Monday, October 20, 2008
strangely amused
Thanks to Fr. Z's blog on All Souls Day I was able to showcase my stellar skills at reading blogs tonight at my parish's liturgy committee meeting. In discussing All Souls Day, the liturgical colors for the altar were being discussed, and someone realized All Souls Day fell on a Sunday this year and I said to our pastor (whom I sit next too, no one else seems to like to do that) I think All Souls Day trumps Sunday this year, I read it somewhere. He looked at me and said "I don't know about that" Of course that began the search for what does happen, and lo and behold Fr. Z was right. ;) Our sourcebook said it, our lector book said it, and the most important one the Ordo said it. I think I impressed my pastor in my knowledge of random Church stuff. Thanks Fr. Z for giving me an amusing story of knowing more about liturgy than either of the priests or two of the deacons at my parish.
Well done good and faithful servant
I have yet to read the actual articles that are mentioned, they are printed out and waiting for me, but this needs to be shared.
Archbishop Chaput is awesome, he has been quite outspoken in the lines of abortion and the election and certain "Catholic" politicians. The Gospel from Sunday was the "give unto Caesar what is Caesar's and give unto God what is God's" A perfect gospel to show that politics and religion do sometimes mix as they should. I couldn't help but think of the Archbishop's book Render Unto Caesar today during Mass. I'm actually going to buy a copy of it tomorrow on my way to work, there happens to be a Barnes and Noble on my way to work.
Alas, now that I have finally gotten my fingers to warm up, they were cold with the fall weather here in New Jersey, I've taken to searching Barnes and Noble for books that I want and that could work for work too. :) Oh well, off to figure out what to talk about on Sunday for Confirmation.
Archbishop Chaput is awesome, he has been quite outspoken in the lines of abortion and the election and certain "Catholic" politicians. The Gospel from Sunday was the "give unto Caesar what is Caesar's and give unto God what is God's" A perfect gospel to show that politics and religion do sometimes mix as they should. I couldn't help but think of the Archbishop's book Render Unto Caesar today during Mass. I'm actually going to buy a copy of it tomorrow on my way to work, there happens to be a Barnes and Noble on my way to work.
Alas, now that I have finally gotten my fingers to warm up, they were cold with the fall weather here in New Jersey, I've taken to searching Barnes and Noble for books that I want and that could work for work too. :) Oh well, off to figure out what to talk about on Sunday for Confirmation.
Friday, October 17, 2008
An interesting election quiz
Like this is surprising...
The second time I tried it I got this...
Third time...
It really doesn't matter, I knew I wouldn't agree with Obama on most things, though it is interesting that you can take this "quiz" over and over to see who you would pick. So over all I'm 77% for McCain and 23% for Obama. Really that's not surprising at all, considering that on at least 2 issues I am directly opposed to Obama.
 | You preferred McCain's statements 75% of the time You preferred Obama's statements 25% of the time Voting purely on the issues you should vote McCain Who would you vote for if you voted on the issues? Find out now! |
The second time I tried it I got this...
| You preferred McCain's statements 89% of the time You preferred Obama's statements 11% of the time Voting purely on the issues you should vote McCain Who would you vote for if you voted on the issues? Find out now! |
Third time...
| You preferred McCain's statements 67% of the time You preferred Obama's statements 33% of the time Voting purely on the issues you should vote McCain Who would you vote for if you voted on the issues? Find out now! |
It really doesn't matter, I knew I wouldn't agree with Obama on most things, though it is interesting that you can take this "quiz" over and over to see who you would pick. So over all I'm 77% for McCain and 23% for Obama. Really that's not surprising at all, considering that on at least 2 issues I am directly opposed to Obama.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
I've been waiting for this
Finally, Pappa Arty aka Bishop Serratelli has said something involving politicans and abortion. I first met Fr. Serratelli on the bus ride down to the March for Life, he was rector of the minor seminary at the time, and Seton Hall United for Life, the organization I was a part of, was in charge of the bus. I know he's a very busy man, between changing the English translation, and other trips he took over the summer, so I gave him til now to say something and he did, because he's always been a strong voice for the unborn. While this "letter" aka column in the weekly diocesian paper, The Beacon, is not in direct responce to Pelosi or Biden, we all know which politican the Bishop is talking about. As I am at work, (It's all good, I work for the Church, they can't get mad at me for reading a Bishop's letter), I will just paste the article. Later on I will add my comments to/about it.
What follows is Bishop Serratelli's article, feel free to read it here or as I'm giving you the direct link to it on the Paterson Diocese webpage,
A Politician's Promise: No Right to Life! No Freedom!
After committing a murder in Rome, the famous 17th century Italian painter Caravaggio went to Malta to avoid the death penalty. While there, the Great Master of the Order of the Knights of Malta commissioned him to do a painting for the chapel of the Co-Cathedral of St. John in Valletta. Caravaggio chose as his theme the martyrdom of John the Baptist. He produced The Beheading of St. John, his largest work, the only one he ever signed. No doubt the scene touched him personally.
Herod was married to Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. Because John the Baptist preached against this sin, he incurred the hatred of Herod’s wife. The day her daughter Salome delighted Herod with her seductive dance, Herodias had her make Herod promise to kill John the Baptist. Within the severe architecture of a 16th century prison, Caravaggio vividly depicts the grisly moment when Herod kept his promise.
Caravaggio’s work, considered his greatest masterpiece, immortalizes the misguided fidelity of a ruler to his gruesome promise. With the stroke of the soldier’s sword, John dies and so does freedom. Freedom is based on the truth of the human person as created by God and protected by his law.
When a ruler can decide against God’s law, true freedom is sentenced to death.
Recently, a politician made a promise. Politicians usually do. If this politician fulfills his promise, not only will many of our freedoms as Americans be taken from us, but the innocent and vulnerable will spill their blood.
On April 18, 2007, in Gonzales v. Carhart, The Supreme Court upheldthe Partial-Birth Abortion Ban. The very next day prominent Democratic members of Congress reintroduced the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA). The bill is misleadingly packaged as a freedom bill. It is not! It is a clear act of unreasoned bias to end abruptly and brutally the debate on the pressing and fundamental moral issue of the right to life.
For thirty-five years, Americans have been wrestling with The Supreme Court’s decision legalizing abortion in Roe v. Wade. Most Americans now favor some kind of a ban on abortion. Most who allow abortion would do so only in very rare cases. In fact, in January, 2008, the Guttmacher Institute published its 14th census of abortion providers in the country. Its statistics showed that the abortion rate continues to decline. Abortions have reached their lowest level since 1974. There is truly a deep sensitivity to life in the soul of America.
The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) would mortally wound this sensitivity. In effect, it would dismantle the freedom of choice to do all that is necessary to respect and protect human life at its most vulnerable stage. FOCA goes far beyond guaranteeing the right to an abortion throughout the nine months of pregnancy. It arrogantly prohibits any law or policy interfering with that right. While advocates trumpet this law as the triumph of the freedom of choice, they hide the dark reality that the law would actually inhibit choice.
Laws protecting the rights of nurses, doctors and hospitals with moral objections to abortion would no longer stand. Health and safety regulations for abortion clinics would also vanish. Gone the freedom of health care professionals to be faithful to the Hippocratic Oath “to prescribe regimens for the good of …patients…and never do harm to anyone, to please no one [by prescribing] a deadly drug nor [by giving] advice which may cause his death.” Gone the freedom of conscience so essential for a civil society!
If a minority of avid abortionists succeed to impose this law because of the ignorance or apathy of the majority, the law would force taxpayers to fund abortions. Gone the freedom of taxation with representation!
In its 1992 Casey decision, The Supreme Court ruled as constitutional state laws requiring that women and young girls who seek an abortion receive information on the development of the child in the womb as well as alternatives to abortion. The ruling also determined that a period of waiting, usually 24 or 48 hours before making a decision about an abortion is not an undue burden. The Freedom of Choice Act would nullify these laws immediately. Gone the freedom of women and young girls to have all the information they need to make their own choices!
In about half of the States, there are parental notification or consent laws in effect for minors seeking an abortion. The Supreme Court has ruled that these laws are permitted under Roe v. Wade. With the stroke of a pen, these laws would be abolished. Gone the freedom of parents to care for and protect their children and grandchildren!
Advocates of FOCA redefine a woman’s “health” so as to expressly permit post-viability abortions. Thus, a child who survives an abortion can be left to die for the health of the mother. No politically correct word can mask this reality for what it is. This is infanticide. Gone the freedom for a baby, once born, to live!
Science does not dispute that the child in the womb already has all the characteristics that he or she will develop after birth. Notwithstanding, abortionists obstinately refuse the right of the child within the womb to live as a fundamental human right. They are not happy that Americans have not swallowed their distorted propaganda that denies the dignity of the human person from the first moment of conception.
Pro-abortion advocates close their eyes to the fact that abortion even hurts women as it undermines the very fabric of our society. Their zeal for the Freedom of Choice Act sounds the alarm for decent Americans to wake up! The more the right to life is denied, the more we lose our freedoms. The “pro-choice” movement is not pro-choice. It stands against the freedom to choose what is right according to the truth of the human person.
In 2002, as an Illinois legislator, the present democratic candidate voted against the Induced Infant Liability Act. This law was meant to protect a baby that survived a late-term abortion. When the same legislation came up in the Judiciary Committee on which he served, he held to his opposition. First, he voted “present.” Next, he voted “no.”
Along with 108 members of Congress, the present democratic candidate for President continues his strong support for the Freedom of Choice Act. In aspeech before the Planned Parenthood Action Fund last year, he made the promise that the first thing he would do as President would be to sign the Freedom of Choice Act. What a choice for a new President!
At the time when Herod murdered John the Baptist because of his promise, Rome practiced the principle "one man, one vote." Whoever the emperor in Rome placed in authority over a subject people, ruled. Today we live in a democracy. We choose our leaders who make our laws. Every vote counts. Today, either we choose to respect and protect life, especially the life of the child in the womb of the mother or we sanction the loss of our most basic freedoms. At this point, we are still free to choose!
What follows is Bishop Serratelli's article, feel free to read it here or as I'm giving you the direct link to it on the Paterson Diocese webpage,
A Politician's Promise: No Right to Life! No Freedom!
After committing a murder in Rome, the famous 17th century Italian painter Caravaggio went to Malta to avoid the death penalty. While there, the Great Master of the Order of the Knights of Malta commissioned him to do a painting for the chapel of the Co-Cathedral of St. John in Valletta. Caravaggio chose as his theme the martyrdom of John the Baptist. He produced The Beheading of St. John, his largest work, the only one he ever signed. No doubt the scene touched him personally.
Herod was married to Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. Because John the Baptist preached against this sin, he incurred the hatred of Herod’s wife. The day her daughter Salome delighted Herod with her seductive dance, Herodias had her make Herod promise to kill John the Baptist. Within the severe architecture of a 16th century prison, Caravaggio vividly depicts the grisly moment when Herod kept his promise.
Caravaggio’s work, considered his greatest masterpiece, immortalizes the misguided fidelity of a ruler to his gruesome promise. With the stroke of the soldier’s sword, John dies and so does freedom. Freedom is based on the truth of the human person as created by God and protected by his law.
When a ruler can decide against God’s law, true freedom is sentenced to death.
Recently, a politician made a promise. Politicians usually do. If this politician fulfills his promise, not only will many of our freedoms as Americans be taken from us, but the innocent and vulnerable will spill their blood.
On April 18, 2007, in Gonzales v. Carhart, The Supreme Court upheldthe Partial-Birth Abortion Ban. The very next day prominent Democratic members of Congress reintroduced the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA). The bill is misleadingly packaged as a freedom bill. It is not! It is a clear act of unreasoned bias to end abruptly and brutally the debate on the pressing and fundamental moral issue of the right to life.
For thirty-five years, Americans have been wrestling with The Supreme Court’s decision legalizing abortion in Roe v. Wade. Most Americans now favor some kind of a ban on abortion. Most who allow abortion would do so only in very rare cases. In fact, in January, 2008, the Guttmacher Institute published its 14th census of abortion providers in the country. Its statistics showed that the abortion rate continues to decline. Abortions have reached their lowest level since 1974. There is truly a deep sensitivity to life in the soul of America.
The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) would mortally wound this sensitivity. In effect, it would dismantle the freedom of choice to do all that is necessary to respect and protect human life at its most vulnerable stage. FOCA goes far beyond guaranteeing the right to an abortion throughout the nine months of pregnancy. It arrogantly prohibits any law or policy interfering with that right. While advocates trumpet this law as the triumph of the freedom of choice, they hide the dark reality that the law would actually inhibit choice.
Laws protecting the rights of nurses, doctors and hospitals with moral objections to abortion would no longer stand. Health and safety regulations for abortion clinics would also vanish. Gone the freedom of health care professionals to be faithful to the Hippocratic Oath “to prescribe regimens for the good of …patients…and never do harm to anyone, to please no one [by prescribing] a deadly drug nor [by giving] advice which may cause his death.” Gone the freedom of conscience so essential for a civil society!
If a minority of avid abortionists succeed to impose this law because of the ignorance or apathy of the majority, the law would force taxpayers to fund abortions. Gone the freedom of taxation with representation!
In its 1992 Casey decision, The Supreme Court ruled as constitutional state laws requiring that women and young girls who seek an abortion receive information on the development of the child in the womb as well as alternatives to abortion. The ruling also determined that a period of waiting, usually 24 or 48 hours before making a decision about an abortion is not an undue burden. The Freedom of Choice Act would nullify these laws immediately. Gone the freedom of women and young girls to have all the information they need to make their own choices!
In about half of the States, there are parental notification or consent laws in effect for minors seeking an abortion. The Supreme Court has ruled that these laws are permitted under Roe v. Wade. With the stroke of a pen, these laws would be abolished. Gone the freedom of parents to care for and protect their children and grandchildren!
Advocates of FOCA redefine a woman’s “health” so as to expressly permit post-viability abortions. Thus, a child who survives an abortion can be left to die for the health of the mother. No politically correct word can mask this reality for what it is. This is infanticide. Gone the freedom for a baby, once born, to live!
Science does not dispute that the child in the womb already has all the characteristics that he or she will develop after birth. Notwithstanding, abortionists obstinately refuse the right of the child within the womb to live as a fundamental human right. They are not happy that Americans have not swallowed their distorted propaganda that denies the dignity of the human person from the first moment of conception.
Pro-abortion advocates close their eyes to the fact that abortion even hurts women as it undermines the very fabric of our society. Their zeal for the Freedom of Choice Act sounds the alarm for decent Americans to wake up! The more the right to life is denied, the more we lose our freedoms. The “pro-choice” movement is not pro-choice. It stands against the freedom to choose what is right according to the truth of the human person.
In 2002, as an Illinois legislator, the present democratic candidate voted against the Induced Infant Liability Act. This law was meant to protect a baby that survived a late-term abortion. When the same legislation came up in the Judiciary Committee on which he served, he held to his opposition. First, he voted “present.” Next, he voted “no.”
Along with 108 members of Congress, the present democratic candidate for President continues his strong support for the Freedom of Choice Act. In aspeech before the Planned Parenthood Action Fund last year, he made the promise that the first thing he would do as President would be to sign the Freedom of Choice Act. What a choice for a new President!
At the time when Herod murdered John the Baptist because of his promise, Rome practiced the principle "one man, one vote." Whoever the emperor in Rome placed in authority over a subject people, ruled. Today we live in a democracy. We choose our leaders who make our laws. Every vote counts. Today, either we choose to respect and protect life, especially the life of the child in the womb of the mother or we sanction the loss of our most basic freedoms. At this point, we are still free to choose!
Oh somewhat exciting. ;)
It's that time of year again when the US Bishops will be meeting!
http://usccb.org/comm/archives/2008/08-143.shtml
Maybe this time they will actually approve the translation.
http://usccb.org/comm/archives/2008/08-143.shtml
Maybe this time they will actually approve the translation.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Life in general
I feel like I have neglected my poor little blog, but the last 3 weeks have been a whirlwind. Between work with all the Confirmation interviews, goodness I have a lot of educating to do, then introducing myself to the parish, attending a workshop on youth ministry (which isn't even part of my job yet :-P), and then finally the first Confirmation session. Again I state I have a lot of educating to do, but as it says "preach the Gospel daily and if necessary use words."
Added to all this are Cornerstone meetings, (which will warrant a blog later)and finally Sunday's big event, our Jubilee Mass. My home parish not to be confused with my work parish, just celebrated it's 100th Anniversary. YAY! The outdoor Mass with Bishop Serratelli went wonderfully despite the rain that fell that morning. It stop with enough time to make sure the seats were dry for Mass. It was Respect Life Sunday, and if I was God, I'd be crying over all my murdered children too.
Really it was raining at 6am and it rained until about 9am-ish. It was over cast from 10am-2:30pm, which is when the local life chain was to begin. I didn't go this year, the day was just too busy, but I did pray for the babies.
I'm still alive, just busy as I'm babysitting on top of all this, gotta pay the bills somehow.
Added to all this are Cornerstone meetings, (which will warrant a blog later)and finally Sunday's big event, our Jubilee Mass. My home parish not to be confused with my work parish, just celebrated it's 100th Anniversary. YAY! The outdoor Mass with Bishop Serratelli went wonderfully despite the rain that fell that morning. It stop with enough time to make sure the seats were dry for Mass. It was Respect Life Sunday, and if I was God, I'd be crying over all my murdered children too.
Really it was raining at 6am and it rained until about 9am-ish. It was over cast from 10am-2:30pm, which is when the local life chain was to begin. I didn't go this year, the day was just too busy, but I did pray for the babies.
I'm still alive, just busy as I'm babysitting on top of all this, gotta pay the bills somehow.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Josh Groban at the Emmys
OH my goodness, this was hysterical. I cried I laughed so hard, I'm not sure if South Park or Fresh Prince is funnier, the whole darn thing is funny, so it's tough. The faces Josh makes are classic too, seriously I've watched this 3 times and I laugh each time I see it.
and just in case the embedding didn't work, here's the link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7xD59eAnUc
and just in case the embedding didn't work, here's the link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7xD59eAnUc
Monday, September 15, 2008
Baby Hats
As I sat crocheting a hat for a preemie baby while waiting for the child I babysit to finish up with speech therapy a worker came over and asked, "what are you making?" I replied a baby hat, my friend's niece was born with anencephaly so she had made her niece hats, so we're making some for St. Joe's as they asked her too." She then asked me what stitch I was using and I gladly said "double crochet" while noticing she had precious feet on her tag. I don't know why it amused me that she would have those on at Hackensack University Medical Center, for some reason I tend to assume that those that work for "public" places don't wear their opinions on their sleeves per say. I added that if they needed hats that we would gladly donate some to them and she said, "we don't get many tiny babies here, but NICU probably needs some.
While making the hat, I looked at how tiny it was/is and wondered what child could possible be that small and then I thought of those born even earlier than I was, as I was on course to be a normal sized baby, I just wanted out 10 week early. ;) Thankfully God has blessed me with wonderful health and I've had no health issues.
I was looking on line at different groups and saw pictures of a baby tiny enough to fit the hat I was making, and it just made me more determined to make hats. As the hats are small, they are completed quickly, and well the more babies we can keep warm the better. Makes you appreciate life on a whole new level when you see how determined some of these "little ones" are, though they don't all make it to have a full life, they have all blessed someone with their presence.
While making the hat, I looked at how tiny it was/is and wondered what child could possible be that small and then I thought of those born even earlier than I was, as I was on course to be a normal sized baby, I just wanted out 10 week early. ;) Thankfully God has blessed me with wonderful health and I've had no health issues.
I was looking on line at different groups and saw pictures of a baby tiny enough to fit the hat I was making, and it just made me more determined to make hats. As the hats are small, they are completed quickly, and well the more babies we can keep warm the better. Makes you appreciate life on a whole new level when you see how determined some of these "little ones" are, though they don't all make it to have a full life, they have all blessed someone with their presence.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Exaltation of the Cross
Today we got a homily that "11 words long." Fr. Brian came forward to give him homily and simply asked "how much does Jesus love you"... Fr. Brian walks over to the pulpit and picks up a crucifix (Fr. Brian gives him homilies from the middle of the altar) and says "Jesus loves you this much." Fr. Brian placed the crucifix on a podium-like column and says "please kneel" the entire congregation kneels while on the organ is played Were You There. After about 2.5 verses Fr. Brian stands up and continues on with Mass.
Fr. Brian placed the focus on the Cross, what more could you ask for on the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross.
Fr. Brian placed the focus on the Cross, what more could you ask for on the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
September 11th *updated*
Seeing as this day holds memories of happiness and sadness and I hope to never forget what happened, it's time for my traditional Sept. 11th blog.
This image while not the best, as I was watching the coverage of Pope Benedict at Ground Zero via the jumbo-trons in Yankee Stadium reminds us how sacred the ground at Ground Zero is. Today holds many memories, happy ones as it's my brother and sister-in-law's ninth anniversary. Smart ass that he is, my brother chose 9-1-1 so everyone would remember it, and it happened to be a Saturday, so they went with it. Little did we know what would happen. There are sad memories from the actual day in 2001 and this year the date stings a bit more.
I remembered that Bernadette would have been 6 months old on Sunday, but it bypassed me that today would be her 6 month anniversary. While Bernadette is not my niece and I know that I will never know the pain that her mother, father, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents feel, but it still stings. I know Bernadette's family quite well and I did drop most things to go watch my friends' (Bernadette's aunt and uncle) kids so they could be with Bernadette's mom and dad, so I was there in spirit. It just doesn't seem like March was only 6 months ago. Bernadette graced us from March 7th- March 11th, and we are all better for it. Bernadette, her parents and her sister are a great story/image for the pro-life movement. Bernadette was given the gift of life by her parents because they believe that all life is sacred, even those that are supposed to only last a few hours. Bernadette had a condition called anencephaly, so her parents knew from fairly on in the pregnancy what the outcome would be. They never backed down in defending their daughter's right to life, and for that among other things, they fall into the category of "heroes" in my mind and are a great example of the Gospel of Life that JP2 called us to. Bernadette, enjoy your place in Heaven and keep praying for us.
Each year I try to write something about today and it is usually the "where was I on Sept. 11th" blog. This year will be similar, but different as each year we are removed brings something with it.
What I wrote last year via my livejournal...
"I did a google search for the "dennis mchugh run" and found this " Today, LoHud.com carries a special Community View, by Chloe McHugh, the daughter of FDNY member Dennis McHugh, who was killed at the World Trade Center.
Here's a section of Chloe's Community View: "My dad, Dennis McHugh of Ladder 13 was one of the 3,016 people that died on 9/11. My dad was one of those "wake-up and be happy" kind of guys, he never let anything bring him down. He loved to run and go to the library with me but he also liked to work. In the six years that he has been dead there have been a lot of changes in not only my life, but in everyone's lives. If you take a good look around you can see all the changes that have happened. Do you see what the firefighters, policemen,and policewomen have done to change this country? My dad was one of the many people who ran in at the last moment to get as many people as possible out of the falling buildings.""
Rest in peace Dennis, you have touched and saved many lives.
Every year my family goes in to "the City" for the St. Patrick's Day Parade, and I think they started the 343 flags the St. Patrick's right after the attacks, but I'm not a hundred percent sure. I remember being at the parade and watching the flags appear up on 5th Ave. when these flags pass by is the only time the crowd is ever quiet. It is an amazing site that pictures do not give or do justice. 343 brave men and women ran into those buildings are they were falling. The man mentioned above was one of those 343 taken from the FDNY, and while I may never have known him personally, our families knew each other. Dennis' father and my father either worked on the NYC buses together or are from the same county/section of Ireland or it could be both. Dennis' wake sits in my memory as something unsual, yet profound at the same time. The outpouring of love shown at that wake was unreal. I remember the line to get in wrapped around the parking lot a few times and we were early. In front of us on/in the line was a volunteer firefighter from Rockland County. I remember this because of his actions inside the funeral home and our conversation outside. We walked into the funeral home and what struck me besides the fact that there was no body, but a huge picture of Dennis in his dress FDNY uniform, were the flowers that said "Daddy you will always be our hero" and the firefighter in front of me, giving a full salute to Dennis' picture, it was the classic full attention, back straight, heels together, hat on head salute. To watch this man who might have been from the same area of Rockland County as Dennis stop and salute his fallen brother as he called him moved me to tears.
Dennis was not the only one we knew who died in the attacks. John Gallagher, who worked for Cantor Fitzgerald, lived down the street from us when we lived in the Bronx and I remember distinctly one visit I made with my brother who was in school with John to his family's house. I remember John's memorial Mass was just a big reunion of families that hadn't seen each other in years. We laughed, I heard a lot of "no, that's not 'little Mary'" as I was 12 years younger than the boys and we had been out of the Bronx for 8 years at that point. John's Mass wasn't somber, well at times it was, but it truly a Mass celebrating the life that John lived on this Earth. The picture of John holding his newborn son is what touched most people, but as the priest who said the Mass said, "John is up in Heaven laughing at the fact that he brought you all back here for a party." It truly was as we went to Mass in the church, and continued our way downstairs to the school gym. I can't tell you how many times that happened when I was a child, but it was a lot and the school gym was also where the boys would play basketball and other adventures would take place.
Both men, John and Dennis, have managed to touch many lives during their lives on Earth and are continuing to do so as they live in their Eternal resting place, as do the others who were taken with them.
I'm taking a short break to watch TV and then you'll get my account of where I was that day.
This image while not the best, as I was watching the coverage of Pope Benedict at Ground Zero via the jumbo-trons in Yankee Stadium reminds us how sacred the ground at Ground Zero is. Today holds many memories, happy ones as it's my brother and sister-in-law's ninth anniversary. Smart ass that he is, my brother chose 9-1-1 so everyone would remember it, and it happened to be a Saturday, so they went with it. Little did we know what would happen. There are sad memories from the actual day in 2001 and this year the date stings a bit more.
I remembered that Bernadette would have been 6 months old on Sunday, but it bypassed me that today would be her 6 month anniversary. While Bernadette is not my niece and I know that I will never know the pain that her mother, father, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents feel, but it still stings. I know Bernadette's family quite well and I did drop most things to go watch my friends' (Bernadette's aunt and uncle) kids so they could be with Bernadette's mom and dad, so I was there in spirit. It just doesn't seem like March was only 6 months ago. Bernadette graced us from March 7th- March 11th, and we are all better for it. Bernadette, her parents and her sister are a great story/image for the pro-life movement. Bernadette was given the gift of life by her parents because they believe that all life is sacred, even those that are supposed to only last a few hours. Bernadette had a condition called anencephaly, so her parents knew from fairly on in the pregnancy what the outcome would be. They never backed down in defending their daughter's right to life, and for that among other things, they fall into the category of "heroes" in my mind and are a great example of the Gospel of Life that JP2 called us to. Bernadette, enjoy your place in Heaven and keep praying for us.
Each year I try to write something about today and it is usually the "where was I on Sept. 11th" blog. This year will be similar, but different as each year we are removed brings something with it.
What I wrote last year via my livejournal...
"I did a google search for the "dennis mchugh run" and found this " Today, LoHud.com carries a special Community View, by Chloe McHugh, the daughter of FDNY member Dennis McHugh, who was killed at the World Trade Center.
Here's a section of Chloe's Community View: "My dad, Dennis McHugh of Ladder 13 was one of the 3,016 people that died on 9/11. My dad was one of those "wake-up and be happy" kind of guys, he never let anything bring him down. He loved to run and go to the library with me but he also liked to work. In the six years that he has been dead there have been a lot of changes in not only my life, but in everyone's lives. If you take a good look around you can see all the changes that have happened. Do you see what the firefighters, policemen,and policewomen have done to change this country? My dad was one of the many people who ran in at the last moment to get as many people as possible out of the falling buildings.""
Rest in peace Dennis, you have touched and saved many lives.
Every year my family goes in to "the City" for the St. Patrick's Day Parade, and I think they started the 343 flags the St. Patrick's right after the attacks, but I'm not a hundred percent sure. I remember being at the parade and watching the flags appear up on 5th Ave. when these flags pass by is the only time the crowd is ever quiet. It is an amazing site that pictures do not give or do justice. 343 brave men and women ran into those buildings are they were falling. The man mentioned above was one of those 343 taken from the FDNY, and while I may never have known him personally, our families knew each other. Dennis' father and my father either worked on the NYC buses together or are from the same county/section of Ireland or it could be both. Dennis' wake sits in my memory as something unsual, yet profound at the same time. The outpouring of love shown at that wake was unreal. I remember the line to get in wrapped around the parking lot a few times and we were early. In front of us on/in the line was a volunteer firefighter from Rockland County. I remember this because of his actions inside the funeral home and our conversation outside. We walked into the funeral home and what struck me besides the fact that there was no body, but a huge picture of Dennis in his dress FDNY uniform, were the flowers that said "Daddy you will always be our hero" and the firefighter in front of me, giving a full salute to Dennis' picture, it was the classic full attention, back straight, heels together, hat on head salute. To watch this man who might have been from the same area of Rockland County as Dennis stop and salute his fallen brother as he called him moved me to tears.
Dennis was not the only one we knew who died in the attacks. John Gallagher, who worked for Cantor Fitzgerald, lived down the street from us when we lived in the Bronx and I remember distinctly one visit I made with my brother who was in school with John to his family's house. I remember John's memorial Mass was just a big reunion of families that hadn't seen each other in years. We laughed, I heard a lot of "no, that's not 'little Mary'" as I was 12 years younger than the boys and we had been out of the Bronx for 8 years at that point. John's Mass wasn't somber, well at times it was, but it truly a Mass celebrating the life that John lived on this Earth. The picture of John holding his newborn son is what touched most people, but as the priest who said the Mass said, "John is up in Heaven laughing at the fact that he brought you all back here for a party." It truly was as we went to Mass in the church, and continued our way downstairs to the school gym. I can't tell you how many times that happened when I was a child, but it was a lot and the school gym was also where the boys would play basketball and other adventures would take place.
Both men, John and Dennis, have managed to touch many lives during their lives on Earth and are continuing to do so as they live in their Eternal resting place, as do the others who were taken with them.
I'm taking a short break to watch TV and then you'll get my account of where I was that day.
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