What a Month

The Wisconsin River

The Pier at St. Petersburg

   An absolute whirlwind of a month has gone by--in my life and in the world. I began June at home in St. Petersburg and am ending the month at my suymmer parish in Eagle River, Wisconsin. In between I have been in ten states and one foreign country--Honduras.  Most of you have read the pictures, videos and comments that I have posted here.  It was an experience that I will never forget and in fact I will be returning there with the same group next year at the same time--God, Honduran politics and some other factors permitting.  In most years it would be safe to say that this trip would clearly be the highlight of the year, but not in this year of 2012.   Why? Because in a few weeks I will be heading to Medford, MA to preside at the wedding of my niece Michell 80e and her husband to be, Kevin Donahue. That wonderful event will get full coverage on this blog after the July 21 wedding.  That will far and way be the event of my year.

   That is my life in tghe last month.  In the wider world we have had the seating of a new president in Egypt.  The Arab spring has lead to free elections there, which is great, but of course there are concerns regarding the directions things will take.  There is also the ongoing tension throughout the Middle East, especially Syria and Iran.  Just the other day was the Supreme Court ruling on the health care bill. This article is not meant to be an analysis of that but I will register in and hope that the extremists on both sides can put their heads together to correct the flaws of the bill and move forward.  To scuttle it would leave us in a mess.

  Then there is the world of mother nature.  Colorado has been racked by the worst wildfires in their history and my own state of Florida was flooded by tropical storm Debby.  My brother friars in St. Petersburg are OK but there was flooding all around them. Here in Wisconsin it is 80 delightful degrees today, but much of the central US is sweltering at over 100 degrees.

  In the Church--wow!  A high ranking Philadelphia priest has been convicted of covering up for sexual abusing priests.  This is so sad, but when O when will we learn?  We have made great strides in protecting childrem, but more has yet to be done.  Our religious sisters are suffering because of the Vatican clamp down on the LCWR.  Fortunately they have had an outpouring of support and continue to do wonderful things such as the nuns' bus tour that is speaking up for social justice.

   What a month was June, 2012.