et alia

20 SEPTEMBER 2012. These pages have been silent for much longer than a fortnight now. With apologies from your scribe and host, things have been quite busy on other fronts as of late.

Running on at the keyboard:

I was in New York City last week and tasted the first real glimpse of Autumn. It was, for sure, still warm, but the mornings were chilly. And, besides work, which is all I tend to do when I am in the City, I did get the opportunity to catch a baseball game at Citi Field between the Mets and Nationals. What a beautiful ballpark, in some ways it reminds me of Camden Yards, but it's still New York. The Mets, on the other hand, were anything but beautiful; maybe next year Mets fans.

When in New York I also got out for a couple of hours and spent that time at St. Patrick's Cathedral. I  wanted to speak with Cardinal Dolan, if he was around, but learned that he was out of town. My thought was to simply thank him for his service and leadership for our stateside Church.

We are in full press campaign season now for the Presidential and congressional races. Redistricting has also been redone this year in Florida, so all seats in both houses of the Legislature are up for grabs. Having said that, I have yet to see a political candidate that I can be enthusiastic about. I have certainly seen a number that I can enthusiastically oppose, but none that I can get behind with gusto. Is there any candidate out there that really presents a model of the Magisterium carried into the world? I am looking for her or him.

Remember a vote for anyone other than Romney, or staying at home (for that matter), is in fact a vote for Obama. So, get out and vote.

Speaking of President Obama, please continue to support an end to the HHS mandate and oppose any so called health care reform law that does not have an appropriate conscience protection and that falls to respect the dignity of human life, in all stages of development, from conception to natural death.

I feel for the faithful in Philadelphia with all that they have endured over the last year, including the near-to-home abuse incidents at Penn State. I pray for healing for all victims and for the community that is put in shambles by such violence and breach of trust.

I am thoroughly confused by the LCWR, why do they not put their own agenda's behind the obligation to be faithful and obedient to the Church? Why can't they see the misplaced priorities when they replace Christianity for humanitarian works. I recall Mother Theresa once saying, in response to some praise for her humanitarian work, "No! I am not engaged in humanitarian work. I am living the Gospel of Jesus Christ." I pray that the so many good religious sisters that are represented by the LCWR will put their own aspirations behind the desire to live God's Will, put their own agendas behind fidelity to the Church, put their own sense of self importance behind their truly important work of being Christ to those they encounter, put their own sense of worth, under the boot of living to be truly worthy in God's eyes. Sisters, I pray, be a model for the world!

I have also spent a great deal of time in Orlando over the last several months, but I have not been to Disney World since 1991.

With all of the news coverage over the recent Middle Eastern protests against the United States, and the pointless violence and harm that has occurred with those protests, has anyone seen any mainstream media coverage of Pope Benedict XVI's trip to Lebanon? His words on peace and respect between the Christian West and the Islamic East were indeed profound and communicated well his true and real good will in brining a positive message of peace to the region. It is a shame that the mainstream media did not consider his apostolic journey to be more noteworthy. Their loss. The world's loss.

I am also in my first semester of studies in the Master of Arts in Theology program at Holy Apostles College and Seminary through the college's distance learning outreach. Carving out enough time for study and to complete readings and papers has been a challenge. It truly makes me appreciate, now in retrospect, how good a life I had during college and grad school. I wish I had understood better how fortunate I was at the time, but--as it is said--youth is wasted on the young.

Pray to the Dominican Saints for their intercession for all your needs:
St. Dominic, pray for us.
St. Catherine of Siena, pray for us.
St. Martin de Porres, pray for us.
St. Mary Magdalen, pray for us. (Patroness of the Order)
St. Thomas Aquinas, pray for us.
St. Albert the Great, pray for us.
St. Rose of Lima, pray for us.
St. Vincent Ferrer, pray for us.
St. Pius V, pray for us.
All you holy angels and saints, pray for us.
Blessed Virgin Mary, Most Chaste Spouse of the Holy Spirit, pray for us.

Dear readers, please pray for me, and I will pray for you.

-3OP-