Keywords by David Yonke

It's 2007 and time to spread optimism and good cheer. But then on the news pages we see an odd trifecta of deaths ringing in the new year... sounds more like a dissonant dirge than Auld Lang Syne. What else but their concidental demises would link the trio of James Brown, Saddam Hussein, and President Gerald Ford?
As for New Year's celebrations, I'm not really much of a partyer these days and I don't get excited about turning the page of a calendar. A quiet evening with friends was all I needed.
But I do recognize the start of a new year as a good time to pause and reflect on the events of the year that has passed, and to try to organize one's thoughts and plans for the next 12 months.
Like 99 percent of Americans, I hope to exercise more and lose some weight. I also want to set aside time each morning to read my One Year Bible. It would be a great spiritual exercise.
Looking back at 2006, it really was an extraordinary year for me.
For one thing, my oldest daughter got engaged. That is a major milestone in our family's life.
Second, Father Gerald Robinson was tried and convicted of murdering Sister Margaret Ann Pahl.
Third, the Robinson trial was followed by publication of my first book -- a major news story in the Yonke world.
Fourth, thank the Lord, there were no deaths of any close loved ones in 2006. I am so grateful, following several years marked by mourning.
Now, looking ahead to 2007, I plan on starting my next book shortly. I have several ideas and am leaning toward writing a novel. I thought I would get started on it last week, when I was on vacation. But the way things worked out, I found that I just needed to relax and spend the time with my daughters, all of whom were home for the week. It was a rare opportunity and one that I truly cherished. Even our "grandpuppy" Lulu was at the house for the week.
I've had some incredibly positive feedback the last few days about "Sin, Shame & Secrets," including a friend's 83-year-old father who got a copy for Christmas and said it was the best book he ever read.
Well, it's back to work and on with the new year. I wish you all the best in 2007.

Toledo, Ohio, Jan. 1, 2007

Father Robinson is back at Hocking Correctional Institution in Nelsonville, Ohio, after treatment for an undisclosed kidney ailment. All that prison officials would say is that the illness was not life-threatening. His family and close friends are not discussing details, either. He was taken from the prison on Dec. 7 to the Ohio State University Medical Center, then moved Dec. 20 to the prison system's own medical facility in Columbus, and he's now back at Hocking.
I looked up the Toledo Catholic priest on the website of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections. You can see it here: http://www.drc.state.oh.us/OffenderSearch/Details.aspx?id=A519811&pg=x.
He looks pitiful and it's astounding to see that his next parole board hearing is scheduled for March 2021. As in the Year 2021. Even though we know his sentence for murdering Sister Margaret Ann Pahl is 15 years to life, it's still a shock to see the year 2021 in print. It seems as distant as another galaxy.
But before anyone feels sorry for Robinson, think about his victim. Sister Margaret Ann was murdered in a brutal, horrific and humiliating fashion more than 26 years ago. Robinson was convicted by a jury of his peers.
I was reading Genesis this morning and came across a relevant Scripture in Chapter 9, verse 6: "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man." (New International Version). According to biblical laws of the Old Testament, Father Robinson should be put to death. Our laws today are more lenient but the Bible reminds me of how high a value God places on human life. Anyone who takes a life should pay the ultimate price. Robinson was fortunate to have had 26 years of freedom after the murder and to not have faced the possibility of execution (because there was no death penalty in Ohio when the crime occurred in 1980).
Sister Margaret Ann did not have an opportunity to live her life to the full. She had no trial, no appeals process. When I think of her, I cannot feel any pity for her killer. Justice has been served.

* * *
Sin, Shame & Secrets has made a Top 10 list for the first time: The most-requested books at the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library. It's not the New York Times best-seller list but it's a positive step. My book is right behind those of renowned authors James Patterson and John Grisham, and two notches ahead of another literary heavyweight, Michael Crichton. Pretty heady company :)
Here's a link to the list: http://www.booksite.com/texis/scripts/bookletter/showlist.html?sid=5707&list=CNL15.

Toledo, Ohio, Jan. 4, 2007

"Imagine there's no heaven, It's easy if you try. No hell below us, Above us only sky. Imagine all the people Living for today..."

I heard John Lennon singing "Imagine" on the radio this morning and the lyrics seemed to catch me in a different mood than usual. Normally, this gentle, dreamy tune just floats through the air and the familiar words seem harmless and perhaps even inspiring -- and yet, so unrealistic that even Lennon acknowledges as much with the line "you may say I'm a dreamer...."
I am a big Beatles fan, I love their music and think it will be heard as long as human beings walk this planet. And I admire Lennon for his creativity and his sense of responsibility. He wanted to use the currency of his fame to make the world a better place. I greatly respect that because so many famous artists just want more -- bigger mansions, fancier cars, prettier wives or husbands, bigger name on the marquee, etc. Lennon reached the absolute pinnacle of worldly success and soon realized that there's got to be more to life than material goods, conquests, and adulation.
But more than being a Beatles fan, I am a Christian.
And today, I couldn't just shrug off Lennon's quaint ode to humanism. When I try to imagine no heaven and no hell, I find it to be a scary thought. People who have no spiritual understanding think that religion is some sort of crutch or an "opiate of the masses" or a cynical effort to control and exploit people.
While countless abuses have been perpetrated in "God's name" and many religious people have been revealed as hypocrites, spirituality is the greatest, most important influence on humanity. It's not a crutch or a club to control people, but an expression and a search from deep within.
Religion is man's rules based on spiritual laws, and sometimes man's interpretations can be wrong. As Bono of U2 put it aptly: "Religion is what we get after God leaves the room." That doesn't mean we are permitted to ignore spiritual realities with the cop-out that some so-called religious people have failed to do what's right.
I believe the Bible is accurate when it says we are made in God's image. We are tripartite beings -- body, mind, and spirit -- in balance with and in a reflection of God as the Holy Trinity. We have spiritual needs and just as our body and mind need exercise, so does the spirit. When our spiritual lives are neglected, or when they become twisted and perverted, we get out of balance and try to nullify the spiritual realities and laws. That can make us a menace to ourselves and those around us.
When people start believing there's no heaven and no hell, they can carry automatic rifles into school buildings or leap off bridges or commit genocide and feel self-satisfied, justified, and convinced there will be no eternal ramifications.
Recognizing spiritual realities helps to keep our baser natures in check. Without spiritual rules and understanding, our world can quickly spiral downward into a scenario like William Golding depicts in "Lord of the Flies."
I believe Father Robinson is one of those who thought he could ignore God's laws and imagine his own set of rules -- rules that would somehow justify the brutal murder of an elderly nun. Whether his motive was to sacrifice a pure soul to Satan, or to mock God, or just to lash out in anger, if he truly had believed and adhered to the words of the Bible, he would not have begun his descent down the path that ultimately led him to take an innocent life.
John Lennon was a creative genius and a good musician, but he also was a natural born leader and a lifelong seeker. He had some great ideas and he meant well, but he was way off base when he thought the world would be a better place and that people would be living in peace if we ignored the reality of heaven and hell. It's a shame John's life was cut short and he never had the chance to re-imagine that song.
Toledo, Ohio, Jan. 9, 2007

I was interviewed last night by Rhod Sharp, host of the BBC Radio's "Up All Night" program (or programme, as the Brits spell it) and I have to say it was an extraordinary interview for several reasons.
First of all, Rhod Sharp did his homework. He read "Sin, Shame & Secrets," knew the story, and was familiar with the events and cast of characters.
As a result, he asked extremely interesting, insightful and provocative questions without getting sensational or putting too much emphasis on the the bizarre aspects of the Robinson case.
Second, Rhod has a smooth and level approach to interviews, not too emotional and not some kind of hype machine like we see too often in the American media.

Third, the BBC devoted a lot of time to the topic -- nearly half an hour. We were able to dig into some topics and offer a nice balance of details and an overall perspective. Most media interviews are 5 minutes or so and you can barely touch the surface of a topic.
One reason is that the show is a late night/early morning broadcast and not prime time, so there's less time pressure.
Here's a link to the BBC website where it lists the week's programmes, and I believe you can listen to last night's broadcast, which was on Wednesday at 4:30 a.m. their time.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/programmes/upallnight.shtml?focuswin
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My daughter Cara is leaving today to return to Australia. She came home for the holidays and was here for 5 1/2 weeks. It's going to be hard to say goodbye but she'll finish her year in Sydney in July, after which she'll be back in Ohio for good. I am so proud of her and so glad to have had her home safe and sound for that long break.
Toledo, Ohio, Jan. 10, 2007

I just discovered what God's phone number is, thanks to U2 on U2, a terrific book for fans of the Irish rock band (myself included) and one that I think would be of interest even to those who don't know or care much about Bono, Edge, Larry & Adam.
The book tells the story of the band in chronological order by using quotes from the four musicians and Paul McGuinness, their manager. Each album, each tour, is chronicled and commented upon in sufficient but not excruciating detail.
There are many references to God and religion, and lead singer Bono said that in choosing the cover for the 2000 album "All That You Can't Leave Behind" (a title that I love for its subtly provocative spiritual jab), he decided to "put God's phone number" in the picture.
The book shows the album cover as a black and white photo of- the four musicians in an airport, and off to the left side is an innocuous airport sign reading: "J33-3". Bono said it's "God's phone number" because it stands for Jeremiah 33:3, which reads: "Call on me and I will answer."
The only problem is that when I looked at my copy of the album, the sign doesn't say J33-3. It says 921-36. Maybe there are different versions of the cover?

On the U2 web site, the band has just released a new single called "Window in the Skies," from its latest CD "18 Singles."
It's a gem of a song, a sweet ballad that can be interpreted as a spiritual sermon if you want it to be, but the references are ambiguous enough that one can say there's nothing religious at all.
Here's the opening verse followed by the chorus, and you'll see what I mean:

"The shackles are undone
The bullets quit the gun
The heat that’s in the sun
Will keep us when there’s none
The rule has been disproved
The stone it has been moved
The grave is now a groove
All debts are removed

Oh can’t you see what love has done?
Oh can’t you see what love has done?
Oh can’t you see what love has done?
What it’s done to me?"

I recently booked a trip to Europe this spring, including a visit to Dublin. I'm hoping to bump into Bono and the band at one of their haunts. I've interviewed thousands of musicians but U2 has always been out of reach for me and my medium-sized American daily newspaper. I did get to ask Bono a single question, during an interview conducted by phone with a bunch of other reporters.
I'll recap that Q&A in an upcoming post.
* * *
My 19-year-old daughter Cara flew out of Detroit yesterday at 4:05 p.m. and is still 6 hours flying time from Sydney. That is the LONGEST trip -- 14 hours from L.A. Fortunately, they gave her an exit row seat so she has some extra leg room. I miss her so much already! She's studying at Hillsong International Leadership College and will finish her second year in July, and that will be the end of her Australian adventure. It's been a wonderful experience and one she can cherish all her life.
Toledo, Ohio, Jan. 11, 2007.

Tomorrow night (Tues., Jan. 16) at 9 p.m. Eastern time, PBS will broadcast a 90-minute documentary called Hand of God, about the struggles that Paul Cultrera, a California man raised in Salem, Mass., went through and is continuing to go through because he was abused as a boy by a pedophile Catholic priest.
I recommend this documentary to anyone who wonders how such things could have happened in the first place, and how the Catholic Church failed to take any real action against pedophile priests back in the 1960s when these particular crimes were perpetrated.
Hand of God is a sad story, but it's also educational in helping people understand the cultural climate that enabled abusive priests to get away scot-free, and how bishops tried to sweep the problem under the rug by shuffling these perpetrators around from parish to parish.

While this documentary focuses on just one individual and a couple of dioceses, it actually represents thousands of victims and myriad dioceses. I give Paul Cultrera a lot of credit for facing the camera and revealing so many painful secrets.
A particularly troubling moment in the film is when Bishop Richard Lennon looks at Joe Cultrera, Paul's younger brother and the film's documentarian, and arrogantly calls him "a sad little man" and scoffs that he isn't going to be made to feel bad about Paul's abuse. Lennon is now too close to home, as the bishop of Cleveland.
If you can't catch the show on Tuesday, and don't have a Tivo or DVR (one of modern society's most innovative conveniences), PBS probably will be rebroadcasting the show, which is part of the Frontline series.
Here's a link to the story that I wrote published Saturday in The Blade's religion section:
http://http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070113/NEWS10/70113010

The civil suit against Father Gerald Robinson has been dismissed by Judge Ruth Ann Franks of Lucas Common Pleas Court, not on the merits of the case but because of statutes of limitations.
The plaintiff, whose suit claimed that the priest sexually abused and tortured her in satanic rituals when she was a child, plans to appeal, according to her attorney Mark Davis.
This is separate from the criminal case against Robinson in which he was convicted of murdering Sister Margaret Ann Pahl.
The civil suit was filed anonymously by "Survivor Doe" and her husband, "Spouse Doe." She said she had been abused as a child many times but did not know the identities of her perpetrators until she saw TV coverage of Robinson's arrest. Then she knew who had abused her, and began to pursue the lawsuit.
This is the key issue: when does the statute of limitation begin ticking? She and her attorney claim it did not start until she was able to identify her abuser, which was in April, 2004. The diocese and Robinson's attorneys claim the statute of limitations expired two years after she reached the age of majority, which is the old standard (it has since been extended).
This is a crucial issue and one that might go to the state supreme court. Extending the statutes was a major debate last year in the state legislature and Ohio's bishops lobbied hard against some proposals that would have expanded the laws to allow victims more time to file lawsuits.
After covering these kinds of cases for five years now, I have learned that child abuse victims generally are not mentally and emotionally strong enough to report the abuse and/or confront their perpetrators for many years, most often for decades.
Some victims have suppressed memories and don't even know about the abuse until something triggers the memories to the surface.
The statutes of limitations laws are difficult to set, there are so many factors and variables involved. We'll just have to wait and see how the Survivor Doe suit plays out. In the meantime, Robinson's appeal on the criminal conviction is still creeping along.

I have been reading the Book of Job, the New Living Translation version of the Bible, and wonder whether, how, why, and even if one human being could endure so much tragedy.
In the blink of an eye, four messengers arrive to tell Job the bad news: first, that all his donkeys and oxen were stolen and his farmhands killed; second, that fire fell from heaven and buned up all his sheep and shepherds; third, that raiders took his camels and killed his servants, and fourth, that winds knocked down a house and killed all his children.(Chapter 1, Verses 13-19)
Was this a literal story or a biblical parable? Whichever one you believe, this is about as much bad news as a person can possibly experience, and it all came in a flash.
Most of us have been hit with bad news, some worse than others. This week, while on vacation visiting relatives in Florida, we received a phone call that a family friend, only 22 years old, died in a horrific one-car accident. My heart is heavy with grief. There are so many thoughts, concerns, questions, doubts, and feelings. You can't really sort them out, let alone come to any reasonable conclusions.
Tim Conklin was a special person, someone who loved life and cared about others and had a smile that made you feel welcome and important. He was an individual, he was not a follower. He was smart, witty, funny, and an all around good kid. He went to Toledo Christian School, in my daughter Lisa's class, so I watched him grow up playing sports and hanging out with the classmates from an early age.
He came to my first book signing at Murphy's Place just to show support, and most recently we watched the Ohio State-Florida football game at the Johnsons' house. Tim told me he wanted to come over and watch a Duke basketball game with me sometime, knowing that I have three daughters and none of them are sports fans. I told him I would love it.
Tim was one course short of his college degree, worked overnight at a freight company, and found it in his heart to sponsor two needy children living in impoverished countries overseas, sending in monthly contributions to a Christian ministry that pays for the children's food, clothing, education, and other essentials.
I planned my Florida trip around the 24-hour road race at Daytona, which I attended with one of my brothers and a group of friends I've known since high school. I'm thinking how crazy it is that cars are such a big part of American life, from basic transportation to mere entertainment, and yet they are so dangerous.
On a practical level, I wonder when is humankind going to create a mode of transportation that does not cause so many tragic deaths. What will it take?
On a spiritual level, I wonder how a young man like Tim, with such a big heart and so much promise, who has touched so many lives already and had virtually unlimited potential, be taken away so suddenly?
I wish I knew, but I don't.
But I read Job's words and I try to keep them in my heart and in my spirit: After the four messengers depart, he falls to the ground and cries out to God and says, "The Lord gave me eveything I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!"
"In all of this, the Bible continues, "Job did not sin by blaming God."
People want answers, they want the loose ends tied up like they do on 30-minute TV dramas or in Hollywood movies. Life's not like that. We have to deal with loose ends. We have to realize that some things we just don't know and there are some questions we cannot get answers to or understand in this life.
As Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:12, "Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known."
My heart aches for Tim's family and his friends, and for my daughters who loved him so much. And for everyone who knew him, because he touched so many lives. I don't have answers, but I am trusting the Bible to believe that someday I will "know fully."
In the meantime, I am reminded by Job not to fall into the sin of blaming God.
Tampa, Florida, January 30, 2007.