The Maccabeats – Miracle – Matisyahu – Hanukkah – YouTube

The Maccabeats – Miracle – Matisyahu – Hanukkah – YouTube.

Brother Priests Support Savannah’s Bishop-Designate

Brother Priests Support Savannah’s Bishop-Designate.

It Is Well

I was prepared to title a blog “Remembering Ten Years”, or something along that nature.  That was before hearing a song I’ve not heard since I sang in the Baptist Church choir.  The entire verses of “It Is Well” were sung as the meditation after communion at Mass this morning.

A lot has happened in the ten years since 9/11 and I do remember vividly my life at that moment.  I had just returned to college the week prior to September 11, 2001.  I had just completed the first of a two year catechetical  program  in Pastoral Ministry Formation. I was employed (and currently employed) for a major airline.   I choose to hold privately in my thoughts the events I recall of that day and those subsequent trying days, weeks, and months in the airline industry.

I did a search on Horatio G. Spafford, the author of the hymn “It is Well.”  The hymn was first sung in public on November 24, 1876. Horatio and his wife Anna had many tragedies in their lives.  They had four daughters and one son.  They lost their son to scarlet fever in 1870.  Shortly thereafter, the Great Chicago Fire broke out and many, including the Spaffords, lost everything.  Horatio and Anna dedicated much time to serving the poor and those in need.  In 1873, they planned a trip to join with evangelical missionaries in Europe.  Horatio sent his wife Anna and their four daughters ahead on the ship  “Ville de Havre” with plans to join them later.  The ship was impacted by another ship mid-voyage and sank.  Of their family, only Anna was saved, their infant daughter pulled from her arms by the waves.  Her telegraph to Horatio was “Saved alone, what shall I do?”  The words to “It is Well” were penned around this tragedy.  The full text of the story is here Horatio G. Spafford: The Story Behind the Hymn “It is Well with My Soul”  “Saved Alone. What Shall I Do…”

My favorite verse is the last verse, “and Lord haste the day when my faith shall be sight…” 

In the Gospel of John Chapter 20, the Apostle Thomas doubts Jesus and must touch the wounds before believing in His resurrection.  In verse 29, Jesus responds to them, “Have you come to believe me because you have seen me?  Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”  It is this promise from Jesus that turns sadness and tragedy into joyful hope.  Blessed assurance that Jesus is mine and I believe what He taught.

‪Congratulations Bishop Elect Gregory Hartmayer OFM Conv

‪Interview With Bishop Gregory‬‏ – YouTube.

Georgia Bulletin Article

My former pastor, Fr. Gregory Hartmayer, OFM Conv is the new Bishop Elect of the diocese of Savannah.

My welcome into the Catholic Church by Fr. Gregory Hartmayer OFM Conv. Easter Vigil 1999

Lord Make Wheat of Me

Some years ago, in 1993, I penned this simple verse as a reflection on the wheat and tares (weeds) from the Gospel of Matthew 13:36-43.   It’s now some eighteen years later.  I can now say “Your body is food by which I am sustained,” for I am now enjoying the fullness of Christian faith in the Catholic church.

*************************

Lord, make wheat of me,
For tares are displeasing to Thee.

Let me be a seed with precious intent,
Knowing all things I should repent.

Daily watered by spiritual rain,
Your Word body is food by which I am sustained;

When I first saw the light of Your  only Son,
I knew my life had begun.

Swaying to and fro in the wind,
I quiver, twist, and bend.

In faith knowing I’ll never break,
You’ve promised no more than we can take;

While tares will feel the flame and fire,
Your harvest of wheat will be singing in heaven’s choir;

Oh Lord, I pray, make wheat of me,
For tares are condemned to die in fire by Thee!
***********************

 

Remembering JPII

In honor of the upcoming beatification of Pope John Paul II, I share a favorite memory in the attached video.  Second below is a video of our Young Adult pilgrim group from the Archdiocese of Atlanta being introduced at the general audience.  My pilgrim friend got crazy with his video recorder at the end. The third video below is Pope John Paul II blessing the pilgrims from the United States of America.

If you have a memory you would like to share, record a Youtube video and check out this link for instructions http://sqpn.com/2011/04/20/honor-john-paul-ii-on-youtube/   I’m also posting mine on my personal blog.

Christians mark Palm Sunday in Jerusalem | ajc.com

Christians mark Palm Sunday in Jerusalem  | ajc.com.

Franciscan guardians of Holy Land shrines launch new website :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

Franciscan guardians of Holy Land shrines launch new website :: Catholic News Agency (CNA).

Remembering Papa

Thirty years ago today, my grandfather — Papa, passed away.   I think about him especially between Christmas and January 19th because I remember the last December.  He was at Emory Hospital in December 1980.  I remember the drive; I-75 to I-20 — Exit Memorial Drive — North to Briarcliff and a right on the By Way.  We wound our way the back roads of Emory Village.  The beautiful homes were elegantly decorated for Christmas.  Many homes had no curtains and you could see the fanciness inside.  I carried my school homework and a Seventeen magazine.  I was sixteen.  I dreamed about living in the homes we passed.

It had been a difficult year.  My grandfather had lung cancer and he was on oxygen at home.  I remember sitting next to his bed listening to him sleep.  He had trouble with fluid on his lungs and he was afraid of not waking up.  That’s really why I was sitting there — instructed to wake him up if I thought his breathing was getting bad.  Looking back now, I remember that as precious time spent.

He was hospitalized in December and the last time in January.  Papa was fully aware on that day thirty years ago.   He asked for the family to gather — he waited until everyone arrived.   We gathered around in prayer and maybe sang a hymn.  My sister held his hand — my grandmother on the other side and the nurse.  A few moments after we had prayed, the nurse simply said, “He’s gone.”  It was quiet and peaceful — a falling asleep.

I left the room and walked away — around a hall to find a place alone.  I stared out a window and cried.  I had hoped so much for Papa to receive a miracle of healing.  I was in disbelief for awhile.

Today, I’m not sad or even melancholy.  I’m only aware that I wished I knew him longer — long enough to realize how much alike we are.  He still finds ways to let me know he’s still there.

Peppermint Prayers and My Papa

My Papa and the Year for Priests

Cantare amantis est :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

Here is a great article by Deacon Joshua Allen.  He spent the Summer at St. Philip Benizi in 2009 and was ordained to the Transitional Diaconate on Oct 7, 2010 in Rome.  He was chosen to sing the Gospel at Midnight Mass at St. Peter’s and has written a very nice reflection on the experience.

Cantare amantis est :: Catholic News Agency (CNA).

Snow Days

I am enjoying day #2 of “Ice Jam 2011″ in Atlanta.  They have made references to “Snow Jam 1982.”  Really, it is only here in the South that our Winter storms are worthy of naming — their rarity granting them this special privilege.  I recall the Snow Jam ’82 — I was a Senior in high school and this was the last gift of ‘snow days’ off from school before graduation.

I don’t remember if that was the only Winter event that year but I did write a poem about one of the events.  I remember the thaw and how it sounded.   I was sitting at my writing desk and looking out the window into my back yard.  The snow had been coated with ice and the tree limbs were heavy laden with their icy burden.  I was transfixed for a long time as the sun began to melt the ice. The sound of the ice falling down through the trees sounded like applause and I was taken by the gracefulness of the tree limbs.  Already having experienced Atlanta Ballet performances and already a fan of Mikhail Baryshnikov;  I saw the ballet in the trees and melting ice.  Below is a sample of my early poetry — I was 16.

The Crystal Shop Ballet

Boughs bend with humble splendor,
Bearing gifts that only the season can bring.
Nature in its most graceful poise,
The Lady of Winter performs a ballet.

Evergreens curtsy in elegant form,
The envy of every prima ballerina.
Beautiful to see, but fragile to touch,
The Lady of Winter brings gifts of crystal.

The sun shines in earth’s open window,
Setting to glisten The Crystal Shop Ballet.
Trees dance to the wind’s whispering orchestra,
The Lady of Winter composes a masterpiece.

The sun rises higher as the dance crescendos,
Limbs slowly raise their arms to the sky.
The eyes of nature look upward as melting applause praises the performance,
The Lady of Winter completes The Crystal Shop Ballet.

Encore!

February 27, 1982

Church of the Most Holy Trinity

Check out the link below for a nice article, with photos, on Church of the Most Holy Trinity in Brooklyn New York.  It is staffed with OFM Conventual Franciscan friars from the Saint Anthony of Padua Province.  Fr. Timothy posted this link in Facebook and I wanted to add the link here as well.  Very nice photos and brief history of the church.

Church of the Most Holy Trinity.

So, the church is supposed to be haunted.

Peace & All Good

2010 in review

Thanks for reading!

The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here’s a high level summary of its overall blog health:

The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads This blog is on fire!.

Crunchy numbers

A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 4,100 times in 2010. That’s about 10 full 747s.

In 2010, there were 18 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 81 posts. There were 11 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 10mb. That’s about a picture per month.

The busiest day of the year was August 2nd with 79 views. The most popular post that day was Feast of Our Lady of the Angels of Portiuncula.

Where did they come from?

The top referring sites in 2010 were mail.yahoo.com, franciscanfocus.com, backpew.blogspot.com, mail.live.com, and rhinoweb.org.

Some visitors came searching, mostly for angela merici, giotto, order of penitents, protect us from all anxiety, and st. angela merici.

Attractions in 2010

These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.

1

Feast of Our Lady of the Angels of Portiuncula August 2008
2 comments

2

Mount La Verna Leaf & The Stigmata of St. Francis September 2008

3

Extraction of Franciscan Saints & St. Angela Merici January 2009
3 comments

4

Funerals, Black Vestments, & Cemetery Musings November 2008

5

Order of Penitents – Short History March 2009

How Christians, Muslims can find peace By Paul Moses, Special to CNN January 2, 2011 2:12 p.m. EST

How Christians, Muslims can find peace By Paul Moses, Special to CNN January 2, 2011 2:12 p.m. EST

We Three Kings

May you share your gifts and talents throughout the new year. Here is the Gospel reading for the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, Jan 2 2010. There are many images from the Holy Land.

In Christmas messages, Holy Land’s Catholic leaders call for peace on earth :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

In Christmas messages, Holy Land’s Catholic leaders call for peace on earth :: Catholic News Agency (CNA).

Bethlehem Christmas 2010

I came across this news piece posted for Christmas Eve. I thought today at Mass, while singing “O’ Little Town of Bethlehem”, that once you have been to Bethlehem the song gets a new depth of meaning. Check out this video to get a taste of what it is like to visit today — a message of peace and unity. They are enjoying more Christmas pilgrims than usual which is good for them.

Here is another video by the same news source that discusses some of the tourism economics of Bethlehem. During my pilgrimage, they were celebrating the 10th Annual Olive Harvest Festival and were promoting locally grown fair trade. My motivation in buying my shawl there was to support local handmade goods.