Fourth Sunday After Easter - I still need a kick in the . . .pants.

One of my all-time favorite Readings is from today's Lectionary and the Acts of the Apostles.

Someone told me that there was a T.V. series about Acts, I find that hard to believe - no market: no vampires, rough sex, LGBTQ sub-themes, nor a willing cast.

Could be wrong.  I 'll look into it, after 8:30 Mass at Sacred Heart*.   Not that I'll watch it, just out of curiosity.  Maybe I'll watch it.

Anyway, this reading is a good one:

Reading 1 ACTS 2:14A, 36-41
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven,
raised his voice, and proclaimed:
"Let the whole house of Israel know for certain
that God has made both Lord and Christ,
this Jesus whom you crucified."
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart,
and they asked Peter and the other apostles,
"What are we to do, my brothers?"
Peter said to them,
"Repent and be baptized, every one of you,
in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins;
and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For the promise is made to you and to your children
and to all those far off,
whomever the Lord our God will call."
He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them,
"Save yourselves from this corrupt generation."
Those who accepted his message were baptized,
and about three thousand persons were added that day.

Peter is by far my favorite saint, as he is the most male, the thickest, the most impulsive, the most 'FEET , do your stuff!' and the most honest of the disciples.  Peter is upfront about his betrayal of Jesus in the garden and that is evident here.

Easter was only four weeks ago. The Renewal!  Like New Year's Eve.

I am already dodging my spiritual resolutions, like politicians promises.

The Pre-Resurrection Simon Peter reminds me of me.  Easily fooled - 'Jump out of the boat!'  Quick to anger, "Cut off the guy's ear."  Easily cowered by responsibilities - "Cook-doodle-do!"

The Peter of Acts is nothing like me.

I hope to be.

Thanks for the swift kick.




* yep, it was Roma Downey produced this series. I'll binge watch it sometime.

Father Tony Brankin, Chicago's Polonia and Zero Chicago News Coverage

“It begins with Mass, the great engine of life. Then the regular prayers of the rosary, Breviary, meditations through the rest of the day and in the car. My spiritual reading is from journals and the classics. I don’t meditate while sculpting. If I’m working on Jesus’ knuckles – that’s what I’m concentrating on.” Father Tony Brankin, St. Odilo's Parish, Berwyn, Illinois

On Nov. 19, when Poland and the Polish people, from the bishops to the government, did that ( Proclaimed Christ the King) through the Jubilee Act of Acceptance, their example became a testimony to the world to do the same. Catholic Register

I spent a wonderful day with the lady I love trolling the shops on Lake Street in Oak Park, while Chicago took on its first snow toupee of the year. We hit bookshops, hat stores and that great Indian Restaurant The Khyber Pass. It was a lovely continuation for a day begun at Mass.

I had gone to Mass at Sacred Heart in Morgan Park with Father Gallagher, an octogenarian hero, who spent most of his priesthood as a missionary in Mexico, who must be the greatest homilist in my Church. Sweetly and succinctly, Father Gallagher relates the Gospel to the daily lives of the blue collar worshipers, who enjoy saying the Memorare after the Creed and singing the standards at Mass.

The only match to Father Gallagher's simple and no-nonsense path to the Cross is a sermon  by Father Tony Brankin, pastor of St. Odilio's in Berwyn.

My lady friend attends Mass at St. Odilo's when not singing at St. John Cantius Church and old Polish parish rated the most beautiful Church in America.  It is.

The Polish attend to the smallest details in all things, from Copernicus to Madame Curie to Pope St. John Paul II.   Poles are one of the largest ethnic (white) demographics in Chicago.  They are arguably the most organized (non-Alinsky) of Chicago's neighbors: Polish National Alliance,Polish Roman Catholic Union, the magnificent Copernicus Center and any number of the many morphed credit unions and savings and loans.

Miss Sullivan, the lovely and elegant lady who deigns to be seen in public with me, showed me a homily by Father Brankin.  It celebrated the fact that Poland, in this Jubilee Year announced by Pope Francis, proclaimed Jesus Christ the King of Poland - both Church and State.

"Immortal King of Ages Lord Jesus Christ, our God and Savior! In the Jubilee Year 1050 anniversary of the Baptism of Polish [people], in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, here we Poles stand in front of you (together with their authorities, clergy and laity) to acknowledge your reign, surrender to Thy law, entrust and take you to our homeland and the whole nation…We confess before heaven and earth, that your reign we need…Wishing to worship the majesty of Thy power and glory, with great faith and love, we cry out: Rule us Christ!”

So prayed the Polish bishops at the Church of Divine Mercy in Krakow, Poland, on Nov. 19 in a major ceremony formally declaring Jesus Christ as King of Poland. It was the day before the feast of Christ the King in the Church’s liturgical calendar. Poland’s President Andrzei Duda took part along with thousands of pilgrims in the Mass and ceremony. (Scroll down to read the entire prayer-declaration here.) The ceremony marked the end of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy and the 1,050 anniversary of Polish Christianity.

I had heard of this, but had not lodged it into my tiny brain's 'full attention chamber.'  Father Brankin praised the fact that people of faith can and do live meaningful and important lives with faith active in every aspect. In fact, politicians and the government wholly agreed.

On television, Senator Jan Maria Jackowski explained that the faith is the strength of Poland. He said “if we keep our core values, we build the common good. However…if we forget about the great heritage of this force that gives us faith and what gives us the heritage of the Gospel, it would not be so good. We see what is happening in the countries where de-Christianization is progressing at a rapid pace.”

Father Brankin, whose flock includes many, many, many immigrants from Mexico, Central America and Poland, as well as Czechs, Ukrainians and Lithuanians, honored the Poles.  The Chicago newspapers wholly ignored this event, so did the Catholic New World.   There was plenty on the new Cardinal, diversity workshops at UCCB, kids wearing Red for Cardinal Cupich, but no mention of Poland's most severe blow to world secularism.

Father Brankin always argues that spiritual life must begin with attendance at Mass.  I know many Catholics who consider themselves to be more 'spiritual' than active.  That is like joining a club and never attending a meeting.  Too many of us no longer want to go to Mass.  Let's be Unitarians.

That's cool.  Mass is what keeps me from going off the rails and craving my baser instincts.  I told the kids at Brother Rice that I attend services and receive the Eucharist every morning at St. John Fisher - no brag, just fact.

" Does that mean you are Holy?" asked one chap from St. John Fisher Parish, with more than a spoonful of obvious irony.

I told him. " No, not by a jug full.  It does make me less of a jerk, however.  Somewhat."

Kids, like all of us are pulled to be secular, overly cynical and fundamentally intolerant, by the broader HBO culture.  Poland seems to have kicked that trend to the curb.

I went to Mass yesterday, met my lovely friend, heard from her about Father Brankin's homily, delighted in Poland's stand to proclaim Christ it's King, and noted the lack of coverage - ignoring is also a sharp form of censorship.

God Bless Poland. God Bless great priests.  God Bless young people.  God whack the media on the back of the noggin.  It will not do much, but would be a start.

Send Up Some Prayers for Ryan Rusch and His Family, Today

There is nothing more heart-breaking for parents than any child suffering. Those of us who are parents do and should feel for anyone's child, no matter the age, when major health problems threaten their time with us.

Ryan Rusch lives in West Beverly ( The west of Western Ave. - the Cape Cod, raised ranch and Georgian home Beverly working stiff tribe of the 60642 Zip Code).   Ryan was born with a rare heart disorder where only one artery supplies blood flow instead of the standard two.  He and his family have fought for life from the moment of birth.

Ten years ago, three teens decided to beat Ryan nearly to death.  It was a horrific beating, racially motivated by the attacker own words, but not deemed to be a Hate Crime.    Well, that is blood under the bridge.

Ryan added brain damage and all that goes with that, vision impairment, seizures, struggles with attention to studies, to his struggles with the aid of those, but he is one tough kid.  He played football, graduated from St. Rita High School and attended college.  Then heart problems resurfaced.

He is undergoing dramatic surgery as I hit these keys.

We have prayed for Ryan and his family for weeks at daily services in St. John Fisher and at Sacred Heart.  At Sacred Heart, we conclude the readings and prayers of the faithful in preparation for the Celebration of Eucharist with the Memorare.

This very special prayer to Our Lady is a miracle worker.  I taught it to many of the guys at Leo High School who are not Catholic and they said saying this prayer seemed to help them anyway. The words were stange to them, as it is to too many Catholics these days.

REMEMBER, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee do I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

Do me a favor. Send up a couple of Memorares over the next few days for the Rusch Family and all children who suffer from health problems. Send some up for yourself, as well.

It won't kill you and it just might ease some family's burdens.  Say the words,  even if you hate God, religion,  or sentiment.

Send some up for Ryan.

Musings Before Mass on 9/11 2016

Then      

                                             Now
Fifteen years ago, Islamist Terrorists, mostly from Saudi Arabia, hijacked four jet airliners and crashed them of them into planned targets, one was plane was knocked out of action by heroics Americans who sacrificed their lives to save others.
 No contrails for months over Chicago

The skies over America were empty of air planes for months.  Safety measures were taken in all cities, towns and villages to meet a potential terror strike.

Americans waved flags, for a while.  They thanked firemen, firefighters, paramedics and priests, for while.

Now, such heroes are villains.

Americans got bored again and Noam Chomsky, Susan Sontag, Ward Churchill. Bill Ayers and Keith Oberman started have a real vibe.  Between 2001 and 2016, the number of public nitwits swelled like tick on a fat man's rump - Anthony Weiner, Michele Bachman, Cindy Sheehan, Code Pink, Ward Churchill, Al Gore, Glenn Beck, Joe Scarborough, Toure, Man Buns . . .

Some Americans returned to self-loathing.  Some people seemed to lose common sense.  Scab yanking and self laceration became institutionalized - no wants to be a bully.  The heart wants what the heart wanted and that is all that matters.  The test of political correctness became the level and intensity in levels of offense given to the vast majority of people,

However, the vast majority of people continue to be good neighbors, to help sick kids, to teach good citizenship to young people in a society that valorizes empty gestures and materialism,  to care for the elderly, to help the needy, to protect the unborn and the living and manage to encourage the broken hearted.

I will stand at Gospel with people who do those very things.  After the Gospel we always pray the Memorare - that seems to us Catholics a prayer that never fails to lift one over fire, failure, frustrations and finance.  It don't cost nothing, either.  No one cares who you are voting for in the coming election - that is your problem.  We all have bigger things to think about than elected goofs and NFL showboats and celebrity converts to anything that will keep their name in People Magazine.

We have a job of work to do.

Remember 9/11  and behave accordingly. 

If Cooking Matters, Go to Rosario's !

After Mass this morning, I'll take a swing over to Rosario's Sausage,  because I read a story about a man who tried to trade a baby for fifteen Big Macs.  Mother of God.  This poor gluttonous louse stole a baby, only to barter for food that would gag a maggot.

Please note the photo that I chose for this piece (it tells the story )-  over Rosario's is a corporatist road sign distracting drivers' attentions from a business worthy of their coin.

I tried to keep my children from Mickey D's, not because I am food snob, or nutrition Nazi, but because the entire corporatist Ronald McDonald Clown Happy Meal net offends me to the marrow.

Families make better foods than corporations. Wal-Mart offends me because it makes people lazier and murders generations of family businesses on main streets universal.  I was anti-WalMart long before the Brooks Brothers Bolsheviks of SEIU leadership.

For hamburgers and hot dogs my kids went to Pop's at 111th Kedzie, Top Notch on 95th, Fat Tommy's on 111th and the now closed Wonder Burger at 110th & Kedzie.

Pizza Hut, Little Caesar's and Domino's were all verboten in Casa Hickey.

Whether or not those lessons impacted, I am not sure, but at least they were presented, like going to Mass on Sunday: " You belong to the Club; you go to the meetings."

For good cooking, ingredients matter.  Rosario's makes great sausage daily and  the place opens at 9:30 A.M. and will be packed.

I am making Penne ala Vodka Cream Sauce for two.

I could go to Jewel(s), Mariano's, or Pat and Jacks for Italian Sausage, but am cooking for someone I love, respect and like to see smile over a plateful of my efforts.



Rosario's, like the long-gone Sardi's in the Old St. Mary of Mount Carmel parish on 69th Street back in the 1960's-70's, is place where the respectful buy Italian meats, spices, cheese and condiments worthy of the genre - Italian Cooking.

I will have big pot of lightly salted

This a temple, a sanctuary of sausage perfection and family owned purveyor of priceless products for modest purses.

There is also the neon sign showing pigs and cows only too delighted to leap into the meat grinder like straight-ticket Ward Democrats at a polling place.

I will buy the spicy sausage ( out of casing) and brown the hell out of it over medium heat in a Olive oiled caste iron skillet.  No need for the McCormicks crushed red pepper flakes and so I will add four cloves of crushed garlic, one small red onion chopped to the Rosario's goodness, until brownish.  I will add a 28 ounce can of  Red Gold brand crushed tomatoes with the liquid and cook until eye-ball reduced,  Then I will add three shots of good vodka and cook for a good while - timer be damned,

Lastly, in goes heavy cream and chopped basil and a pinch of oregano.

Withe penne cooked to the tooth, in it goes like the happy cows and pigs and gets a thorough tossing in a skilletful tasty.

I will plate with Basil, crusty Dago bread and hand grated Parmesano.

Our world has family owned, loving and true treasure like Rosarios Sausage.  Skip the convenient. Go for the genuine

Rosario's Italian Sausage
8611 S Pulaski Rd, Chicago, IL 60652