random thoughts

*A few week ago a number of blogs were triumphant about the number of catechumens in the DC diocese. It's the biggest "class" ever. They attributed it to the Francis effect. Hold on there buckaroos.  Having grown up in DC and living in Northern Virginia I can tell you a few things about the diocese that these nice people don't know.  This area is nothing like your home.  Because it's the capital we have a massive number of foreigners. People come to this area from all over the country and the world.

The DC diocese also pulls people from Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and West Virginia. When Rocky decided to convert we lived in the suburbs but he went to St. Matthew's Cathedral in DC for RCIA and confirmation. I'd say that about half the people in his class lived outside of DC. It was a practical and pretty common decision. He wanted to get in to the barque of Peter and the DC churches understand that the laity are not all retired. 9 to 5ers  or mothers who work at home.

 The biggest number of catechumens usually comes from Our Lady Queen of the Americas, the all Spanish parish  and the Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament which draw  people from all over Latin America, Africa and Haiti. The DC diocese numbers are wonderful but  are typically greater than most dioceses anyway because of the unique make up of the catechumens.



*If the priest or deacon starts strutting around like a rooster in the hen yard during the homily that's your sign that something aint right in this parish. If he tells more jokes in his homily than a  comedian doing a monologue that's your sign that things are screwy. If he uses props, projectors, Power Point, animals,or  children from the audience--and I use that word deliberately, that's your sign to haul yourself out of there and go somewhere else. The minute the priest or deacon starts showboating that is your ten foot tall blazing neon sign.




*Cardinal Dolan is the ultimate company man. If he has to do a complete 180 from one day to the next he will. I accept that but man, I wish he'd stop all that guffawing. We do have a few good bishops but they are outnumbered by men who are inoffensive but out to lunch and men who are just plain bad. So yeah, barring a miracle, our bishops will not be coming to save us. But our Faith does not begin and end in our bishops. It does not begin and end in the pope for that matter. Our Faith's Alpha and Omega is Christ.  Many men who should be our good examples are refusing to do so because it's not cool or easy but that's no excuse to give up on the Faith. Stay in Gethsemane and watch Our Lord anyway.

Agony in the garden by Franz Schwartz

*This poem is beautiful.





*How exactly does drinking until you fall down howling drunk honor St. Patrick? I have never gotten that.