"I've grown fat, I've grown a beard, I've grown alone..."

These are the opening lines of Melanie's "Groundhog's Day."  I admit that I've overhibernated and missed the February 2nd cue to stick my head out to look for my shadow.  But I am now bright-eyed, bushy-tailed and motivated to continue resisting the closure of my church, St. Mary's in Yonkers, and supporting others like the parishioners at Most Holy Redeemer church.

What disturbed my torpor?  A visit to historic Mary House for a screening of "Foreclosing on Faith," a 2017 film that documents parishioners' response to the closing of their churches.  The film also associates these closings with the Church's need to meet expenses related to the abuse crisis and subsequent period of denial, minimization and downright deception.  Here are the specifics:

• Mary House - historic Catholic Worker house of hospitality and residence of Dorothy Day.  It really exuded a vibe of hallowed ground with echoes of Our Lady of Vilnus.  The CW people were very friendly as were the 2 blase cats who circulated among the audience throughout the screening.
• Edita - a Lithuanian woman I met who admitted to reading my blog and thus inspired me to wake up and write.
• Brody Hale - My telephone friend and advisor of 20 years who I met in person for the first time.  You can see hear him, too, on podcasts on Save Rome of the West.

So this is the context in which I awakened and clawed my way through 16 inches of snow to greet you anew.  Now for the song.  Hit it Melanie...