We finally have a new computer at our parish and Father B has it all set up and now I can scroll easily through the parts as needed on the large screen. For the messages we are with Father B like a TV crew, I know when he will be getting into the weekly notices and start scrolling through as he reads them. At the start of all this I wondered what the point of having certain parts of the mass up an a large screen was but went along with it as in any small way of helping the parish I wanted to do. Well apparently Father B and even my wife when she does the Sunday readings have noticed how much the people do watch the screen and participate more in the mass.

The rotations for other parish help is now on a monthly basis other than the Sunday readings which remain weekly. This month yours truly is up for collections as well. I don’t mind I actually wish I could do more at the parish as to me it is important to help. Now don’t get me wrong unlike many people I don’t help out so I can beat my chest to say look at me I am a great person because I help out at church. No in fact I am rather humble about it and appreciate the thanks from the few parishioners who do say thanks and from Father B. Also knowing in small way that I am serving God is reward in itself.

No the reason i would like to get more involved is that there is a need for this parish to do more but I guess politics and egos keep this from happening. I also would like to learn more about my faith and our lord and develop a deeper and richer relationship and understanding of this.  Again i am not even sure if Father B has anything like this going currently. But the lack of a drivers licence makes me attending next to impossible. Yes I still can’t drive well legally at least. That part of my life has become an abyss as doctors just cover their butts and basically pass me on from one to the other to avoid any possible liability issues. Love the fact of the American mentality of lawsuits entering our daily lives now. I do have an appointment next week with my doctor and I will see where that leads me to.

Now on to the big news south of our Canadian borders and no it is not about the Phillies winning the world series. It is about the new prez Obama. Certainly an interesting turn in American history in more ways than one. I was truthfully not really following the whole election talk and coverage as truthfully I really did not care about it. To me politics in the United States and now slowly emerging into Canada has become not politics where the art of real policy development and debating that policy and selling it to the masses and being able to sway voters with intelligence has become nothing more than overpriced and over hyped smear campaigns against one and other. Policy is what is developed on the bus or plane between cities to suit that area to win votes. Slip in the polls and a smear campaign starts against the opponent. No back bone, no real people, raise money for TV spots and basically call the other candidate every name in the book. The whole principal of spending what $100 million for a job that pays what $250,00 a year just beckons that a president act only in the interest of the people who donated the money to him.  Certainly though this is a historic day in  US history it maybe marked forever as the day the final decline started of a once great empire.

I saw many catholic bloggers who were against Obama becoming the prez. yes he stand an abortion is to say the least appalling.  A lot of his policies really make one stop and think. But the bottom line is this I saw many bishops speak their mind and priests as well about the pro abortion position from Obama but many of the catholic bloggers did not stand up along side those church leaders so a true catholic voice could be heard. Really wonder about how true their catholic values are and are they not guilty for not doing anything? Yes the doom and gloom and end of the world and free world as we know it stories were all just for the blog sphere. None were noticeable outside the realm of anonymity. No I did not see a huge crowd beside your bishops as they spoke out or beside the priests who spoke out but there certainly there was a lot of words written which are now meaning less and hollow.

I did also see a lot of fear about how Obama will make the US a socialist country in fact some compared him to a fascist dictator. Again my comments have to be limited as  I really was not interested in the campaign and did not pay attention to it as smear tactics are just well crap. I again saw many catholic bloggers go off as to how the US will lose free speech and be a socialist country just ask any Canadian. Now that comment really irked me to no end. We have yes many social nets in place in Canada including health care. I certainly am appreciative of the health care fact as it will be 2 years ago that I almost lost my life, but the knowledge that my wife and even I did not have to worry if my insurance policy was going to be accepted at the hospital and how we were going to pay for all this really is something at that time you do not need. I received the very best medical care available and it did not matter how much money I made or did not make. I was a person who needed to be treated, yes there are those who are chronic complainers and whiners up here in Canada about this and that not being right but they are just similar to an orifice on your body you use to expel certain matter. We have many here who would rather pay to go over to the United Sates for medical treatment and say how good the system is there? This of course all is for a different blog to discuss. But again we are not perfect but hey we admit it and always work on trying to be better. To the Americans who think Canada is a fascist socialist state again a world does exist outside of the US borders and maybe you should travel the world a bit and learn about it. Maybe you will be quite shocked to find out what regards the US is really held around the world. Many here in Canada have also started to wonder how our big brother neighbor can try to dictate to us how to live with all the ills that it suffers, drugs crime, health care, education, illegal immigrants numbering almost half the population of Canada.Yet big brother is there always preaching and at times forcing their will on other people to live like we do in freedom. Yes you try to dictate to the rest of the world what is right and what is freedom. Freedom is a wide ranging word and a wide ranging concept and as many people have started to realize they wonder where the freedom is in the US with all its domestic ills and the lack of people standing up for the issues and fighting for those who can’t fight for themselves.

Yes I will tell you it is easy to hide behind a faceless blog much like I do and we all do. But at times people have to stand out. Obama this and that he is not pro life etc. that was the cry but not one of you stood out and voiced an opinion in the non blog world! Nor did you stand behind your church leaders publicly and get your fellow parishioners involved and make your voice heard. Yes easy to point fingers and easy to keep ones head in the sand. All I can say is shame on you for not standing up. You did nothing except hide behind the blogs and took shots at other people around the world and portray them as living in fascist states. Shame on you!

I also have had a lot of struggles of my own as work really seems to be getting me nowhere and it has been extremely tiring and motivation is basically gone at times to work hard and produce. Some days you feel like your efforts are not appreciated or rewarded. This has been wearing me down for months. I have glanced more and more for other jobs but at times you also have to face reality and as you zoom towards 50 years of age you also realize that the options are becoming more limited. The other thing I notice is many companies are not looking for hardworking people who can perform many tasks but need “specialists” on short term basis. Oh well hopefully things will go right. I will see but really some mornings it is very hard to get up and go to work.

My health although well has up until now cost me my drivers permit. I still do not have it back and my regular doctor is doing what they can to help me get it back. Very frustrating. If I was a drunk driver who would have killed someone I would still have my permit while awaiting my court date. But in my case pulled based on a anonymous doctors report. Really makes you wonder as it is another case of where criminals have more rights than a non criminal.

At least going to church has been my one release from the regular run of the mill rpoblems that weigh us down. Although as the operator of the visual aid during mass we have been cursed as the computer or the mouse or something has always gone wrong. Father B tries to get it going but at times to no avail. The computer he has is also very old and I can look for a better one Father B has said that a parishioner has promised for months to upgrade the computer and Father B said he will hold the person to his promise. If unlucky I will talk with the IT guys at work for an off lease computer and give it to Father B.

Some days also with things not quite the way you want them to be I have even questioned our lord. I pray and pray hoping for better but I guess there is some reason behind his decision to send me down this path.  I guess I will have to keep talking and praying to our lord to help me onto a proper path.

So that in a nutshell has been my past month. Oh another picture from my holidays in Hungary for you to enjoy. Take care!

St. Stephen was the first king of Hungary and united the various tribes and brought religion to the Magyars. He was King from 1001-1038. His right hand has been preserved and is a national symbol and highly revered. In fact I had the chance to see the hand in the basilica that bears his name St. Stephens in Budapest.

Legend also has it that on his death bed he left the kingdom of Hungary to our Holy Mother Mary so that Hungary will always be in her hands. I was able to see (although it was raining) the site of his coronation and his burial site. Hopefully next time I will spend more time there and learn more about the history of the man and how he shaped a nation. Certainly I lament not knowing more about my Hungarian history.

As for our parish yesterday was the 59th year it has been in operation. 59 years ago a group of Hungarians in the Hamilton region decided they needed and could support a parish and built St. Stephens. Yesterday it was a packed house for mass and even more showing up for the anniversary luncheon. Makes you wonder why not all attended the mass as well. In truth the future of the parish is shaky at best as me being 49 and heading toward 50 years of age well I am one of the younger ones in the parish. yes it seems that the younger people do not come anymore and carry on no sense of tradition of there Hungarian background. I was no different though and now I really regret not being more involved at an earlier age. Hopefully more people will realize and change course before it is too late.

Okay so brief history lesson of St. Stephen and our parish. I do have some pictures of St. Stephen’s in Budapest and will post a couple later on. Until then take care!

Yes I went to Hungary with my family and was there for 2 weeks which went by way too fast. I will slowly bring everyone up to speed with the trip and what we saw and how really impressive it all was. History that I saw and for once was able to appreciate really knocks you on your keester. I stood in a church that had construction started in 1039AD. I went to Sunday Mass in a church that was close to 300 years old and I was able to see just how important religion has been to this country through their history and how the church helped keep a nation together through the dark days of communism and other dark points of their history.

I was able to take in the magnificent architecture of these churches along with other buildings. It really and truly was amazing.

Coming back and finally getting back to our own little Hungarian parish church here was a treat. Father B literally flying up to us to welcome us back and of course to get me back into the directors chair and run the visual program he set up to accompany mass. He said no one would volunteer to do but they all complained that it was not being done.So yes it was good to be back also and I did miss my little parish and missed it quite a bit.

So that my friends is it in a nutshell. I have added a picture for you to see from one of the churches we went to in Hungary, kind of an appetizer for all of you.  Yes I also have changed the theme of the site a bit also. I will hopefully start to blog much more than in the recent months but from what I see quite a few bloggers take the summer off. Take care until next time.

I also needed a bit of a break and have been wrestling with some personal demons. That match is still ongoing.

Yes I will try to catch up in the next few weeks.

Who changed the blog site? Now I have to learn this blog site over again. Too old for this stuff but will try.

Take care!

 This past Monday while travelling out of town my wife calls. Now usually she would call later than the current time of 6:30pm. Then the niceties started like how are you how is the trip etc. Usually this a red flag for most married men! Your mind starts to wander what has happened or what has your wife bought and why is she starting of a conversation by trying to ease the forth coming pin you can sense?

 Well I asked her to get to the point as I had a lot to do and I was driving as fast-as I could to get to the hotel. Well she-says that due to the doctors not sending in the required paperwork on time my driver’s license has been suspended. Well I almost drove off the road. I said okay I will try to deal with it.

 Now most of this will go into a different blog but this has knocked me uonto my large rear end! But is this a blessing in disguise? Is the old adage of the lord working in mysterious ways applicable? I don’t know yet. The point though is this, I am on the verge of exhaustion. I have since mid February close to140 hours of overtime. My wrkload grows. I ask for help and get none. In fact I get more downloaded onto me. Now without a drivers permit my ability to go on service calls will be eliminated. This will either hasten my boss to get a replacement for me in service and either taking me off the road permanently and allowing me to pursue the purchasing title he gave me and developing that aspect of the company or he can fire my butt for being unable to perform my duties in the service department. Should be interesting times. I can get to work luckily as we do have some form of transit here in our small city and the bus takes about 15 minutes with a 10 minute walk.This is neat right now as it is summer and the weather will be enjoyable and the walk will do me good anyways and my carbon gas contribution drops. I did kid about my methane contribution possibly growing though!

 Well no matter I have just started to try to get my license back but this could take a few months minimum to maybe never based on my health as the department of transport sees it. I will as mentioned earlier go into that because it is a catch 22 if one ever existed. Take care!

 Now to something a little more serious. Being catholic these days although wonderful is not a great thing to be in the eyes of the secular world. Many people are very anti catholic, anti Christian etc. Seems any form of worship has become an easy target. Conversely it has also become a great photo opportunity at times also for world leaders. George W has been around the pope so much lately you think he was a cardinal! Maybe he needs a lot of forgiveness for all his sins and they have undertaken a long term project. Maybe he is ready to convert like Tony Blair did. I don’t know but I think you get the picture. I hear it at work I see it all around me. I even see it at my kids Catholic School. That whole system of education well the only Catholic thing about it is in the name. Inside might as well be the secular public school system because definitely catholic values are not the basis of the education system there. This is an entire blog for another day.

 The other week when I visited with Father B he made a comment and said Catholics are persecuted in North America. He went on to say the whole church is under fire around the world but in North America it is very anti Catholic and he said the media really conveys this. He also said that the church and Bishops here are at fault for much of the bad press. He did wonder how long the church can survive these constant media induced attacks and went on to say that the saving grace for the church was JPII and now Benedict as they have been able to counter in the media with their own image and pass the word.

 Really opened my eyes and caused a lot of thinking to occur in my brain. ( I thought that smoke was the burger on the BBQ) and really you read the news and the church world wide is under attack. Generally as I return back into my faith and learn about my faith I have really dropped a lot of the news and views of the secular world.I generally look for news from a Catholic agency. Even when Pope Benedict came to the US I watched it on EWTN. I did not want the CNN slant of the truth. I watched there a few times and almost puked as the so called experts interpreted to me the teachings of the church. Yep get lost was all I could say. Thank god for Raymond Arroyo!!!!

 So that is my little rant for now but here is an article from Spain to reinforce what I have been saying and this whole story makes me wonder what were the authorities waiting for the end result that occurred?

A group of vandals destroyed a statue of St. Anthony of Padua at the parish of San Miguel in Valladolid, which the pastor Father Javier Gomez called “an total attack against religious freedom.”

The latest attack was another in a series of acts of vandalism that began on Corpus Christi. For several days afterwards the glass panel that protects the statue of St. Anthony has been covered in satanic graffiti and inverted crosses, the priest said.

Attacks on the parish subsided in recent days, but they returned this week with the destruction of the statue.  The delinquents “threw rocks at the glass protecting the statue,” which is “beloved and venerated by parishioners,” and they threw the statue on the ground and reduced it to rubble.

Father Gomez said he has requested greater security from local officials to “protect the constitutional rights and the religious freedom that was violated that night.” 

Police have yet to detain any suspects in the case.

Yes not am only in charge the visual productions but now I also help in collecting. At my former parish it was simple they handed out a basket and it was passed around. At this parish we have the-long handle and go from row to row awaiting donations. Last Sunday was the debut of me the rookie from left field.

 I again was nervous, what if this what if that what if I do a face plant and trip etc.etc. Then when I started I started to feel like Tony Soprano, stretching in the basket it was like where is the money? Put it in the church needs it!! Make sure you get that money in there or there will be trouble!!! Actually first time out things went well.

 I really do wonder about the parishioners at this church. As usual father B and I met before mass to go over the visual slides and this is when I first noticed that the one lens on his glasses are broken. I never noticed this as he always holds his glasses in his hands and although for reading he kind of held them with his hand for a quick read or his head is bowed down and you can’t notice the cracked glass.

 What really gets me is this how come no one has stepped forward to help Father B with a new pair? Okay maybe someone has and Father might have refused but I doubt that scenario and still think no one has come forward. That is sad. There are Doctors in the parish family who could call in a favour and get Father a new pair of glasses. I have an eye doctor appointment tomorrow and will see what my eye doctor can do for him. It just makes me scream but I don’t want to get into the politics of a parish. I just want to go help as asked and be at mass and try to absorb and learn and be better at my faith. There is no power trip or ulterior motive in my going to mass. I don’t need to advertise what i am in the church to get off. It kind of reminds me of when I coached soccer in out local club and had travel teams for about 7 years. Many coaches were there for themselves and not for the kids. It was look at how many trophies I have won. Look I got rid of the local boys and got ringers from other places to win. Me I kept the local kids and let them play taught them the best I could. Sure there was the occasional tournament win but it was about there development. Some of these idiot coaches asked me what did I ever win, I said not much but many of my players have gone on to scholarships some have had pro offers and one I heard yesterday is going overseas for a year to play on a National junior team in Europe. Yep no trophies but only the ultimate success development of the player.

 I am the same at church no matter how much I help it is not about me but about the Lord and Jesus. It is just a small way to show them that I am trying and that I do want to go down the right path and become a better person and a better Catholic. That is all. like father said some of these people who do things at the church are at the point where they want to lay out and basically run the whole mass. Father won’t back away and causes friction as he said the mass is his to organize and run. Always something. Take care!!!

For me it was showtime in front of the rest of the congregation who usually attend the 11:00am mass as opposed to those of us who attend at 9:30am. We also had a special visitor. So lets get there first. We arrived about 10-15 minutes before mass and Father B was already hunting for me. Soon as we stepped in he basically grabbed me and ran me up front to our pew where I do the control of the presentation on the large screen. He had a “cheat sheet” printed up and I quickly looked over and then the zinger there was also a special page for our special guest. A Hungarian prince was to attend at mass in our small church. Yes a real prince from teh alst Hungarian Royal family.

 Okay that was cool but I started looking at the order of mass etc and thought boy this was long. I think Father B sensed this and told me don’t worry I will cue you if you get stuck. So off we went. Introduction everything right through to the end went brilliant!

 The mass was very beautiful and the procession Father B set up with the young altar servers dressed in white throwing down flower petals as we went from altar to altar outside and the church bell ringing all the time. I asked my wife and she said she did not remember this kind of mass when she used to go to church in Hungary. When we went back inside and finished up the mass. That was it no hitch and Father B was beaming from ear to ear. His mass was great and as he said he could see more people paying attention and following along on the screen. Father B said this was an old tradition that most of us had gotten away from and he was implementing it back into circulation. He said he will bring back a lot of the old customs for mass and how certain masses are celebrated.

 We were also told that during July and August that mass on Sunday will be cut back to once on Sunday at 10:00am. Now with this I told my wife that I bet any money this will be permanent as he wants only one mass if possible so the pews are more full and we get a more feeling of togetherness as a congregation. I think he will sneak this in and good for him if he does. As I may have mentioned before I really really like him and he is not just a wonderful priest but also a wonderful person.

This Sunday I start double duty. I will be helping with collection as well. Yes going around with the basket. My wife is doing the reading and will be the relief mouse person while I do collection. I really don’t mind it at all and I think Father B trusts us and can see we are not in any circle but here for the mass and the message and to pray and he told me the other week that it was to be that I end up there. I still have to let him know my whole journey back but for now time to get ready for Sunday showtime!!!

 So I had spoken with Father B that I will come Saturday and we can iron things out so I can get familiar with what is needed. Well I went to Saturday morning mass and after we were to try out the computer which-would have a power point presentation in it and I would basically scroll through with the mass. Well the IBM was not cooperating. We kept getting an error message that there was no pointer device hooked up. We did everything short of breaking the computer in half.

 Father B took me into his office an on his other computer he showed me what was to be done and we did a dry run on his computer. I did have a very nice visit with Father B and we discussed a lot of issues and the time flew by! Truth be told this is the first time that I have ever really spent time with a priest. He was very warm and forth coming and he mentioned many times how happy he was that we decided to join the parish community. He also went through roughly about what a difficult parish it is to run and how the parishioners are difficult to satisfy even if you do what they want.

 So Sunday morning of to mass and guess what the IBM was alive! I asked Father B what did he do and he replied nothing. He left the computer on and the next thing he knew it was up and running. So there I was a bit nervous but I scrolled through the hymns etc. that Father B put on. It seems to have been a big hit with most. In the meantime I also will have to help during collections so my wife will have to double up on the screen control.

 I will talk with the IT guys we use at work because they get a lot of off lease computers and try to get one which is a bit better and more reliable and get one for the church.

 I know it is not much but I really feel much better about myself that I am in though a small part helping out. Hopefully I can build on this and do more. This coming Saturday I will be going in again to help decorate the church for next Sunday’s mass.

 So I figure this is not the wrong place to go to especially with good intentions. Until next time take care!!!