Category: PAZ & Friends

Remembering John

Earlier today while I was at the Lourdes in a Day –a spiritual encounter for those who senior, sick or in some way in need of healing– sponsored by the Order of Malta-CT North East Area– at St Peter Claver Church (West Hartford), I learned of a friend’s sudden death. Fr. Chris Ford and I were chatting about the day and I brought up that a friend, who had been at Lourdes in a Day last year, and benefitted from the experience, missed this year because he was to start a new chapter in his life at Thomas Aquinas College. Fr. Chris interrupted me to say that John died. His funeral was last week. I was –and continue to be– in shock and dismay: how could this happen?

John Kozak’s obit is here. It is a nicely composed biography of a young man whose life came to a tragic and unexpected end at 24 as a consequence of mental illness. He did not commit suicide. The death, as I understand it, was an accident. It was a struggle that encircled him, challenging is ability to find meaning and expression. John was a genius, he eager to have a conversation, he desired to be in relationship with the Lord. He was a good kid.

Pray for John’s eternal rest in the Lord’s arms. Pray for John’s family and friends who mourn him.

I am grateful for John’s friendship.

The Transitus of a friend

After several months of prolonged sickness and more than 8 years of thrice weekly kidney dialysis, my friend of 37 years, Chorbishop Joseph Francis Kaddo made his transition to the Lord of Life, today at 4:30 a.m.

Joe was a Maronite priest from Troy, NY, who served as the founding pastor of two parishes, pastor of a few of a more, a former Vicar General for two Maronite bishops and the friend of many.

My love of the Eastern Church came through Joe Kaddo through our long years of friendship. Thanks be to God.

This is the final picture of the two of us on 30 December 2023, just a few hours before being admitted to the hospital.

Joe’s funeral rites will be on Sunday and Monday, 5-6 May 2024 at St. Anthony of the Desert Church, Fall River, MA. He will be laid to rest with his parents in Troy.

UPDATE: Chorbishop Joseph Francis Kaddo’s obituary is posted here.

May the Lord forgive his sins and admit him the beatific vision.

May Joe’s memory be eternal.

Thomas J. Kelly, priest, RIP

In Christian charity please remember the repose of the soul of Fr. Thomas J. Kelly, who died earlier today. Thom was a priest of the Archdiocese of Hartford, and the Magistral Chaplain for the Eastern Connecticut Area of the Order of Malta. A longtime friend and collaborator, Thom, served the Lord well in his Church. His sudden and unexpected death is very much a surprise. His presence will be felt.

Fr. Kelly’s funeral will be next week at the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Motherhouse in Hamden, CT.

May Fr. Kelly’s memory be eternal.

Blessed Gerard, pray for Thom and for us.

A walk with friends today

Today was a beautiful January day in Connecticut. It was a most pleasant day to take a walk in Chatfield Hollow State Park (Killingworth, CT) with fellow friends who follow together in Communion and Liberation –an ecclesial movement in the Church. It’s been years since I’ve been in Chatfield Hollow. It was a  melancholy day since we were together with our friends Razib and Nur and their son who are moving to California taking up a new mission in life in academic research and Evelyn who is headed back to work in Germany.

Our walk together reminded me of the feast day this past week of the Cistercian abbot Saint Aelred of Rievaulx who wrote extensively of friendship, particularly spiritual friendship. In fact, I had received a week ago a scientific biography of Aelred. Friendship is what binds us together in and for life. I am thinking of the classic definition by Cicero (De Amicitia 6.20): “Friendship is agreement in things human and divine, with good will (benevolentia) and charity (caritas).”

I am grateful for the friendship I share with so many, very particularly the friendship I share in Communion and Liberation.

Bees in the Levant, rendering leaf fat and the Requiem

It’s a beautiful Saturday in November with the sun, the smell of autumn in the air, prep for Thanksgiving and mild temps at 64. For Connecticut, this a blessing.

A friend sent me a NY Times article on Turkey’s bees. Grateful, I am, for several reasons. I like to know what other cultures do in beekeeping, e.g., the Turks, the Armenian Turks, and the peoples of the Levant (Lebanon, Syria, & Palestine). Greece, too. They have different methods and different tasting honey. At a friend’s funeral a few weeks ago I was speaking with 2 Eastern Catholic bishop-friends who were present and we got into talking about bees, honey and helping the poor farmers of Lebanon and Iraq in beekeeping. Helping farmers with beekeeping in this part of the world is a good project. Something similar that I want to do with the Benedictines in parts of Africa.

The house is filled with a beautiful pork aroma. I rendered for the leaf lard from last year’s pigs so that my mother can use the lard in baking and frying. Don’t confuse the leaf fat that comes from around kidneys with the back of a pig. I have to say I am glad I am Catholic with an appreciation of raising pigs and using most of the bits of the pigs. Rendered leaf lard the best lard around.

We had our annual St Gregory Purgatorial Society Mass today: a solemn high Traditional Latin Mass. The ceremonial is very different from the ordinary way of the Latin Mass and the music beautiful. Nearly 200 names enrolled in the Society enjoy several spiritual benefits. The benefactors are quite generous in financial things that fund some of the sacred music program.

After the Divine Liturgy tomorrow I am visiting a young man and his family who raise the Mangalitsa pig. A beautiful pig with curley hair renown for its pork and lard. It was THE pig from the Hungary, Serbia, Czech Republic, Austria among some countries that fed lots of people. In former times this pig was excellent for sausage and now certain chefs are using the meat for chops and roasts, etc. Hence, we’ll have 2 heritage breeds of pig next year: the Mangalitsa and the Berkshire.

Have a beautiful of Saturday!

Vespers and dinner with Melkite Patriarch Joseph Absi

Tonight I was at Great Vespers then dinner at St Ann Melkite Church (Danbury, CT) presided over by His Beatitude, Patriarch Joseph (Absi) with Bishop Nicholas Samra, Archbishop Nicolas Antiba and Fr Michael Skrocki.

About 125 people were in attendance. Several from the Latin Church but others from Eastern Churches including the Ruthenian and Maronite.

The Patriarch spoke of the universality of the Melkite Church. After all, it was in Syria that the followers of Jesus were called Christian.

It was a beautiful evening!

Fr John Patrick McGuire, OP RIP

john-p-mcguire-opI just read on Facebook that an old friend died peacefully preparing for bed on Christmas night at St. Catherine of Siena Priory (NYC). Jolting news in this time of joy.

Father John Patrick McGuire, OP, 73, was a talented man and a lovely person. His ministry allowed for him to do some wonderful things for Christ and others. Father John’s death is a sad event for me, someone I’ve known for 30+ years. I pray for him, in thanksgiving, petitioning the Lord to forgive his sins and to grant him eternal life; I pray for the Dominican brethren, and the countless friends he enjoyed.

Let us pray:

O God, Thou didst raise Thy servant, Father John Patrick to the sacred priesthood of Jesus Christ, according to the Order of Melchisedech, giving him the sublime power to offer the Eternal Sacrifice, to bring the Body and Blood of Thy Son Jesus Christ down upon the altar, and to absolve the sins of men in Thine own Holy Name. We beseech Thee to reward his faithfulness and to forget his faults, admitting him speedily into Thy Holy Presence, there to enjoy forever the recompense of his labors. This we ask through Jesus Christ Thy Son, our Lord. Amen.

Saint Dominic and all Dominican saints and blesseds, pray for Father John, and us.