Saturday, October 31, 2009

Professor Dominic Pinto

I have good news for all you captains of industry striving to provide the best customer service to your customers. Skip the expensive seminars where you spend oodles of money flying your reps to hear the latest "100 ways to.." from an Ivy League yuppie who never actually worked a day in his life.

I have an alternative, and it's free. Well, almost -- you may have to buy a hot dog, hoagie or cheese steak.

In the great city of Philadelphia, in the middle of 9th Street between Chestnut and Sansom, outside the prestigious Ben Franklin House, is Dominic Pinto and his lunchcart. There maybe many culinary alternatives in this end of town but he always has a line... because people walk a bit to buy breakfast and lunch from Dom.

Of course the food is good but they come back for the customer service. No one leaves unhappy, all "get a deal" (or at least they think they do), and free of charge Dom tells jokes and sings, almost constantly. Favorites, perhaps due to his ethnic background, seem to be Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra but I've heard Danny Boy on a few occasions and Motown and TSOP are also on the request list.

One thing I love about Dom is that he treats everyone the same -- but you better have a sense of humor. Case in point; an extremely well dressed doctor (French cuffs, wingtips, white lab coat), was waiting patiently in line. The type of guy, probably a surgeon, who looked like he's used to getting his dupa kissed -- quite often. As he's about to order Dom interrupts and says "yo buddy... you got any money? I don't want to waste our time here. Let's see it." The doctor, who had probably never had that question asked, or had anyone talk to him in that manner... literally didn't know whether to ____ or go blind. Funny thing is he still gets his lunch there every week ;-)

So if you're looking for lunch and you're in this part of town, feel free to take Professor Pinto's South Philly Customer Service 101 course. You'll leave with a smile on your face... and isn't that the ultimate goal of customer service?

Stock's poundcake -- Best of Philly

On the way back from a funeral in Kensington at Ascension I drove through the Port Richmond/Fishtown part of town and, of course, had to stop by at Stock's. They have the best poundcake in the world -- and I'll fight anyone who disagrees ;-)



Stock's Bakery
2614 East Lehigh Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19125
215-634-7344


"One day last summer, while out on business, I found myself in the area where I thought my former boss scored these heavenly poundcakes. I sent a frantic text message around asking if anyone knew where this delightful place that sold frosted poundcakes was located. One friend -- an officer with the Philadelphia PD -- knew where to send me. It's a small neighborhood place that you might not realize is there unless you're looking for it. These poundcakes they make are THE BEST. The frosting will satisfy any sweet tooth.

The poundcake itself is just ... great. I was thrown off by how heavy it was. I don't think anyone will ever question how fresh anything in that place is because there are so many people coming in and out to get their cakes. I really can't imagine that they have much -- if anything -- leftover at the end of each day. I think I spent $18 on the poundcake. It was worth it. It puts other poundcakes to shame. Thank goodness I don't live in that neighborhood. I would need a poundcake intervention."

BRZ......

I was taking the PATCO to work this morning and the honor boxes were sold out of the Inky and the Daily News... so I bought a Courier-Post. I was reading this letter to the editor, and agreeing with the writer (especially aboutthe beach tags), when I saw his name. Is Brzozowski getting to be like Smith or Jones?






New Jersey -- No. 1 in the nation with the highest taxes, No. 4 in the nation with people leaving a state, high rate of businesses leaving the state, almost 10 percent unemployment, high auto insurance rates, a 7 percent sales tax, rampant corruption of both elected officials and public servants, high crime rate and a governor who had done nothing but raise taxes and cower to unions.

All this mess and former Vice President Al Gore says the people of New Jersey should re-elect Gov. Jon Corzine because of how hard he's worked for them. (Please stop working so hard, slow down, the people of New Jersey just can't endure much more of this happiness). If there is a Nobel Prize for stupidity, Gore should win hands down and add it to his other Nobel Prize and his Academy Award.

By the way, I moved to Rehoboth Beach, Del. I pay approximately $630 per year in property taxes, there is no sales tax, my auto insurance is about half of what I paid in New Jersey, I am five minutes to the beach and I don't have to purchase a beach tag to lay on the sand.

WOODROW BRZOZOWSKI
Rehoboth Beach, Del.

Welcome to Fluffya...






Yes, and all those idiot fans are waiting for you this weekend. Make sure to identify yourselves properly with appropriate Yankees/Giants wear. Remember when we won the Series in 1980 our police force had the opinion that it would take attack dogs and horses to hold back the fans. Nothing has changed. The following from the New York Post -- 44's comments appear in Phillies red.


Frillies are coming to town!
Their fans are second-rate & so is their city

By RICH CALDER, ERIN CALABRESE and JEREMY OLSHAN

Yankees fans have a message for the Phillies and their hometown: This ain't Rocky, and the underdog won't win! "The Yankees are going to make Philly cream cheese out of them," a confident Tommy Bayiokos, 44, predicted yesterday in Midtown. (Original Tommy from Midtown, original!)

"Philly fans are a bunch of whiners and should learn how to dress. They should try reading GQ."
Living up to their second-class billing going into the start of the Fall Classic tomorrow, the Phils arrived in New York yesterday -- by train. (Taking AMTRAC was green and environmentally friendly -- get with the times. BTW -- the Yanks took the train to 30th Street Station yesterday)

The less-than-grand entrance triggered a flood of invective from the Yankee faithful.
"Bleacher Bums get a bad rap," said Tanner McLoud, 42, of Long Island. "But if you've ever been to the old Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, you'd realize just how much worse Phillies fans are. (at least we stay until the game is over, unlike Yankees fans in WS game #1)

GALLERY: 8 REASONS NYC KICKS PHILLY'S BUTT
PHANATIC A PAIN IN THE MASCOT

"You can't go to a game without getting booze thrown at you!" (I thought we didn't care?)

Gotham has been regularly beating the pants off Philly since overtaking the one-horse town as the nation's economic capital in the early 19th century. (We have way more horses now)

Even Benjamin Franklin, Philly's patron saint, has been described as "the father of all the Yankees." (Good Lord you're not trying to credit for Ben too?)

Although Philadelphia doesn't draw the same ire among New Yorkers as Boston or Los Angeles, it's mostly because Gothamites consider the city across the Ben Franklin Bridge pretty pathetic, says Bleacher Creature Michael Stewart.

"I don't have hate for Philly exactly -- they are like our redheaded stepchild," he said.
"It's like a nothing city. It's just insignificant in comparison to New York." (ahh... isn't every city in your opinion?)

Another Yankee fan, Laura Nidelle, 24, insists the Yuengling-slinging rubes in Philly are uncultured and uninteresting -- and go to bed too early. (De gustibus non est disputandum Laura. Have an Ortlieb's)




The Walnut is not only the country's oldest theatre, but has the largest subscription as well. They've already had CATS, and they produce their own shows using Equity actors, and are not a touring house. Again four people contributed to this article, and none bright enough to use the internet and look up Walnut Street Theatre?

"I briefly lived in Philadelphia and I couldn't wait to get out," the Brooklyn writer said. "Their fans are whiners, the food is lousy and there is nothing to do. (We couldn't wait for you to leave as well)

"New York is all about being on top, with no excuses -- just like the Yankees." (Being on top -- like Governor Spitzer?) And don't get us started on the cuisine.

Consider Philadelphia's most famous export -- other than Will Smith: overcooked minced-meat sand wiches doused in Cheez Whiz.

"The big meal there is a steak with cheese and onions on a hero, but they don't even call it a hero. It's a hoagie. What the hell is a hoagie?" said Ron Montclane, 26. (A cheese steak isn't a hoagie, or a sub. Need to fact check. Four people contributed to this mess of an article?)

As far as sports go, sure, the Phillies have won two World Series championships compared with the Yankees' 26 (easy to understand since your payroll is 88 million MORE than ours this year), but far sadder is that no one from Philly cares much. (Must be why there were 3 million at the parade last year)

"Their most famous athlete is Rocky, and he's fictional," sneered Alex Rusu, 23, a building superintendent in Gramercy. (and yous all loved the movies, didn't yous?)

And don't even try to compare the iconic House That Ruth Built with the long-gone Veterans Stadium. (In fairness you would compare Shibe Park with the original Yankee Stadium)

"Their stadium had a jail cell for rowdy fans because they like throwing stuff at people," said Laura Hall, 35, of The Bronx. (Please remember that should you decide to bring that NY attitude down here when you visit)

The Phillies' current home, Citizens Bank Park, is jail-free, but the fans are still thugs, Bombers faithful said. (Thugs... and drunks... so be careful, very careful)

Additional reporting by Amber Sutherland
jeremy.olshan@nypost.com




Friday, October 30, 2009

Hawks @ Kennedy-Kenrick Catholic High School






Saint Joseph's basketball to hold open practice at Kennedy-Kenrick High Philadelphia Daily News

Saint Joseph's basketball team will hold an open practice at Kennedy-Kenrick High School in Norristown tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in a "Salute to Kenrick Basketball."

Admission is free but donations will be accepted for Coaches vs. Cancer. The school, is scheduled to close at the end of the year.

Hawks coach Phil Martelli is a former head coach at Bishop Kenrick, and assistant David Duda is a former Kenrick player.

"We'd like to have one last practice at Kennedy-Kenrick, which is where it began for us," Martelli said. "It remains a very special place for David and I. It's the one thing we always remind our players, that you should never forget where you came from."



Maguire Campus zoning issues continue
Luigi Condina '12

After the last town hall meeting concerning the development of the athletic facilities on Maguire Campus, Saint Joseph's and the Merion Community Coalition are still unwilling to "play ball."

On Oct. 26 at the Lower Merion Zoning Commission hearing, after further discussions about issues concerning the installation of netting along Latches Lane, drainage, and traffic congestion, an additional meeting was scheduled for Nov. 5. The meeting will include the testimony of and acoustics expert hired by Saint Joseph's University to speak on the effects of sound systems.

Joeseph Lunardi, assistant vice-president of Marketing Communications, commented on the deadlocked debates thus far."Their traffic person is going to dispute our traffic person, and when the acoustic experts come in, they're not going agree," he said. "That's the story of expert testimony in any endeavor and it will be up to the hearing officers to try and weigh the logic and validity of respective sides.

"The structure of the hearing followed the pattern of an expert testimony followed by cross-examination from the opposing party. Wadel Ridley, assistant vice-president for government relations, who was also in attendance stated that the information put forth has fallen short of eliciting solutions to the ongoing problems.

"I think it's all the same pretty much, [there is] a lot of evidence being given," he said. "I'm waiting to hear more about the sound systems. Our experts have not had the opportunity, they haven't been available so they haven't given testimony and a big deal was made out of [acoustics] very early.

"Ridley said that the acoustics expert's testimony will offer a different dimension to the debates and enable Saint Joseph's administration to more capably defend its position. "There are a number of issues that have been raised, I think that the one thing that's going to happen is the opportunity for the truth to be truly presented, and I think that a lot of the information that has been given has been one-sided," he said.
Continued...



Dear Thomas,

First, we'd like to extend a huge "thank you" for renewing your season tickets for the 2009-10 season and beyond. We appreciate and laud your passion, your patience, and your loyalty to Saint Joseph's basketball.

The schedule, with game times and television dates, is now final and posted on www.sjuhawks.com.

We open the new era of SJU basketball at Hagan Arena with Drexel on November 13 and will close the regular season with La Salle at the Hagan Arena on March 6. The move of La Salle was necessitated by the 4 p.m. starting time for television and a conflict with Penn's game at The Palestra at 7 p.m.

As you know, we are celebrating the 100th anniversary of Hawk basketball this season and in recognition of the Centennial, we will have special game promotions. Please continue to follow www.sjuhawks.com for all of the information.

Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions you may have. We look forward to another exciting season with you at both Hagan Arena and The Palestra.

"New Era - Same Passion" begins on November 13, 2009 when the Hawks open the new Hagan Arena against the Drexel Dragons. We want to offer you an opportunity to purchase a limited amount of full season ticket packages for as low as $300 (12 Hagan Arena games @ $20 & 3 Palestra Games @ $30). Join us as we create an even deeper passion for our team, our university and our new building.

If you are interested in purchasing tickets, click
http://www.sjuhawks.com/tickets/stjs-tickets.html, complete the ticket order form and mail or fax back to the ticket office at 610-660-2905. Our home schedule has been finalized and can be found on www.sjuhawks.com. For more information about season tickets, please call the SJU Ticket Office at 610-660-1712. Be a part of the inaugural season in Hagan Arena by ordering today!

Go Hawks!

Don DiJulia




Pocket Change Needed for Emergency Fund

EMERGENCY EDUCATIONAL FUND is now in place for our beloved boys at the Dagoretti 4 Kids home in Kenya. After a successful year at D4K, the economy is forcing a lot of the boys to drop out of school. We need your help.

From Tue, a Danish volunteer at D4K:"Things are going a little tough here in D4K, but it is still going. Some of the boys have come back home because of insufficient school fees, and the water and food was scarce at a time because of the bad drought here in Kenya and the money-problems. The teachers are busy trying to make some little money doing small jobs here and there, and James is busy all the time, and I barely see him anymore. Its quite tough being here, but luckily things always seem to work out in the end, and so we get through.

"PLEASE DONATE ANYTHING YOU CAN. 25 cents, $20... anything helps. These kids cannot afford to be out of school; they are already behind due to their backgrounds and former lives on the street. Think about the education you are getting at SJU (or wherever you are or wherever you attended in the past), how lucky we are to be here, now if you find it in your heart to do so, please help us keep these kids in school!

Asante- Thank you.

**Thank you for you generosity, and please give money to Kees or me in person, or send donations to (didn't want to put Molly's address but this is her e-mail, or feel free to e-mail me should you want to contribute - 44)

Molly Porth
mp396801@sju.edu







PHOTO GALLERY: Hagan Arena Dedication

A new era of Saint Joseph's basketball officially began today with the dedication of the Michael J. Hagan '85 Arena. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by more than 1,000 Hawk supporters, with many former players and coaches taking part, including Hall of Fame coach Dr. Jack Ramsay '49

Click here to read the full story

Halloween, All Saints - St. Francis, St. Therese, St. Isaac Jogues...

Video - What does All Saints Day have to do with Halloween?



Father James Martin, SJ, author of My Life with the Saints, talks about the connection between Halloween (October 31) and All Saints Day (November 1).

http://www.bustedhalo.com/features/the-saints-on-halloween/

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Thinking about … SAINT JOSEPH'S

"In my view, St. Joe’s is at least two or three years away
from competing for a league title again." - WH





The following preview from WH.. who is usually right on target.


Thinking about … SAINT JOSEPH'S

I’ve long thought of Phil Martelli as the best coach in the A-10. He hasn’t had a losing record in regular conference play or in an entire season in nine years and he has constantly done more with less compared to other top teams in the league. Sure, Martelli has had some great teams and some great players, but the Hawks roster usually has had many gaping holes. Martelli often has one or two and sometimes three players on scholarship who really don’t belong in the A-10.

It begs the question. Has Martelli done a subpar job recruiting because he’s a below-average recruiter, or has he been hamstrung by the school’s poor facilities?

Soon we are going to find out. With the big renovation to Hawk Hill complete, St. Joe’s and Martelli will be able to compete better with larger schools for good players. I don’t expect the Hawks to beat out Villanova or Rutgers or even Temple regularly, but it’s not unreasonable to expect a higher caliber of player and a deeper roster.

Lack of depth has been a recurring theme with Martelli’s teams, especially since the departure of guards Jameer Nelson and Delonte West on the great Elite 8 team six years ago. Martelli did put together two decent classes to take advantage of the school’s deep run, but several key recruits later transferred and others did not pan out. Recruiting then went into a funk.

As a result, last year’s team had four players who averaged more than 34 minutes a game, and a fifth, Idris Hilliard, would have joined them if he wasn’t in foul trouble so much. This is, to put it mildly, a ridiculous state of affairs. Guys who play that much cannot defend at a high level every game and the players showed the wear and tear by season’s end. From February on St. Joe’s went 5-8, and that was right after a 7-game winning streak that generated talk of an at-large bid.

Martelli has no choice but to develop new players this season with so many young guys on the roster. The good news is, he seems to have rounded up his best class of freshmen in a long time and added a solid transfer. Even better, the class he is compiling for next season could be the best of his Hawks career, at least based on recruiting ratings.

Is Martelli’s seeming improvement in recruiting due to the renovation of the arena? It would appear so. At the same time, though, the coach must feel the pressure to do a better job – not least because other A-10 teams are preparing to pass the Hawks by. As good as the Hawks class for next year appears, Xavier and Dayton might have outdone St. Joe’s. And almost every other school has picked up it’s recruiting, even former doormats such as LaSalle, Duquesne and Bonaventure. It’s no time to rest on one’s laurels.

Because of shoddy recruiting, Martelli faces the biggest threat of a losing record in a decade. Gone is Ahmad Nivins, the A-10’s POY, and swingman Tasheed Carr. The two of them scored almost half of the team’s points and grabbed more than 40% of the rebounds.

The cupboard is not empty, mind you. Senior guard Garrett Williamson is one of the league’s best defenders and has played point guard the past two years. He’s not a big scorer, but he helps the team in a variety of ways and can play three positions.

Shooting guard Darrin Govens, who hit 35% of his treys and averaged 12.5 points, will also start. Govens doesn’t usually create his own shot and he’s not a stalwart defender, but he can carry the Hawks for stretches when he gets hot.

The best of the returnees is 6-7 small forward Idris Hilliard, who has the talent to be an All-Conference player with a little more polish. Hilliard scores entirely from 18 feet in. He’s got a nice midrange jumper and a great nose for the ball in the paint. He shot 53% from the floor, grabbed almost 6 boards a game and averaged just under 10 points. He’s not a classic post up player; he simply knows how to score. His biggest problem was staying on the court. Guarding bigger players inside often put him in foul trouble.

Martelli hopes that 6-11, 250-pound Todd O’Brien, a Bucknell transfer, will ease the defensive load on Hilliard inside. O’Brien showed A-10 caliber talent at Bucknell but probably won’t be a stud. He’s big, fundamentally sound and not without decent interior skills.

(For the entire preview click the title.)

"This life I have received will not be lost even if I die."




Any casual reader of this blog will know of my affinity for the Jesuits of the Jamshedpur Province in India. Part of the Jamshedpur province (and soon to be its own vice-province) is Orissa -- the site of Christian persecutions last year.

My friend, Fr. S. Tony Raj, SJ, was in Kandhamal, Orissa last year, and posed as a doctor so he could stay and protect his people. He is the producer and narrator of this three part film. While many people would wisely run from the site of persecutions -- already 70 Jamshedpur Jesuits have volunteered to start the Orissa Province. They will not abandon their people.

Watching Christians being forced out of their homes should bother you, as should our churches being burned down, as should people being forced to "re-convert" to Hinduism. Quotations are used because before the Jesuits and other orders converted the tribals and lower castes they serve -- the people weren't Hindus to begin with.

The videos are difficult to watch but I'd urge you to get through them. Dare I say that the people in Orissa are better Christians than I am. They truly live the Gospel as evidenced by the following quote from someone who lost everything to the anti-Christian mob violence:


"Just as Jesus forgave his perpetrators, so we have also forgiven ours. When I see them I don't feel like taking revenge".

If you're a teacher please consider sharing these videos with your students. This story needs to be told, and should not be forgotten. I would hope that the students might be moved so much that they would try to help these fellow Christians in a land so far away. At the very least it will give them an appreciation for what they have, and take for granted, in this country.

For some background click THE WORLD ACCORDING TO 44 ;-): JamJeb heroes for $200 Alex.... Please keep them in your prayers. Many of us think we have problems -- many are just imagined. Not having food, clothing, shelter, and religious liberty are real problems, as is the constant threat of violence because you chose to follow Christ. Imagine if this happened to your family. You would want someone to help.


AMDG,


44









...the future of the society in India "is bright."





On a visit to India, US Jesuit Conference, Fr Thomas H. Smolich, SJ, has said his men and their counterparts in South Asia could widen their collaboration for the socio-educational development of millions.

Fr Smolich ended his 10-day visit to India on Oct. 27, UCA News reports.
He told UCA News he was "energized" to see the Indian Jesuits' works in the fields of education and social development. "Many of the educational institutions managed by the Jesuits in India are top-notch," he said after visiting Jesuit works in Delhi, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.

The Jesuit institutions and the infrastructure facilities available in India are designed to change society, he said and added possibility of collaboration between Jesuit Conference of South Asia and its US counterpart.

Fr Smolich said given the dwindling number of Jesuits in the US, younger Jesuits from Indian may also be invited to extend cooperation to US Jesuits in the future. Two Jesuit provinces in India are already collaborating with two American provinces, and Fr Smolich said he wished to strengthen the collaboration further.

Earlier on Oct. 18, Fr Smolich interacted with the Jesuits of Indian Social Institute in New Delhi to learn how social research is undertaken in the institute.

During the India visit, the American Jesuit met several people involved with Jesuit formation, and found a lot of confidence in them. He said the future of the society in India "is bright."

Fr Smolich, 54, of California Jesuit province, has been the provincial superior of California 1999-2005, and became the president of US Jesuits in 2006.

As the visit of Fr Smolich to India coincided with the bi-annual meeting of the Jesuit Conference of South Asia (JCSA), its president Fr Edward Mudavassery invited him to share how the JCUS, comprising 10 Jesuit provinces, are coping with changing situations.

The meeting was at Dhyan Ashram in Konchowki, some 15 kilometers south of Kolkata. In an interactive session with the Jesuit provincials of South Asia, Father Smolich shared how the JCUS was preparing to face changing global and national scenario to make their ministry more relevant.

an embarrassment of riches



Great win by the Phillies last night, considering that they didn't just have to play the Yankees, but the stadium (which is new and has no ghosts), the media (did it seem like it was THEIR world series and we were simply guest starring?), former Yankees (was DiMaggio going to pinch hit?), all those celebrities (who were the first to leave when the rain came) , and of course the announcers -- my favorite being Joe Buck, who kept to his script calling the New York pitching "an embarrassment of riches" -- even though it they were losing 6 - 0 ;-)

Hideki Matsui needs to read a rulebook... when in doubt get back on base.

Think I'll watch it tonight with the sound off and 1210 AM on.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

PHILLY vs NYC

I got your cheese steak, right here.



Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth and their students from Holy Family University
are ready and waiting for the Phillies' repeat appearance in the World Series

Fighting over Mother...


"By blood, I am Albanian.
By citizenship, an Indian.
By faith, I am a Catholic nun.
As to my calling, I belong to the world."






INDIA HAS summarily rejected a demand by the Albanian government for the return of the remains of Nobel laureate Mother Teresa, buried in the eastern city of Calcutta, now known as Kolkata.

“Mother Teresa was an Indian citizen and she is resting in her own country, her own land,” a foreign ministry spokesman said in New Delhi.

“The question [of her remains being taken back to Albania] does not arise at all,” Vishnu Prakash said of Mother Teresa, who was born in Skopje in 1910 in what is now Macedonia.

She left home in her teens for Ireland, after which she landed in India in 1929 to teach at a girls’ convent in the hill city of Darjeeling, famous for its exotic teas, before moving to Calcutta and founding her charity.

Better known in India and abroad as the Saint of the Gutters for her work among the wretched and dying in Calcutta, Mother Teresa was granted Indian citizenship in 1951, 22 years after she arrived in the country and began her charity work.

In 1950 she founded the Missionaries of Charity order, where she and a handful of nuns scoured the streets of Calcutta for destitutes and lepers and ferried them to the hospice, supporting them through their last days and providing them dignity in death.



She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.

Following her death in September 1997, she was buried in the courtyard at the Missionaries of Charity headquarters. It is a nondescript building in a poor Calcutta quarter just beneath the small room she occupied for decades, for the most part without even a fan in the port city’s perennially hot and sultry climate.
Albanian prime minister Sali Berisha had recently approached the Indian government to transport Mother Teresa’s remains back home, claiming she would be “more calm than anywhere else if she could rest next to her mother” and sister, who are buried in Tirana.

He said the issue would remain open despite India’s opposition.

“The governments of two states should talk about this in the near future,” Mr Berisha added, as Albania wants to reclaim Mother Teresa’s remains before the 100th anniversary of her birth in August 2010.



Missionaries of Charity spokeswoman Sr Christie said the order had not been informed of any official attempt by the Albanian government to have Mother Teresa’s remains moved.

Each year on the anniversary of her death, hundreds of people, many from the city’s poorest communities, gather at dawn beside her simple tomb and later conduct a candlelit procession.

Mother Teresa was beatified in 2003 by pope John Paul II who was so admiring of her religiosity that he waived the standard waiting period for her beatification in order to hasten her canonisation.

The Catholic Church of India, meanwhile, has welcomed the foreign ministry’s response that Mother Teresa was an Indian citizen. “We would want her remains to be in India,” Catholics Bishops Conference of India spokesman Fr Babu Joseph said.

20th Anniversary of the Martyrs of El Salvador

“It sounded an alarm to me as an educator, as a university
person, as a Jesuit and as a human being. What happened was
so atrocious and such a public attack on all of these things, we
wanted to do something.” —J. Donald Monan, SJ

Two Decades Later, the Memory Remains - The Boston College Chronicle
The murders that took place at the University of Central America 20 years ago next month were a call to action for many, including BC’s Fr. Monan

By Reid Oslin Chronicle Staff

Twenty years have done nothing to erase the horrific events from the memory of Boston College Chancellor J. Donald Monan, SJ — the murder of six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and her daughter in November 1989, on the grounds of the Jesuit community at the University of Central America in El Salvador.

“I return to the full set of events that took place at that time very, very often,” says Fr. Monan, who, as president of Boston College in 1989, worked tirelessly to marshal Jesuits’ response to the murders, urging the United States Congress to pressure the Salvadoran government to bring the killers to justice.

“It sounded an alarm to me as an educator, as a university person, as a Jesuit and as a human being,” Fr. Monan explains. “What happened was so atrocious and such a public attack on all of these things, we wanted to do something.”

Fr. Monan will participate in two events at BC next month that will commemorate the deaths of the Jesuit martyrs of El Salvador. On Wednesday, Nov. 4, Fr. Monan will moderate a program titled “Living Legacies: the 20th Anniversary of the Martyrs of El Salvador,” to be held at 7 p.m. in Gasson 100.

He will be joined by Rodolfo Cardenal, SJ, former vice rector at the University of Central America who lived with the six Jesuits; Elizabeth Lira, a faculty member and director of the Centro de Etica at Universidad Alberto Hurtado in Santiago, Chile; and US Rep. James McGovern (D-Mass.), who as an aide to the late US Rep. Joseph Moakley (D-Mass.) was instrumental in reshaping American policy toward the nation where the murders occurred.

McGovern said, “The 20th anniversary of the murder of the Jesuits at the UCA is a time, certainly, for sadness and reflection. But it is also an opportunity to rededicate ourselves to the principles of social justice and peace to which they dedicated their lives — and their ministries.

“I am grateful to Boston College for their efforts to remember these incredible men,” McGovern added.

On Nov. 30, Fr. Monan will moderate a discussion with historian Noam Chomsky and University of Central America co-founder Jon Sobrino, SJ — who was away from the Jesuit residence the night of the murders — titled “Memory and Its Strength: The Martyrs of El Salvador.” The event will take place at 4:30 p.m. in Robsham Theater.

Fr. Monan was among a group of Jesuit priests who visited the site of the tragedy soon after the killings occurred. “I was so moved by being on the scene shortly after the murders took place and then returning later for the actual trial,” he says, “and being close to the Jesuit community who in the first instance – right after the murders – really did not know either the perpetrators or what the extent of the attack on them was going to be; whether this was a single horrific incident or whether it was going to be followed up by other attacks on the university and the Jesuits there.

“As the whole process worked its way through the courts and the final verdict, it was just a very moving experience,” he says.

“The [Salvadoran] government was clearly responsible for these atrocious acts,” Fr. Monan maintains. “They certainly have pulled back. They do not have the same type of repressive government. However, there have been no further actions have been taken to bring anyone to justice over what transpired since the trial took place.”

Reid Oslin can be reached at reid.oslin.1@bc.edu

Monday, October 26, 2009

Sweet....



There's no doubt that Dodge Challenger has some serious sex appeal. And now, J.D. Power and Associates just named Challenger "Most Appealing Midsize Sporty Car"* for 2009.

Unbridled power and precision handling, all wrapped in a modern interpretation of retro muscle styling give Challenger definite appeal, whether you're behind the wheel or just spectating.But trust us, it's way more fun behind the wheel. And with a starting price of $23,460, sitting behind the wheel is definitely an option. For more on this rubber-burning sensation, visit www.dodge.com/challenger or your dealer.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

So saints used to beat up each other?

I wonder, with a deadline like this, how someone not familiar with Catholicism or football, or someone in the far future, would view this headline. One saint beating up another?


Laws, St. Augustine dominate St. Joseph Philadelphia Daily News

The football game between St. Joseph of Hammonton and St. Augustine Prep had plenty of subplots built up over the week heading into last night's clash under the lights at the Prep.
For one, the heavily favored host entered the game ranked No. 4 in the Daily News Top 10 and likes its new perch atop the Cape-Atlantic National Division. The Hermits also feature quarterback Dustin Thomas, who needed only a pair of touchdown passes to set the South Jersey career mark.

Friday, October 23, 2009

HAWKS PICKED 10th IN A-10



The good news? College hoops are back, we have a brand new arena to play in, and we are celebrating 100 years of Hawk basketball!

The bad news? Everyone thinks were going to stink this year ;-(

Perennial doormats LaSalle and Duquesne are picked to finish higher, much higher, than our Hawks. Fordham and St. Bonaventure still promise to be doormats though.

Of course I remember back in '02 when, after an embarrassing loss to Ball State at home, all were predicting our demise as we were losing O'Connor, Crenshaw, Reid and Phillips -- 4,000 points, and 80% of our offense. Know what we did the next year? We got better.

Similarly back in '04 when we lost three fellows to the NBA, and again, the naysayers told me despair would greet me the following November. Guess what... with the exception of the Kansas game sans Carroll, no despair as we won 24 games and went to the NIT Championship.

So I'll remain an optimist. I think we have to have a better point guard despite the lack of experience. Many on Hawk Hill become obsessed with statistics; assists, turnovers, offensive rebounding, blah, blah, blah. While they are useful they seem to become the domain of those who never played the game, but like to act like coaches. Our obsession to pour over mounds of stats to explain what we just witnessed. Basketball is a rather simple game. John Stockton dished out an NBA high 15,806 assists and Karl Malone became the second leading point scorer in NBA history on basically one play; the pick and roll. Like Lombardi's Packer Sweep -- you knew it was coming, but they did it well, and you couldn't stop it.

PUT THE BALL IN THE BASKET.
PLAY DEFENSE LIKE YOU DON'T LIKE IT PLAYED AGAINST YOU.
LOVE AND RESPECT THE GAME AND YOUR OPPONENTS.

When we had a four guard offense no one worried much about offensive rebounding statistics. Why? Because we shot well. Fewer opportunities on the offensive glass when the ball keeps going in ;-)

So another season of b-ball on Hawk Hill... our 100th. And we will be back in our traditional role as underdog. So be it. If anything was missing last year it was that Philly Catholic-Public League never say die, never give up, it ain't over 'til it's over attitude that has always been part of St. Joe's basketball. We may not win on talent alone this year... it may require hustle.

Here are two stats I l do love -- diving for loose balls and taking the charge. Be tough, play right, play with pride, keep your head high, and remember you are only renting the uniform and it's a privilege to have Saint Joseph's on your chest. Represent us well.

THE HAWK WILL NEVER DIE!

44




So what do we know about the Atlantic 10, aside from the fact that it will now, for whatever reasons, be headquartered in Newport News, Va.?
Well, Dayton has been picked as the team to beat in men's basketball, having received 33 of a possible 57 first-place votes.

Xavier, which has won the regular season the last three years, is the only team with a new coach. Former top assistant Chris Mack takes over for Sean Miller, who went to Arizona.

Richmond, under Philadelphia's own Chris Mooney, is the third choice. Springfield-Delco's Dan Geriot, who missed last season with an injury, returns. As does almost everyone else, from a team that won 20 games without him for the first time since 2004.

Temple, which has to replace Dionte Christmas and two other starters, is trying to become the first team to win the conference tournament three consecutive times since Massachusetts (1992-97). The Owls finished in a tie with Duquesne - the team they beat 7 months ago for the title - for fifth in the balloting. Lavoy Allen was a first-team selection.

Saint Joseph's, where Phil Martelli just became a first-time grandfather, went 17-14 with Player of the Year Ahmad Nivins. Without him, the Hawks have been picked 10th. They'll open Hagan Arena Nov. 13 against Drexel.

The title, for the fourth consecutive March, will be decided in Atlantic City. But the final will be played on Selection Sunday afternoon, instead of Saturday night. On CBS rather than ESPN. And only eight teams will get there. The format now calls for first-round games to be held on campus sites earlier in the week. The bottom two teams will still stay home.

Philly teams gearing up for Atlantic-10 hoops schedule Philadelphia Daily News


Times are a changing in the Atlantic 10. Or at least a little bit.

First the league moved its offices south from Philadelphia to Newport News, Va., a shift no one can quite explain. Now the conference is set to start another basketball season, and for the first time in three years, Xavier isn’t picked to win it all. And how about traditional also-rans La Salle and Duquesne residing in the top five?

“It’s been a maturation process [in which] over time teams have taken their bumps and now they’re ready to take their turn at the top,” said Phil Martelli, the longtime coach at Saint Joseph’s. “Very aggressive scheduling and very aggressive recruiting has helped. It’s an exciting and special time for this league.”

No coach has patrolled the sidelines in the league longer than URI’s Baron. He points out that the depth of teams has never been more impressive, in part due to the depth of coaching talent. For example, respected veterans such as Martelli and Rick Majerus of St. Louis have teams pegged to finish in the bottom four of the standings.

A changing landscape looms as league matures University of Rhode Island The Providence Journal

St Joe's senior Garrett Williamson, who had 49 steals last season, is a preseason all-defensive team selection.

The Hawks return three starters in Williamson, senior guard Darrin Govens, and junior forward Idris Hilliard. They lost their leading scorers in Ahmad Nivins and Tasheed Carr.

The team's early success will depend on how quickly the players mesh.

"Every single guy on our team has to contribute," said coach Phil Martelli, whose Hawks finished 17-15 last season. "Every single guy on our team has to improve. And we are going to have to grow mentally, physically, and emotionally to compete in this league."

But the play of Williamson and Govens will ultimately determine the Hawks' fate.

"They will have to leave their mark on a program that has had significant success in the past eight or nine years," Martelli said.

Improving La Salle picked to finish fourth in A-10 Philadelphia Inquirer



PHILADELPHIA - Saint Joseph's has been picked to finish 10th in the Atlantic 10 according to a poll of the Atlantic 10's head coaches and selected media released Thursday during Men's Basketball Media Day. Senior Garrett Williamson was named to the Preseason All-Defensive Team.

The Hawks return three starters - Williamson, Darrin Govens and Idris Hilliard - from last year's team which went 17-15 and finished fifth (9-7) in the league. With four starters and 10 of its top 11 scorers returning from last year's 27-8 team that advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, Dayton has been selected as the team to beat in the Atlantic 10 men's basketball race. The Flyers (27-8/11-5) received 33 of the 57 first-place votes cast by the panel of coaches and media members.

Xavier (27-8/12-4) received 18 first-place votes and placed second in the preseason poll. Xavier will be under the direction of first-year head coach Chris Mack. The Musketeers seek to become the first A-10 program to win four consecutive regular season titles since Massachusetts captured five straight from 1992-96.

Richmond (20-16/9-7) was picked third with five starters returning from the program's first 20-win campaign since 2004, and garnered four first-place votes. La Salle was tabbed fourth and received a pair of first-place votes.

Having won the past two A-10 Championships, Temple (22-12/11-5) finished tied with Duquesne (21-13/9-7) for fifth in the poll. The Dukes return four starters from last season's 21-win squad that advanced to the NIT for the first time since 1994.

Charlotte (11-20/5-11) was selected seventh in the poll, while Rhode Island was picked eighth. The Rams (23-11/11-5) have advanced to the NIT in each of the past two seasons while amassing 44 victories. Massachusetts (12-18/7-9) was selected ninth, followed by the Hawks (17-15/9-7), St. Bonaventure (15-15/6-10), Saint Louis (18-14/8-8), George Washington (10-18/4-12) and Fordham (3-25/1-15). In that same poll, the coaches and media selected the preseason All-Conference teams.

Hawks Picked 10th in Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll - SAINT JOSEPH'S

Whispers in the Loggia





Great article about Rocco Palma titled 'We are always missing the other half' - Catholic Herald. Rocco operates a wonderful blog called Whispers in the Loggia, which to date had received about 11 million hits.

He's a Philly boy so check it out!


Born in Philly in 1983, Palmo really does come across in person as the new media
whizz kid that he is. There is a touch of the geek about him, but these days geeks are the coolest people around. George Weigel wrote recently that Pope John Paul II ran the Church from his rooms in the Vatican, by-passing the Curia entirely. Perhaps it is fitting that Palmo, a true member of the JPII generation, writes Whispers from his parents' house, bypassing the mainstream media and the Catholic press entirely.

Although he grew up in very Catholic Italian American family, Palmo really came to his faith through newspapers. His father worked on the circulation side of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Palmo often accompanied him to the office. He learned the ropes in the newsroom there, with a number of internships.

When he started, he says that people "wrote to me saying: 'You really must be a cardinal writing under a pen name' or 'you applied to the seminary and you're bitter that you got kicked out'."

"I never applied. If anything I hope I wouldn't have got kicked out or rejected or whatever, but really the blog just comes from loving the Church and wanting to just examine it. Not as in putting it on trial, but in order to show that there's always more to the story. Because obviously, in the secular press you can only fit in a certain number of inches and there's only a certain amount of interest."

Palmo was surprised and a bit frightened by the success of his blog. "I started the page as a sort of catharsis with three people and never gave the address to anyone else and then five months later discovered it was written on napkins during the [2005 papal] conclave and passed around," he recalls. "My first thought was, I need to kill this thing."

Put the mind in gear Patrick

Good Lord... how difficult it is these days to be a Catholic and remain a Democrat.

Patrick can't be that daft, can he? He wonders, aloud, why the Church would be against this? Think Patrick, think... hmmm, why would the Church be against this?

Perhaps I read into things a bit too much but his use of the personal pronoun "they" -- does that mean he is no longer Catholic?


He should take my mother's advice: "The mind should be in gear before mouth is in motion."



Patrick Kennedy: Catholic Church Fanning ‘Flames of Dissent and Discord’ by Opposing Health Bill Over Abortion .

“I can’t understand for the life of me how the Catholic Church could be against the biggest social justice issue of our time, where the very dignity of the human person is being respected by the fact that we’re caring and giving health care to the human person--that right now we have 50 million people who are uninsured,” Kennedy told CNSNews.com when asked about a letter the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) had sent to members of Congress stating the bishops' position on abortion funding in the health-care bill.

“You mean to tell me the Catholic Church is going to be denying those people life saving health care? I thought they were pro-life?” said Kennedy.

BTW Patrick... this is why:


“We sincerely hope that the legislation will not fall short of our criteria,” the bishops wrote to the members of Congress. “However, we remain apprehensive when amendments protecting freedom of conscience and ensuring no taxpayer money for abortion are defeated in committee votes. If acceptable language in these areas cannot be found, we will have to oppose the health care bill vigorously.”



this from The Most Rev. Thomas J. Tobin, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, in The Rhode Island Catholic:

“Congressman Patrick Kennedy’s statement about the Catholic Church’s position on health care reform is irresponsible and ignorant of the facts. But the Congressman is correct in stating that “he can’t understand.” He got that part right.

As I wrote to Congressman Kennedy and other members of the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation recently, the Bishops of the United States are indeed in favor of comprehensive health care reform and have been for many years. But we are adamantly opposed to health care legislation that threatens the life of unborn children, requires taxpayers to pay for abortion, rations health care, or compromises the conscience of individuals.

Congressman Kennedy continues to be a disappointment to the Catholic Church and to the citizens of the State of Rhode Island. I believe the Congressman owes us an apology for his irresponsible comments. It is my fervent hope and prayer that he will find a way to provide more effective and morally responsible leadership for our state.”

Anti-Christian leader arrested in India



India: Orissa: anti Christian Hindu Leader, Madhu Baba, arrested Spero News

He was the right hand man of Swami Laxamananda Saraswati, whose murder sparked the violence against Christians in Orissa. The court has denied bail. He was involved in the attack on some Dalit Christians from the village of Malipara in July 2008, but police say that the detention is linked to ...

Bhubaneshwar - Police in Orissa have arrested Madhu Baba, the Hindu leader of Viswa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the right hand man of Swami Laxmananda Saraswati whose assassination led to the anti-Christian pogrom of August 2008.

On 18 October the police took Madhu Baba from Jalespeta Ashram some 310 km from Bhubaneswar, to prison in Baliguda where he is now being held in custody. The court has placed him under a non-bailable warrant.

Sources in the police commissioner of Baliguda argue that the arrest "has nothing to do with extremist violence last year" and that recently the police had received information of threats and possible new attacks on minorities that lead back to Madhu Baba.

The Hindu leader, however, is long accused of having participated in a Hindu extremist raid that took place more than a year ago. On July 8, 2008, the Christian villagers of Malipara, in the Tumudibandh, were attacked by activists linked to Madhu Baba who accused them of having slaughtered a cow, an act prohibited by Hindu religious dictates. The leader of the VHP had definitely taken part in the quarrel between Christians and his followers that took place in the morning. The attack occurred in the afternoon according to a well known dynamic: the siege of homes of some Christians, the hostel and the orphanage linked the Church, the desecration of a local Catholic chapel run by the Jesuits, the destruction of Bibles, books and liturgical furnishings.

Madhu Baba's involvement in the affair has long been known and the Hindu leader was on the police most wanted list in the area of Tumudibandh. Hi imprisonment, which occurred suddenly and so long after the events, gives rise to suspicion and speculation among the people of Kandhamal.

The Hindu leader is a controversial figure of the VHP in Orissa, often criticized for its extremist views. Right hand man of Laxmananda Saraswati and his heir to the leadership of Jalespeta Ashram, Madhu Baba was at the scene of the murder of the swami on 23 August and is one of the main witnesses. He himself presented the First Hand Information, the first report that helped spread rumours that the killers of the Hindu leader were Christian and not Maoist militants as later investigations revealed.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Braithwaite's Call to Arms:

And make no mistake; it’s difficult to follow in Jesuit footsteps. Case in point: when the great Prep fire happened in the 1960s, then-Principal Father Joe Ayd, SJ went running into the fire to rescue the Blessed Sacrament from the Prep Chapel. This man had devoted his entire life to the Prep mission, his entire calling was St. Joseph’s Prep.

Who of us here would be willing to rush into a burning Prep today to rescue something precious for fear it be lost forever?



I was fortunate to attend the Communion Breakfast Sunday at St. Joseph's Preparatory School and while all the speeches were good -- the one given by Tony Braithwaite, in both content and delivery, was one of the finest I've ever heard on Jesuit education. Beware the speech is Prep-centric -- after all the audience consisted of students and alumni from the school. But a speech we can all take something from. A few highlights follow. For the complete text click The Brown Note: Tony Braithwaite's Call to Arms. Special thanks to Bill Avington and Howie Brown for the link.

I forwarded a copy to Charlie Currie, SJ, president of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. The good Father has been a fan since Tony was at Georgetown, and it's easy to see why. If he's half as good at acting as he is at speech writing he is worth the ticket price.

Enjoy.

AMDG,

44



Where did that charism come from? Well, for years that charism was fostered at the Prep dominantly by, of course, the Jesuits. Ah the Jesuits. The best there is. The creme de le creme of the church, once called by Time Magazine as, “the bad boys of Rome.” There’s a famous saying that goes, “You can always tell a Jesuit. You just can’t tell him much.” The Prep Jesuits were giants of education who were grossly over qualified to be high school teachers but - lucky for us! - found themselves doing just that.

The Prep Jesuits were men who would have been titans of industry, politics,business, medicine, law, the arts, etc. but whose calling intuitively recognized the utter importance and absolute opportunity in teaching men in their teen age years - instilling their charism to young men at a time in their lives when it would be most likely to stick.

This is part and parcel of a Jesuit philosophy called, “cura personalis.” It translates into care of the individual person.” The Jesuits believed that in order for education to really flourish, their students must be deeply known for who they are as individuals. And in order to do this, the Jesuits helped us to first figure out who we were as individuals. They talked to us, they believed in us, the mentored us, and as such they knew
us.

In 1988 one of these greats, former Prep Chaplain Father Joe Michini, kicked the Prep up a notch from its already high pedestal when he brought an unknown Retreat called Kairos to the school. Mine was the first senior class to go on Kairos. In fact I am still wearing my Kairos pin on my lapel today.

For the uninformed: Kairos is a deeply impactful spiritual retreat, rooted in the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius, which provides the students a 4-day off-campus experience to strengthen their relationship to God, to self, and to others. Right from the get go in 1988, Kairos’ impact at the school was unmistakable. It’s been a big hit here for twenty years.




"we're talking about practice"






After three hours spent watching men’s basketball practice, I figured I had to write something. So here goes a few observations:

- I was most impressed today with Carl Baptiste, ‘13. I’d been led to believe that he was really rough around the edges and a project, and he looked a lot more polished than I would have ever suspected. While he looks like Shetland Blake Griffin, he’s actually pretty fundamentally sound, has a decent jump shot, is comfortable above the rim, and an impressively big body. For me, he’s already supplanted Temi Adebayo, ‘12, as the first big man off the bench. Which brings me to:

- Temi’s offensive game is the basketball equivalent of a 1998 Dodge Neon that hasn’t been buffed out: it has absolutely no polish. I know he’s still relatively new to the game, and he obviously has the length to make it work, but it’s not there yet.


Click title for entire article. For even more opinions click Hawk Hoops - Practice report

Lead dogs...

AP Photo/Bradley C. Bower
Phil Martelli, Jameer Nelson and the Hawks
made national headlines while going 30-2 and
earning a No. 1 seed during the 2003-04 season.



Is it better for the Atlantic 10 to have a runaway champ? - ESPN

Will an A-10 team break away from the pack?

Thursday, October 22, 2009

The Atlantic 10 needs a runaway champ, someone to distance itself from the rest of the pack.

Saint Joseph's may have been the best example in recent years, earning a No. 1 seed in 2004 and coasting into the A-10 tournament with a 27-0 record before eventually losing in the Elite Eight.

Xavier has had its runs of note. The Muskeeters went to the Elite Eight that same season, even though it wasn't as dominant in the league (10-6). XU also had A-10 runs of 15-1 (2003) and 14-2 (2008), the latter of which resulted in a 30-win season and another Elite Eight.

George Washington had one of those runs as well, going 16-0 in 2006 (27-3 overall).
Dayton is the favorite to win the A-10 this season. The Flyers return the projected top player in the league in Chris Wright. The Flyers won a first-round NCAA tournament game last season by beating West Virginia. But the talk among the coaches during Thursday's A-10 preseason media conference call was that this could be the most balanced season the league has seen.

"I don't think teams will go on a four or five-game winning streak in this league," George Washington coach Karl Hobbs said of the balance this season.

That's great for a competitive flavor every night, but is it good for the league's national profile?

"If you look at the history of our league, when we've had a lead dog, that team has been like a monster," Saint Joseph's coach Phil Martelli said. "When we had that lead dog, everyone is chasing that team and you're chasing a national team in the top 15 in the country. Every night that lead dog plays in 16 nights in the league. The league is being talked about."

Martelli said Dayton could be that team this season, but he drew more similarities to the George Washington squad than the Saint Joe's or Xavier teams of the past. The difference could be that Dayton is playing more of a national schedule than the Colonials did in 2006, a main reason that ticked-off GW ended up with an 8-seed in the NCAAs.

Click title for entire article.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Irish singers at St. Malachy's 11-1-2:00 PM


click to make readable!


and more from our man Rich Brennan, who captained the SJU Dragon Boat this year. One needn't look anywhere else to find a better representative of our beloved University and a man with and for others.
Great job by all -- magis indeed ;-)

Hi Tom,

I wanted to thank you and all those who responded by reading your blog for their personal donations and purchases of SJU Dragon Boat hats and visors for the Old St. Joseph's Parish Outreach Program. A total of $1,025.00 in contributions have been received and given to the OSJ's Outreach Program.

Kristine Jaeger, Director of Old Saint Joseph's Outreach Program wrote me the below letter:

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Dear Rich,

On behalf of the Old St. Joseph's Outreach Staff and clients, I wish to thank you for your help in raising donations for our program. Your ongoing support as well as the support of St. Joe's University students and Alumni is greatly appreciated. Together, we can work to end homelessness in our city.

The donations which will be used to buy food and supplies, will undoubtedly contribute to the success of Old. St. Joseph's Outreach program. It is proof that actions speak louder than words. Have faith in knowing that you are part of the solution.

May God bless you for your generosity,

Sincerely,

Kristine Jaeger, Director
Old St. Joseph's Outreach

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Don't go to bed too early ;-)


Bill Conlin: It takes a while, but Phillies' dramatic rally in ninth pushes Dodgers to the brink Philadelphia Daily News

This was not one of those nights . . . Another improbable Phillies comeback, this time against the closer of a bullpen who had thrown 2 1/3 hitless innings going into the bottom of the ninth, when the bottom of the order began the dramatic comeback.

Joe Blanton was perfect for three and imperfect for three more. He left trailing, 4-2, after a flat-footed throw by Pedro Feliz turned into an unearned run in the sixth that appeared to be the final shovelful of earth.

The Dodgers clung to the ledge and the Phillies finally stomped them off it. But a team known for its bounceability failed to parlay that unearned run and it began to unravel for the Dodgers when Jonathan Broxton walked 2008 nemesis Matt Stairs with one out in the ninth. Then he hit Carlos Ruiz and the Bank mob came to life after sitting on its towels most of the game. With Eric Bruntlett running for Stairs, Greg Dobbs lined softly to third.

And then. And then . . .

Jimmy Rollins unfurled the biggest and most dramatic hit of his brilliant career, a screaming double up the alley in right-center to score the tying and winning runs and set a city back on fire.





Monday, October 19, 2009

weekend update...

ON DECK -- 10-22.



Deli ticket -- thanks Maggie.



Freshman Catholic League football in the rain: LaSalle at Msgr. Bonner with DC.



For those of you who must suffer like I do with the inferior South Jersey church architecture... the Church of the Gesu is your panacea.



Timothy Lannon, SJ was everywhere this weekend, at the Prep as longtime SJU professor Joseph Feeney, SJ. Teron Dow with Father and David Sauter, SJ Award winner Armando Martinez. Speedy Morris was also honored with the Charles Schnorr, SJ Award and was introduced by former Hawk player and coach John Griffin, whom Morris coached at Roman Catholic.


I know a little bit about the Jesuits and Ignatian spirituality but I heard perhaps the best speech on the subject, in both content and delivery, by Tony Braithwaite. If I get my hands on a copy I will include it in the blog.




The Saint Joseph's University community ushered in a new era in Hawk hoops with the unveiling of the new Michael J. Hagan, '85, Arena Saturday night in a celebration of both the new facility and 100 years of basketball at St. Joe's.

The guest list featured a number of former players and coaches, including Dr. Jack Ramsay, '49, Mike Bantom, '73, Susan Moran, '02, Tyrone Barley, '04, and Chet Stachitas, '06, and was highlighted by a Parade of Decades with players and family members representing each decade of St. Joe's basketball dating back to World War II. The celebration was led by Master of Ceremonies Neil Hartman of Comcast SportsNet, who was assisted by St. Joe's Assistant Vice President of Marketing Communications and color commentator Joe Lunardi, '82. Donors such as Denise and Mike McNulty, '85, Tom Wynne, '63, and Paul Hondros, '70, Chairman of the St. Joe's Board of Directors, were also in attendance.

Among the speeches given to commemorate the occasion were those given by Bantom, Moran, St. Joe's Athletic Director Don DiJulia, University President Timothy R. Lannon, S.J., and Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell. The night culminated with a blessing by Lannon, and a ribbon cutting, which officially marked the arena open for business.For more pictures, check out our blog at www.hawksports.wordpress.com.



Hawk Hill Hardwood: Hagan Dedication Recap

The dedication ceremony began just after 5 o'clock with a video commemorating 100 years of Hawk hoops. The video paid tribute to individual and team accomplishments of both players and coaches. From the Mighty Mites to Dr. Jack to Jameer, the video highlighted the accomplishments of the basketball programs, both men's and women's, over their time here on Hawk Hill.




The Phanatic Magazine: St. Joe's dedicates Hagen Arena over the weekend

A "Parade of Decades" took to the court, with representatives of each decade beginning with the 1930s. Leading the way as Grand Marshal was the legendary voice of sports, Jack Whitaker '47. Former men's players in the procession were: Matt Guokas III '92 (representing his grandfather, Matt Guokas, Sr.), Jack McEnroe '48, Jack Carney '49 and John Conway'75 (representing his son Bill Conway '43); Dan Dougherty '57 and Margaret Engelbert (representing her husband Kurt Engelbert '57); Joe Spratt '59; Harry Booth '62, Steve Courtin '64 and Steve Donches '66; Dan Kelly '70 and Pat McFarland '73; Geoff Arnold '86, Rodney Blake '88 and Tess Boyle '84 (representing her husband Jim Boyle '64); Rap Curry '95 and Mark Bass '96; Tyrone Barley '04 and Chet Stachitas '06.


Mike Hagan speaks while Dave Dorsey, former SJU Alumni Director, poses on the Hawk.





The rest... sheepdogs named O'Malley and talking great Philly b-ball legends: Herb Magee, Speedy Morris, Lefty Ervin and Soapy Guest ;-)