Tom Faranda's Folly

Author: Tom Faranda

  • My ACTS Retreat

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    Tom Faranda
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    This past weekend I went on a Retreat of more than one day, for the first time in 22 years. It started Thursday night and went to Sunday afternoon and was organized and coordinated by men in my parish, working with other men from surrounding parishes and a strong group from Connecticut. The “team” was…

  • Yankee prospect, Aaron Judge

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    Tom Faranda
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    He's a big dude. Yankees prospect Aaron Judge has a huge future in pinstripes Crack! You can’t help but take notice of the sound. Ball meeting bat creates a loud noise that makes you wonder if you’ve mistakenly wandered onto a shooting range. Judge — a 6-7, 275-pound specimen that looks like he should be…

  • Cardinal Egan

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    Tom Faranda
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    The NY Daily news had a nice review and story on the Cardinal, who died quite suddenly. Cardinal Egan, former archbishop of New York City, dies at 82 And the Wall Street Journal. Cardinal Egan died of cardiac arrest at his Manhattan residence The Cardinal retired seven years ago, but was busy throughout that time.…

  • Great! Lord of the Rings mythology explained in 4 minute vid

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    Tom Faranda
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    Stumbled across this. The channel has over 1.6 million subscribers. Years ago (many years!) I read The Silmarillion which he mentions at the beginning. Unfortunately it is a very dry read, since it was unfinished by Tokien and edited by his son. Not as charming or interesting as Tolkien’s other works.  

  • Lincoln’s greatest speech – 150 years ago today

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    Tom Faranda
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    His second Inaugural Address – here's an excellent – 15 paragraphs – short essay from The Public Discourse: Lincoln’s second inaugural address, 150 years old today, is as pertinent as ever. It reminds us that we must resist the poisonous temptation to see those with whom we disagree as bitter enemies even as we vigorously…

  • Mount Everest: Serious human bathroom issues

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    Tom Faranda
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    Not really funny at all. From the Guardian (UK). Waste from the 700 climbers and guides a year who attempt to scale the mountain is becoming a health hazard Climbers spend weeks acclimatising around the four camps set up between the base camp at 5,300m (17,380ft) and the 8,850m-high (29,035ft) summit. The camps have tents…

  • Ex Jesuit gay seminarian goes public

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    Tom Faranda
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    last week in The Daily Beast. I read it, all 62 paragraphs (took maybe ten minutes). He's now a seminarian in the Episcopal Church. Here's the whole thing for anyone interested. Confessions of a Gay Jesuit: How I Was Forced To Leave My Church—And Calling

  • Here’s the skydiving rescue video

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    Tom Faranda
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    Wow. What an amazing save by the instructor. The video has been seen 4 million times since posted yesterday. Here’s the full video at this link – it’s two minutes long. http://youtu.be/55QUQHm2B5A Or just watch this report, which has it all, plus the landing.  

  • Fr. Barron on Thomas Merton; the 100th anniversary of his birth

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    Tom Faranda
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    A nice under ten minute talk. I read quite a few of Merton’s books in my 20’s – like this one, No Man is an Island , and this one, Zen and the Birds of Appetite –  although not his autobiographical Seven Story Mountain. I probably should re-read a couple, just to see how well the books…

  • Wrapup – last Saturday’s Hike of the Month

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    Tom Faranda
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    The actual hike was only one mile; 50 minutes in the snow. it was the short loop – the Annsville Creek Trail – in the Hudson Highlands Gateway Park. It’s a few minutes from the Annsville Traffic circle and only about three minutes from the Cortlandt Colonial Restaurant. Besides being well-marked by red tags, there…