Reto's Solemn Profession of Vows

Today was the not only the celebration of the Assumption of Mary but it was also the Profession of Solemn Vows of Friar Reto Davatz. After waking up and checking out of the hotel I went to my Taunt (Arabic of Aunt) Paula's house for breakfast with my Uncle Adel and their two children Rami and Andre. Soon after breakfast I was off to St. Bonaventure Church for Reto's profession where my other Aunt - Taunt Sonia and her husband Uncle Ezzat. It was a wonderful celebration here are a couple pictures from the day.

Reto's Being Called ForthReto prostrating for the Litany of the Saints

Reto Professing his Solemn Vows in the hands of Fr. Justin Biase
with his witnesses Friar Brad Mulinski (Left) and Friar Peter Cowans (Right)

A close-up during the Profession

Reto Signing the Book

The Presentation of the Gifts: Reto's Mom is giving Reto's Dad (the Deacon) the Bread

Mr. Davatz preparing the wine

Uncle Ezzat, Me, and Taunt Sonia at the reception

My family with Reto

Congratulation Reto!!!!

Canada

Hello Everyone! I am currently in Toronto, Canada. Tomorrow on August 15, Friar Reto Davatz will be professing his Solemn Vows. So I drove up to Canada from Syracuse to support and celebrate with him. Also on this trip I will visit with my two aunts, one uncle, and my cousins. I can't wait to see them and to celebrate one of aunt's birthday on Sunday. Well I am going to cut this post short because I am using the hotel's common computer and there are people waiting. Until tomorrow...

Softball

Today was my first experience of watching the Poverello Team play softball. The Poverello Team is composed of a hodgepodge of religious, married, and single women who gather of Thursday Evening to play against other local teams. The Sisters are members of the Sisters of St. Francis, the same community as Blessed Marianne Cope. Below are some pictures for the game. PS: After the game we went to Twin Trees for pizza! It was delicious.

Sr. Cyril

(Teacher during the school year, pantry volunteer on Tuesdays, and pitcher by night)

Sr. Dolly

(Sister of many talents by day and third base by night)

Sr. JP

(Nurse by day and second base/pitcher by night)

Terry

(Head boss man at the pantry Thursday and Friday and Blessed Marianne Cope Museum tour guide by day and Dad and softball coach by night)

Nancy (Head boss lady at the pantry Monday-Wednesday by day and Mom, sewer, quilter, apple-guru, and sports fan by night) and Pat (Monday and Friday volunteer at the pantry by day and Italian cook and sports fan by night)

The Three Musketeers:

Srs. Dolly, JP and Cyril

The Whole Gang

(Nancy, Sr. Cyril, Pat, Me, Sr. JP, and Sr. Dolly - Minus Coach)

Serenity Prayer...

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Hello Everyone! Peace be with you! Lately I have been reflecting on the Serenity Prayer. At first it was a prayer that I did not like and it was difficult one to pray, but now I see it's beauty and it's underlining push for peace. I decided to do a Good Search about the Serenity Prayer and looked for information about the prayer and found out something interesting. First that the prayer was written by Reinhold Niebuhr an American Protestant theologian in 1943. Second - the interesting fact - that the prayer as we know it is actually an abbreviated form and the entire prayer reads as follows:

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him Forever in the next.
Amen.

May this addition to the Serenity Prayer give you more fruit for your thought and spiritual life!

Feast of St. Clare

Today is the Feast of St. Clare and it was a busy day at the pantry! Since we are in the middle of month - our "low" period - we are trying to build up a stock of sandwiches for the end of the month and when the child-feeding programs ends. Since the pantry's regular meat slicers were not here today yours truly became the meat slicer for the day. The first picture is of bologna before it is sliced. We have to cut the meat in half before we begin to cut the bologna using the slicer. The second picture is of the bologna on the slicer and lastly there is a picture of me cutting the meat.

But this was only the beginning of my time in the kitchen today. Myself, Sr. Therese (a Franciscan Sister originally from Egypt), and Linda (our friary cook) collaborated to make an Arabic/Egyptian meal. We made Molokhia with rice and roasted chicken. I made the Molokhia (a green leaf soup, chicken broth, and roasted garlic) and a red onion with red wine vinegar topping. Sr. Therese made the rice. Linda made the roasted chicken. The dinner was served with pita bread and mango and guava juice. Thankfully the friars and the sisters loved the meal. So cheers to St. Clare and may the food and the company always for good.

PS: Br. Jim Moore says "Blog this" and Br. Peter wishes to be "unblogged"

Rain, Rain, and more Rain

Peace be with you! Well after living in San Antonio and in Jamaica I prayed and prayed for rain. While on vacation in NJ and over the past two days in Syracuse those prayers have been answered; oh how I wish that I could funnel that rain to San Antonio or Jamaica. Maybe in the future this could be possible.

Like most things rain can be a blessing and a curse. It can be a blessing because it can grant farmers and their crops with abundant produce to feed countless people. Yet rain can also be a curse because it can be dangerous to drive with and devastating to the homeless and poor. Today I saw that curse or the inconvenience while serving dinner at the food pantry. Some of those we minister to came in drenched head to toe with rain. I wish I could have done something to help them. Hopefully a smile and a warm hello helped them to have a not so dreary day.

God Bless and Stay Dry!

Blessed Marianne Cope

Today is the 91st Death Anniversary of Mother Marianne Cope a member of the Sisters of St. Francis in Syracuse. In honor of the saint I new very little about I went to her Shrine for Mass today with Fr. Conrad. Here is a link to her website Blessed Marianne Cope Website. Blessed Marianne worked with those suffering from leprosy in Hawaii. A quote of hers that I like is “The charity of the good knows no creed and is confined to no one place." Here are some pictures from the Shrine where there is a wooden reliquary with here remains.

Day 1

Today is my father's birthday! He turns 68 and is still as loving, carefree, and funny (or trying to be) as ever. Unfortunately I was not able to make it down to New Jersey from Syracuse to see him but I called him and he knows that I am praying for him. Here is a picture with my dad and family from his birthday last year!Cheers to you Pops!

Julie and Julia...

Dear Family, Friends, Friars, and those who may find this interesting,

Peace be with you! As you can tell from looking at my "Older Posts" section I have not been so faithful to my blog. Well last night I went to see the movie Julie and Julia which I loved for three reasons. One is because it is about Julia Child and my mother loves Julia Child and so do I. Two is because I love cooking and eating. And three because Julie Powell has now inspired me to make a blog commitment... for those who know me well brace yourselves!

I promise to post on my blog each day for the next year! Yep, 365 days and 365 posts!

Here I go....

FIT Bound...

Hello Everyone! Peace be with you! Today I received some wonderful news: my brother Alex was accepted to college!!! As of the fall he will be attended the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC. I am so proud and excited for him that I had to write a post about him.

Over the past 3 years my brother's love for art has kindled and has not stopped burning. I came back from my Novitiate year and he had artwork all over the house. Below is the first drawing he did that year (using ribbon as his inspiration) and the last drawing he did that year (using Audrey Hepburn as his inspiration). The one with Audrey Hepburn entitled "Breakfast at Caucci's" (after his art teacher) was in Alex's High School Literary magazine ETC. Needless say I am proud for and bragging about my brother.

Alex's latest endeavor is textile design (that which will be his major at FIT). He is working with a fellow senior classmate of his to create a 10 piece fashion line including handmade/designed fabrics and materials. The line will include 4 male outfits and 6 female outfits. If you have every seen the show Project Runway - then you know what the basement of my parent's house looks like.

CONGRATULATIONS ALEX!!!
New York won't know what hit them!

A Simple House

You are probably wondering, "Who are all these people and why is Nader not in the picture?" Well I am not in the picture because this is a picture of entire A Simple House community. Essential A Simple House is an organization of lay missionaries who work with the poorest of the poor in the neighborhoods of Washington, DC and now Kansas City, MO. My good friend Ryan Hehman is a member of this group, but that is not way I am dedicating a post to his life's work.

A Simple House was contacted by The Washington Post and a very interesting article was written about them. I encourage you to check out the article entitled "A Not-So-Simple Life". Why? - because they are just one of many organizations that address the poverty present here in America -as some say 'the wealthiest nation in the world." One does not need to travel to Africa to find the poor, rather drive a couple blocks to "wrong side of town" or walk into the backyard and you will see poverty here in our own country. A Simple House not only goes to see the poor, but works with them, gets into the heart of their messy complex lives, and reaches out a hand to say "I am here to walk with you."

There have been some very cynical and pessimistic comments posted in response to the article written about A Simple House. I recently added my own not so pessimistic comment to the website as well.. The article does not due the organization justice for the good work they do. Granted not everything is accurate and as all media there is a spin placed to it by the writers of the article; but A Simple House is trying to put the Gospel into action in a way they feel called. Not everyone is to live as they live, yet we are called to address poverty within the vocations we have been given. If you feel called please leave a positive comment after reading the article.

At the house of formation in San Antonio, the homeless and those who are in need of food can come to our door for sandwiches during the daylight hours. We offer bologna and cheese with mayonnaise, mustard, or both or peanut butter and jelly. If we have an abundance of sweets or fruit we give that away too. We do not give out any cash, but in this tiny way we help to satisfy their stomachs. I know that this is something small, that it is not a solution, and that it is temporary, but you would not believe the number of people that can come to our door some days. We have our regulars and we have those one timers too. I try to ask those who come to our door their name and shake their hand - it is important for me to give them dignity by calling them by name. I also like to toast the bread for them because when I make a sandwich for myself that is what I do - so I try to do it for them too.

In what ways are you able to help the poor? Help out at the local Soup Kitchen - do you even know where that soup kitchen is? The next time a homeless or poor person asks you for money, don't just give them money but buy them lunch and if you have time sit with them. Find out where your local Habitat for Humanity Affiliate is. Donate your used clothing to a shelter. Look in your parish bulletin for community service opportunities. If you have a considerable amount of leftover after going out to eat arrange them nice in the to-go box and then give them to the first homeless person you see. Pray for the poor and those suffering in your daily prayers. I know that these are not solutions to the societal sin of poverty - but if everyone did a little something maybe the sin would no longer exist.

A New Day.....

Today began a new day for me for many reasons...

1) Today is a new day because it is literally a new day. A new day to try harder, to love more, to grow in conversion, to be alive, and to breathe for another day. It is another to change and to bring about the Kingdom of God on Earth.

2) Today is a new day because I began classes at Oblate for the spring semester. This marks the beginning of my fourth semester here, my 2nd of my 2nd year, and the end of halfway point for my graduate studies for the priesthood. It is exciting just to start new classes for me and to see my fellow students and my teachers again. For the first time every in my life I filled in my calendar with all the dates and times of my classes before the semester even started. Usually I am rushing to buy books, organize my supplies, start my course readings, and fill in my calendar at the same time - now I am somewhat prepared for the semester. I am actually taking seven classes this year - before you call me let me explain. I am taking the five regular courses for my track: Pauline Literature (how perfect during the year of St. Paul), Pastoral Counseling, Catholic Social Thought, Theological Field Education, and Christology. Then I am taking a class called Elements of Mission on the missionary life of the Catholic Church in prep for Costa Rica and other future ministries. And last but not least I am taking actually auditing Earth Our Home: Biblical and Theological Perspectives - which will be taught by nine professors each sharing about the Earth and their particular academic expertise. So I am looking forward to it.

3) Today is a new day because the 44th President of the United States was sworn in, President Barack H. Obama. At school we gathered in the student lounge to watch this historic event not only for Americans but for citizens of the whole world. It was powerful to have students, faculty, and staff of all ages, races, and experiences together at that moment. As the first African American President Barak he is leading us into a day many never imagined. What will come about during his presidency I do not know - but what I do know is that I live in hope. Hope for our country, the world, and God's kingdom. May God Bless Barack Obama has he leads our broken and hurt country hopefully into one of more peace marked by forgiveness.

4) Today is a new day for me to be thankful for my life and the lives of each person I encounter. I ponder the death of a member of one of the parishes that our friars staff. I did not personally know this person, but their death as due to suicide. What I ponder is what makes someone feel so compelled to commit suicide? I would like to say that I am not condoning in any way those who have committed suicide and I am not passing judgment on those who mourn the death of a suicide victim. I cannot begin to imagine the torment and the loneliness one goes through in thinking about, attempting, and/or succeeding in committing suicide. There is one thing I can imagine though, that is seeing God wrapping His arms around those who have committed suicide as he or she enters heaven. I can just hear God saying the most loving way "I love you and you are home." Know that you are loved by God and that God is always with you even when you cannot feel His presence - God is there. Do not lose hope in God's love or care for you!

Good Night and God Bless!

1st Day Home in NJ for Christmas...

I am finally finished with a pretty intense first semester of classes at Oblate for my second year of Master's work, wrapped up the first half of my 5th year with the friars, and I am now at my parent's house in New Jersey. It has been both a challenging yet joyful semester, one of growth and of hope for me. I survived 5 finals (by God's grace) and am prepping for next semester ahead of me. Some highlights from the past months include welcoming Ian and Mario to our house of formation, the ordination of two of our friars to the priesthood (Frs. Justin and Eric), working with the RCIA process for my ministry, practicing the Sacrament of Baptism both in Spanish and English (wearing the vestments, praying the ritual, and "baptizing" a doll), and lastly finding out that I am going to Costa Rica for the summer and my apostolic year (which is next year) as well as visiting our Mission in Jamaica. So needless to say I have learned a lot about myself and my vocation over the last couple of months.

Now onto my first full day home for Christmas break...It was busy yet blessed. I visited Tony's Hair Salon for the first time in about 5 years. I spent many Saturdays there as a child will my mom got her hair done. It was very nostalgic and a great realization that I have grown up. I was graced to eat lunch with Pokey and Noreen today as they travelled to Noreen's house for a pre-Christmas visit to her family. We ate a pretty swanky diner and simply enjoyed being together. I went to Mass with my mom and then the infamous Ata Family - aka Mom and Son - Christmas Shopping Trip #2 occurred today (yesterday we went to Target). We spent 5 hours in the mall and I loved every minute of it. I don't get bothered by the parking spot hunting, store searching, long-line waiting, or the crowd controlling. I actually enjoy shopping this time of year more than any other time of year.

Why you might wonder? It is one the few times of the year that you get to see people out and about shopping for others - whether they want to or not - or are doing it for the right reasons or not - rather they are spending so that others might have. Call me crazy, for I know that many are shopping under a consumeristic mindset yet, I have to give them the benefit of the doubt that the gift buying is to bring happiness and some type of joy to another fellow human being. It is a wonderful time to buy a person something that they will love and hopefully something that is practical. I also love going home and then wrapping those gifts, what a joy it is to put something up in a box, with wrapping paper, and a bow (if you can find one) and to imagine the excitement on a person's face as he or she opens it on Christmas day. Ahh...priceless. Even if there were no gifts at all, there is great joy of being around those you love and to know that one who is love itself is born in the flesh of our flesh.

Peace be with you and please take a moment each day amidst all of your preparation for Christmas to say "Yes Lord, I want you to come into my life!"

In case you are wondering what a friar would ask his family for Christmas - besides simply being with them and friends - I asked for books to help with preaching, CVS gift cards, and under garments - all will be fruitful for me both spiritually and physically.

I Have a Dream...

On August 28, 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, Martin Luther King, Jr. proclaimed his infamous speech I Have a Dream. Today January 4th, 2008 a part of that dream was fulfilled in Senator Barack Obama's election as the 44th President of the United States of America. President Obama was 2 years old when that I Have a Dream speech rocked our nation and the world. He could have never imagined that he would be the first African American President in the history of the United States of America or that he would be the dream others had hoped for.

Know I am not writing this blog because I supported or even opposed Obama (or McCain), if you must know I actually voted for an independent candidate. And respectfully I do not need to know who you voted for and perhaps you did not vote for Obama either. But, no matter what you think of his polices, voting records, values, whatever; you cannot deny the history that was made today. 54 years ago racial segregation was ruled unconstitutional in public schools by the US Supreme Court and 53 years ago, Mrs. Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a public bus in Montgomery, Alabama - and today a Black man won as president with a White man as vice president (I use those terms to make illustrate point, not to be racially offensive). This could not have been imagined 50+ years ago. People who could imagine it never thought that they would see it in their lifetime. As Martin Luther King, Jr. opens his speech "I am happy to join you today in what will go down in history..." I too am happy to see this day come.

And the day is not over. Those who voted for President Obama now must hold him to his promises that aid the flourishing of humanity and challenge him on the ones that do not. Those who voted otherwise must give the President the respect that is due to him and to be the hope President Obama strives to bring to us individually, as a nation, and as a world. This is not the end, but only the beginning...

Roses in December

Tonight Andy and I watched the film, Roses in December. This film tells the story of four US churchwomen: Maryknoll Sisters Maura Clarke and Ita Ford, Ursuline Sister Dorothy Kazel, and Cleveland Maryknoll Lay Mission Team Member Jean Donovan. They were abducted, abused, sexually violated, and eventually shot in the head on December 2, 1980 in El Salvador National Guardsmen. This film focused mainly on Jean Donovan with stories from her family, friends, and mentors, yet speaks of the martyrdom that was experienced for the sake of Christ's people.

So many things touched me about the film. What struck me most was not the faces of the children they helped, not the poverty, not the violence, not that fact they there murder was sanctioned by the government, not that they were good people doing good work, not that three consecrated religious were sexually assaulted, nor that Jean was either - what struck was that Jean knew that she was going to die. On her last trip to London before her tragic death in El Salvador she knew that she would not come back alive and even knowing that she went anyway. What a powerful witness! It is like Christ who on his journey from Galilee to Jerusalem he knew that he was going to die and he went anyway. Jean's drive to go to El Salvador again even with understanding the fact that she would die there makes me wonder about the amount of faith, trust, and hope she had in God.

I just finished reading Spe Salvi the Popes last encyclical letter On Christian Hope and after watching this film hope was all I could think about. I mean you would think I would be sad after remembering such a said event, yet I was driven to hope. Driven to the hope shown by our ancestors, like Jean Donovan and Sisters Maura Clarke, Ita Ford, and Dorothy Kazel. Driven to the hope present in our world today we come more and more aware that every single human being is our brother and sister, father and mother, son and daughter in Christ. And driven to the hope of a future in heaven.

I am unsure where I am going but if anything I beg you never to lose hope. For in a world so desperate to find meaning, we are not called to find hope, rather we are called particularly as Christians to be bearers of hope. In relation to Mary, the Mother of God, Pope Benedict writes "When you hastened with holy joy across the mountains of Judea to see your cousin Elizabeth, you became the image of the Church to come, which carries the hope of the world in her womb across the mountains of history (54)." Take this for what it worth but in defining hope I see it as a virtue and gift from God that gives us the grace to know that we are not alone and there is a future ahead of us, which is rooted in the past and the present, is amidst the community, and is the longing for fulfillment. Be the hope that endures not because everything is great or going well, but because of your trust in God and God's promise.....

The Line in the Sand...the Premiere

So this evening was the premiere performance of The Line in the Sand, which is a CRS (Catholic Relief Services) sponsored production that we acted out. In August of 2005 CRS sent five writers and actors to the Arizona/Mexico border in investigate the immigration crisis. They meet with and spoke to people of diverse interests and perspectives - all who trying to grapple with this urgent and volatile issue. They interviewed about 60 people in total. The play takes those stories and selects 14 of those people for the play including: a border patrol agent, a volunteer at No More Deaths, a doctor in a coroner's office, an intern at the Mexican Consulate, a Arizona rancher, and of course migrants.

Our first performance was great. The lights were good and the live music was fantastic. I did forget any of my lines. And most importantly we told people's stories.

After about five weeks of practicing for it and tonight preforming it live before an audience, I realized that God wanted to do this play since the beginning of time. Okay I not going to go all theological on you all but I really did get that sense today. First I saw one of the first productions of The Line in the Sand every done when I was a student at LaSalle University in Philly. I was away from the play for 3 years before I saw it again. And then this summer I was asked to be an actor in it. At the opening performance tonight, I saw this familiar woman at the show. Sure enough it was Gina Pisasale - one of the original cast members of the show and one of the writer (picture on the left). I could not believe that she who actually spoke with the characters in Arizona and Mexico was here at the premiere of the show. I was floored. Then after the show I met Lynette Bernot who I had only met once before in my life. She is good friend of Diane DeGroat (they grew up together) and I met her one a Friday evening in Baltimore during my novitiate year (picture on the right). Sure enough Lynette is working at St. Mary's University in San Antonio and brought some of the students to the production. A small world and God's providence??....you better believe it!!

The last time I acted was in 5th grade in a murder mystery. I was terrified then as I was tonight, but there was a difference tonight fear; I was in fear because my heart was in the play and I wanted us to do it justice. We were not just talking about illegals, undocumented, migrants, or however you choose to identify them, rather we are talking about human being. And this play gives testament to that fact. I was honored, blessed, graced, and forever changed by being a part of it. Who knows how many more performances we will have, one, two, twenty, or even fifty (we are for sure preforming it again on Tuesday)! What I do know is that the stories I was a part of; I will not forget.

I thank Ray, Fr. Leo, Richard, and Louisette for having me enter into this story of these people's lives once again. I thank MACC (Mexican American Cultural Center) and CRS for supporting us in this production. And last but not least, I thank God for the grace to have been a part of tonight and what will come ahead.

On behalf of OST's Teatro Migrante I say good night and God bless!

An Ode to Brooklyn...

It has been about one month and two weeks since I left my summer assignment in Brooklyn and began my second year of theology at Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio. It has been a whirlwind since then. I am taking six classes and am a member of an RCIA team with one of them. Though it is a lot reading, reading, and more reading; I am learning so much about the Church (it's teaching, it's life, and those I will serve), my own personal faith, and who this God is that seek to follow. I have also been graced, honored, and blessed to be a part of The Line In the Sand: Stories from the U.S./Mexico Border. We preform a week from tomorrow and also on the Tuesday following that. So pray for us.

Below is my ode to Brooklyn through pictures. Thank for all who made that time sacred. I especially would like to thank the friars at Most Holy Trinity (frs. Santo, Timothy, and Darek) as well as all the parishioners at Most Holy Trinity - St. Mary. Enjoy!

Here is a picture from our Memorial Day party in the newly constructed backyard at Most Holy Trinity Friary with the friars from the local New York and New Jersey area.

These are pictures from the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Festival on her feast day (July 16th). The first picture is of Wellington, fr. Santo, Juan Luis, and Zenaida. Then is one of Manny trying to complete this game to win an Ipod as Wellington watched him. Unfortunately he never was able to do it.

Here are pictures from a sad yet beautiful event - The Stop the Violence Rally and Liturgy. The event was sad because it was in response to the recent increase of gang violence and the shooting on an innocent young adult. The event was beautiful because of the way seven different parishes (and their pastors), the bishop (Nicholas DiMaarzio), people of all ages and races, and people called to various vocations were present. Above you see a picture of the Bishop proclaiming the Gospel, the number of people gathered, and fr. Santo and fr. Timothy to the right and to left of the Bishop. A moving part of the day was a skit were there was a gang fight and about ten teens/young adults were killed. As the skit continued each of those killed were called by name, stood up and the story of who they wanted to be as adults was announced. In the end the message was do not let us loose another life so young.

Above are pictures from the Williamsburg bridge into Not Brooklyn (Manhattan) from Brooklyn. As you can see I am on the Brooklyn. Also there is a picture of fr. Santo with Wellington.

Here are pictures from when the friars came to visit my parent's house in New Jersey for a day of relaxation. First is a picture of me, the friars, and my friends who were there. Then there is a picture of me and my family as my dad prepares to blow out the candles from the surprise B-day cake the friars just happened to bring a week before my dad's birthday.

Above is a picture taken with Ms. Lauren Cecilia Long in her new apartment in Manhattan only blocks away from Central park. It was nice to see her again before leaving for San Antonio.

August 8th, 2008 - 67 years to the date of my dad's birth. The friars said I could go surprise my dad after Mass on Sunday. It was nice to be with the family one last time before going to SA.

After many phone tags, I finally got to see Mr. Brendan Riordan. I had not seen Brendan in about two and a half years. It was a grace to catch up with him (at a 24hr diner by the way - gotta love the East Coast) and it was awesome to see where he volunteers as an EMT through the fire department. Plus I got to visit is home, met Mrs. Riordan, and their cat whose name escapes me.

Last but certainly not least, I was able to see Mr. Ross Nodurft in his new Resident Director apartment at Fordham University. After about two weeks of playing phone tag, we finally met up, had some ice cream, and caught up on life.

Happy Feast Day of St. Therese (the Little Flower) to you!
Thank you for indulging in my Ode to Brooklyn!
Many blessings and much peace to you!