A weekly column of benevolent gossip

Across the pond — Princess Diana’s mother, the very private Frances Shand Kydd, converted to Catholicism six years ago and spoke about her faith in a TV interview recently. She told the BBC’s “Songs of Praise” program that when she moved to the Isle of Seil, off the west coast of Scotland, she couldn’t find the “equivalent of my Church of England faith.” But in checking out the churches in Argyll she unexpectantly discovered her place in the Catholic Church instead. She’s said to be devout in her faith and generous in raising £50,000 to create a Catholic House of Prayer on the island of Iona. About Princes Diana, she says she has come to realize “All you can do is accept there’s a time to die, not an age to die.” . . . Great Britain is between The Rock and a hard place. While its Act of Settlement of 1701 prohibits an heir to the throne becoming Catholic or marrying one, the new Human Rights Act could overturn the ban if push came to love. Until now the royals could marry a member of any other faith except Catholic.

Sounds of music — Sister Michelle Jane Black, the local superior of the Daughters of St. Paul who operate the St. Paul Book & Media Center on North Michigan here, has another feather in her veil. She sings on a new album that celebrates the 100th anniversary of their founder’s inspiration to begin a religious community using mass communication for the 20th century. “Adoration: Eucharistic Hymns” includes among its 18 selections sung by a sisters’ choir, most traditional favorites like “O Lord, I Am Not Worthy,” or “To Jesus Heart All Burning,” to “I Am the Bread of Life” and “One Bread, One Body,” as well as some in Latin and some instrumentals. Sister Michelle says music is part of their mission of communicating Christ’s love. You can order this album or one of their Christmas albums in CD and on cassette, from (312) 346-4228.

...Holy Night — A newly formed national Christmas Society for those who love, own or collect Nativity sets will have their first convention in the USA in October 2001 in Lancaster, Pa. It will include programs and events, seminars and workshops to fascinate folks who own one creche or hundreds. Christmas Membership is $25 a year and includes a subscription to “Creche Herald,” an international newsletter from: Friends of the Creche, 117 Crosshill Road, Wynnewood, PA 19096. Nativity societies are common in western Europe and attract huge crowds.

An inquiring mind responds — In reply to Suellen Hoy’s quest for info on the St. Euphrasia Guild (Nov. 26), Clips heard from Margo Butler of St. Nicholas Parish (Evanston). Hoy mentioned the “Illinois Technical School for Colored Girls” that operated from 1911 to 1953. Butler’s mom attended the school in the late 20s and Butler was there from 1939 to 1947. She named the school newspaper “ITS” and recalls working on the staff. She writes fondly of “piano, violin and tap lessons, trips to the Regal Theatre, our Victory Garden, the nuns and Father Ernest.” She would like to get in touch with classmates like: Ruth Bryant, Eugenia Harper, Maxine Blagburn, Bernadette Boswell, Aline Montgomery, Patty Ashford, Lydia and Edwina Williams and others. You can call Butler at (847) 328-2626.

Wag’s Corner — John J. Lyons likes the Chicago Bears’ proposed Personal Seating License (PSL) for their new stadium. “Just make sure they toss in enough No-Doz for home games.”

The winner is — Pam Mueller, alum of Regina Dominican, an Illinois State Scholar, and all-round star student, became the “Jeopardy” TV show’s college champ without too much effort. The Loyola University junior who spent four days in Seattle sightseeing and filming 10 shows that aired in late November, says friends say she “knows too much random stuff.” It paid off with a $50,000 prize plus a 2001 Volvo S60. She says she won’t have to worry about student loans now and can invest some money for graduate or law school.