My World of Religion, Politics, Entertainment and Social Issues

Dear Blog Visitors: A friend reminded me that I haven't done any blogging in quite a while.  This is true.  So, I thought I would give you an update on my latest activities. First and foremost, I continue to assemble what has commonly been referred to as my 'bucket list.'  For those of you unaware of the term, it refers to a list of activities retirees put together that will hopefully be accomplished before time runs out. If you have followed my blogging over a period of several years, you are aware that I changed my blog title a while back, because I wanted to focus on a variety of topics, as opposed to concentrating solely on church reform, which was my prior primary concentration.  My life has encompassed many disciplines, inclusive of classical music, broadcasting, free-lance writing, acting, government employment, ministry and church-reform advocacy.  As I continue to formulate my bucket list, it will be a matter of juggling my multi-faceted interes...

Dear Blog Visitors: I want to take this opportunity to congratulate everyone graduating from various academic institutions this month.  Despite the economic challenges we all face, I continue to believe that education is vital, so I pray that the pursuit of degrees will be a goal that many pursue. I thought I would share two photos from 2001, the year I received my Master of Divinity (M.Div) from St. Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry.  It was my second degree from St. Bernard's; I received an M.A. in Theology in 1998.  In addition to receiving my M.Div in 2001, I was also greatly honored to receive a special academic achievement award. As I looked back at 2001, the trustees of St. Bernard's probably could not have imagined that I would have used my education to challenge some of the long-time policies of the Roman Catholic Church.  However, I do hope, in restrospect, that they can at least appreciate the fact that any arguments I present to the chur...

Dear Blog Visitors: I continue to monitor the tense situation that exists between U.S. nuns and Vatican officials.  I must admit that I am mystified as to why the Roman Catholic hierarchy chose to target women of faith who have dedicated their lives to the well-being of others. In comparison to bishops and priests, nuns have been guilty of very few crimes against humanity.  Therefore, especially in light of the continuing sexual abuse scandal, it is an outrage that the Vatican has chosen to target nuns for harsh treatment that goes beyond reason. Our good sisters have served the Catholic Church well for many centuries.  They continue to serve in such varied disciplines as education, social justice, medicine, parish leadership and assorted ministries that are too numerous to mention. In the photo above, I am demonstrating my solidarity with U.S. nuns.  There will be prayer vigils scheduled throughout the United States during the month of May.  The vigils ...

Dear Blog Visitors: For the past several years, I have articulated my assorted views on church reform at this blog.  Despite the fact that some of my views have been in sharp contrast to those of the Roman Catholic hierarchy, I appreciate the fact that Rochester's Bishop Matthew Clark has never tried to discipline me.  I have always considered him to be fair-minded, whereby he has consistently tried to strike a balance between conservative and liberal voices within the Rochester Diocese. Bishop Clark will turn 75-years-old on July 15 of this year.  This means that he will be required to submit a letter of resignation to the Vatican on or around his birthday.  Considering that he has led the Rochester Diocese for 33 years, the thought of a new bishop will be unsettling to many. If the Rochester Diocese follows proper protocol, local priests will be allowed to submit the names of  three qualified persons they feel could be Matthew Clark's successor.  ...

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...

Dear Blog Visitors: I want to take this opportunity to thank my primary doctor, urologist, oncologist, anesthesiologist, nurses and staff of Highland Hospital in Rochester for the excellent care I received throughout the period of diagnostic tests and treatment of my prostate cancer. I was very fortunate to have my prostate cancer diagnosed early, whereby the stage and grade were low. I was not surprised by the diagnosis, since my father and his two brothers also had prostate cancer, which means I carried the genetic marker for the disease. Having weighed all the options for treatment, I ultimately chose brachytherapy, which is the surgical implantation of radioactive seeds into the prostate. Latest research indicates that I stand up to a 90% chance of becoming cancer free after the radioactive seeds have run their course. I won’t know for several months if I am cancer free. However, I feel positive about the prognosis given to me by my doctors. I urge all men to have regul...

Dear Blog Visitors: I had originally intended to finish my documentary in April. However, I found that due to the intensity of the project, I went through many sleepless nights. So, via many hours of work, the documentary is now finished. To recap, THE RED DANUBE focuses on my paternal family roots in the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. Included in the story is the tragic event that occurred along the banks of the Danube River in Nazi-occupied Hungary in 1944. The on-line version of my documentary is not as good quality as the version I put together for DVD/large screen. This is because of the fact that I had to reduce the file to mp4 for quick upload to YouTube. However, I am very pleased with the large screen format. Peace to all, Ray

Dear Blog Visitors: Those of you who know me well are fully aware of the high regard I have consistently held for Bishop Matthew Clark. I consider him to be a wonderful man, whose compassion and leadership skills are certainly admirable traits. However, an issue has arisen that has caused me to respectfully disagree with Matthew. I am sure you are aware of a controversial issue that has caused alarm bells to ring in Catholic circles. In brief, health insurance plans will be required to offer coverage for contraceptives. In a letter addressed to diocesan Catholics, Bishop Clark has indicated that one of the options on the table is to cancel health insurance for all diocesan employees if contraceptive coverage is required to be part of the packaged benefits. I find I must disagree with Bishop Clark's approach to this issue. It is estimated that approximately 98% of Roman Catholic women have either used, or presently use contraceptives. Furthermore, the majority of women ...

Dear Blog Visitors: I thought I would share with you a preview of my documentary-in-progress, entitled 'The Red Danube.' If you have followed my recent blog posts, you are aware that I have been tracing the footsteps of my ancestors. Concerning my father's side of the family, there is a long lineage of Eastern European Jews, most notably from the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, which would separate into separate countries following World War I. My research tells me that prior to World War II, there were approximately 700,000 Jews living in Hungary. The Nazis managed to exterminate approximately 600,000 of them, and many who remained moved elsewhere, reducing the Jewish population to a mere few hundred. As I continue to work on my documentary, I hope to heighten the awareness of what occurred along the banks of the Danube in 1944. Peace to all, Ray

Dear Blog Visitors: In 1944, my late paternal grandfather, Henry Grosswirth (1879-1975), retired after 34 years with Eastman Kodak. (He worked for the company from 1910-1944.) His career and life were so fascinating that Kodak’s newspaper, ‘The Kodakery,’ decided to publish a feature story on Henry upon his retirement. I have already written a lengthy family history of my grandfather and his extended family in Europe and the United States. This history can be accessed on-line at the following link: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~grosswirth/ancestry.htm For members of his family who stayed in Hungary, the fates of most of them were tragic. A cruel series of events placed family members under three brutal regimes: first, the Austro-Hungarian Empire; second, Nazi-occupied Hungary; third, Hungary under Communist rule and Soviet occupation. (82 persons with the Grosswirth name perished during World War II; some died in concentration camps, and a few others ...

Dear Blog Visitors: Yesterday was sad for anyone tied in any way, past or present, to Eastman Kodak. Although not unexpected, the shock factor was still felt around the world when Kodak announced it had filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy papers. For my family, Eastman Kodak played a very large role. My late paternal grandfather, Henry Grosswirth, settled in Rochester after arriving in America from Hungary. He then spent most of his working life at Kodak. My late father, Sidney Grosswirth, spent 35 years of his working life at Kodak. I had a summer job there during my college years, whereby my father had hoped I would continue in the family tradition by finding a career at Kodak. However, my life ambitions took me in other directions. It is difficult to say at this point whether or not reorganization of Kodak, as part of the Chapter 11 arrangement, will be successful. I am hoping for a positive outcome, whether it be via the sale of multiple patents, or a primary focus on Kodak...

Dear Blog Visitors: Pope Benedict XVI managed to create headlines yesterday by verbally attacking the gay community. This is not the first time he has done so, which amounts to a throwback to Nazi Germany, when gays were singled out for discrimination and arrest. In yesterday's worldwide speech, Benedict equated gay marriage with a downfall of humanity itself. The pontiff would like for us to believe that there are no gay priests, despite the fact that it is well known that approximately 30% of priests are gay, and the vast majority of them are true ministers of the Gospel. So, for Benedict to attack the gay community is nothing more than a smokescreen. I truly believe it is time for Benedict XVI to resign, and this has nothing to do with his age. My top-five reasons he should consider a resignation are as follows: 1.) He refuses to see the wisdom of an inclusive priesthood (celibate, married, women); 2.) He continues to discriminate against the gay community; 3.) He blo...

Dear Blog Visitors: Whenever I reflect on my past experiences and people I have met, I often think about the evening I met Meryl Streep, which occurred several years ago. The occasion was her being honored at the George Eastman House in Rochester. I had the honor of asking her the first question of the evening, whereby I inquired about her experience of working with Clint Eastwood (my favorite actor and director) on 'Bridges of Madison County.' She liked the manner in which Clint shot scenes quickly, whereby he rarely asked to do anything over-and-over again, which has been the case with some directors Meryl has worked with. One of the many things my wife share in common is our love for Meryl Streep. We have seen all her films, some of which we have seen several times. We also admire her for her ability to balance her family life with her amazing career as an actress. I am delighted that Meryl is receiving one of the Kennedy Center honors this year. It was also a ...

Dear Blog Visitors: In addition to the religious significance of Christmas, I also love the traditional music of the season. Although I have ventured into many areas throughout my life, I am often drawn back to my original ambition, which was to become a symphony orchestra conductor. Despite the fact this ambition never materialized, I am nevertheless thankful for the musical education I received in high school and as an undergraduate student at the Eastman School of Music. As part of my musical training, I had an opportunity on several occasions to conduct Handel's 'Hallelujah Chorus' from 'The Messiah.' As I reflected back, I thought it might be interesting to produce a video in which I conduct the 'Hallelujah Chorus' facing the camera, in such a way that would invite viewers who know individual choral parts to join in the singing. So, with appreciation for all the musical instructors who were part of my life, I offer this video as a thank-you. ...

Dear Blog Visitors: I always take notice when Phyllis Zagano comes out with a new publication. She is one of our country's best scholars on the historical issue of women deacons in the Roman Catholic Church. I had the privilege of meeting Phyllis several years ago at a conference, and she and I have corresponded on a few occasions since then. I am very excited about the latest book authored by Phyllis and her two co-authors, Gary Macy and William T. Ditewig, entitled 'Women Deacons: Past, Present, Future.' Through meticulous scholarship, Phyllis Zagano has been a long-time advocate for women deacons. As her research bears out, women deacons had a long history in the church, and it is encouraging that a few members of the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church have been willing to look at her research on this important matter. In an attempt to get bishops to read 'Women Deacons: Past, Present Future,' there is a 'Books to Bishops' campaign underw...