You haven’t changed a bit. That was the tongue in cheek line at a recent reunion I attended. As home towns go, mine is the best, of course. Small but still drawing all of us wayfarers back from time to time to catch up on things.
Reunions make that possible thanks to those who give their energy and time to draw a community together. Our oneness of experience growing up made for good conversations and the rekindling of memories from years gone by.
Picture it. The rich man encountering Jesus Christ. Face to face. As they look into each others’ eyes. People hear the commotion, inching closer. Can you feel the tension? The rich man, feeling quite well about himself, I am sure, asking Jesus if there is more.
“You follow the commandments, you say? You are a good person, you say? That’s great. But it’s not enough . . .
Afraid. When he mentioned this word, I was surprised because of all he had been through. What could make him afraid now?
His name was An and we had met at a retreat where he told me that he was one of the boat people who fled from southeast Asia some years ago. Government authorities had discovered the Catholic seminary where he was a student.
Human pregnancy begins whenever a sperm unites with an egg inside the fallopian tube. The newly-minted embryo must then travel along the fallopian tube during the next few days before finally implanting into the wall of the mother’s uterus.
In rare instances, the embryo will fail to reach the uterus and will instead implant in the fallopian tube along the way, which is a very narrow tube not designed to support a pregnancy.
Why do I feel like dancing? Could it be that I have shed 30 pounds?
Oh, I haven’t found a diet that works that well. Instead, I have an Angel that swooped down and helped me clean out my bedroom closet. Ten pounds went to the cleaners and 20 to St. Vinnie’s. And that makes me feel light enough to dance.
Look to see where people are making a path before putting in a new sidewalk. In other words, don’t waste time and effort on something people won’t use. Along the same line, refrain, as best you can, from answering questions people aren’t asking. This intends to help address the question — why aren’t they listening? As with other sayings, these may offer a little food for thought.
Yes, it is important to look and listen and be aware of what is going on around us. In addition, it is also important to consult. To see what common sense approaches are staring us in the face even if it has to do with the placing of a sidewalk where it will be used. To ask, to invite their questions so that attentive listeners await our response to what is on their minds, what are their needs, is important. Instead of, “Here’s a plan. I hope you like it,” we generally prefer hearing the words, “What do you think?” To be consulted.
On September 11, James Pouillon was shot multiple times and killed while protesting abortion outside a high school in Owosso, Mich.
According to reports, the suspect in custody, Harlan James Drake, admitted to police that he had also killed Mike Fuoss earlier that morning and that he had intended to murder a third man against whom he held a grudge, but was arrested before he reached his last victim.
The violence didn’t end with his arrest. The Associated Press reports that Mr. Drake was hospitalized Saturday night after an attempt on his own life in the county jail. Nor is that the end of it. Some angry people are already calling for the death penalty, yet another act of violence.
Median age? Currently 66. Transitions out of active service? Currently 1500 with 400 to replace them annually.
You guessed it. These are priest statistics in our country.
Mitochondria are small, elongated structures in a cell that produce energy. These “cellular batteries” contain their own small piece of DNA, separate from the rest of the cell’s DNA found in the nucleus.
When defects or mutations occur in this mitochondrial DNA, it can result in a number of diseases. In severe cases, children can be born blind, epileptic, unable to crawl, and may manifest severe neurological delay and die at an early age. No real therapies exist for most mitochondrial diseases beyond treating the symptoms.
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Dear Friends,
2009 is a very special year for me personally, as, on June 1st I celebrated 35 years as a priest and, just this week, on September 21, I celebrate 10 years as a bishop. I was ordained the Bishop of Helena, Montana, in the Cathedral Church of St. Helena on September 21, 1999, the Feast of St. Matthew.
