a column of benevolent gossip

Moving right along — A second credible claim of miraculous intercession by Archbishop Fulton Sheen was forwarded in July to the Vatican for review. The 500-page report with documentation was delivered to Rome by a canon lawyer who oversees the archbishop’s cause for sainthood. Father Andrew Apostoli, a Franciscan priest often seen on EWTN, is vice postulator of the cause, and says he knows of at least four other claims of miraculous intervention by the archbishop, this according to Catholic News Agency.

Dead? No way! — Patrick Keleher loves Latin and has fun passing it along to Latin-curious bricklayers, federal prosecutors or interior decorators. He swears his non-credit Latin language program has no quizzes, pressure, or prerequisites. “Togas and tunics optional.” Basic Latin is 9:15 -10:35 a.m. or continuing Latin from 10:45 a.m.-12:05 p.m. Sept. 16 through Dec. 16; North Park University’s Scandinavian Center, Caroline Hall, 3225 W. Foster. Call Keleher at (847) 256-8460 or e-mail [email protected]. Some say it’s almost as cool a place to meet interesting people as Old St. Pat’s World’s Largest Block Party.

‘Tony of the Sky’ — Nice name as translated from his ethnic origins. He sharpens knives and scissors at a grinding stone cart that’s over 90 years old. Like father and uncle before him, he works outdoors, in the neighborhoods. He came to mine last week. As scissors screeched against his grinding wheel and fiery sparks flew upward, traffic slowed. Cars pulled over to catch a glimmer of their childhood. One lady called from her Corvette, “I’m 10 years old again.” Tony has that Pied Piper quality. His cart’s ding, ding, dong message recalls yesterday’s artisans. On major holy days he may worship at St. Celestine (Elmwood Park) or Ascension (Oak Park), but his workaday roof is the sky, and his territory is from Kenilworth to Mount Greenwood.

Sounds ominous — Bishop Julius Jia Zhiguo, 72, of the underground church in China, was arrested June 25 while still in the hospital recovering from an operation. There’s been no trace of him since. Zenit News Service says, “The faithful questioned the religious affairs office about his whereabouts and were told the bishop had been sent away for a few days of ‘education.’” Ordained a bishop in 1980, he has lived virtually the whole of his episcopal ministry under house arrest and was previously imprisoned for approximately 20 years.

‘Never again’ — Christian survivors of the Nazi holocaust are diminishing due to age and ill health. A new division of the Polish American Congress, “Children of Polish Christian Holocaust Survivors” will keep the memory of what their family members experienced alive for future generations. Formed in Brooklyn, NY, most members at present are related to survivors of Hitler’s SS in Auschwitz.
Chaplain of the group is Father Peter Zendzian, whose dad died in a Nazi camp with two of his uncles when he was 7 years old.

Dirty deed? — CleanFilms, Family Flix and Play It Clean are companies that edit scenes with sex, nudity, profanity and excessive violence from mainstream movies. They have offered some 900 cleaned-up movies to their subscribers for family viewing in recent years. After a three-year court battle with major film studios, a Colorado judge ruled they must close down their business because such mechanical editing violates copyright law.

No men allowed — For women who don’t know the difference between the desperation of a Hail Mary Pass and a prayer to St. Jude, St. Patrick High School has all the answers. “Monday Night Football for Women,” is designed for moms, grandmothers, aunts, sisters and girlfriends of football fanatics and players. Head football coach Dan Galante and staff will teach the ladies the basics, with an emphasis on fun for 10 bucks. It is 6-8 p.m. Aug. 14 on the field at 5900 W. Belmont, reserve a place by calling Cathy at (773) 282-8844, Ext. 280 by Aug. 11.

Parish potpourri — Electricity costs money. Bridgeport’s St. Mary of Perpetual Help Church (W. 32nd St.) is an historic Romanesque edifice. It is expensive to light its dome, but very impressive to see at night. The parish has devised a special “Keep the Dome A-Glow” envelope for donations, and the bulletin lists the date the dome will be lit and in memory for whom or in whose honor. . . . Bea Fitzpatrick, who’s been a parishioner of St. Edward’s (W. Sunnyside) for over 64 years, turned 100 on July 21. She was married in their lower church in 1928, before there was an upper. . . . Can’t send smoke signals from St. Ann’s (Lansing) as of July 1. “Smoking is no longer permitted in any parish or school building.” . . . Old Resurrection Parish (W. Jackson) drew over 1,000 alumni and former parishioners to their first reunion two years ago. Because of popular demand, a second get-together will take place Sept. 17 at Drury Lane, Oakbrook. . . . St. Jerome Croatian Catholic Church (S. Princeton) will mark its 100th festival honoring the Assumption of Mary (“Velika Gospa”). On Aug. 15 there will be a procession with an icon image of Our Lady of Sinj, marching bands, floats and barbecued lamb with all the trimmings.

Free country, right? — Remember A&E’s reality TV show “God or the Girl?” a few months ago? Three of the four guys had decided priesthood was not for them, but Steve Horvath of Virginia planned to apply to a seminary. He was flummoxed by the application questionaire and now thinks he needs more discernment time. He’ll spend a third year as a lay missionary at the University of Nebraska, in Lincoln.

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Movies at a Glance
Capsule reviews of movies from the U.S. Catholic Conference's Office for Film and Broadcasting, judged according to artistic merit and moral suitability.