A patronal meme

A Catholic Mom in Hawaii has tagged me for a meme asking, if I should be canonized, of what would I be patron.  Here's the meme:

Assuming you are a saint, and your cause has been executed, your miracles confirmed, your date on the calendar established, all that is required is to select that of which Holy Mother Church will name you Patron(ess) of.

For this meme, you must name your patronage and then tag 5 other people who would like to play along.

Linking your answer to your nominator's post would make it easier to get your answers.

I've been pondering this for a while now and am not sure of what I would be patron, but a few thoughts come to mind:

1. Hawaii;
2. Quincy, Illinois;
3. Masters of Ceremonies (I don't think they have one yet);
4. those whose hearts remain in other lands; or, perhaps
5. arthritics.

This maybe cheating, but what would you suggest?

Now, then, the five people I tag are:

1. Ellen, From Across the Net;
2. Thom, Faith in the 21st Century;
3. Jonathan;
4. Andrew, Unam Sanctam; and
5. Kat, The Crescat.

Tagged again

A Catholic Mom in Hawaii tagged me for the Book Worm Award and Meme, and a good thing, too, since I've not posted anything in two days.

The rules are simple:

Pass this on to 5 blogging friends. Open the closest book to you, not your favorite or most intellectual book, but the book closest to you at the moment, to page 56. Write the 5th sentence, as well as two to five sentences following that.

Here we go, then:

We can appreciate the beauty of life even among the thorns that surround us. This joy and consolation comes to so many through what the Lahoods call their "ministry"; it gives depth and meaning to humanity. It is not so much because they achieve "great" things, but because they do "small things with great love." Gift of self means everything we are given - every talent - is given as a gift (Carl Anderson, A Civilization of Love: What Every Catholic Can Do to Transform the World).

If this is a meme you'd enjoying doing, consider yourself tagged.

Six quirks meme

Some days back Jeff, of Thursday Night Gumbo, tagged me for the Six Quirks Meme (and I forgot to answer it).

The rules, I think, are simply to offer six quirks about yourself. Here goes:

1. I only rarely actually leave my house on the first try. More often than not I have to go back inside before leaving to collect something I forgot to bring. Sometimes twice. Fortunately, I never actually start the car before remembering what I've forgotten.

2. I can't stand the taste of olives, but I love olive oil.

3. I have the ability to tap on tables, fidget with various instruments, and even hum songs without realizing it, and hence driving those around me crazy.

4. I almost always carry a pen with me but almost never have any paper with me on which to write.

5. I can watch a movie, read a book and carry on a conversation with someone all at the same time, and still know what's going on in each.

6. If I can't have a Dr Pepper in a restuarant, I'll more likely have a water or a lemonade than another soda.

I think that does it. I'm sure others could offer plenty of other quirks.

If you want to be tagged, you are. Sorry this took so long, Jeff!

A Catholic Mom in Hawaii tagged me for the Ten People You'd Like to Spend Ten Minutes With meme (possibly the meme longest name).

I've not put Jesus on the list, becuase he is the obvious first choice and I have included those who have died in light on the communion of saints.

1. Pope Benedict XVI
2. Francis of Assisi
3. Clare of Assisi
4. King Arthur
5. J.R.R. Tolkien
6. Josef Pieper
7. Charlemagne
8. Queen Elizabeth II
9. Sr. Delia Ilio, O.S.F.
10. King Alfred the Great

Tagged, again!

A Catholic Mom in Hawaii tagged me with the alphabet meme:

Academic
Bibliophile
Catholic
Daren
Eccentric (more than others, but not as much as others, too)
Friendly
Good natured
Humorous (I think so, anyway)
Introverted
Judging
Knight of Columbus
Low keyed
Meandering
Neat
Organized
Priest
Quiet
Reserved
Sarcastic
Thinking
Understanding
Valorous (what else starts with V?)
Witty
X____ (I'm at a loss here)
Young, and yet old
Zehnle

I tag the returning visitors to this blog. You know who you are.

I've been tagged

...sort of! A Catholic Mom in Hawaii tagged everyone who read this post. Here goes:

What time is your alarm clock set to? 5:00 (if I have the 6:30 Mass) or 6:00 (if I have the 8:30 Mass).

What is the first thing you notice about the opposite sex? What they look like.

Do you think people talk about you behind your back? I know some do. It's part of being a public person.

What movie do you know every line to? The Princess Bride, Labyrinth, and The Lord of the Rings.

What is your favorite movie? See above.

Is anyone in love with you? I don't know.

Do you eat breakfast daily? Rarely. I just don't think about it.

Do you sleep on your side, stomach or back? Usually on my back, sometimes on my side.

Who was the last person to make you mad? A writer of Letters to the Editor.

Are you a lover or a fighter? I don't think I'm either one, really.

Are you a morning or evening person? Morning.

Are you a cuddler? No.

Are you a perfectionist? In some things.

Have you ever wrote a poem? Yes, and that should be "written" (see above).

Do you have more guy or girl friends? I don't know; I've never thought about it before

Piercings? No.

Do you have a tattoo? No.

Are you patient? No.

Do you miss anyone right now? Of course. Several people, actually.

Tea or coffee? DrPepper?

.Regularly burn incense? Sadly, no.

Ever been in love? Of course.

Best room for a fireplace? The library (away from the books, of course).

What do you do when you're sad or upset? Read. And pray.

Afraid of heights? Yes.

Can you change the oil in your car? No.

Favorite flower? Lilac.

Favorite hangout? I don't really have one.

Middle name? Joseph.

Most romantic sounding language? Italian.

Ever been overseas? Several times.

Tag yourself if you wish.

Tagged again!

A Catholic Mom in Hawaii - whom I won't be able to see on the way to Australia but perhaps on the way back? - has tagged me for the "I've got the urge to..." meme.

Here goes:

1. Fly to Rome to accompany the Holy Father to the United States.
2. Do nothing but read today.
3. Go to Assisi.
4. Go to a beach.
5. Go for a walk.
6. Go back to bed.

The weather here lately has been a bit odd, with temperature fluctuations, clouds and lots of rain. The temperature is predicted to fall throughout the day with a high of only 45 tomorrow, leaving me rather tired today.

Consequently, today will be a quiet today, with Mass in a little more than an hour and at the nursing home later this afternoon.

When not standing at the altar of the Lord I will be preparing for next week's pilgrimage to Washington, D.C., for the WYD 2008 in Sydney, and writing Sunday's homily.

If you, like me, are having a day where you really don't feel like doing anything, consider yourself tagged for the above meme.

I've tagged myself

I saw his memem, the name of which I do not know, over at A Catholic Mom in Hawaii and thought it looked like fun.

The rules are:

1. The rules of the game get posted at the beginning.
2. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
3. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

1. What I was doing ten years ago.

I was half-way through college at Quincy University, having the time of my life (honestly!).

2. Five things on my "to do" list today.

1. Offer the sacrifice of the Holy Mass
2. Celebrate Solemn Vespers in the Octave of Easter
3. Prepare a funeral homily and a Sunday homily
4. Meet with a couple for marriage preparation
5. Have supper with a family in the parish
6. Exercise

3. Snacks I enjoy.

1. Kettle cooked chips
2. Salt and vinegar chips
3. Chocolate (as long as it doesn't have coconut)
4. Puppy chow
5. Snack-ens
6. Sweet Tarts

4. Things I would do if I were a billinonaire.

1. Pay off my college loans
2. Pay off my car loans
3. Buy the rocca majore, the castle that sits above Assisi, fix it up and move in
4. Build a castle in Hawaii
5. But all of the books on my wish list
6. Give a good deal to Peter's Pence

5. Three of my bad habits.

1. Procrastination
2. Complaining
3. Driving quickly

6. Five places I have lived.

1. My parent's house in Quincy
2. Quincy University North Campus dorm in Quincy
3. Rectory of St. John the Baptist / All Saints Parish in Quincy
4. Mundelein Seminary
5. St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Effingham

7. Five jobs I've had.

1. Sales associate at KB Toys
2. Customer service representative at the Quincy Herald-Whig
3. Sacristan for the Chalpel at Quincy University
4. Secretary to the Provincial Minister of the Secular Franciscan Order of the Province of the Sacred Heart
5. Secretary to the Director of the Liturgical Institute

If you'd like to do this, feel free.

Another meme

A Catholic Mom in Hawaii tagged me for the 7 Non-important things/habits/quirks Meme.

The rules are simple:

1. When tagged place the name and URL on your blog.
2. Post rules on your blog.
3. Write 7 non-important things/habit/quirks about yourself.
4. Name 7 of your favorite blogs.
5. Send an email/comment on their blog letting them know they have been tagged.

Here we go:

1. I drink a lot of DrPepper.
2. I sometimes talk to myself while walking down the sidewalk.
3. I almost always forget something when leaving, often having to return inside twice before I’m ready to go.
4. I often play with pens/ pencils/knives/forks/spoons/salt and pepper shakers/etc. by spinning them on a table without realizing it, thus driving my family crazy to the point that they clear the table off when they know I’m coming.
5. I can read a book and watch television at the same time and still know what’s going on in both.
6. I can’t enter a bookstore without buying something.
7. I’m very easily distracted and led off on tangents.

I tag: Ad Dominum, From Across the Net, The Crescat, Adam’s Ale, Unam Sanctam, Ma Beck, and Mulier Fortis.

Favorite Parable Meme

A Catholic Mom in Hawaii has tagged me for the Favorite Parable Meme. The rules are simple: list your five favorite parables and tag five people. Here goes:

1. The judgment of the nations (Matthew 25:31-46)
2. The unworthy servants (Luke 17:7-10)
3. The lost sheep (Luke 15:1-7)
4. The laborers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16)
5. The two sons (Matthew 21:28-32)

I tag: Thom at Ad Dominum; Ellen From Across the Net; Ma Beck from the Ward Wide Web; The Crescat; and Barb the SFO Mom.

Book Memories

A Catholic Mom in Hawaii has tagged me for the Book Memories Meme:

1. Do you associate reading particular books with the places you read them or events of the time you read them?

I want to say that I do but as I try to think of what book I associate with what place I can't really think of any, so I suppose I don't. From time to time as I read a book again I may remember where I was I first read it. I suppose the only book that I associate with a place - off the top of my head - is Pope Benedict XVI's Deus caritas love. When I was in Hawaii I read a good portion of it on Sunset Beach. That was a beautiful day.

2. Do you remember the books you read or do they fade quickly? Or do you remember some better than others? How about remember details like character names, not just overall plot?

More often than not I don't quite remember but thumbing through them very briefly it starts to come back to me. I've one of cursed memories that remembers what pages look like. I can think of a quote - more or less - and know what author wrote it and get a visual in my mind of the layout of the page its on. I then go to my books and start flipping hurriedly through the books of that author until I see the page layout I wand and then skim until I find the quote. It works 85% of the time (give or take a couple of pages). Character names aren't always so clear for me but the general plot usual sticks, though I may a reminder or two to get it going.

3. Have you ever forgotten you've read/own a book and borrowed/bought it again?

Not so much that I've read a book, but that I own it. That's one reason I've started using Library Thing. Now when I see a book I'm not sure if I own I hop online and find out (though I've only added a third of my library...).

If you want to be tagged for this meme, you are!

The Middle Name Meme

After kindly rating my blog "E for Excellence," Fr. V. at Adam's Ale has tagged me for the Middle Name Meme.

The rules are fairly simple:

1. You have to post the rules before you give your answers.
2. You must list one fact about yourself beginning with each letter of your middle name.(If you don't have a middle name, use your maiden name or your mother's maiden name).
3. At the end of your blog post, you need to tag one person for each letter of your middle name.

My middle name is Joseph. Six people...hmm...

J - Joseph is also the middle name of my Bishop.
O - I was Ordained a priest on May 28, 2005.
S - I Served the Mass in which my classmates were confirmed because I was confirmed at birth.
E - I was born on Easter morning,
P - six weeks or so Premature.
H - My Hair is brown, though mixed with quite a bit of grey. My goal is to be grey by 35 and white by 50.

That isn't as easy as it might seem.

I tag: A Catholic Mom in Hawaii; Thom at Ad Dominum; Ellen From Across the Net; The Crescat; Peter at Utter Muttering; and Ma Beck at Ward Wide Web.

A Catholic Mom in Hawaii has tagged me for a Lenten meme:

1. What’s been your best Lenten-effort-idea ever?

Praying the Stations of the Cross on a daily basis.

2. And your worst?

Giving up chocolate (those nasty girl scouts always delivered my thin mints half-way through Lent... Of course, now I can't seem to find any girl scouts anywhere, and I would very much like some thin mints).

3. What Lenten advice would you share?

Before choosing your penance(s) consider first how it will benefit you spiritually. Giving up chocolate is good, sure, but does it lead you closer to God?

4. And what you will feature this year?

Almsgiving, I think, but time will tell.

I tag Thom of Ad Dominum, Ellen From Across the Net, and The Crescat,

Tagged again. Sort of.

I've sort of been tagged by A Catholic Mom in Hawaii for the "My Privileges Meme." It's simple enough:

From What Privileges Do You Have?, based on an exercise about class and privilege developed by Will Barratt, Meagan Cahill, Angie Carlen, Minnette Huck, Drew Lurker, Stacy Ploskonka at Illinois State University. If you participate in this blog game, they ask that you PLEASE acknowledge their copyright.

Bold the true statements.

1. Father went to college
2. Father finished college
3. Mother went to college
4. Mother finished college
5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor.
6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers.
7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home.
8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home.
9. Were read children's books by a parent.
10. Had lessons of any kind before you turned 18.
11. Had more than two kinds of lessons before you turned 18.
12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively.
13. Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18.
14. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your college costs.
15. Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs.
16. Went to a private high school.
17. Went to summer camp.
18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18.
19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels.
20. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18.
21. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them.
22. There was original art in your house when you were a child [kid's work is original!].
23. You and your family lived in a single-family house.
24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home.
25. You had your own room as a child.
26. You had a phone in your room before you turned 18.
27. Participated in a SAT/ACT prep course.
28. Had your own TV in your room in high school.
29. Owned a mutual fund or IRA in high school or college.
30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16.
31. Went on a cruise with your family.
32. Went on more than one cruise with your family.
33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up.
34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family.

I've not heard of this one...

What herb are you?

YOU ARE MOLY
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Tagged again!

A Catholic Mom in Hawaii has tagged me for a book meme of sorts. The rules are simple:

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people.

From the chapter, "The Appartamento Borgia," in The Vatican: Its History - Its Treasures:

"Several things in this fresco ["The Disputa of St. Catherine" in the Hall of the Saints in the Borgia appartment of the Vatican] have engaged the attentino of historians and art critics. In the first place, we must say that Vasari's observation on th artistic impropriety of the reliefs introduced by Pinturicchio, even more in this picture than in the neighboring ones, seems to be just. "Having made in the said halls," he says, "a history of St. Catherine, he represents the arches of Rome in relief and depicts the figures in such a manner that, while the figures stand in front and the buildings behind, those things which are diminished in size come more forward than those which, according to the eye, are increased in size - a very great heresy in our art."

I tag:

Thom of Ad Dominum,

Sr. Mary Martha of Ask Sr. Mary Martha,

Ellen From Across the Net,

Andrew, at Unam Sanctam, and

the Hibblers.

My top ten posts

A Catholic Mom in Hawaii has tagged me for a most difficult meme: the "My Top Ten" Meme. Those chosen are to select their ten best posts. My selections, in no particular order, are:

1. Spending your life
2. The Hand of Providence?
3. What does it mean to 'subsistit in'?
4. Are you a Kingdom or a Communion Catholic?
5. The call of the Lord came to me thus
6. Ingredients symbolize divine blessing
7. Cinematic wisdom
8. Homily, 26 August 2007
9. Ponderables from the Poverello (series)
10. Where have all the copes gone?

If you want to do this meme, but consider yourself tagged. I do warn you, however, that it is more difficult than even the book meme.

I realize that my readers might well have chosen other posts for my top ten; I'd be interested in learning what posts you might propose for my top ten.

Book Meme

Thom at Ad Dominum has tagged me a book meme. He likes to tag me for the ones that take some time to answer… Here goes:

One book that changed your life:
The First Life [of Saint Francis of Assisi] by Tomaso de Celano. If you haven’t read it yet you really should. It would make for a great Lenten read, as would Celano’s The Life of St. Clare, Virgin.

One book that you’ve read more than once:
Man at Play: Or Did You Ever Practice Eutrapelia? by Hugo Rahner (Karl’s older – and more easily understood – brother). This is a fantastic look at the theological and philosophical realities of play. Josef Pieper’s In Tune with the World: A Theory of Festivity goes right along these same lines, and is one I’ve read more than once.

One book you’d want on a desert island:
Given the usual wording is missing (“you can have only one”) this one isn’t so difficult to answer. Among the books I would have with me on said desert island would be Sir Thomas Malory’s Morte d’Arthur. You have to have something to pass the time.

One book that made you laugh:
In Praise of Folly by Desiderius Erasmus. There’s nothing finer than a dry, sarcastic wit!

One book that made you cry:
I can’t think of one, really. I think I almost cried when reading Rich Mullins: An Arrow Pointing to Heaven by James Bryan Smith.

One book that you wish had been written:
Night Truly Blest: Reflections of the Exultet, so I would already be finished with it.

One book that you wish had never been written:
Oh, pick one by Martin Luther. Incidentally, if you haven’t read him yet you ought too, even if only to realize how very illogical and contradictory his argumentation is.

One book you’re currently reading:
The Complete Tales and Poems of Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne. I saw it in the store one day and realized I’d never actually read them and thought I should.

One book you’ve been meaning to read:
The Fulfillment of All Desire by Ralph Martin. You can also pick a great many of the literary classics to answer this question.

Now tag five people:
Ellen, From Across the Net;
Esther, A Catholic Mom in Hawaii;
Peter at Utter Muttering;
Sr. Mary Martha of Ask Sister Mary Matha (who, by the way, now wears a Santa hat);
and Daniel at Ride of Rohirrim (maybe this will get him back to blogging again).

This looks like fun

I found this at From Across the Net:

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car) Roxie Matrix

2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie) Cherry Chocolate Chip Snicker Doodle

3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME:(first letter of first name, first three letters of last name) D-Zeh

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal) Green Dog

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born) Joseph Quincy

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first) Zehda

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink) The Black DrPepper

8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers) Arthur John

[I don't know what happened to number nine.]

10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names ) Patricia William [that doesn't make much sense]

11. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter) La Tour Louisville

2. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower) Advent Daffodil [the daffodil's my favorite because it usually the first one I see in the spring]

13. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”)Cherry Shirty [another odd one]

14. HIPPY NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree) Biscuit Oak

15. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour”) The Reading Rain Tour

I've been tagged!

Ellen From Across the Net tagged me for the One Word Meme. The rule is simple: answer the following statements with, you guessed it, one word.

1. Yourself: Arthritic
2. Your spouse: Nonexistant
3. Your hair: Brown
4. Your mother: Deceased
5. Your father: Deceased
6. Your favourite item: Uncertain
7. Your dream last night: odd
8. Your favorite drink: DrPepper
9. Your dream car: Cooper
10. The room you are in: Office
11. Your ex: None
12. Your fear: Unsure
13. What you want to be in 10 years: Hawaiian
14. Who you hung out with last night: Jesus
15. What you’re not: Pastor
16. Muffins: Blueberry
17. One of your wish list item: Hawaii
18. Time: Early
19. The last thing you did: Sacrifice
20. What you are wearing: cassock
21. Your favorite weather: Spring
22. Your favorite book: Benedict
23. The last thing you ate: Pie
24. Your life: busy
25. Your mood: Content
26. Your best friend: Several
27. What you’re thinking about right now: Tests
28. Your car: Matrix
29. What you are doing at the moment: Blog
30. Your summer: Crazy
31. Your relationship status: Single
32. What is on your TV: Nothing
33. What the weather is like: Muggy
34. When was the last time you laughed: Today

I hereby tag whomever wishes to be tagged.