A Fowl Order

My oldest sibling came to visit for Christmas. We had the opportunity to spend some time at our small family cottage near a lake and forests.

Knowing my sibling is an avid bird watcher, I had hopes that one or two of the wild turkeys we had seen in recent weeks would make an appearance. Sure enough, I spotted two of them passing through the back yard. When I got up to get a better view, I discovered that the two turkeys brought some friends - about 60 of them! Ugly as wild turkeys are, they are still God's creatures. Speaking of God, this experience made me grateful to God that "Animal Farm" is fiction.

Campaigning For Change

Wisconsin just endured 9 recall elections of state senators.  Over $40 million was spent on these elections.  That same amount would provide comprehensive long-term care services to over 600 people with special needs for a year.

Perhaps we should considering giving to God what we give to Ceasar.

I'm All In

For over a decade, I have been discerning a call to be a permanent deacon.  In fact, I have been ready to apply to a formation program for several years.  However, there has been a significant challenge:  the diocese in which I live is not actively recruiting and forming new permanent deacons.  Thus, my discernment journey has been long and often frustrating.

Yesterday, I was informed that my bishop signed that last document that paves the way for me to begin permanent diaconate formation in a neighboring diocese with the intention of being ordained and serving in my home diocese.  So, I am now official...which is good - the formation program begins in a little over a week!

I remain grateful to the many people that have been and continue to be part of this discernment journey. 

Recalling Being Born and Bred in Wisconsin

I am a moderate and I am lost.  Tomorrow, there will be six recall elections targeting Republican State Senators in Wisconsin.  Next week, there will be two more elections targeting Democratic State Senators.  Unless your last name is Van Winkel, you are probably aware of the damage that extreme partisanship has brought upon Wisconsin.  We now only know how to campaign.  We no longer know how to govern.  This is a major problem during any period, especially a period of severe economic challenges.  So, the Blues and the Reds are ready to bash each others heads in for the next week. 

Most of the time, I am part Blue and part Red - I am Bred.  I don't know if I have ever voted straight ticket in any election.  However, in the current political climate, that is not acceptable.  I have to choose one or the other.  It seems that there are a growing number of people like me - people that look for leaders to govern, rather than campaign.  Maybe we are the actual silent majority that so many people talk about.

Good Grief?

For the past several months, I have witnessed a Facebook friend grieve the loss of a spouse.  During that time, this friend has posted numerous photos of the spouse that died.  There were also numerous reflections about how much the spouse was missed.  Overall, there must have been over 50 related posts in a few months.

I don't know if this is a good thing.  It is certainly a good thing for people that are grieving to share their thoughts.  But on Facebook?  I have had numerous opportunities to grieve the loss of a close family member.  I really don't think I would be comfortable grieving on my Facebook wall.  I could be wrong, but I think it would be best to seek out specific people with whom to personally share grief and be personally supported by them.  That personal contact seems more like a continuous stream of balm to help heal the grief, whereas the Facebook contact seems like random drops of balm - some hitting the mark and others...who knows? 

I Am, At Long Last, An Eagle Scout

No, I have not earned any merit badges.  In fact, I was kicked out of Cub Scouts for cheating in the Pinewood Derby.  I intentially added weights to my car so that it would move faster down the track.  It worked, but it did not conform to the regulations.

However, I am now an eagle scout.  While kayaking on a nearby lake a couple of weeks ago, I noticed a very beautiful American bald eagle - quite majestic with a bright white head and tail.  It was obvious that I rousted him from his usual perch.  A few days later, I noticed the same eagle taking off from about the same location.

Yesterday, I was ready.  I knew where the eagle lived and I had the camera ready.  As I approached his usual perch, he took off.  Of course, I could not quite get the camera operating.  However, I saw that he appeared to land in a secondary perch near another part of the lake.  I paddled to where I thought he would be.  There he was, majestically perched on a tall tree, but still too far away for a good photo or video.  Again, he took off just before I got close enough to get a good photo or video.

Well, it appears that I will have to work on this.  I need to "butter up" this bird - not to eat, but to get him a bit less uncomfortable with my presence.  When I get the photo and or video, I will post it on this blog.

Where are you, St. Francis of Assisi?

A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing

Jim Jones did many good things in San Francisco when he began his ministry.  He helped many downtrodden people.  He then pushed things in a very uncomfortable direction.  He isolated his followers.  He established his own environment in another country.  When authorities questioned him, he responded by killing many people.

David Koresh followed a similar path.  However, he didn't do so much good early in his ministry.  He isolated himself and his followers.  When questioned, he escalated.  When threatened, he responded with force, leading to the deaths of many.

Both Jones and Koresh were seemingly brilliant men that went awry.  They became so deluded that much of what they said and did was very difficult to piece together.

Will we soon be able to include Father John Corapi in the same group as Jones and Koresh?  For many years, Corapi was one of the darlings of EWTN (most likely because most of the EWTN crowd is getting up in years and have difficulty hearing - Corapi has a booming bass voice).  He railed against liberalism in the Roman Catholic Church and expounded on the virtues of being obedient to Church authority.  This weekend, Corapi exposed himself for who he really is:  a self-indulged charlatan.  Rather than showing true faith by placing his destiny in the hands of God, Corapi has decided that he is back in control.  If he is going to go down, he is going to take a few people with him.  For a bit of context to the Father Corapi saga, visit the Huffington Post.  Also, if you have the time (8 minutes) and stomach, listen to his recent rant that he posted on his website.  Pay attention to the visuals. 

Did Heaven Gain Another Soul?

Late last week, I was called to play the piano and organ at a funeral Mass.  I was perhaps plan B or even plan C, since our parish director of music was on vacation.  Because I had the benefit of very capable and effective music teacher, I had no problem preparing and playing the music for this funeral - even though I had to learn two unfamiliar hymns.  One of the hymns was a contemporary hymn called "Saints of God" that was for the Commendation near the end of the funeral Mass. 

Saints of God, come to his aid!

Hasten to meet him, angels of the Lord!

Receive his soul and present him to God the Most High.

As I was learning this hymn, I could not help but thinking of the possibility and hope that Osama bin Laden's soul somehow made its way to Heaven.  Given the choices he made during life, saving bin Laden's soul might require a few extra angels.  However, nothing is impossible with God!

The Greatest Shall Be The Least

Nearly a generation ago, I worked for an organization that served physicians.  One of the physician leaders at the time would sometimes describe several physician colleagues as being, "a mile wide and a millimeter deep".

Fast forward a generation.  Whenever scanning across the hundreds of cable television channels and coming across EWTN, a Catholic television network, there was more than a 50% chance that I would see the friar in the gray habit with the booming voice.  This friar is Father John Corapi.  For many years, Father Corapi has been the darling of what many might refer to as conservative Catholics.  The former Green Beret/media mogul/drug user/womanizer/etc. pulled himself up by his bootstraps, embraced the faith and became a priest.  If anyone ever had any doubt about this remaarkable transformation, all they had to do was ask Father Corapi.  He would tell anyone with a willing ear how HE served admirable in the military, how HE associated with the famous and wealthy, how HE had enough money to buy beach homes, yachts, fancy cars, how HE somehow managed to turn his life around, how HE shares the true faith of the Church, how well-known HE has become.  One can find all of this on Father Corapi's website.

A click on the website will show that Father Corapi must now embrace a core element of our faith - that we are not in control.  As high of a being as Father Corapi thinks he is, there is a higher being. 

It is somewhat ironic that Father Corapi made significant amounts of money writing several books, giving thousands of presentations, producing numerous CDs and DVDs, appearing on countless television and radio programs, etc.  He has spent thousands of hours and earned millions expounding on a simple theme:  pray for all concerned. Those are the final words of his statement related to his current situation.

The Watchman Cometh

I got to know Paul through a mutual friend.  I haven't seen much of Paul in recent years.  In fact, the last time I saw him was at the retirement party for the mutual friend.  In past years, I spent New Year's Eve at Paul's apartment in another city.  We would go to a local establishment to watch the indoor barstool races.  Yes, these were actual races with gas powered barstools going around an indoor track.

All of us worried a bit about Paul.  He drank a fair amount.  He was overweight and didn't take the best care of himself, even though he was an emergency medical technician.  He battled diabetes.  He was always somewhat of a loner.

Two days ago, a family member found Paul dead in his condo.  Paul was just 44.  However, heart disease and diabetes don't always recognize youth.  It appears both played a role in Paul's death.

The primary prayer and hope is that Paul's somewhat wayward soul has finally returned home and that his family can take comfort in knowing that such a return has taken place.

Chiller Theater

I am getting old and my body is not what it once was.  Several years ago, I came down with bacterial pneumonia.  It wasn't too bad.  I went to the doctor, got checked out and was given some antibiotics.  The doctor said that this malady will likely return in the future.  In my case, it has.  Just like the swallows at San Juan Capistrano.  Every year in late January or early February, I get sick, sometimes very sick.  This year was the worst.  Last night, I had a case of the chills.  They were coming and they were going.  At one point, they came and did not leave for about 30 minutes.  My wife was on the verge of calling 911 based on her fear that I was having some sort of siezure.  I have to admit that I was getting close to the point of worry.  Due to the uncontrollable shaking, I could not communicate well.  I didn't have religious thoughts.  My primary goal during this uncontrollable shaking was to inform my wife about the location of my life insurance policies. 

Fortunately, no claims on the policies needed to be made.  However, the event was a reminder of the need to have some things in order - just in case.