Interesting Weekend

Ralph McInerny, 1929-2010

Ralph McInerny was a bright light.

He patiently shone the teaching of St. Thomas Aquinas into the darkness of post-Vatican-II American Catholic life.

I had the privilege of taking Dr. McInerny to dinner when he visited Catholic University at my invitation in 2001.

His death is a great loss.  May he rest in peace.

…Federer won his Australian Open semifinal in straight sets. He did not face a single break point.

Can Andy Murray beat him in the Final–at 3:30 a.m. Eastern time tomorrow on ESPN2?

Does the full moon sometimes appear twice in a month? Yes, but…(Next blue moon: August 31, 2012.)

Speaking of Blue: Do I want the Hoyas to beat Duke real bad? Do I want it never to snow again in the history of the world?

Do bees buzz? Does Spock beam up?

…If you are young, and want to learn how to find God’s will for you, check out this website and this Facebook group.

Somebody up there doesn’t like me…

First the poor Hoyas went from the basement to the sub-basement.

Then the pretty boy beat my man Roger.

Now, to give Rafi his due, he is incredible. His skills are amazing. But that is not the most impressive thing. As Dick Enberg put it: “Nadal does not play the score.”

Friday Night Videos

Friday is a good day to make the Stations of the Cross. Plus, here are some videos for your viewing pleasure.

1) Here is the pro-life Super Bowl commercial which NBC refuses to air:

Fidelis had the money, but NBC said the commercial is “too political.”

2) My brother was bumped from MSNBC yesterday evening, because they decided to focus on some impeached governor who has made himself a national laughingstock.

This evening, however, he was hailed as the Muckraker of the Day! (Click the link to behold his eloquence.)

3) The Federer-Nadal rematch is on!

Vodpod videos no longer available.

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Super Bowl? What Super Bowl?

Raphael Nadal

Don’t forget about the Georgetown Hoyas game at Cincinnati this evening.

Once again, it is a Chvotkin special on AM 570 (i.e., not televised). 7:30 p.m.

Will you call me un-patriotic if I admit that I want Federer to beat Andy Roddick (and Nadal to beat Fernando Verdasco) to set up a Federer-Nadal re-match in the Australian Open Finals?

If so, no me importa. Quel dommage.

Roger Federer

It was hot last summer in Wimbledon, and it will be hot on Sunday in Melbourne (owing to the way the seasons fluctuate in the northern and southern hemispheres).

If it’s a Nadal-Federer re-match, it will be the most interesting sporting event on Sunday, for my money. Of course, the Finals match will be at 3:30 a.m. EST. It will be long over by the time THE GAME begins, Steelers fans, so don’t panic.

Meanwhile, let’s not forget about one of the world’s most beautiful women: Serena! She is also in the hunt for the championship.

See–I am not as unpatriotic as you thought. I may be for the Swiss in the men’s, but I’m for the American in the women’s.

Serena Williams

Another All-Star Week

Here in the mid-Atlantic, we are enjoying a winter wonderland. For a little perspective, let’s keep this in mind: Down in Melbourne it is 100 degrees on the court for the Australian Open. Novak Djokovic had to forfeit his semi-final match because of heat exhaustion.

Statue of St. Angela Merici in St. Peter's Basilica

Perhaps you remember: Back in early October, we highlighted an ecclesiastical “All-Star Week“. Well, we are in the middle of another one…

On Saturday, we kept the memorial of St. Francis de Sales, heroic bishop, consummate gentleman, and author of a very good book (a few very good books, in fact). Then on Sunday, we kept the feast of St. Paul’s conversion. Yesterday we kept the memorial of St. Paul’s most prominent disciples, Sts. Timothy and Titus.

These apostolic men alone could out-hustle any competitors. But there is more!

Today, we keep the memorial of St. Angela Merici, foundress of the Ursulines. St. Angela is the female equivalent of St. Ignatius Loyola, as Dr. Ann White pointed out in the Jan/Feb 1999 issue of “Review for Religious.”

St. John Bosco blessing some young men

Tomorrow, we keep the memorial of the Common Doctor, the Angelic Doctor, the Master of the Schools, the Patron of learning, the greatest genius of all time–St. Thomas Aquinas!

Then, on Saturday, we keep the memorial of St. John Bosco, a.k.a. Don Bosco.

All the other All-Star teams–N.H.L., Pro Bowl, N.B.A., you name it…they all take a back seat to the Church’s all-star team this week.