Passing the Torch

  I recently attended the National Pastoral Musicians Convention in Cincinnati, an event in its 40th year. To commemorate the anniversary a large bronze bell was cast. It sat prominently in the Grand Ballroom and called the attendees to prayer and plenum sessions. Unfortunately the convention has dropped attendance in the past few years, and…

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The Assumption of Mary into Heaven

When Jesus ascended into heaven, he left his Church in a fragile state. Although all power in heaven and earth had been given to Jesus Christ, who in turn handed that power to his first disciples, the situation was far from what a CEO would want for a corporation. Fortunately Jesus’ mother Mary knew the…

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Making Your Day Special

I’m starting a work week, and I hope there will be something special about the week. “Special” could happen unexpectedly, but often enough it means I have to create “special.” One way is to change my vision. An experiment I participated in recently proves this point. The audience was asked to introduce themselves to someone…

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Does “Shelf Life” Dictate?

To some today, especially youth, many things have a one-year shelf life. Some need a new phone every year, for example, and the weekly “Business” section of the newspaper touts new brands and styles that suggest any former model is obsolete. Clothes hang idly in closets for fear someone saw us in the outfit last…

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Pie

Recently four Sisters of Notre Dame from Germany visited our Sisters in the Toledo area. On their last evening before traveling on to the Cleveland area the sisters had dinner at one of the Sisters’ homes. The pork loin meal ended with raspberry pie. Although some of the German sisters spoke English, “pie” was not…

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August Ripeness

August is here, time of ripeness, time of fullness, time of fulfillment. Plump red orbs on tomato vines. Bushels of zucchini. (“Please take some off my hands.”) Buttered sweet corn crackling under eager bites. Watermelon juice sticky on face and fingers. (“Anyone for a seed-spitting contest?”) Ripening peaches. Fresh cherries. Succulent, taste bud-tempting, glorious August–the…

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