American Pontiff

I stopped by the local public library and spotted a book about Pope Leo XIV on the new bookshelf - American Pontiff: Pope Leo XIV and His Plan to Heal the Church by Paul Kengor, Ph.D.

On the front cover there was the declaration that it is "The Definitive Biography".

I checked it out, wanting to know more about our relatively new Pope, who was elected May 8, 2025.

The book does give some background about him and his beliefs, and some details about his election, with some plausible speculation about the factors that helped to lead to his surprise election. But it is hardly a "definitive" biography. The coverage of his life prior to his election seemed less than comprehensive.

Indeed, the book reads like something that was quickly thrown together, perhaps of pieces written separately then just combined. Kengor keeps repeating explanations and comments as if introducing them in separate articles. There's even a glaring error of referring to pro-abortion politicians like Senator Dick Durbin as pro-life! And the book seemed padded with asides about other figures.

It needed some editing. 

Moreover, Kengor spends an inordinate amount of time criticizing Pope Francis. Given some of the people he repeatedly cites - and who endorsed the book - it quickly became clear that he is of the more conservative wing of Catholicism. Yes, Pope Francis had issues and made some poor decisions, but there was no need to keep bringing them up again and again. 

The title should have been a dead giveaway of the nature of the book and Kengor's leanings.  

It's not a bad book, just flawed and unbalanced. I think the "definitive biography" is yet to be written. 

Pax et bonum

Stations of the Cross for Life

As we have for many years, on Good Friday we took part in the Stations of the Cross for Life.

 

The Stations were preceded by a prayer service. We then processed, saying the Stations, finishing them in front of Planned Parenthood.  

The Stations included prayers about a variety of life issues, including not only abortion, but also euthanasia, the death penalty, unjust war, poverty, abuse, immigration, and so on.

Our banner was reflected in Planned Parenthood's windows. 

Pax et bonum

Lilacs in Season

I rediscovered a song I'd partly written back in 1979. Here's what I have at this point:

Lilacs in season, that's a good reason for singing this song.

Beauty surrounds me like the love that you give me, keeping me strong.

Up in the hills, fragrant with flowers,

Green life erupting, in what seemed like dead land.

Children are dancing, bright in the sunlight,

whirling and twirling, games hand in hand.

Chorus

Summer's the living, autumn's the harvest,

Winter's the pause, and spring is the promise

I have been searching, for just the right words

But all becomes clear, in a May sunrise. 

Chorus

Radios playing, a band in the distance,

birds sing along, above in the trees.

worshippers gather, to honor the sun,

each tree's a Maypole, with lovers beneath.

Chorus

Walking together, while holding hands

we come to share, God's gift of creation.

Praise for the beauty, praise for all life

that gives us a reason, for this celebration.

I came up with a tune. I just need to smooth out the lyrics. I will be singing it over and over, finding what words and lines word best.  

Pax et bonum

The Golden Link Concert

As I had noted previously, I was invited to perform at a members’ concert by the Golden Link Folk Singing Society - one of the oldest ones in the nation.

The concert was last night.

A good crowd came out despite torrential rain (more than 2 inches fell!).

There were three sets - two solo (including mine), and one with a trio. We each got half an hour.

I performed eight songs. Three of them were originals - “I’m Gonna Live Til the Day I Die”, “I Am Going Home”, and “There’s a Great Big Monster Under My Bed”. The last song was from my days as a children’s performer.

I also did Tom Paxton’s “Bottle of Wine”, Bob Dylan’s “Walking Down the Line”, Pete Seeger’s “Get Up and Go”, and an old spiritual, “Sinner Man”.

Except for providing music for church or religious groups, I had not performed before an audience for at least 15 years. It was fun getting up on stage again!

Pax et bonum

Performing at Golden Link

Pax et bonum

Elizabeth Barrett Browning Clerihew in Gilbert

Gilbert magazine graciously published one of my clerihews in its March/April issue. 

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

sat in her parlor frowning.

Robert had bought her something labeled "Serra da Estrela cheese,"

that clearly wasn't Portuguese.

By way of explanation, Elizabeth Barrett Browning is famous for her collection of 44 love sonnets, Sonnets from the Portuguese. "My little Portuguese" was a pet name given her by her husband, Robert Browning. The sonnets were her love poems to and inspired by him.

Serra da Estrela cheese is a special kind of cheese made in Portugal. Under the name "Queijo Serra da Estrela" it is a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) in the European Union and in the United Kingdom.

Here's one of the most famous sonnets in the collection

How Do I Love Thee? (Sonnet 43)
Elizabeth Barrett Browning 

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace.
I love thee to the level of every day’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right.
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

Pax et bonum

In Scifaikuest February 2026

Two of my poems made it into the February 2026 issue of Scifaikuest - 

honeymoon coin toss
to decide which will be which
shapeshifter resort


his last transmission
stopping to smell the roses
carnivorous plants 

Pax et bonum