The poems inspired by this journey are posted and are still rough. These poems are long. Often the stream of consciousness tends to draw out the thought longer than it ought. I do beg indulgence. In a rare little poem I wrote many years ago… Read More »Sisters for the Sioux Part II
This poem is posted to honor our Sisters in particular in the light of the attack from a culture that has become antithetical to spiritual virtue and goodness. The recent scandal surrounding the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and their support by the Los Angeles Dodgers… Read More »Sisters for the Sioux Part I
This poem is dedicated to my Dad. He grew up in Des Moines, Iowa. We visited Iowa often as kids. We’d go to my Uncle Jerry’s farm in a place called St. Charles. He owned a Dairy Queen there. The memories of the farm and… Read More »Priests for the Potawatomi
The history of Missouri seems blessed with a positive Catholic intention. The fertile floodplains demonstrate the past course of the Missouri River and are blessed by the bluffs that rise in the distance that stand as sentinels and contain it. So blessed is the course… Read More »The Angels of Missouri Part II
My intention before departing was to devote this blog to historical reflections with the intention of seeking the American (United States) Catholic spirit. Initially I set out with the goal to proclaim, remain pious in a spirit of pilgrimage. I have not posted much because… Read More »The Angels of Missouri, Part I
We went to Vigils (morning common prayer) this morning and I was inspired by the evocative sound of a monk rushing to prayer. And since we are at Conception Abbey and I haven’t posted in a while, I wrote this poem. The well-thought paceOf well-placed… Read More »Walking Doxology
Les Sages Sacrements pour les Osages (Sage Sacraments for the Osages) La barque Catholique en AmériqueCe que le portage de la France.Sans elle, il n’aurait jamais la croyanceMais le naufrage parmi les Osages;Marquette sans navetteLe cendre d’encens. Mes amis,I have no voice of Paul ClaudelNor… Read More »Sage Sacraments for the Osage
We have left Cape Girardeau and settle into a different current of American Catholic history as we travel along the Mississippi and eventually to the Missouri River. This leg of the trop as mentioned will focus on the French influence on the Catholic Church in… Read More »Fur France
We crossed the Mississippi. I write with great claim to victory but all I did was cross the bridge in the RV and wait for Fern to do the work and pedal across the river! We have been joined by nephew Gregory for a couple… Read More »Biking through Cape Girardeau
Stiftung. That’s a great German word. It blends many English concepts into one: foundation, donation, endowment, charity and culture into one efficient word: Stiftung. In a real sense it means “Church” in its structural reality represented by the wax seals that went to ratifying its… Read More »Stiftung