Libraries Offer Kindles to Patrons

The Charles M. Bailey Public Library, in Winthrop, ME, is about to start offering patrons Kindles; other libraries are also considering e-books.

For a Kennebec Journal (Augusta, ME) article on this, please visit:

Kennebec Journal:  At Winthrop library, the future is now

Related information:

Charles M. Bailey Public Library, Winthrop, ME

Charles M. Bailey Public Library Facebook Page

WaterFire in Providence, RI

Yankee Magazine has a short video about WaterFire in Providence, RI:

Peter Kreeft on the 10th Anniversary of Dominus Iesus

Peter Kreeft, Ph.D., professor of philosophy at Boston College and at King’s College in New York City, has written a commentary on the 10th anniversary of Dominus Iesus (published on 6 August 2000 by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which was headed at the time by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI).

This commentary begins as follows:

Dominus Iesus, published Aug. 6, 2000, by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, is one of the most important Church documents of modern times because it concerns what is absolutely central and primary in Christianity, Christ himself, because it defends the most unpopular aspect of the Church’s claim today - its “absolutism” - and because it overcomes the dualism of “liberal” vs. “conservative” by which the media classify and evaluate everything. (I wonder how they will classify the Second Coming when they see it.)

To see these three points, all we have to do is try to classify Dominus Iesus as “liberal” or “conservative.” I put an “L” after all its main “liberal” points and a “C” after all its “conservative” points, and I ended up with 30 Ls and 38 Cs.

But the “kicker” is that it is not half and half, or halfway in between; it is so “liberal” precisely because it is so “conservative.”

To understand this, we should first try to spear those two slippery fish: the “liberal” and the “conservative.” (You can’t fry them if you don’t catch them.)


To continue reading this well-written commentary, please visit:

Peter Kreeft: Dominus Iesus: Liberal or Conservative?

To read the document itself, please visit:

Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith: Dominus Iesus

NOAA Still Expects Active Atlantic Hurricane Season; La Niña Develops

The Atlantic Basin remains on track for an active hurricane season, according to the scheduled seasonal outlook update issued this week by the Climate Prediction Center, a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Weather Service. With the season’s peak approaching (late August through October), NOAA advises that the need for preparedness plans is essential.

NOAA also announced that, as predicted last spring, La Niña has formed in the tropical Pacific Ocean. This favors lower wind shear over the Atlantic Basin, allowing storm clouds to grow and organize. Other climate factors pointing to an active hurricane season are warmer-than-average water in the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean, and the tropical multi-decadal signal, which since 1995 has brought favorable ocean and atmospheric conditions in unison, leading to more active seasons.

“August heralds the start of the most active phase of the Atlantic hurricane season and with the meteorological factors in place, now is the time for everyone living in hurricane prone areas to be prepared,” said Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator, in a prepared statement.

Across the entire Atlantic Basin for the whole season – 1 June to 30 November – NOAA’s updated outlook is projecting, with a 70 percent probability, a total of (including Alex, Bonnie and Colin):

* 14 to 20 Named Storms (top winds of 39 mph or higher), including:
* 8 to 12 Hurricanes (top winds of 74 mph or higher), of which:
* 4 to 6 could be Major Hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5; winds of at least 111 mph)

These ranges are still indicative of an active season, compared to the average of 11 named storms, six hurricanes and two major hurricanes; however, the upper bounds of the ranges have been lowered from the initial outlook in late May, which reflected the possibility of even more early season activity.

“All indications are for considerable activity during the next several months,” said Gerry Bell, Ph.D., lead seasonal hurricane forecaster at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, in a prepared statement. “As we’ve seen in past years, storms can come on quickly during the peak months of the season. There remains a high likelihood that the season could be very active, with the potential of being one of the more active on record.”

Summer School Now a Cool Option in Some Rhode Island Districts

The “summer slide” is one of the most significant causes of achievement gaps in the public schools.  In some Rhode Island school districts, summer school is now an opportunity for struggling students - or even those who are successful - to keep from losing ground during summer vacation.

A recent Providence Journal article looks at summer school in Rhode Island:

Providence Journal: Summer school a cool option in some R.I. districts

The Power of an Example

The sisters in the Monastery of the Visitation of Georgetown (Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary, which was founded by Saint Francis de Sales and Saint Jane de Chantal), Washington, DC, regularly share reflections in  a blog, "Live + Jesus!"

One of their recent reflections, "The Power of an Example," starts off:

"There is an African proverb that reads: if you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping in a closed room with a mosquito. The mustard seed and the measure of yeast about which we hear in today's Gospel are both very small entities which produce effects that seem disproportionate to their size. That appears to be a common characteristic of the kingdom of God. A fisherman from Galilee, a tax collector, a virgin from the house of David and a carpenter from Nazareth: all instruments used by God for the glory of his Kingdom; none, at first glance, seem likely candidates to help change the world.

"What does this have to do with most of us: the ordinary Jane and Joe? The power of a good example is, perhaps, one way in which we can live out this Gospel. . . ."

To continue reading this reflection, please visit:

Monastery of the Visitation (Georgetown): The Power of an Example

A Psalm Reflection on Trust in the Lord

Some words of wisdom to live by from today’s Office of Readings:

Trust in the LORD and do good that you may dwell in the land and live secure.
Find your delight in the LORD who will give you your heart's desire.
Commit your way to the LORD; trust that God will act. (Psalm 37:3-5)

Oil Spill Response

This morning I had occasion to call the U.S. Coast Guard’s National Response Center to report an oil sheen I discovered on the Providence River while walking in Providence River Park to the bus stop where I usually catch the bus heading for East Providence.

One interesting thing about the call: when the center phone was answered, the first thing I heard was a recorded message saying that, if I had any suggestions, solutions, or other inquiries regarding the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, I should call 866-448-5816.

This is not the first time I’ve called the National Response Center to report a waterborne spill, although it has been quite a few years since I have done so. I have not always been available for return calls, though, and this time I received two – one from an intermediate center of some type and one from the local Marine Safety Office. I could not give them a lot of information – I gave the size of the spill (about a half mile long and about a yard wide, although I believe it was longer than that), the location (along the east bank, between the old Route I-195 bridge and downtown), and the weather conditions (clear, temperature in low 60’s, winds almost calm, tide coming in). One question I could not answer was the source of the spill (I’m not even sure if it came from the Woonasquatucket River or the Mosshasuck River, both of which combine to form the Providence River).

The National Response Center, by the way, serves as the sole national point of contact for reporting all discharges (oil, chemical, radiological, biological, etc.) into the environment anywhere in the United States and its territories. A call to the center triggers a response by the National Response System, which is the government's mechanism for emergency response to discharges of oil and the release of chemicals into the navigable waters or environment of the United States and its territories. When the system was first set up, this system focused on oil spills and selected hazardous polluting substances discharged into the environment. However, it has since been expanded by other legislation to include discharges of all types of hazardous substances and wastes.

This response center is primarily concerned with Federal response, although in many cases there is a state and/or local response. When there is a multi-agency response, the Incident Command System is used to ensure cooperation and to ensure each agency carries out its own responsibilities.

For any spill in navigable waters, by the way, the U.S. Coast Guard is the lead Federal agency.

For more information about the National Response Center, please visit:

     National Response Center

Library Borrowing and Use Are Up, but Funding Is Down

The Rutland Herald (Rutland, VT) just ran an article about current challenges facing libraries throughout Vermont – challenges facing libraries throughout the rest of New England as well.  The downturn in the economy has led to increased library attendance from all population groups, including increased borrowing of books and DVDs and increased computer use. However, the downturn has also led to reduced funding from tax revenues, which has led to cuts in personnel and public hours.

For the complete article, visit:

Rutland Herald: With use up but funds down, Vt. libraries face cuts

A Reflection from Nick Wagner: Why Pastors Must Blog

Nick Wagner, editor of Today's Parish Magazine, offers an interesting reflection on "why pastors must blog."

He writes, "For a busy parish pastor, a blog has the potential of becoming your most effective and time-efficient tool for evangelization.

"Think of it this way. Suppose that after Mass next Sunday, you are shaking hands and saying goodbye to parishioners as they leave. A new person greets you and says, “Father, I’m thinking of becoming Catholic. Can you tell me what I would need to do?” Now suppose the rest of your Sunday is completely free. And suppose you are not exhausted from the killer week of meetings, weddings, and funerals you just completed. (Hey, this is a fantasy. Bear with me.) If you had all the time and energy in the world, you could spend the next couple of hours just chatting with the seeker that the Holy Spirit sent to you at that moment.

"But you don’t have all the time and energy in the world. You’ve got the next Mass or the emergency finance council meeting or lunch scheduled with the capital campaign chairperson (and largest contributor to the parish). And even if you have nothing else scheduled, you’ve been looking forward to your first free Sunday afternoon in a month to just kick back and watch the game.

"Now imagine there are ten such seekers and imagine there are ten more next Sunday and ten more the Sunday after that. Because in a medium-sized parish with three Masses on a weekend, that’s the potential. You can’t possibly meet, individually, with each and every one of those seekers. But they can “meet” you—if you are blogging."

To read the rest of Nick Wagner's reflection, please visit:

     Today's Parish: Nick Wagner: Why pastors must blog

The Marginal Way in Ogunquit Maine

A short Yankee Magazine video about the Marginal Way in Ogunquit, Maine (along the Maine coast):

Salesian Perspective on Today's Readings

In today's "Sundays Salesian." a Salesian perspective on the Sunday Readings, Rev. Michael S. Murray, OSFS, Executive Director of the De Sales Spirituality Center (a ministry of the Wilmington-Philadelphia Province of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales), writes:

"What profit comes to a person from all the toil and anxiety of heart with which one labored under the sun?" (Ecclesiastes 1:3)

"One may be wealthy, but one's possessions do not guarantee one life." (Luke 12:15)

Salesian Perspective

Is wealth an obstacle to living a righteous life? Do possessions prevent us from living a righteous life? Must we choose between the things that are of earth and the things that are of heaven?

Indeed, riches may be a temptation to forsake a God-centered life precisely because they may distract us from pursuing the things that really matter in life: the things that will last forever. However, the root of the problem may not be the wealth - the possessions - the success - themselves, but rather, inordinate anxiety and concern about them.

I took two courses in Economics when I was in college. Sadly, I don't remember much about that year-long excursion other than that there is a striking similarity found between the folks at the extreme ends of the income scale.

The poorest of the poor and the richest of the rich live in fear of losing what they have.

Anxiety about the accumulation and preservation of wealth ultimately prevents us from truly enjoying our blessings and successes in life. As today's Scriptures point out, anxiety about holding on to how much (or even, how little) we possess can lead to tragic consequences.

Francis de Sales wrote in his Introduction to the Devout Life: "There is a difference between possessing poison and being poisoned. Pharmacists keep almost every kind of poison in stock for use on various occasions, yet they are not themselves poisoned because it is merely in their shops, not in their bodies. So, too, you can possess riches without being poisoned by them if you keep them in your home, purse or wallet, but not in your heart." Part III, Chapter 14)

The man in the Gospel parable is not condemned because he had filled his barn with riches: he is condemned because he had allowed his heart to be consumed by riches. So consumed, in fact, that when he was considering how to dispose of his excessive good fortune, it never occurred to him that he might share it with others.

A word to the wealthy...and the wise: the best remedy for being consumed with riches is to practice the virtue of generosity. After all, how can you be anxious about losing what you have if you are already too busy sharing it with - even giving it away to - others?

Therein lies the secret of true wealth . . . in the eyes of God, wealth that truly - and forever - enriches. What makes me rich is not a measure of what I possess: it is an expression of what I am willing to share.