Outsider Art - Pyramid

An earlier work.

Pax et bonum

Mini Thanksgiving

We had a small Thanksgiving yesterday - just the wife, the brother-in-law and myself. Daughters had their own celebration, but due to the living situation of one, and the presence of certain people there, I chose not to go over.

Meanwhile, one daughter is mad about something and refuses to have anything to do with us. When I called to thank her for something, she even refused to return the call. It could be I posted some pro-life or anti-Planned Parenthood pieces on Facebook - but I don't know for sure if that had anything to do with it. It could be something the wife said or posted, and I'm collateral damage. Don't know.

Sigh.

Family.

Two daughters will come over today - I'm not on their refusal list.

Pax et bonum

Paper lanterns

charred paper lanterns
clog Hiroshima's rivers
a child's cry

Pax et bonum

Listen to that Cat purr ...

Yusuf Islam
returned to offer some musical balm.
This Cat by another name
happily still sounds the same.

Pax et bonum

Crossing the line

The Wife posted on Facebook an article about "senior discounts." Some companies begin giving them when you hit 55, some start at 60, and some at 65.

I've never really thought of myself as a "senior," though at 60 I now qualify in many eyes. Indeed, this summer, the cashier at a local movie theater gave the good-looking-one and I discounts, though neither of us asked.

But then I saw how many discount-offering businesses were listed in that article.

Many of the places are not ones I frequent, true, but some got me smiling.

Ben & Jerry's: 10% off (60+)
Dunkin' Donuts: 10% off or free coffee ( 55+) 
Golden Corral: 10% off (60+)
McDonald's: discounts on coffee everyday ( 55+)
Papa John’s: 25% off (55+) for online orders. Enter the code “AARP25″ when placing your order
Subway: 10% off (60+)
AMC Theaters: Up to 30% off (55+)
Cinemark: Up to 35 % off

There's lots more, but not all of them are local, and, as I noted earlier, I don't go to a lot of them on any kind of a regular basis.

And some of these discounts may not be available at every location - I'll need to check that out. Also, you apparently need to ask for the discount. But I'm thinking it might be time to cross the line and start taking advantage of my "senior" status.

Let's see if some of those young whippersnappers give me a hard time!

Pax et bonum

Chris Christie Clerihew - a bridge too far?

Chris Christie
found the campaign trail twisty.
Maybe he'll view his likely loss
as just another bridge to cross.

Pax et bonum

A Carson Clerihew

Ben Carson
never claimed he committed arson.
That didn't stop Politico
from reporting, "He may have, you know."

Pax et bonum

Picasso painting sells for over 67 million dollars...

This painting sold for $67 million?? So much poverty in the world, so many suffering people, and something this ugly gets that amount of money? Even a beautiful picture is not worth that much.

Sigh.

Tip of the hat to Adrienne ...

Adrienne's Corner: Picasso painting sells for over 67 million dollars...: proving once again that a sucker is born every day. The new owners did get a bonus ugly picture painted on the back.  

Pax et bonum

The Youth Group Ghetto

At men's group this morning the issue of youth no longer believing or practicing the faith came up. I noted that I had recently read an article that argues youth groups often actually serve to ghettoize Catholic youth. The groups keep them separate and not fully involved in the Church and liturgy and with older believers. They are fed a diet of fun and games and social activities that make Masses seem dull and unstimulating.

I'd seen articles like this before, but I saw this one about the same time as that recent Pew study showing a decline in young people's involvement in organized religion.

Several of the other guys jumped in. One man noted that his son got confirmed and quit going to church because it was boring and he'd "graduated" anyway. The man added with a knowing chuckle that the youth group's latest activity was a haunted hayride.

Another man whose wife had been involved with religious education/youth groups for a long time suggested that what I said sounded right.

Not that we were against fun activities, but it seemed that all of our kids who were part of youth groups in the last 20 years had simply not been well-formed in the faith, and stopped practicing as soon as they got old enough or were out of the house. (I'm sure there are many fine programs, by the way - ones that do indeed teach the faith.)

We then looked at our own examples and whether we had failed to truly lead when it came to faith in our homes. (I know I failed.) And we speculated what kind of example were adults in general setting when they found reasons not to go to church - a game, sleeping in, whatever - or teaching the young that it's okay to duck out of church right after Communion before Mass is even over. And, of course, the culture as a whole works against organized religion.

We also wondered what could be done to instill more of a sense participating in the faith. Maybe requiring serving in liturgical roles (lector, altar server, choir, and so on) as part of being in the religious education program or youth group. The social activities are fine, and it's good when there are social ministry components to youth ministry, but the more formal church type activities seem to be lacking.

I don't have an easy answer. I'm not a youth minister or religious education teacher.  And my own daughters are part of the statistics.

But somehow we need to find a better way to pass on the faith.

Maybe youth ministry has indeed become too much of a ghetto.

Pax et bonum

One More Week - Ho! Ho! Ho!

Pax et bonum

Tricks without treats

back to the monsters
who inflict tricks without treats -
reading latest news

Pax et bonum