Author: Rosemary

Readings:

Isaiah, 55, 6-9, As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways.

Psalm 1,  The Lord is near to all who call upon him.

Philippians  1, 24, 27,  Conduct yourselves in a way worthy

Matthew 20, 1-16,   The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner…

 

 

 

 

Thanks to the Team

Music,  Ben & Shonda

Readers,   Mary Jane (Happy Birthday!) & John & Buddy, the candle blesser

Gospel,  Deacon Mike 

Homily,  Stack 

Eucharistic Prayer A & B, Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers, Mike, Ben & Hue, Richard & Tom & David

Final Blessing, Rosemary

For hosting us at Legacy, Becky

 

 

Download Readings Week 25

 

When did you last see God?

Next Sunday after our Sunday morning celebration of life I have a baptism.  Remember the Braun family from St. Marks?  It was easy to see them because both Debbie & Don were tall.  In fact, Don must be about 6'10" and they were visible.   They have three grown kids, a boy & two girls.  I've done backyard baptisms for them.  Heather, one of the daughters has a baby daughter.

 

Mary Jane reading Isaiah.

 

For a long time I have always asked the people gathered together for the baptism, when was the last time you saw God.  This can be very touching.  Of course, probably everybody there says they saw God and see God now when they behold the little baby being baptized.

Reflecting upon this in my own life, I am stunned.  Two events have left me speechless and humbled.  Almost exactly a year ago, October 20 to be exact, Rosemary & I were visited by that tornado.  I cannot say I saw God's presence in the tornado.  No, it was the aftermath and especially the next morning.  Neighbors whose houses were not damaged came in waves to clear downed tree limbs, clean up all the junk dumped in our yard, and to offer us food.  Boys from St. Marks Boys' School brought bottled water & food.  

 

John Schanot reading Philippians.

 

Doug LeBlanc & Grace came with some of their friends, coming with plywood & tools which they used to board up the smashed bay window on our house.  Connie and John Bresson, Mike Moran, Andy, Tom Good, Tom Froelich and others moved tree limbs, cut branches down and generally cleaned up. Just that day was overwhelming itself.  But people continued to come every day, some of which were community members.  One day Loretta Garcia Williams fed a whole group of our community.  I still am humbled and grateful.  I saw God those days.

 

Deacon reading the Gospel.

 

A few days later a tall junior from St. Marks School and a neighbor kid from a big delightful family 4 doors down came to our front door and knocked.  It was a mild & sunny afternoon.   He said he wanted to simply tell us that he admired us and was happy we're his neighbors.  You know me, I was in tears.  

It was hard to leave the neighborhood, as you can imagine.  So I was not expecting anything special when we moved into our new neighborhood.  Dream on.  We took possession of the keys about 1:00 on Monday, the 31st of August from the delightful couple who had fixed the place all up.  Before long while we were bringing stuff in with Grace LeBlanc's help, neighbors began coming over to welcome us.  With welcome gifts.  We got food & wine.  We got a home made chocolate cake with chocolate chips!  It was so rich!  I saw God in those people, especially in the lady who brought the chocolate chip chocolate cake.

And you?  When was the last time you saw God?

 

 

The brains of our team, Hue, Richard, and Mike.

 

Please Remember these special people:

For Alan Stryker;  For John Doherty with back pain; For Becky's dad who has moved to the other side;  For Cindy recuperating at home;    For Esparzas, Frank & Mary,  For all the medical personnel struggling to treat the tsunami of sick people, in particular, locally, Cindy's staff at Presby, Dallas, and at Frisco Presby, the mother of Harper and Betsy, Kendle, working in labor & delivery;   For Mary & Dave Hall's g-daughter Allison Keller working at St. Lukes, Woodlands,  For Joe Hogan with cancer;  For Loretta's aunt Alicia;    For Sydney;  & For Sir Charlie & Jan;  Shonda's mom & Cody & Ben & all of Shonda's dear family;   for all the students and teachers and coaches returning to school.

 

Shonda & Ben making the best music.

 

For Betty from Helsem; For Jackie's mom, sister, & friend, Lynn;  For a friend & a doctor, Karen, with brain cancer; For Rick Turner searching for a kidney donor, Type O neg; For Meredith, cancer free;    For Hue;  For John O'Donnell;   For Dee, and for her daughter, Lisa; For John Schanot's continued health;  For Anthony & Sabrina;    For a young man who is suffering from depression;  John Cade's mother in law, Kalliopi Piskiouli and Lambrini, plus John's daughter, Joey, with cancer,  For the students, teachers, and coaches in our public & private schools.

 

 

 

Our Anniversary kids, Tom & Becky, 41 years!

 

Birthdays:  Mary Jane Stevenson, Sophia  (12), Ben's daughter 

Anniversaries:  Tom & Becky, 41

 

 

David double checking the out put.                                                     

                 

Community Finances, September 13, 2020

Expenses: $  580.00

Outreach   $  200.00  (often for Souls Harbor, Legacy, etc.)

Thanks, Folks, for doing what you can.

 

 

A new member of our community?

 

Rosemary's Blessing:

… May God bless you with enough foolishness
to believe that you can make a difference
in this world, in your neighborhood,
so that you will courageously try
what you don't think you can do, but,
in Jesus Christ you'll have all the strength necessary.

"Troubadour: A Missionary Magazine," published by the Franciscan Missionary Society

 

Readings:

Sirach, 27, 30-28, 7, Hate not your neighbor.  

Psalm 103,  The Lord is Gracious and Merciful, never gets angry and is abounding in Love.  (Wow!)

Romans  13, 7-9,  Whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.

Matthew 18, 21-35   If my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him?  .. not seven times, but seventy-seven times…

 

Tuning in.

 

Thanks to the Team

Music,  Ben & Shonda

Readers,  Patrica & Jackie & Buddy, the candle blesser

Gospel,  John Cade

Homily,  Stack 

Eucharistic Prayer A & B, Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers, Mike, Ben & Hue, Richard & Tom & David

Final Blessing, Rosemary

For hosting us at Legacy, Becky

 

 

 

 

Download Readings Week 24

 

Please Remember these special people:

For Alan Stryker;  For John Doherty with back pain; For Becky's dad who has moved to the other side;  For Cindy recuperating at home;    For Esparzas, Frank & Mary,  For all the medical personnel struggling to treat the tsunami of sick people, in particular, locally, Cindy's staff at Presby, Dallas, and at Frisco Presby, the mother of Harper and Betsy, Kendle, working in labor & delivery;   For Mary & Dave Hall's g-daughter Allison Keller working at St. Lukes, Woodlands,  For Joe Hogan with cancer;  For Loretta's aunt Alicia;    For Sydney;  & For Sir Charlie & Jan;  Shonda's mom & Cody & Ben & all of Shonda's dear family;   for all the students and teachers and coaches returning to school.

 

The new house amid the trees.

 

For Jackie's mom, sister, & friend, Lynn;  For a friend, a neighbor, & a doctor, Karen, with brain cancer; For Rick Turner searching for a kidney donor, Type O neg; For Meredith, cancer free;    For Hue;  For John O'Donnell;   For Dee, and for her daughter, Lisa; For John Schanot's continued health;  For Anthony & Sabrina;    For a young man who is suffering from depression;  John Cade's mother in law, Kalliopi Piskiouli and Lambrini, plus John's daughter, Joey, with cancer.

 

 

The Brain center

 

Birthdays:    Sandra Pratt, 80;  Claire Zurchin, 35; 

Anniversaries:  Tom & Lynda, 38th

Mark & Julie Anderlick, 8th

 

 

A cool neighborhood on a hot day.

 

Community Finances, September 13, 2020

Expenses: $ 2,830.00

Outreach   $  380.00  (often for Souls Harbor, Legacy, etc.)

Thanks, Folks, for doing what you can.

 

 

 

Has this broadcast team not arrived at new heights!

 

Rosemary's Blessing:

May the Lord grant you

       A tolerance for those who don’t agree with you,

       A refusal to judge others,

       A willingness to forgive,

       A calm and hopeful spirit in the midst of anxieties,

       And a holy anger for injustice in the world.

From Seven Sacred Pauses by Macrina Wiedwrkehr

 

 

Our new address,  7017 Helsem Way, Dallas 75230.   This enclave has TREES, unlike our poor, dear, tornado battered Preston Hollow neighborhood.  It is so special.

Readings:

Ezekiel 33, 7-9,  The wicked shall die for his guilt.

Psalm 95,  If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Romans  13, 8-12,  You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Matthew 18, 15-20,   Where 2 or 3 are gathered together in my name, there am I

The Best, Shonda & Ben (plus Aviana's nose)

 

Thanks to the Team

Music,  Ben & Shonda

Readers,  Mike & Geri, & Buddy, the candle blesser

Gospel,  Deacon Mike

Homily,  Deacon Mike 

Eucharistic Prayer A & B, Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers, Mike, Ben & Hue

Final Blessing, Rosemary

For hosting us at Legacy, Becky

 

 

 

 

 

Download Readings Week 23

 

 

Homily for September 6, Deacon Mike 

Jesus has made us aware that when two or more of us get together on any decision at all on earth, we are to address it with communal prayer; asking our Father to guide us, with the power of the Holy Spirit. What would be an appropriate example?  We are the Church, called by this name: “Christ in the world.’ Together, its single women, and married women and men, have been called by the Holy Spirit to  ordination.  This is a “yes,” on earth and a “yes in heaven; Our action is this: pray to our Father for our hierarchy to recognize these authentic calls to ordination for men and women.

 

Today, Matthew’s Good News toward the end of this gospel
the Church of its responsibility to bring forgiveness even to the tax collector.  This forgiveness is a “yes,” on earth and a “yes,” in heaven, for early in this gospel Jesus had asked Matthew to follow him; which he immediately did; and he had been a tax collector.  Jesus then informed the religious leaders, that granting forgiveness was the reason that he had come into the world. 

 

 

Rosemary's mural from the old house, rescued by Mike the day we left the house.

 

Please Remember these special people:

For Alan Stryker;  For Becky's dad who just moved to the other side;  For Cindy recuperating at home;    For Esparzas, Frank & Mary,  For all the medical personnel struggling to treat the tsunami of sick people, in particular, locally, Cindy's staff at Presby, Dallas, and at Frisco Presby, the mother of Harper and Betsy, Kendle, working in labor & delivery;   For Mary & Dave Hall's g-daughter Allison Keller working at St. Lukes, Woodlands,  For Joe Hogan with cancer;  For Loretta's aunt Alicia;    For Sydney;  & For Sir Charlie & Jan;  Shonda's mom & Cody & Ben & all of Shonda's dear family;   for all the students and teachers and coaches returning to school.

 

The new house amid the trees.

 

For Jackie's mom;  For a friend, a neighbor, & a doctor, Karen, with brain cancer; For Rick Turner searching for a kidney donor, Type O neg; For Meredith, cancer free;    For Hue;  For John O'Donnell;   For Dee, and for her daughter, Lisa; For John Schanot's continued health;  For Anthony & Sabrina;    For a young man who is suffering from depression;  John Cade's mother in law, Kalliopi Piskiouli and Lambrini, plus John's daughter, Joey, with cancer.

 

Our Father.

 

Birthdays:     Aggie, Jean Wright

Anniversaries: 

David & Caroline, 35th

Dee & Mike, 63rd

Rob & Beth, 46th

Aggie & Alan 53rd

Mike & Geri, 45th

 

 

A cool neighborhood on a hot day.

 

Community Finances, September 6, 2020

Expenses: $ 700.00

Outreach   $   (often for Souls Harbor, Legacy, etc.)

Thanks, Folks, for doing what you can.

Rosemary's Blessing:

 

 

 

Our new address,  7017 Helsem Way, Dallas 75230.   This enclave has TREES, unlike our poor, dear, tornado battered Preston Hollow neighborhood.  It is so special.

note: this is the last time we publish the blog from our Tulip Lane home.

 

Readings:

Jeremiah, 20, 7-9, You duped me, Oh Lord

Psalm 63,  My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord, my God

Romans  12, 1-2,  Do not confirm yourselves to this age.

Matthew 16, 21-27,   Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.

 

Thanks to the Team

Music,  Ben & Shonda

Readers, Beth & Rob (from Pagosa Springs), & Buddy, the candle blesser

Gospel:  Deacon Mike

Homily,  Stack 

Eucharistic Prayer A & B, Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers, Mike (home from the mountains) & Richard (back from vacation), Tom, Ben & Hue 

Final Blessing, Rosemary

 

 

 

 

Download Readings Week 22

 

 

The Homily

A Contemporary addition to the Liturgical Calendar

I would  like to propose this morning that we add a special feast day to our liturgical calendar.  Don’t know what is the liturgical calendar?  Are you people Catholics?

The Catholic liturgical calendar is a daily directive on special Catholic events and special deceased Catholics who are now considered officially saints.  For example, the feast of Christmas, Saints Francis and Ignatius, the founder of the Jesuits.  In the sacristy of most Catholic churches there would be a little booklet with the name of the saint for the day and as a priest, I would offer the Mass in honor of and for the intercession of the saint. 

 

 

White Rock Creek Path, 7:00 Friday morning, looking north at the DART bridge branch to Plano.  Can this be Dallas?!!

 

Therefore, in honor of this special day I would propose that this day be officially established as a holy day of obligation, as they once were called.  The day?  Yesterday. 

You all must know that the last Saturday of August, usually the hottest day of the Summer, is especially celebrated each year on the campus of Midwestern University where Kevin goes to college in the town of Wichita Falls, northwest of Dallas a couple hours.

Celebration?  What kind of celebration?  To show that we are not intimidated by 100 degree temps, some thousands of bike riders aim to ride for 100 miles out of Wichita Falls on a clockwise ride around the region. 

 

 

South bound WRCT heading toward White Rock Lake at the bridge just before the Skillman bridge-tunnel.   At 7:00 it is gorgeous on the path!   Yes, I'm riding again, Monday-Friday this week.

 

There are rest stops every 10 miles and at ca. mile 75, every five miles or so.  I have my favorite stops and in particular the stop at the 30 mile marker, the edge of the little town of Electra.  The women of Electra bake dozens of homemade cookies and hand them out.  Everything is free at the rest stops, water, of course, but also fruit, bananas, energy bars, and even pickles.

 

Shonda and Ben bringing Life.

 

One year it was especially hot and hot from the beginning.  I rode up to the Electra rest stop about 9:30, eager to taste a few of my favorites, like chocolate chip.   Turns out the extreme heat had melted some of their cookies, especially the chocolate chips.   No problem.   Usually the cookies are just lying there on the tables under a huge tent.  Take all you want.  Not this time. 

I look up and see a lady standing on a step with clear plastic bags on her hands and in each hand she has a cookie ball.  “Come and have all the cookie balls you want,” she is saying.  “They are as good as ever.”  And they were. 

 

Hue & Richard cooking.

 

This is why The Hotter ‘N Hell bike ride should be introduced into the Catholic Liturgical Calendar for the last Saturday of the month of August.  It is feast day.  And I nominate Saint Bill Hammond as the Patron Saint. 

So what did you do when you did not bike a hundred miles yesterday?

 

 

Welcome home, Mike.  It is really good to have you back.

 

Please Remember these special people:

For Alan Stryker;  For Becky's dad discovered with cancer;  For Cindy recuperating at home;    For Esparzas, Frank & Mary,  For all the medical personnel struggling to treat the tsunami of sick people, in particular, locally, Cindy's staff at Presby, Dallas, and at Frisco Presby, the mother of Harper and Betsy, Kendle, working in labor & delivery;   For Mary & Dave Hall's g-daughter Allison Keller working at St. Lukes, Woodlands,  For Joe Hogan with cancer;  For Loretta's aunt Alicia;    For Sydney;  & For Sir Charlie & Jan;  Shonda's mom & Cody & Ben & all of Shonda's dear family;   for Michelle

 

 

On air!

 

For Jackie's mom;  For a friend, a neighbor, & a doctor, Karen, with brain cancer; For Rick Turner searching for a kidney donor, Type O neg; For Meredith, cancer free;    For Hue;  For John O'Donnell;   For Dee, and for her daughter, Lisa; For John Schanot's continued health;  For Anthony & Sabrina;    For a young man who is suffering from depression;  John Cade's mother in law, Kalliopi Piskiouli and Lambrini, plus John's daughter, Joey, with cancer.

 

 

Birthdays:     Maureen Macchio, Teresa Quinn

Anniversaries: 

Ken & Cindy, 58th

Richard & Monica Froebe, 33rd

 

 

John Cade doing the Eucharistic Prayer from his living room.

 

Community Finances, August 30, 2020

Expenses: $1625.00

Outreach   $360.00   (often for Souls Harbor, Legacy, etc.)

Thanks, Folks, for doing what you can.

 

Rosemary's Blessing:

Always pray to have eyes that see the best in people,

A heart that forgives the worst,

A mind that forgets the bad,

And a soul that never loses faith in God.

Unknown

 

 

 

As of September 1, Rosemary & I will have a new address,   7017 Helsem Way, Dallas 75230.   This enclave has TREES, unlike our poor, dear, tornado battered Preston Hollow neighborhood.

Readings:

Isaiah, 22, 19-23, On that day I will summon my servant, Eliakim

Psalm 138,  Lord, your love is eternal.  I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with all my heart X 3 times.

Romans  11, 33-36,  Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God. 

Matthew 16, 13-20,   You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church.

 

 

Thanks to the Team

Music,  Ben & Shonda

Readers,  Connie & John Doherty , & Buddy, the candle blesser

Gospel:  Deacon Mike

Homily,  Stack 

Eucharistic Prayer A & B, Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers, Mike (on vacation) & Richard (on vacation), Tom, Ben & Hue 

Final Blessing, Rosemary

 

 

 

 

 

Download Readings Week 21

 

Coming up in the readings is the psalm of the day, i.e., Psalm 138, one of my long time favorites.  There are two translations, the more modern and the more traditional.  Because I have spent so many hours meditating on the more traditional form, I offer both translations.  For me thanks is the key to my relationship with God, as well with others.  See what you think about the italicized parts.

1.  I will give thanks to you, Oh, Lord, with all my heart for you have heard the words of  my mouth; in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise.

2.  I will give thanks to your name, because of your kindness and your truth.

3  Your kindness, O Lord, endures forever.

 

 

Aviana watching over the stove and over us.

 

Reflections of a Tornado Refugee Family

Somewhere in the distant past when I was a Boy Scout at Christ the King I was trained to always leave my campsite better than I found it.  I probably drove my fellow campers crazy when I went camping with my Jesuit buddies and especially when I went with Bill & Mike, Ray & Rose, and a dozen or so others.  I would aim to be the last camper to leave the site, with the exception of Mike. 

Exactly a week from tomorrow I will be cleaning a campsite.   Rosemary & I will be departing the house we have lived in for 15 years and the house that my parents bought in ’75.   I will take one last look around, probably with Rosemary, to make sure this campsite is better than I found it.  Even though a bulldozer will demolish it.

 

 

Looking out our front window, 4 houses used to be there.

 

This is already proving to be emotionally quite difficult for me.  The problem is that there are numerous tender memories in that house, like the portrait of Aviana that Rosemary painted on the ceramic tiles behind the stove in the kitchen, painted one summer while I was out camping with the gang.  For her I had put in the tiles and the parquet flooring in that kitchen.  Every room in the house I have painted and decorated with decals.  I painted the outside more than once and even the sturdy tool shed.  This campsite has been a home. 

The neighborhood, too, has touched my heart.  This is where the 16 year old St. Marks boy who lives three doors down rang our bell one spring afternoon and told me ‘Thanks for being delightful neighbors.”  I am still touched.  We also have handled all the free refreshments for our neighborhood July 4 party.  Rosemary, the lady who walks the little white dog, is known everywhere.  She is also the Tulip Lane block captain.  She expects me to salute her.

 

 

 

There used to be a 50 year old beautiful Live Oak on this corner.  Gone, along with whole bunches of other trees.

 

The one reason I am happy to move on: the destruction of the trees, many of which I planted.  It used to be delightfully shady at our corner, Tulip Lane & Camellia.  Now, it is a desert, with all 8 of the houses around us destroyed.  It must also have been 20 degrees hotter those 100 degree days recently. 

The house itself has a number of cracks in the ceilings and walls, which is why we easily decided we had to move.   It has been a comfortable campsite.  Despite the presence of the bulldozer just across the street, I will leave this campsite as neat as I found it.

As Psalm 138 says, I will give thanks to you Oh Lord, with all my heart, eventually.

 

 

 

There are three lots on this corner.  

 

Please Remember these special people:

For Becky's dad discovered with the virus;  For Cindy recuperating at home;    For Esparzas, Frank & Mary,  For all the medical personnel struggling to treat the tsunami of sick people, in particular, locally, Cindy's staff at Presby, Dallas, and at Frisco Presby, the mother of Harper and Betsy, Kendle, working in labor & delivery;   For Mary & Dave Hall's g-daughter Allison Keller working at St. Lukes, Woodlands,  For Joe Hogan with cancer;  For Loretta's aunt Alicia;    For Sydney;  & For Sir Charlie & Jan;  Shonda's mom & Cody & Ben & all of Shonda's dear family;   for Michelle;  for Bill Ekes' longtime buddy, Bobby Duncan, who just passed to the other side.

To stay in our house we had to replace the roofing.   A good move.  It has taken us 5 months to find and get into our new place, September 1.
 

For Jackie's mom;  For a friend, a neighbor, & a doctor, Karen, with brain cancer; For Rick Turner searching for a kidney donor, Type O neg; For Meredith, cancer free;    For Hue;  For John O'Donnell;    For Dee, and for her daughter, Lisa; For John Schanot's continued health;  For Anthony & Sabrina;    For a young man who is suffering from depression;  John Cade's mother in law, Kalliopi Piskiouli and Lambrini, plus John's daughter, Joey, with cancer.

 

 

The house of the professional hockey player, Tyler Sagan.  It is now gone.

 

Birthdays:     Marsha Farmer & Marilyn Ackerman

Anniversaries: 

Rose & Wally Banzhaf, 49th 

 

 

Brain Trust??

 

Community Finances, August 23, 2020

Expenses: $600.00

Outreach   $500.00    (often for Souls Harbor, Legacy, etc.)

Thanks, Folks, for doing what you can.

 

The Best Music, Ben & Shonda.

 

Rosemary's Blessing:

 

May you learn to see your self

With the same delight,

Pride and expectation

With which God sees you in every moment.

 

To Bless the Space Between Us by John O’Donohue

 

 

As of September 1, Rosemary & I will have a new address,   7017 Helsem Way, Dallas 75230.   This enclave has TREES, unlike our poor, dear, tornado battered Preston Hollow neighborhood.