Word reached me from multiple sources even down in Queens that there was an incident during the closing liturgy for the Maryknoll Alumni weekend.
The first sign that something was up was when the prayers of the faithful went on longer than the homily. Among them was one asking Maryknoll to "do the right thing" in regards to Fr. Bourgeois and not dismiss him from the Society.
But things really got interesting post Communion, when, instead of the normal announcements one would hear at a parish Mass about upcoming rummage sales and pot-luck suppers, former Maryknoller and now Episcopalian priest, Father Frank Alagna stood up and announced a signature drive to petition the General Council on behalf of Roy. He invited people to sign after Mass during supper.
Fr. Leo Shea, the main celebrant, took this in stride and even used the opportunity to read a letter to the assembly he had received from Roy, expressing his regrets for not being able to attend. Roy also asked all not to forget the lessons they all learned at Maryknoll and that at times like these, it is necessary to break the silence and raise one's voice on behalf of justice.
The steering committee seemed as blind-sided by this as others were. So far, the reactions I heard went from shock to outrage, but like I said, I will have to wait till I get back to the salad bar on Monday to gauge the real reactions.
Thus, the elephant did not even have to be in the room to dominate the discussion and have the last word.
Who knows? Maybe more people will want to start attending Mass at Marykmoll. You never know what might happen.
Showing posts with label Maryknoll Alumni Weekend. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Maryknoll Alumni Weekend. Show all posts
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Bourgeois a no-show?
According to an anonymous source (who bears an uncanny resembence to Fr. Dave La Buda), Fr. Roy Bourgeois will NOT be at the Maryknoll Centennial Alumni Weekend here starting tomorrow, despite his name being on the participants list.
Dave directed my attention to the women's ordination website where, he said (I'm too lazy to look it up myself), Roy is scheduled to be in Chicago this weekend to accept an award from an impressive array of religious groups for his work on behalf of justice. He is also scheduled to be at yet another screening of "Pink Smoke Over the Vatican" in the Windy City.
So unless Roy has learned the fine art of bi-location, I don't think he'll be here tomorrow. Of course, he could put in a cameo appearance and then wing his way westward in time for the other festivities. Will he or won't he? A blogger's dream to keep people intrigued and interested enough to check in frequently.
I just hope Roy doesn't inadvertently demonstrate the philosophy of the ultimate Chicken Hawk, former V.P. Dick Cheney who, when asked why he didn't go to Vietnam as a young man, replied, "I had other priorities."
**************
On this Feast of the Triumph of the Cross, Ms. Teresa Rodriguez, our sacristan, Fr. Ed Szendrey and I schlepped the HUMONGOUS reliquary containing the documented relic of the True Cross, from its implausible place smack in the middle of our sacristy, to a more fitting and proper (albeit temporary) place of honor in the Lady Chapel, to the right of the Pietà . A vigil light honors this day.
Where we eventually put it depends on what we think it is. If we wish to venerate it as the relic it purports to be, then it should be enshrined in a place of worship. If we deem it a
mere curious artifact, than it can go back out into the Spellman Room among other objects d'art.
**************
It's an understandable mistake. For several months now, our Sodexo staff, at the behest of the All-Important Food Committee, has offered a specialty coffee each breakfast and lunch time along with the standard brews. French Roast is one popular choice. Another is labeled "Columbian" (sic). It's not as if we are a foreign mission Society with global interests and international sensitivities with a high concentration of guys who come from or worked in Latin America. I mean, who understands Spanish around here anyway?
Hey, for all I know, the spelling might be correct. Who wants to drink coffee from Harvard?
Dave directed my attention to the women's ordination website where, he said (I'm too lazy to look it up myself), Roy is scheduled to be in Chicago this weekend to accept an award from an impressive array of religious groups for his work on behalf of justice. He is also scheduled to be at yet another screening of "Pink Smoke Over the Vatican" in the Windy City.
So unless Roy has learned the fine art of bi-location, I don't think he'll be here tomorrow. Of course, he could put in a cameo appearance and then wing his way westward in time for the other festivities. Will he or won't he? A blogger's dream to keep people intrigued and interested enough to check in frequently.
I just hope Roy doesn't inadvertently demonstrate the philosophy of the ultimate Chicken Hawk, former V.P. Dick Cheney who, when asked why he didn't go to Vietnam as a young man, replied, "I had other priorities."
**************
On this Feast of the Triumph of the Cross, Ms. Teresa Rodriguez, our sacristan, Fr. Ed Szendrey and I schlepped the HUMONGOUS reliquary containing the documented relic of the True Cross, from its implausible place smack in the middle of our sacristy, to a more fitting and proper (albeit temporary) place of honor in the Lady Chapel, to the right of the Pietà . A vigil light honors this day.
Where we eventually put it depends on what we think it is. If we wish to venerate it as the relic it purports to be, then it should be enshrined in a place of worship. If we deem it a
mere curious artifact, than it can go back out into the Spellman Room among other objects d'art.
**************
It's an understandable mistake. For several months now, our Sodexo staff, at the behest of the All-Important Food Committee, has offered a specialty coffee each breakfast and lunch time along with the standard brews. French Roast is one popular choice. Another is labeled "Columbian" (sic). It's not as if we are a foreign mission Society with global interests and international sensitivities with a high concentration of guys who come from or worked in Latin America. I mean, who understands Spanish around here anyway?
Hey, for all I know, the spelling might be correct. Who wants to drink coffee from Harvard?
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Letter from Limbo
I and several others received a copy of a handwritten letter from Fr. Roy Bourgeois, M.M., to our Superior General Fr. Ed Dougherty, M.M., dated August 25, 2011.
In it Roy expresses hope that a solution may be worked out. He mentions trying to phone Doc without success. Apparently Doc was/is away. (In Rome, I hear.) In any event, who didn't accept the latest call from whom remains unresolved.
The more interesting point is that in the interest of transparency, Roy suggests all future communications be done in person, with his lawyer, Thomas Doyle, present. In language that, to this blogger at least, seems to mirror the stern tone of the canonical warnings, Roy says he hopes meeting in person will underscore the serious nature of the current situation.
Roy is on the list of the 420 people registered for the up-coming Alumni Weekend starting this Thursday. Formers and current member are attending, so Roy can hobnob with both groups with equal ease and authority.
Following is the schedule of events for Alumni Weekend:
On Thursday Sept. 15, at 7:00 pm Welcoming remarks by Fr. Paul Masson and Centennial Planning Committee Chairman David Brown will be streamed live from the Asia Room on the in-house Channel 15 to rooms here in the Center as well as to St. Teresa's Residence.
On Friday Sept. 16th, the first major speaker, Eugene Kennedy, Ph.D. will air live on Channel 15 at 9:00am. Dr. Kennedy is a Professor Emeritus at Loyola University of Chicago. Dr. Kennedy has written over 50 books on psychology, the Catholic Church, and the psychology of religion
At 11:00 am, also on Friday the United States Ambassador to the Vatican, Miguel Diaz, Ph.D. will air live on Channel 15. Dr. Diaz is a Professor of Trinitarian Theology at St. John's University and the College of St. Benedict in Collegeville Minnesota.
At 4:00 pm on Friday an Ecumenical / Interfaith Vespers service honoring deceased Society Members and Alumni will be aired live from the Quadrangle.
On Saturday Sept. 17th, at 11:00am Philip Jenkins, Ph.D. will air live and speak on "The Keys of the Kingdom, The Global Church 1911 - 2011 and Beyond." Dr. Jenkins is a Professor in the Department of History and Religious Studies at Penn State University and Senior Fellow at the Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University.
At 4:00 pm on Saturday, the Centennial Celebration Mass will be aired live
At 6:00 pm on Saturday a Banquet honoring Society Educators / Formators will be aired live from the Quadrangle, with remarks by Peter Spain and Dudley Conneely.
At 8:00 pm on Saturday a presentation of Special Honors will air live from the Quadrangle. Remarks by Fr. Dick Callahan, Bill Murphy, and Mary Darcy
In it Roy expresses hope that a solution may be worked out. He mentions trying to phone Doc without success. Apparently Doc was/is away. (In Rome, I hear.) In any event, who didn't accept the latest call from whom remains unresolved.
The more interesting point is that in the interest of transparency, Roy suggests all future communications be done in person, with his lawyer, Thomas Doyle, present. In language that, to this blogger at least, seems to mirror the stern tone of the canonical warnings, Roy says he hopes meeting in person will underscore the serious nature of the current situation.
Roy is on the list of the 420 people registered for the up-coming Alumni Weekend starting this Thursday. Formers and current member are attending, so Roy can hobnob with both groups with equal ease and authority.
Following is the schedule of events for Alumni Weekend:
On Thursday Sept. 15, at 7:00 pm Welcoming remarks by Fr. Paul Masson and Centennial Planning Committee Chairman David Brown will be streamed live from the Asia Room on the in-house Channel 15 to rooms here in the Center as well as to St. Teresa's Residence.
On Friday Sept. 16th, the first major speaker, Eugene Kennedy, Ph.D. will air live on Channel 15 at 9:00am. Dr. Kennedy is a Professor Emeritus at Loyola University of Chicago. Dr. Kennedy has written over 50 books on psychology, the Catholic Church, and the psychology of religion
At 11:00 am, also on Friday the United States Ambassador to the Vatican, Miguel Diaz, Ph.D. will air live on Channel 15. Dr. Diaz is a Professor of Trinitarian Theology at St. John's University and the College of St. Benedict in Collegeville Minnesota.
At 4:00 pm on Friday an Ecumenical / Interfaith Vespers service honoring deceased Society Members and Alumni will be aired live from the Quadrangle.
On Saturday Sept. 17th, at 11:00am Philip Jenkins, Ph.D. will air live and speak on "The Keys of the Kingdom, The Global Church 1911 - 2011 and Beyond." Dr. Jenkins is a Professor in the Department of History and Religious Studies at Penn State University and Senior Fellow at the Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University.
At 4:00 pm on Saturday, the Centennial Celebration Mass will be aired live
At 6:00 pm on Saturday a Banquet honoring Society Educators / Formators will be aired live from the Quadrangle, with remarks by Peter Spain and Dudley Conneely.
At 8:00 pm on Saturday a presentation of Special Honors will air live from the Quadrangle. Remarks by Fr. Dick Callahan, Bill Murphy, and Mary Darcy
Saturday, August 20, 2011
From futures to formers
Having just spent last week with the future of Maryknoll, I am happy to oblige a request from Fr. John Sivalon to post a YouTube link to a short video about the upcoming gathering of Former Maryknollers (MARYKNOLL ALUMNI WEEKEND)from September 15~18 here at the Knoll.
This promises to be an exciting, dynamic and energizing event. Please check out this link:
https://exchange.maryknoll.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=7b41b512fc644470ac573751aa8a5d5c&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.youtube.com%2fwatch%3fv%3dXNLSC2dSOhI
[SORRY! I am experiencing some technical difficulties getting the link to post. Working on it!]
UNTIL FIXED, please search for Maryknoll Centennial Promo on YouTube.
This promises to be an exciting, dynamic and energizing event. Please check out this link:
https://exchange.maryknoll.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=7b41b512fc644470ac573751aa8a5d5c&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.youtube.com%2fwatch%3fv%3dXNLSC2dSOhI
[SORRY! I am experiencing some technical difficulties getting the link to post. Working on it!]
UNTIL FIXED, please search for Maryknoll Centennial Promo on YouTube.
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