Update on Mary Jo Copeland

Thanks everyone for your prayers and efforts!

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Mary Jo Copeland met with the city of Minneapolis Regulatory Committee yesterday and emerged victorious... kinda/sorta. Mary Jo said the results were favorable towards Caring and Sharing Hands, and that a city regulator will visit the operation next week to help formulate a security plan. Mary Jo keeps her license and may continue to serve food - which happened to be the first point of contention with the city - so that is a relief.

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The only thing I found strange in the comments after the meeting took place is that the police department said they will be "relentless" in policing Caring and Sharing Hands from now on. (That can be taken several ways - yet, isn't that enough security then?) I find the police response odd since the drug busts they performed last year were undercover operations... so does that mean they were set ups? No, of course not... Well, I don't think so.

Poor Amy Winehouse

Arrested for assault. The whole story here.
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I'm not passing any judgement, nor casting any slurs... You know 'there for but the grace of God'... That said...
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In the old days, people like Amy would have been called "public sinners" and roundly condemned. Today they are celebrities and fodder for the paparazzi, and people just love to watch a train wreck. I think the fascination is due in part is to the base human desire to watch and see how far melt-down can go before implosion. I also think God permits it to show how miserable human nature truly is - how decadent we can become - and exactly how illusory and fleeting fame is...
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She's a person and I happen to like her - and I pray for her. (I'm fairly certain she continues to believe everything is still just a joke. And I'm afraid she may kill herself laughing.)

National Day of Silence

Keep your mouth shut until tomorrow.

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April 25 is observed as a National Day of Silence in public high schools throughout the country. Actually it is the first I have ever heard about it. It's a gay thing. I think people who think that gay sex is a dirty, filthy habit, are not supposed to say that kind of stuff today.

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I found some information on the national observance here.

Thursday storybook time.

It's spring!

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Once upon a time, I had a friend who married a woman he thought was the most beautiful in the world, and in fact she was very pretty, in a Delta Burke/Imelda Marcos sort of way. They had two children and lived in a lovely over-sized house in the best suburb; the windows draped with layer upon layer of ruffled sheered curtains, in the softest shade of pink you have ever seen. They did everything with flair and style, and much better than their neighbors ever could. (The Mrs. had been a hair stylist before they married, which may explain why her hair was nearly as big as the house.)

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One spring day, I called my friend just to see how he was doing and the answering machine went on. Symphonic music was playing softly in the background, and his wife's melodic voice began her sing-song, operatic message. It was her springtime poem, recited in the style of the good witch Glinda from the Wizard of Oz. It began "It's spring! Ohhhhhhhh! It's spring! Ahhhhhhhh! The girls are scampering to and fro in the ya----"

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Clunk! I hung up!

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The End.

NEWMAN TO BE BEATIFIED!!!

WOW!
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This is such wonderful news! Read the entire story here.

Mary Jo Copeland

The poor need Caring and Sharing Hands!

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I'm so happy some other good Catholic bloggers came to Mary Jo's defense and posted about the dilemma her homeless shelter faces - the city of Minneapolis trying to shut her down that is. Ray, Monica, Cathy, and Adoro all posted about the situation far better than I could. Now if only others from Minnesota, even those who live on farms as far away as the Wausau/Green Bay area of Wisconsin; if only they would show some concern - beyond what they usually say - step out of their paradigm for a moment and demonstrate they actually do have a social conscience, and at least post something on their blog, I'd be happier. That said, they should at least call the city of Minneapolis in support of Mary Jo - their pedestal isn't that high off the ground, is it?

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Anyway...
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I wish we could get some "big" names to come out for Caring and Sharing Hands too. Mega stars like Prince - hey Roger, why don't you help Mary Jo? Or former Twins players - say Kent Herbeck, where are you? Josh Hartnet? Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis - can you guys help out? Or how about the Coen brothers? Does anyone out there know them? Give them a call and tell them to help out a real person in need. How about Lori and Julia? They could do something... Julia is Catholic! Everyone - call the city, post a protest, or get your butts down to the City Council meeting on April 25. (If anyone knows these famous people or how to get them involved - please contact them ASAP.)
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WDTPRS? (What does the petition really say?)
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PLEASE! If you haven't done so - come to the aid of Caring and Sharing hands and make your objections known to the City of Minneapolis. Please call today or before April 25 Mayor R.T. Rybak's policy aide: Erica Prosser 612-673-2133 or erica.prosser@ci.minneapolis.mn.us

The Pope in NYC

What a farce - he snubbed Bayside!
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[Photo: I believe that is Joan Lewis of EWTN in the blue beret, seated next to Veronica.]

My six word memoir meme.

Angela tagged me for this:

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Write a memoir of your life in just six words. Post it on the blog. Tag 5 others.

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So - right off the top of my head I thought of this from "Chic":

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"Dance, dance, dance... keep on dancing."

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Then I thought of this from the "Four Tops":

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"What becomes of the broken hearted?"

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While I considered this from Tina Turner:

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"Rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river!"

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Although something from Abbey Road would certainly be appropriate:

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"(She) came in through the bathroom window."

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But then I just went with Cece Peniston:

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"I don't know what to do."

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Although, thinking about it more seriously, I decided on this:

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"Let the children come to me." - Matt. 20:14

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I tag the following people I would most like to hang out with for an evening:

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Tina Fey, Charo, Drew Carey, Karen Walker, and Jack Mcfarland. However - if they can't do it, I tag everyone from The Office.