"The Greatest"

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I remember Muhammad Ali when he was still Cassius Clay. Was there “trash talking” before the “Louisville Lip”, aka “The Greatest”? Maybe so; but, Muhammad Ali made “trash talking” an art form. What few of us realized early in his career was that he could back it up.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2a/Ali_1965.jpg/220px-Ali_1965.jpg

Muhammad Ali is controversial; he says what’s on his mind. He doesn’t worry about what other people think, how he looks to the press, to his fans, or to the public, the size of his opponent (including the US Government), or the odds against him. Muhammad Ali “trash talked”; but, he backed it up with great physical skills and a terrific work ethic.

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Paul Koenig

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My nephew, Paul, is a senior at Pius X HS in Atlanta. He's a National Merit Scholarship semifinalist. He's getting full scholarship offers from colleges that he hasn't applied to (e.g. Auburn). He's thinking of majoring in engineering. His sister, Mary, is a senior at Georgia Tech. His father (my brother) graduated in engineering from the University of Virginia.(Sorry, Karl, but I think that Paul favors GA Tech over UVA.)

Soon Paul will decide. When he does, I think that he should hold a press conference and invite the media, just like outstanding HS athletes do when they sign a letter of intent.

Congratulations, Paul. We are VERY proud of you.
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Dean Gallen

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Dean Gallen was the dean of the School of Engineering when I went to Villanova University from 1964 through 1968. He was a brilliant man. Even better, he was a GOOD man. Here are some of the things that I remember about Dean Gallen:

During the first week or so of my freshman year at Villanova, there was an assembly of all freshman engineering students. Dean Gallen said: “I want you to take a moment and introduce yourself to the person sitting in front of you and on each side of you.”

After a few noisy moments, while we were introducing ourselves to each other, Dean Gallen called for silence. He said: “Only one in four of you will get a bachelor’s degree in engineering from here. Some of you will flunk out; some of you will transfer. For the one in four who does get an engineering degree from here, it won’t be easy.” Needless to say, I remembered what Dean Gallen said to us that day, during the next four years, and afterwards.

My first face-to-face encounter with Dean Gallen came during my sophomore year. I was struggling. I had struggled during my freshman year. Going into final exams, I worried about failing three courses: calculus, chemistry, and physics. I failed physics; I retook it in summer school. (Retaking physics during summer school is a story in itself, which I’ll save for another day.)

I vividly remember sitting in the back yard of our house on Quantico Street (Arlington, VA) with my Mom during the summer between freshman and sophomore years, and telling her: “I’m going back to Villanova this semester and give it EVERYTHING that I’ve got. If I don’t make it, then at least I can say that I tried my best.

After I received midterm grades for the first semester sophomore year, I scheduled an appointment with Dean Gallen. I sat in a chair in front of his desk. He had a folder with my grades in front of him. He asked: “What brings you here today?” I responded: “I need a 2.0 to graduate. I’ll never get there. I want to transfer out of engineering.”

As a side note, Dean Gallen’s son, Kevin, was in my engineering class. Kevin had a VERY high cum—close to 4.0. Dean Gallen said to me: “Ray, these midterm grades don’t count. If you’re between a C and a D, then your professor is going to give you a D at midterm to try to motivate you. I’ll make you a deal. You keep doing what you’re doing—keep studying hard—and I will PERSONALLY see that you get transferred to the curriculum of your choice here at the end of the semester, if that’s what you decide that you want to do.”

Long story short—I got my 2.0+. I can thank Dean Gallen for keeping me in engineering.

Another vivid memory that I have of Dean Gallen was his little “chats” our senior year. He told us: “The best students don’t always make the best engineers.” (Remember, Dean Gallen was a BRILLIANT and accomplished student himself, as was his son Kevin.) I will NEVER forget what Dean Gallen told us about the best students not always making the best engineers.

I will ALWAYS remember Dean Gallen. He was a GOOD man—a GREAT engineer, a GREAT dean, a good FAMILY man, and a good Christian.
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Fatima prayer

Please pray this (Fatima) prayer with me:

"Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, Holy Spirit, I adore You profoundly and offer You the most Precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the earth, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges, and indifference with which He Himself is offended. And through the infinite merits of His Most Sacred Heart and of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of You the conversion of poor sinners. Amen."

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In our parish people leave by the scores while communion is being distributed. They talk out loud in the sanctuary about golf, restaurants, friends, etc. It’s shameful.

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Please, God, forgive us for “...the outrages, sacrileges, and indifferences with which He is offended”.

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May God have mercy on our souls.

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Kyle, can you solve it?

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http://hardeevilletutor.blogspot.com/

OK, Mr. Honor Roll, Science Award, can you answer the questions?

No cheating! I will quiz you on the answers when I see you in a couple of weeks!

Love,
Rascal
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Parable

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If you don't know GOD, don't make stupid remarks!!!!!!

A United States Marine was taking some college courses between assignments. He had completed 20 missions in Iraq and Afghanistan .

One of the courses had a professor who was an avowed atheist, and a member of the ACLU. One day the professor shocked the class when he came in. He looked to the ceiling and flatly stated, "GOD, if you are real, then I want you to knock me off this platform... I'll give you exactly 15 min."

The lecture room fell silent. You could hear a pin drop. Ten minutes went by and the professor proclaimed, "Here I am GOD, I'm still waiting."

It got down to the last couple of minutes when the Marine got out of his chair, went up to the professor, and cold-cocked him; knocking him off the platform. The professor was out cold.

The Marine went back to his seat and sat there, silently.

The other students were shocked and stunned, and sat there looking on in silence. The professor eventually came to, noticeably shaken, looked at the Marine and asked, "What in the world is the matter with you? Why did you do that?"

The Marine calmly replied, "GOD was too busy today protecting America 's soldiers who are protecting your right to say stupid stuff and act like an idiot. So He sent me."

The classroom erupted in cheers!
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more Great Granddad photos of WWII

Grandma found these photos in a small book of photos that Grammy had. To enlarge them, just click on the photo.

Great Granddad Floyd Johnston

Kyle, Your Great Granddad, Floyd Johnston, served in the US Navy during World War II. He was assigned to LST (Landing Ship, Tank) # 55, where he saw lots of action carrying men, equipment, and supplies. For more about LSTs, google "LST". Following are some of Grammy's photos. (You can enlarge them by clicking on them.) 

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The caption on the back of the top photo reads: "Dad's ship: LST#55". 

The caption on the back of the bottom photo reads: "Johnston, F.E., LST#55".

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top: no caption 

bottom: "Ready for delivery"

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top: "Launching of L.C.T. 763 that was carried across by L.S.T. 55" 

bottom: "This is the L.C.T." 

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top: "This is at the docks in New Orleans." 

middle: " This was in Panama City, Florida." 

bottom: "This is the Deck Force hard at work painting the deck."

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top: "These are the ship's Officers." 

middle: This is the Small Boat Crew". 

bottom: "These are the Gunners Mates." 

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top: "This is the Engineer Division." 

middle: "This is Ship's Control." 

bottom: "This is the deck force painting the side of the ship." 

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top: "LST's docked. reloading." 

middle: "This was taken inland in France." 

bottom: no caption 

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top: "Masler" (last letter "r"? I don't know what this means.) 

bottom: "Dad's ship. Norfolk, US to So. Hampton, LeHarve, England, France, Germany, Italy, Norway"

conducive to worship?

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Sunday Mass is about to begin. I’m kneeling—trying to pray. Senior adults in front, behind, and either side of me are talking out loud. Other people are trying to get a seat, crawling over other seniors who have positioned themselves on the ends of the pews and won’t move. The choir leader is talking so loudly that she can be heard all over the church from the choir loft.

Announcements before Mass begin. The lector makes an announcement about the choir. The choir whoops loudly in unison, so that their whoop can be heard by the entire congregation above the other din. The congregation laughs and applauds.

Mass begins. People continue to talk. Cell phones go off. A child is screaming at the top of their lungs. People continue to come in late and crawl over other people trying to get a seat. Ushers seat people all through the readings. Cell phones continue to go off, people continue to talk, and children continue to scream all during Mass.

After they receive communion people file out of church in droves before the Mass has ended.

It’s the same thing every week. A conducive place for worship? I don’t think so.

PS I tithe RELUCTANTLY at SGG. If we were able to find an alternative place to worship, within a reasonable distance, that is respectful of Our Lord, and those who are trying to worship Him, and respectful of the example being given to children, then we would leave SGG for the new parish--in a New York minute, as they say. We would JOYFULLY tithe at the new parish.

PPS It's the relatively small, disrespectful, rude, minority that ruins SGG for the rest of the parish. They're the ones who talk out loud in church; who sit on the ends of pews and refuse to move in, forcing others to climb over them; whose cell phones are going off during Mass; who leave after communion; etc. Any ideas for how the majority can take SGG back from the disrespectful, rude, minority?

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From: "The Mystery of Faith, Meditations on the Eucharist", by Fr. Tadeusz DAjczer:
"Slowing down involves coming into silence. Within this silence, I can discover God. I can only live the sacrament of the present moment by this silence." pg. 45
"God is silence. When I try to be still, pushing my way towards the invisible one, I am entering the extraordinary circle of His amazing, saving, eucharistic presence. With this He will be embracing me more and more." pg. 47


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John, Chapter 6

66 As a result of this, many (of) his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him.
67 Jesus then said to the Twelve, "Do you also want to leave?"
68 Simon Peter answered him, "Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
69 We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God."

personal reflections

Do I see REAL, tangible evidence that my going to daily Mass is making me a better Christian? If not, then I must analyze why.

Could it be distractions?
- People talking out loud before and during Mass
- Able bodied fellow parishioners who plant themselves on the end of a pew and force other less able bodied parishioners to climb over them
- People leaving while communion is being distributed
- Fellow parishioners who butt in line during Penance services
- Fellow parishioners who are rude and disrespectful to guests and their fellow parishioners during parish presentations/meetings
- Not being able to hear or understand what’s being said from the altar
- The parish’s tithing priorities? Clothe the naked? Feed the hungry? Care for the sick?

I can’t change the rude, disrespectful, and unchristian behavior of others. I can try to "block them out". If I can't block out the distractions, and they are inhibiting my growth as a Christian, then I must remove myself from the “near occasions of sin”.

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