People For Others

“Jesuits Revealed!” – Greg Boyle, S.J.

Paul — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 08:05:40 +0000

Greg Boyle, who heads Homeboy Industries, a ministry to [former] gang members in Los Angeles is one of my heroes. I came across this [4'00"] video the other day and thought I’d share it with you. It gets better as it goes along.

Bonus: Sistine Chapel

Paul — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 19:41:21 +0000

Devoted reader Michelle F.D. sent me a link to a Vatican website, developed by Villanova University, that has stunning images of the Sistine Chapel. The one and only time I was there, it was dark, crowded and the famous Creation of Adam scene was obscured by scaffolding. I know images are not the same as being there, but with this site you get to be all alone and can take your time to zoom in and out and look all around. It is wonderful. Check it out.

“Unexpirance Konwlage”

Paul — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:14:44 +0000

I recently came across a blog, Criggo, that specializes in newspaper printing mistakes. Lots of poop jokes and other sophomoric stuff, of course, but also some howlingly funny errors. Check it out.

Emma’s Story

Paul — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 07:14:21 +0000

Yesterday, Emma posted this comment on the blog. It made my day. Since I suspect most people don’t look at the comments, I thought it was worth posting here for everyone to read.

It’s funny how a seemingly insignificant act can ripple out and effect others in ways not foreseen… I’m working a summer job in a care home for the elderly. My duties are to come in before dinner, set up tables, help with meals, dishes, and clean up afterwards. There are appx. 30 elderly residents who come out for meals; tonight they were served peas! These are people who are visually impaired and who can hardly hold onto a utensil. Needless to say, none of the peas made it into anyone’s mouth.

By the time the meal was done there were peas everywhere! Hundreds and hundreds of peas!! on the chairs, on the floor, rolling off the tables, all for me to clean up. As I’m trying to figure out how to clean these peas up, I felt a resentment rising. “Who was the genius who decided to serve this for dinner?”

For some unknown reason, your post about peas came into my mind and instead of being angry I found humor in this. I started laughing, then the old folks caught on. Instead of them being embarrassed over their inabilities, they started joking and laughing too. I had the best time picking up those peas! And so did about 30 old folks who rarely have anything to laugh about! So, thank you for that silly little blog which included that remark about the peas!

Now, I have to figure out a way to restore my reputation as a sullen angst-ridden teen. Oh, sorry, I know I’m “off topic” again. But, thank you. Emma

Compass Points

Paul — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 15:57:09 +0000

Saturday is the Feast of St. Ignatius Loyola. In honor of the feast, we’re giving away five copies of Margaret Silf’s Compass Points to People for Others readers. To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post before midnight on Saturday, July 31.

There’s no need to leave any personal information in your comment; I’ll contact the winners early next week via e-mail for shipping details.

For some samples of the book, check out past posts with some Compass Points excerpts.

Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien

Paul — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 07:29:50 +0000

I am an avowed Francophile but, even if I weren’t, I still think I’d have fallen in love with Edith Piaf. Over the next several weeks, we’ll listen to a few of her classics but let’s start with the gold standard.

Here are the lyrics in English:

No! Absolutely nothing…
No! I regret nothing
Neither the good that I’ve done nor the bad
All this is much the same to me!

No! Absolutely nothing…
No! I regret nothing…
It is paid, swept away, forgotten
I don’t care about the past!

With my souvenirs
I lit a fire
My sorrows, my pleasures
I need them no more!

Swept away the love affairs
With their tremors
Swept away forever
I leave with nothing …

No! Absolutely nothing…
No! I regret nothing
Neither the good that I’ve done nor the bad
All this is much the same to me!

No! Absolutely nothing…
No! I regret nothing…
Because my life, because my joys
Today that begins with you!

Simple Pleasures – 2

Wisdom Story 22

Paul — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 07:32:25 +0000

An investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellow fin tuna. The investment banker complimented the fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.

The fisherman replied, “Only a little while.”

The investment banker then asked, “Why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more fish?”

The fisherman said, “With this I have more than enough to support my family’s needs.”

The investment banker then asked, “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”

The fisherman said, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, stroll into the village each evening and spend time with my family, I have a full and busy life.”

The investment banker scoffed, “I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing; and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat: With the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats. Eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor; eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to a big town and eventually to the the city where you will run your ever-expanding enterprise.”

The fisherman asked, “But, how long will this all take?”

To which the investment banker replied, “15 to 20 years.”

“But what then?” asked the fisherman.

The investment banker laughed and said that’s the best part. “When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions.”

“Millions?…Then what?”

The investment banker said, “Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings and spend time with your family.”

[Source: http://www.islamcan.com/islamic-stories/the-fisherman.shtml]

Hearing For The First Time

Paul — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 07:31:41 +0000

This is one of those “viral videos” that people pass on (just like I’m doing.) I was utterly charmed. The video [50"] shows what happens what happens when Jonathan’s cochlear implant is activated for the first time.

Musings On The Magnificat

Paul — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 07:30:48 +0000

I found the following gloss on the Magnificat at John Veltri (R.I.P.)’s Orientations pages on the Canadian Jesuit website and it appealed to me.

My soul glorifies you my God,
My spirit rejoices in you my Saviour!
For you have blessed me lavishly
and make me ready to respond.
You shatter my little world
and let me be poor before you.
You take from me all my plans
and give me more than I can hope for or ask.
You give me opportunities and the ability
to become free and to burst through
my boundaries.
You give the strength to be daring,
to build on you alone, for you show
yourself as the ever greater One
in my life.
You have made known to me this:
It is in my being servant
that it becomes possible
For your realm to break through
here and now.

– adapted from Olga Worenski, IBVM

[Source: http://www.jesuits.ca/orientations/bob/page3.htm#relation]

Iggy Bobble Head

Paul — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 07:05:35 +0000

After seeing the Ignatius Wind Up from a few days ago, faithful reader Marg commented, “Do you think bobble-heads will be next?” The answer, it seems, is yes. This charming statue has just arrived from the good people at Loyola New Orleans.

What’s great is that he nods rather than shakes his head. You ask him a question, shake him a little and you find that he gives you the affirmative answer you’ve been seeking. Almost magical.

He’s made in China. I wonder what the factory workers think about people like me who love this stuff?