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Church Clips by Dolores Madlener

Dolores Madlenera column of benevolent gossip

  • Eggscuse me? —

    The chickens at Mepkin

    Abbey in South Carolina are about to fly the coop after 40 years of contented occu-pency. While the abbey gift store sells art work, books, CDs and other items, its eggonomic stability comes from the monastery’s 38,000 laying hens and selling the eggs to local grocery stores. PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has been waging a disruptive campaign to kill the industry. While the local community defends the monks’ care of the hens, PETA considers any egg-laying operation “animal exploitation.” According to Charleston’s Post and Courier , the monks interact with the chickens daily, gathering the eggs by hand, washing, inspecting and packing them. But PETA’s pressure has disrupted monastic peace and the monks don’t want to hear another peep. The property was donated in 1936 by Henry and Clare Boothe Luce . The couple developed the famed Mepkin Gardens on the site, one of the reasons pilgrims flock to visit. Take a virtual tour at www.mepkinabbey.org.

  • Not abridged —

    The Amazing Faith

    Company came up with an “ Itty Bitty Bible .” It is credit-card size, weighs less than an ounce and costs $10. Inside is a 1Ľ-inch piece of film inscribed with every word from Genesis to the Apocalypse . It uses a 21st century photographic process that reduces the text 285 times. You can read all 1,200 pages using a standard microscope, if you have one handy. It’s available in King James and Catholic versions.

  • Vocation boom? —

    The Sisters of

    Life , founded by Cardinal John O’Connor in NYC, accepted another 12 young women into their community last fall. They all have college degrees and hail from 10 states, with one from New Zealand. The youngest is 21, the eldest 27. Mary used to milk her family cow named Sweetheart in Georgia; Stephanie was prez of her high school white-water rafting club; Leslee walked 1,100 miles last summer with the Missionaries of the Eucharist to proclaim the faith; and Jennifer , who majored in biomolecular chemistry, was voted “most likely to become a nun” in her high school yearbook. Find them at www.sistersoflife.org.

  • Words and Music —

    The Redemptorists

    of the Denver Province have produced the first rosary CD to feature music composed by a saint, their founder, Alphonsus of Liguori, Italy. The 17thcentury music is played during the rosary and its 20 meditations, also written by St. Alphonsus. The CD’s release coincides with the 275th anniversary of the Redemptorist community. Retailing for $17.95, plus shipping, the two-CD set can be ordered by calling (800) 231-1207 or at www.littlelambmusic.com.

  • Promise kept —

    Father Bill Murphy ,

    92, pastor emeritus of Queen of Martyrs Parish (Evergreen Park), got his navy blue school sweater with its big red “R” for Rita , and a gold basketball pin this Christmas as a gift from Father Tom McCarthy , OSA , St. Rita High School president. The custom-made cardigan also has Murphy’s name and “Class of 1933” embroidered on it. As the tallest man on the court back then, Murphy played center.

  • Parish potpourri —

    Nurse Diane Ostrowski,

    St. Alexander’s (Palos Heights) minister of health, made visits during the holidays to homebound parishioners. She wasn’t doing hands-on nursing care, but she talked, prayed and tried to see what services might be available for the person. . . . The first 13 people with the entrance fee of $100 will be paired with a participating teacher of St. Hilary School (N. California) in an innovative fund-raiser, “ Dancing with the Teachers .” . . . What Northwest Side church and school is getting bids on surveillance cameras for safety’s sake? The city will help with monitoring. . . . St. Matthew Parish (Schaumburg) refreshed a few memories and made Advent confession easier by publishing a sample “script” for the penitent (and priest) on a page in its Sunday bulletin.

  • Conserve marriage —

    A recent study

    at Michigan State University found divorced Americans used 42-61 percent more resources per person than before they separated. “Married households use energy and water more efficiently because they share the resources.” For instance, in 2005, if divorced couples had stayed married, the USA would have saved 627 billion gallons of water.

  • Junior Clips —

    St. Giles Band (Oak

    Park) recently competed with students from western and southern suburbs for the District One Illinois Music Educators Honors Band . Brian Keegan played his alto sax in the Honors Concert band in Lockport, Ill., and Alex Iwerebon and his violin were chosen to be in the Honors Orchestra. . . . Nine eighth-graders from St. Francis Borgia School (W. Addison) collected over $700 and bought coats, hats and mittens for abused kids at the Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center. They are: Kelly Lyle, Molly McLoughlin, Melanie Niepsuj, Mike DeRosa, Jim Cunningham, Tom Kelly, Natalie Koziol, Anthony Agular, and Matt Tiza .