Abbey-Roads2

Pictured: Andrea Martin and Catherine O’Hara on the set of Second City TV. (It could be Colleen and Nancy!)

I don’t have cable or dish TV but I do pick up Channel 19 - a UHF channel, which is mostly EWTN. I like watching EWTN’s ” The World Over Live” with Raymond Arroyo. I don’t watch the “Live” show much since Mother Angelica is out of commission. Fr. Pachwa is okay but I’m not as interested in his guests, he’s kind of boring for me. He had a great show recently on the English martyrs that was associated with an exhibition of relics or something out east. Someday I want to write more extensively on the English martyrs. How silly were they, dying just because they were faithful to Rome? I wonder just how that could relate to the Church today?

I miss Mother Angelica though. So does everyone else. I think that’s why they make sure she is on camera at the times they shoot in the choir. I do wonder why they keep running her old videos from earlier catalog shows however, that seems kind of crass and mercenary, and everyone knows she is selling old product. Of course there is always Raymond who can do a fine impersonation of Mother whenever he quotes her.

Otherwise there isn’t much playing for Catholic TV, that I watch I should say. Locally we have CPO, Catholic Parents on Line, a cable access show. It’s quite good; Nancy Barrett, Colleen Perfect, and Fr. Altier. I doubt Father will be doing any shows soon however. Their Show about the VIRTUS controversy was one of their best. John Trojack was on it as well. It was so good I gave Fr. Joseph Johnson a copy of the DVD. Check out CPO’s website for more information than I can give.

I would occasionally tease Nancy’s daughter Rose about the show, comparing it to the likes of Johnny Carson and telling Rose that her mom, Nancy, was as fun as Joan Rivers when she sat in for Johnny. Then I’d compare her to Catherine O’Hara when she performed her send up of Joey Hetherton on the SCTV skits in the ’80’s. It made Rose laugh (and made me hysterical - I just think I am so funny sometimes, even if others do not.) but she scolded me and said I was being disrespectful. Gosh! I was just trying to have some fun with an otherwise dry, serious TV talk show. I have always said they need better lighting and a better set - it always looks a little ditzy and “over-planted” - something we used to refer to at Dayton’s as “loving hands at home”. But it’s their material and content that matters, and they have it. It’s a darn good show and they are never afraid to tackle important, if not controversial issues. Now these ladies are definitely not “ecclesiastically correct”. They are pretty tough broads. Bravo! They are so not EWTN.

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati laughing it up!

This is going to be sort of a Seinfeld post - kind of about nothing. A post about nothing. (Aren’t they all?)

So how’s this blogging thing going? It’s fun, isn’t it? I have a neighbor - really close by - like right in the next cubicle. So she is really into blogging and has a vegan site - Roman Catholic Vegans - that’s not the name - the name is “Roman Wolves”. Somehow she got into a site operated by “Otherkin”. Otherkin are people who believe they are really another creature in a human body. Some can be cats, or another animal. Some are angels, or fairies. But they are not really human, they are simply in human guise - so they claim.

My neighbor/friend started up this remarkable correspondence with them that has turned into something of a contest of wills and ideologies. She’s challenging their belief system and presenting the Catholic side - that is, the truth. (Now remember this whole thing has been unsolicited by the poor Otherkin.) Well these people are so upset and they keep writing back to my friend and she keeps writing them. (You have to be there I guess.) It’s a real fight. Out of the blue this Roman Catholic curious person emails a group of Otherkin, challenging them to defend their belief system, and all hell breaks loose. It’s “pandemonium”! What does she expect from these people? She stumbles upon them and tells them they are interesting and then, wham! she lunges upon them with all of this Catholic stuff. It just cracked me up. It is very, very funny. It’s like some absurd British comedy, and she is so serious about it and can’t figure out why they are so upset. This is one of the more crazy things that I’ve ever witnessed at work. This place is a blast - I love absurdities!

Next!

All these people are coming into Leaflet Missal asking about Fr. Altier. Where have they been? Under a rock? A priest from out in the boon-docks comes in looking for John in Church Goods. John is in Chicago so the priest has to talk to me instead. Without the slightest lowering of his voice he says “So what the hell is going on at St. Agnes?” I laughed, certain he already knew and simply wanted an editorial. But no! He did not know anything about it and wanted information. I told him the basics without editorializing and sent him on to another person for more info.

Then two women religious come in with their two cents worth of opinion. Now they knew all about “Agnes-gate” and quite a bit more. It just so happens they are not fans of St. Agnes or Fr. Altier. They were pretty happy about it all. Not everyone is sad about what happened, and not everyone is charitable about it, and that’s not funny.

Next!

One of the guys who works here, in a position of authority, and is married to one of the owners, and is best friends with Hastrieter, DID NOT know about the events at St. Agnes! How is that for recollection and keeping custody of the eyes, ears, and everything else? Now that is funny.

Next!

Remember Loyd from Seinfeld? He was working for George’s dad selling computers out of their garage and every time he made a sale he hit a call bell so that Mr. Costanza could write it down. I got a call bell for the Store so that everytime Karen sells a statue she could hit the bell - she loves that episode from Seinfeld. Anyway, A well known retired priest who comes in for candles once a month was here again today. Karen was at the counter but did not notice Father standing there. Father, a little annoyed, finally got Karen’s attention, she told him just to ring the call bell next time. (Maybe you had to be there.) Now that was funny. I actually think Father thought it was too.

Next!

My office neighbor has just informed me that she has been banned from the Otherkin site. She is thinking of getting a free email account and going back in with her arguments. Now I think that is funny too. She’ll be an Otherkin stalker.

Happy Birthday!