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This was an unusually good Sunday morning for me. Our part of Sauk Centre has been getting new paving, sidewalks, and utilities. Or, rather, the old ones are being replaced. The folks doing it have been working in stages, so no one address had their street access cut off for more than a few days to a week or so. Except for Our Lady of the Angels, the parish church for this household. When the street and sidewalk on the church's north side was torn up, we'd been told that the job would be done and we could use the church again by the end of summer. More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (We have been sharing facilities with another parish since spring. A job that should have been finished during summer got complicated.)

Kids started going back to school here in Sauk Centre on Wednesday. No shots rang out, and nobody got killed. That, happily, is routine. But sometimes bad things happen. Classes started last week at the Church of the Annunciation's school in Minneapolis. Since it's a Catholic school, they started the day with Mass at the church next door. Then somebody killed two of the students and injured many other folks before killing himself. The priest who was celebrating Mass made some good points in the following Sunday's homily. I'll be talking about that, and somewhat-related topics: Church of the Annunciation: After the Killings Remembering Who's In Charge Repairing the Damage Cleanup Procedures Heroes, Hope, and Prayer America: Death, Changing Attitudes, and Good News ... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (After killings at the Church of the Annunciation: what their priest said, an Archbishop Hebda video, how I see student actions, changing Americ...

One week ago today, in my state's largest urban area, someone went to the Church of the Annunciation. Then he killed two children who were celebrating Mass, wounded several other folks, and finally killed himself.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (A week after murder and suicide, Masses are being held at the Church of the Annunciation in Minneapolis. My views, briefly; and a quote from an old movie.)

Two children, ages eight and 10, went to school this morning. They won't be going home. Somebody decided that this would be a good morning to spray bullets into a church full of people. Why the 20-something (probably) man made that decision is an open question, and may remain so. He killed himself after committing murder.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Mass at the Church of the Annunciation in Minneapolis, MN, interrupted by someone shooting into the building. Two children dead. So is the killer. A terse summary of what happened, links to what I've said about suicide, murder, human life, and emotions.)

I learned, long ago, that being "pretty sure" about something wasn't necessarily the same as being right. Take what I was "pretty sure" about last month, for example: "...Folks living in the next block north of our house have inflatable yard decorations out and lit up for this Christmas season. So, on my way to Mass, I drove by Baby Yoda and SpongeBob SquarePants wearing a festive Santa hat. "Baby Yoda is holding what I’m pretty sure is an orange Halloween treat bag...." ("Christmas: Family, Lights, and a Little Weirdness" > Holiday Weirdness (December 28, 2024)) The neighbor's Baby Yoda/Grogu's Christmas stocking didn't seem as bright red as the one in that promotional photo. But the symbol on it was the same. And it was clearly a Christmas stocking.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Correcting what I said about an inflatable holiday lawn decoration and about the Christmas season. Includes a link to the...

Life isn't back to normal, here in Sauk Centre, and won't be. Not if I see "back to normal" as "being just exactly the way it was two years ago." Time and reality don't work that way. At any, life may not be back to normal; but this fifth Sunday of Easter is less not-normal than last year's. The COVID-19 pandemic is still in progress, but regional rules — state and church — are relaxing a tad. Partly, maybe mostly, because mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are not just in the pipeline. They're here. And that's another topic. Topics. At any rate, life and my routines are less not-normal than they were at this time last year. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

My town's Eucharistic Adoration chapel isn't back to normal. But it's getting there.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Today's Tuesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time. It's also Saint Apollonia's feast day.... ...St. Apollonia isn't on my diocesan or national liturgical calendar. Not that I've seen, at any rate. That's not, or shouldn't be, a big surprise. The Catholic Church is literally catholic, καθολικός, katholikos, universal. Some things we do, like reading the Bible, are universal. Some aspects of our worship are regional or local. 1 ( September 30, 2018 ) I figure devotion to St. Apollonia hasn't been part of my place and time's life. Which is okay. Today's reading — right! That's what got me started. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

I didn't feel all that sick Friday evening. That was August 21, 2020: 45 days ago. Online self-assessment guides from the Minnesota Department of Health and Mayo Clinic put me on the threshold of needing to call a doctor. My wife said calling the local hospital was a good idea. As it turns out, she was right.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . Living in Room 20 Staph, Strep and Cellulitis Conspicuous by Their Absence A Century of Antibiotics Mice and a Man More Than You Need, Or Maybe Want, to Know About Penicillin Pandemic Precautions, Piety — and Prudence The "Source and Summit of the Christian Life" The Common Good Uncertainty Weirdness and Worship San Francisco's Rules It Could have been Worse Seating Capacity North Carolina in Cahoots with China?! New Lyrics, Old Song Sound, Fury and Making Sense Fear Appeal: Communist Agents, Tiny Cows and More Per...

I'm writing this partly as a followup on Thursday's "Self-Isolation in the Family" post. And partly because I got frustrated with what I'd been trying to write today. My son is still sick, and it's a damply dismal Saturday afternoon. Outside temperature is 40 degrees Fahrenheit, 4 Celsius.... ...The family’s self-isolation went up a notch when Bishop Kettler said that churches should close their doors.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

(My desk: clutter/knickknacks/curios and all.) The COVID-19 pandemic didn't affect my weekly routine until last Tuesday. That's when Bishop Kettler announced that public Masses in the diocese are suspended until April 13. The St. Faustina Adoration chapel here in Sauk Centre closed the next day. The good news there is that our Perpetual Adoration schedule hasn't changed. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Catholic churches in the St. Cloud diocese aren't shutting down. Pastoral care will continue. But today our bishop announced that public Masses won't happen in the diocese until after April 13.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

(St. Paul’s Church and its new addition. The St. Faustina Adoration Chapel is to your left.) I thought this was going to be a short and simple look at my parish's polka Mass and the Adoration Chapel in St. Paul's parish. Then I wondered when and where the first polka Mass was. That reminded me of my salad days, ancient philosophers, a Chinese emperor and liturgical dance. Which brought me back to the Eucharist and adoration.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

During a past Lent, I shared a seemingly innocuous and informative post about the Jewish practice of Seder during Passover . The resulting confusion and charges of antisemitism bewildered me. The catalyst? A video, Seder Meals violate the First Commandment , from the blog of a priest. Strong Reactions Below are some of the questions posed by readers the next day: “This post only breeds anti-Jewish thinking and does not allow Catholics to ponder the roots of our faith, the richness of our heritage. Jesus longed to eat this meal with us and Judas did not participate at all, which tells us something.” “I think if you are of Jewish heritage then it is not sinful to celebrate the Passover.” “I’m confused. I grew up with a Jewish mother and a Christian father. We celebrated everything. Christmas and Hanukkah as well as occasionally Passover (it’s a lot harder to pull off successfully, so we didn’t do it every year). I was technically Jewish before I was baptized 5 years ago. I still ...

Catholic author Nancy Carabio Belanger has posted an incredible blog about worship. Nancy is a talented writer whose books for tweens (Olivia and the Little Way; Olivia's Gift) are the kind that draw kids in, build them up and encourage kids without being too sugary-sweet or--hold onto your hats--without introducing vampires and witches! Anyhow, in Nancy's current blogpost, she pulls back the curtain on Catholic worship and makes some increidble points--well worth our time for reflection this Lent. http://nancybelanger.blogspot.com/2013/03/who-are-we-worshiping-exactly.html Enjoy. Cheryl Dickow www.BezalelBooks.com