Pie and Coffee 
Religion
“Gandhi Visits Occupy Wall Street”
Annual Agape Advent Evening
Saturday, December 3, 5:30pm
2062 Greenwich Road, Ware, MA
George Pattery, SJ, a Jesuit from Calcutta, will speak. He is currently teaching a course on Gandhi and Religion at Holy Cross.
(This event conflicts with the Stone Soup anniversary party, unfortunately.)
For the latest episode of The Silver Mountain, Bruce “Snow Ghost” Russell and I talked to Fr. John Madden, pastor of St. John’s Catholic Church in Worcester. Fr. John talks about being a priest, organizing a soup line, Dorothy Day, and the Catholic Worker movement.
More notes at Landlubber.
Bruce “Snow Ghost” Russell and I are doing a new cable access show! It’s called The Silver Mountain and the episodes will begin running at 9am and 11pm Saturdays, and 6pm Sundays, on WCCA TV13 in Worcester.
We’re very pleased that the first episode features our old pal Brenna Cussen talking about Catholic anarchism, with our other pal Anne Lewenberg representing the secular anarchists. Great folks talking about the things that move them: expect nothing less from the Snow Ghost.
The Catholic Bishops of England and Wales last week decided “to re-establish the practice of Friday penance in the lives of the faithful as a clear and distinctive mark of their own Catholic identity.”
In practice, this means a return to “no meat on Fridays” for British Catholics.
From the resolution:
The Bishops have decided to re-establish the practice that this should be fulfilled by abstaining from meat. Those who cannot or choose not to eat meat as part of their normal diet should abstain from some other food of which they regularly partake.
Nice nod to vegetarianism. As a long time vegan, I always fret about what “some other food” I should give up Fridays in Lent. Soy seems an obvious one, but has tended to be more annoying than helpful. I’m curious to see if UK veg Catholics develop any traditions and practices around “some other food.”
I’m having a hard time at the moment (as I sometimes do, just worse), and I’m drawn to the idea of re-establishing weekly penance in my life. Prayer and fasting are always my last resort when I’m having a hard time, despite the fact that they most always work. One of the great blessings of going to mass with the late Father Bernie every Friday was that every week he’d encourage us to pray, and every week I’d think “Oh yeah, forgot about that,” and then I’d pray for a day or two, and many issues would be resolved. And then by the next Friday I’d already be out of the habit and in need of another reminder.
The Significance of Cardinal Newman
Come see a slide presentation by Mike True on the recently beatified John Henry Cardinal Newman, Catholic convert, theologian, and extraordinary voice for conscience and faith.
Wednesday, May 18: 7:00 pm
SS. Francis and Therese Catholic Worker
52 Mason Street, Worcester, MA 508 753-3588
Refreshments to follow. Free and open to the public.
Mike True, a professor emeritus of English at Assumption College, is a devoted admirer and student of Newman.
Today Fr Bernie Gilgun, priest and Catholic Worker, was buried in the cemetery in front of Saint Anne’s Church in Shrewsbury.
It was a beautiful service with wonderful music.
Father Bernie Gilgun, at age 84, quietly breathed his earthly last in the company of family and friends at the Grenon ICU Center of the University of Massachusetts Hospital in Worcester in the early afternoon of Easter Monday, April 25, 2011. Father Gilgun was widely known for his holiness, his preaching, and his love of the poor. His loss is acutely felt by his followers who viewed him as wise priest, expert leader in prayer, and teacher.
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Just got word that Father Bernie Gilgun, Catholic Worker and priest, has died. He had suffered a stroke over the weekend.
Here’s a remembrance from Michael Boover. There are many older Pie and Coffee items about him.
Father Bernie prepares for mass, 2006
Update: The wake will be on Thursday, April 28, 2011 from 3:00-7:00 PM, and the Mass of Christian Burial on Friday, April 29, 2011 at 11:00 AM, both at Saint Anne’s Church in Shrewsbury.
Elsewhere:
The day before Holy Week began, I attended a wedding at St. Columba’s United Reformed Church in Oxford, UK. St. Columba’s is down an alley near some of the Oxford colleges. It’s a normal sort of church inside, with a vestibule and facade that make it look like an office building.
Most churches stand out. St. Columba’s is hidden. Attending church there was like going to a house mass—nobody walking past suspects you’re going to a sacred gathering.
(Best wishes to the bride and groom—your lovely wedding is an auspicious start to your lives together.)
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So far, so good. Sticking with about 70% of my Lent plans, which is much better than most years.
One unexpected and helpful addition to my Lenten prayer schedule has been Susan Stabile’s series of daily meditations, with a weekly podcast of her remarks to students who are doing this “Lenten retreat in daily life” as well. Worth checking out if you need to jump-start your final week of Lenten prayers.
The best thing I’ve read about Lent this year is a brief essay by Jacob Berendes in his monthly newspaper Mothers News. It’s not at all religious, but it’s funny and a great piece of writing. In exchange for being able to quote me saying “The best thing I’ve read about Lent this year,” Jacob graciously agreed to let me reprint it, below.
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