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Ordered Humor - Fresh Start


Luigi

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Father Paul Miranne, OSB of St. Joseph's Abbey in Louisiana died recently. The abbey chronicler wrote a... it's not exactly an obituary, and it's not exactly a biography, so what would you call it... an interpretive summary of his life? 

At any rate, these assignments are delicate, but an effective writer with a good vocabulary can tell the truth and still cast his brother in a positive light. (Some of Mother Duchesne's sisters had to rise to the same challenge when their personal testimony of her was being collected for her canonization process.)

"He taught mathematics, Latin, civics and chant in the high school division of Saint Joseph Seminary from 1950 to 1964.  He was also vice-rector of the seminary and one of its prefects of discipline.  That title suited him perfectly:  he was a stern disciplinarian and taskmaster, with a basilisk stare and the uncanny ability to materialize just when furtive infractions had reached the point of no return.  Generations of seminarians and priests looked up to him as a cherished mentor, whose terse castigations – more stinging than any lash – they could appreciate better after they graduated, and a rich treasury of his rebukes is a staple whenever alumni gather.

I don't put a lot of stock in this pre-Vatican/post-Vatican, liberal/conservative, Latin/vernacular croutons, but Father Paul Miranne - THAT'S a priest! And so is the chronicler!

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  • 4 weeks later...

Two in short order from Brother Chronicler at Our Lady of Calvary Trappist abbey in New Brunswick, Canada: 

Wednesday 19th. The travel book we have been listening to visited England during Lent, Scotland after the Resurrection. Mere coincidence? Readers, you decide. 

Thursday 20th. Monks like us, baby we were born to read and now it seems we were also born to hear Bruce Springsteen’s story in his own words as we begin a new refectory audio book, Born to Run.

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This nearly 10-minute video is from St. Benedict's abbey in Kansas. The second half is serious (monks are basically serious, wouldn't you say?), but the first half is all fun... and quite funny in places. I particularly like the part about Brother Pius. He's apparently the true test of fraternal charity in the monastery. 

https://www.facebook.com/kansasmonks/videos/1313969222015216/

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This is a one-paragraph biography of a Dominican friar. It does have a slightly humorous correct sentence, but it also has a funnier typographical error. Highlights are mine.

"Fr. Timothy was born and raised in Kansas City, MO. He is the eldest of four children and is grateful to have received a devout, Catholic upbringing from his parents and extended family. In his Junior year of college at Truman State University, the Blessed Mother prevailed upon him to surrender his life to the Lord. This meant many things, including transferring to the seminary and drinking less beer. Upon graduating from Conception Seminary College in 2003, he entered the Dominican Order. After finishing theology studies at the Dominican Stadium in 2010, Fr. Timothy’s first three years of ministry were spent teaching theology at Fenwick High School in Oak Park, IL. Knowing how important faith formation was during his college years, Fr. Timothy is grateful for the opportunity to work in campus ministry and to do so with and among the wonderful resident parishioners at St. Tom’s."

Maybe he majored in baseball? I know a lot of Dominicans play in the major leagues... Joachin Andujar used to bill himself as One Tough Dominican...

 

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This isn't so much humor as much as it is just a plain old-fashioned oddity. The Benedictine monks at Subiaco (in Arkansas, not Italy) are apparently somewhat famous for these photographs. I have not even a conjecture about how it came to pass.  Subiaco's caption reads: "The angus association will feature our herd and Subiaco Abbey in an upcoming publication. Several Subiaco folks were interviewed. The famous calf on the barn roof an object of interest."

Image may contain: horse, sky and outdoor

No automatic alt text available.

Edited by Luigi
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This is an old story - 2012. But it's still funny. 

Dominican Still Wearing White Months After Labor Day

December 16, 2012

 

Mr. Blackwell’s annual worst dressed list came out yesterday, naming popular Dominican radio personality Father Vincent Serpa as Worst Dressed Celebrity of 2012. “Father Vincent exemplifies the complete opposite of what fashion is meant to be,” Cherry Dean, a Blackwell representative told the press after the announcement yesterday morning. “In lieu of Diesel, he wears Habit; for coat he dons cape; in spite of the established framework of fashion, he continues to wear white months after Labor Day.” It is the first time in the 53-year history of Blackwell’s Worst Dressed that a Dominican radio personality took home the award. When asked what he thought of being named Worst Dressed, Serpa responded, “Thank you.”

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From Brother Chronicler at New Melleray Trappist abbey, end of January:

This month’s information included the arrival of scaffolding for use in the repair of our church ceiling, proposed updates to our 50 year old kitchen layout and appliances, upcoming ongoing formation presenters to the community, considerations for improving our land stewardship, coordination of Trappist Caskets advertising consistent with our life, as well as an update on the loose change (26 cents) collected in the laundry.

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This is ordered, and it is humorous, but I don't think the order intended for it to be humorous. I was looking at the Ordo Praedicatorum page on Facebook, the page for Dominicans all over the world. The Province of Poland elected a new Provincial. Here's the caption in both the original Polish and in English translation. Something seems to have gone terribly wrong. Any Polish-literate people out there that can 'splain this to me?

#####################################################

dominikanie.pl added 15 new photos.Like Page

7 hrs ·

Podglądamy Kapitułę! Dzień 8. Instalacja o. Pawła Kozackiego na prowincjała.

Knockers Chapter! Day 8. Installation O. Pavel Dope on provincial.

· See original ·

Rate this translation

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From Silverstream Priory: Snowmonk. Frost and cold, praise the Lord!

image.thumb.png.711cfaf31f46ebdefff92fb0001516fe.png

 

image.thumb.png.aebc5ba9d7acf889cee5b3deed65bfe4.png

 

 

Edited by chrysostom
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From Brother Chronicler at Calvary Trappist abbey in Canada. Host convictions - who knew they were a thing?  

Father Roger mentioned that someone from Fredericton has volunteered to do some work on the grounds here this spring, specifically the area around the Sacred Heart statue. She is not an admirer of our hosta plants, and Roger is so we’ll see how this works out. I won’t drag my mother into this, but she has hosta convictions of her own.

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ARRGGGHHHH!!!!! The above entry is suppose to say "HostA convictions - who knew they were a thing?"

I really do wish I could type more accurately...

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