Krenn Resigns

From Bishop quits amid scandal:



"A Catholic bishop blamed in a seminary porn scandal that has rocked Austria's church has resigned, Austrian media reported Wednesday.



Bishop Kurt Krenn, who had overall responsibility for the St. Poelten seminary, where authorities found up to 40,000 lurid images on computers -- including child pornography -- sent a letter to Pope John Paul II saying he was stepping down.



The pope appointed another Austrian cleric, Bishop Klaus Kueng, to investigate. Police have been conducting a separate criminal investigation."

Life Matters!

From Life Matters!:



"Anyone familiar with America's long and shameful history of indifference and hostility to persons with disabilities will not be greatly surprised by the death sentence imposed on Terri Schindler Schiavo by the Florida Supreme Court.



Anyone with an ounce of decency, however, should be outraged. And anyone who cares in the least about his life or the lives of those he loves should be alarmed.



While those seeking to murder Terri have denied her the opportunity that she deserves for rehabilitation and while they have distorted Terri's condition in their Goebbels-style campaign to dehumanize her, this battle has never been about the medical facts.



Nor should it be! The life of a person living in coma deserves no less protection than the healthiest TAB (temporarily able-bodied person). In fact, it requires and deserves greater protection, and any civilization that has transcended the jungles of social Darwinism would provide it.



If the life of every innocent person does not enjoy the full protection of our laws and courts then no man's life is safe from the tyranny of unjust courts like those that have repeatedly provided legal cover for Terri's impending murder as they have once again done today."

The Annual Pickle Festival in My Hometown

From The Keene Sentinel Local News for Keene, NH and the Monadnock Region of NH:



"The parade began around 11 a.m., led by "Mr. Pickle" himself in a army green jeep. He was decked out in his familiar green tuxedo suit, green hat, and even a green handkerchief to wipe his brow under the hot afternoon sun.



Henry A.L. Parkhurst of Winchester has been "Mr. Pickle" from the beginning and has watched the changes over the last seven years.

"There is much more community spirit (this year) and pulling together," he said."

Free Online Study Guides

To De-Coding DaVinci by Amy and The Power of the Cross by me.



Our Sunday Visitor's Book Study Guides

Majority of Priests Like Their Vocation

From Charlotte Observer | 09/25/2004 | Survey: 92% of priests like job:



"Two and a half years after the clergy sex abuse scandal erupted, Roman Catholic priests continue to be satisfied with their ministries. But some still worry about declining morale in the priesthood, according to a new survey by the director of a treatment center for troubled clergy.



The survey of 834 priests in 11 dioceses was conducted by the Rev. Stephen Rossetti, president of the St. Luke Institute in Silver Spring, Md. Rossetti also serves as a consultant to a bishops' committee on sexual abuse.



Rossetti said 92 percent of priests were happy as priests, only 6 percent were considering leaving the priesthood and 83 percent said they would make the same choices if they had to do it all over again.



Those findings were roughly in line with a 2001 survey by the National Federation of Priests' Councils and a 2002 study by the Los Angeles Times. Rossetti's survey was conducted between September 2003 and last March.



While 83 percent of priests reported personal satisfaction, only 40 percent agreed with the statement that 'morale in the priesthood is good.' Three-quarters of priests reported a good relationship with their bishops, but only 26 percent thought priests accused of abuse were treated fairly."

Hurricane Jeanne Heading Toward Florida, Could Be Category 4

The NOAA issues discussions that are posted on their site and various newspapers that give the technical oppinion on Hurricanes and tropical storms. Forecaster Beven expects the storm to strengthen, and possibly become a Category 4 storm by the time the eye of the storm reaches the Florida coast.



From Sun-Sentinel: South Florida weather:



"Guidance now suggests that upper-level winds will remain favorable for Jeanne to strengthen until landfall. Therefore...the main restraining factors for development are the current large eye...and the abundant dry air surrounding the hurricane. SHIPS and the GFDL both take Jeanne to 100 kt by landfall. Given the current trends...the intensity forecast will go a little higher and call for 105 kt. It would not be a surprise to see Jeanne get stronger than that...and reaching category four status is not out of the question. Jeanne should steadily weaken after landfall...becoming a depression over the southeastern United States and eventually becoming extratropical over the northwestern Atlantic. "

Five Columnist Forced Crisis Publisher to Resign

From Publisher of Catholic magazine forced to resign - The Washington Times: Nation/Politics - September 22, 2004:



Deal Hudson, publisher of Crisis magazine and, until recently, a top Bush political adviser on outreach to Roman Catholics, will resign from the magazine at the end of the year after five of his most influential columnists pressured the board to get rid of him.



The columnists, who include some of the nation's best-known Catholic scholars, told the board in a letter that they would leave the magazine unless the board ejected Mr. Hudson, 54.



According to two scholars familiar with the letter, the columnists were angry about an Aug. 19 National Catholic Reporter (NCR) expose on Mr. Hudson's sexual liaison with an 18-year-old student in 1994, an action that cost him his tenured professorship at Fordham University and a $30,000 settlement.



And who were the five? According to the Washington Times they were:



"The five columnists include the two founding editors of the magazine: Michael Novak of the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research and University of Notre Dame philosophy professor Ralph McInerny.



The other columnists were Claremont University political science professor Michael Uhlmann; Faith & Reason Institute President Robert Royal; and Russell Hittinger, professor of Catholic studies at the University of Tulsa. "

Terri Schiavo's Parents Respond

From Terri's Fight:



The ruling by the Florida Supreme Court today was not unexpected; nevertheless the family is disappointed at the outcome. We would like everyone to understand the reason the Florida legislature and Governor Bush interceded in Terri’s case was to protect Terri from a serious miscarriage of justice. The Governor specifically wanted answers to the following questions, all of which are extremely troubling: (1) Why Terri’s purported desire to die was hidden from the jury in the 1992 medical malpractice case, during which Michael Schiavo testified that Terri would need compensation to live out her life; (2) What did Michael Schiavo mean when he purportedly said at Palm Gardens Nursing Home such things as “When is she going to die?” “Has she died yet?” “When is that bitch going to die?” “Can’t you do anything to accelerate her death?” (3) What Michael Schiavo knows about the multiple traumatic injuries of relatively recent origin that were found to be present in a bone scan conducted on Terri by Dr. Campbell Walker in March of 1991? (4) Why were nurses’ notes which documented Terri’s rehabilitation potential deleted from her chart at Palm Gardens? (5) Why were observations of the nursing assistants regarding Terri’s level of function and responsiveness deleted from her chart? and (6) What would Terri’s desires be regarding who should make end-of-life decisions for her if she knew that Michael Schiavo was living with another woman who has borne two children by him?

Pope Cancels Appearance

From Pope cancels appearance:



"Pope John Paul II has cancelled plans to preside over a Holy Mass scheduled for next week in St Peter's Basilica, the Vatican announced on Thursday.



In a statement, the Vatican press office said Tuesday's remembrance Mass in honour of two of his predecessors, Paul VI and John Paul I, would be officiated by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, one of the pope's closest aides.



No reason for the change of plan was given by the Vatican, which had published the pope's schedule leading up to Christmas just a few days ago.



Concern among Vatican experts is constantly high over the health of Pope John Paul, who is 84 and has been suffering rom Parkinson's disease and other age-related ailments for some time. "

'Code of silence' Among Priests Shields Abusers

Sad...



From 'Code of silence' among priests shields abusers:



"When the Rev. Lawrence Minder told his congregation last month that he had been abused by a priest 30 years ago, the Bothell priest became one of a handful of Roman Catholic priests nationwide to break an unspoken vow: Thou Shalt Not Accuse Fellow Clergy.



Though parishioners at St. Brendan Catholic Church were startled to hear that their pastor had been abused by a fellow priest, many experts believe Minder is one of hundreds of Catholic clergy who were sexually abused by priests when they were children.



Afraid of the personal and professional consequences of reporting their abuse, many keep their allegations to themselves -- even though the men who abused them are often still practicing priests dealing with children on a daily basis.



'There's this code of silence -- you don't criticize another priest. You don't tarnish the image of the church,' said the Rev. Gary Hayes, a priest in Kentucky who says he was abused by a priest when he was 15.



Hayes, 52, was one of the first priests to go public with allegations that he'd been abused by a priest. He said he has met or heard of about 50 priests who say they have been abused by priests, and he suspects there may be 'hundreds' more.



Priests who point fingers at other clergy 'don't make any friends in the church, I'll tell you that much,' said the Rev. John Bambrick, a New Jersey priest who said he was also abused by a priest when he was 15.



'I know guys who came forward, and it was disastrous. Priests shun you. It gets to be very, very messy -- I think a lot of guys don't want to get caught up in that mess.'



Bambrick said he knows of about 20 priests who have been abused by priests. He and Hayes have started a support group for priests abused by priests called Jordan's Crossing. "

Hurricane Jeanne Headed for Same Spot as Frances

Moving slowly, could intensify. Check out the tracking map at Sun-Sentinel: South Florida weather

Bishop Wenski Pleads for Help for the Haitians

Devastated by the Tropical Storm...



From CNS STORY: Death toll mounts after Tropical Storm Jeanne causes floods in Haiti:



"In the immediate aftermath of Tropical Storm Jeanne, a Haitian church official called Coadjutor Bishop Thomas G. Wenski of Orlando, Fla., with the plea, 'We need help fast.'



More than 600 people were killed in the beleaguered nation's latest disaster, with rescue workers predicting a much higher death toll in mudslides resulting from the storm.



Bishop Wenski said he spoke with a church official from Gonaives, Haiti, a northern city where more than 500 people died. About half of Gonaives remained submerged Sept. 21.



'He said, 'We need food, we need clothing, we need medicine, mattresses.' But most of all, they need funds,'' the bishop told Catholic News Service in a telephone interview.



The bishop called on Catholics to donate to Catholic Relief Services, which has a substantial presence in Haiti, or to find parishes in their dioceses that have twinning programs with parishes in Haiti.



'Those two structures will provide means for providing assistance to Haitians in their moment of need,' Bishop Wenski said.



The bishop said there were unconfirmed reports that an elderly Oblate priest was killed in the flooding."

The Pope Presides from the Cross

From Zenit News Agency - The World Seen From Rome:



"Though physically ailing, John Paul II might well be experiencing the greatest days of his pontificate, says a bishop who recently visited him.



In a statement in the wake of the New Zealand prelates' five-yearly visit to Rome, Bishop Patrick Dunn of Auckland said of the Pope: 'Although his eyes are bright and piercing, he is indubitably frail, and has not walked in public for over a year. His condition makes it an effort for him to talk, and at times even to swallow.'



'It seems that Pope John Paul II now presides over the universal Church from his place upon Christ's cross,' said Bishop Dunn, who traveled with seven other prelates to Rome.



'We bishops in Rome had the sense that this outstanding Pope, now so manifestly crippled and paralyzed by illness, is perhaps at this time living out the greatest days of his extraordinary pontificate,' the Auckland prelate added.



London-born Bishop Dunn, 54, recalled that the Pope asked the prelates to continue to proclaim 'the splendor of Christ's truth.'



'We bishops found the Pope's message immensely encouraging and helpful,' he said. Bishop Dunn appealed to New Zealand's Catholics to 'keep him in your prayers.'"

Deal Hudson Resigns as Publisher of Crisis

From Deal's E-Newsletter:



On Friday, I told the board of CRISIS Magazine that I'd like to step down as publisher. They agreed and on January 1 of next year, I'll become the Director of the newly established Morley Institute.



The Institute will have two major functions: 1) To provide continued funding for CRISIS magazine and, 2) To support several new projects that I've wanted to pursue for some time. (The first of which will be a book on how Catholics can get involved in politics... something about which I have firsthand knowledge.)



I'm very excited about this. But it does mean I'll no longer be

publisher.

Sacriligeous but...

The Sacred Heart of Clinton



From WorldNetDaily: 'Saint Bill Clinton' ignites religious rage:



"While Americans have a wide range of views regarding former President Bill Clinton, a Kentucky artist's depiction of the former commander in chief as God himself or a Catholic-style saint is raising those opinions to passionate levels across the nation.



The portrait, titled 'Saint Clinton,' is the creation of Scott Ritcher, a 34-year-old graphic designer who is now marketing T-shirts, posters, magnets, coffee cups, coasters and even lunchboxes with the picture reminiscent of the 'Sacred Heart of Jesus' images. "

End of the World for Skeeter Davis

Forgot to post this yesterday, she died on Sunday.



From Entertainment News Article Reuters.com:



"Country music singer Skeeter Davis, a veteran of Nashville's Grand Ole Opry, died on Sunday, according to a family friend.

Davis, 73, had battled breast cancer since 1988. She died at St. Thomas Hospital, said friend Linda Palmer.



In a 43-year career, she performed around the world, including at New York's Carnegie Hall and London's Royal Albert Hall. She earned five Grammy nominations, including one for the song 'Set Him Free' in 1959, the year she joined the Opry.



Other hits were 'I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know,' 'The End of the World,' and 'Gonna Get Along Without You Now.' "



And a few other tidbits about where she got her unique name...



From the Cincinnati Enquirer:



Davis died at a Nashville hospice, said Grand Ole Opry publicist Jessie Schmidt. Davis had been diagnosed with breast cancer in 1988 and had a recurrence in 1996.



Davis was nicknamed Skeeter by her grandfather who said she was so active she buzzed around like a mosquito. During her career, she toured with Elvis Presley and the Rolling Stones.

Anne Catherine Emmerich Will Be Beatified on October 3rd.

From the Vatican Information Service:



Sunday,3 October : 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time. At 10 a.m. in St. Peter's Square, beatification of the Servants of God Pierre Vigne, Joseph-Marie Cassant, Anna Katharina Emmerick, Maria Ludovica De Angelis and Charles of Austria.

CBS to Say They Were Deceived

What will Rather say after all of his confident on the air statements that they were authentic?



From The New York Times > Washington > Campaign 2004 > The News Media: CBS News Concludes It Was Misled on National Guard Memos, Network Officials Say:



"The officials, who asked not to be identified, said CBS News would most likely make an announcement as early as today that it had been deceived about the documents' origins. CBS News has already begun intensive reporting on where they came from, and people at the network said it was now possible that officials would open an internal inquiry into how it moved forward with the report. Officials say they are now beginning to believe the report was too flawed to have gone on the air.



But they cautioned that CBS News could still pull back from an announcement. Officials met last night with Dan Rather, the anchor who presented the report, to go over the information it had collected about the documents one last time before making a final decision. Mr. Rather was not available for comment late last night."

SEC Official Admits Officials Made Serious Mistakes that Changed the Outcome of the UF-UT Game

From Florida Today



The Southeastern Conference's supervisor of officials admitted Sunday night that the crew working Tennessee's 30-28 win over Florida one night earlier "goofed," making two serious mistakes that may have affected the outcome.



"They did, unfortunately," Bobby Gaston told FLORIDA TODAY. "I can say there was a timing error made at the end of the game and there will be accountability, but we do not make public what we do. That's handled in-house between the University of Florida and the (SEC) commissioner."



The whole crew, which is one of the league's most highly rated and has worked the league championship game together, will be punished, Gaston said.



The errors occurred after Florida wide receiver Dallas Baker and Tennessee cornerback Jonathan Wade clashed after a third down run for no gain by Gator tailback DeShawn Wynn with 55 seconds left. An official standing near the play penalized Florida 15 yards and stopped the game clock - even though Wade also hit Baker in the helmet with his hand, causing the receiver to retaliate.



Gaston said both players should have been penalized. That would have meant offsetting penalties and the ball would have stayed at the 38 instead of being moved back to the 23, where UF had to punt on fourth down.



Officials also stopped the game clock until the action resumed. Stopping the clock before Eric Wilbur's 41-yard punt enabled Tennessee to take over with 43 seconds left and run five plays before James Wilhoit kicked a game-winning 50-yard field goal with six seconds left.

Gaston said the clock should have started the second the ball was placed on the ground - and it should have been placed at the 38, not the 23.



"Had it been an incomplete pass play, then you start the clock on the snap," Gaston said of the rule. "But you had the running play where, in the absence of the penalty, the clock would have continued to run. (So) the clock should have continued to run."



Gaston was on the sidelines and realized immediately what had happened. He left with the officiating crew after the game and told them they'd made a mistake.

Zookball Continues

Last year it was a whooping the Gators were giving Miami only to become another loss in the end, last night it was down to seconds and all about running out the clock.



From Martin Fennelly's column Feast-And-Famine Gators Tease, But Still Frustrating - from Tampa Bay Online:



"Another season of ZookBall truly began Saturday night. It promised so much. Mostly it promised madness. And for the second time in three Ron Zook seasons, with no guarantee of a fourth, go-figure Florida did not disappoint against Tennessee.

The Gators actually made us wonder if they could be for real. Chris Leak's first half did that to us. His third touchdown pass, an 81-yard to Chad Jackson in the fourth quarter, did it to us. Dreams were everywhere.



They folded up. Even a missed extra point by Volunteers kicker James Wilhoit that left Florida ahead 28-27 wasn't enough. The Gators refused to let Wilhoit be the goat. With seconds left, he kicked a 50-yard field goal to win it, 30-28.



We've been here before. Been fooled by Florida talent before. We've come to look for disaster more than success. We'll trust these Gators, Leak or no Leak, about the time Phil Fulmer starts appearing at Alabama booster clubs. "

The Continuing Scandal--Lifestyles of the Rich and Pious

"Foxes have their lairs, birds have their nests, but the Son of Man doesn't have a place he can call his home." Jesus Christ...



His represenatives today...fromORANGE COUNTY WEEKLY OC Weekly: Cover: Lifestyles of the Rich and Pious:



"Would you like to work for a company that, when facing millions of dollars in lawsuits, buys you a multimillion-dollar house? How about an employer who adds a second story to your already-massive abode even while the government forces it to pay $5.2 million to settle a lawsuit?



Think it can only happen at Halliburton? Well, think again: you can enjoy all of this if you're a priest for the Catholic Diocese of Orange!



Yes, when Bishop Tod D. Brown became the spiritual head of Orange County's 1.2 million Catholics in 1998, he abandoned the Church's millennia-old practice of housing priests in humble rectories on parish grounds and began shacking up clergy in fancy digs few of the faithful could afford: quaint Balboa Island bungalows, beachside manses and other high-class abodes featuring three-car garages, walk-in closets and in-ground spas. In a confidential Sept. 3 memo written by Father Michael Heher to diocesan priests, Heher defended this practice by citing Brown's policy of allowing priests 'to live off-site, affording them more privacy and a place away from their work environment.' And just last month, Brown admitted to purchasing a gated-community lot on which he plans to have built a multimillion-dollar mansion for himself near the proposed site of the $100 million Christ Our Savior Cathedral in Santa Ana (see accompanying story 'Rooms at the Inn')."



Check out the story for pictures of some of the "rectories" in the diocese.

Earthquake in Eastern Kentucky

35 miles ESE of Somerset, KY.



USGS Earthquake Hazards Program: Earthquake Report: EASTERN KENTUCKY

Your Babies Are Beautiful!

Heinz Kerry Visits Hurricane Aid Center Advises "Let them eat cake..."

From Yahoo! News - Heinz Kerry Visits Hurricane Aid Center:



"'Clothing is wonderful, but let them go naked for a while, at least the kids,' said Heinz Kerry, the wife of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry. 'Water is necessary, and then generators, and then food, and then clothes.' "

Tropical Storm Jeanne

Could hit Florida next week...Sun-Sentinel: South Florida weather

Expert Cited by CBS Says He Didn't Authenticate Papers

People should be fired, including Dan Rather for continuing to insist that these documents are real. It'll be "rather" ironic if Rather is brought down for trying to effect the outcome of a Presidential election when his rise can almost directly be related to his confronting of Richard Nixon for doing the same thing.



From Expert Cited by CBS Says He Didn't Authenticate Papers (washingtonpost.com):



"The lead expert retained by CBS News to examine disputed memos from President Bush's former squadron commander in the National Guard said yesterday that he examined only the late officer's signature and made no attempt to authenticate the documents themselves.



'There's no way that I, as a document expert, can authenticate them,' Marcel Matley said in a telephone interview from San Francisco. The main reason, he said, is that they are 'copies' that are 'far removed' from the originals. "

A Great Read!

While we were waiting for a plane to finally fly to Florida, (four days after the scheduled departure), I read this fascinating book:









I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in Medjugorje or apparitions in general. The book ends with Father Benedict Groeschel's critique of Medjugorje.

Trinity Broadcasting Network Responds to Allegations

From TBN Response to the LA Times Article:



"The accuser is a convicted felon and longtime drug abuser who has been imprisoned for years for serious crimes ranging from child sexual molestation to using illegal drugs such as crack cocaine. The accuser became involved with TBN through a drug rehabilitation program conducted on TBN's property. Upon his successful completion of the program, TBN gave him a chance by offering him employment.



Although the accuser fell back into drug abuse on more than one occasion during his employment, TBN extended grace to this man and kept him employed while he continued to seek rehabilitation and counseling. Finally, after being arrested for yet another drug related violation, he was found guilty of violating his probation and was returned to prison for a year. Upon his release from incarceration in 1997, he again sought employment with TBN and when TBN declined, he threatened to sue TBN by alleging wrongful termination and sexual harassment, directing his most salacious allegations towards Dr. Crouch personally.



In an effort to address this matter in 1997, Dr. Crouch sought the advice and counsel of some trusted advisers, attorneys and spiritual leaders. The consensus viewpoint was that it would be better for TBN and Dr. Crouch to reach a financial settlement rather than to fight the accuser in court. This course of action was deemed less expensive and would avoid the bad publicity, time and effort that it would take to fight the false claims. Dr. Crouch reluctantly agreed to this advice with the understanding that the accuser would go away and leave both he and TBN alone forever. The importance of the settlement does not rest on the money paid, but rather on Dr. Crouch's vehement denial of the allegations made against him as well as the agreement of the accuser to keep confidential and refrain from repeating his false claims and accusations. Most importantly, at no time were ministry funds used in any portion of this settlement."

Croatian Priests Want Money for Chauffeurs

After passage of tough dui law in their country.



From BBC NEWS | Europe | Croatia clergy in drink curbs row:



"Croatia's Catholic priests are seeking compensation after the introduction of a new zero-tolerance drink driving law, a local newspaper says.



The priests want $12 million a year to hire chauffeurs as they can no longer drive between churches where they must sip wine, the Jutarnji List said.



'During holy mass we need to drink wine as a symbol of the blood of Christ,' one of the priests told the newspaper.

'We want to obey the law... We would like to have private drivers,' he said.



'Some priests have many services a day and these are often in different parishes, so they need to use a car to get around. If they can't drive themselves, someone else has to do it,' the priest added. "

Earthquake in Indiana

We were still in Florida when it hit...USGS Earthquake Hazards Program: Earthquake Report: INDIANA

Televangelist Paul Crouch of the Trinity Broadcasting Network Fame, Attempts to Keep Accuser Quiet

From Yahoo! News - Televangelist Paul Crouch Attempts to Keep Accuser Quiet:



"Crouch, 70, is the president of Trinity Broadcasting Network, based in Orange County, whose Christian programming reaches millions of viewers around the world via satellite, cable and broadcast stations.



The source of the allegations against him is Enoch Lonnie Ford, who met Crouch at a TBN-affiliated drug treatment center in 1991 and later went to work for the ministry.



After Ford threatened to sue TBN in 1998, claiming that he had been unjustly fired, Crouch reached a $425,000 settlement with him. In return, Ford agreed, among other things, not to discuss his claim about a sexual encounter with the TV preacher.



But in the last year, Ford has threatened to go public with his story, prompting a flurry of legal maneuvers -- conducted in closed court hearings, sealed pleadings and private arbitration. "

Latest on Father Lawrence Minder

From Priest who claimed abuse taking a leave:



"The Bothell priest who quit after announcing he was molested by a priest as a child will be taking a leave of absence instead and using that time to get a complete health evaluation.



According to a letter Wednesday by the Rev. Lawrence Minder to the parishioners of St. Brendan Catholic Church, the Seattle Archdiocese has granted him a temporary leave of absence rather than accepting the resignation he had offered."

Virgin Mary Statue Survives Church Explosion

In CT. Watched the video, but what caused the explosion?



See NBC 4 - News - Virgin Mary Statue Survives Church Explosion

Jennings Will Lose in Late October

That's when you'll see it anyway...



From He's no longer in 'Jeopardy!': South Florida Sun-Sentinel:



"So he's mortal after all: Ken Jennings, arguably the most famous game show contestant since Charles Van Doren, ended his record run on 'Jeopardy!' during a taping Wednesday.



Jennings' loss was reported by TV Week, a respected industry trade publication, which said he ended his run with total winnings of 'around $2.5 million in cash and prizes,' or roughly double his total when 'Jeopardy!' wrapped its season in July.



The show tapes a couple of months in advance of airing, and the magazine reported that Jennings had lost his 75th game. Because the program's fall season began Monday, that means his final show will likely air the last week in October."

Pray for the Ongoing Victims of H. Frances

I visited with a former student yesterday in Palm Beach Gardens,FL. He and many around him still have no electrical power or phones. This almost a week since the power went off last Friday. His area was hit harshly, although you can drive a few miles away and it appears nothing happened.



Now the beleagered state of Florida braces for yet a third major huricane that may in the end be the worst, Ivan.



Yet in the midst of it all here in South Florida the weather is beautiful and as idylic as one could imagine (for those of us who do have power and are by the beach).

The Labor Day Hurricane...of 1935

200 mph winds, wiped out the Florida Keys...

Archbishop Burke Changes Stance

From Archbishop announces new stance:



"Archbishop Raymond Burke, who sparked a national debate on denying Holy Communion to abortion rights candidates, has given an opening to Catholics in his archdiocese who vote for such politicians.



In June, Burke said Catholics cannot vote for candidates or policies in support of abortion and be worthy to receive Communion.



He now says Catholics can at times vote for those who favor abortion rights without committing a grave sin or having to go to confession.



In clarifying his stance this week, Burke said he believes Catholics could vote for a politician who supports abortion rights as long as that's not the reason they are voting for the candidate. Catholic voters also must believe the candidate's stance on other moral issues outweighs the abortion rights stance."

Prayer Working as Hurricane Continues to Weaken

Believe in the power of prayer!

Passion Of The Christ DVD Sales Top 4 Million In Single Day

From Passion Of The Christ DVD Sales Top 4 Million In Single Day:



"DVD sales of Mel Gibson's controversial biblical epic, 'The Passion of the Christ' topped 4 million in a single day, according to Fox Home Entertainment, the film's distributor.



The record for one-day DVD sales belongs to the computer-animated feature 'Finding Nemo,' at 8 million. The Passion of the Christ trails the record breaker with 4.1 million units sold in a single day, however, it remains significant, considering Passion's R rating, and sub-titles."

Pope: Beware of Idols of Power, Wealth and Fame

From Zenit News Agency - The World Seen From Rome:



"John Paul II said that the idols of power, wealth and fame end up depriving man of his dignity.



'Idolatry is a temptation of all of humanity in all lands and at all times,' the Holy Father said on Wednesday during the general audience held at the Vatican.



The Pope commented on Psalm 115, 'Hymn to the True God.'



'The idol is an inanimate thing, born from the hands of men, cold statue, deprived of life,' he explained.



In fact, the psalm commented on by the Pope describes the idol ironically 'in its seven totally useless members: silent mouth, blind eyes, deaf ears, nose that does not smell, inert hands, paralyzed feet and throat that does not make a sound.' "

Tampa Jesuit Dies, A Fort Wayne Native

From Tampa:



"Fr. Richard G. Hartnett, S.J. passed away peacefully on Wednesday evening, August 5th, at the age of 92 while at Ignatius Hall in New Orleans.



Fr. Richard Hartnett, S.J. was born in Ft. Wayne, Indiana on October 21,1911. In 1917, his family moved to Kissimmee, Florida and then to Tampa in 1919.



He attended grammar school at the Academy of Holy Names (old

downtown school) from 1919 to 1925 and attended high school at

the Sacred Heart College (Jesuit) from 1925 to 1930. In 1937, he

graduated from St. Louis University. Fr. Hartnett taught at Tampa

College (Jesuit) from 1937 to 1940. He studied Theology at St.

Mary's, Kansas from 1940 to 1944 and was ordained a Jesuit priest

on June 22, 1943. He began his tertionship at Auriesville, New York

in 1944.



Father was with Jesuit High School in Tampa from 1945 through 1980, with the exception of one year at Jesuit High School in Dallas,

Texas in 1967. He was at one time the Alumni Chaplain here at Jesuit of Tampa, before moving to New Orleans for his retirement in 1999.



He returned from New Orleans yearly to orchestrate the annual Mission Drive with his famous Penny Drive. "

The Movie, the Book and the Retreat...

The Movie...

The Book..

Applying the Passion of Christ to Your Life

The Retreat..

Fatima Retreat House

Indianapolis, IN

Feb. 11-13, 2005

Pope: Be Ready for Sacrifice, Even Martyrdom

From Pope says be ready for sacrifice, even martyrdom:



"Pope John Paul II has called on all Christians to be ready to bear witness to the truth of Christ, even 'at the cost of suffering and great sacrifice'.



Speaking at the midday Angelus on Sunday, the Holy Father recalled the martyrdom of St John the Baptist, whom Jesus had called 'the greatest among those born of women'.



He said John the Baptist gave 'the supreme witness of blood, sacrificing his existence for truth and justice; he was in fact decapitated based on the orders of Herod.'



Referring to the encyclical Veritatis splendor, the Pope said martyrdom, like that of St John the Baptist, is 'an eminent sign of the holiness of the Church,' which 'represents the summit of the testimony to moral truth.'



Although relatively few are called to this supreme sacrifice, it is 'testimony that all Christians must be ready to give every day, even at the cost of suffering and grave sacrifice.' "