July 18, 1970– All 23 persons on board a Soviet plane, carrying relief supplies for victims of the May earthquake in Peru, were killed when the Antonov An-22 cargo plane crashed into the North Atlantic Ocean after its departure from Iceland. The aircraft would be the object of a multinational search, until debris were located by a Russian trawler on July 26. On July 18, 1970, 50 Years later the Catholic Bard published the 49th post of it’s short carrier entitled 50 Years of Catholic History During My Life: The First 25. This is followed by the 50th Post entitled 50 Years of Catholic History During My Life: The Next 25.
These two posts showcase the history in the life of Mark (The Catechist) and Kristin (The Carmelite) and the people in their lives.
And this post follows 100 Posts and 100 Years Ago…
Our History is also surrounded by actual history such as what I mentioned above and other historical events happening at home and around the world.
In the year I was born,
1971
A shadowy group of people decided they needed to begin an investigation of the FBI, something that just needed to be done because nobody else was doing it. And they decided to do this with a burglary. This is the subject of a podcast of Jimmy Akin’s Mysterious World in which he mentions an inclusive interview given to the Catholic Bard about his podcast.
January 27th-The Catechist is Born in Beverly Hospital. I was an unexpected baby. My parents didn’t think they would have any more kids. But Surprise!! I was later Baptized within the next month, thus putting that mark (LOL) on my soul identifying me as a Catholic. While I was a babe in my mother’s arms.
1972
I was running and playing and seeking attention as a newly arrived person in America.
1973
In movie theaters on…
December 26- The Exorcist premiers scaring the literal hell out of movie goers. My friend Dave who is not a practicing Catholic, loves this movie. I saw it not too long ago and actually found it kinda boring, at least for the first 1/2 of the film. It is based on William Peter Blatty’s 1971 horror novel.
The Carmelite’s Parents get married.
1974
Down in Rhode Island on
August 25th– The Carmelite is Born is born along with her twin sister and they are later baptized that year. One more sister will be born into their family a few years down the road. I have 3 older sisters. My future wife is now in the world and I stir in playing with my toys, knowing that a new presence of importance is now in the world.
1975
September 14th– Elizabeth Seton (August 28, 1774 – January 4, 1821) is canonized, becoming the first American Roman Catholic saint. (Way to go America). She is also a former Episcopalian.
“I will go peaceably and firmly to the Catholic Church: for if Faith is so important to our salvation, I will seek it where true Faith first began, seek it among those who received it from God Himself.”
This was the confirmation name of the Carmelite. The Carmelite was sick when she was born, but her mother prayed for St. Elizabeth Seaton’s intercession and miraculously the Carmelite lived and writes for you today.
1976
1977
While The Catechist and Carmelite continue to learn and grow.
1978
1979
THE END OF THE 70’s
On to the 80’s
1980
The Carmelite is in Kindergarten.
1981
1982
The Carmelite takes her first trip to Ireland at age 7.
1983
1984
1985
Mark sees Back to the Future with his mother. The film kept breaking several times. Mark saw it several more times in the theatre.
The Carmelite takes her 2nd trip to Ireland at age 10.
1986
1987
1988
1989
END OF THE 80’S.
Now on to the 90’s
1990
May- The Catechist graduates High School.
1991
The Catechist explores other areas of Christianity after reading a anti-Catholic tract in ecumenical Christian group at Dean Jr. College.
1992
The Catechist first attends Fitchburg State College where he will meet the most significant people in his life which include his future best man Marshall Myers and member of the wedding party, David Patten. Two of his closest and most cherished friends of all time.
1993
The Catechist returns to the faith after reading Peter Kreeft’s Fundamentals of the Faith. Takes a RCIA class at the Newman Center at FSC to get reacquainted with the faith.
Two Books I read in my reversion to the Catholic Faith.
Evangelical Catholics by Deacon Keith Fournier and Catholic and Christian by Alan Schreck.
September- The Carmelite and the Catechist Meet for the first time at Fitchburg State College. They begin dating but soon break up as Carmelite confesses to the Catechist that she wants to be a nun.
Some Highlights of the dating months:
Catholic Charismatic Conference with Fr. Benedict Groeschel and Sr. Briege McKenna.
A Barn Concert in Peabody Mass with singer and writer Jamie Stewart Wolfe with the theme of Irish Saints.
1994
Summer- After Marshall Myers graduates from Fitchburg State College, Marshall and Mark travel from Massachusetts to California by car.
1995
And now I take you on a fact based short history of the next 25 years of my life. There are a lot of names and dates so you can see who lived and died when and where and among whom they lived and died. Get ready to learn or be reminded about our personal life and the greater world around us.
1996
The Catechist takes time off college and moves to California to live with Marshall. A religious disagreement leads to him coming back home. Marshall soon follows him back to Massachusetts.
1997
The Carmelite and the Catechist graduate Fitchburg State College.
After being hostel to the Catechist for being Catholic, Marshall Becomes Catholic.
Marshall, Mark, Dave Patten and 3 others head to Franciscan University for the first time for a ‘Defending the Faith’ Conference. Included in the lineup are Scott Hahn, Fr. Benedict Groeschel, Peter Kreeft, Karl Keating, and Mark Shea.
The Catechist moves in with Marshall in his mother’s house in Sandwich Ma (in Cape Cod).
1998
1999
Marshall Moves to Steubenville and the Catechist moves back in with his parents.
END OF THE 90’S
2000
2001
Kristin leaves Colorado after a family tragedy.
Kristin’s grandmother becomes Catholic .
2002
May 3-The Catechist’s father Harold Wilson dies. (March 17, 1921 – May 3, 2003)
2004
2005
2006
The Catechist goes on a missions trip to Honduras. This is his first real trip out of the country. Not counting the time He and Marshall went to Mexico for 15 minutes on the way to California or the time the both of them and Dave Patten went on a trip to Canada.
2007
The Carmelite visits the Catechist in Ohio.
The Catechist goes on a Mission Trip to Steubenville.
2008
The Catechist goes on a Mission Trip to North Dakota. Going on Missions Trips is what you do for spring break at a devout Catholic college.
The Catechist graduates from FUS and then gets a job at CatholicTV. I get to work with some incredible people over the next several years including Fr. (now) Bishop Robert Reed, Fr. Dan O’Connel , Matt Weber and Andy Atwood Otto. We go on to produce some interesting and unique shows including the original sitcom pilot Mass Confusion with podcasters Greg and Jennifer Wilits (The Catholics Next Door) and Mac and Katherine Barron (Catholics in a Small Town)
2009
The Catechist and the Carmelite after years of having friendship just not work out, they became engaged.
2010
January 2- The Marriage of the Catechist and the Carmelite with Fr. Robert Reed in attendance.
September 25- Chiara Badano (October 29, 1971 – October 7, 1990) is declared a “Blessed”. I have asked for her intersession and I think she helped us out with our daughter. She was 19 when she died. She was born the same year I was. Before she died, she told her mother,
“Oh Mama, young people…young people…they are the future. You see, I can’t run anymore, but how I would like to pass on to them the torch, like in the Olympics! Young people have only one life and it’s worthwhile to spend it well.
END OF THE 2010’S
2011
2012
2013
Mark’s childhood home in Wenham Ma, is sold and his mother moves to a retirement independent living village.
2014
November 23-The Catchiest and Carmelite adopt a Princess.
2015
February-The Catechist is let go from CatholicTV.
February 9- The Pastor at the church that I grew up in and the pastor who served there for many years Fr. Louis D. Bourgeois or Fr. B dies at 82.
Easter Vigil-Princess Becomes Catholic.
May- The Catechist begins working at St. Patrick’s Manor.
2016
The Carmelite begins her journey as a Secular Discalced Carmelite in the Community of Mary and Joseph.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel pray for us.
2017
Easter Vigil- Jackson Werner, a co-worker at St. Patrick’s and who was dating Princess becomes Catholic. She breaks up with him soon after. He is also a guest contributor on the Catholic Bard.
The Carmelite receives her scapular as a Secular Discalced Carmelite in the Community of Mary and Joseph.
2018
Two of the Catechists childhood friends who grew up in his neighborhood dies.
The Carmelite goes to Ireland for the fourth time, this time with her husband. They visit King John’s Castle and also the Shrine of Our Lady of Knock.
2019
May-Marshall graduates Franciscan and gets a job in his field.
2020
January 2- 10 Years of Marriage between the Catechist and the Carmelite
Mother’s Day/The Fifth Sunday of Easter Sunday May 10, 2020
A century ago, on May 18th, 1920 the future Pope John Paul 2 was born Karol Jozef Wojtyla. A 100 years and eight days earlier on the 5th Sunday of Easter and on the day we honor mother’s everywhere the Catholic Bard was born on the Patheos Catholic platform. It’s an honor to have started delivering posts to the world on a day we celebrate the women who delivered us to the world. We love you moms everywhere. And this was done during the season in which our savior delivered us from sin and death. Not a bad season to have started a professional Catholic blog. On the day Catholic Bard began its journey, the Carmelite of the group fled the Coronavirus threat and began a retreat away from the Catechist in her parents RI home. Sorrow and Joy mixed together on a special day.
Love Letter to a Wife Far Away Thursday May 28, 2020
Being separated by that stinking virus meant that I couldn’t hug, kiss or spend time in person with my wife. Working all day at the nursing home has caused us to communicate less then we usually do. So, I figured that even thou I see and talk less to my spouse; I wasn’t going to let that stop me from finding a creative and unique way to be romantic.
Pentecost: Back to Church Sunday May 31, 2020
Feast of the Holy Trinity Sunday June 7, 2020
On Trinity Sunday Eve, Saturday June 6th, The Carmelite returned from her exile in RI to reunite with her Catechist after about a month. On Trinity Sunday June 7th our long time friend and extended member of the family, Spencer Goodrich, who had lived with us for about two years, packed his things and I drove him back to NH.
It was sad to see him go but was happy Kristin had come back to live with me once again. We celebrated one last time as a household family by paying $20 bucks to watch Scobb!
On the Monday after Trinity Sunday June 8th our friend Pattie Goodale died at age 55 due to Coronavirus along with her mother who died on May 26 at 76 and her brother who died on June 12th at 51. All due to Covid-19
During this trinity of events on this Trinity Sunday the church wants us to really focus on God in this Post Easter season of ordinary time and it continues with Trinity Sunday. This is the day we commemorate the in-explainable doctrine that underlines our entire belief in the concept of God. This is also the first time Kristin had been back to Mass since before they stopped public attendance due to the Coronavirus.
Monday June 15th saw our Silver Post after a little over a month of publishing articles.
Father’s Day Sunday Jun 21, 2020
This weekend is the weekend we traveled and visited more people than we had in months. The day before on June 20th we visited the former foster parents of our adoptive daughter’s brother. Then on Father’s day we visited Kristin’s parents in honor of Father’s Day. I remembered my Dad in this post and we visited Kristin’s Dad (and Mom) in which they all had fish and I had one of the best pieces of steak I Have ever tasted in my life.
The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist Wednesday June 24, 2020
On the day we celebrate the birth of John the Baptist we sadly attended the grave-side service for the Gooddale Family. I’m not exactly sure of the extent of their religious beliefs but asked my Patheos Catholic priest friends to offer a Mass for their souls, which they gladly did.
Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Apostles Monday June 29, 2020
This is the 3rd day of the Catholic Bard’s big collaboration project of different Patheos writers.
The Catholic Bard’s Guide to Patheos Writers
Read More History at Living and Dying Between Mother’s Day – 4th of July 2020 JULY 3, 2020
July- Marshall gets fired from his first job as a counselor. But finds another job as a counserlor.
2021
The Catechist will hopefully turn 50.
Our History is surrounded by our Fellow Catholic Bard Writers
Gaining Faith in College AUGUST 01, 2020 by Jackson Werner
A Non-Practicing Catholic Reviews The Exorcist AUGUST 08, 2020 by David Patten
A Post not written yet by Marshall Myers
Our History is Surrounded by the lives and deaths of…
Catholic Writers,
Catholic Media Personalities,
Popes
Saints
Blesseds,
Venerables, and
Servants of God.
Papal Statements During Wartime MAY 25, 2020
12 Catholics I Admire MAY 24, 2020
Giving Her Children Brown Scapulars JULY 16, 2020
My Badass Post of Feminine Genius JULY 22, 2020
The Society of Ignatius Press JULY 31, 2020
New Media Catholics AUGUST 04, 2020
The Immaculate Connections AUGUST 15, 2020
Church Militant’s Better Doppelganger AUGUST 17, 2020
The Wisdom of Catholic Rigorous Vortex AUGUST 22, 2020
St. Therese and the Hidden Life Exposed OCTOBER 01, 2020
God Exposes Young Saints OCTOBER 5, 2020
21 Young Saints and Their Companions OCTOBER 9, 2020
12 + American Saints on Mother Cabrini Day October 12, 2020
Knowing and Loving God: A Mediation in Quotes OCTOBER 13, 2020
All Kinds of Saints Day Coming Soon
Our History is Surrounded by developments in the living magisterium of the church.
Catholic Thought Since Vatican 2 SEPTEMBER 22, 2020
Our History is Surrounded by the world of culture and entertainment.
Harry Potter and the Beatific Vision AUGUST 03, 2020
Should We All Be Racists Now Father? AUGUST 19, 2020
Catholic (mostly) Entertainment Trivia AUGUST 29, 2020
Unreal Cinematic History SEPTEMBER 9, 2020
12 Interesting Fascinating Catholics and Christians SEPTEMBER 23, 2020
Our History is Surrounded by the launch of New Catholic Websites
Surfing the Catholic Web JULY 25, 2020
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