Westside Paulist

A Week of Medicine

2006-05-12T17:03:00.000-04:00

Much of my time and energy this past week was spent at Sloan-Kettering getting ready for the beginning of a full dose of chemotherapy for my recurrent Multiple Myeloma Cancer (bone marrow and blood). Last night they transfused with 2 units of blood to deal with the anemia I have been feeling. Then last night and this morning I began taking the chemo in oral dosage. Too early to say how all this is shaking down within my system but I am feeling a sense of different drugs doing different things in my body. One makes me alert, another makes me drowsy, but most of today went well. I appreciate your prayer and ask you also to pray for all the incredible medical people who are doing so much for me right now and in their research for the long haul.

Amnesty international and Abortion

2006-05-08T08:40:00.000-04:00

If accurate, many reports now circulating indicate that Amnesty International is about to add abortion rights to its agenda of human rights. This is a very sad development for many of us who have supported and been inspired by their work. This move is obviously dictated by the agenda of elite ideologies in the developed world and reflects nothing so much as their narrow political agenda. How this change may come about, who is pushing it and how does it get decided? Thus far, all very mysterious, or secret! A very tragic moment for a huge coalition which will now splinter apart over the most fundamental human right - the right to life itself.

Sant'Egidio, Peace and Prayer

2006-04-27T07:49:00.000-04:00

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of John Paul II's historic gathering for peace at Assisi, Sant'Egidio has brought the Peace prayer to the US for the first time here at Georgetown University. I have had the great experience of being here and participating this week. It is surely the most astounding gathering of religious, government and humanitarian leaders in years. Talks, Panels and prayer have been truly wonderful. There is a definite holding up of Andrea Riccardi's theme that war is the mother of all poverty. The US administration sent a State Depart under-secy who clearly knew nothing about the groups she was addressing and gave an offensive call for fighting the terrorists that have eluded her government's grasp. She was received politely. But the overall tenor and dedication, along a true inter-religious and ecumenical reality is astounding and give great hope to this war and poverty ridden world. Pray that the message is spread by all.

Easter: The Greatest Mutation

2006-04-18T19:40:00.000-04:00

In his homily at the Easter Vigil in St Peter's Basilica, Benedict XVI used a very striking and innovative way of talking about the Resurrection. After dismissing the notion of a resuscitated corpse, he used a fundamental concept of evolutionary theory to establish a whole new way of imaging the Resurrection:

If we may borrow the language of the theory of evolution, [the Resurrection] is the greatest "mutation", absolutely the most crucial leap into a totally new dimension that there has ever been in the long history of life and its development: a leap into a completely new order which does concern us, and concerns the whole of history.

Has there ever been a more powerful and imaginative articulation of how science and faith can provide each other with insight and brilliance?

Easter Provokes

2006-04-16T11:18:00.000-04:00

The idea that millions believe that life comes forth from even the most grisly death stands in a defined contrast with so much that compels our attention in the world and its culture. Death and destruction, a demonic assault on life, human rights and the opportunities of peoples would have believe the worst about ourselves and our neighbors. Yet today there is a graphic testimony of millions who have not surrendered to that deadly resignation. Somehow we continue in a search for better ways to bring that vision of transformed life into reality. It is truly a season of contrast and challenge. For me personally, it also means another go with the cancer that lurks within and which now claims my full attention in this season. As we all pray for ourselves and our world, please also pray that I can accept my illness and the treatments that will begin shortly.

Image: The Collar: Jonathan Englert

2006-04-12T08:07:00.000-04:00

Image: The Collar: Jonathan Englert A good friend , Jonathan Englert, has just published a wonderful book which chronicles a year in the formation of 5 men who are preparing for priesthood. The book is full of insight into the human and faith filled dimensions of the vocations described. Jonathan does a superb job and I am sure you will enjoy and relish this book - just out now.

The Prayer Study

2006-04-07T17:29:00.000-04:00

The recent flurry about the study on the effectiveness of prayer for sick people needs to have at least 2 of its inner factors immediately clarified: 1) it was the prayer of one stranger for another without the personal ties of friendship, family or even names; 2) it used the concept of intercessory prayer as almost an effort to change God's mind. I saw an image of a God strongly decided on finishing off someone and then someone begged him to change his mind and let the sick person survive. I know there are many, many notions of prayer but I would just suggest that when I pray for someone by name, I am simply expressing my love and concern for that person on the deepest and highest level I know of - the presence of God. Just as I do not think of God as some sort of puppeteer playing with our fates, I do not pray that he will change his ways or his mind. All authentic prayer is about acceptance of God, his will, my destiny and thanksgiving for all of God's gifts.

Warsaw, LA, and History

2006-03-31T17:00:00.000-05:00

Senator McCain says that the huge demonstrations and support for immigrants that have graced this country recently become a defining moment in American history. By chance, this morning I was reading an excerpt from a new biography of Pope John Paul II which described the enormous outpouring of Poles in Warsaw's victory Square during his first papal visit to his homeland and the historic consequences of that visit. (In a nice point, the author describes the then Communist leader, Edward Gierek, watching the spectacle in secret from a hotel room overlooking the Square and the workers in the offices of the Party leaning out their windows to see history being made.) Now again a seismic event has changed the political and moral atmosphere in the US about immigrants. Like its unworthy predecessors in Eastern Europe, the practioners of the politics of repression and greed have had to watch from the sidelines as something swept by on the streets, revealing them to be so solidly on the wrong side of history and morality.

Immigration Marches

2006-03-25T13:16:00.000-05:00

The complacency of the our national denial is being shattered by the widespread marches all around the country in opposition to the Immigration bill now heading toward the US Senate. The proposed law is nothing less than the scapegoating of immigrants by people who are so deeply frustrated by the dangerous policies of our government in the world. Immigrants and those who help them become a very easy target. Hence this vicious bill. One of the most astounding sights in these marches is the large turnout of high school and college students who are up in arms about this injustice so close to their own homes. We must truly persist in whatever voice we can raise to prevent the US Senate acting in such a un-American way.

Keeping Up With The Jones (if they're friends)

2006-03-21T17:39:00.000-05:00

In the last week I received two messages from old friends who want to get together for lunch here in New York this week. They are from completely separate parts of my life. One is a former Paulist Priest who has been in Relief work all over the world. The other is a woman, Roman trained theologian whom I came to know through her brother who was a student at Tufts when I was chaplain there. Ironically, they both come from Washington but are in different fields and certainly are of different generations. It makes me also reflect in the good friends that I have either lost contact with, or have just a very slight contact with. I suppose that, with friendship, everything is as circumstantial and fleeting as most things are, but I also feel a kind of neglect that really gets my attention when a friendship is somehow renewed after many years and I wonder how I could ever have so careless. Of course, perhaps I should also ask that question of the new-found old friend.

Patrick the Immigrant

2006-03-17T15:37:00.000-05:00

In my homily today I pointed to 2 sons of Ireland, Archbishop Sean Brady of Armagh, and Cardinal Roger Mahoney of LA. Both have just called out Christian attention to the immigrants that are coming to both countries. Brady is the first successor of Patrick in the see of Armagh to ever have to urge the Irish to welcome immigrants to their island. Until recently immigrants left Ireland, now they are streaming in because of the prosperity and opportunities. Mahoney is defiant of a proposed new US anti-immigrant law that would penalize even those church workers who help immigrants. This vicious law derives from the ugly hysteria that is being fanned by people like Lou Dobbs on CNN who are merely a media savvy nativist movmement. Mahoney says he and his diocese will not obey such an unjust law if it comes to pass. It is Patrick, the two-time immigrant to Ireland, whose legacy we must invoke right now.

I Set Before You...Life or Death

2006-03-16T18:51:00.000-05:00

This morning began with reading about two medical pioneers who have died and who separately did so much for cancer research. One was a leader in the early application of chemicals to cancer cell growth, the other outstanding in pain relief. I had never heard their names before but I read their obituaries with the special interest of someone who has benefited greatly from their research and applications. But then, a few hours later, news started coming of the major assault of the US and Iraq military in that sad country. The nature of this assault, nevermind all the talk about terrorists and foreign fighters, will by necessity include the deaths and injuries of large numbers of innocents who are so obscenely called "collateral damage". Once again, we see the two paths: life and death. It is especially horrible to realize that the two icons of life saving research belong to the past, while the death dealing assault is now, just beginning.

Pre-Tech

2006-03-11T12:02:00.000-05:00

I came across someone's Blog which described a lunch the writer had with a fellow Paulist here in NY. Needless to say, he is a bit astounded that I even know what they ate at the lunch. We laughed at the amazing capacity of modern technology to monitor and access almost everything. I happen to be someone who loves the wizardry of it all, but I also know many people who find it very upsetting, even frightening. I find it difficult now to really remember what it was all like before (which is most of my years). I was using the term, "pre-email," one night in describing some of those bad old days to a younger colleague. It is true that a red line does separate this age from the "pre-email" and all that symbolizes. There may be costs in terms of privacy and community but I am so grateful to have lived long enough to have all these experiences which hold out only one promise - lots more where that came from.

Different Scopes for Different Nations

2006-03-08T17:22:00.000-05:00

I hope that the current US anger about Iranian nuclear weaponry is clear to you now. For myself, I am just in favor of the destruction of all these weapons, including our own. But in the meantime, here's the US strategy. Its ok (for years now) for Israel and apartheid South Africa to have nuclear weapons on the secret. The other day, it became ok publicly for India, but not yet for Pakistan. Its always fine for the US, China, Russian, the UK and France to be armed with these weapons. But never for Iran. However, if Iran came to its sense and had a government that we liked, then it could probably have some nuclear capability. As the US says, it policy is clear and consistent, even handed and designed to make us all safe.

Lent in The Midst of It all

2006-03-07T17:08:00.000-05:00

It is a great gift to be brought up short by the season of Lent. Its been a time of massive dislocation in the world and in our nation. From the ludicrous behavior of Dick Cheney and his gun to the outbreak of a civil war in Iraq (which Cheney also messed up on). There is great confusion about Medicare and its new drug coverage and widespread nevousness about the economy, especially among those who are always hammered first - the poor and the middle class. But still lent arrives, as it has for centuries, to pull us more deeply into the gift of life, to seek a deeper life of prayer and holiness and to ready ourselves once again for redemption and resurrection. We look at the Lenten colors and rituals and we know that these 40 days are decisive. And we pray.

Cardinal Martino on US camp at Gitmo

2006-03-04T08:12:00.000-05:00

Vatican raps Guantanamo prison

Top cardinal says U.S. fails to fully respect human dignity (ANSA) - Rome, March 3 - The Vatican on Friday criticised the United States for not respecting the dignity of some 500 inmates at its Guantanamo Bay naval base prison ."It seems clear that human dignity is not being fully respected in that prison," Cardinal Renato Martino told ANSA on his return from a visit to Cuba ."Is not the trampling of man's dignity a violation of human rights? Everyone has a right to a fair trial. Wherever in the world inmates are being held in such conditions, without even knowing the charges they face, we will not fail to defend them," said the cardinal, who heads the Vatican's Justice and Peace department ."I would like to stress that even those who have committed crimes are still human beings and as such their dignity must be respected," said the cardinal .Martino visited the Caribbean island to attend celebrations for the 20th anniversary of the first bishops conference allowed following the Cuban revolution. He also held talks with Cuban leader Fidel Castro .Pressed by ANSA to say if the Vatican has ever received requests by the families of Guantanamo inmates or by humanitarian organisations to intercede with the US, Martino said he "would prefer not to reply." Pope Benedict XVI referred to Guantanamo in a recent message to youths on world peace. Although he did not directly refer to alleged violations at the prison, the German pope called for the respect of international human rights accords, saying this was a fundamental "duty for everyone." There have been several reports of abuse and torture of detainees at the US naval base, where many prisoners have been held for four years without trial .The camp was set up in 2002 to hold foreign terror suspects, many of them captured in Afghanistan .Last month, a report by five United Nations special envoys called for the prison to be closed, accusing the US of serious mistreatment of prisoners and of denying them the right to a trial .Only ten prisoners being held at the prison have been formally charged with a crime. Washington has so far flatly refused to shut down the facility, denying accusations of torture and saying the prison is needed to confine what it calls "dangerous terrorists" .Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi told Arab television station Al Jazeera recently that the prison should be closed as soon as possible .Berlusconi's call was in line with a European parliament resolution two weeks ago which also called for the closure of the detention centre and fair trials for the prisoners .In February, a US federal court judge ordered the Pentagon to publish a list of the roughly 490 Guantanamo inmates. Their names have been kept secret till now .

© Copyright ANSA. All rights reserved
2006-03-03 15:56

The Gospel vs. H.R. 4437 - New York Times

2006-03-03T08:39:00.000-05:00

Cardinal Roger Mahoney has achieved the near impossible for his ecclesiastic cohort. He receives approval today in the lead editorial of The New York Times. The Times really likes the courage he has manifested in applying his Christian faith to the civil order by asking priests and others in his archdiocese to refuse obedience to a new highly punitive law on immigrants and those who help them. I am very proud to share in the faith and witness of Cardinal Mahoney. His is a very powerful Christian witness in a time when a frustrated American middle and lower class are targeting immigrants and not the government-corporation entities as the cause of their economic problems. Mahoney's witness on this and on other social issues is a model of how faith should motivate us in the civil world. Good to see the NYT on board with this. Now will they welcome his (or any bishop's) public statements on other issues, like say, abortion? Perhaps in their wisdom the editorial writers will then detect an "imposition of one's values on other." But then that would a shallow and obvious double standard and the NYT would never do that, would they?

The Gospel vs. H.R. 4437 - New York Times

War Debate, War Divide

2006-03-02T17:17:00.000-05:00

Some very significant supporters of the President are speaking out now about the futility of the US occupation in Iraq. All the parties in Iraq seem united on the need for the US to set at least a date for withdrawal. Only some die-hards continue to find the war wise. The camps have turned any world opinion that remained with us to turn against us. We need to leave, and we need to make the announcement now.

Ash Wednesday and Death

2006-03-01T20:08:00.000-05:00

Just as this solemn day was ending, I received word of the death of a very old friend in California. She was no longer young and had just recently been diagnosed with acute leukemia. Her grand daughter described the death in beautiful, comforting words. And so my prayer is one of deep gratitude for her kindness and goodness over so many years. But mixed in those prayers are also strong pointers to the passage of time and the realization of how short all our human lives really are. And so we live on, but never so much as when we live for the day in front of us.

Public Officials Under God

2006-02-28T16:14:00.000-05:00

EJ Dionne reports on a forthcoming statement by 55 Catholic members of the House of Representatives. In the quatations that he includes here, I think there is much hope for a more comprehensive relationship between Catholic faith and the political arena. I am especially encouraged that the Representatives will claim the public role of their religious faith and insist that it does inhabit their political philosophy. On the issues of the poor and marginalized, this is clear. A stronger staement about war and armaments would be an approvement. On the seemingly intractable divide on abortion, I would like to see more recognition of the evil and harm of abortion, even for those who are willing to tolerate its legality. But the very fact that 55 members are willing to talk about their faith and its influence is a remarkable advance over the recent deadlock.

Public Officials Under God

The Cold City

2006-02-27T17:24:00.000-05:00

Today and recent days have sent a fierce and windy freeze over this city. In the winter sun, there is some comfort. As we get older, the cold becomes ever more painful and far less charming. Nonetheless it really doesn't keep us from life's appointments. Amazing. Today I ventured out for a nice lunch with some friends in Little Italy and soon again tonight for a classmate's birthday dinner. Tomorrow morning will have me plunging down 9th Avenue to St Malachy's for 8 am mass. I am always stirred at how this island with no food, no fresh water, no real resources continues to thrive and be home and workplace to millions. In the fierce heat, in the sub-zero winter, people come and go as they do on the mild days of Spring and Fall. Must be something in the concrete.

The Failure of the NeoCon Ideology

2006-02-25T15:08:00.000-05:00

Two important intellectual figures have declared in recent days that the US policy in Iraq has been a failure: William F. Buckley and Francis Fukuyama. Along with others, they were among those who had argued that, in a post-communist world, the American Superpower was obliged to make democracy universal. Hence the rhetoric of creating a truly democratic Iraq and of exporting such to other parts of the Middle East and beyond. However, when democracy in the Palestinian territories brought forth an undesired victor with the ascendancy of Hamas, the tune, and the dollars, changed drastically. A very righteous double standard emerged as the US stance and it was bloated with a rank hypocrisy that was impossible not to see and smell. More than a few NeoCons have cut and run with a belated honesty and realism. A whole American Empire is beginning to follow the laws of inevitable decline that were observed about earlier Empires thousands of years ago.

Bombing of Samarra's Al-Askariya Shiite Mosque

2006-02-23T15:49:00.000-05:00

Already a civil war seems inevitable. I ask again why the US would not support, from the beginning of the occupation, a 3 state federation for Iraq. Why all this blood now being shed for a unified Iraq that seems to be unwanted and is only the relic of some lines drawn on the map by British colonial administrators. Even my own very unscientific sampling of Arab Blogs and news outlets indicate that ordinary Arabs think the Mosque was destroyed by the US and Israel in their continued assault on Islam. Such an accusation would need much greater evidence but there is no doubt that we are so mistrusted and resented that millions of ordinary people have no problem accepting it as fact. And when it comes to Iraq and the Middle East, who is telling the truth?

Catholic and Orthodox Churches

2006-02-21T16:24:00.000-05:00

It is becoming obvious that there is strong movement toward re-union now on both sides of the East-West schism that tragicaly separates the authentically apostolic Catholic and Orthodox churches. A visit by Pope Benedict XVI to the see of the Ecumenical Patriarch in Turkey is definite for November. High Russian Orthodox sources are talking about a meeting between the Russian Patriarch and the Pope, a much desired but unattainable goal of John Paul II. The healing of the rupture, along with recognition and respect among these different Christian traditions would be a powerful witness and grace in this world which is so torn apart by religious, sectarian and ethnic hatreds. We appear to be entering a time of grace in these relationships and pray that God's will may become more discernible and obeyed in the year ahead.

The Healing of Jesus

2006-02-19T17:11:00.000-05:00

The New Testament readings at Sunday Mass have been about the healing events during the ministry of Jesus. They are never offered as magic tricks to wow the crowds and in fact, they are often cloaked in the Messianic Secret which Jesus invokes when he tells the rescued to tell no one, but of course they tell everyone. Each story reveals another dimension of the trust we are invited to place in Jesus and his healing. The shrewd gang today gets their paralyzed friend to the front of the line by opening the roof of the house where such a crowd has gathered so they can lower their friend right down in front of Jesus. Surely they gained no popularity by jumping to the head of the line. Yet their strategy speaks strongly to us about the determination and practical genius that accompanies our cry for healing. Today some of those practical smarts involve getting the right doctors and treatments, as well as learning everything we can about our conditions. With some experience in this search for healing, I can gladly testify to the blessings that come with these efforts, along with sharing one's needs with others and putting all trust in the Divine Healer who is with us whatever the outcome.

US Lags in Propaganda War: Rumsfeld - New York Times

2006-02-18T09:06:00.000-05:00

What an admission! Of course Rummy does blame the media but is he really acknowledging that wanted men on the run in the most remote mountains on the planet are beating the US in the propaganda war? Is the most advanced, techno, linked society on earth being bested at its own game by a bunch of medieval people in caves and who are probably burning twigs to keep warm? Rummy is too modest and he fails to credit himself with the monumental gifts he just gave to Al-Queda (the last in a huge, long series of gifts). He just completely dismissed the UN call for the closing of Gitmo, oblivious to all the well known atrocities there and in other detention centers but which are well known to most of the world. There is no weapon more potent in the arsenal of Al-Queda than US contempt for world opinion. Of course they are winning, and have only the American administration to thank. Our guys are so good at what they do.

US Lags in Propaganda War: Rumsfeld - New York Times

Deo Gratias

2006-02-16T19:07:00.000-05:00

Please join me in offering thanks to God and good medicine for the test results that a very dear friend received this afternoon. The news was all very good. No recurrence of her cancer, only a benign fibroid. It is not often that such blessings are so clear and so clearly documented. Her family and I have been worried for the past week and now the sun is shining once again. Let us pray for all our loved ones who suffer from cancer whether they are very sick or in remission. And we pray for all the great men and women who do research to alleviate and cure our cancers. Gratitude all around.

Cheney and the De-Stabilization of Palestine

2006-02-14T17:58:00.000-05:00

The wild, wonderful fun about the gun incident is now a bit mooted by the news of the poor guy's heart attack, but isn't it wonderful? The second time a US VP took a gun to solve a problem. The news that Bush and Israelis are already planning to starve the Palestinians when Hamas assumes power is absolute madness. We have done just that in other places (remember Chile)before with always disastrous consequences for the people and for us. The arrogance of our joint behavior will earn us enemies for many generations to come.

New York in the Snow

2006-02-12T21:11:00.000-05:00

The city was blanketed with one of the biggest snowfall in years and for a few hours it was magnificent. I did not have to venture out until about 5 when I headed out to St Malachy's to celebrate the 6 pm Mass (which was sparsely attended). Still while all that was happening, I visited someone at Sloan Kettering who had very extensive surgery on Thursday and was sitting and looking pretty well on Saturday afternoon. Tomorrow I am back to the same place to visit with some friends while one of them is having some follow up tests. So say a prayer for these friends and for all of us.

Evangelical Climate Initiative

2006-02-09T09:42:00.000-05:00

With a full page ad in today's TIMES, the Climate Initiative is very powerful. I especially cherish its clear adherence to Christian faith and its bold affirmation of the sacredness of all human life, born and unborn. Those who try to stereotype Evangelicals and their attitudes toward science will be halted by this very forthright assertion of the fact of global warming and the moral obligation to halt its death dealing power. Very well done.

Evangelical Climate Initiative

How Double Can The Standard Get?

2006-02-08T11:07:00.000-05:00

A number of the most important US media outlets, with some very few paper outlets as the exceptions, have decided not to publish the offensive Danish cartoons. Today's New Times discusses the whole issue raised by the cartoons but does not show any of the offensive cartoons. Yet somehow it finds a way to publish (once again) a photo of the dung decorated Virgin Mary that caused controversy at the Brooklyn Museum some years ago. This painting and the Piss Christ are frequently depicted in newspapers and other media, always citing freedom of speech and press to any who object. Now some Moslems around the world, who have great insight into Western deceits, are publishing cartoons that offend Western Secularists, eg. Anne Frank in bed with Hitler, a contest for the best Holocaust cartoon, etc. With more than a touch of genius, they say they just want to test the much vaunted freedom of speech and press. The early returns on these experiments are already coming in (as if the outcome were ever in doubt). Its ok to mock and pillory Jesus, Mohammed, the Catholic church, evangelical Christians. It is not permitted to mock or pillory Jews, or racial minorities (unless Arab), Holocaust claims or numbers and feminism. I think the rules are pretty clear.

Danish Cartoons

2006-02-06T19:20:00.000-05:00

We don't have to argue about any violence that is now being used as a response to the Danish cartoons. But we should also not have to argue that the original Danish cartoons were provocative and blatantly adolescent, as are all popular assaults on deeply held religious beliefs. Secularists love to shout freedom of speech and the press now, but they are very selective in their frequent shutting down of what they judge offensive to their politically correct and favored minorities. In most secular democracies, racist and anti-Semitic and anti-feminist sentiments are as rigidly suppressed as any Moslem society would suppress a mockery of the Prophet. The fact of the matter is that huge numbers in the Moslem world are furious at us and at the West for the war and occupation of Iraq, for the horrendous treatment of Moslem immigrants and workers in Western societies, and for the utterly one-sided, uncritical US support for Israel, no matter what atrocities are committed under the spurious claims of Israeli security. All this illustrates how deep the alienation has now become. We reap what we sow.

Relief Aid

2006-02-03T20:00:00.000-05:00

A very good friend of mine just emailed me upon his arrival in the Holy Land to help organize the work of Catholic Relief Services in the new political realities of the West Bank and Gaza. Naturally his family and children worry about his safety but, for him, this is the time to be there. I will be eager to hear his account of what he experiences there on the ground. How will the Hamas victory impact relief work? I suspect that groups like CRS have full credibility among all factions and will continue their necessary work. Join in our prayer for his safety and safety with good health for all the aid workers in the Middle East.

State of Whose Nation?

2006-01-31T11:50:00.000-05:00

After the confirmation of Judge Alito, Bush will arrive at the podium tonight feeling very flushed with victory. However, the nation and the world will be looking for some acknowedgement of a failed occupation in Iraq with some strategies for ending the bloody mess we have created and provoked. Will Bush step up to this with candor and energy? Will he explain how he now intends to comply with US law about spying of citizens? Will we just hear the usual self-congratulatory phrases and hollow judgments. We wait.

Watching Oprah

2006-01-28T17:11:00.000-05:00

I don't know why I have never watched a whole Oprah until the other day when she had the James Frey showdown. My sister had actually alerted me to it earlier in the day and I am grateful. My primary question was the same old one, "Where's the money?" The book will have even bigger sales now that its been revealed as largely a fabrication. Doubleday, Nan Talease, Frey and Oprah have all made their cut and now will get in line again. For all the sanctimonious posturing on the show, no one told us about the money already secured and what will happen to it and to future profits. Oprah called Frey a liar, but he did not quite admit to that (probably on legal advice) but he could have legitimately agreed and then turned on the whole bunch and said "Liars yourself." But that will be the next book, won't it?

Hamas Victory

2006-01-27T17:44:00.000-05:00

No longer can the American apologists for Israeli policies make the argument (really as a justification) that Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East. The Palestinians have spoken, loudly and democratically. The fact that many powers may not like the outcome is no warrant for interference or hectoring. Is anyone suggesting that the Canadian election might warrant such interference? The people of Palestine were probably voting first to dethrone Fatah which is corrupt and inefficient and then to offer a strong NO to the unilateral policies of Israel, the wall, the piece-meal pullout and the constant attacks on the innococent. Of course, it would be much better if now Hamas could put down the guns and negotiate from their newly acquired democratically secured mandate, but the overwhemling military and police power of Israel (paid for by the US) makes it very dangerous for the Palestinians to let down their guard. The US and others are always talking up democracy. Fine. The people of Palestine have voted and spoken. Listen up.

Roe v. Wade Anniversary

2006-01-23T13:29:00.000-05:00

Rest assured that you will not extensive media attention paid to the huge march for Life that is taking place right now in Washington. Yet most people, whatever their legal analysis, seem to now think of legalized abortion-on-demand only with sadness. Maybe there is no clear way of reform but surely the overwhelming tragedy for babies, their mothers and for all of us, cries out for remedy. Ever since the Supreme Court decision, this nation has been torn apart, and will continue that way until we find our way to a full witness to all life; unborn, poor, prisoners, refugees and the victims of violence, and until the United States ends it reliance on weapons and force.

Ordinary Time

2006-01-21T16:47:00.000-05:00

Often people make comments after Mass about the use of the term, "Ordinary Time," as in the Third Sunday of Ordinary Time (tomorrow). Of course, it is a sort of default period in which no great liturgical feasts or celebrations are taking place. Yet there is something very rich and subtle in this designation because it covers the weeks in the liturgical year that mimic many stretches of our own lives. Days, weeks, months and even years which are basically uneventful and mundane. Perhaps we are remembering a recent Christmas or family part, or looking forward to a vacation or a new baby. Right now we are in-between. We are doing much more than simply waiting or marking time. We are living each day in the fullest way possible. Ordinary Time in the liturgical year invites us to see and receive the gift of such intervals and to be ready for the unexpected to break into our ordinary time to claim our attention. We are blessed.

Scientific Fraud, Literary Deceits and Oprah

2006-01-19T09:05:00.000-05:00

More news today about fraud in a cancer study is added to the larger revelations about the stem cell debacle in South Korea. Oprah picks a book which turns out to be riddled with fake assertions but claims to be a memoir. She calls a TV show to defend the author and her pick by arguing, in effect, that even its not all true, its still an inspiring story. Then just a few days later she picks another book, Night by Elie Weisel, which has been contested for its accuracy for decades. In fact, the publisher once marketed it as fiction but now its back again as non-fiction. Its all a matter of viewpoint, of perspective, of taste. I hear again the words of then Cardinal Ratzinger about the "dictatorship of relativity." The cool shrug that usually accompanies the word, "whatever," has become the icon of this age.

Intelligent design not science, says Vatican newspaper article

2006-01-18T09:40:00.000-05:00

Here you will find a press account from Catholic New Service that provides common sense and insight into the debate over evolution, Intelligent Design, and Creationism in the US these days. The Vatican approach is not new to the Catholic Church but clearly requires re-statement in the midst of all the current confusion. We really need to end the insane conflict between science and religion that has been welcomed by religious fundamentalists and a few dogmatic scientists. Now let us continue to love God and serve him by developing all our gifts in science and research.

CNS STORY: Intelligent design not science, says Vatican newspaper article

Judge Sam Alito

2006-01-16T10:44:00.000-05:00

Even his strongest critics now concede that Alito will be confirmed by the Senate. He presented himself very well under the most embarrassing (not for him at all) circumstances which was the endless speeches from Senators Biden, Kennedy, Schumer and others. Arlen Specter rightly said at the outset: A nominee answers as many questions as he/she thinks he needs to in order to get confirmed. Abortion was the major issue and the ProChoice crowd is pretty scared about what might happen to ROE. I doubt it will be directly overturned but it will continue to be qualified by restrictions. But Alito displayed an intelligence and legal proficiency that his most ardent critics cannot match. He really earned my respect in these hearings.

Mehmet Ali Agca

2006-01-13T09:37:00.000-05:00

The release this week by a Turkish province of the man who attempted to assassinate of Pope John Paul II leads us all back many years to one of the most powerful images of the otherwise horrendous 20th century: the image of the pope visiting the Italian prison cell where Ali Agca was serving his sentence. Even within a week of the shooting, John Paul spoke from his hospital bed, extending forgiveness to this man. Some have said that his visit to the prison was an effort to make his forgiveness more tangible in person and to ask the Turk why he had shot him. Italian authorities at the time insisted, but could not prove, that Ali Agca was acting at the behest of the Bulgarians who where acting on the nod of the Soviets. Perhaps we will never know for certain exactly what was behind it. Perhaps a newly freed Al Agca will tell us. Whatever the case, the enduring and most enthralling image of that whole era, and perhaps of that century, is the one of John Paul sitting in the prison cell, his chair pulled up close to his assassin and and the forgiving hand of John Paul that rested on hands of his would-be killer.

So Korean Stem Cell Debacle

2006-01-12T15:39:00.000-05:00

The fraud in the So Korean laboratories does not make all the hype about embryonic stem cells to become automatically invalid. Yet when one looks at the scope of the publicity that informed the world about these breakthroughs, plus the wide range of the fraud itself, people are wise to become more skeptical. Embryonic stem cells have not yet proven human effectiveness. Adult stem cells have already. I am the very grateful beneficiary of such a stem cell transplant eight years ago. I have often wondered why the medical community has not been pushing more aggresively for greater funding and research for adult stem cell research which is already doing marvels. I have moral objections to the use or production of embryos for scientific experimentation. Right now there is enormous confusion about what stem cells, of either kind, can reasonably promise. This is the time to push for adult stem cell research by government and private research centers.

Truthiness

2006-01-09T11:01:00.000-05:00

I did not misspell the word in the title here because the American Dialect Society picked truthiness as the word of 2005, with blog as second. On a Media Blog about NY, the following announces the news and the slight controversy over its, can I say, truthfulness.

"Truthiness" was defined by the ADS as "the quality of preferring concepts or facts one wishes to be true, rather than concepts or facts known to be true." I think that's actually not entirely accurate. My impression was that truthiness referred to "the quality of seeming to be true, or of being spun to seem true despite what actually is true." I do agree with North Carolina State University lexicology professor Michael Adams, who said "truthiness" means "truthy, not facty." That statement is both truthy AND facty. Unlike the AP article.

Nothing could be truer that the emergence of truthiness as the word of 2005.

Celebration of Eternal Life

2006-01-07T11:38:00.000-05:00

Yesterday a number of us joined in the con-celebration of the Mass of Christian Burial for a 93 year old religious sister who was also the slightly older sister of one of our great Paulists, Fr. John Reynolds. With some help, he was able to be the main celebrant and preached a beautiful homily full of gratitude. The funeral was at the Motherhouse of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood and the entire celebration was truly a Christian prayer of thanksgiving for a life, lived long, faithfully and generously. Death is always present on our horizons and usually we do not know what to make of it. Yesterday I was vividly reminded of what Christians make of it - a prelude to God and eternal life.

Carnage in Iraq - again

2006-01-05T12:03:00.000-05:00

Already today the news tells of the horrible killings of over 50 Iraqis and 5 US military. The December 15 elections have not lessened the violence. Shouldn't it be plainly obvious now that a US occupation cannot solve the problems? And why not 3 separate countries: Kurdish, Shiite and Sunni? Perhaps someday they will re-confederate, perhaps not. How can we delay turning this tragedy over to international authorities that can begin the political divisions that will help what is clearly a bloody civil war, along with violent resistance to the occupation? What horror will it take to move the US Administration and US public opinion?

All We Know

2006-01-03T15:26:00.000-05:00

I am back in NYC after a few wonderful days visiting friends in Washington. Its always another experience to return home, even when the journey was as enjoyable as mine. The New Year is rapidly aging already. We are always in transit. News just arrived about the death of the 92 year sister of one of our priests and we can rejoice in a long and faithful life which she led as a woman religious. Yet even when someone has completed such a long journey, we are still in awe of the Mystery from which we came, in which we are now held and to which we shall one day return. May she rest in the Lord and pray for us on the way.

2006

2005-12-31T10:15:00.000-05:00

I am still with friends in DC. We just returned from breakfast at a new place right off Ct Ave and we all came up with the highest praise for it: "Its just like a NYC coffee shop." Their 2 year old tucked into eggs and pancakes and charmed all the staff. Tonight is a major non-event but I do want to send along all my best for a blessed 2006 to all my readers and anyone else who shares life so generously with me. The passage of time is always a gift, yet a bit of 2 edged sword as it really confronts us with the transitory qualities of this life. We are in transit and now a new section of the journey opens before us. God's blessings.

Washington in the Rain

2005-12-29T11:14:00.000-05:00

I am in DC visiting some friends and re-visiting my long lost youth by spending time with their terrific 2 year old, Paul Alexander. Yesterday his father and I took him for his longest walk yet. He was deteermined to walk as long as we could and completely disdained a stroller his dad brought along as bak-up. Today is raining here, the newspapers seem low in big news, and people are quiet. Nice time to be in the capitol of the free world, or the world's only remaining superpower, or the epicenter of a vast imperial megaforce. I will not bore you about whch of those 3 options I would choose or use. Besides I am staying across the street from home of intelligence czar, John Negroponte, and ev erything we say, write or think over here is being carefully recored for security of the nation, no doubt.

End of Year, End of Time

2005-12-27T09:44:00.000-05:00

The main complaint I have about this whole season is now coming to the forefront everywhere: the lists of the best of____in 2005, and the predictions of 2006. I love everything else about this time. Tomorrow I am off to DC to spend a few days with friends and then back via Baltimore to see some other friends. There is also a nice post-holiday feeling, at least around Jan 2nd or 3rd, of getting back to normal (whatever that might be). I am hoping the thinly disguised US withdrawal from Iraq picks up speed and support, and that our domestic problems receive more attention (not very hopeful about that with this crowd still in power). I also pray for all who read this and for those in need of prayer, for all I have offended and for all the lost good that I could have done or helped with. But, in the end, we are rescued and have been brought home and the feasts of the Savior's birth and Epiphany will nourish us all in faith and spirit.

Merry Christmas and Thanks

2005-12-24T11:44:00.000-05:00

Whenever I prepare a homily for Christmas or Easter, I am very aware of all the people who are making their once or twice Mass visit for the year. I will try to say something of a warm welcome (welcome back, if possible). I will also talk about our need for a Savior, about why we don't see to be able to do it all on our own. I am also so aware on these feasts of the overwhelming gratitude that I have for so many people in life. I think that Christmas is very much a time of warmth because, even in all its confusion, we are able to celebrate that Savior and the gratitude that calls out for expression. Merry Christmas.

Subways Running

2005-12-23T15:24:00.000-05:00

The city here is almost back to what passes here for normal. Almost everyone can agree that the strike reminded us, maybe especially here in NYC, of how fragile we are and vulnerable our connections are. Four of the five boroughs are on islands. Bridges and tunnels are life lines, while public transit is the life blood. New York exists in some other category because of its size and hustle, but also because it is one of few remaining places in America where you can see and enjoy people out walking the streets and avenues 24/7. For now, at Christmas, we have received a reprieve from chaos. A reprieve or deliverance on a huge urban scale to prepare us to welcome the Savior who is our deliverance from all that is evil and deadly.

Safe Journey for You

2005-12-22T19:04:00.000-05:00

If you are now about to begin a Christmas journey, you will be in my prayers and in those of many, many believers. This morning some good friends called me at the beginning of their drive from Baltimore straight through to Boston. I have been thinking of them during the day and will call shortly to see how they made out. We all have some nervous moments whether we or loved ones are on the road, in the air or on the tracks. So we pray and hope that these trips and the reunions of friends and family that await them will be richly blessed with Christmas Grace.

New York On Strike

2005-12-21T16:40:00.000-05:00

Talking last night to a small restaurant owner was a sad experiences as he told of all the loses in parties and customers he was sustaining after just one day of the transit strike. My brother is also in that business but fortunately at this time of year they do their catering out to offices, colleges, etc. Yet my sympathies are with the workers who have very difficult lives, working down in the tunnels of NY. It is especially outrageous that a multi-billionaire mayor is calling them criminals for striking. People are walking and coping but it is estimated that area business is down 40 million per day at the height of the season. Tragic all around.

I office in my room at the Paulist House

2005-12-20T17:39:00.000-05:00

Today I learned a new word, or rather a new verb, at breakfast with one of most brilliant people I have ever known. He showed me how to use office as a verb, as in, "I office with a group of dentists." As they say, some new everyday...Thank you, Denver.

Non-Seasonal Sentimentality and Nostalgia

2005-12-20T16:47:00.000-05:00

I was nearly overcome with nostalgia as I read of the secret FBI investigations of activist and subversive groups. What delights of memory were mine when reading that the FBI has been watching the "semi-communist" Catholic Worker groups. It took me right back to the good old days of youth, of L.Patrick Gray, HR Haldemann, Nixon's enemies, and the whole brilliant conspiracy that brought down a government and changed history. But evidently not enough change! Don't you wish that these new, young agents had at least gone out and rented a copy of All The President's Men and watched their nonsense as it unraveled on the earlier attempt. To all those of us who wallowed in Watergate: We're Back! Eric Lichtblau of the Times is doing outstanding work these days and may yet redeem the reputation of the paper from its entanglement with the Woman of Mass Destruction (Maureen Dowd's characterization of former Times reporter, Judy Miller).

Overdue Setbacks for Bush

2005-12-17T10:39:00.000-05:00

It is good news that the Congress is finally saying NO to some of this administration's frightening efforts to limit the civil liberties of the people. Since 9/11, they have claimed such rights and have not really made it a safer environment, according to the report card of the former members of the 9/11 Commission. They have waged war, slaughtered thousands of Iraqis and Afghans, caused the deaths of more than 2000 US military, and utterly failed in stopping terrorism, as in Madrid, Bali, London etc. Bin Laden still roams freely. The Hussein trial is a farce. Good for Congress on the Patriot Act and on the uproar about the secret surveillance.

Peter Singer, Merchant of Death

2005-12-16T16:08:00.000-05:00

Peter Singer is still, as far as I know, a professor of Ethics at Princeton. He has consistently taken the current elite notions of human life to their logical conclusions. for example allowing parents to end the lives of babies who are not well suited for life in his brave new world. Singer is taken very seriously and is published in many places which accord him the honor of someone who speaks from a well informed ethical perspective. His recent article, linked here in Foreign Policy, on the future of life is a incisive and horrifying prediction of where our society is heading. I urge you to read this short prediction and then reflect on how the front page news about the fraudulent stem cell experiments in South Korea impacts on the arrogance of his confident prophesies. Without judging the inner life of the man or the contours of his conscience, I can only call his long-held views one of the very few instances of pure, uncomplicated evil in our world.

Foreign Policy: The Sanctity of Life

A Gift to Moslems and Christians

2005-12-14T16:50:00.000-05:00

An obviously wealthy Saudi businessman has just donated 20 million to Harvard and the same to Georgetown to foster university inspired Moslem-Christian relations. I know something about the current Georgetown efforts under the incredible and inspiring leadership of Dr. John Esposito. These efforts will take time to reach vast masses of Christians or Moslems but they do immediately send signals and they will provide skills and understanding for future leaders. These gifts are truly enlightened and progressive. May the benefactor and his family be blessed.

Execution of Tookie Williams

2005-12-13T10:49:00.000-05:00

Although the United States often asserts a kind of moral purity and even an exemption from the degrading practices of other peoples and nations, this is a nation very much steeped in violence and slaughter, as are many other nations that do not wave alleged clean hands. With the slaughters of Native Americans, slavery, the Civil War, the wretched treatment of immigrants in our history, we are one of the very few countries still holding executions. Whatever the sincerity of Tookie Williams repentance, whatever the good or ill that he has done, whether before or after his conversion - the killing of Williams in California accomplishes absolutely nothing, except to stoke the vengeance of some and to add greatly to the face of violence that this land offers the world today at home and abroad.

Jesuits and Baghdad

2005-12-12T09:16:00.000-05:00

The astute Dexter Filkins recounts the story of the Jesuit College in Baghdad and the enormous impact it has on even current Iraqi life. As he tells, the Jesuits never engaged in any proselytizing and Moslem students were not compelled to attend Catholic classes or services. The legacy of these Jesuits, many of them American, now stands in tragic contrast to US presence in Iraq and the Middle East today. Pray for the Jesuits of Iraq and their students and for a change in current US tactics and policy.

Boys of Baghdad College Vie for Prime Minister - New York Times

NYPD

2005-12-11T17:09:00.000-05:00

Two officers on our New York Police force have murdered in recent days. One was a husband and devoted father of 2 small children and a very popular officer on the force. The most recent was a single son who took loving care of his parents and his dead sister's kids. These deaths bring an awful chill over the city, even in the midst of the Christmas celebrations for most. We are made very conscious of the precarious status we enjoy on the planet and how the greatest dangers we face are usually from our fellow travelers on life's pilgrimage. The close survivors will never have the fullness of life again and their days will be always interrupted by small reminders of their loss: the sight of an NYPD car or uniform, a Christmas light, a strange noise in the night and just the haunting massiveness of the city we love and fear.

Christmas Cards

2005-12-09T20:16:00.000-05:00

Many years ago I became an unrepentant drop-out in the annual Christian Card exchange. It is nice to hear from people, especially those with whom this is the main or only contact. But so many cards are just signed, or imprinted. The form letters help but its hard to read them all before the next Christmas. I do try to call, visit or write people close to me at this season and I am probably acting a bit like a Christmas Grinch. Yet I do love the season and all its lights and good will.

Podcast - THE word of 2005

2005-12-07T09:21:00.000-05:00

The people who should know something about words and their use, The Oxford University Press, publishers of The New Oxford American Dictionary, have announced their selection of PODCAST as the new word of the year. It beat out some formidable contenders like "bird flu." I have not used podcasting primarily because I listen to books but I am very impressed by the way it allows the spoken word to travel along with the listener. Especially wonderful in this season when we celebrate the feast of the Word Become Flesh. You have heard me write before about the first rate web site, BustedHalo.com, which is now about to offer podcasts of its great articles and interviews. Hear the Word and the words this season.

Cardinal Schonborn and Evolution - Again

2005-12-07T08:53:00.000-05:00

At this link, sent to me by a scientist friend, there is a wonderful catechesis by the Cardinal on the Christian doctrine of creation. His earlier article in the NY TIMES fed into the fury that is raging here in the USA about Creationism, Intelligent Design and Darwin. Here he sets forth the uniqueness of the Christian understanding of the creation, and in no way can be spinned as anti-evolution. This talk is worth your study. It is apparently the beginning of series of such talks at the Cathedral of St Stephen in Vienna.

Stephanscom.at: "In the Beginning God Created..."

Leaders and Their Deceptions

2005-12-06T17:49:00.000-05:00

The United States has apparently painted itself into a terribly lonely corner, with even our allies wondering in shock about the reports of camps where the US (or its surrogates) routinely torture prisoners. At the same time, Osama is as free as ever and the members of the 9/11 commission warn that we have not updated our security in face of terrorism. Most compelling of all was the speech in the Senate by John McCain, who knows something about torture, arguing that it doesn't work, makes enemies, endangers our own troops who might be taken prisoner and is a violation of all human decency. The denials by Condi Rice are obviously deceptive and do not honestly answer the mounting questions. Of course, war is hell, and terrorism is a constant threat but now we have no one who really supports us and we, though very powerful, are becoming the sad monster on the planet.

Umberto Eco on Christmas

2005-12-05T10:41:00.000-05:00

Umberto Eco has abandoned the Church, yet he obviously still has a deeply symbiotic relationship with it. The Name of the Rose alone testifies to his incredible and intimate knowledge of the inner life of the Catholic Church. And his reflection on Christmas, as always with his words, startles us into a new way of seeing the familiar (follow the link in the title of this entry). I also loved his dialog with Cardinal Martini of Milan some years ago.

Actors Who Also lead US

2005-12-05T09:56:00.000-05:00

Today I am suggesting that you try these 2 links to read the views of Martin Sheen and Bradley Whitford about the war, US policy and repression of dissent in the US. By wonderful coincidence these two fine actors have done superb work on the hit, West Wing. And now we see that in so-called real life, they are also deeply thoughtful and committed Christians who are not afraid to put their Christian beliefs into practice, even in the political but very moral array of dilemmas that face us because of the actions of this Administration. I have long enjoyed their work on West Wing, now I also salute their moral leadership.

The Blog Bradley Whitford: Get The IRS Out of My Church The Huffington Post

http://www.dailycal.org/sharticle.php?id=20649

Narnia and CS Lewis

2005-12-03T13:33:00.000-05:00

I have following the pre-release coverage of Narnia with special interest because a good friend is the head of Walden Media which has co-produced it along with Disney. Some of the secular elites have already gone on the attack because they resent the obvious Christian allegorical elements and the way that Christian groups are using it as a teachable moment. Some of these critics show their hand which reveals a strong animus to CS Lewis and his brilliantly articulated Christianity. Although Lewis has the misfortune to die of natural causes on the day JFK was killed, he lives on and his books are still big hits. Most of his writing is a compelling witness and argument for Christianity and are as widely used today as ever. Peter Steinfels has a good column in the New York Times today about these conflicts. I am looking forward to enjoying Narnia.

Wise Words on Vatican and Gays in Priesthood

2005-12-02T17:34:00.000-05:00

The link here should take you to a very wise editorial in the new issue of The Tablet, a British Catholic Weekly. So much is being said about what the documents means, and what it doesn't say, and how it might be interpreted that I have found this editorial to be the best commentary thus far.

- Welcome to the Tablet

A Gift

2005-12-01T16:38:00.000-05:00

A family in Philadelphia just made a donation in my honor to Sloan Kettering where I receive my cancer treatments. This is a couple I have known through my campus ministry and I married them quite a few years ago. They are the great parents of triplets - 2 girls and a boy. The hospital notified me of the gift and I was very moved by the love and appropriateness of the gift. I will call them them this weekend and tell them that some people who know me are a bit miffed at Sloan for keeping me going so long but they are the welcome exception :). In fact, I will thank them very profoundly for their thoughtfulness now and over the years. Their thoughtfulness and kindness sets a real tone for early Advent.

Walking while Reading, and vice versa

2005-11-30T15:51:00.000-05:00

Two of my great pleasures are reading and taking my 4 mile walks around NY whenever I can. I feel completely renewed after either or both experiences. I am able to combine the 2 pleasures by listening to books while walking, using unabridged books that I have downloaded from Audible.Com. The main drawback is that I occasionally get distracted and have to go back in the recordings, but I sometimes do the same with printed books. I just finished listening to Team of Rivals, Doris Kearns Goodwin's brilliant study of Lincoln and his collaborators. Now I am engrossed by an entirely different kind of book, The Lighthouse by PD James. Pleasures are always welcome but for me this is clearly a 2 for 1.

Traveling in the 4th Grade

2005-11-28T17:37:00.000-05:00

A good friend of mine asked me to be one of the far flung people to fill out the travelogue for his 4th grade niece. It has just been forwarded to me by another friend in Knoxville and now I am to list the delights and highlights of NY. This is a terrific way for a 4th grade class in Ohio to develop curiosity about the larger world (not to imply, Joe, that there is anything inadequate about Ohio). Parochial, narrow minded New York kids like myself had very little interest in anything beyond maybe Ireland and the five boroughs which we arrogantly thought were the extent of all that was fascinating in this world. Now all these year separated from my own 4th grade, and having visited many wonderful parts of the world, I am almost embarrassed to be back in my 4th grade hegemony - Really, there is no place like New York.

Advent Time

2005-11-26T10:43:00.000-05:00

As we were driving back to NY from my brother's Thanksgiving dinner over the George Washington Bridge, I had thoughts about what some of the people at the dinner had done with their time in life, in all cases a shorter time than mine. People have come and gone, dealt with illnesses and deaths, headed off to college or graduated, married and had families. I am sort of a visitor in most of these lives, only meeting them at family occasions like Thanksgiving. I have another track of time - my own - which seems to move too quickly. Advent sends us back to the birth of Jesus, and to the end of the world, to the time of ancient Israel and to our own time. Advent tells me that it is all the same event, same one moment but that our limited human minds have to carve it up into past, present and future. I get the sense that we are invited to trust that God is holding us always, however we feel at the moment, and that trust is the substance of our faith.

Thanksgiving 2005

2005-11-24T14:11:00.000-05:00

Even though I will be spending the afternoon and evening around a festive table with my brother, his wife and his 3 great kids, I find it strange this year to be in this season. I have many reasons to thank God for gifts that are incredibly generous and blessed, but I feel only anxiety and shame when I look at the world that this country is controlling. The war, violence, torture and disregard for the thoughts of other nations all combine in a witches brew of poison and bad will. I am afraid that the leaders of the US have brought shame and disgrace upon a whole nation and the people now realize what has been done in their name. Somewhere, we can pray, there is a corner to be turned, a book to be opened, a common sense to be restored. Perhaps. Perhaps not likely.

Jimmy Carter is on the phone

2005-11-22T16:12:00.000-05:00

This morning I had the privilege of sitting in and listening as 2 editors of Busted Halo (Paulist Young Adult Ministry), Mike Hayes and Bill McGarvey, interviewed President Carter. It was a terrific interview with excellent questions and great insights from the former President who has a new book out right now. He talked about the destructive effect of fundamentalism in religion and in politics, especially as relevant to the occupation of Iraq. He also shared generous insights into his own faith, including the custom that he and Roslyn read a page of scripture each night and how that has confirmed and strengthened their 60 year marriage. Carter is truly a man of peace and human rights who is not hesitant to witness his commitment and devotion to the Prince of Peace.

Beauty

2005-11-19T12:00:00.000-05:00

I remember that many years ago I flew from the barren Holy Land to Italy. I recall thinking very much about the apostles, Peter, Paul and the other early Christians who also traveled to Italy from the Holy Land (without, of course, the ease of my flight). Surely somewhere in this migration was a recognition that beauty needed to be added to the virtues of Christianity. Natural beauty in Italy would have been such a new experience, while the lovely early art and architecture must have impressed them, as it still does to us today. I thought of the role of beauty in our lives of prayer, faith and worship, as I roamed the magnificent Fra Angelico Exhibit at the MET the other day, and renewed those thought as I walked back and forth to the museum through the autumnal splendor of Central Park.

A hero and a Marine

2005-11-18T07:48:00.000-05:00

Pennsylvania Congressman John Murtha, a Marine veteran and long time military supporter who voted for the war in Iraq, has called for withdrawal of US troops. This move is now solidly established in the national debate, thanks to his moving, even tear-filled dissent. Better than any other politician, he identified the US military operation as the focus and the cause of the turmoil in Iraq. He also argued that we owe it to the targets of the insurgency - US troops - to bring them home and stop endangering them in this useless occupation. John Murtha has entered that Hall reserved for statesmen of conscience.

When ?

2005-11-14T17:09:00.002-05:00

Until recently even the most ardent opponents of the Iraqi was were reticent in calling for a quick withdrawal and instead called for a deadline and timetable for the return of US troops. I don't know obviously what might happen in Iraq if we leave soon, but I sense it is becoming our only option. Since 9/11 we have been waging a war against terrorists but look at how successful they still are: Jordan, London, Madrid, Bali. We are just about as impotent in Iraq as we are in the global war on terrorism. So once again we must love now promptly to remove ourselves and thereby remove one of the main sources of the radicalism that festers because of what we do. Simply put: as bad as things can be in Iraq and other places, we only make them much worse.

Go To Hell

2005-11-12T20:20:00.000-05:00

Dover, PA will now suffer for its sin of supporting evolution in the public school curriculum. At least that is the judgment pronounced by Pat Robertson. The Rev had just finished up with his Taliban style call for the assassination of the President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, when the election returns for the school board in Dover prompted him to warn the residents that God will not look kindly on their errors. We are always eager to talk about Islamic extremists and Islamic terrorists but the very same US government officials bide their tongues when their supporter Rev Robertson calls out for blood and vengeance. How do you think the world views American religious behavior when a perverse human monster like Robertson has a following, a grand media pulpit, and the silent acquiescence of the highest officials in this administration?

Fra Angelico

2005-11-10T17:09:00.000-05:00

Today I visited the Fra Angelico exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum. Paintings and other works of art are assembled from all over the world. It is an inspiring visit that merits anyone's visit. The artist is sublime and the exhibit reminds the viewer how much of his imagery is stamped on the Christian imagination. He was also a Dominican friar of deep faith and was beatified by Pope John Paul II.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art - Special Exhibitions: Fra Angelico

Day After

2005-11-09T19:26:00.000-05:00

Here we re-elected the mayor and he won easily, spending about 70 million of his own dollars in the campaign. He could probably have swamped his poor opponent if he spent only $100.00. Across the river 2 multi-millionaire candidates spent their own money is a similarly lavish and very nasty race. Senator Corzine won and now become a governor who will get to appoint his successor in the Senate. Endless money reserves, but not much genius or insight marked any of these campaigns.

Running New York

2005-11-06T11:58:00.000-05:00

Literally. Thousands of marathoners are heading to the finish line in Central Park. Its a warm day here and may be uncomfortable for some runners. They are all over the city for the past 2 days and a welcome insight into the human spirit. The training, fortitude, sheer endurance - all make me feel both inadequate and a bit grateful that I don't feel the pull to it or anything quite like it. I do love exercise and these days, for me, that is largely my regular 4 mile walks around Manhattan and Brooklyn. I feel very renewed physically, spiritually and psychologically by my walking regime, and can really miss it when weather or some other factor interferes. The other meaning of "running New York" will be decided on Tuesday's election for mayor. Little doubt about Bloomberg's dominance in the polls and especially in his own personal money spent. And across the river, the NJ race for governor is a close one between two incredibly wealthy men. Some say this wealth makes them all less susceptible to any form of bribe, but I continue to lament the acquisition of a personal fortune as the prelude to public service.

Early NY mornings

2005-11-04T12:03:00.000-05:00

A few times a week, I walk to a neighboring parish to celebrate the 8 am Mass. These mornings have been a wonderful gift and very energizing. Millions of people on their way to work, deliveries of everything imaginable on a island that produces little for its own sustenance, and then the homeless and others who wandered through the night. Today I figured out that my round trip morning journey is about 1.66 miles. Today there was the startling presence of bands of runners from all over the world, in town for the NY Marathon. My walk is the best preparation for an early Eucharist, and the walk back a perfect thanksgiving for the mass and for life.

Watergate the Second?

2005-11-03T17:39:00.000-05:00

Some friends, at least one generation or two behind me, have been asking me if the present crisis in the White House and the nation feels like Watergate. It really does. Things are unraveling. Coverups after the crime become the first to be exposed. A huge dishonesty lies at the heart of the Bush case for Iraq. Will it end the same way as it did in 1974? Probably not exactly, but I do sense that a crime(s) and the vast network of lies and deceits is beginning to come apart. As during Watergate, the lack of real alternatives fades into lesser consideration as the enormity of the deceptions are laid bare. Of course history does not repeat itself. But there is a strong sense that we have been here before.

Random and Scattered...

2005-11-01T16:03:00.000-05:00

Just returned from a week in Washington DC where I was presenting a course to our 4 Paulist novices in their first year of formation. Then I had the chance to spend some time with 2 wonderful friends and their little boy who took me to the park on a beautiful fall day.
Also followed the withdrawal of Harriet Miers and now the nomination of Judge Alito. I walked by the White House where I met Cindy Sheehan and then by the Federal Courthouse which was surrounded by massive media because Scooter Libby's indictment just came down from the prosecutor, Patrick Fitzgerald. Iraq continues to be the horror of these years and is no doubt the root reason for all the dishonesty that is just slightly revealed in the indictment of Libby. We live in a nation at war with an external enemy and a nation at war with itself. Not an easy time.

MSM Wrong Again

2005-10-22T16:58:00.000-04:00

I love the acronym, MSM, for Main Stream Media, because I devour MSM and, not to any surprise, read very eagerly its coverage of the Catholic Church. The people who brought you Jayson Blair and Palme-gate devoted a major first page story some weeks ago to rumors that Benedict XVI was about to issue an edict banning all homosexuals from the priesthood. Needless to say, all the lesser MSM worthies followed in quick order. A short time later when it became evident that this was not the case, a small buried item on page xxth carried that news. No correction, no explanation of how they came to the erroneous conclusions they had previously trumpeted. Now the Synod is ending and there is no revivial or emphasis on the pre-Vatican liturgy. The MSM had led us to believe that Benedict and the bishops of the Synod would restore it as a way of re-vitalizing the Church. "Not an issue," was the way one of the Synod participants summed it up. As a friend of mine said about a book he looked at that contained obvious factual errors, "If they can get this wrong, what else have they missed?"

Cancer News

2005-10-19T17:07:00.000-04:00

As some of my friends and readers already know, I am now off the primary cancer drugs that I have taken for the past 8 years. One drug, pamidronate, was causing a bone problem in my mouth. The other 2 drugs, Interferon and Decadron, seemed to causing extreme fatigue. This week my oncologist checked me out and was pleased on my reactions thus far. And I return in 2 months. This is uncharted territory, so please keep me in your prayer. I suppose there is never charted territory when cancer in involved.

Blog Heaven

2005-10-18T10:13:00.000-04:00

BELIEFNET offers a great resource here for listing religious oriented blogs.

Blog Heaven

The Abortion Debate No One Wants to Have

2005-10-18T09:34:00.000-04:00

Read this moving and powerful account in the Washington Post. Some will dismiss it astoo emotional and personal but it does lay out the horrible terrain of decision making that confronts women, men, families and our society. What do we value? What warrants our highest respect and care?

The Abortion Debate No One Wants to Have

Croneyism?

2005-10-08T18:53:00.000-04:00

A commentator said last week, on the day that John Roberts was confirmed and then sworn in, "this is probably the last good day that George Bush will have in the White House." The commentator was pointing to all the agony and harsh reviews of all aspects of the Iraqi War and the occupation, the continued debriefing of the administration incompetence of disaster preparation and aftermath, and now the impending flu epidemic which has already caught the US administration ill-prepared. Now Bush tries to get his own personal lawyer on the Supreme Court, only this time to encounter furious opposition and questioning from his right wing base. The common thread running through so much of these debacles is the loyalty that is shown to those who have been faithful to the Bush family: Cheney, Rummy, Rice, Powell, Rove etc. Croneyism as never before! At least since Teapot Dome.

Long life Celebrated

2005-10-02T16:55:00.000-04:00

There were a few tears and choked voices yesterday when I presided at the funeral of a 93 year old man who had 5 children and lived long enough to see 12 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. It was a time only for gratitude and memory. I was there because of connections with my brother and I did not even know all the family. But for me, it was a grace to celebrate his life as a larger manifestation of the enormity of the gift of life. In the midst of Iraq, Katrina/Rita, scandals in so many institutions, especially close in our church, I found a welcome few moments of perspective which allowed me to see forever. And its was a very clear day.

Judge John Roberts' Religion

2005-09-18T16:56:00.000-04:00

Judge Roberts was, even in the estimation of those Senators probably opposed to his confirmation, the most impressive nominee to the high court in anyone's memory. Yet some Senators applied the religious test, forbidden in the Constitution, to his holding office. Senator Feinstein was the most blatant of all of them. She literally wondered if he could keep his religion under wraps on the bench. She would never have asked such an offensive question to a practicing Jew or to an African-American Baptist. Strangely the other Senators showed little outrage at her stance. Others, both publicly and privately, have asked him about his religious faith. Some liberals are showing their animus toward religious commitment, especially when they fear its impact. Sad and blatant double standard.

Minor Weather Pains

2005-09-12T16:56:00.000-04:00

The return of hot and humid weather to my region is a cause for complaint today but a very minor thing when compared to the recent weather in the Gulf states. A number of remarks have been made about how this sort of natural disaster calls into question the existence of a benign God. In fact, some fundamentalists - Christian, Jewish and Moslem - have seen God's punishing hand in the tragedy. Punishing New Orleans for its sins, punishing the US for supporting the Gaza pullout, punishing the US by revealing the hugeness of racial disparity. What really holds me, however, is human responsibility in the wake of the awful weather. Some failed almost utterly in their responsibility, many others have responded with heroic generosity. Sin and grace, as always.

The Awful Sadness of Colin Powell

2005-09-10T10:55:00.000-04:00

I had expected, years ago, that Colin Powell might well be President. Going into the this 2nd Bush administration has really brought him down. He is now acknowledging that fall publicly with what he calls a stain on his reputation. I was also shocked that he rules out race in the aftermath of Katrina, and says its an economic divide we are seeing. Yes, an economic divide for sure, but one that falls on largely racial lines. As a life long military officer, Powell is a very loyal person and is now suffering for his blind loyalties to the Bush family over many years. Sadly, in the end, it all reveals nothing so much as a significant flaw in Powell himself.

BustedHalo.com

2005-09-09T17:57:00.000-04:00

Be sure and check out the newly updated web page for the virtual ministry of the National Office of Young Adult Ministry. It is well worth your visit and support.

BustedHalo.com

Generosity

2005-09-07T12:07:00.000-04:00

Katrina has made me very aware of how much we all need the care and generosity of others. Obviously ineptitude and gross stupidity have blunted that gift for hundreds of thousands in the wake of the storm. I am wierdly grateful for Barbara Bush's comment in the Astrodome to the effect that the evacuees were ok and, besides, they were underprivileged already. Unwittingly she opened a window into the very attitude that beset all government, on all levels, including her own son and family. But much more. It all combines to say so much about the way in which we view poor and black people all the time. We are seeing the unfolding of enormous loss but we are, at the same time, looking in the mirror and seeing what others see when they look at us.

Katrina Tames Us/USA

2005-08-30T17:45:00.000-04:00

Katrina's devastation is singularly impressive in a very technological, advanced society like this one. In that way, we are very different from the victims of the Tsunami. And yet we are also helpless and at the mercy of wind, water and our own fears. Perhaps the lesson is more urgent here than anywhere else. In the midst of this natural catastrophe, we also witness the humanly crafted tragedy of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Is there any wisdom? Or just massive and random loss?

Lance Armstrong and Doping

2005-08-26T16:23:00.000-04:00

Although I am also a cancer survivor, I have not been able to become enthusiastic about Lance Armstrong's attacks on those with cancer who rely on prayer and contact with God along with their treatment. I have also found his personal life with his wife and children to be very self-centered, destructive and unappealing. As a result, I often feel like I'm the only person on a subway train who is not wearing the yellow bracelet. Reading today's accounts of the testing that was done on him as far back as 1999, I begin to believe that, while he wasn't relying on prayer or marriage fidelity, he was also not the lone, gritty individual facing all odds alone that emerges from the images. He was getting a little help, a shot or two here and there. Not the greatest of all crimes, true, but it does explain a lot that I have been trying to fathom. Prove me wrong and I will actually rejoice but I think the perfect one got some help.

Please Join Sant'Egidio Prayer for Peace

2005-08-24T17:03:00.000-04:00

Called to Peace
on campus activities

An invitation to work for peace
with the Community of Sant’Egidio
throughout the year in preparation for the
Prayer for Peace
to be held in Washington DC, April 26-27, 2006

The Community of Sant’Egidio is organizing Called to Peace, a participatory project designed to include students in the Prayer for Peace. This includes students able to attend the prayer that will be held in Washington DC, April 26-27, 2006, and those participating only in on-campus activities.

Prayer
“Peace be with you” were the first words of the Risen Christ. The disciples were not expecting these words. Peace was given as a gift of the Sprit and was welcomed as a dimension of life freely given by the Risen Lord. Before any action is taken, before any planning, before any attempt to ‘do things right’, it seems appropriate to the Community of Sant’Egidio to invite all to a moment of prayer, humbly receiving the gift of peace together.

A flexible, inviting form of prayer, the Prayer for Peace can be organized on campus before the gathering in Washington. The format of this prayer can differ, but over the years the many Christians who have been participating in these gatherings have benefited from and contributed to the Prayer for Peace.

Workshops
Peace is a central concern of many students and yet, its emergence, effectiveness and sustainability in a complex world are not obvious. The Community of Sant’Egidio is not a professional conflict resolution organization. Rather it is a family of friends gathered around the Gospel and committed to live the Word in prayer, friendship and service to the poor. In this path, the Community has found many occasions to work practically, concretely and effectively for peace. Workshops have been designed in different formats allowing two-hour brief sessions or day-long retreats. Convened by a member of the Community of Sant’Egidio, the workshops are a wonderful occasion to reflect on the possibility of contemporary peace work.

Peace stories
Although violence is around us, peace is possible. Although loneliness is everywhere, friendship is possible. Although many experience confusion and despair, all can discover truth and hope. The Gospel is the good news that we frequently do not have the time to listen to (so we tell ourselves), especially when it speaks of peace. Yet the Gospel contains an invitation to peace that has been the source of hope and inspiration for many. While peace is frequently associated with political and military concerns, we all know that peace can actually be experienced personally, even in the midst of the most violent conflict. To honor those who were able to preserve this space of peace, the Community of Sant’Egidio began collecting peace stories. It is a collection of real moments of peace carved in the midst of daring circumstances. Told mostly by fellow students, the peace stories are a powerful tool to re-frame our understanding of peace as a possible path for all of us. When told, the peace-stories are also an invitation to explore and unveil other peace-stories of which the participants may be aware. Peace-stories are usually told in an informal evening setting.

Courses
Moved by the example of Saint Francis of Assisi and more than forty years after Pope John XXIII’s encyclical Pacem In Terris (Peace in All Lands), , Pope John Paul II called a gathering of world religious leaders in 1986 to pray for peace. In this spirit, a group of scholars have developed a course on Catholic Peace-building. Taught for the first time at the University of Notre Dame in the spring of 2005, the course, which brings together tradition and innovation, familiarizes students with the rich legacy of Catholic teachings on peace and invites them to consider peace as a subject worthy of further investigation. In addition to the traditional semester long format, a shortened version is in preparation.

Mentoring
Many students may consider peace as a relevant aspect of their work. The Community of Sant’Egidio is happy to collaborate with those who manifest an open commitment to peace. An independent academic study program is available for interested students with the agreement of their own institution.

Welcoming
The Community of Sant’Egidio believes and is committed to direct, open, and personal relationships. This is why all activities listed above work best when emerging from a personal visit, whether occurring at Community of Sant’Egidio gatherings (there are at the moment five communities in the US; New York, Washington, Boston, South Bend, Minneapolis) or in an on-campus visit. The practice of hospitality is, for us, a fundamental step towards a new, inclusive and hopeful understanding of peace.

For more information
Dr. Andrea Bartoli
Community of Sant’Egidio Tel. (212) 663 1483
560 Riverside Dr. #13P Fax (212) 663 4178
New York, NY 10027 Email ab203@columbia.edu