I’m a regular usher at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis. It is an enjoyable task, and on occasion I see something unusual, as was the case this morning. I was walking down the outside aisle on the downtown side of the Basilica, and saw a display case with a piece of sculpture (click […]
Soon after 9-11-11 I received a “real” (with postage stamp) letter from a great and long-time friend: “Enough 9/11 already. [My son] contends that if we put the same energy into remembering victims of battering and child abuse, it would be well served. I am not unsympathetic, but where is the energy for other injustices? […]
The specific intention of this blog post is not to define the problem; rather than to encourage serious dialogue among people of differing political minds. Directly related posts here; here; and here. Six years ago I was completing the family history of my mother’s family. By then I had already spent 25 years delving into […]
Directly related posts here; here; and here. Tuesday night I was invited to a closing event of a well known program of Landmark Education, a world wide and well known personal improvement program. I’m well acquainted with Landmark Education, having taken much of their curriculum 13 years ago. The event was an evening very well […]
Note from Dick Bernard: I know Barry Riesch from nine years involvement with the Minnesota chapter of the national organization Veterans for Peace. Barry served in the U.S. Army 1968-70 and was a Mortar man in Vietnam 1969-70. Barry has been the inspiration for an ever more successful Memorial Day commemorative at the Vietnam Memorial […]
Sunday we were at the “Annual Mass for Persons with DisAbilities”. one of whom was my daughter, Heather. It was a very special afternoon, confirming eleven adult disabled in the Chapel at the St. Paul Seminary. The Church was filled with friends and family members. The confirmands had assorted disabilities – for Heather, it is […]
NOTE SEP 12, 2011: This is becoming a voluminous post with a great number of comments. All flow from my reflection on Sep. 11, 2001, and the ten years after, here. I plan to keep this comments page up to date and current as any personal opinions are provided. Check back once in awhile. Directly […]
Early this week my wife heard on public radio that Ed Asner, co-star of the Mary Tyler Moore show, would be doing a one-man show the evening of September 9. She was interested in going and for me that was a non-controversial recommendation. I went down to get tickets in person, and by that time, […]
UPDATE September 12, 2011: There have been a large number of comments on this post. They are in a separate post for September 11, 2011, here. Additional comments will be added to this post, as received. September 9, 2011 Dear Family and Friends: One of the indelible memories of my life came on my 60th […]
UPDATE Sep 10, 2011: There have been some interesting comments particularly relating to my comments about the Sykeston ND postoffice. They are included at the end of this post. At the time I knew Sykeston, its population was perhaps 225-250 fine people. UPDATE Sep 12, 2011: Subsequent to this post, I was made aware of […]