Some Irish Humour!

Tonight I did a wee bit o' humor for the fella's at the Seminary. The event is called 'Coffeehouse' and is basically a talent show with free coffee (I am still feeling the effects!). I performed a few Irish jokes for the crowd, which was well received...much to my pleasure, and of course, once you stroke a performer's ego...the show only gets better. So in the spirit o' the ev'nin' I thought I would share with you a wee bit of humor (these are not the ones that I told tonight...since those are better performed than written). Enjoy!

Old widow McGee walked into the bank to exchange $100.00.

She says to the clerk, "Could you break this down into smaller bills for me?"

The clerk says; "In what demonination would you like your bills?"

To which widow McGee responds; "God bless us, has it come to that? I'll have nothin' but Catholics if you don't mind!"

This is one from Joe...
Mike Mulligan woke up one morning with an huge hangover. Forcing himself to open his eyes, he sees a couple of aspirins and a glass of water on the bedside table. He sits up in bed and sees his clothing in front of him, all clean and ironed. He looks around the room and sees that it is in perfect order, spotless. He takes the aspirins and sees a note on the table which says
"Breakfast is on the stove, dear. I left early to go shopping. Love you!" He goes to the kitchen and sure enough, there's a hot breakfast waiting for him, and also the morning newspaper. His son is sitting at the table, eating.
Really curious by now, Mike asks, "Son, what happened last night?"
His son says, "Well, Mam said you came home after 3 a.m, you stumbled in the door, threw up in the hallway, and passed out half-way up the stairs."
Confused, Mike asks, "So, why is everything in order and so clean, and breakfast is on the table waiting for me?"
His son replies, "Oh, that! Mam dragged you to the bedroom, and when she tried to take your trousers off, you yelled "Leave me alone woman, I'm a married man!""

Says Mrs. O'Keefe; "If you were my husband I would poison your tea!"
Says Mr. O'Keefe; "Madame if I was your husband, I would drink it!"

Crazy Medievals!

In preparation for Easter, the Choirmaster at my parish sent me the text of a 12th century trope in the hopes that I could translate it for him. Like usual, I accepted before I had adequately accessed the amount of work this would be! What looked like a normal straight up translation has turned into a nightmare hodge-podge of misspelled Latin words, hybrid Greek/Latin and French/Latin words (at least I think that is what it was...), adjectives and adverbs galore and just a mess of poor grammar and syntax! Now I am not an expert, and I am sure that is part of the frustration...but whoever wrote this should have been shot!

Give me Julius Caesar please!

Sunset on the Horizon

Well folks, it looks like it is "Good-bye" to Sacred Heart in Detroit and "Hello" to Mundelein Seminary in Chicago (Mundelein, IL). The Vocation Director from my Diocese (Grand Rapids) came out for his semester visit here in Detroit and gave me the news today. I cannot say that the news was unexpected, or that the news is entirely unwelcome, I will however still be a little sad to leave here. As much as I dislike Detroit, I have grown used to it and can begin to find a little appreciation for her haggard appearance and struggling form. There is great tenacity here among the people and the Seminarians who will be ministering to the people of this Diocese. My heart goes out to those who I leave behind, but I look forward to my new adventure this fall on the other side of the pond. I ask that you keep me in your prayers as I fill out yet another application form and endure orientation (hopefully for the last time!) again in the fall.

St. Patrick's Day

Tis the blessed day of the dear Patrick, Saint of all the Irish. I hope that you all will toast his blessed memory and that you are all proudly a wearin' the green!

Irish Music Guide

As some of you may well know, I have a fairly extensive collection of Irish and Celtic music. Since this month of March is particularly dear to the Irish at home or abroad, I thought that I would just post a tribute to the many sounds of Ireland that I have enjoyed over the years, enjoy the photo fest, and know that all of the CD's featured come highly recommended by yours truly. First...The best of the traditional Irish bands, and the ones who pushed traditional Irish music into the mainstream...The Chieftains!
A tribute to one of Ireland's greatest composers and the last wondering bard of Ireland
Haunting choral music done in a style reminiscent of Ireland's past with a modern appeal

Traditional tunes and airs!

Get your dance on!
Speaking of Dancing! Not quite pure tradition here...but awesome non-the-less (oh and just in case some of you want to see the show...it is coming to Grand Rapids this June I heard...)
Something a little more haunting and modern...but clearly inspired by Irish music!
Enya needs no introduction!
And last but not least...about as mainstream as it gets...albeit not your traditional Irish fare. Still...great band!

Four more days!!!

Return from Exile

Spring Break is over...tear...flick!

In one sense, I am relieved...its hard picking up in the middle of family life again. I have been away for so long that so much has changed, the life of the family as I knew it has changed to much. Many things remain the same...its the little things. Like the cooking spoons and the new place for the pots, or where the toilet paper is kept. My family seems to be permanently in a state of flux...while everything remains the same, nothing is ever exactly as I left it the time before. It is also nice to get back to the post turn-of-the-millennium society having been banished to the post "turn-of-the-century" culture on the farm (i.e. I did not have Internet).

But now it is back to the grindstone of seminary life...studying and constantly working on oneself in order to allow the Spirit to create a new person in me everyday. I also miss my family and my community. Everything about home is so dear to my heart, the people, the land, the history, the culture, it all calls out to me every time I leave and forever I hear the soft call to return. I cannot wait until I am ordained (God help me!) so that I can settle down in a parish and can remain at home. No rest for the weary traveler pursuing knowledge!

Je Suis Libre!

Spring Break has come for me! This means that in a few short hours I shall be departing for Tír na nÓg (the land of the blessed in Irish Folklore...i.e. Grand Rapids). This Spring Break started off in style! Currently listening to U2 (began with It's a Beautiful Day) but before that I was jigging to some good ol' Irish tunes...after returning from the "source and summit of the day" (i.e. The Mass). I have been told that home (the Frozen North) resembles Narnia a bit...due to an interesting mix of a Snow/lightning/rain storm that is now all frozen solid. Soon I will be seeing the most beautiful view in the world...My face toward West Michigan and South-East Michigan in my rear-view mirror!

Happy Spring Break to all my fellow Scholars (and Monica)!