Restoration Work at Basilica of St. John the Evangelist, Stamford, CT

Restoration work was recently completed at the Basilica of Saint John the Evangelist in Stamford, CT. included in the restoration was the uncovering of paintings (dating from late 1920’s to the late 1950’s) on the walls of the altar and church.

My aunt, Sister Christine Marie (Lopatosky), C.S.J., served as the parish’s Religious Education Coordinator for over twelve years in the 1970’s and 1980’s.

Media report:

Stamford Advocate: St. John's marks end of interior restoration (6 APR 12)

Background information:

Basilica of Saint John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church

Reflection Starter from Raymond Hull

“He who trims himself to suit everyone will soon whittle himself away.” - Raymond Hull

Northeast Diesel Collaborative Honors Massachusetts and Vermont Groups for Reducing Air Pollution

The Northeast Diesel Collaborative – a partnership between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, state agencies, and private and nonprofit groups – recently recognized four organizations for their outstanding leadership and efforts in reducing diesel emissions. The collaborative honored the agencies and organizations, including one from Massachusetts and one from Vermont, as part of its second annual Northeast Diesel Collaborative Breathe Easy Leadership Awards Program.

The Northeast Diesel Collaborative Breathe Easy awards are given for outstanding service in reducing air pollution to protect human health and the environment. The winners achieve these goals by taking actions such as retrofitting and replacing older diesel engines, reducing idling from diesel engines, developing education and outreach campaigns to promote diesel emissions reduction and promoting cleaner fuels.

Leadership Award: Green Space and Recreation Committee, Chelsea Collaborative, Inc.

For the past sixteen years, Chelsea Collaborative's Green Space and Recreation Committee (Green Space) has formed public and private sector partnerships in a collaborative effort to protect and restore Chelsea’s natural resources.  Improving air quality and reducing resident exposure to diesel pollutants in Chelsea and Everett, MA, two communities that receive a disproportionate quantity of air pollution from diesel fleets, has been a primary objective in this effort. In 2010, the Collaborative, partnering with the New England Produce Center, replaced 98 diesel-powered transport refrigeration units used for extra cold storage with electrically-powered units at one of the largest produce distribution centers in the country. An additional project partnership installed diesel emission reduction technologies on fleet equipment at the Chelsea Fire Department, the Chelsea Public Works Department, and the Eastern Mineral Salt Dock. Combined, both projects are projected to remove 34 tons of nitrogen oxide, 5.7 tons of particulate matter, and reduce fuel use by an estimated 275,000 gallons while saving an estimated $500,000 in operational costs.

For more information about the Chelsea Collaborative Green Space & Recreation Committee, please visit:

Chelsea Green Space and Recreation Committee

Leadership Award (Honorable Mention): Casella Waste Systems, Inc.

In 2010, Casella Waste Systems, partnering with Chittenden Solid Waste District and with funding from EPA’s National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program, replaced three diesel refuse trucks introducing the first of its compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered fleet of collection vehicles serving Chittenden County, VT. To accommodate the new technology and maintain the reliability of the new CNG vehicles, CWS refurbished its maintenance garage and constructed a CNG fueling station at its transfer station in Williston.

For more information on the Chittenden Solid Waste District's CNG fleet, please visit:

Chittenden Solid Waste District

Background information:

Northeast Diesel Collaborative

George Frideric Handel: "Thine be the Glory"

As our Easter celebration continues, I offer this version of George Frideric Handel's hymn, "Thine be the Glory":

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the Communion of Saints and the way in which this Communion unites Your people on earth, the souls in purgatory, and the saints in heaven.

T.J. Burdick on Being a Dangerous Catholic

“. . . I count myself as part of the majority of Catholics worldwide who, in every aspect of their life, are expected to live perfectly just as Jesus commanded us to (Matthew 5:48).  Who, then, is considered public enemy number one to the relativistic society in which we live?  The practicing Catholic who calls out the errors of the mediocre and shadows their claims with an onslaught of truth.

Oh yeh, I’m dangerous alright.

On the other hand, I am even more dangerous if I do not strive to live perfectly.  If Christ did found a Church and my entire baptized being has its roots in it, then my lack of study and practice of the doctrines of this Church (whether I agree with them or not) crack its foundation and allow the messiness of the world to leak in.  If I am not a perfect example of Christianity, I give Christ’s Bride, the Church, a poor name.”

In a recent commentary, T.J. Burdick reflected on one aspect of the potential influence of lay Catholics on our society.

To access Mr. Burdick’s complete post, please visit:

TeachCatholic: "I am a lay Catholic, which means I am very, very dangerous." (28 MAR 12)

Reflection Starter from Walt Disney

“Somehow I can’t believe that there are any heights that can’t be scaled by a man who knows the secrets of making dreams come true. This special secret, it seems to me, can be summarized in four C’s. They are curiosity, confidence, courage and constancy, and the greatest of all is confidence, when you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly and unquestionably.” – Walt Disney

The Grace Thrillers: “Crown Him (Lord of All)”

As our Easter celebration continues, I offer the Grace Thrillers singing “Crown Him (Lord of All)”:

Major Brush Fire in Brimfield, MA

A brush fire burned 52 acres off Paige Hill Road in Brimfield, MA, on Wednesday, 4 April. The fire was difficult to access because routes to the blaze were blocked by trees that had been felled in last year’s tornado. Over 25 departments from Connecticut and Massachusetts responded to the blaze.

Media reports:

WWLP-TV: Brush fire burns 50 acres in Brimfield (4 APR 12)

WGGB-TV: Forty Plus Acres Burn in Brimfield Brush Fire (4 APR 12)

WCVB-TV: Crews Get Upper Hand In Brush Fire Battles (4 APR 12)

Telegram & Gazette: Brimfield withstands another big hit (5 APR 12)

Springfield Republican: Massachusetts on alert for additional flare-ups (6 APR 12)

After the Storm: Brush fires becoming huge concern for Brimfield, Monson (6 APR 12)

Telegram & Gazette: Storm damage set stage for alarming spring (8 APR 12)

Background information:

Town of Brimfield

Massachusetts’ Department of Conservation and Recreation: Bureau of Forest Fire Control

Wikipedia: Brimfield, Massachusetts

FEMA: Build a Disaster Supplies Kit

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) continually offers a reminder to be ready for disasters by maintaining a disaster supplies kit - a collection of basic items that may needed in the event of an emergency.

For more information, please visit:

FEMA: Build a Disaster Supplies Kit

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for good radio and good television programs and for the people who contribute to producing and broadcasting these programs.

Msgr. Pope on the Twentieth Century

“What are we to make of the 20th Century? Like any period it is marked with its glories and its horrors. In his now classic work Modern Times, historian Paul Johnson gives a sober assessment of the 20th century and estimates, many think conservatively, that 100 million died in war and for ideological reasons in that violent century. Perhaps no century can be said to have been bloodier.”

In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on the twentieth century (the 1900’s).

To access Msgr. Pope's complete post, please visit:

Msgr. Charles Pope: There was something about the 20th Century, something awful. Did Pope Leo have the answer? (29 MAR 12)