March 2013 – Pie and Coffee

Palm Sunday, 2013

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The Lord GOD has given me
a well-trained tongue,
that I might know how to speak to the weary
a word that will rouse them.
–Isaiah 50:4

Palm Sunday mass is complicated for a lector. Not only is there an initial entrance into the church with blessed palms, but the Gospel is read like a play, with parts played by the priest, various deacons and lectors, sometimes people selected from the congregation, and even the congregation itself (roaring “Crucify him! Crucify him!”).

When I was first learning to be a lector as a teen, Palm Sunday was my trial by fire. Fr. Ed Bell gave constant feedback in the form of smiles and dirty looks. He always presided over a great mass, and I think his priority was never individual excellence or self-expression, but universal competence. If the details are attended to, the mass will be not only worshipful but nourishing to the heart.

I was a lector tonight at St. Peter’s, and it went great. I appreciated that Deacon Reisinger, in his homily, drew out one of the lessons of Easter, that “hope springs forth,” and connected it to the wonderful event of the election of Pope Francis.

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508 #215: We’re #1!

508 is a show about Worcester. This week, Brendan talks about how Worcester is “the snowiest city this winter in the United States”, and talks about his concerns over a possible slot machine casino and hotel in the city. Mike tries to avoid ranting by reading a brief statement on panhandling, then rants about how the city should encourage competition by easing restrictions on food carts.

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Holy Cross Magazine, Spring 2003

I was out of town in 2003, so I never saw this before. Thanks to a friend for bringing it to my attention.

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Front Cover/Back Cover

Andrew Sullivan has been linking to some of the arguments made for war in 2002/2003, as well as the thoughts of those folks 10 years later. I opposed the war at the time (wrote letters, demonstrated), but I don’t take any credit for that. I don’t have superior skills at foreign policy analysis, just a cautious eye when reading the news and a mild bias against violent solutions.

Worcester panhandlers arrested over weekend

Two arrests this weekend, a couple of others earlier last week. Three men begging while standing in traffic, another begging from people entering or leaving a store. One of these also involves a trespassing charge, two others a disorderly conduct charge. (The fourth is a little confusing on that point.) I’m not sure if there would always be a “disorderly conduct” thrown in for arrests like these, or whether standing in traffic is itself disorderly conduct.

Telegram & Gazette: Police start arresting panhandlers

Robert A. Mele, 34, who lists his address as 701 Main St., the homeless shelter, was arraigned Monday in Central District Court for trespassing and violating the aggressive panhandling ordinance after he was found standing on the off-ramp to Interstate 290 eastbound in the Belmont Street area Saturday.

[…]

Michael P. Gorham, 51, of 11 Ellsworth St., Apt. 4, was arrested Sunday â€” which happened to be his birthday â€” for disorderly conduct and violating the aggressive panhandling ordinance.

Police said he was aggressively panhandling on Chandler Street and at first was told to leave. Officers saw him again walking in and out of traffic and arrested him. He was arraigned Monday and ordered held on $500 cash bail.

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508 #214: The Future of Journalism

508 is a show about Worcester. This week, we talk about local journalism, past, present, and future, with participants in the Worcester Institute for Senior Education at Assumption College. Special thanks to Tracy Novick and Karl Hakkarainen.

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Mass to celebrate the election of Pope Francis, Worcester

Today Bishop McManus said mass at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Worcester to celebrate the election of Pope Francis.

In his homily, the bishop said:

It seems to be true, very true, that God gives the Church what the Church needs at this time.

The bishop highlighted the new pope’s South American origins and his asking for the people’s blessing before blessing them at the announcement of his election.

I believe what the Church needs desperately at this moment is another Francis Xavier . . . a man who knows first-hand what it is to be a missionary.

These were very appropriate remarks for a celebration. I appreciated the recognition that “this moment” is a crucial one. Maybe it’s a sign of my pessimism and anxiety about the hierarchy that my own thoughts kept drifting to unresolved questions about Pope Francis’s past actions under the Argentine dictatorship, and whether he will be willing and able to take bold action on the child sex abuse crisis.

Update: The Catholic Free Press has non-cellphone pix of the mass and lots of local reaction.

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508 #213: Guns and Walmart

508 is a show about Worcester. This week, Scott Schaeffer-Duffy and Brendan Melican discuss and debate an upcoming anti-gun protest at the local Walmart.