My World of Religion, Politics, Entertainment and Social Issues

Dear Blog Visitors: I am delighted that Rochester now has a Music Hall of Fame.  It would be an understatement to highlight the fact that many of our world's notable musicians, ranging from the areas of classical to jazz to pop, had their roots in Rochester. As I looked at the names of last night's honorees, and then browsed the names of potential honorees for next year's presentations, I came to realize that I knew many of these talented people personally.  This may have something to do with the fact that my initial career path was indeed music.  However, I bowed off the stage very early in life, when it became apparent that my musical path wasn't headed in the direction I had hoped, despite some early successes.  I can still look back and appreciate the fact that I was the youngest person ever to guest-conduct the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, and I can still appreciate the fact that many persons in my early life gave me encouragement to pursue whatever t...

Dear Blog Visitors: It should be no surprise that Cardinal Timothy Dolan and I disagree on a few issues, inclusive of ending mandatory celibacy for priests, the ordination of women, and full equality for gay Catholics (I support these issues and Cardinal Dolan does not). Despite the above differences, I want to extend an olive branch by congratulating Cardinal Dolan for his recognition by Time Magazine as one of the hundred most influential people in the world. Whether or not I agree with Dolan's stance on church issues, I am at least in full agreement that he is certainly one of the hundred most influential people. Although Catholics are not supposed to talk openly about the election of a successive pope while the current pontiff is still alive, it is no secret that conversations have already taken place amongst both the Vatican curia and members of the media. A name that consistently surfaces as a possible papal contender is that of Timothy Dolan. At the very least, I r...

Dear Blog Visitors: This will be perhaps my harshest critique of the Vatican thus far. However, when I read the details of the control bishops will now exercise over orders of nuns, I was thoroughly disgusted. Over the course of several years, holy sisters of the church had to endure countless visitations by members of the Roman Catholic hierarchy, whereby bishops are intent upon bringing so-called order to groups of nuns with either feminist or reform tendencies. The photo above is of Phoebe Furlong, my maternal great-aunt (died in 1935 at age 35), who was a Sister of Mercy. Her religious name was Sister Clarissa. She served her order at a time when nuns were required to wear habits. This requirement was rescinded as part of Vatican II reforms in the 1960's. The Vatican now wants to reverse some of these reforms by exercising stricter domination over the many orders of nuns who faithfully serve God's people. At a time when the Roman Catholic Church continues to d...

Dear Blog Visitors: I am writing this on the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. Like many around the world, I have watched the three major motion pictures that have been produced about this disaster: TITANIC (1953), A NIGHT TO REMEMBER (1958), and TITANIC (1997). Each film was good in its own right. However, nothing can capture the true horror that was obviously experienced by those who were on the ship. One of my Sunday rituals is that of looking at the death notices in my local newspaper, whereby I will inevitably spot one or two names I recognize. I can't even imagine what it was like on Sunday, April 15, 1912, when death reports from the Titanic began to circulate. Over the past one-hundred years, safety has improved in the area of water navigation. However, we continue to read about occasional cruise ship mishaps or disasters. If the Titanic taught us anything, it is the simple lesson that safety should never be compromised for the sake of luxury or ...

Dear Blog Visitors: I am writing this on a very sunny Easter morning. It was on this day that Mary Magdalene visited the tomb of Jesus to find it empty. When she then encountered the Risen Christ, he instructed her to spread the good news of his Resurrection. As I gaze at Rochester's sky, it is my prayer that this sunshine spreads to all who are celebrating the Joy that Easter brings. Holy Week brought a mix of emotions to me. I immersed myself in all the holiness of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil and Easter morning. With the good, there was also a touch of the bad, via the scolding Pope Benedict XVI delivered from Rome at the Holy Thursday celebration of the Last Supper. In brief, he used that moment to chastise married priests, women priests, and all those who adovcate for an inclusive priesthood. As can be expected, the reverent tone of Holy Thursday was cast into a feeling of anger and dismay for many of the faithful. These are challenging times for ...

Dear Blog Visitors: I have noticed that the Women's Ordination Conference has been very successful with its efforts at recruiting young members, in addition to maintaining its long-time base. Sadly, this has not been the case with the married priest movement. At age 62, I am still one of the youngsters at annual gatherings of male, married priests. Most of my colleagues are in their seventies and eighties. I continue to feel gratitude for all who continue the fight for inclusivity at the altar. As I grow older, I must continue to ask myself whether or not I will be making the best use of my time by trying to change the mindset of the Roman Catholic hierarchy, or if I am better off by simply continuing with my ministries independently of the RCC. A possibility I continue to ponder is that of continuing my ministry as a wedding officiant, while at the same time joining an inclusive community in my neighborhood, such as the United Church of Christ. Some married priests have...