Here’s the plan for the weekend. I am turning 37 on Monday. That may not seem old to you, but it’s the oldest I’ve ever been and it’s making me very depressed. I don’t have many in-person friends and they have to work on Monday. I won’t be getting any cards or packages on Monday because of Columbus Day, and we all know how much I don’t enjoy Columbus Day. Despite what you might think, I’m not actually depressed... Read more
Awhile ago I met another person who had been abused by the emotionally abusive religious sister I’ve called Sister Angeline. We were sharing stories. They mentioned something that happened to another religious sister at the convent where Sister Angeline lived after taking her vows. There was another sister I’ll call Sister Martha. The other sisters were out in the world teaching at schools during the day, but Sister Martha was not a teacher. She had a few learning disabilities... Read more
I want to draw your attention to an article that’s been circling on Twitter. It describes an incident that occurred during the clearing of a homeless encampment in Washington, DC yesterday. The city had to temporarily suspend work on that encampment when they accidentally picked up a live human being with a skid-steer loader. For those of you who don’t know, a skid-steer loader is a kind of bulldozer. A homeless encampment is a village of tents and lean-tos that... Read more
Saint Therese is a wonderful saint, though she’s not someone I feel very close to. I’m sure that her mother and father are wonderful saints, though they make me nervous sometimes. I’m sure all her talented and prayerful older sisters will be declared saints someday. But do you know who I really love? I love Therese’s despised, abused, misfit sister, the disappointment of the family, Leonie Martin. Leonie was the middle child; she was known as the Lame Duck... Read more
I don’t actually know who Audrey Assad is. This certainly isn’t her fault. I’m sure she’s a wonderful person. I’m just a weird old fogey who doesn’t follow many popular music figures. When I heard she was leaving the Catholic Church, I was sorry and muttered a prayer for her and moved on, but I didn’t think it was really any of my business. I still don’t. This post isn’t about her, it’s about somebody else. And since he... Read more
The topic on social media is school lunches today. I’m not sure where it all started. Somebody shared a clip of a blonde commentator on Fox new saying it “kills me” that children in New Jersey get a free lunch in the school cafeteria. “Those kids are all going to grow up thinking school lunch is free!” which, for them, it is. She seemed to be thinking of that old adage, “There ain’t no such thing as a free... Read more
I wanted to do something to help the local dug addicts. I don’t know when this idea popped into my head. But I heard there was a needle exchange in the neighborhood, something we’ve needed for a long time. I thought of my dear friend from Columbus whose son struggled with addiction, and my other friend who bravely told their story. I thought about all the people I’ve seen in LaBelle in agony from drug use. I wanted to help.... Read more
I desperately needed my lawn mowed. If you’ve followed my blog for very long, you know that this has been an ordeal for years. Our menacing neighbor who tore up my garden last year and terrified me into panic multiple times this year besides taking her anger out on the car, makes this chore a hell on earth. She is paranoid that we will cross her property line and poison the giant German Shepherd she allows to relieve itself... Read more
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark: At that time, John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.” Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us. Anyone who gives you a... Read more
A friend, a devout Catholic, mentioned on that a new confessor had told her she had to pray the Rosary every day or she’d never be a saint. This is patently ridiculous. Plenty of people became saints before the Rosary was even invented. The Rosary was developed as a way for illiterate people who couldn’t read the Divine Office to meditate, and it’s a beautiful, helpful prayer for many. But it’s not required. It’s not a sacrament. The Rosary... Read more
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