Listen in!

I have been asked to fill in on "Calling All Catholics Live" on WLOF-FM Buffalo, WHIC-AM Rochester, and WQOR-AM Scranton for the regular host, Patrick Murphy, so he can take some well deserved R + R. I will be on the air October 30th and November 3rd from 5PM to 6PM taking your calls with our priest-guests! If you are not in the Buffalo area, look us up at www.wlof.net.

Assessing the damage

You may have heard in the news that Buffalo was buried in a freak early snowstorm. Now, we Buffalonians are a bit sensitive to all the hype about our snow. We are quick to point out that we have more sunshine than any other city in New York, and often beat Orlando on the sunshine count, as well. Nonetheless, what you read about the "October Surprise Snowstorm" was absolutely true in all it's ugliness. It was a true disaster. Buffalo has long been known for it's huge, sprawling, old growth trees along shady streets and in our Frederick Law Olmsted designed park system. Unfortunately, they have been decimated. Trees by the hundreds of thousands have toppled or been stripped of branches, leaving ugly skeletons where trees used to be. The trees all had leaves on them, and when the heavy wet snow piled up (22 inches in all) the branches didn't have a chance. They took out powerlines and telephone cables.

My home was powerless for three days, but, thankfully, the power went back on yesterday evening. My mother has not been so lucky, nor another 200, 000 some other homes. They predict all should be restored by week's end. Most of the schools are off for the week. It looks literally like a war zone, with smashed cars, streets blocked, and complete darkness in many parts of the city.

Through it all we kept the fireplace going, and slept together in the living room around the fire, all eleven of us! As a nurse I spent considerable time on duty making up for the many call-ins, but all in all, everying is okay. The kids had no computer, phone or TV, and had to entertain themselves, and did a pretty good job of it. We went to mass Sunday, although the Bishop gave dispensation, to a darkened church, but the enthusiasm and spirit of those who came warmed all our hearts. God was good to us. We survived. But we also learned how fragile our hold on things really is.

Why did I pay for all those lessons?!? Dance for Gramma!!

I have been asked to give a presentation to my colleagues in December. Each month the spiritual care department here at the hospital puts on an "Oasis": an opportunity to discuss some uplifting thing so everyone can have a mini-retreat in the work day. Nice, but suddenly I am on the spot. The dear lady who asked me to do it said, " Now, I am not going to tell you what to talk about, but humor would be nice". THE PRESSURE! Once, some time ago, I was asked to talk about humor in the workplace. Now, don't get me wrong, I love to laugh, tell more jokes than most, and I am not afraid of a microphone...nonetheless, when you are asked to present on humor, everyone comes prepared to laugh. I am not a stand-up. My dilemma is a deep desire to do ANYTHING but humor, with an expectation from everyone that humor is the topic du jour in my mind. Maybe I could learn to juggle.

Of course, a hospital is rife with things to laugh about...but outside of nursing, poop, vomit and farts, while hysterical to adolescent boys, are rarely funny to adults. There goes all my material.

Does anyone have the owner's manual?

Our oldest daughter is a senior in high school. Many of you know my pain. Notwithstanding, as a father of nine children, others look upon me as somewhat of an expert. Indeed, in many ways, I see myself as one...except with Emily. With Emily, everything is new because she is the FIRST. I have nothing to fall back on, no experience, no wisdom. Poor dear, I believe she knows she broke us in. Anyway, as the selection process narrows and the day for applying fast approaches, the stress increases exponentially. Her mother and I would like her to go to Franciscan University at Stuebenville, but persue that hope gingerly. Many a good mother and father has had to endure rants about "stupid-ville" because they pushed just a bit too hard. Our primary hope is that she retains her faith that even now seems to be changing as our control begins to wane. I have a feeling that at most Jesuit colleges, where she seems to be centering her search, faith is an academic concept rather than a lived reality... no offense to my SJ friends, but, c'mon, where's the beef?

If anyone has a copy of the owner's manual let me know.

Who's complaining?

The firewood arrived in the pouring rain. The mud room is leaking like a sieve. The bathroom is leaking into the basement. The cats have fleas. The driveway drain is plugged and we have another great lake in our yard. The gutters are ineffectual, spouting rain from the corners. The kitchen window is stuck open. Teresa spilled a quart of milk on my recliner and it smells like a fine french cheese. My wife is in the throes of menopause. My seventeen-year old daughter might as well be, judging her mood swings. Four kids need glasses. My teeth are in horrible need of attention. I am in the car most of my life attending practices and games. The car looks like several homeless people have been living in it for a month or more...smells that way, too. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Life is good. Praise God in the good and the bad. At least a couple of the children bathed today.

I can't imagine where St. Paul got the idea that it would be easier for us to get to heaven by being celibate...