Herald Web site garners award

The annual Catholic Press Assocation awards banquet was held Friday night, and The Colorado Catholic Herald Web site was named among the best in North America. The site won third place for Catholic newspaper Web sites regardless of size.

Youth discerning their vocations in Quebec

At Catholic Press Association convention, you get a chance to meet some interesting people. Case in point was last night, as I ran into a young man who is involved with Famille Marie-Jeunesse, a Catholic community based in the province of Quebec that began in 1982.

Jean-Francois is a 24-year-old who lives at the house in Sherbrooke, QC, one of about two dozen youth between the ages of 15 and 30 who commit themselves to a year of intense prayer, Marian devotion and discernment of their vocations, whether it is as a priest, religious, or layperson. Of course, this is a special year for the community since hte International Eucharistic Congress is in Quebec City, site of the oldest Catholic parish in North America. I have been to Notre Dame de Quebec City, and I agreed when Jean-Francois said it is special because Jesus will be making his presence known in the birthplace of Catholicism in the New World.

Jean-Francois told me he feels a strong call to the priesthood, and at the end of our conversation he said that we will be united in prayer. I certainly ask all readers of this blog to prayer for the young men and women at Famille Marie-Jeunesse.

Convention Day 2: John Michael Talbot

John Michael Talbot performs at the Boiler Room May 29 in Toronto. This picture is taken from the second floor. The main eating and drinking area is underneath Talbot. (Herald photo/Bill Howard)

Last night was capped by a Mass at St. Paul Basilica celebrated by Quebec Cardinal Marc Oullett, followed by a night out at the Boiler Room bar and restaurant in the Distillery District, a renovated group of warehouses that reminded me a little of LoDo in Denver. Music was provided by legendary Catholic musician John Michael Talbot.

"I haven't played a bar since I was 15," Talbot joked as he tuned his guitar above the loud din of chatter and clinking glasses. The setup was a bit odd -- the "stage" was a walkway of sorts that jutted out from the second level over the main floor on one end. It was like he was hovering above us and provided for an odd distance between performer and audience.

He played some songs from his latest record, "Living Water," and did a lengthy medley of classics ("Healer of My Soul," "Holy Is His Name" and "Come Worship the Lord." I wondered if Talbot was bothered by the surroundings, as during "Come Worship..." he made invited the crowd to singing along saying, essentially, that if they didn't sing along they didn't understand why there were here (not sure if he meant the dinner or the convention in general). But he sounded great and the performance was taped for Salt & Light TV, the Catholic television network in Canada. I'm not sure when it will be broadcast... maybe Jim can find out for us after meeting the director of the program last night.

It was a blessing having Talbot perform, as just a month ago to the day, a large part of the hermitage where he lives burned down. He was scheduled to tour a week later, and he went ahead with it, wrapping up the jaunt through Montana and Canada last night in Toronto. If you're looking for great Catholic meditation music, check out his CDs "The Quiet" and his "Pathways" seasonal series.

The inspiring story of Josh Hamilton

I'm posting this story of Texas Ranger outfielder Josh Hamilton simply because it's an amazing, inspiring story. This is a man who learned that nothing is impossible with Christ and is starting to fulfill the promise that God has for him. I have followed his story since he debuted in the major leagues last year, and he knows he can still easily screw up and go back to his drug- and alcohol-abusing ways but also knows that by keeping his sins exposed for others to see and learn from, he can remain on the lifelong road to recovery. He has Hall of Fame ability but it is still very unclear as to whether he will stay strong enough to get there. But he is honest about it and is trying to carry his cross, and that humility is impressive. He is on the verge of signing a very lucrative contract with the Rangers, and we should pray that he can remain humble and strong in action and faith as more and more accolades come his way.

Convention Day Two: Address from Vatican spokesman Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi

The highlight for me today was a morning address from Vatican spokesman Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi (who took over for JPII's legendary spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls) on "When the Pope Speaks to the World." We'll let CNS summarize the body of the text when it posts the story tomorrow (the full, original text can be found here); I will discuss some of the points made in the Q&A afterward.

-- When asked about Benedict XVI's 2006 Regensburg speech, where he drew some outrage for questioning the rejection of reason in elements of Muslim theology, Father Lombardi said that a "positive dynamic" grew from that speech. The tension brought to the forefront "how much misunderstanding exists (between the two faiths)," he said. Since then, Pope Benedict has been trying to start serious dialogue among Muslim leaders, desiring "to take what's there and find good. We want better dialogue and mutual understanding," Father Lombardi said. In the last question of the Q&A, he was asked if he thought anything should have been differently in light of the Regensburg event, and Father Lombardi responded that the Vatican's communications office is always working to improve on the preparation of documents and providing them in as clear a language as possible for journalists to interpret correctly.

-- Regarding the Holy Father's visit to the United States in April, Father Lombardi said that the Holy Father has not held a big discussion of the trip afterward back at the Vatican because everyone was happy with the visit. The pope was elated with the positive atmosphere he found in America, he said. Father Lombardi said that, personally, he grew in admiration for the American press and communication systems. "They were open to what the pope had to say with interest. It was a positive surprise to me," Father Lombardi said. "I didn't know American society and (it's) way of thinking." He said Pope Benedict has helped him better understand American society and its values.

-- He challenged the approximately 400 journalists in attendance several times to "see the good things, stress the good things," to understand the directives issued by the church and to use our skills to motivate readers to be better people.

-- There is no date set for the pope's followup to "Jesus of Nazareth," as the pope has a systematic approach to his writing and a printing date is not set until he is happy with his writing. Essentially, the books are done when they're done, Father Lombardi said, and translations also add to the unpredictability of release dates.

-- One journalist raised a concern that, in light of the pope's comments here on the sex abuse crisis in the church, it is being portrayed as specifically a U.S. problem and wondered if the pope had plans to publicly address this scandal in other countries. Father Lombardi said he did not know if the pope was planning to bring up the subject at, for example, World Youth Day in Australia... that it is up to the pope to decide, he said, and sometimes the Holy Father gives a week's notice about what he will discuss.

-- Regarding a recent story with the head of the Vatican Observatory that hypothesized how a discovery of intelligent life somewhere else in the universe could affect Christians here on Earth, Father Lombardi said it is important to remember that the conversation was a hypothesis and not stating fact. "We cannot know for sure if there are other intelligent beings in the universe, but research shows many systems with planets," Father Lombardi explained. "In the universe there are millions of situations where life could exist. We cannot say we are totally sure that life -- and intelligent life -- exists (elsewhere). It's very theoretical." Father Lombardi said he set up the original interview with Jesuit Father Jose Funes to do a general feature on the observatory and the question of extraterrestrial life came up. Father Lombardi also used this opportunity to reitterate Pope Benedict XVI's appreciation of the role science plays in the church. "The pope is aware of the importance of science. It is not to be a closed system; it is to be open to spiritual realities," Father Lombardi said.

-- He was also asked about how journalists should talk about stories related to homosexuality and same-sex marriage. Father Lombardi did not delve into those issues directly but said that Catholic journalists are to let readers know that the Church does what it does and says what it says for "the well-being of humanity." One interesting note was when he said that society preaches about unbridled freedom "but I see so many young people unhappy (with this)." He said this should not be seen as a war but that the church seeks the good of families and children.

Catholic Media Convention Day 1

Jim Myers and I began the day at a small breakfast with EWTN communications director Michelle Johnson, who I had communicated with for some time when she was the editor for The Catholic Standard & Times in Philadelphia until late last year. The Standard & Times is the source of the much-debated "Christian or New Age" series that we ran last fall.

The convention was kicked off with a talk by McGill University law professor and ethicist Margaret Somerville, who talked about "The Power of Language: Speaking to a Secular Age." This is a topic I am passionate about, since my vocation as a journalist involves understanding the meanings of words. Somerville talked about the battle to win hearts back to Christ is in large part a reclaiming of a language where the meaning of words have been twisted and we allow euphemisms to detach ourselves from the reality (sometimes evil) of actions taking place today. Euthanasia becomes equated with compassion and mercy rather than the killing of another person -- which is what it is, at its core. At the same time, it is the journalist's responsibility to speak the truth about a situation and use effective language that avoids terms that, when spoken, polarize the situation and leave it hard to reach the other person(s).

This led naturally into the battle today between the relationship between faith and science, where atheists like author Richard Dawkins are trying to quantify the world purely on the basis of science. Somerville said that science often disproves those who try to quantify the world purely on science. Yet we love today in a no-holds-barred research atmosphere where scientists mess with the creation of life for any reason in the name of advancing science. There are experiments going on around the world, for example, that create children with more than two different genetic lines, she said. And these sinister experiments are spoken of as being from compassion and love. The research points to something greater, a moral order. As this battle grows stronger -- and it is, according to Somerville -- and studies show that people are having a harder time knowing which media to trust, the Catholic journalist can stand tall, analyzing issues in light of the truth. She challenged Catholic journalists (and Catholics in general) to keep the debates in the public square despite the push to privatize everything. Society, she says, must set acceptable limits of behavior with scientific research.

Herald will blog from Catholic Media Convention

Herald editor Bill Howard and assistant editor Jim Myers will blog periodically from the Catholic Media Convention May 28-30 in Toronto.

The Catholic Media Convention is the largest annual gathering of Catholic press in North America and features guest speakers and workshops on may different aspects of the business. Noted speakers at this year's convention include Quebec Cardinal Marc Ouellet, musician John Michael Talbot, Holy See press office and Vatican radio director Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Pontifical Council for Social Communications president Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli and McGill University law professor Margaret Somerville.

The convention concludes the evening of May 30 with the 2008 Catholic Press Awards.

Groundbreaking Catholic Animation Camp

The Colorado Catholic Herald is proud to be a sponsor of what we consider a groundbreaking idea... a camp that aims to teach folks the basic tools of computer animation so that he/she can produce Catholic-themed art. The inaugural Catholic Animation Camp will take place June 23-27 at John Paul II Center in Denver. The teacher is Steve Baker, who teaches animation at the University of Colorado in Denver and is the founder of Holy Solies Media.

The ambitious schedule for the camp includes participants creating elements that will be combined at the end of the camp to make a Catholic music video. Participants will get to dabble in character construction and motion capture. The $600 camp cost includes a software license for Softimage XSI, which is used by top animators in Hollywood for films and games.

There are only a dozen spots open, and several spots are already taken. This year is, in part, about getting the word out about this great idea. We recommend interested folks get involved now, as the uniqueness of this camp is likely to cause a waiting list for future camps. This camp is being promoted nationally and the hope is that interested people can fly in for future camps and that a community can be created for participants to share ideas and support each other.

Another dream for the camp is that, as word gets out, a scholarship can be created in memory of Mark Golden, a good friend of Baker who died in a hiking accident in 2004. Golden was a composer both for story ideas and music in past projects, including their first video "The Kings of Christmas."

Decent Films Guide reviews "Constantine's Sword"

One of my favorite film review sites is Steve Greydanus' "Decent Films Guide." He does not so much write capsule reviews as he writes thoughtful essays that analyze films from the perspectives of both a Catholic and a lover of cinema. He doesn't rubber-stamp an A+ on every film that attempts to be family- and faith-friendly, and is not afraid to show a film's serious flaws even if it has the best intentions. I don't always agree with his points (I thought "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" was better than he portrays it in his review of the latest Indiana Jones flick), but we're pretty much on the same page with most reviews. And I often learn a little cinematic history in the process, which I appreciate.

One of his latest posts deconstructs "Constantine's Sword," the bitter "documentary" by ex-priest James Carroll about the history of antisemitism in Christianity (and particularly the Catholic Church). To understand why I use quotes around "documentary," read the review. Carroll goes so far, according to Greydanus, as to allude that the Church was partially responsible for the Holocaust. Greydanus tries to be as fair as he can to Carroll's film but finds several errors that are likely to not get caught by mainstream media critics (and many viewers) who are not versed on the Catholic Church and its history.

"Constantine's Sword" made the news here locally when speaker Mikey Weinstein (who appears in the film) tried to show clips during an April 9 talk he gave at the Air Force Academy on how the mixture of religion and government leads to wars. Academy leaders previewed the clips, deemed them anti-Catholic and refused to allow Weinstein to show them. The film eventually showed for one week at Kimball's Twin Peak downtown.

"Constantine's Sword" is one of growing list of pseudo-historical works that takes advantage (and in the case of "The Da Vinci Code," thrives) on the lack of knowledge Catholics have about their faith and history; if it sounds authoritative, then it must be so. Greydanus does readers a favor by studying the film's source material, a 700-page book of the same name, and highlights these important bits of background information:

A documentary of sorts based on Carroll’s book of the same title, Constantine’s Sword doesn’t go quite as far as its source material in deconstructing the cross and the faith it represents. Subtitled The Church and the Jews – A History, Carroll’s book effectively contends that “proclaiming the cross of Christ” and “God’s all-embracing love” are mutually exclusive. The cross, Carroll writes, is “the symbol of all that Christians must repent in relation to the Jewish people” (p. 601–602).

In the last seven of his 60 chapters, Carroll, an ex-priest, offers a modest proposal for Christian “repentance”: The Catholic Church must (a) convene Vatican III, (b) flag and confess anti-Jewish distortions in the New Testament, (c) reject the Nicene Creed in favor of something more Unitarian, (d) dismantle the hierarchy and embrace “holy” democracy, and (e) to show that we really mean it and we’re really sorry for the last 2000 years, dismantle the cross at Auschwitz — a proposed act that, as vividly and ritualistically imagined by Carroll — “a removal of the horizontal beam, an uprooting of the vertical, a reversal of the instruction Constantine gave his soldiers” (p. 604) — suggests much more than removing a single controverted monument. Carroll imagines it as a veritable “sacrament” embodying the deconstruction of traditional Christian faith.

I haven't found that information in any secular review. Thanks to Mr. Greydanus for taking the time to provide his thorough, thoughtful reviews. For some other outstanding Catholic-lensed film review/discussion, I also recommend Church of the Masses by Act One founder Barbara Nicolosi.

Change at the Herald

I am happy to announce that Herald editorial assistant Esperanza Griffith has been chosen by Bishop Sheridan to be his new administrative assistant upon the retirement of Patty Donovan at the end of the month.

Esperanza has been with the Herald from the very beginning, when we were stuck in a temporary tight space on the second floor (where the stewardship office would eventually be built) while we waited for the Herald office to be built next to the Bishop's Office on the third floor. Esperanza quickly proved to be a worker of many talents and eager for whatever task was given her. In addition to being the "gatekeeper" of the Herald office, she soon learned our advertising, mailing and circulation software and became far more than her title said. Her versatility has allowed me more time to develop other aspects of Herald operations, and her connections with seemingly every person in the diocese has also been vital to our success. Although she will be next door, she will be missed.

I would also like to thank Patty Donovan for her help during my three years here. Patty has been with the diocese since its inception and has been invaluable in helping me contact different priests, deacons and religious. She has also typed out the bishop's calendar for us. Her retirement is well-deserved and we will keep her in our prayers.

In this time of farewells, the Herald also has a welcome back of sorts, as Becca Grove, who worked at the chancery from 2004-06, is going to help us get through the end of the summer, at which time she plans to continue her education in radiology. We are excited to have Becca back in the Catholic Pastoral Center and as part of the Herald family.

Airlines, trains or some other mode?

As I get ready to fly out next week for the annual Catholic Press Association convention, I was not encouraged to see this story about American Airlines (which I'm not flying on this trip). We have barely had a chance to get used to the second-bag charge that airlines are imposing, and now American is charging $15 for the first bag, too. The usual "rising fuel cost" reason is given for this (and seemingly every) new charge.

On another thread about this story, the discussion shifted toward going back to train travel. While that sounds nice, I've found that trains are just as expensive as planes and it takes you 2-3 times as long to get there. I'd love to do more train travel if it was more feasible, but the whole "rising fuel cost" thing does show that the current spectrum of mass transporation as we know it could start shifting to more electric-based modes like trains. Or are we so addicted to air travel that we will pay the price no matter what? Would you consider traveling more by train in the future if air costs continue to rise (and there's no reason to think they won't)?

World Youth Day travel for our diocese went up more than $200 recently due to "rising fuel costs," and we had no choice but to pay the addition since most of our group's tickets are already paid. This leads me to another question... why do rely so much on foreign oil if we a lot of it in our own 50 states? It seems that we could produce our own oil and gas for cheaper than what we're paying. But I'm no economist, so I may be missing a key piece to this puzzle.

Eating healthy

In March, Jim Myers wrote an excellent story on how a major recall of beef led one of our Catholic schools to switch to a local natural beef supplier.

The Denver Post has picked up on this trend and published an article yesterday, including a mention of the change at Corpus Christi School.

A worthwhile pro-life event

I got an interesting e-mail the other day from Walk for Life, an event that benefits Life Network. I hadn't heard of the event until I received the e-mail, but it sparked my interest to investigate.

Upon further inspection, I noticed plenty of organizations involved that are committed to pro-life issues, such as Focus on the Family and the Colorado Springs Pregnancy Center.

I contacted Father Bill Carmody, pastor of Holy Family Parish in Security and St. Joseph Parish in Fountain (soon to be combined into the new St. Dominic Parish). He's also the director of the diocesan Respect Life Office. Father Carmody was very positive about the event, telling me that it will go toward creating a pregnancy center that will go next to Planned Parenthood in Colorado Springs.

At the very least, it looks like a chance to get some exercise in the 5K or the walk while feeling you're donating to a worthwhile cause.

Has anyone participated in the Walk for Life before, and if so, what were your experiences?

Is Livestrong really so great?

I read an item in The Gazette today that stated May 13 is Livestrong Day, celebrating cyclist Lance Armstrong's organization for cancer research. Before you go out and buy one of those silly yellow bracelets, remember that Livestrong supports embryonic stem-cell research and sperm banking.

Ordination Mass and plenary indulgence

Come celebrate the ordination of Deacon Kirk Slattery to the priesthood for the Diocese of Colorado Springs at a 10 a.m. Mass this Saturday at St. Mary's Cathedral. Bishop Sheridan will celebrate.

You are also encouraged to attend Father Slattery's first Mass, which should be announced at the ordination Mass (we don't have confirmation of it here yet). A priest's first Mass is a special ocassion of great grace. The church acknowledges this rare moment by granting a plenary indulgence "to the faithful who devoutly participate in the Mass." To read what an indulgence is and is not (read: not the kinds that caused the Protestant Reformation) and for the conditions to receive the indulgence, click here.

Mark your calendars...

Please mark your calendars for the following exciting events taking place in the Diocese of Colorado Springs the weekend of May 17-18:

May 17
* Deacon Kirk Slattery will be ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Colorado Springs by Bishop Michael Sheridan at a 10 a.m. Mass at St .Mary's Cathedral.
* Apologist Scott Hahn will give three talks at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Colorado Springs. The schedule is as follows:
9 a.m. - Registration
9:30 a.m. - Ed and Eddie Reinhardt
10:30 a.m. - Scott Hahn ("Lord Have Mercy")
12 p.m. - Scott Hahn ("Understanding Our Father")
2 p.m. - Scott Hahn ("Reasons to Believe")

May 18
* Internationally acclaimed organist Hector Olivera will be in Colorado Springs the weekend of May 17-18. He will provide an organist workshop on May 17 from 10 a.m.-noon at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 4125 Constitution Ave. On May 18 at 2:30 p.m., he will present a concert of classical and sacred music at St. Mary's Cathedral, 22 W. Kiowa. The concert is free.
For maps to parishes, please go to www.diocs.org.

Hog Heaven

Father Mike Butler and Deacon Lynn Sherman bless bikes last year at Holy Apostles Church. (Herald photo)

Today at 11 a.m. at 6314 E. Platte Ave., Father Mike Butler and Deacon Lynn Sherman will hold their annual blessing for motorcycles and their drivers. Sources told us that this year they will use blessed distilled water so it doesn't affect the chrome on the bikes. On Thursday, The Gazette did a story on Father Butler and his love for bikes.

DVD Talk: Gone Baby Gone

CNS photo from Miramax.

I didn't catch "Gone Baby Gone" in the theaters... it was one of those movies that intrigued me -- in part because it was Ben Affleck's directorial debut and because the cast was quite impressive with Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris and Casey Affleck -- but not enough to get me into the theater. I just wasn't up for a crime drama about child abduction. Now that it is on DVD, I added it to my Netflix queue and I'm glad I did. It is an exceptional film.

With the film's rough language and main subject of child abduction will not make it for everyone, those who can tolerate these elements will be rewarded with a fascinating study of what makes for right and wrong, and the consequences that decisions have.

Without giving away any real spoilers, the movie opens with a little girl already abducted and the tough Boston neighborhood up in arms. The film's star, Casey Affleck, plays private investigator Patrick Kenzie, who has eked out a living primarily finding stolen items. His life changes, however, when relatives of the abducted child see his ad in the paper and ask for the help of he and his partner to find the child. He is reluctant at first but needs the job and accepts. The rest of the movie takes several intelligent twists and turns as Affleck's character learns that the child's abduction is just part of a larger web into which he is getting entangled.

Because this is Boston, Patrick is Catholic and there is a presence of Catholicism sporadically throughout the movie (pleasantly surprising, no priest abuse wisecracks are made). While increasing awareness of the tragedy of child abudction is a central part of this movie, Ben Affleck interestingly hones in on the moral dilemmas Patrick faces as he stumbles deeper and deeper into the truth of what is going on. At several points, his Catholic upbringing -- it could be labeled "Catholic guilt" -- kicks in and he struggles with decisions that seem right but do not sit well in him. His faith tells him that sometimes a truly right decision will bring pain, even when another character mocks it. I kept waiting for the hammer to fall and for the Church to ultimately be dismissed. But while it took some shots from some key characters, Catholicism was portrayed for the most part with respect (Patrick does cohabitate with his female investigative partner, so it's not perfect).

With each step Patrick takes, adversaries try to dull his conscience, leading to a climactic moral dilemma that has sparked a lot of debate on film blogs (is the decision made the right one or a selfish one?). The film made me think of the notion of "Catholic guilt" and the savage portrayal Catholics often get in entertainment avenues because of it. Catholicism is usually equated with repression, if you believe most of the movies, songs and books where the artists "deal" with their Catholic upbringing. But I firmly believe that Catholic guilt is a good thing. It is good to have our consciences pricked in a way that makes us second guess whether something that society says is right may not be quite right... where the ends may not always justify the means. Growing up, I can honestly say that Catholic guilt may have made me seem like a wimp and nerd to friends at times for decisions I made not to do certain things, but looking back Catholic guilt saved me a lot of heartache. And if I did do something wrong, Catholic guilt ultimately led me back to the sacrament of confession -- a true gift of the church and whose renewal I believe will lead to a renewal of Catholicism in general around the world. In the end, "Catholic guilt" is really God's love trying to reach us... saying "you don't have to do this"... trying to remind us of the larger picture of life and the consequences we may have to deal with. There are times when you have a hard time explaining why something is wrong, but in your heart you know it and, though it may be unpopular in the crowd, you try to find the strength and moral conviction to stick with your decision. As the flawed hero of this film, Casey Affleck does an excellent job portraying this kind of person.

There is a lot of rough language and some instances involving drug dealing in the film and, as I said earlier, this film may be hard to watch for some. But for those who do watch it, it is moving and -- despite the heartbreaking subject matter -- rewarding. It shows the world is not a perfect place, but there is still a moral order to the universe.

If anyone has seen this film and wishes to discuss it in the comment box, I'm game. A similar film that reminds us that our decisions can have huge, unforeseen consquences if we choose wrong is "Atonement."

Shroud of Turin back in the news

The May 2 issue of the Herald features an article on a new documentary on the Shroud of Turin. The film, the first on the shroud shot in high definition, was commissioned by the British Broadcasting Corporation and was very well received in the United Kingdom. The film does wonders to debunk some myths about the artifacts origins while raising pertinent questions as to its age and authenticity, exploring historical roots that could have major implications on study of the shroud.

I interviewed filmmaker David Rolfe from his London office for the article, and as luck would have it, I was able to talk to him more extensively for a follow-up radio/newspaper interview to appear in the future when he was here in Colorado Springs this week. The Herald was the first Catholic media outlet to interview Rolfe or Dr. John and Rebecca Jackson, who run the Turin Shroud Center of Colorado, regarding the Shroud of Turin film.

In the meantime, Performance Films is close to having a distribution deal in the U.S. We'll keep you updated when it is released here, as it is a remarkable documentary.

John Michael Talbot's Hermitage suffers fire

A stone carving of the Virgin Mary is all that stands after a fire destroyed Charity Chapel April 28 at Little Portion Hermitage near Berryville, Ark. The Brothers and Sisters of Charity also lost their common center in the fire. Damages were estimated to be at least $500,000. (CNS/courtesy of Little Portion Hermitage)

The chapel and community center of Little Portion Hermitage, home of the Catholic monastic lay community founded by singer John Michael Talbot, burned to the ground late Monday/early Tuesday. Nobody was injured, thanks be to God, but the damage is estimated at more than half a million dollars. According to Catholic News Service, "The common center housed the hermitage's library, kitchen, archives and offices. Also destroyed was Talbot's lighting and sound equipment; he was scheduled to leave May 2 for a monthlong tour of Canada. "

In light of it all, I was impressed with Talbot's attitude:

I shared (with the community) that God is stripping us back to what is really essential to our way of life and that we will rebuild with greater efficiency, but in stone.