Keywords by David Yonke

Got a card in the mail today... with a photo of a laughing nun on the cover and the words: "Might as well have a great time on Halloween."
Open it up and it says, "you're going to fry anyway," with this handwritten addition: "...according to friends of Fr. Robinson -- see you in court!"
It was sent by "Sister Mary Fortunata," aka Gerald Mazuchowski, the Toledoan named with Robinson in the Spouse Doe lawsuit. Jerry is quite a character himself, and that's a whole 'nother story.
But thanks for laugh, Jerry, that's something I can always use.
* * *
I was out at the Masjid Saad's new facility on Alexis Road yesterday. The people there are extremely nice and welcoming.
It gives me an odd feeling to step inside the new mosque, and here's why: It is my former church.
The masjid, or mosque, bought the former Cathedral of Praise building and converted it into a mosque. When I moved to Toledo in 1981, we started attending Sylvania Church of God on McGregor Lane, a tiny little church pastored by Rev. Tony Scott. A few years later, Pastor Scott built a new building and called it Cathedral of Praise.
I helped pay for the new church and physically worked on the construction projects, from nailing sheetrock to the studs to assembling desks and chairs.
I left Cathedral more than a dozen years ago but had been quite involved there for a while and it has a special place in my heart and memory.
To see my old church used by Muslims praying to Allah, well it definitely stirs up an odd mix of feelings.
I told the imam and the school principal that their mosque was my former church at one time and they thought it was interesting.
I think the members of Masjid Saad are wonderful and I respect their right to worship freely, wherever and whenever they want to.
But just as it would be difficult for a Muslim to see his or her mosque converted into a church or a synagogue or a Hindu temple, or any other non-Muslim house of worship, it's not easy for me to see my old church turned into a mosque.
On the other hand, when I write about such things for the newspaper, I put on my objective journalist's hat and don't let my personal feelings get in the way.
I'll be writing about the mosque for this Saturday's religion page. Stay tuned.
Toledo, Ohio
Nov. 1, 2007

I always think I'll have time on the weekends to write an entry or two, and then wind up busier than ever, and putting off the blogging for another day.
Last Friday night, I had planned to see John Mellencamp in concert in Toledo, but instead spent the night at a funeral home for the visitation of a friend who died suddenly at age 48 after an unexpected series of medical problems. It all happened within two weeks. Makes you realize how precious life really is.

John Mellencamp meets with Jason Slemp of Open Doors Ministries, in front of a pink cardboard house Mr. Slemp made in honor of Mellencamp's hit song "Pink Houses," at Tent City in Toledo, Nov. 2.

But I did get to see John Mellencamp come down to the Tent City about 5 p.m. and visit with a few homeless people. Then Mayor Carty Finkbeiner gave him a key to the city.
Mellencamp seems like a sincere person with a big heart and really cared about the people he met with. He wasn't doing it for the publicity and in fact asked ahead of time that it not be publicized. Then he had one of his staff members come back and hand out 70 tickets to the homeless people and volunteers.
He certainly did not have to do that. I was so impressed. And I was surprised that the article in The Blade by Tom Henry (you can read it here) mentioned that I had played a role in arranging Mellencamp's visit to the shelter. What happened was this: I met with the organizer, Ken Leslie, a few months ago and when Ken said the Tent City was going to start on Nov. 2, I realized that was the same night Mellencamp was performing downtown. All I did was suggest that he contact Mellencamp's management and ask whether he would stop by. Later, Mellencamp's management called to check with me on whether this was a legitimate charity and of course I said it was. So I had a little part but it was Ken Leslie and John Mellencamp who really made it happen.
Toledo, Ohio
Nov. 6, 2007

An anonymous caller left a long, bitter message on my voicemail complaining about an article I wrote regarding the funeral of defrocked priest C. Neil Lucas (you can read the article here). Among other things she said in her diatribe, I am slimy, stupid, and sleazy, I should resign, I'm anti-Catholic, and I should apologize to Father Robinson when he gets out of prison.
Oy vey.
Anonymous callers are like vandals who don't have the courage to stand up for what they believe, but instead just hit and run and hide.
I was reluctant to write about Lucas' funeral out of respect for the deceased. But when Christ the King canceled school, saying the church would be so crowded for the ex-priest's funeral, it meant that hundreds of families were affected. That made it newsworthy.
In addition, legitimate questions are raised about what kind of funeral honors are appropriate for a priest who was credibly accused of molesting children. Lucas was accused in 2002 by "more than one" male who said he abused them when they were children in the 1970s. The ex-priest did not deny the allegations, according to the diocese. He was one of only a handful of accused priests in the Toledo diocese who were laicized, or returned to lay status, indicating that the offenses were more serious than most. Generally, priests accused of molesting children are barred from ministry but remain priests, with a number of restrictions.
With a retired bishop conducting the funeral mass, and with the school closing, it did appear that the diocese was giving Lucas all the funereal honors accorded to a priest in good standing. Is that appropriate for a priest who was kicked out of the church for molesting boys? What do you think?
The situation and the controversy that swirled around the funeral merited an article, in the opinion of my editors. They also felt that while it needed to be reported, it was not front-page news. The article ran inside the second news section, with comments from a number of people who were involved or concerned with this issue.
It's not always easy to write these articles and I did my best to be objective and fair.
I could have, but chose not to, report the fact that the pastor of St. Clement Church at the time of Lucas' removal wrote a letter to parishioners saying that Lucas told him he never touched any boys but went "waterskiing in the buff" and played strip poker with them. That is evidence of extremely poor judgment on the part of a religious leader, but I suspect there was actually much more to the case. (I have a copy of the letter, maybe I'll post it.) The diocese would not have pursued laicization without a strong case that a cleric abused a child.
I did not attend the funeral but someone who was there said Christ the King church was packed and that there were probably 50 priests in attendance. Lucas received a hero's send-off and, of course, there was no mention of the allegations or his laicization.
The anonymous caller would, like too many people, prefer to ignore the fact that innocent children were sexually abused and their lives ruined or at least derailed by a man who was supposed to be Jesus' representative on earth.
That is the real tragedy and it should not and cannot be ignored. Yes, the ex-priest did a lot of good things, but he also clearly, as the diocese has acknowledged, performed some horrible deeds. We should all have compassion for the abuse victims.
So the anonymous caller rails at me for putting a light on things she would prefer would remain under a rock.
I know she would never listen to me, but the slime and sleaze and stupidity and anti-Catholicism are not in reporting the facts -- however painful they may be -- but in trying to ignore the realities of clerical sexual abuse, and in failing to do more than offer lip service to prevent more abuse in the future.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot her other point. if Father Robinson is released from prison and his murder conviction overturned, I would be glad to apologize to him. But don't hold your breath, ma'am.
As I've said many times before, if Robinson is guilty of the brutal murder of Sister Margaret Ann Pahl, he needs to pay the price. But if he's not guilty, I hope he is set free and the real perpetrator caught and brought to justice.
Toledo, Ohio
Nov. 8, 2007

I'm sitting here looking at proofs of tomorrow's Religion pages and wondering why people are so quick to say that newspapers in general, or The Blade in particular, only print bad news.
The stories in the religion section tomorrow include interviews with two men, one 90 years old and the other 86, who are "totally in love" with Rosary Cathedral. I have to thank the Rev. Charles Singler for hooking me up with nonogenerian Alex Rapp and his younger sidekick, Joseph Schira, a mere 86 years old.
These two guys have been working as ushers, leading tours, and fixing broken furniture at the magnificent Catholic cathedral for more than 50 years. Their enthusiasm for the cathedral is infectious. And indeed, it is an incredible edifice and one that I wish more people in Toledo were aware of. I hope this article inspires some people to visit the building, at 2535 Collingwood Blvd. You'll forget you are in Toledo and feel like you just stepped inside a historic European cathedral. It truly is majestic and awe-inspiring.
A second article I wrote is about a professor of ethics and an ordained minister who will be lecturing on the morality of war and peace and the Christian tradition at a Sylvania church on Sunday.
The third article I wrote is a column about religious humor, from comedians to magazines.
I threw in a brief mention of Billy Graham's 89th birthday and a note that Jimmy Swaggart is playing piano in Cleveland tomorrow night to honor his cuz, Jerry Lee Lewis...
It's been a busy week -- including spending most of Tuesday working on the sensitive story of the funeral for a defrocked priest -- with a lot of running around, much fretting and hand-wringing, and some real deadline writing...
As one of my old editors used to say, it's "a miracle every day" (that the newspaper comes out).
All in all, I think readers will get a lot of enjoyment and, it is hoped, some helpful information from tomorrow's religion pages.
* * *
CBS News is editing the video for its piece on Toledo's Muslim community... Scheduled to air on the afternoon of Sunday, Dec. 9. This will showcase the local Muslim community in the wake of 9/11 as being productive members of society, dispelling stereotypes and misinformation.
Toledo, Ohio
Nov. 9, 2007
And it's all "good news."

Eagle-eyed Catholic columnist Matt C. Abbott alerted me to the fact that my reporting for The Blade on the Robinson case and my book are both mentioned in Leon J. Podles' new book, Sacrilege: Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church.
Mr. Abbott posted excerpts from Podles' book in his column for Renew America that includes the quotes from my reporting and which mentions "Sin, Shame & Secrets." Here's the link to Matt's column.
And here's a link to the Podles book on Amazon.
Nov. 10, 2007
Toledo, Ohio

I mentioned a while back that I've been reading a One-Year Bible, with the Good Book divided into daily readings that, if you keep up with it, covers the entire Bible in a year. The one I'm reading is a chronological version, following the verses in the order in which the scholars believe they were written. I'm about two weeks behind, but am catching up by reading two or three days' worth at a time.
This daily Bible reading is one of the best disciplines I've ever undertaken. It's been so rewarding I can't even explain it. Starting my day off by reading the Bible for 15 minutes to half an hour gives me great peace and has also given me some new, deeper insights into the Bible. We watched my daughter's dog this weekend, a Bichon named Lulu, and every time I read the Bible she sits on my lap, making it a little tricky sometimes to hold the Bible at a convenient angle. I think Lulu just likes to be around the Bible and soaks up some scriptures by osmosis.
It's interesting to me how some passages, even ones I've read dozens of time before, can just jump out at you one day and reveal something in a new light.
I was in Luke, Chapter 10, last weekend and verse 21 really came to life. It starts off by saying that Jesus was "full of joy through the Holy Spirit" -- which is quite the opposite mood of some previous verses where he was scolding his followers for their lack of faith (9:41) or inappropriate anger (9:55), or warning them not to bury their loved ones (9:60) or even say goodbye to family (9:62). Pretty harsh stuff!
So here's Jesus in a joyful mood, which made me pay even more attention to what he was about to say. What is it that, through the Holy Spirit, gives Jesus such joy? Here's the New International Version of Luke 10:21:
"I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure."
In Matthew 15, we find another example of Jesus criticizing the wise and learned -- the Pharisees. After rebuking the Pharisees, or religious leaders of his day, for their bondage to legalism, and trying to explain in pretty strong terms that they should be more interested in spiritual truths than man-made rules, Jesus' disciples come up to him and say, "Do you know the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?"
Here is Jesus' response: "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit."
That is such a succinct and powerful analogy. The religious leaders are blinded, and their followers are just as blind. They're all heading for a ditch.
I think these verses very clearly apply to some of today's church leaders. The blind are leading the blind. It's not that the leaders are uneducated or stupid, they just don't have spiritual understanding.
As Jesus says -- with joy! -- God the Father has hidden things from the wise and the learned, things that even a child can see and understand.
* * *
Fyi, Tony Comes, the Toledo firefighter who was abused by a priest and whose story was told in the Academy Award-nominated documentary Twist of Faith, has posted a few thoughts in a comment under my "Stupid, Slimy and Sleazy" blog below.
* * *
Here is a link to a recent column by Catholic columnist Matt C. Abbott commenting on the Survivor Doe lawsuit against Gerald Robinzon and Gerald Mazuchowski.
Mr. Abbott's column includes a link to a "pdf" version of the 43-page lawsuit filed by Survivor Doe. Please note, as Matt points out, that the lawsuit contains graphic content. But I always believe it's good to check out the original source material if you are interested in a story.

Toledo, Ohio
November 12, 2007

http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/abbott/071031

These PJs cracked me up, so I thought I'd share the ad with you.
But please, don't buy me a pair for Christmas.

My daughter, Lisa, is a licensed minister on staff at a church in Rockford, Ill., although she is not working as a pastor. The church's senior pastor recently preached a sermon about the dangers of materialism and had the staff put together a video illustration, spoofing the hit music video of "Glamorous" by pop star Fergie.
FYI, here is a scene of the real Fergie, from the video on which the church's parody is based:

Lisa plays Fergie in the video and the senior pastor, Rev. Jeremy DeWeerdt, appears toward the end as the rapper with the white sideways ballcap -- he looks like he's 15 years old in it, must be the makeup.
Here is a link to the video, posted on YouTube ... I think it's really done with excellence, and although it's fun it also carries a serious message.
* * *
I saw a TV news item that a woman in Orlando, Florida, sold a pancake with an "image of Jesus and Mary" on it for $338 on eBay. Mary Smith said she believes the images appeared while she was making Sunday breakfast as a message from God, to tell people about his son and the Blessed Virgin. More than 3,200 eBay shoppers viewed the holy pancake, and it made CBS and Yahoo news, so it looks like "mission accomplished." See it yourself and make up your own mind right here.
For ye of little faith, you can skip the wait and the chance factor and make your own Holy Toast by pressing a heated image onto your bread. The Holy Toast burner costs a mere $3.49 plus shipping. Here's a link. Makes a great Christmas gift.
These kind of "miracle" images pop up every once in a while. My favorite came from Beckley, W.Va. in 2005 when law clerk John Mize found a pair of Funyuns under the seat of his car on a summer day and claimed the snack food combo resembled the Virgin Mary holding the baby Jesus. The onion-flavored Funyun sold at auction online for $609.

* * *
Toledo, Ohio
November 14, 2007

Lots going on in Toledo this weekend...
I wrote a couple of stories in today's paper about parishes that were closed by the Toledo Catholic Diocese and Bishop Leonard Blair, but which refuse to give up the ghost.
One is St. James Parish in Kansas, Ohio, closed in July, 2005, which has sued the diocese in Seneca County Common Pleas Court claiming that the church and property belong to the parishioners and not the bishop. In the process of discovery, which is when the parties seek information related to their case, they found that the St. James Parish account has been used to pay the diocesan attorneys to fight the ex-parishioners' lawsuit. The diocese had said in June, 2006, that it would not use the parish's money until an agreement was reached with the ex-members on how to use the funds. Here's a link to the article.

Members of the former St. James Parish, from left, Ed Row, Ginny Hull, Sarah Kleinfelter, Helen Durst, Margie Steinmetz, and Sue Schwab, have learned the Toledo Catholic Diocese is using funds from their closed parish account to fight the same lawsuit parish members filed against the diocese. Toledo Blade Photo

A second article has to do with St. Mary's Parish in Junction, Ohio, which filed a motion for an injunction and a temporary restraining order against the Toledo diocese and Bishop Blair to keep them from removing historic stained-glass windows from the 100-year-old church, which was ordered closed in July.
Here's a link to that story.
Then, today, Bishop Blair had a letter read at all Masses in the 19-county diocese, denouncing a domestic partner registry proposed by Toledo City Councilman Joe McNamara, who happens to be Catholic. Bishop Blair said it is another attack on the institution of marriage.
We'll have a story for tomorrow.
* * *
I quoted a parishioner in Junction who said the controversy over her church has made her sick and that it's hard for her to step inside a Catholic Church these days, saying it "turns my stomach." She feels bad that I used that quote in the article, but it sums up the feelings of so many people. I don't think it makes her look bad, just very human, with real feelings. These people are hurting, and I thought her quote depicted that deep sense of frustration and pain.
* * *
On a lesser note, my Michigan Wolverines looked awful yesterday against the Ohio State Buckeyes. This makes it four years in a row that Michigan lost to OSU. It's clear that U of M's Lloyd Carr was outcoached by Ohio State's Jim Tressel. I am glad to hear that Carr is ready to retire. It's time to get a new coaching staff on board at Michigan. Carr's out of gas, so to speak.

Toledo, Ohio
November 18, 2007

Have you been following the controversy over The Golden Compass?
This movie, with a $180 million budget and starring A-list actors like Daniel Craig (James Bond in Casino Royale) and Nicole Kidman, opens Dec. 7. It's based on the trilogy by British author Philip Pullman.

Although it's an adventure/fantasy tale for kids, Pullman is also intent on promoting an atheistic message and makes no secret that his goal is to counter the Christian themes in C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia.
To that end, the bad guys in The Golden Compass are from the Magisterium (which is the term that the Catholic Church calls its teaching component); the after-life is a "prison camp," and one character describes God as "demented and powerless."
Pullman's anti-Christian propaganda in The Golden Compass is less blatant than in the second and third books in the series, and New Line Cinema has toned that down even more in hopes of reaching as broad an audience -- and rake in as many dollars -- as possible.
It will be interesting to see how the movie does. Some observers are saying the protests and calls for a boycott will only help -- every knock is a boost and all that. But I think once people find out the whole story about Pullman, they will not want to expose their kids to this movie. If the first installment is successful, then the second episode will have a pre-fab audience ready to go, and that book is more overt in its efforts to undermine Christianity.
I am writing about this controversy for Saturday's religion page.
* * *
Speaking of anti-Christian comments, what do you think about Kathy Griffin's acceptance speech at the Emmy awards?
I know I'm a little late getting to this topic, but I've just got a few more emails this week complaining about it. Unfortunately, it's not an internet hoax but a true story. Griffin deliberately offended every Christian in the world with obnoxious and blasphemous remarks about Jesus, starting with, "A lot of people come up here and thank Jesus for this award. I want you to know that no one had less to do with this award than Jesus." She goes downhill from there; I don't even want to repeat it. You can google Griffin and Jesus and see for yourself.
Honestly, I didn't even know who Kathy Griffin was or what she won an Emmy for until her public blasphemy. But I do know one thing: I will go out of my way to avoid supporting her career in any way -- no movies, no TV shows, no DVDs with her in them.
But I don't think she needs any help from me. I went to her web site where she proudly announces that her new comedy DVD is called "Straight to Hell." To her credit, it looks like she's addressing a topic she knows something about.
* * *
Quite opposite of Griffin, I am thankful to Jesus every day for what he has given me, from good health to a loving family to a "peace that surpasses all understanding." The Thanksgiving holiday is very special to me and I am delighted to have time to reflect on all of life's blessings.
I'll be visiting my sister and her family in Tennessee, where they recently moved from Florida.
I think an "attitude of gratitude" is something that we all should seek.
I went to church last night and several people got up and spoke about their blessings. It was very touching.
One woman talked about how her 6 year old girl has a neurological disease that requires her to be fed with a feeding tube, use a motorized wheelchair to get around, and wear diapers the rest of her life. The mother said she thanks God for her daughter and for all the lessons she's learned from these challenges.
The pastor spoke of the 10 lepers healed by Jesus, and only one came back to say thanks. I'm sure they were all thankful they did not have leprosy any more but 9 of the 10 did not take the time to express their gratitude. And what good is being thankful if no one -- but God -- is aware of it?
Take a moment this Thanksgiving to go out of your way and tell someone that you are grateful for what they have done for you, or for what they mean to you.
Toledo, Ohio
Nov. 21, 2007

It's always a joy to visit relatives, especially around the holidays.
I rented a gigantic van, bigger than most church vans, and drove to Tennessee with my immediate family to spend the four-day Thanksgiving weekend with my sister Elaine, her husband Ken, and their three boys, Travis, Jordan and Spencer.
We took a few trips to the Smokies, visiting two distinct tourist attractions. One, Gatlinburg, is a commercial tourist trap of the first magnitude. We had a lot of fun but going from shop to shop and looking at gaudy trinkets and cheap T-shirts is not my favorite thing to do. But it was great being with everyone. One interesting stop was at a souvenir shop that also had something called "SpaCapsules," where you lie on your stomach on a bed inside this blue-and-silver spaceship-like capsule, with a top that closes down on you. You put on headphones and lie, face down, while it gives you a body massage using some kind of water-based vibration technology. Almost everybody got one except me, but it was interesting to watch. The clerk said the machines cost $25,000, but I looked 'em up online and the company now has one for the home, so this version has got to be a lot cheaper than the commercial ones (here's the link if you're curious. I'll try to post a few photos on here soon).
The next day we went to the Great Smokey Mountains National Park and saw Cade's Cove, the Sinks waterfall, and a few rock-strewn rivers. The scenery is simply fabulous, and some of the leaves were still in full autumnal splendor. You could see snow atop some of the mountains. We also saw a lot of deer, but no black bears. We wondered if they might be hibernating.
The Smokies are special to me and Janet because that's where we spent our honeymoon, many moons ago. The area outside the park has been developed quite a bit and the traffic around Cade's Cove has gotten heavy, but the park itself is still one of the country's great natural wonders.
Elaine and Ken moved from their home in Tampa, Florida, to the Knoxville, Tennessee, area this summer and this was the first chance we had to see their "new life" up close and personal.
I give them so much credit for making a bold move like that. They had a comfortable situation in Tampa with two good jobs and a nice house in a subdivision, with a pond and nature preserve in their backyard. It's not easy to pull up roots and move so far away and virtually start over. But they had been talking about it for years. Tampa is getting way too crowded, you have to fight traffic everywhere you go. Elaine had a great job but it caused lots of stress.
They always talked about "simplifying" and getting away from all the craziness and stress, and they did it.
When I saw their country home outside of Knoxville, built in the 1860s but modernized, on rolling hills surrounded by horse farms, I knew it was a perfect fit for them.
It makes me look at my own life, and wonder if a radical move would be wise. It is definitely easier to stay where you are, in every respect, than it is to get up and go. But sometimes you need to take a step or you'll get left behind or run over.
* * *
My nephew Spencer is 9 years old and has always been a natural comedian. We were talking about what he wants to do when he gets older and he said he wants to be an animal hunter like Steve Irwin. After a few minutes talking about how what kind of animals he'd catch, he said, "Meanwhile, I'm going to work on my childhood."
We were standing on a river weir near Norris Dam, outside of Knoxville, when Spencer called my son-in-law Matt over and said, "See that?," pointing to water pouring over a fairly small rock ledge. "That's Niagara Falls -- for ants!"
Spencer has a million of 'em ... those are just two that come to mind.
* * *
Hope you all had a very good holiday. Now it's back to the grind for another month until Christmas.
Toledo, Ohio
November 26, 2007

When Bishop Leonard Blair of the Toledo Catholic Diocese distributed a letter opposing Toledo's "domestic partnership ordinance," I thought it would have prompted Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner to veto the bill that had been approved by city council 10-2.
But Carty went ahead and signed the ordinance into law the day before Thanksgiving. He said he is "a strong Christian" but also a supporter of minority rights.
The law does not make any significant changes, but gives legal recognition to non-married couples, including same-sex couples, living in the same residence. That enables them in some cases to receive benefits from employers.
What's interesting to me is that the bishop's strident opposition had no impact on the bill. With my journalist hat on, I am not going to interject my opinion on the merits of this ordinance. It is too controversial, and anything I say will only rile up someone or other.
Bishop Blair and other Ohio Catholic bishops successfully lobbied against Ohio Senate Bill 17's provision for a one-year "look-back" window lifting the statute of limitation on child sex abuse cases.
But this time the local politicians essentially ignored the bishop's request to delay action on the domestic partnership registry and just rolled right along as if nobody had said a word against it.
What I'm wondering is whether this is an indication that politicians are not that concerned anymore about the opinions of religious leaders.
Is this another example of the "secularization" of America? (I realize that's a broad generalization of a question.)
The same issue arises with Mitt Romney's run for the presidency. His membership in the Mormon church would have been a major liability a few years ago but I've seen some evangelical Christian leaders endorsing his candidacy, saying that Romney is a man of principle and character, a proven leader, and that his personal religious beliefs are not an issue.
This country and this city seem to be going through a time of transition when it comes to religion and politics. It will be interesting to see how things continue to develop along these lines as the 2008 presidential election gets closer.
* * *
Meanwhile, on the Carty Finkbeiner front, our esteemed mayor's been in London this week leading an effort to get Toledo named the most liveable city on the planet. We didn't get first place but Toledo did come in third, not bad for a rusty little midwestern town. Carty deserves credit for his tireless efforts to promote Toledo. He is truly the city's No. 1 cheerleader.
Toledo, Ohio
November 27, 2008

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I worked hard to get all my reporting and writing done early this week because I have so much to do next week... I did manage to get this week's religion page done a day and a half early. And I think it all turned out pretty well...
The main story is about local churches' efforts to help alleviate the suffering of African AIDS victims, tied in with Saturday being the 20th annual World AIDS Day.
There is plenty of info online about World AIDS Day and one of the best sites on Christian responses to the AIDS pandemic is World Vision. Here's a link.
I believe it's a sin if we don't act to prevent the spread of this horrible disease, especially in underprivileged countries. I've read and heard too much about how we can make a major difference for a minimal investment.
I also wrote an article about Hanukkah, which begins at sundown on Tuesday, and included a list rounding up some of the upcoming holiday events -- Christmas dramas, handbell choirs, living Nativities, etc.
Thirdly (or fourth, depending on whether you count a holiday roundup as an article), I interviewed Kathy Troccoli, one of the pioneers of contemporary Christian music, who will be in Toledo for three concerts at Westgate Chapel next week. She now speaks about her struggles with depression and bulimia, among other talk topics. Her music is not really my style but I've always liked her personality. And besides, she was born in Brooklyn and grew up in Suffolk County, on the south short of Long Island, just like me... She's from Islip Terrace, just a few miles from my old home in N. Babylon.
But those are just "sneak previews." I hope you get a chance to read the Religion Pages on Saturday.
* * *
Tomorrow, I'm interviewing Bishop John Spong, a retired Episcopal bishop who does not believe Jesus was God, born of a virgin, or was resurrected.
And next week in addition to my regular work I am planning on an article about the local Muslim community being so well integrated into the Toledo community in general, this tying in to an upcoming CBS News show about the local Muslims.
* * *
I had a very enjoyable lunch today with local Episcopal clergy to explain my job and how I view the role of covering religion for a mainstream newspaper. They are a bit weary of all the news over their denomination's feuds over sexuality. There is so much more to any denomination than one issue, however hot that "hot-button" issue may be.
I understand their concerns and will try to report on the "mission" of the Episcopal Church, not just the newsy flashpoints, and be more aware of the members' frustrations with the media. Overall I think it was a worthwhile meeting and I am grateful for the opportunity to break bread with these fine people.
* * *
I put on my music critic's hat last night and covered the Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert in Toledo. This is one of the most amazing bands of all time, and that's no exaggeration. I've seen more than 2,000 concerts in my life and almost all of the big names, except the Beatles, but nobody puts on a bigger show than the TSO.
It was a challenge to write the review on a tight deadline -- I had about 45 minutes, so that means you can't really fuss over every word or phrase.
And although I'm usually hesistant to be too "gushing" in concert reviews, but I felt that this band deserved the superlatives. I don't see how anybody could complain about not getting their money's worth. The concert featured the most incredible light show, including laser lights, along with massive pyrotechnics including hundreds of color-changing fireballs, fog and smoke, and even snow falling from the rafters.
And that's before we even mention the music, which was simply remarkable.
I won't go into detail but you can read my review online here.
Hope your day has been a good one.
Toledo, Ohio
Nov. 29, 2007