Monthly Archives: December 2025

A New Archbishop: Cooperation and Making Sense

We got a new pope this year, Leo XIV. Now we’ve got a new archbishop for the Archdiocese of New York. Already I’m seeing the all-too-predictable headlines. I also noticed this excerpt from a transcript of a five-minute interview, complete … Continue reading

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Free Vacation for Two Tiny Owls

There’s a serious side to this, too, since cruise ships are optimized for humans, not owls. “These Owls Took a Free Vacation on a Cruise Ship—but Soon They’ll Be Heading Home” Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine (December 17, 2025)“A pair of … Continue reading

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Comfort For a Recovering English Teacher

My memory, like my father’s, is occasionally creative. I remembered a someone writing that England’s public schools were dedicated to the idea “…that Tennyson would never happen again….” Then, recently, I started re-reading a Wodehouse book. “…It was almost as … Continue reading

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Charged: a Priest in My Diocese

No matter how it turns out, this is not good news. And it’s uncomfortably close to home. “Minnesota priest accused of sexual abuse, threatening woman” Bring Me The News (December 8, 2025) “A Minnesota priest is accused of sexually abusing, … Continue reading

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Freckles is a Girl: Remembering a Dog Next Door

The house next door north from 818 went through several owners, residents at any rate, while my folks and I were living there. I don’t remember anything about the folks or person who owned Freckles, but I remember the mid-sized … Continue reading

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