

I also had the chance to take a good look at the large statue of Cornelius Vanderbilt in front of the south facade. I’m not certain I had ever noticed it before. The statue’s black color blends in with the dark windows behind it. Seems an odd location for “The Commodore,” the dominant force behind the New York Central Railroad.

I also was surprised this morning that I did not hear a word of complaint about all of the detours faced by those on the streets (many of the entrances to Grand Central were closed). Having faced such a larger catastrophe not so many years ago, it seems as if New Yorkers take smaller incidents such as this in stride.

One person did die in yesterday's explosion and some 30 were injured.

Sign of the Times

You know the housing market is tight when people start renting out their walk-in closets.

No, didn't respond to this one.

A Homecoming

The Pittsburgh media and the Catholic media are excitedly reporting the appointment of Bishop David Zubik as the new bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh.

The news came as a relief -- Bishop Zubik, who came out of Sewickley and Ambridge, was an auxiliary bishop in Pittsburgh prior to his appointment as Bishop of Green Bay in 2003.

He knows Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh knows him. A native son comes home to take the helm.

In 2001, I was working in Downtown Pittsburgh at the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission on the day of the September 11 terrorist attacks. After our offices closed, I went to the Noon Mass at St. Mary of Mercy Church -- celebrated by Bishop Zubik as Bishop Wuerl was away at a meeting in Washington, D.C.

I forget his exact words but I remember Bishop Zubik did a good job that day reassuring all of those at Mass.

I also once served as the lector at a confirmation at St. Alphonsus in McDonald presided over by Bishop Zubik. He did a fine job that day, too. He gave the kids some hard questions but was kind when they did not immediately have the answers.

May God bless you, Bishop Zubik, as you take these next steps in the journey. Thank you for your service to the Church, and your native place.

Gringo Star

Last night, we went to The Mercury Lounge to hear Gringo Star. Two of the band members are cousins of Katie, who was visiting NYC this weekend.

It was a good show. I liked how the band members frequently alternated instruments.

This was the first time I had been to a small NYC music venue since the smoking ban. It was strange at first but, for this non-smoker, probably a net positive.

Luke in The Times

My cousin, Luke, was mentioned in a column in Saturday's Beaver County Times.

Welcomings

My weekend was dominated by the formal welcoming of little ones.

On Saturday afternoon, immediately after getting back from the NBCC Congress X in Buffalo, I took the PATH train to Jersey City for the baby blessing of Miles Henry Rees, my second cousin once removed, in a very nice backyard ceremony.

Miles' mother, my cousin Jennifer (Braunstein) Rees, is a celebrant and the ceremony was led by one of her colleagues. It included participation by Jennifer; her husband, David; their three-year-old, Sayer; and Miles' two grandmothers.

On Sunday afternoon, I ventured out on the Long Island Railroad (along with a bunch of Mets fans en route to Shea Stadium) to St. Mary's in Manhasset for the baptism of Andrew Vincent Manago, two-month-old son o' Greg and Mary. Greg was one of the first friends I made during my freshman year at NYU. I couldn't believe I was watching his first-born get baptised.

Prior to the baptism, I attended the Noon Mass at St. Mary's. The Gospel included perhaps the most well-remembered of Jesus' parables -- The Good Samaritan. It's a lesson I pray Miles Henry and Andrew Vincent will live out in their lives.

From Luke Chapter 10:

There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test him and said, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?”

He said in reply,

"You shall love the Lord, your God,
with all your heart,
with all your being,
with all your strength,
and with all your mind,
and your neighbor as yourself.”

He replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.”

But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Jesus replied:

“A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead.

A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.

Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.

But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn, and cared for him.

The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.’

Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?”

He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.”

Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Celebrating the Sacraments in Buffalo

I'm in Buffalo, NY, today through Saturday where we are exhibitors at the National Black Catholic Congress' "Congress X. The conference, "Christ is With Us: Celebrating the Gifts of the Sacraments," has drawn some 2,000 participants from across the country.

The opening Mass, which clocked in at just under two hours, was tremendous. The principal celebrant was the new bishop of Youngstown, Ohio -- Bishop George Murray, S.J.

The homily at Mass was delivered by Auxiliary Bishop Martin Holley of Washington, D.C. Bishop Holley weaved into his homily a reflection on the recent tragic death of his eldest brother, Syl, in a motorcycle accident.

Peace To This Household

In the Gospel at Mass this past Sunday, Jesus gives instruction to his disciples. From Luke Chapter 10:

At that time the Lord appointed seventy-two others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit.

He said to them:

“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another. Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’ Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, ‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.’ Yet know this: the kingdom of God is at hand. I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town.”

The seventy-two returned rejoicing, and said, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.”

Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky. Behold, I have given you the power to ‘tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

Not Meeting Elaine Chao

The "C-Span nerd" in me feels compelled to share:

Yesterday afternoon, while waiting to board my flight from LaGuardia to Pittsburgh, U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao was waiting in the same boarding area.

I think I was the only person there who noticed her. Certainly, no one else said anything or pointed her out.

I was surprised that a member of the President's cabinet can basically go unnoticed in an airport. Does it show our society's lack of knowledge about the people who run our government? Or, it is a good thing that in our democracy such figures are not considered celebrities?

Or, does it just mean no one cares about who runs the U.S. Department of Labor?

I spent a good 10 minutes debating whether or not to try to say hello to the secretary. I didn't want to be a dork -- but I was interested in meeting her. So, as the boarding of my flight began, I approached a female security officer for the secretary and asked if it would be OK to say hello.

She said no.

C'est la vie.

Good Game

Last night, we kicked off the Independence Day celebrations by partaking of America's favorite past-time. We went to the Yankees game -- my first ever visit to "The House that Ruth Built."

Good game. Yanks shut out the Minnesota Twins 8-0.

Celebs in in the crowd: Jerry Springer, Steve Schirripa and Robert Iler.

For a native of Western Pennsylvania visiting Yankees Stadium, you can't help thinking that PNC Park is a better place to watch a ballgame. The skyline view is certainly superior. It's just unfortunate the Pirates haven't had a winning season since before I had a driver's license (and I'll be 31 in a few weeks).

Walk in the Park

Yesterday's amNew York, a free newspaper handed out weekday mornings at the subway stations and other high-traffic spots in the city, included an interesting column titled "Recovery: Like A Walk in the Park." It was about a psychoanalyst who conducts therapy sessions while walking with his clients through parks and other parts of the city.

From the column by Farnoosh Torabi:

Clay Cockrell rings up a new pair of sneakers each month. His job demands it. As the sole psychoanalyst running Walk and Talk, the 37-year-old conducts therapy sessions on the go in Central Park, Battery Park and throughout Manhattan.

"We generally walk in isolated areas. It's not like people are listening in on our conversations," said Cockrell, who calls his alternative method "outdoor psychotherapy." Although if the trees could talk, it would probably be a different story, he admitted.

The concept for Walk and Talk began three years ago after treating patients in his midtown office. "It was actually my wife's idea," said Cockrell. Since then, his client list has more than doubled from 15 to 40 a week. "We'll walk to their place of business or I'll meet them at their apartment … The convenience was a big selling point," he said, adding that appointments are sometimes scheduled in his old midtown office if the discussion is too serious.

...

Then, there's the physical growth, said Cockrell, since being active is ultimately a healthy thing for the body. Personally speaking, Cockrell's blood pressure's gone down and he's shed about 15 pounds since starting the business. He said being outdoors also forces him to be more on his toes." This is harder, I found [for me]," he said. "You really got to be on your game. It's a dynamic active session. I'm exhausted by the end of the day."

This column reminded me of a quote I once read that went something like this:

"When you are troubled, go out for a walk. Angels speaks to a man when he goes out for a walk."

Follow Me

I have been remiss this week in my usual posting of something from the readings at Mass.

The Gospel was from Luke Chapter 9:

When the days for Jesus’ being taken up were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem, and he sent messengers ahead of him.

On the way they entered a Samaritan village to prepare for his reception there, but they would not welcome him because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem.

When the disciples James and John saw this they asked,“Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?"

Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they journeyed to another village.

As they were proceeding on their journey someone said to him,“I will follow you wherever you go.”

Jesus answered him,“Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.”

And to another he said, “Follow me.”

But he replied, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.”

But he answered him, “Let the dead bury their dead. But you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

And another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home.”

To him Jesus said, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Brownback in Baltimore

Since Thursday, I have been in Baltimore where we were exhibitors at the Catholic Family Expo. Yesterday, the expo's afternoon keynote was delivered by Kansas Senator Sam Brownback, who is seeking the GOP nomination in next year's presidential race.

In his introduction, it was noted that Brownback risked some political fallout in Kansas over his conversion about five years back to Catholicism. This, and his reputation as a strong pro-lifer, likely contributed to the standing ovation that greeted THE BEGINNING of his remarks.

I have not been a fan of Brownback in the past but, I have to say, he made a compelling argument for his candidacy. I especially appreciated his recognition of what he called a "holistic pro-life stand" -- by which I hope he meant the consistent life ethic. It also was good to hear a high-ranking U.S. public official acknowledge the incredibly disturbing abortion rates of babies diagnosed with Down syndrome.

I still don't agree with Brownback on everything -- but he certainly piqued my interest.

To Guide Our Feet

Sunday at Mass, we celebrated the Solemnity of the Nativity of John the Baptist. The Gospel reading was from Luke Chapter 1:

When the time came for Elizabeth, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the merciful Lord had done a wonderful thing for her and they rejoiced with her. When on the eighth day they came to attend the circumcision of the child, they wanted to name him Zechariah after his father.

But his mother said, "Not so; he shall be called John."

They said to her, "No one in your family has that name;" and they asked the father by means of signs for the name he wanted to give.

Zechariah asked for a writing tablet and wrote on it, "His name is John," and they were very surprised.

Immediately Zechariah could speak again and his first words were in praise of God.

A holy fear came on all in the neighborhood, and throughout the Hills of Judea the people talked about these events. All who heard of it pondered in their minds and wondered, "What will this child be?" For they understood that the hand of the Lord was with him.

Then Zechariah his father, filled with the holy Spirit, prophesied, saying:

"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,

for he has visited and brought redemption to his people.

He has raised up a horn for our salvation within the house of David his servant, even as he promised through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old:

salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,
to show mercy to our fathers and to be mindful of his holy covenant
and of the oath he swore to Abraham our father,

and to grant us that,
rescued from the hand of enemies,

without fear we might worship him
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

And you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High,

for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,

to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,

because of the tender mercy of our God

by which the daybreak from on high will visit us
to shine on those who sit in darkness and death's shadow,

to guide our feet into the path of peace."

As the child grew up, he was seen to be strong in the Spirit; he lived in the desert till the day when he appeared openly in Israel.

(The image above of the Nativity of John the Baptist is by the Florentine painter and portraitist Jacopo Pontormo, 1494 - 1557)

Denver

I am outside of Denver today through the weekend where we are exhibitors at the Rocky Mountain Catholic Home Educators conference. The conference is taking place at a hotel near the Denver International Airport. Thought I'd share this image from Wikipedia of its unique roof that is meant to evoke the snow-capped mountains:

Aliquippa: Hub of Bloodshed?

On Sunday, both stories above the fold on the front of the New York Times sports section originated in Western Pennsylvania.

One of the stories, naturally, was about the U.S. Open at Oakmont. (All week, I was amazed by how frequently the New York press referred to "Oakmont" but not always indicating the course was located near Pittsburgh.)

But, there was no mention of finely-manicured greens in the other Sunday NYT Sports piece – a profile by Thayer Evans of Herb Pope, a star high school basketball player fleeing violent crime and family troubles in Aliquippa, Beaver County.

From the article:

But later on Davis Street, a prostitute haggled over a payment, drug deals took place in broad daylight and crack addicts staggered aimlessly. It is also the hub of bloodshed in Plan 11, a section of this athlete-rich western Pennsylvania town of about 12,000 where shots are fired almost every day.

Pope was unfazed by the empty beer bottles strewn about Jessie Belle Walker Park. The 6-foot-9, 217-pound Pope shot 3-pointers and occasionally dunked. His 30-minute workout was remarkable, considering that about two months earlier he was shot once in his left forearm, once in his thigh and twice in his abdomen. Pope said he was hospitalized for nearly two weeks and lost 37 pounds. He said two of the bullets remain in his body.

On his way from the park to home, where he lives with an aunt and uncle, Amy Pope-Smith and Ronald Smith, a gunshot rang out in the distance before 8 a.m., a reminder that not everyone in Plan 11 was asleep.

The photo above from the Times Website is credited to the Post-Gazette's Steve Mellon.

No Sleep 'Til Brooklyn

This past weekend, I ended up spending a decent chunk of time learning new parts of Brooklyn.

Friday night, we headed to the Williamsburg neighborhood in Brooklyn for happy hour at the Brooklyn Brewery followed by a bite at Mug's Ale House. One for the "small world" file: sitting at the table next to ours at Mug's was a woman who works at the South Fayette Township Library (discovered after seeing her friend's Penguins cap).

Saturday night, I was part of Anthony and Nick Santella's contingent at a party at Gregory Skolozdra's art studio in the Dumbo section of Brooklyn ("Dumbo" stands for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass). Greg, an attorney by day, has done many nature-inspired interior landscapes like this 2005 work "Jumbo Umbrella Mushrooms":

En route to Greg's studio, we unexpectedly happened upon the fireworks shooting off over the Brooklyn Bridge that capped off Children's Day at the South Street Seaport -- and watched them from the small park that's almost under the Manhattan Bridge. Courtesy of dumbonyc.com, here's what the scene looked like on a similar night in 2006:

With Her Tears

Often, when I am in NYC on a Sunday, I go to the 5:15 p.m. Mass at St. Paul the Apostle Church, the huge but friendly church at the corner of 60th Street and 9th Avenue not far from Lincoln Center. Liturgically-speaking, the Masses there are usually quite straight-forward with good music. Also, they have a nicely-developing young adult ministry. (St. Paul the Apostle is the "mother church" of the Paulist Fathers, the order behind the great Website Busted Halo.)

Yesterday, the priest who celebrated St. Paul the Apostle's 5:15 p.m. Mass read the Gospel with great fervor and a sense of the dramatic. So, when you read the passage below, imagine it being pronounced slowly with lots of dramatic inflections and pauses, like I heard it yesterday.

From Luke Chapter 7:

A Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him, and he entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table.

Now there was a sinful woman in the city who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee. Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment, she stood behind him at his feet weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment.

When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.”

Jesus said to him in reply, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”

“Tell me, teacher, ” he said.

“Two people were in debt to a certain creditor; one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty. Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both. Which of them will love him more?”

Simon said in reply, “The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.”

He said to him, “You have judged rightly.”

Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet, but she has bathed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet with ointment. So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven because she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”

He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

The others at table said to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

But he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Afterward he journeyed from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. Accompanying him were the Twelve and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources.

Welcome, Friends o' Katie!

Welcome to readers from Waldie's World, where this blog was mentioned today and has been added as a link.

Waldie's World shares the stories of Katie Waldie Reid, one of my old friends from the Newman Club at NYU.

Also be sure to check out Required Reiding, written by Katie's husband, Chris. Katie and Chris live in Columbia, South Carolina.

Bon anniversaire!

Yesterday was the 1st Anniversary of this blog. From the campaign blog to something more personal, I've enjoyed writing it.

I had forgotten the date until I realized today was Flag Day and I rememered mentioning Flag Day in one of the first posts last year. In celebration ...

The Theologian-Pope

I'm currently reading "Jesus of Nazareth," a look at the Jesus of the Gospels that Pope Benedict XVI began writing when he was still Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. I recently heard one priest say that reading this book is like "reading the New Testament for the first time."

A few years ago, I probably never would have bought anything written by Cardinal Ratzinger, who I thought was too doctrinaire. But, B16 is really growing on me. His writings are brilliant. And, at the core, he seems to simply want all of us to have a more-informed knowledge of God. He really is the "Theologian-Pope."

So far, these two quotes from "Jesus of Nazareth" have struck me (highlights are mine):

Neither the individual books of Holy Scripture nor the Scripture as a whole are simply a piece of literature. The Scripture emerged from within the heart of a living subject – the pilgrim People of God – and lives within this same subject. One could say that the books of Scripture involve three interacting subjects. First of all, there is the individual author or groups of authors to whom we owe a particular scriptural text. But these authors are not autonomous writers in the modern sense; they form part of a collective subject, the “People of God,” from within whose heart and to whom they speak. Hence, this subject is actually the deeper “author” of the Scriptures. And yet likewise, this people does not exist alone; rather, it knows that is led, and spoken to, by God himself, who – through men and their humanity – is at the deepest level the one speaking.

and ...

Religions do not aim merely to answer the question about our provenance; all religions try in one way or another to life the veil of the future. They seem important precisely because they impart knowledge about what is to come, and so show man the path he has to take to avoid coming to grief. This explains why practically all religions have developed ways of looking into the future.

Out of the Rain

Last night, we set out to see a free performance of “La Boheme” by the Metropolitan Opera on the Great Lawn of Central Park. But, the sporadic rain showers cancelled the show and encouraged us, and many others, into the adjacent Metropolitan Museum of Art (which, very happily, was having a free admission day).

We visited the new Greek and Roman galleries in the Met's former dining area, the “Poiret: King of Fashion” exhibit and the Clark Brothers collections. One of the paintings in the Clark Brothers collections was Van Gogh's 1888 oil on canvas "The Night Café":

From there, dinner was at Brother Jimmy's on 2nd Avenue -- a place where I think Vincent might have found some inspiration.

A New Chapter for Heidi

Yesterday, over at her blog "Life in Progress," my former co-worker and friend of many years, Heidi Price, announced the end of her 10-year tenure as a writer for the Observer-Reporter of Washington, PA.

When I began my under two-year stint as reporter at the O-R back in July, 1998, it was Heidi who took me around to the local police stations and showed me how to cover the "cops" beat. In the summer of 1999, Heidi and I co-wrote a tragic crime story that earned us a Golden Quill nomination from the Press Club of Western Pennsylvania for the "Best Spot News" story published that year in a medium-sized daily newspaper.

I've enjoyed Heidi's writing over the years and thought her blog was very good. In addition to her new PR gig in academia, here's a hope that she keeps on blogging.

I know she has many more wonderful stories to tell.

Connections

The P-G's David Guo had a review of the "Function at the Junction" in Sunday's paper.

In the article, the Montour Trail Council's Stan Sattinger states:

"This new path has connections for bike tourists that generally can follow the four main compass points. You come to McDonald and you now have a choice," he said.

"At mile 18, you can now say, hmm, do I want to go east to Carnegie today, or do I want to go west to Weirton?"

"Where else in the country do you have a crossing of two major trails? I can tell you, it's pretty rare," Mr. Sattinger said.

Next Door

Next door to my office in Yonkers is the Hudson River Gallery & Conservators. (Literally next door -- they're on the other side of the wall next to my desk.) The owners, Helmut and Barbara, do restorations, high-end framing and occasionally have exhibits.

They are currently at the end of an exhibit by Daniel Bennett Schwartz. Thought I would share one of the works they have on display (although this photo doesn't do justice to the vibrant colors):

This 30 X 48 oil painting is called "Waders."

They All Ate

For Catholics, yesterday was the Feast of Corpus Christi, when we celebrate our belief in the real, actual presence of Jesus Christ in the bread and wine of Communion.

The Gospel at Mass recalls another miraculous feeding. From Luke Chapter 9:

Jesus spoke to the crowds about the kingdom of God, and he healed those who needed to be cured.

As the day was drawing to a close, the Twelve approached him and said,"Dismiss the crowd so that they can go to the surrounding villages and farms and find lodging and provisions; for we are in a deserted place here."

He said to them, "Give them some food yourselves."

They replied, "Five loaves and two fish are all we have, unless we ourselves go and buy food for all these people."

Now the men there numbered about five thousand. Then he said to his disciples, "Have them sit down in groups of about fifty."

They did so and made them all sit down. Then taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing over them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.

They all ate and were satisfied.

And when the leftover fragments were picked up, they filled twelve wicker baskets.

Function at the Junction

Tomorrow, Saturday, June 9, is an important day for McDonald and the surrounding area. Beginning around Noon, the "Function at the Junction" will mark the official opening of the connecting link between the Panhandle Trail and the Montour Trail.

The connection, just west of McDonald in Robinson Township (Washington County) at the old railroad trestle, allows north- and south-bound trail users on the Montour Trail to travel east and west on the Panhandle Trail (and vise versa). It's an important addition for both recreation purposes and economic development.

David Guo had an article in yesterday's P-G about the festivities. Yesterday's Trib also had coverage.

THANK YOU to all those trail volunteers who made this possible! Our community is much in your debt for your tireless commitment to this important project.

Photo above from the Montour Trail Website is credited to Deb Thompson.

Rehash

Sunday afternoon, we used some complimentary passes to take in "The Male Intellect: An Oxymoron?" at City Theater on Pittsburgh's South Side.

I hesitate to blog about it because I hate to criticize City Theater, which is one of Western Pennsylvania's great treasures. But, this one-man play by Robert Dubac was disappointing. It aims to examine the male psyche in the context of male-female relations.

Actor Ben Evans, obviously a talented guy, did the best he could with the material. But, the dialogue was little more than rehash of the stereotypes already examined to exhaustion by '90s sitcoms like "Seinfeld," "Mad About You," and "Friends".

Disclaimer: We saw the 2 p.m. matinee. The crowd, mostly comprised of women over age 50, laughed a lot and seemed to genuinely enjoy themselves.

I'm just glad I didn't shell out $40 for a ticket.

An aside: Prior to the show, we had brunch just down the street from City Theater at Gypsy Cafe. Great place.

Below the Surface

I was home in Pittsburgh this past weekend. Saturday evening, we had the chance to catch "Knocked Up" at the inexpensive movie theater next to the old Washington Mall.

I know some folks might not appreciate the movie's vulgarity, profanity, nudity and depictions of pre-marital sex and drug use.

But, I have to say, I enjoyed it. And, not far below the surface, director Judd Apatow's "Knocked Up" really has a conservative message. It was certainly pro-life and pro-marriage.

Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl were excellent in the lead roles. Leslie Mann also has a good scene in which she interacts with a club bouncer in one of the more unexpected and refreshing bits of dialogue heard in recent films.

I would compare "Knocked Up" to Kevin Smith's "Dogma." In both movies, if you look deeper than the off-color humor, you find Generation X's underlying respect for human life and a genuine desire for commitment and stability.

What Is Mine

For Catholics, today is the the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. In today's Gospel at Mass, Christ teaches his disciples something about the divine workings of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in the Trinity:

From John Chapter 16:

Jesus said to his disciples:

"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."

The photo above shows the large window of Holy Trinity Chapel at the Catholic Center at New York University. It's located on Washington Square South in New York City.

Snuffed Out

It's the end of an era for many Pittsburghers: Eat 'n Park has gone totally non-smoking.