tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55652882011-04-21T15:58:08.348-04:00Slightly deeper-than-a-paper-plate thoughts on a variety of topics, usually with a Catholic twist. It's not just about Maine, and it's not just about Catholicism, but it's always just a little beyond the ordinary.Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comBlogger10221100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1082423790553274072004-04-19T21:16:00.000-04:002004-04-19T21:20:33.170-04:00

I have a very difficult day facing me Tuesday, and again I ask for your prayers of support and friendship. You don't have to go out of your way, just do me the kindness of saying "...and for Chris" at the end as you offer your intentions to Our Lord prior to your regular prayers. I'm not sure what God has in mind with all this, but I am placing all my trust in His hands. Thank you so very much

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1082385278385361172004-04-19T21:03:00.000-04:002004-04-19T21:14:37.280-04:00

PRAYER TO OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP Mother of Perpetual Help, grant that I may ever invoke thy most powerful name, which is the safeguard of the living and the salvation of the dying. O Purest Mary, O Sweetest Mary, let thy name henceforth be ever on my lips. Delay not, O Blessed Lady, to help me whenever I call on thee, for, in all my needs, in all my temptations I shall never cease to call on

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081200758392347382004-04-19T19:45:00.000-04:002004-04-19T21:14:10.060-04:00

At Fenway Park in Boston, Monday April 19, 2004: Boston Red Sox-5 New York Yankees-4 The Red Sox take the series 3 games to 1! Kapler's hit lifts Sox, 5-4 by Ian Browne/MLB.com *Next game: Tuesday, April 20 in Toronto against the Blue Jays at 7:00. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ At Hadlock Field in Portland, Monday April 19, 2004: Portland Sea Dogs-8 Trenton Thunder-

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1082310742382754252004-04-18T13:52:00.000-04:002004-04-18T13:55:17.856-04:00

The question was: "How many organized Catholic worship services did you attend from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday, inclusive?" The results: *More than 7 (11.1%) *7 (0.0%) *6 (22.2%) *5 (0.0%) *4 (22.2%) *3 (11.1%) *2 (11.1%) *1 (11.1%) *You mean last week was Holy Week?! (11.1%) Not very conclusive results at all. Some polls garner better outcomes than others.

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1082299867287068312004-04-18T10:51:00.000-04:002004-04-18T10:54:01.890-04:00

This is a portion Fr. Landry's homily for today, as posted on CatholicCulture.org. This particular part explains the relatively new observance of Divine Mercy Sunday. Today we celebrate throughout the whole Church "Divine Mercy Sunday." This feast was instituted by Pope John Paul II in the year 2000, in response to a direct request by the Lord Jesus to a Polish nun, St. Faustina Kowalska, whom

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1082211265218041082004-04-17T10:14:00.000-04:002004-04-17T10:17:19.263-04:00

I fly to Your Mercy, Compassionate God, Who alone are good. Although my misery is great and my offenses are many, I trust in Your Mercy because You are the God of Mercy, and it has never been heard of in all ages, nor do Heaven or Earth remember, that a soul trusting in Your Mercy has been disappointed. (State your intentions) Jesus, Friend of a lonely heart, You are my haven. You are

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1082210506823366002004-04-17T10:01:00.000-04:002004-04-17T10:09:09.840-04:00

One thing I admire about NASCAR is that they don't schedule a race on Easter Sunday out of respect for the holiness of the day. Professional basketball, baseball and hockey, which are also playing at Eastertime, don't seem to acknowledge the day as being different from any other. For every game that is played on Easter, not only are there players, coaches and team employees at work, but there

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081519311052623752004-04-17T08:06:00.000-04:002004-04-17T09:34:56.840-04:00

From EWTN.com: Jesus asked that this Feast of the Divine Mercy (the Sunday following Easter) be preceded by a Novena to the Divine Mercy which would begin on Good Friday. He gave St. Faustina an intention to pray for on each day of the Novena, saving for the last day the most difficult intention of all, the lukewarm and indifferent. Day Nine (Saturday in the Octave of Easter): "Today bring

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1082080105686694002004-04-15T21:48:00.000-04:002004-04-15T21:53:08.860-04:00

The following column, posted on CatholicCulture.org, was written by Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. of the Denver Archdiocese and published on April 14, 2004. It's real food for thought as the presidential campaign slogs along. "If it quacks like a duck and looks like a duck and walks like a duck, it's probably a duck. A fox can claim to be a duck all day long. But he's still a fox."

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081982504354133632004-04-14T18:41:00.000-04:002004-04-14T18:45:16.420-04:00

I am pretty up on literature, but the books in the "Left Behind" series of books for older children and teens have flown beyond my radar over the past few years. I've been aware of the basic premise of the books: the apocalypse occurs, many are taken to Heaven in "the Rapture", and those left behind are left to deal with seven-years of "tribulations". That last part explains the title of the

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081981503614321502004-04-14T18:25:00.000-04:002004-04-14T18:27:54.826-04:00

Ahhhh, life in Hawaii...palm trees, tropical temperatures, some of the most beautiful vistas in the world, and it's still in the United States! Still, all is not perfect in this version of paradise. Due to the cost of transporting goods to the islands, the cost of living is high, as are the taxes I've heard. And it's more than a little isolated. Someone with an average, middle-class salary

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081978863069028642004-04-14T17:41:00.000-04:002004-04-14T17:43:54.030-04:00

For those of you reading from outside Maine or Massachusetts, you may not know that next Monday is Patriot's Day in these two states. For that matter, many people in Maine and Massachusetts don't know it. It's not exactly a day when the world comes to a stop, but certain government institutions, all schools, and some random other entities are closed on that day. It's to observe the anniversary

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081978255227693692004-04-14T17:30:00.000-04:002004-04-14T17:33:46.326-04:00

That quote is known around St. Blog's as "The Dale Price Rule", since it originated with fellow blogger Dale Price of Dyspeptic Mutterings. I've got some very heavy stuff going on in my life right now, but it is not going to become fodder for postings here other than the occasional request for prayers as needed. At this point, they are needed on an ongoing basis, and may be needed even moreso

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081894183957107312004-04-13T18:09:00.000-04:002004-04-13T18:12:34.373-04:00

I received some long-dreaded news today that is likely to have a very negative impact on the rest of my life. My Catholic faith is my fortress and prayer is my weapon. I offer all of my fears and anxieties up to our Savior, Jesus Christ, who was able to rise victoriously when all seemed hopelessly lost. Please, please, offer prayers to Jesus and to His Blessed Mother that I will be able to

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081812027525476322004-04-12T19:20:00.000-04:002004-04-12T19:23:16.840-04:00

Whoa! Lots of blogables tonight! This is the last one, but I could not leave it out. Here is the text of Pope John Paul II's Urbi et Orbi Message for Easter 2004, courtesy of the Vatican website: "Resurrexit, alleluia - He is risen, alleluia!" This year too the joyous proclamation of Easter, which echoed powerfully at last night's Vigil, strengthens our hope. "Why do you seek the living among

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081811461385239392004-04-12T19:11:00.000-04:002004-04-12T19:13:50.826-04:00

Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" was back in the number one spot at the movie box office this weekend, three weeks after dropping off the top. A resurgence like this is very unusual, but this is no ordinary movie. The only times the film was playing at a theater near me (an hour away) were evening showings that conflicted with Mass times during Holy Week. Otherwise, I would have gone

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081811194554962382004-04-12T19:06:00.000-04:002004-04-12T19:09:24.060-04:00

Analysts: Faith Less of a Factor for Kerry from Foxnews.com. Some excerpts: "The Massachusetts senator agrees with the church on social justice issues, including immigration, poverty, health care and the death penalty, and he did seek an annulment from the church after his first marriage. But Kerry holds different opinions from church doctrine on such issues as abortion and same-sex unions, both

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081807942611341742004-04-12T18:12:00.000-04:002004-04-12T18:15:11.996-04:00

Ha, ha, ha, hoo, hoo, hoo, hee, hee, hee!!! I crack myself up! OK, maybe you don't get it yet. Read on and you might. I blogged here late last fall that the new AA baseball team to be based in Manchester was going to be called "The New Hampshire Primaries". The post was entitled: Why Not Just Cut Out the Middleman and Name them "Ignore Us"? I was of the opinion that this was by far the

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081806135272691132004-04-12T17:42:00.000-04:002004-04-12T17:45:04.233-04:00

The question was: "Who should be invited to have their feet washed at the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday?" The results: *Men only (70.0%) *Men and women (10.0%) *The ceremony shouldn't be part of the Mass. (10.0%) *Men, women and children (5.0%) *Women only (5.0%) I guess how one votes all depends on how one is interpreting the role of the apostles in John 13:1-17.

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081635832829136772004-04-11T10:54:00.000-04:002004-04-11T11:08:56.246-04:00

ALLELULIA! Luke 24:1-8 At daybreak on the first day of the week they [Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James] took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb; but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were puzzling over this, behold, two men in dazzling garments appeared to them. They

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081694266877224982004-04-11T10:37:00.000-04:002004-04-11T10:40:34.686-04:00

Having lived my entire life in the Diocese of Portland, and having been a parishioner in three parishes, in addition to a visitor in a countless number of others, I can tell you that these articles about St. Gabriel's in Winterport and their devotion to the Stations of the Cross and St. Louis Church in Portland and their celebration of Easter with Polish traditions are typical of the kind of

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081633177299488142004-04-10T17:39:00.000-04:002004-04-11T10:10:57.750-04:00

The pope is pretty worn out about now, as most Catholic clergy tend to be at this point in Holy Week. I've been to more than one Easter Vigil Mass where the priest's voice was either hoarse or practically gone. JP2 truncated his homily somewhat according to the Vatican, and had some cardinals do some of the singing for him, but other than that, he held up well. It's probably a good thing he

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081605833442510102004-04-10T10:03:00.000-04:002004-04-10T10:19:44.623-04:00

It's the time for those sugary secular Easter icons, the Marshmallow Peeps, to take their annual fifteen minutes of fame. In their honor, here is an historic timeline of these sugary little critters that (I think) are better slightly stale. The timeline comes courtesy of the Just Born Company at http://www.marshmallowpeeps.com, a.k.a. "Peepsville". Marshmallow Peeps® History 1910 – Sam Born

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081604450861798572004-04-10T09:40:00.000-04:002004-04-10T09:50:15.436-04:00

It's difficult to imagine what things were like in Jerusalem the day after Jesus' death. Many of his believers had turned against him, and most of the rest were now likely completely disillusioned. "Another false messiah" must have been on the lips of many of the common people. The apostles must have been beside themselves with fear and doubt. This man, who they believed to be Son of God

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081692701902773112004-04-09T22:09:00.000-04:002004-04-11T10:14:29.966-04:00

Here is a translation of John Paul II's address at the conclusion of the Stations of the Cross he presided over on Good Friday night at the Colosseum in Rome from Zenit.org. "Venit hora!" The hour has come! The hour of the Son of man. As every year, we follow Christ's "Via Crucis" around the Colosseum and participate in that "hour" in which the Redemption was fulfilled. "Venit hora crucis!

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081521637044224032004-04-09T10:40:00.000-04:002004-04-09T10:43:22.890-04:00

As we observe Good Friday, let us keep in the forefront of our prayer intentions the people in Iraq, both foreign military and civilian people there with a job to do, as well as innocent Iraqi citizens. A small group of terrorists is creating chaos in that country which has already suffered so much for so long. Let us offer up the suffering of the innocents to Our Lord Jesus, in communion with

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081521214118124942004-04-09T10:33:00.000-04:002004-04-09T10:37:07.263-04:00

From Zenit.org: "He loved them to the end" (John 13:1). Before celebrating the last Pasch with the disciples, Jesus washed their feet. With a gesture that normally corresponded to a servant, he wished to impress upon the minds of the apostles the meaning of what was about to take place. In fact, the passion and death constitute the fundamental service of love with which the Son of God has

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081518811000210852004-04-09T09:53:00.000-04:002004-04-09T10:10:27.046-04:00

This is one translation of The Reproaches of Good Friday from the original Latin. The italicized text is read or chanted by the presider, and the congregation responds with the bold text. My people, what have I done to you? How have I offended you? Answer me! I led you out of Egypt, from slavery to freedom: you led your Saviour to the cross. Holy is God Holy and strong! Holy

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081449746311570612004-04-08T14:42:00.000-04:002004-04-08T14:45:11.310-04:00

I was reading over some Lenten reflections when I came across the text of some alternative Stations of the Cross written by Pope John Paul and used on Good Friday of 1991. They are, according to the U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops' website, "a way of reflecting more deeply on the Scriptural accounts of Christ's passion". A link to them on the U.S.C.C.B. site is here at: http://www.usccb.org/

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081436774778891662004-04-08T11:06:00.000-04:002004-04-08T11:12:50.810-04:00

Last night, I attended the Mass of the Holy Oils for the northern portion of the Diocese of Portland, celebrated by Most Rev. Richard J. Malone, our bishop for a full week now. The Diocese of Portland is a vast one geographically, with over 360 miles of sometimes rough terrain separating the most northerly parish from the most southerly. A single Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday morning in Portland

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081429048617896672004-04-08T08:57:00.000-04:002004-04-08T09:24:59.233-04:00

It's the holiest time of the year in Catholicism. Here are some of the highlights of what the Pope John Paul II had to say about the triduum at his general audience yesterday, courtesy of Zenit.org: "Christ Jesus ... humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him" (Philippians 2:8-9). We just heard these words of the hymn contained

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081389224437400082004-04-07T21:53:00.000-04:002004-04-07T22:09:48.700-04:00

I just landed back home after not small amount of driving to the Mass of the Holy Oils celebrated by Bishop Malone for this part of the Diocese of Portland. Very moving and very impressive! I'll blog more about it tomorrow. I've taken Holy Thursday and Good Friday off from work to reflect, meditate, and pray, and writing for this blog often helps me do these things. Much... too...... tired...

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081293082663034272004-04-06T19:11:00.000-04:002004-04-06T19:17:45.920-04:00

...not "funny=ha, ha", but "funny=strange". No two people will have exactly the same opinion or interpretation of a piece of fine art. Tom at Recta Ratio and I have been bantering back and forth a little about art, and in particular about images of the crucifixion. It brought to the surface something I've felt for some time: too many paintings and other artworks depicting the life of Christ

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081208902247601782004-04-05T19:48:00.000-04:002004-04-05T19:51:04.360-04:00

A Black Hole A Vacuum Cleaner A Lamprey Eel

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081202507869182082004-04-05T18:01:00.000-04:002004-04-05T19:33:38.186-04:00

Excerpts from the MSNBC article: Mel Gibson made a surprise visit to the St. Joseph Home for the Aged, in Louisville, Kentucky, where he gave a screening of his controversial film “The Passion of the Christ.” Gibson also made a donation to the center, which is run by a group of Catholic nuns called Little Sisters of the Poor. “Mel wanted to come bring his DVD to the shut-in people who wouldn’t

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081201699384243432004-04-05T17:48:00.000-04:002004-04-05T17:51:01.403-04:00

Here is the full text of Bishop Malone's homily given at his installation Mass last week in Portland. I was going to post the whole thing on this blog, but it's rather lengthy. Still, it is an inspiring message and all Maine Catholics, and Catholics "from away" too, should find it worth reading. Weather permitting, I'll be making a mini-pilgrimage this week to a parish a ways from here for

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081126575415100052004-04-04T20:56:00.000-04:002004-04-04T20:58:56.310-04:00

James, the Catholic Packer Fan presented an excellent question in the comments box of a post over at Catholic Ragemonkey that I am going to toss out here. What in the world is one supposed to do with the palms one has from last year? As sacramental items, there must be a protocol for disposing of them reverently. The trash can doesn't seem reverent, to say the least, and I don't know if it

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081115036103908342004-04-04T17:43:00.000-04:002004-04-04T17:46:37.013-04:00

You might notice that I changed the poll I originally had in place for Holy Week. The original question was for you the reader to choose the most spiritually moving celebration of Holy Week for you personally, and I knew before I even put it together that it was not a great one. In just 24 hours, everyone else voted for the Easter Vigil and then there was my lone vote for Holy Thursday Mass of

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081096581479528912004-04-04T12:36:00.000-04:002004-04-04T12:39:02.280-04:00

They have just stepped into the most intense week of the year, Holy Week. The very task of coming up with a meaningful homily for each of the services that are to come in the week is daunting in itself, but there are also the logistics of have all the right people and all the right things ready and in the right places at the right times. There are choirs to whip into top shape, complicated

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081095192826801032004-04-04T12:13:00.000-04:002004-04-04T12:22:19.436-04:00

Tighter Security as Pope Ushers in Palm Sunday from Reuters via Yahoo News. Pope John Paul II sprinkles Holy Water at Palm Sunday Mass at the Vatican Some homily snippets from the article: "Do not be afraid to go against the current," the pope, wearing resplendent red vestments, told the young people. He urged them to shun the pack mentality of a material society. "Certainly, the message

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081094778655742892004-04-04T12:06:00.000-04:002004-04-04T12:08:59.843-04:00

Lk 19:28-40 Jesus proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem. As he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples. He said, "Go into the village opposite you, and as you enter it you will find a colt tethered on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. And if anyone should ask you, 'Why are you untying it?' you will answer,

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081050065468553972004-04-03T22:41:00.000-05:002004-04-03T22:45:08.153-05:00

I read this in a booklet of Lenten reflections the other day and felt compelled to share it here in time for Palm Sunday. It's a very old tale of unknown origin, most likely not at all true, but moving nonetheless. Once there was a donkey who was strong, smart, but smaller than the other donkeys. Because of his size, he was often overlooked when people needed a donkey to ride. One day the

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081046626315411002004-04-03T21:43:00.000-05:002004-04-03T21:57:10.046-05:00

For I am entirely sick of eating them and do not plan to do so again for some time. These fishy Fridays we've been having are getting very old, very fast. Seafood is okay, but every single Friday for two meals these past six weeks has me all "fished-out". I think I'm going to order a nice cheese pizza on Good Friday, and then wait until a lobster feed this summer before my lips touch seafood

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081046020211012482004-04-03T21:33:00.000-05:002004-04-03T21:36:20.576-05:00

The question was: "What type of sacramental wine does your parish church typically use?" The results: *Red (87.5%) *White (12.5%) Yeah, I figured as much. It makes sense. My parish has been using white wine since the early 1980s, and I'm not sure why. The first few years when the Holy Blood was offered in the late 1970s, it was red wine, then it was inexplicably switched in the

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081045678428337272004-04-03T21:27:00.000-05:002004-04-03T22:02:14.903-05:00

FIRING #1--Why is so much emphasis placed on the passion of Christ instead of His triumphant entry into Jerusalem on this Sunday before Easter? Good Friday seems like the place for the actual passion gospel reading and music. Putting an emphasis on how high the citizens of Jerusalem placed Jesus on a pedastal on Palm Sunday, at the beginning of the same week in which they would condemn Him to

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081002985553356512004-04-03T09:36:00.000-05:002004-04-03T09:39:34.043-05:00

Tomorrow is the big day: OPENING DAY OF THE REGULAR SEASON! For me, that means winter is officially over, regardless of what the thermometer says. Game number one is tomorrow night at Camden Yards in Baltimore against the Orioles at 8:05 on ESPN2. The Red Sox April schedule can be found here in a corner of their official site. The new "Murderer's Row" of (l. to r.) Curt Schilling, Pedro

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081002194486083972004-04-03T09:23:00.000-05:002004-04-03T09:25:54.356-05:00

Even though its heyday was before my time, I have loved the music of the Motown sound for a long, long time. Most of the best of Motown is so passionate and uplifting, it literally can brighten your day just by showing up on the radio. And there is no denying the God-given talent of the singers, songwriters and musicians behind these songs. Motown Records celebrates its 45th aniversary this

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081000517039938162004-04-03T08:55:00.000-05:002004-04-03T08:57:56.450-05:00

Zenit.org is running a story today entitled: Pope Sees "Moment of Hope" for Church in U.S., But Warns Nation Is Losing a Sense of the Transcendent Some excerpts: "Precisely because American society is confronted by a disturbing loss of the sense of the transcendent and the affirmation of a culture of the material and the ephemeral, it desperately needs such a witness of hope [the Church]," the

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1081000213237112202004-04-03T08:50:00.000-05:002004-04-03T08:52:52.716-05:00

John Paul II's special prayer intentions this month are for the solid formation of priests and seminarians, and the development of Christian community's missionary spirit. The general intention for April is: "That solid preparation of the candidates for holy orders and permanent training of ordained ministers may be carefully provided for." The missionary intention is: "That the missionary

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080946649896943292004-04-02T17:57:00.000-05:002004-04-02T18:00:09.450-05:00

Thanks to those of you who offered comments and suggestions on where I might make a peaceful and reflective pilgrimage within driving distance of Maine. My first thoughts went to St. Anne de Beaupre in Quebec and the Divine Mercy Shrine in Massachusetts, but thanks to some readers, I have some others to consider now. The one that interests me the most, spiritually and geographically, is the

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080873578034035162004-04-01T21:39:00.000-05:002004-04-01T21:42:16.310-05:00

Lately, I have a very strong urge to make a religious pilgrimage of some kind to refresh my soul and experience my faith in a different setting and maybe from a different prespective. It would need to be within driving distance of the state of Maine, since I'm not up to long or expensive trip right now. I'd also prefer to take this pilgrimage on my own, so I can come and go, spending my time

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080862726964093032004-04-01T18:38:00.000-05:002004-04-01T18:41:24.983-05:00

Maine's new bishop, Richard Malone, got high marks all around after his installation Mass in Portland yesterday. He came across as open, sincere, committed, and quick-witted. He is definitely a major contrast to outgoing Bishop Joseph Gerry, and that is probably a good thing, given what the diocese is facing. Bishop Gerry is the kind of man with whom you would feel you would need to watch your

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080778710813347722004-03-31T19:18:00.000-05:002004-03-31T19:21:08.140-05:00

Take a look at the beatitudes preached by Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-12). Don't a lot of those conditions apply to the condition of the Iraqi people under the reign of Saddam Hussein? Mourning, meek, hungering and thirsting for justice, persecuted? Now he's gone, and the people who lived under his regime are seeing their country being built into something greater than it

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080774784303935802004-03-31T18:13:00.000-05:002004-03-31T18:17:58.280-05:00

Liberal Talk Radio Network Launches from the Associated Press via Yahoo News. Oh, I could go on and on and have great fun making sport of this, but with Holy Week on the horizon, I choose to be (relatively) kind and say, in the spirit of free speech, "Good luck Air America. I'd prefer a window seat, and I'll have the fish. Thanks for the free peanuts and please don't lose my luggage." I

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080773733955179352004-03-31T17:55:00.000-05:002004-03-31T17:58:10.716-05:00

...not quite the same as the old boss, it seems. The Very Rev. Richard Joseph Malone was installed as the 11th bishop of the Diocese of Portland today at a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Sean O'Malley at Portland's Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Maine's media outlets are as good as any, but a story such as the installation of the new bishop in the Portland Diocese won't really be in

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080691712849366032004-03-30T19:08:00.000-05:002004-03-30T19:11:09.326-05:00

Not a good week to be an aged, sophisticated Englishman in showbiz! We should be grateful for the quality which both of these contributed to the entertainment industry. May God rest their souls, (though frankly, I thought the both of them had already died). Who's next, Alec Guiness? Lawrence Olivier? Oh, whoops, wait a minute...

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080691547483729522004-03-30T19:05:00.000-05:002004-03-30T19:08:24.000-05:00

I just caught a bit about this at the end of NBC Nightly News tonight. Apparently the dieting craze has gone so far as to spawn a diet based on the Bible, to be published in a book next month: The Maker's Diet by Jordan Rubin. If you really want to lose weight, try John the Baptist's diet (locusts and wild honey). It wouldn't be my thing, but maybe I could write a diet book based on that and

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080690207193978132004-03-30T18:43:00.000-05:002004-03-30T18:46:57.483-05:00

Well, maybe this post's title is more than just a little hyperbole on my part, but in the very first game of the 2004 major league baseball season (played in baseball-crazy Tokyo, Japan), the perennial underdog Tampa Bay Devil Rays (total player payroll=$29.2 million), made sushi out of the mighty New York Yankees (total player payroll=$182.8 million). The final score was Tampa-8, Yanks-3. The

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080689326239325522004-03-30T18:28:00.000-05:002004-03-30T18:35:57.856-05:00

Pope to Keep a Full Holy Week Schedule from the Associated Press via Yahoo News. You've got to hand it to Pope John Paul, he is one courageous guy. If you've read anything of his early life in Poland, then you already know how he bravely stood up to the Nazis and then the Communists as they supressed the Catholic Church in his homeland. In 1981 he was shot in the abdomen and gravely wounded,

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080603461428851432004-03-29T18:37:00.000-05:002004-03-29T18:40:16.610-05:00

There's an interesting story out of Vermont regarding a Catholic parish that has voted to allow a major phone company to install cell phone towers in their church's bell tower. The full story is here at Catholic News Service: Cell phone antenna plan divides Vermont parish. On the one hand, there are the concerns about using chruch property for commercial purposes and the always underlying fear

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080602635778499722004-03-29T18:23:00.000-05:002004-03-29T18:29:39.390-05:00

Archbishop John Foley, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications is a smart guy. If even some of the mainstream media outlets here in the U.S. adhered to the advice he gave in a speech in Rome the other day, we would all be so much better off. "All forms of social communication," he said, "evidence three basic principles: the priority of truth -- we are never justified in

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080488243459978602004-03-28T10:37:00.000-05:002004-03-28T10:40:43.543-05:00

Iceberg Off Western Greenland Painted Red from the Associated Press via Yahoo News. No, it's not a protest, it's "art". Go figure. From the article: "We all have a need to decorate Mother Nature because it belongs to all us," Danish artist Marco Evaristti said Thursday. "This is my iceberg; it belongs to me." ART?!?!? Which is it Marco? Does nature (of which that berg is a part) belong to

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080487272678046982004-03-28T10:21:00.000-05:002004-03-28T10:24:52.293-05:00

When I looked at the calendar, today's date struck me for some reason as one I should remember. I went through all the birthdays and anniversaries and turned up nothing. I still don't know what it is, but here are some things that did happen on this day in history: EVENTS: *NUCLEAR ACCIDENT AT THREE MILE ISLAND: March 28, 1979 *PRESIDENT EISENHOWER DIES: March 28, 1969 *BEATLES BREAK ELVIS'

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080486145319346032004-03-28T10:02:00.000-05:002004-03-28T10:10:32.356-05:00

The Vatican is slated to release a long-awaited document on the monkeyshines in the liturgy that drive many of us so crazy, officially termed "liturgical abuses" sometime in April. A draft got out last summer, and some concern was expressed at not only the strictness of the contents, but the harshness of the tone. It has since been revised, but reportedly still has its "teeth". Cardinals

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080483438045202162004-03-28T09:17:00.000-05:002004-03-28T09:34:55.263-05:00

The Maine Sunday Telegram today features an article and interview with Bishop Richard J. Malone, who will be installed as 11th Bishop of Portland this Wednesday at the Cathedral of The Immaculate Conception in Portland. Of course, in typical media fashion, they took the most tantalizing aspect of the article, the fact that he took a year away from the priesthood for discernment of his vocation

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080445961643115932004-03-27T22:52:00.000-05:002004-03-27T23:08:17.420-05:00

Check out A Dusty, Sunny Corner: A book discussion forum for Catholics, moderated by Fr. Shane Tharp. He's proposed Meditations Before Mass by Msgr. Romano Guardini as the book for April, along with the following reading schedule, which he says averages out to about seven pages a day: Due Date: April 9th-- Read chs. 1-7 Due Date: April 16th-- Read chs. 8-16 Due Date: April 23th-- Read chs. 17-

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080430634937638222004-03-27T18:37:00.000-05:002004-03-27T18:57:04.513-05:00

I've just come from Saturday vigil Mass, and the gospel reading for this week was the story of Jesus "rescuing" the adulterous woman from being stoned to death by the Pharisees and their mob, who brought her before Him in order to trick Him. The reading is from John's gospel, and does not mention the woman by name. Popular tradition has held that it was Mary Magdelene, though I don't believe

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080261046588295952004-03-27T18:30:00.000-05:002004-03-27T19:13:01.403-05:00

Red Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra Nomar probably will miss Opening Day: Red Sox shortstop still bothered by injured Achilles' from MSNBC.com. American League Pre-Season Standings as of 3/27 (for what it's worth, which isn't much) Team (W-L) 1. Minnesota (16-8) 2. Seattle (13-8) 3. Boston (14-9) 4. NY Yankees (13-9) 5.

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080429270540195402004-03-27T18:14:00.000-05:002004-03-27T18:17:03.890-05:00

The question was: "With an increasing number of public places banning perfumes, colognes, and other scented body products for the benefit of those whose health is sensitive to them, should the Church recommend the same?" The results: *No (60.0%) *No, but advance notice should be given when incense will be used (26.7%) *Yes, but only at the individual parish level (13.3%) *Yes (0.0%)

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080402628277162062004-03-27T10:50:00.000-05:002004-03-27T10:53:01.593-05:00

St. Blog's is kind of like a real parish in that one person says something to someone else, they pick it up and tell someone else, and soon it spreads rapidly. Fortunately, the kinds of things that work their way through St. Blog's grapevine are usually good. Not always so in brick-and-mortar parishes. Nathan at The Tower refers to Fr. Keyes at The New Gasparian who refers to Bishop Thomas

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080397751788357322004-03-27T09:29:00.000-05:002004-03-27T09:31:44.560-05:00

Since Ash Wednesday, the holy water fonts in my parish church have been filled with sand instead of holy water. It's not an issue that makes my blood boil or my hair stand on end, but it seems unnecessary. Lent is indeed a time of fasting from things that might but barriers between us and God, but I don't think a sacramental like holy water would qualify as one of those barriers. Interestingly

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080345370061962422004-03-26T18:56:00.000-05:002004-03-26T19:00:09.826-05:00

I filled up the tank on Ol' Red today, or at least, I tried. My wallet was empty long before my gas tank was full. Regular unleaded gasoline was $1.92 per gallon today, the highest I can remember it being since I started driving almost 20 years ago. It seems like just yesterday (actually it was this very time of year back in 1999) that I pulled into a gas station to top off the tank even

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080343347912683692004-03-26T18:22:00.000-05:002004-03-26T18:25:00.153-05:00

Pets in New Mexico City May Have to Buckle Up from Reuters via Yahoo News. Lead: "The city of Santa Fe may soon require pet owners to restrain their dogs, cats and ferrets in special pet seats or with seat belts while traveling in a moving vehicle." Yeah, good luck getting Mr. Kitty Cat buckled up in your Subarus, Santa Fe folks! It takes an hour, leather gloves and a first aid kit just to

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080342773080665702004-03-26T18:12:00.000-05:002004-03-26T18:15:25.450-05:00

Since when does the head of the Roman Catholic Church urging people to keep holy the Sabbath fall under the category of "Oddly Enough"? Yet that's where this news article is being run in both Reuters' and Yahoo's news sites. Pope Says Sundays for God, Not Sports From the article: "When Sunday loses its fundamental meaning and becomes subordinate to a secular concept of 'weekend' dominated by

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-108016833786005322004-03-26T17:45:00.000-05:002004-03-28T10:27:53.966-05:00

I am late on reporting this story, which would have been perfect a week ago. It seems that God was feeling Irish and as a result, the polar bears at the Singapore Zoological Gardens have turned green, completely naturally. Behold: Well, as of that photo, taken on February 23, the zookeepers had bleached Mom (Sheba) with hydrogen peroxide so she's not so green anymore. Her 13-year-old son

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080259621299140222004-03-25T19:07:00.000-05:002004-03-25T19:09:32.780-05:00

Congress Passes Laci and Conner's Law from FoxNews.com. This unborn victims bill makes it criminal to harm or kill fetus during violent crime. A sensible piece of legislation long past due, if you ask me. We;ve still got a way to go to protect the unborn though.

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080259282690258412004-03-25T19:01:00.000-05:002004-03-25T19:03:54.250-05:00

...between St. Patrick's Day, St. Joseph's Day and the Annunciation of the Lord, there sure are a lot of wondrous things to celebrate during this most solemn season of Lent. Sticking to my Lenten sacrifices has not been easy, but I suppose if it was, it wouldn't be much of a sacrifice, would it?

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080259058298091242004-03-25T18:57:00.000-05:002004-03-25T19:00:47.610-05:00

That is absolutely one of the greatest affirmations in the history of humankind. It was made, by a frightened Jewish teenage girl from the middle of nowhere whose complete and total faith in God overrode her anxieties and uncertainties. Today is the Feast of the Annunciation of Jesus Birth to the Virgin Mary by the Archangel Gabriel. Lk 1:26-38 The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080171353941621592004-03-24T18:35:00.000-05:002004-03-24T18:38:24.030-05:00

...not only if you are a big fan of Pope John Paul, but also if you are a history buff. Fortunately, I fit into both categories. In new book, pope describes confrontations with communist authorities by John Thavis of Catholic News Service. According to the article, it begins in 1958, when John Paul learned about his episcopal appointment during a canoe trip in the Polish mountains, and covers

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080170837446250852004-03-24T18:27:00.000-05:002004-03-24T18:29:47.640-05:00

Finally, after what seems like an awfully long time, the Supreme Court is about to take up the "Pledge of Alliegance" issue. See Supreme Court Takes Up 'Under God' from FoxNews.com. Based on other federal court rulings lately, I've got a bad feeling about this.

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080086835841613342004-03-23T19:07:00.000-05:002004-03-23T19:09:45.326-05:00

Yeah, I know, "here he goes on another saint no one's ever heard of". Indulge me. He was a pal of St. Patrick. According to www.catholic-forum.com's Patron Saints Index: Gwinear was born the son of the pagan King Clito of Ireland in the fifth century. When Saint Patrick arrived at Clito's court, the king was hostile; but Gwinear recognized Patrick's sincerity and piety, treated him well, and

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080086350023229682004-03-23T18:59:00.000-05:002004-03-23T19:01:38.780-05:00

The state of Maine has about 1.3 million people, about 234,000 of whom are registered Catholics. It was recently announced by the Diocese of Portland that Bishop Gerry proclaimed that 409 individuals are now members of the elect who will receive the sacraments during the celebration of the Paschal Mystery this Easter. That doesn't include the babies who will be baptized, the children who will

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080085833228160222004-03-23T18:50:00.000-05:002004-03-23T18:53:02.090-05:00

Saw it. Liked it. Not Oscar material. Great cinematography. Take "Indiana Jones", "Dances with Wolves", "Seabiscuit", mix, dilute the quality some, and you'll have "Hidalgo". Go see it. Worth price of ticket and box of Milk Duds. Three out of four stars. I wrote a much more insightful and detailed review of "Hidalgo" on Sunday night about which I was quite happy. However, in an

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080085083472552272004-03-23T18:38:00.000-05:002004-03-23T18:40:32.500-05:00

There has been lots in the news lately about how Americans are racking up huge personal debts like never before, and credit cards are the main culprits. Ever since I got my first one in college, I've marvelled at how very simple credit cards are to use. I could walk into an electronics store without a penny to my name but with a credit card in my pocket, and walk out the proud owner of a

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1080084132248594182004-03-23T18:22:00.000-05:002004-03-23T18:24:41.500-05:00

Even with filters, it seems that a preponderance of junk gets into my e-mail inbox every day. I'd have to say that at least 75% of what I find in there tends to be unsolicited garbage. As I was shovelling out the spam today, I began to fantasize how great my life would be if all those claims the spam people made were actually legit. (Cue cheesy smoke and harp sound effects here to begin

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1079997183394436482004-03-22T18:13:00.000-05:002004-03-23T17:51:46.246-05:00

The impetus of this poll comes from my job as a faceless corporate hack. I've been there for six months (seems like six decades), and really have been less than impressed with corporate culture in general, and this company's in particular. All of my other jobs have been in the public sector or for small businesses, so this has been a real eye-opener. Thankfully, it's just a "port in a storm"

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1079996054831726212004-03-22T17:54:00.000-05:002004-03-22T17:56:42.653-05:00

98% of the time, I am generally satisfied with Blogger, the provider which hosts this blog. But, oh, that other 2%! I spent a considerable amount of time last evening writing a review of a film I had just gone to see ("Hidalgo"), only to get the "Blogger screen of death" when I went to post it. Those of you who've been with Blooger know of what I speak. It's when you hit the "post" button,

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1079881389355435432004-03-21T10:03:00.000-05:002004-03-21T18:36:31.483-05:00

I am quite gratified that the youth ministry of my parish leads the Stations of the Cross each Friday during Lent. When I was an altar boy, I was asked to serve at the Stations by the priests, but was usually the youngest person in the church by about 40 years. According to some things I've read lately, the Stations of the Cross are regaining interest with young people. This could partly be

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1079880429173641202004-03-21T09:47:00.000-05:002004-03-21T10:07:19.936-05:00

Philly's Veterans Stadium Imploded from FoxNews.com. The former home of MLB's Philadelphia Phillies and the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles has been replaced by two new stadiums. The Eagles played in theirs last season, and the Phillies are gearing up to start the season in their new digs in a couple of weeks. I've never been to Veteran's Stadium, but by all accounts, it was the most uncomfortable,

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1079880012622795712004-03-21T09:40:00.000-05:002004-03-21T09:42:39.263-05:00

'DAWN OF THE DEAD' KNOCKS 'CHRIST' OFF TOP SPOT AT BOX OFFICE from Box Office Mojo via The Drudge Report. You knew "The Passion" would slip from the top eventually, but to this movie?!?!?

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1079878625390891032004-03-21T09:17:00.000-05:002004-03-21T09:19:32.340-05:00

The question was: "Opening day of the baseball season at Fenway Park in Boston coincides with Good Friday. Which matches your sentiment best?" The results: *The Red Sox should not play on that day. (66.7%) *Neither. (33.3%) *The archdiocese should dispense of abstinence from meat that day. (0.0%) I don't think the Red Sox should cancel their game or the archdiocese should give

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1079791703611260812004-03-20T09:08:00.000-05:002004-03-20T09:10:49.686-05:00

Couples law blasted by GOP, church from the Bangor Daily News. Lead: "Maine House Republicans and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland chastised majority Democrats on Friday for passing a domestic partnership law that extends inheritance benefits to same-sex couples under limited circumstances. The diocese and GOP lawmakers claimed the initial 72-60, party-line vote on LD 1579 would unravel

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1079790677405964812004-03-20T08:51:00.000-05:002004-03-20T08:53:42.856-05:00

This message board site is a great way for those of us who are members of St. Blog's to just chat about whatever, much as one might at a coffee social after Sunday morning Mass. Too often, the only interactions we have with each other as fellow bloggers at St. Blog's are in direct reference to a particular post one or the other of us have made. Visit! Read! Contribute! This could be a vital

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1079740117224810142004-03-19T18:48:00.000-05:002004-03-19T18:51:02.140-05:00

J.J. Jackson, original MTV VJ, dies at 62 from MSNBC.com. He collapsed and died of an apparent heart attack on Wednesday. Not only was Jackson a major force in the emergence of music video and its "golden age" in the early and mid 80s, but he was also a legend in the broadcast radio business. He came to the forefront at WBCN in Boston, and then made the move to L.A. where he worked for several

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1079738706971628302004-03-19T18:25:00.000-05:002004-03-19T18:59:55.793-05:00

All right, picture this: You're a middle-aged man from a poor but respected family, pretty well-known in your small town for being an upstanding guy, devoted to your religion, gifted in your trade as a carpenter, and engaged to be married to the most beautiful, gentle and kind young woman you've ever known in your life. Then, *BOOM!*, just before the marriage, your fiancee tells you she's

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1079736344407781022004-03-19T17:45:00.000-05:002004-03-19T17:48:09.310-05:00

Bishop Gerry salutes 'years of blessing' by Gregory D. Kesich of the Portland Press Herald. From the article: [Portland Diocese] Bishop Joseph Gerry quietly said goodbye to his flock Thursday at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. The vespers service was the last official function for Gerry as the leader of Maine's 234,000 Roman Catholics. He will be replaced March 31 with the

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1079735891749077962004-03-19T17:38:00.000-05:002004-03-19T18:33:35.076-05:00

I live in a place where, when the sun shines and it gets up to 37 degrees with no wind, the phrase "Feels like spring, doesn't it?" comes off the tongue of nearly everyone you meet. Feels more like a good temperature for storing a side of beef, if you ask me. The season of spring allegedly begins here at 1:49 a.m. Saturday morning. It will be spring in name only for a while. The weather

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1079735731186466112004-03-19T17:35:00.000-05:002004-03-19T17:37:57.796-05:00

Trump Wants to Trademark 'You're Fired' from FoxNews.com. Sorry Donald, but I think someone else beat you to it. Remember Mr. Spacely, George Jetson's boss at Spacely's Sprockets on "The Jetsons"? He rumbled out that same phrase near every Saturday morning for years before you even had to think of getting that lousy hair weave. But Donald, I understand the phrase "I'm a rich, greedy scumball"

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-1079049719677727552004-03-19T17:20:00.000-05:002004-03-19T17:24:39.030-05:00

St. Joseph's Day is today, of course. First: Say the Day Nine Prayer Then: Saint Joseph, I, your unworthy child, greet you. You are the faithful protector and intercessor of all who love and venerate you. You know that I have special confidence in you and that, after Jesus and Mary, I place all my hope of salvation in you, for you are especially powerful with God and will never abandon your

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5565288.post-107965332739102902004-03-18T18:42:00.000-05:002004-03-18T18:44:58.733-05:00

It is easy being green! The Red Sox switched to green uniforms for St. Patrick's Day play yesterday, and churned out a 3-1 win over the Cleveland Indians behind six impressive innings of pitching by Curt Schilling. I am so thrilled that we've got Schilling on board. If only we had landed the A-Rod deal! Nomar O'Garciaparra in his "Green Sox" uniform on St. Pat's Day, 2004

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784151622057010987noreply@blogger.com