Sunday Night Rambles

I am back from my weekend trip to see my mom. It was a nice visit and I also got to see my sister and her husband who moved to Charlottesville a few months ago. I did intend to make the sacrifice and attend Catholic Church with my mother - we met my sister at the Catholic church in the downtown area instead of going to the University parish. When we got there, set up in the lobby was a big display, etc. for the Knights of Columbus - the supposedly pro-family and protector of widows and children fraternal organization that I once belonged to. Well, I was disgusted and ended up walking out and strolling on the Downtown Mall while my mom and sister stayed for mass.

An over reaction? Perhaps, but I think not. When the huge Catholic Church sex abuse scandal first exploded in Boston, the facts showed that one of the auxiliary bishops who Cardinal Law and his predecessors sent out to brow beat families and victims into remaining silent was Bishop Thomas V. Daily, by then Bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn and Supreme Chaplin of the worldwide Knights of Columbus. As more details of Daily's ghastly involvement came out, what did the Knights of Columbus do?? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Worse yet, the Knights continued to faun over Daily, kiss his as, and allow him to write disingenuous columns in the Order's magazine for members (which they continued to send me even after I quit the Knights and the Catholic Church). It was enough to make you vomit. Some protectors of families and children. The Knights are an utter fraud. In any event, I could not sit through anything that was going to pander to the K of C.

For those who want to know, yes, I did meet my youngest daughter briefly on the way back. She was working on some big project so dinner was quick. It was nice talking and she wants to be involved with Thanksgiving dinner with my family (probably at my sister's house in Virginia Beach). Whether either of my other two will attend will have to be seen. My nephew from Florida (the son of my sister who died in 2001) will be in town, although his sister will be in London where she is doing an internship. I look forward to seeing him - they lost both parents in less than 2 years and have been through a lot. He will be in London for Christmas and word has it his sister is taking him to Sweden for his Christmas present.

My sister's death was part of what made me snap and finally come out. Readers of my earlier posts know that she and I were the most alike of the five of us kids and always played by the rules and in many ways lived our lives to please others. Sadly, she had gotten through a nasty divorce and was really beginning to come into her own when she was diagnosed with lung cancer (even though she never smoked). She lived through 20 months of Hell before she died, a true heroine. Seeing her ordeal and how she was never true to herself - at least in my view - for so many years made me have to focus on what I was doing in my own life. It pleases me so much to see her children doing well and living their lives fully.

On a totally different note, as posted under the prior Male Beauty post, I am going to be doing my first interview on this blog. Adam Bouska, whose photos I am highlighting will be doing an interview. Let me know what things I should ask him.