My World of Religion, Politics, Entertainment and Social Issues

Unlike the past couple years, I don't expect to comment on much politically in 2022. Sadly, the political environment around the country is expected to be sharply divided and perhaps violent in some areas. I would simply urge both Democrats and Republicans to vote for candidates with good character and with the intent of serving the best interests of their constituents, rather than the type of self-serving behavior we witnessed with Donald Trump and elected officials who supported his big election lie. I am hoping Congress will pass a voting rights bill that would potentially override some of the draconian laws that were passed in a few red states. Currently, Republicans have an edge in the 2022 House and Senate races, due to redistricting in red states, and highly restrictive voting laws that will make it difficult for voters in those states who voted for Joe Biden in 2020. Fair and safe elections must be normative in all states. This is why a voting rights bill is needed at ...

Over the years, I have worn many hats: classical music, broadcasting, banking, government, politics, serving on non-profit boards, ministry, etc. I have made a decision to retire from ministry this year. It has been a privilege to be an officiant at multiple weddings, funerals and baptisms over the past 15 years. I now look forward to a quiet life, with the exception of my presence on social media.

Gun violence has become an out-of-control epidemic. Defunding police departments is not the way to go. Police are currently stretched to the limit. Each shooting requires a rapid response, and lengthy investigations are needed when suspects are not immediately identified. I propose a six-step plan toward ending escalating violence that threatens every community across America: 1.) Increase the number of counselors in our nation's schools. (Addressing violent tendencies early is important.); 2.) Increase the size of community service bureaus within police departments to meet with individuals/families and address neighborhood safety concerns; 3.) Implement a nationwide ban of assault rifles, including stiff fines and jail sentences for violations of the ban; 4.) Increase the level of investigations done by the FBI and the Bureau of Tobacco and Firearms to stop the flow of illegal gun trafficking. (Trafficking illegal guns across state lines is a federal offense.) 5.) Continue to m...

I received my Ancestry DNA results today. I am 50% European Jewish, 32% Irish Catholic, 7% Norwegian, 5% English, 4% Scottish, and 2% Swedish. I have over 1,000 cousins worldwide to explore. I already knew which part of Europe my paternal ancestors lived. However, I never knew until now which part of Ireland most of my maternal ancestors resided (Munster Province, Ireland, which included the counties of Clare, Limerick & Tipperary). I wrote an extensive family history for my relatives a few years ago. I will now have other avenues to explore.

I have always been intrigued with the idea of time-travel, which Albert Einstein thought was possible. If I could travel back fifty-four years, I would hit a restart button and correct mistakes I made in my late teens and twenties. Here are the changes I would make if it were possible: If I could return to the fall of 1967, I would work harder on my studies at the Eastman School of Music. My ambition was to become a symphony orchestra conductor. However, I made the mistake of hanging out at bars designed for college crowds when I should have been practicing my instruments. As I look back, I remain appreciative that two of my professors at Eastman saw my conducting potential, namely Milford Fargo and Donald Hunsberger. (Dr. Hunsberger enrolled me in a graduate conducting course, even though I was an undergraduate.) So, my advice to my younger self would be, "stay out of bars and study hard, or your musical career will vanish." As I moved onto my twenties, minus a musical...

I was reminded today that it has been close to five years since I have posted any writings to this blog.  My New Year resolution for 2020 is to get back to writing.  In the meantime, I continue to post regular comments on my Facebook page. Happy New Year to All!

Dear Blog Visitors: Since word got out that my 2-year term as president of the Rochester Chamber Orchestra came to an end, I have been gratified and honored by offers I have received from various arts organizations to join their boards. As much as I appreciate these offers, I am looking forward to some fun and relaxation, at least for a few months. I am very pleased that the Rochester Chamber Orchestra will continue under a new board. It has been part of the Rochester community for 52 years, a nd despite the challenges arts organizations face today, this is a first-class professional orchestra deserving of a new life. These are indeed challenging times for arts organizations, not only in the Rochester community, but throughout the country as well. With government subsidies and private grants shrinking, new ways must be found to sustain various non-profit organizations that provide audiences with classical music, dance, opera, staged plays, contemporary genres, etc. I can atte...

On this Christmas Day, I am delighted that Pope Francis has chosen the occasion to focus on the need for change in the Roman Catholic Church's hierarchy. He is also rightly focusing on what has gone wrong in recent decades and he has drawn attention to the fact that what we are witnessing within the ranks of the church hierarchy is much different than the ministries Jesus tried to model for us. I spent twenty years of my life working with Catholic reformers, trying to bring change to a church embroiled in several scandals during the papacies of John Paul II and Benedict XVI. One of my biggest hopes for 2015 is that Pope Francis will convene Vatican III. It has been 52 years since the Vatican II council, and much has changed since then. When Pope John XXIII announced to the world that he was convening Vatican II, he stated: "It is time to open the windows to let some fresh air in." It has been rightly argued that succeeding popes squashed what could have been several de...

Dear Blog Visitors: I have reached a milestone today, in that I am now 65-years-old. I actually enjoyed using my Medicare Advantage card for the first time today. I used to dread turning 65. However, Medicare Advantage is just one of the benefits of being an official senior. I am also grateful for my government pension after 23 years in City Hall, and a small pension  from my ten years at a bank. After Brenda retires, we are looking forward to having some fun in our golden years. I find that when I analyze my 65 years, there were many highs and lows. I regret not having taken my creative skills to the highest level. For example, I spent more time partying than practicing while a student at the Eastman School of Music. I also probably foolishly turned down a job offer at Paramount Movie Studios that could have perhaps led to an acting career. However, there were some fun years, such as my three years as 'The Wizard of Pun' at a local radio station, many years of free-lance wr...

Dear Blog Visitors: As a follow-up to Father's Day, I did something yesterday that I contemplated for many years. I visited the resting place of Charles Nawrocki (1917-1936) who died following a one-car crash on April 12, 1936 (Easter Sunday). My father was driving, but the accident was not his fault, as confirmed by police and newspaper accounts. As I thought about the accident, I would not be here today if there hadn't been a dramatic turn in my father's condition. He was initially reported in very critical condition and not expected to survive. However, he did manage to pull through. When he returned home following the accident, he had to remain flat on a gurney for six months to heal his broken back. HIs siblings took turns rotating the gurney every six hours. He remained in back pain for most of his life, despite multiple medical interventions, and he often related feeling badly about the death of his friend. As I went through police and newspaper account...

Dear Blog Visitors: The Washington Post's revelation of the full extent of what occurred in Catholic work houses in Ireland run by nuns was shocking to say the least. What was portrayed in motion pictures PHILOMENA and THE MAGDALENE SISTERS was just the tip of the iceberg. As described in yesterday's Washington Post article, a mass grave was found at the former site of an Irish work house, with the bones of 800 discarded babies. For many years, the public was led to believe that babies born out of wedlock were given up for adoption by nuns who ran various work houses in Ireland. Indeed, some babies were adopted. However, we now know the full extent of the story, whereby babies and young children were starved, tortured, allowed to suffer horrible diseases without treatment, and the list goes on. Ever since I was ordained a married priest by a married archbishop in 2006, I have officiated at many weddings. In quite a few situations, brides have been unwed mothers. Wh...

Dear Blog Visitors: I am often asked what movies I would recommend during the Easter season that give us a fairly accurate account of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Making a motion picture about Jesus has always proven to be a daunting task when one considers that we actually know very little about what occurred during most of his life. In Mark, the first Gospel, the focus is on the public ministry of J ... esus, which lasted around three years, followed by his death and resurrection. The next two Gospels (Matthew and Luke) added a birth narrative, and John (fourth Gospel) expanded on the public ministry of Jesus, in addition to giving us theological explanations as to the meaning of events in the life of Jesus. Concerning the movies that have been made over the years, I liked some better than others. I would highly recommend KING OF KINGS, JESUS OF NAZARETH (TV miniseries), and SON OF GOD (edited from TV series, THE BIBLE). I would not recommend THE PASSION OF TH...

Dear Blog Visitors: As Passover and Easter intersect this week, we are also reminded of the sad reality that anti-Semitism still exists to some degree in America and throughout the world. Having two theological graduate degrees, I pride myself on the fact that I studied Jewish and Christian texts thoroughly. Sadly, the incorrect interpretation of the four Gospels has often fueled anti-Semitism throughout the centur ... ies. The Gospels of Mark, Matthew, Luke and John were never intended to be interpreted as historical documents. Each Gospel was written for a particular audience, with conversion as a primary motive. Mark was written primarily for Jews living in Rome. Matthew was primarily written for Jews living in the area of Palestine. Luke was written in an attempt to reach beyond the borders of religious and pagan communities. John can best be described as a theological reflection on events reported in the prior three Gospels. I raise the issue of audience intent for the...

Dear Blog Visitors: I find that I am still a little dismayed at some of the nominations for this year's Academy Awards. Some extremely good performances got overlooked, especially those by Tom Hanks, Robert Redford, Emma Thompson, Forest Whitaker, Chadwick Boseman and Harrison Ford. In terms of films that are nominated for best picture, I personally did not like THE WOLF OF WALL STREET or AMERICAN HUSTLE. One was ... over-the-top, in terms of 600 uses of the 'f' word, obsessive drug use, and sexual orgies; the other story had a muddled plot that did not capture my interest. Over the years, I have favored films with a good narrative and top-notch acting, and we have seen some good ones. I personally was drawn to THE BUTLER, which traced several decades of a butler's experiences in the White House, inclusive of the history of the civil rights movement. I also felt that 42: THE JACKIE ROBINSON STORY was spectacular, with terrific acting by Chadwick Boseman, who...

  Dear Blog Visitors:   2014 will be a major year for transformations in Rochester. At the secular level, we will have a new mayor and administrators in City Hall. At the religious level, we will have a new Roman Catholic Bishop. Concerning City Hall, I spent 23 years there, retiring in 2011 as supervisor of the City's accounts payable operations. I got to see much, in terms of day-to-day operations. My initial hope was that incoming mayor Lovely Warren would retain at least some of the talente ... d department heads that were put into place by her immediate predecessors. While some positions were retained, there were multiple replacements as well. In retrospect, Lovely Warren had a good transition team, and I am impressed with choices she made. At the same time, I hope those not retained will be able to find employment soon, since they are extremely talented individuals. I was happy to see that Charles Benincasa is being elevated from his position as City Tre...

    Dear Blog Visitors:   When I was ordained a married priest by a married archbishop in 2006, it was in recognition of the fact that I had the same graduate theological degrees as my celibate counterparts, and that sex and gender restrictions sadly prevented many qualified individuals from entering a vocation they were called to. I was very pleased to learn that Pope Francis has been named Time Magazine's person of the year. He has the potential to make the Roman Catholic Church a more welcoming a nd inclusive institution than what was experienced under his immediate predecessors. It is my hope that in light of the shortage of celibate priests, Pope Francis will authorize the inclusion of women and married men at the altar. Since the imposition of mandatory celibacy in 1139, there have been many scandals in the church, inclusive of the sexual abuse crisis that peaked in 2002. Women and married priests who have found the means to become ordained have fou...

Dear Blog Visitors: I was deeply honored and humbled to be elected as the new president of the Rochester Chamber Orchestra.  I am also very pleased that outgoing president and friend, Tom Paul, will be remaining on the board and continuing his longtime role as artistic administrator/advisor for the orchestra. For me, my new role is a return to my musical roots.  It was my original career ambition to become a symphony orchestra conductor.  Having studied trumpet, violin, piano and voice, conducting seemed to be a logical next step.  However, during my sophomore year at the Eastman School of Music, I decided that music was not going to be my career path.  Since those days, I ventured into other areas, inclusive broadcasting, banking and 23 years in Rochester's City Hall.  I have also earned varied degrees, such as a Bachelor of Arts from Empire State College and a Master of Arts in Theology and Master of Divinity from St. Bernard's School of Theology...

Dear Blog Visitors: I have spent considerable time this week reflecting back on the events of President Kennedy's presidency and tragic assassination. This has been inclusive of watching documentaries and looking at documents that were classified until recent ly. While historians continue to debate whether or not JFK was a great president, the fact remains that he kept us out of a nuclear war via careful diplomacy and a televised speech that proved to be the catalyst for what can perhaps be described as the former Soviet Union backing down under pressure. By today's standards, it is hard to imagine nuclear missiles pointed at the U.S. only 90 miles from Florida's shore. However, this was the case, and the U.S. and the Soviet Union were ready to push the buttons if necessary. On October 22, 1962, President Kennedy proved himself to be a communicator extraordinaire, by delivering a televised speech like none other since. I am providing a photo taken during that memor...

Dear Blog Visitors: I want to congratulate Jim Vollertsen, president of RAPA (Rochester Association of Performing Arts), for his hard work that has led to the lease of what used to be the Theater on the Ridge. (It is being renamed the Kodak Center for the Performing Arts.) This morning's Democrat and Chronicle ran a nice feature that highlights upcoming plans/events for the theater. It was a pleasure for me to take part in testing the acoustics in the theater. As I roamed the theater and listened to musical instruments playing from several sections of the stage, I was very impressed with the sound. This will be a perfect location to stage broadway type shows and concerts, in addition to hosting other entertainment venues. This theater has many memories for me. I will never forget the annual variety shows that were put on for Kodak workers, their families and the general public during the fifties and sixties, with a large orchestra in the pit conducted by Len Hawley. East...

Dear Blog Visitors: Having served under several mayors (Ryan, Johnson, Duffy, Richards) before I retired, I am proud of the fact that each mayor worked hard toward achieving diversity in Rochester's City Hall. I am confident that Mayor-elect Lovely Warren will follow in the footsteps of her predecessors in this regard. It is reasonable to assume that Mayor Tom Richards will be asking for resignations from his top appointees, who in turn will have an opportunity to reapply for their jobs via Lovely Warren's transition team. My hope is that Ms. Warren will recognize the excellent pool of talent that worked for Tom Richards, whereby there will be an opportunity to keep at least some of these persons who are dedicated to the best interests of the city, inclusive of the level of diversity that has worked well in City Hall. I came across a photo that was taken 25 years ago in City Hall. At that time, I was proud to be asked to serve on a panel that looked into diversity issue...