Congrats To America's First African-American Cardinal

 Cardinal Wilton Gregory, the Archbishop of Washington, D.C., is the first African-American Cardinal and this is what he is quoted as saying, that his appointment was an "affirmation of Black Catholics in the U.S." Black Catholics have certainly added greatly to the Church's mission, in the past and in modern times as well. Pope Francis elevated 13 Cardinals in Rome, including Cardinal Gregory, all of whom were wearing masks, in a sign of the strange times we are living through. 

Pope Francis warned the new Cardinals not to use their new titles for "personal gain or corruption," (God forbid!). The problem is their new title, "Eminence," makes it hard for these Cardinals and all the others to stay humble, like Christ. What's in a title? A lot. Their new title should be, "Servants of the Church," in my humble opinion, or something like that......I think the title "Your Eminence" should be done away with.  It makes it challenging for the Cardinals to stay humble and remember their roots.

Christ is so humble, without any pretense at all. 

So best of luck and God's blessings on America's newest Cardinal. May he bring many Black Catholics and others, who have drifted from their faith, back to it.

NJA

Who Knew What We Were Headed Into? A Coronavirus "Storm"

 Last Thanksgiving was a beautiful family holiday....sitting around my dining room table with relatives and my immediate family it was a memorable Thanksgiving. And yet in only a few months, everyone's world would drastically change as Covid-19 bore down on the world. Who could have known that 2020 would be such an anxious, surreal and tragic year?

I precisely love my deep faith because as the world plunged into uncertainty and despair I could rely on my faith in God, my deep prayer life and thank God too for Catholic TV programming, including the televised Mass which kept me grounded and growing in faith through it all. 

So this Thanksgiving will be a quiet holiday, no large family gathering. And we can only hope that the vaccine that is being developed will be safe, effective and readily available, so we can all put this "nightmare" behind us. 

My granddaughters give me great joy, but something else has given me happiness of late and it is something material. I purchased Andrea Bocelli's new CD, "Believe." It is excellent and I especially love his rendition of "Hallelujah." If you haven't heard it, please listen to it and be inspired as I have been. It's quite beautiful. Hallelujah or Alleluia means "Praise God." So listening to the song, enables you to praise God while listening to good music. I love being able to multi-task. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

NJA

Pandemic Fatigue is Real and Dangerous in Italy

 I watched a reality show on Friday called, "My Big Italian Adventure," starring American actress, Lorraine Bracco who bought a 200 year old home in Italy for about $1.00....and she renovated it, with the help of an architect and contractor.  There will be three more episodes. She bought the $1.00 house and the house next door to create a larger Sicilian home for her family, as a vacation home.  Small towns throughout Italy have been selling dilapidated homes for about $1.00 in an effort to get people to invest in their towns and beautify them.  It's an interesting idea and there are plenty of people willing to buy a home for a $1.00,  put down a $5,000 deposit and agree to finish the renovation within three years (or you lose the house and deposit).

Italy is a special place and I hope to return one day. I've made two trips there as an adult and there is no place quite like it. My grandfather came to the U.S. from Italy in 1925, and since my roots are there, there is a certain pull towards Italy.

Unfortunately, Italians are going through a great trial, another great trial, as the coronavirus is once again surging in Italy. Italians are not happy. Like most of us, they have pandemic and lockdown fatigue. We are all sick of it, this virus from Hell. You can't blame them, however some people are resorting to violent protests. In Naples, Italy, protesters set garbage cans on fire and protested because some cities are imposing restrictions and curfews again. Tourism is devastated and people are losing their jobs and incomes at alarming rates. Restaurants are suffering. Who can live like this? So tragic. As one restaurant owner was quoted as saying, "The money is gone." 

Everyday I pray for an end to this pandemic and a safe, effective vaccine as soon as possible, like millions of others are doing.  During this pandemic I have tried to be more charitable and have been doing more to help, "the poorest of the poor." That has given me focus and something constructive to do. We are all dealing with this unthinkable situation in our own way. But there is some hope. Fewer people are dying from the coronavirus, as doctors do have more therapeutics and medicines to give. There is a glimmer of hope that this will soon be behind us. 

"Hope is not an option for a Christian but essential to our faith." Whoever said that was a wise Christian!

NJA