A weekly column of benevolent gossip

Kudos to Catholics — There’s a new award just announced in honor of the late Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. It will recognize excellence in promoting the worldwide mission of the church on radio or TV. Deadline for the first award, which will be open to radio and television programs broadcast during 2000 and 2001, is Jan. 31, 2002. A spokesman for the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, presenters of the award, reminds the world that Sheen, master in communicating faith and a well-known radio and television missionary, was national director of the society from 1950 to 1966.

Oops — Thanks to a phone call from “Holden Caulfield,” the truth will out—William Shakespeare would have had a few more candles on his cake (had he survived) on April 23 than Clips gave him credit for last week. It is 385 years since the bard’s death, but 437 years since his birth. And he doesn’t look a day over 139, trust me.

Generational notes — The

	Don't "dial O for O'Malley."

pure a capella tones of the Paulist Choristers of Chicago live on. Former members now make up the 15-voice Paulist Alumni Chorale and continue to perform many four-part Latin Masses as well as other sacred and secular music from their boy-sopranos days. (Even Cardinal George once sang as a chorister.) The movie “Going My Way” echoed their history with director Father Eugene O’Malley. Today’s tenors, baritones and basses can still belt out the heavenly music of Palestrina, Arcadelt and Bach. They have a program they “take on the road” for parish fund-raisers, special Masses, and jubilees. They also have a folk group that rivals Peter, Paul and Mary (the singers, not the saints). Call Jim Lynch at (847) 588-1828 for a date or a demo CD. . . . The Cantores Minores Chicago, the Archdiocesan Boychoir, participated in the second annual Baltimore Boychoir Festival May 18-19 at Baltimore’s cathedral. With four other choirs from Newark, Maryland and North Carolina, there were 200 voices in all. The Cantores Minores performed at the Shrine of St. Jude in Baltimore and the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington before returning home. For more info, call them at (773) 395-6020.

’Tis the season of ordinations — With both priests and deacons receiving orders in May, it reminded a Clips reader of the vineyard that was once Visitation Grade School (W. Garfield). Out of 1929’s graduation class, for instance, these kids became future priests: Fathers Frank Garrity, Jim Healy, CSC; Joe Hickey, Martin Howard, Jim McCummiskey, SJ; Bill Murphy and John Nolan.

Wag’s corner — John J. Lyons, St. Juliana Parish (N. Osceola) has been hanging around the playground and claims: “The kids are reading the newspapers and they want the FBI to file their report cards.”

People making news — The Baron of Barrington, Joe Gentile, will throw out the first pitch at Wrigley Field for June 7’s game against St. Louis. That’s Joe Gentile Day and he’s bringing 1,000 kids with him from St. Ignatius College Prep. . . . American-born Queen Noor of Jordan recently received Catholic Theological Union’s Peacemaker Award at the annual Blessed Are the Peacemakers dinner. The widow of the late King Hussein was recognized for her efforts to advance peace, reconciliation and human development in the Middle East.

Saints alive — Of the 89 young people receiving the sacrament of confirmation at Queen of Martyrs Church (Evergreen Park) April 22, there was a fair share of customary saints’ names chosen, like “Therese” “Francis” or “Joseph.” But by encouraging the confirmands to investigate the lives of the saints “on line” and with a good number of volumes at their disposal in class, there were some surprise choices: “Isaac,” “Eloi,” “Fillian,” “Valentine,” “Aidan,” “Norbert,” “Maximus,” two “Sebastians,” two “Cecilias” and two “Polycarps.”

Send your benevolent gossip to Church Clips, 721 N. LaSalle St., Chicago, IL 60610 or via e-mail to: [email protected]

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