Wednesday, August 23, 2006

A Higher Purpose?

Killjoys!!! I don't know what's sillier: thinking that you have to use this method to draw a crowd in order to "honor" someone at their funeral, or the fact that now you can tattle on your neighbors via a hotline when they organize "misdeeds" at the funeral. I guess I'd always hoped for a large crowd to send me off to the Great Beyond with a festive gathering. But I'd like to think they were there because they genuinely liked me, not because my family hired the Chippendales or the crew from The Foxy Lady to put on a show between eulogies.
BEIJING (Reuters) - Striptease send-offs at funerals may become a thing of the past in east China after five people were arrested for organizing the intimate farewells, state media reported on Wednesday.

Police swooped last week after two groups of strippers gave "obscene performances" at a farmer's funeral in Donghai County, Jiangsu province, Xinhua news agency said.

The disrobing served a higher purpose, the report noted.

"Striptease used to be a common practice at funerals in Donghai's rural areas to allure viewers," it said. "Local villagers believe that the more people who attend the funeral, the more the dead person is honored.

<snip>

Now village officials must submit plans for funerals within 12 hours after a villager dies. And residents can report "funeral misdeeds" on a hotline, the report said.

They SHOULD be ashamed...but I doubt they are

Amen! Amen!! Amen!!!

Let's see...terrorists are trying to kill us, both abroad and at home. Israel/Hezbollah. The absolute nutjob presiding in Iran. Ummmm....no....let's give them another four hours tonight of JonBenet and this Karr guy. They'll eat it up.

Jon Friedman writes an excellent column that I wish his colleagues in the media would take to heart. Of course, that means I'm hoping they even have one...I suspect it's a little lump of coal in their chest cavity.

Like little kids who continually put their hands in a flame and get burned every time, my profession just never learns from its mistakes. We have an unfortunate habit of hyping the wrong stories. Over and over. And when it comes to assessing the effect that our foolishness has on our craft's reputation, it's practically a fatal flaw.
 
The most recent shining, hideous example of our collective disgraceful judgment is the coverage of the flake who claims he killed JonBenet Ramsey a decade ago. When the young Colorado girl was found dead 10 years ago during the notoriously slow Christmas news season, the saga had all the ingredients of a great pulp-nonfiction media sensation: a little (white) girl's mysterious death, suspicion centering on her parents and the utter inability of law enforcement figures to solve the case. (I suspect that there wouldn't have been a comparable media storm, if a little girl of color had been found dead.)
 
Here we go all over again. Yes, I'm sorry to say it: the circus is back in town.
 
No wonder people hate the media. I do, too, sometimes. We drop the ball again and again and yet we act baffled and indignant when those polls come out saying that in the public's view, journalists are one cut above, say, sanitation workers. We feel hurt when the public tells us that it hates and distrusts our profession.

Saturday, August 19, 2006

What My Soul Really Looks Like. Ummm...sure.

What Your Soul Really Looks Like

You are very passionate and quite temperamental. While you can be moody, you always crave comfort.

You are a grounded person, but you also leave room for imagination and dreams. You feet may be on the ground, but you're head is in the clouds.

You believe that people see you as larger than life and important. While this is true, they also think you're a bit full of yourself.

Your near future is still unknown, and a little scary. You'll get through wild times - and you'll textually enjoy it.

For you, falling in love is all about the adventure and uncertainty. You can only fall in love with someone who keeps you guessing.
Actually...not too far off really.

Friday, August 18, 2006

More on Maximilian (Raymond) Kolbe

'Dear Mama, At the end of the month of May I was transferred to the camp of Auschwitz. Everything is well in my regard. Be tranquil about me and about my health, because the good God is everywhere and provides for everything with love. It would be well that you do not write to me until you will have received other news from me, because I do not know how long I will stay here. Cordial greetings and kisses, affectionately. Raymond.' - Letter home to his mother, June 15, 1941

More on Saint Kolbe can be found here. I encourage any and all to read it to learn more about this man, and of the man whose place he took, Franciszek Gajowniczek.

In order to discourage escapes, Auschwitz had a rule that if a man escaped, ten men would be killed in retaliation. In July 1941 a man from Kolbe's bunker escaped. The dreadful irony of the story is that the escaped prisoner was later found drowned in a camp latrine, so the terrible reprisals had been exercised without cause. But the remaining men of the bunker were led out.

'The fugitive has not been found!' the commandant Karl Fritsch screamed. 'You will all pay for this. Ten of you will be locked in the starvation bunker without food or water until they die.' The prisoners trembled in terror. A few days in this bunker without food and water, and a man's intestines dried up and his brain turned to fire.

The ten were selected, including Franciszek Gajowniczek, imprisoned for helping the Polish Resistance. He couldn't help a cry of anguish. 'My poor wife!' he sobbed. 'My poor children! What will they do?' When he uttered this cry of dismay, Maximilian stepped silently forward, took off his cap, and stood before the commandant and said, 'I am a Catholic priest. Let me take his place. I am old. He has a wife and children.'

Astounded, the icy-faced Nazi commandant asked, 'What does this Polish pig want?'

Father kolbe pointed with his hand to the condemned Franciszek Gajowniczek and repeated 'I am a Catholic priest from Poland; I would like to take his place, because he has a wife and children.'

Observers believed in horror that the commandant would be angered and would refuse the request, or would order the death of both men. The commandant remained silent for a moment. What his thoughts were on being confronted by this brave priest we have no idea. Amazingly, however, he acceded to the request. Apparantly the Nazis had more use for a young worker than for an old one, and was happy to make the exchange. Franciszek Gajowniczek was returned to the ranks, and the priest took his place.

Gajowniczek later recalled:

'I could only thank him with my eyes. I was stunned and could hardly grasp what was going on. The immensity of it: I, the condemned, am to live and someone else willingly and voluntarily offers his life for me - a stranger. Is this some dream?

I was put back into my place without having had time to say anything to Maximilian Kolbe. I was saved. And I owe to him the fact that I could tell you all this. The news quickly spread all round the camp. It was the first and the last time that such an incident happened in the whole history of Auschwitz.

For a long time I felt remorse when I thought of Maximilian. By allowing myself to be saved, I had signed his death warrant. But now, on reflection, I understood that a man like him could not have done otherwise. Perhaps he thought that as a priest his place was beside the condemned men to help them keep hope. In fact he was with them to the last.'‘

Father Kolbe was thrown down the stairs of Building 13 along with the other victims and simply left there to starve. Hunger and thirst soon gnawed at the men. Some drank their own urine, others licked moisture on the dank walls. Maximilian Kolbe encouraged the others with prayers, psalms, and meditations on the Passion of Christ. After two weeks, only four were alive. The cell was needed for more victims, and the camp executioner, a common criminal called Bock, came in and injected a lethal dose of cabolic acid into the left arm of each of the four dying men. Kolbe was the only one still fully conscious and with a prayer on his lips, the last prisoner raised his arm for the executioner. His wait was over.

Monday, August 14, 2006

Celebrating with St. Max

"I wish to be a saint... I demand that you be saints and great saints. Sanctity is not a luxury but it is an obligation... and it is not difficult."

Today is the feast day of my hero, my patron, St. Maximilian Kolbe. Catholic Exchange has a nice introductory article about the Saint of Auschwitz. I joined the Militia of the Immaculatae in 2000, making my initial consecration on January 1, 2001, a date which is not only MY birthday, but Mary's feast day as well. Mary, the Mother of Our Lord who was so near and close to St. Kolbe's heart.

Who is St. Maximilian Kolbe?

From the CE article:

If the real identifying mark of a man is his ability to forego his own desires for the good of others, then the sacrifice of one's life for another surely qualifies as the highest measure of manhood. This saint did not even know the man who lamented about the destitution of his wife and children if he died in that concentration camp, but Kolbe stepped out of line right then and there and took his place as if it never occurred to him that he had just agreed to the most horrible death imaginable, death by starvation, or to having his veins shot through with carbolic acid to finish off the devilish deed. His act of selflessness was so spontaneous that it seemed like just another sacrifice in his day, but in reality it was the ultimate sacrifice. "I'm just a priest," he told the Kommandant of the camp. "I'll go instead of him."

Will today's men learn from this man about manhood? Woe to us if we do not! In a world where feminist dogmas and intimidations shame men from living the heroism to which all of us are called, Kolbe beckons men to stand up, throw off this present totalitarianism and step out of line for those who need men most.


I'm ashamed to say that I have drifted away from my friend Max over the past few years. I had forgotten his lessons and after doing some reading online tonight as well as flipping through Forget Not Love on my bookshelf, he is once again working on me and teaching me the lessons I need to reflect to my sons, my friends, and to strangers.


"You will not be free from crosses, suffering and interior and external temptations. These we must experience to be like Christ. We prove that we love God sincerely when we make small sacrifices."

-Saturday, June 26, 1938-From a retreat for ten brothers taking final vows

Two Brothers

--Will you come with me?
--I'll go with you.

Tip o' the fedora to Sparki for bringing this story to my attention.

Book Meme

For you to fill out on your own and send to your friends, should you wish. I tried to stick to just one book, but failed miserably. But at least I was able to keep most answers limited to just TWO! Hopefully others will fare better and keep to just one.

I'm tagging Sparki and Honora for their lists. :) (Oops, I just checked and see that Honora already did this one.) I've got to get quicker. I'll also tag Cor Immaculatae.

1. One book that changed your life:
Henri Nouwen’s
Return of the Prodigal Son. A book of reflection upon the Rembrandt painting of the same name and upon the well-known parable of Jesus. This is a book that I will read over and over again because it chronicles the journey we all take in our lives of living that parable. We, too, are on the journey from prodigal, to brother, to father. The other book would be The Soul of the Apostolate by Jean-Baptiste Chautard. This book introduced me to the importance of the interior life and how it is reflected in our outer lives and graces we receive and give to others. I first stumbled across it while on a silent weekend retreat in the library of Our Lady of Good Counsel Retreat House. (The website of which, by the way, I just finished adding the 2006-2007 retreat schedule to earlier this week. If you have never taken one, or are considering taking one, I highly encourage it.)

2. One book that you’ve read more than once:
C.S. Lewis’
The Screwtape Letters, and The Christmas Box trilogy by Richard Paul Evans. Ok, so technically the Evans’ trilogy are three books, they all flow so seamlessly together that it’s hard to imagine any of them without the other.

3. One book you’d want on a desert island:
Well the Bible's a given so I would pick the
Summa Theologica since if you can only have one book it might has well be a real big one. And if that’s too heavy to lug along, I’d settle for The Lord of the Rings. Or my multi-volume collection of Chesterton’s columns (click for sample) for the London Illustrated News during the 1910s, 20s, and 30s.

4. One book that made you laugh:
Wanda Hickey’s Night of Golden Memories: And Other Disasters, by Jean Shepherd. He’s the author whose works the movie “The Christmas Story” was based upon.

5. One book that made you cry:
The Twelfth Angel, by Og Mandino.

6. One book that you wish had been written:
The one that has been inside my head for the past four years…only partially outlined and one procrastinated on for far too long.

7. One book that you wish had never been written:
I’ve no idea. Probably Harlequin Romance “novels”.

8. One book you’re currently reading:
How about one book per room that I am current reading? I don’t even know where to start, how sad is that? I’m in the middle of about five right now. Ummm….
1776, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Wonder Clock, and A Thread of Grace.

9. One book you’ve been meaning to read:
The Habit of Being: Letters of Flannery O’Connor. Flannery is one of my favorite authors, and as with Tolkien’s letters I find that having the opportunity to read the letters left behind by those who wrote well before the art of letterwriting fell into decay, is a fascinating exercise providing insights we’d never otherwise see.

Pink (and blue)

While we won't have it confirmed until the ultrasound in 6 weeks, we both think that the new babe will be a girl. This is purely based upon the high heartbeat (especially compared to our other two sons at 12 weeks) and the parental reading of tea leaves, constellations, coffee stain shapes on napkins ("Wait, is that Elvis? No, it's gonna be a girl."), planet alignment, etc., etc. But if it is in fact a girl I will officially turn to mush. It was bad enough hearing Harry Chapin's "The Cat's In The Cradle" today on the radio (that song never fails to smack me hard upside the head), but to have it followed immediately by Bob Carlisle's "Butterfly Kisses" was devastating. Not a cloud in the sky but I needed windshield wipers nonetheless.

I'm doomed.
A girl on Valentine's Day 2007.

I cannot wait.

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

Just A Dog

When we lost Fenway last April, a good friend of mine sent me the following. I'd meant to post it earlier, but will do so now.

Just a Dog

From time to time, people tell me, "lighten up, it's just a dog," or, "that's a lot of money for just a dog." They don't understand the distance traveled, the time spent, or the costs involved for "just a dog."

Some of my proudest moments have come about with "just a dog." Many hours have passed and my only company was "just a dog," but I did not once feel slighted.

Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by "just a dog," and in those days of darkness, the gentle touch of "just a dog" gave me comfort and reason to overcome the day.

If you, too, think it's "just a dog," then you will probably understand phases like "just a friend," "just a sunrise," or "just a promise."

"Just a dog" brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust, and pure unbridled joy.

"Just a dog" brings out the compassion and patience that make me a better person. Because of "just a dog" I will rise early, take long walks and look longingly to the future.

So for me and folks like me, it's not "just a dog" but an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past and the pure joy of the moment.

"Just a dog" brings out what's good in me and diverts my thoughts away from myself and the worries of the day.

I hope that someday they can understand that it's not "just a dog" but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being "just a man."

So the next time you hear the phrase "just a dog." just smile, because they "just don't understand."

Why?

Michael Medved explains the answer to the question that I have been pondering over and over: why, exactly, does the world hate the Jews so much? I have never understood this concept. Between the media faking photos (you have to see 'em to believe 'em) to condemn Israel, to the lack of news coverage regarding the Seattle gunman shooting up a Jewish office (killing one and injuring five), both the latest in a thousands of years old habit, I just don't understand it.

Saturday, August 05, 2006

Moments of Grace

Two weeks ago I attended a daily Mass over my lunch hour at St. Mary's downtown. While I have it blocked out in my Outlook schedule at the office each day, my goal was to attend at least three times per week. I've failed miserably at that and rarely attend twice per month it seems. It didn't used to be this way, but I've spent more time running from Him and avoiding Him than I have spent seeking Him out. Whether it be in my prayer life, work, family, or issues of character, I have proverbially pulled over on the side of a lonely highway and kicked Jesus right out of my car while speeding into the horizon towards oblivion.

After this particular Mass I had the opportunity to spend about ten minutes speaking with Doug Barry of RADIX. Doug was attending Mass with one of his daughters and we got to talking about some CD recordings of his that I had purchased during his performance of The Passion at my home parish on Palm Sunday last April. He was in town doing some studio work, recording a new series of talks, one of which will be on modestly. I love Doug and Eric, and boy when you stand before someone on fire for the Lord and His work, and someone on the frontlines day after day as they are, you at once feel very small and yet very inspired as well.


We parted with Doug telling me he'd send me a preliminary copy of the CD when it was finished, and that I should spread the word after I listen to it. Stay tuned.


On this particular day I had made a U-turn and doubled back in order to go to confession. I went with a contrite heart and a desire to make things right again. Two weeks later and I have once more failed. "We fall down, we get up" I believe is the way I've heard it expressed before. And so I once more will begin, grateful that I even get the second chance...or the third...or the fourth...fifth...twentieth...

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Carpe Ductum!

One of our favorite shows to watch is The Red/Green Show, as seen on PBS from 10 to 11pm on Saturday nights. This show has been on the air for 15 years and this year will be its final season. While I only discovered this gem around four years ago, it quickly became a laugh-out-loud favorite and now is one that Nolan hates to miss as well.

The show is set up in northern Canada at the infamous Possum Lodge, whose motto is Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati (when all else fails, play dead).

Steve Smith plays the acerbic, dry-witted Red Green, lodge leader and host of the show that takes special aim at the yet unexplored humorous side of the male ego and other inflatables. Pat McKenna plays Harold, Red's techno-geek nephew, and Rick Green (no relation to Red) is the klutzy naturalist Bill. Each week they pass the time bonding, adventuring, entrepreneuring and basically keeping the eight-year-old in them alive and well.

Regular segments include "Handyman's Corner," which highlights Red's philosophy: "If women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy." Using the handyman's secret weapon "duct tape," Red demonstrates innovative and useful construction tips on everything from turning a refrigerator into a dishwasher, to converting a hot water tank into a mini-submarine. Nolan LOVES watching the different uses of duct tape. As they say: "Carpe Ductum!" Seize the duct tape!

Every episode ends with the beginnings of a lodge meeting where the motto is recited and heads are bowed for the "Man's Prayer":

I'm a man.
But I can change.
If I have to.
I guess.

But two weeks ago they recited for the first time "The Woman's Prayer" because the lodge was overrun by female executives and CEOs in the area for a retreat. My wife loved it.

I am woman.
Hear me roar.
I'm in charge.
Get over it.

Red Green and the gang will be missed. It provided clean, light-hearted and much needed laughter in a world gone raving mad. Catch it if you can before it's gone. And as Red says at the end of each episode: "Keep your stick on the ice."