Pastor speaks boldly

... and no doubt he'll ruffle a few feathers. Here's a little preview of the Pastor's bulletin column this week:

One area in which people have become blinded is laziness in regard to the practice of their faith. The Catholic Church obliges us to attend Mass each Sunday, yet we use a million and one excuses for not being present. The only problem is that we can find time to attend basketball games, to venture forth in all kinds of inclement weather to cheer for our teams, and then not have the time to worship our God who is the source of all of our blessings. If only three quarters of those present at our recent basketball games would come to Church on Sunday, our church would be packed. But that is not the case. Sometimes our priorities are not in balance. And our young people are no different as they follow the example of their parents. I sometimes wonder to myself why we have a Catholic school when the very principles and values we have are not being lived, especially that of the celebration of the Eucharist. But again, there will be one million and one excuses, blinders, that cloud who we are and what we are about.

Good for him!

Bulldogs tramble wooden shoes

Last night was the annual St. Anthony High School basketball game with Teutopolis High School. The cities of Effingham and Teutopolis - which are only three miles distant - have a gigantic basketball rivalry, really a rivalry that involves all things for reasons I still cannot discern. They claim to very stronly dislike each other, but they marry the people "across the creek" all the time and all share the same last names. It's very odd...but humorous.

At any rate the St. Anthony Bulldogs went up last night against the Teutoplis Wooden Shoes. I only reluctantly went to the game and, really, I only went out of what I consider my duty. I despise basketball and this is well known in the community - as is my liking of soccer, though I don't follow it too closely - so my presence at basketball games is all the more special.

The gym was packed and, since I arrived a bit late, seats were a prized commodity. I ended up standing in what we call the "Dawg Pound," the section where our students gather and cheer.

It was a close game, with the Wooden Shoes trading the lead with the Bulldogs back and forth throughout the game. Several times I almost began to fear for my life as the students jumped and bounced excitedly around (even the 8th graders in Effingham are a good five inches taller than me, and I'm supposed to be of average height (5'9")!)

The students have taken a great liking to my cape thatI picked up at Barbiconi's, which, although it was in my car last night, I didn't even think about wearing into the gym, having previously been instructed that I am to wear it to every game. I caught a bit of flack for this, as you can imagine, althogh I'll try to correct it at another game tonight.

The students, though, have also taken quite a liking to one of my hats, which they have named affectionately, (I think), my "pimp hat." (Incidentally, they are also fans of the biretta.) At one point they even instructed me on how to wear the hat properly: tilted to the front and to one side. I tried it and it just doesn't feel right.

When I left for the game I simply intended to pop in late, stay for a few minutes, and head back home for bed. But because the game was so close I ended up staying for the duration. I am happy to say that St. Anthony won. Nicely played, guys!