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Hawaiian school wins CCHD contest

Although not related to the Archdiocese of Baltimore, this video was too impressive to not share with you. St. John Vianney Catholic School seventh graders in Kailua, Hawai won the grand prize of the 2010 Multi-Media Youth Arts Contest sponsored by the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD). CCHD is a program that aims to […]

Monsignor Slade School Donates Toys for Children of Migrant Farm Workers in Florida

Students at Monsignor Slade Catholic School, located in Glen Burnie, organized a toy drive to benefit children living in a migrant farming community located in Apopka, Florida. The students collected 38 boxes of toys weighing almost 800 pounds, which were then transported by Southwest Airlines to Florida. Monsignor Slade has supported “The Christmas Store” project, […]

John Philip Sousa couldn’t say no

A tapestry at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore commemorates a performance by John Philip Sousa in the 1880s. The concert benefitted a new Baltimore hospital built by the Sisters of Mercy. (Mercy Medical Center Photo/Kevin Parks) Nuns with a good cause are generally unstoppable. Consider this fascinating story I learned Dec. 9 while on a […]

The Least We Can Do

The Catholic Review Last week, I read a newspaper article about a Connecticut man whose wife and two daughters were raped and murdered three years ago. At the killer’s recent sentencing hearing, the man, a physician, spoke of the impact such a crime has had on his life: “I seriously considered suicide many times. I […]

I hear you

Well, the verdict is in on my original black/white/orange theme for The Narthex: it looked really cool, but it was hard to read. I just switched the theme to something that should be a bit easier on the eyes.  I might experiment with some other themes in the coming weeks.  Let me know what you […]

Remembering a Baltimore culinary classic

  The pending closure of Obrycki’s in Fells Point, a legendary crab house and Baltimore institution, reminds me of the loss of another Baltimore culinary landmark: Haussner’s in Highlandtown. The quirky German restaurant, famous for its endless menu and extensive art collection, closed its doors more than a decade ago. Located within walking distance of several Catholic […]

Hallelujah! What a chorus

Matt Palmer’s take on the worst holiday/Christmas songs got me thinking about two versions of the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s “Messiah” making the rounds of e-mail and internet posts this time of year. Both bring a smile. One features a well-organized “flashmob” that brings the chorus to a mall food court. At some point, some […]

I used to be somebody

Now I am somebody else. Last summer I appropriated that line from Crazy Heart, the film that got Jeff Bridges his Oscar. I’d sing it whenever a brother who will go unnamed introduced me to new friends with “He used to write sports for The Sun” – as if life had stopped when God took […]

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