LIFE: MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS--OUR POSTULANTS!

Julia (Cleveland), Alina (Miami), Emily (Buffalo) and postulant director, Sr. Carmen Christi, under the fatherly gaze of St. Paul. They have an open invitation to come up to Chicago and VISIT!

LIFE: SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN

The diocese of Superior, Wisconsin, is huge. It comprises 16 counties, and borders Lake Superior (Canada) at its nothernmost. If you're thinking "Brrrrr," you're right.

Diocesan motto: "Not big time, just a good time." Their new bishop, Peter Christensen, is from St. Paul, MN.

                  

I went eagle-watching in Superior. I went to all the eagle haunts where the locals swore I would see eagles and eagle nests. They made it sound like eagles are to Superior what pigeons are to Chicago. Nothing. I have been eagle watching many times in my life--at places named "Eagle Lake," "Eagle River," "Eagle Mountain," "Eagle Pond." Nada. (The only bald eagle I've ever seen is on the Muppets.) I'm beginning to think that our "E Pluribus Unum" friends should be put BACK on the endangered list 'cuz I sure haven't seen any! But then again my Dad, who loved moose and spent many summers hiking and mountain-climbing in New Hampshire before he died, never saw a moose. And moose do exist because I saw two the ONE morning my Dad did NOT accompany me to daily Mass one summer in New Hampshire. Serendipity and c'est la vie!

TV: "GUNS, GERMS AND STEEL--PART I" NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNEL

Although I think there is much to Jared Diamond's book-cum-documentary, I take exception to his unqualified use of "progress" and "civilization." His assumption is that the way "primitive peoples" continue to live is not "thriving" (in spite of those annoying little facts about lack of protein in the diet, etc.). I think that the fact that we still have "primitive peoples" who have managed to survive off the land alone (although some have died out because of their inevitable depletion of their world) is important. Now as we "progressive, civilized" people deplete the ENTIRE world, we're going to need some of these peoples' wisdom of how to live simply in harmony with the environment around us. HOWEVER i do believe we CAN do that and reverse the tide, which is already happening: recycling, eating locally grown food, alternative energy sources (wind, sun, etc.)etc., but we have long way to go.

 

The premise of Guns, Germs and Steel:

 

hunting is trumped by farming

farming is trumpted by farming/storage

farming/storage is trumped by the types of crops (Europe had more nutritious crops)

types of crops don't stand alone, it's also about domestication of the right kind of animals (Europe had animals not just for meat but milk, clothing, plowing as "machines," etc.).

the Fertile Crescent (Middle East) had the right climate, crops, animals.

the Europeans then brought the same crops and animals to the USA. (There were no cows in the USA till the Europeans came.)

 

I love that Jared Diamond believes in the fundamental equality of all humans. This is a big part of his premise. It's not that anyone was smarter, they just had better opportunities, land, etc.

It's not politics, religion, culture. It's the raw materials people have around them, the hand they've been dealt. People are pretty much the same and have ingenuity. It's geography.

 

Religion: However, God gave the Fertile Crescent to His chosen people! Ha ha!

 

LIFE: KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN

Yes, Virginia, there is a Kalamazoo! "Kalamazoo" is Native American for "where the river boils." People who live there are used to people thinking it's a fictitious place, so the chamber of commerce really plays it up....

LIFE: CHICAGO'S COLLEGE SEMINARIANS VISIT

Fr. Presta, seminary rector, is on left. We had Sr. Thecla's home-made lasagna. Delish!

LIFE: WHAT THEOLOGY OF THE BODY IS NOT

Theology of the Body is not Gnosticism. It is not some secret knowledge OR secret club of the enlightened OR something you have to "get" or you're out of the loop. It is the exact opposite. God came to reveal EVERYTHING to EVERYONE in Jesus Christ.

 

Some people already live Theology of the Body because they are in touch with themselves and God. For the rest of us there's a 735-page book and CDs by Christopher West.

LIFE: FACEBOOK IS LIKE HEAVEN

Methinks that Facebook is like heaven: reconnecting with "long-dead" friends, meeting new friends and meeting friends of friends. Without end. All in the same environment. Giving and receiving gifts. Sharing joys. And new things. And fun pictures.

 

Methinks that "the hermeneutics of suspicion" needs to be replaced not only with "the hermeneutics of trust," but the "hermeneutics of happiness," or better, simply "trust the happiness" (because it's real). Sorrow is real, too, but it has an end. Happiness has no end.

 

MOVIES: "BELLA" IS FINALLY OPENING!

Bella will be opening in these cities on OCT 26:

(www.bellathemovie.com)

Chicago

NYC
Los Angeles/Orange County
Miami/Ft. Lauderdale/W. Palm Beach
Houston
Dallas
San Antonio
San Francisco
Phoenix
Denver
San Diego
Orlando
Washington DC
St. Louis
Colorado Springs
Kansas City
Las Vegas
Austin
Baltimore
Philadelphia
Des Moines
Atlanta
Nashville
Knoxville
Detroit
Cleveland
Tampa
Fresno
Sacramento
Birmingham, AL

And these cities can go see Bella starting the following week, November 2:

Milwaukee
Madison
Green Bay
Minneapolis
Pittsburgh
Tucson
Albuquerque
Durango, CO
El Paso
Oklahoma City
Honolulu

MOVIES: "A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE"

 

YYY

 

A quiet family man (Tom Stahl) becomes a hero and is thus found by the organized crime outfit he used to work for.

He never told his family about his previous identity...or deeds. This is one of those movies where you find yourself cheering for each murder--even though you know it's wrong--because this man has truly reformed his life. How? Behind every great man.... Yes, his wife. But back to the fact that we're cheering for murder. It's a little different from growing fond of a truly evil but clever character. He's not evil any more. But now he kills so he won't be killed, but most of all to protect his family. It's the whole "Crime and Punishment," "above the law" thing. It reminds me of the also-excellent, also "small feel" movie "Dinner Rush," which had the same ethical issues.

 

Problems: I didn't buy that a crazy, crazy, vicious hitman was suddenly a lamb. And then a hitman again. And then a lamb. But it could happen. The character of the son in the family wasn't terribly believable at first, but got better (a writing and acting problem). There was a serious break in tension and action right before the climax when Tom drives to Philadelphia to settle the score.

 

Incredible performances by the entire cast, especially Ed Harris and William Hurt, especially William Hurt.

MOVIES: MY BEST 10 FILMS

off the top of my head....

 

1. Man for All Seasons

2. The Mission

3. Blade Runner (director's cut)

4. What About Bob?

5. Romero

6. Last Holiday

7. Bicycle Thief (Italy)

8. Pather Panjali (India)

9. Malcolm X

10. Diary of a City Priest

 

Favorite musicals:

 

1. Music Man

2. Godspell

3. Bride and Prejudice

 

Must-see every year Christmas movies:

 

1. A Charlie Brown Christmas

2. A Muppet Christmas Carol (the best version ever of the Dickens' classic)

3. Elf

 

LIFE: BEAUTIFUL ST. PETER'S CHURCH IN CHICAGO'S LOOP!

LIFE: REST IN PEACE, PHILOMENA (NANAY) JARIN

My dear friend, Nancy Jarin from Toronto, just lost her amazing Mom today.

Please pray for the repose of her soul and for the family. She was the rock.

She'll be buried in the Philippines.                                                                           

 

PHILOMENA JARIN

November 29, 1916  --- October 5, 2007

BOOKS: I FINISHED WRITING MY BOOK!!!

LIFE: GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN

 

Sr. Susan and I just returned from a Diocesan Leader's Day exhibit in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (We had to get back to Chicago by Sunday because there's a Packers vs. Bears game in Green Bay, and we didn't want to get lynched.)

     

 

The amazing Bishop Morneau (poet, poetry lover and poetry interpreter par excellence--a big promoter of Wisconsin poet Jessica Powers) gave the homily at the Mass. We shared St. Francis Feast day with the hospitable Franciscan Sisters of Manitowoc.

MOVIES: MY 10 WORST FILMS

1. Spice World

2. Mulholland Drive

3. All Dogs Go To Heaven (animated)

4. (that unfortunate movie from the 70's with all Beatles music starring Aerosmith and the Bee Gees)

5. Night Mail (old b/w British documentary)

6. City of Angels 

7. Meet Joe Black

8. What Dreams May Come

9. Mr. Holland's Opus

10. Paris, Texas

 

(Movies I Could not Watch All the Way Through):

Field of Dreams

Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner

 

BOOKS: MUST-READ FOR FILM BUFFS AND FILM MAKERS!

Ron Austin is a Hollywood saint. He's been around Hollywood for a long time, past president of the WGA if I'm not mistaken. He taught us at Act One. He was the most profound, gentle, charitable, spiritual teacher! Ironically, he is now almost blind and wears these yellow-tinted lens' that just make him look all the more the special person that he is. He volunteers at maximum security prisons.

Accentuated with black and white stills, this long-awaited, succint little gem of a book (only 105 pages), is a spiritual history of world cinema. (What a concept!) Couldn't find it on Amazon, but it's available from Pauline Books and Media www.pauline.org for locations, or the publisher. $12.00 http://www.eerdmans.com/shop/product.asp?p_key=9780802807731 

Be good to your film-loving soul! Get this book!

 

 

LIFE: PRAY FOR PHILOMENA JARIN----91

Please pray for Philomena (Nanay) Jarin. She is very, very sick in the hospital, and although she's 91, she's a very strong and with-it 91. We just don't know if the doctors get that, and if they're giving her all the options they'd give a younger person. Please pray. Thanks!

LIFE: S.W.A.T.T.I.N.G. SINS AWAY

I love being Catholic! There I was at St. Peter's Church (Franciscan Shrine in the heart of Chicago with Mass and Confession on tap all day) coming out of the confessional. Everyone was holding the confessional door for the next person. Well, I step out of the confessional and there's this huge S.W.A.T. dude standing there in full gear (minus that helmet that looks like what welders wear). We were both so shocked. I'm thinking: "Is he going to confession?" He's probably thinking: "Do nuns go to confession?" (People never think we sin or need prayers.) So we just stood there staring at each other for a brief minute, me still holding the door for him. End freeze-frame. He goes to confession, I go do my penance. I love being Catholic!

LIFE: HAPPY GUARDIAN ANGELS DAY!

 

Did you know that even Aristotle believed everyone was born with a guardian spirit?

My guardian angel's name is Justin. (Named after St. Justin Martyr.)

LIFE: SR. THECLA'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY!

Old St. Mary's Church--Paulist Fathers--Chicago, IL

September 30, 2007