Lord

The heart of the Christian community is our Triune Lord: Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Geography, history, and numbers are not the heart, but probably I will type mostly on these topics. As the internet already provides many encouraging spiritual guides and discouraging contentious forums, I intend to offer neither.
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To find a parish, enter a keyword in the search box at the top left, or look through the labels and links down the right-hand column. The posts themselves follow the Blogger format of newest items on top.
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Sunday, February 25, 2024

Hymn for Transfiguration

Today's Gospel was from Mark 9, an account of the Transfiguration. Peter said, "Rabbi, it is good that we are  here." Our processional hymn today was Joseph A. Robinson's " 'Tis good, Lord, to be here." I wonder whether the composer was this Joseph Robinson (1815-1898)

Friday, February 2, 2024

Syro-Malankara Catholics in Elmont

Please note this event at what was (or still is partially) the Parish of Saint Vincent de Paul in Elmont.

The Syro-Malankara rite is Catholic and in the USA has its own bishop or Exarch.

Tuesday, January 16, 2024

Order of Preachers to Bellmore

Bishop John Barres has given care of St. Barnabas Parish, Bellmore, to the Saint Joseph Province of the Dominican Friars.
Please see this report from the Friars.

Tuesday, January 9, 2024

Syosset's Our Lady of Mercy Academy will close

Sad to report. but Our Lady of Mercy Academy in Syosset will close permanently at the end of June. Please see news reports in Newsday of 1.9.2024 and various parts of the school's website https://olma.org/about/closure-faq/

The cause of the closure is low enrollment. According to Newsday, peak enrollment of 525 was attained in the 1970's. This year's freshmen number 37. I note that Syosset's population was largely Jewish, now becoming more Asian. To the north, St. Dominic's offered a Catholic high school. To the south, Holy Trinity Diocesan High School in Hicksville draws numbers.

I tend to trust James Conant's 1959 opinion that a high school should have at least 100 graduates per year in order to offer a broad curriculum.

Sunday, December 10, 2023

When the darkness closes in, Come Lord Jesus

Meri Dell Ridge wrote this morning's entrance hymn, "Come Lord Jesus." It begins, "When the darkness closes in."  M. D. Ridge lived 1938-2017.

Link for her biography HERE.

I cannot link the text, but it shows up in missals published by the Oregon Catholic Press.

Sunday, August 27, 2023

Test for Admission to a Catholic High School

The Archdiocese of New York (seven counties), the Diocese of Brooklyn (two counties), and the Diocese of Rockville Centre (two counties) generally require the test offered on the website https://tachsinfo.com/

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The test is taken by computer at home. It costs $71. The student selects three high schools to which the testing company will send results. The test is apparently scheduled for early November, 2023. There must be some way the downloaded program knows that is is the registered eighth grade student and not a learned grandma answering the test questions.

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The abbreviated name for the test is TACHS. Much more information is at https://tachsinfo.com/



Sunday, July 23, 2023

Assignments in 2023, mostly June

The link below is to a composite list of 2023 priestly assignments. Note that the sole assignment of a new pastor in Nassau County is Rev. Leo Song to St. Raphael, East Meadow. Other new pastors are in Suffolk County.

Link HERE.