When I was in Morrice High School, our house was across the street one way and across another street from the Catholic Church.
Ma Daddy wasn’t keen toward the Catholic faith, and we kept to our side of the street.
And now, 80 years later, I’m being overwhelmed with the Catholic leader, Pope Francis, getting all the print media, radio and television coverage. I know what Ma Daddy would of thought of that. He wouldn’t have listened or watched.
On the other hand, his third son (me) can’t get enough of it. Pope Francis has wowed our country with his manner, his words, his sincerity, his leadership and thoughts of human beings.
I’ve listened to much of what he’s said and watched plenty.
Somewhere along the line I heard an ABC or CBS, NBC or Fox News commentator make several remarks about the Pope’s leadership.
Now, I’ll give you that his leadership is to a defined religious order, but dog-gone it, isn’t there some one out there in the United States who can provide the leadership we need, that can be accepted under our political rules Or, are we going to have to admit that a person of integrity, honesty, openness, sincerity doesn’t exist among us?
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It’s obvious with news coverage from our daily newspapers and other media, help is needed in a lot of places.
Some of our water is being contaminated.
Lawmakers can’t agree. Courts can’t agree.
Cyber spying appears to be growing.
Too many cars are failing tests.
Illegal drugs are growing in number.
There are more questions than answers to improving student education.
Our borders aren’t closed.
You really don’t want me to go on. Nor do I.
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Started re-reading my father’s diary from World War I. It’s is an easy read. Dad’s penmanship, I’m sure, helped him get through the University of Chicago and helped him get ahead at Swift and Co. before he had to go win World War I in 1918.
(He also tutored me through winning WWII.)
Anyway, he was dating Clara Black, who became my mother, and they wrote a lot of letters back and forth, and he wrote about all of them in his daily diary which I have. He always mentioned the cold and rain, his poker losings, maneuvers, and his taking treatment for lice; twice.
The only thing Dad apparently found good in France were the Yellow Cross ‘shows? and Mrs. Castle in her show series, ‘Patricia.?
I’ll find out about the Yellow Cross shows and get back to you when I find a googler.
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‘Googler? Don Rush reminded me the Yellow Cross shows in WW I, were probably the German’s use of the chemical weapon commonly referred to as ‘Mustard Gas.? It was yellow in color. And, to end this column sort of where we started, with Catholics.
‘In the Middle Ages, the Cathar yellow cross was a distinguishing mark (essentially a badge of shame) worn by repentant Cathars, who were ordered to wear it by the Roman Catholic Church.?