Tom Faranda's Folly

Soon to be beatified.  

Hike of the month is this Saturday & organized by Jeanne Marie – going to George’s Island Park in Montrose – won’t be too strenuous (Anyone interested, email me). Anyway I have detected a fashion statement that JM likes to make on both winter and summer hikes. Can you spot it? Here’s the always cool, … Read more

I always suspected this. Isis tricked victims into appearing calm with beheading rehearsals. Islamic State videos featuring ‘Jihadi John’ Mohammed Emwazi were preceded by mock run of killing videos in which they were unharmed

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 … Read more

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 … Read more

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. … Read more

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.  

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 … Read more

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