Galluping Towards Bethlehem, er, Washington?

According to the Gallup poll, Pope Francis is tied with rough beast Donald Trump for second place behind Barak Obama for title of Most Admired Man in the World.

What more can I say?  Visit Gallup site for rest of poll results.

Mercy Playlist: Too Tough Hide

Peter Johnson, Jr., Roger Ailes, Cardinal Dolan and Fox News

Today's post at NewsHounds, "Peter Johnson, Jr. Hosts Mutual Love Fest with Cardinal Dolan" elucidates  the relationships among all of the above.  Those who have dismissed me over dinner for doing the same, take note.

For those who don't know, Peter Johnson litigated for the Archdiocese of New York against the plaintiffs of Our Lady of Vilnius in Blaudziunas v. Egan.  For video of Mr. Johnson in action and interesting commentary from Judge Piggott of The New York State Court of Appeals, CLICK HERE, then click on Blaudziunas v. Egan, November, 15th.

And thank all of you at NewsHounds for watching Fox for me.

The people who have walked in darkness have seen a great light

"The Mighty God. In Jesus, God himself became Emmanuel, God-with-us, the God who walks alongside us, who gets involved in our lives, in our homes, in the midst of our “pots and pans”, as Saint Teresa of Jesus liked to say."

-Pope Francis, homily, Madison Square Garden, New York, Friday, 25 September 2015

Another Early Present: The Miracle of the Bells

My friend John was channel surfing when the words "Wilkes Barre"  jumped out at me.  One of our St. Stanislaus parishioners had just returned from a family visit there.  TMC was airing the 1948 movie "The Miracle of the Bells".  We consulted the NY Times viewing guide, which described the film as "Ding dong ghastly."  Set in a small municipality nicknamed "Coaltown,"  the movie contained all of the basic elements and glorious incongruities that made St. Stanislaus Kostka and Our Lady of Vilnius so special.

• A humble and holy priest who refuses money, played by Frank Sinatra, who sang a Polish song in English.
• A luminous and saintly Polish actress played by Italian actress Alida Valli, who sang the same Polish song in Polish.
• A platoon of extras who were real Eastern European coal miners
• A church, St. Michaels, atmospherically similar to OLV and St. Stan's
• Class disitinctions
• A venal priest who seeks money
• A rich burgher who complains about church bells
• A miracle that could have been explained away scientifically, but wasn't
• The conversion of many hearts

The movie is based on the novel of the same name by Russell Janney.  I thought the movie was "Ding dong great!"   Here is the song Powrot/Ever Homeward as sung in the movie.  Hit it, Frank:

A Priest's Response to 'Spotlight'

An unlikely early Christmas present,  Father Peter Daly's National Catholic Reporter article, "Watching and Responding to 'Spotlight'" came to my attention today.

Father Daly shares his response to the movie and veers into Our Lady of Vilnius territory by suggesting a sequel to 'Spotlight" titled 'Fallout':

"As good as the movie is it tells only the first part of a continuing story. There is a need for a follow-up movie to tell the story of the enormous payouts of cash and huge settlements to victims, the stonewalling of many bishops, and the bankruptcy of eight U.S. dioceses. That movie could also tell about the many people who have stopped going to church and parish after parish has closed."

Josh Singer and Tom McCarthy, please take note

You Don't Have to Be Polish to Sing "Lulaj!"

The Three Tenors do it in Polish and Italian!

Advent Allysum in Hastings on Hudson

The Father Peter Miqueli Story: Reasonable coverage from a reliable source

Yesterday Peter Feuerherd of the National Catholic Reporter presented the most balanced account of this story that I have read to date: Bronx parish pastor resigns amid widely publicized scandal.

In the article Feuerherd paraphrases Joseph Zwilling's statement as:

"Archdiocesan spokesman Joseph Zwilling, in Catholic New York, the archdiocesan newspaper, said that the investigation by the archdiocese revealed sloppy accounting practices at the parish but no embezzlement. “

In the Catholic New York article cited by Feuerherd, Bronx Pastor Steps Down Following Lawsuit,  Zwilling is quoted as saying, "We have asked the people who are making these charges to please provide us with documentation, but they have thus far failed to do so.”

To which this cub reporter for the Our Lady of Vilnius Weekly would ask:

• Why did you use the word "failed" instead of saying that "The people who are making these charges were asked to provide us with documentation but have not done so"?
• Was the word "failed" specifically chosen to encourage the reader to infer that the "documentation" does not exist and that the allegations are spurious?
• Is the Archdiocese of New York the proper recipient of this "documentation", or could it also be called "evidence" and be more effectively submitted elsewhere?

This is our body: Traces of St. Stanislaus Kostka at Purpl

Purpl stands at 52 Main Street in Hastings on Hudson, currently inhabiting the building that housed  St. Stanislaus Kostka parish.  As Purpl celebrates its evolution from The Purple Crayon Center for Learning and Social Innovation, the Saint Stanislaus Kostka community lives in us.

Click here to see traces of what was among what is.

Hudson Square is .....lacking

Give me the Printing District with Our Lady of Vilnius small and brave standing for us all.

Почему?

Почему так много русских читали мой блог? Более России, чем США?

Pope Francis' Words on Gaudete Sunday

"We cannot let ourselves be taken in by weariness; sadness in any form is not allowed, even though we have reason to be, with many concerns and the many forms of violence which hurt our humanity.”

-quote from "Pope opens Holy Door in John Lateran Basilica, news.va, 12/13/2015

The Miqueli Story: What is Seen and Unseen

Throughout the struggle to save Our Lady of Vilnius,  my experience of the parish, its closing and the subsequent lawsuit was quite different from the narrative created for public consumption by archdiocese.  Despite my intimate involvement in Our Lady of Vilnius, I still feel that I don't know what really transpired to initiate the process and drive it to the outcome desired by the archdiocese. This is why the Miqueli Situation intrigues me.  Here are the materials:

• St. Frances de Chantal parisioner movement website, complete with links to recent press
• Site of parishioners' attorney Michael Dowd
• Text of the suit filed
• The Church Militant, who has been covering these events for months
• Wikipedia article on  Michael Voris, founder of The Church Militant
• Latest "Flocknote" on the topic from the pen of Joseph Zwilling on the ADNY website

May goodness, truth and justice prevail.

The Strange Case of Father Peter A. Miqueli

Yesterday our tabloids ran over-the-top lurid and breezy pieces about the alleged sins of Peter Miqueli, pastor of St. Frances de Chantal.  The content and style of these accounts were so egregious that I will not link to them.  It is the kind of story that makes the average Catholic feel "Say it ain't so."  I had hoped to see factual  and nuanced coverage in this morning's New York Times, but found nothing about it in the print edition.

To those of you who malign my favorite morning paper as an anti-Catholic rag, I say "Nu?"

"The Revolution of Tenderness"

Pope Francis Opens Holy Door on Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy

“Open unto me the gates of justice” 

Amen.

"Pope Francis Calls for ‘God’s Mercy’ at Start of Yearlong Jubilee," Elisabetta Povoledo,  NY Times 

Another Country Heard From

Tis the season to be...Slambovian?

Despite my emphasis on Lithuanian heritage, I have maintained dual citizenship with Slambovia.  Phote above shows musical ambassadors Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams.  The Holy Spirit seems especially active in Slambovia.  CLICK HERE to visit their site and view their schedule of holiday season gigs.