Charles, OFM Cap.

Will Charles find will to continue? Ancient astronaut theorists say yes.

On the way out I noticed that this girl at the diner had arranged all the fries on her plate in one direction, like a palisade or a fasces. If I were younger I might have tried to give a compliment.

We're proud of our contribution to coffee culture.

That is, actually, what our friars are called in Portuguese.

As a Capuchin friar I can say I really enjoyed the comments.

The battle of the Gulf of Naples: An Aragonese-Sicilian fleet (some 30 galleys) led by Admiral Roger of Lauria surrounds and defeats the Neapolitan ships in the Gulf of Naples. King Charles II of Naples ("the Lame") is captured. #InTheYearOfMyNumberOfFollowers via @wikipedia.org #Lame

Prayers.

photo of an older, German-American man reading the New York Times magazine while seated on a green loveseat. To his left a black and white cat sits on the top of the cushions as if reading over his shoulder or at least keeping an eye on things.

Today is the fifth anniversary of the passing of my father, alav ha-shalom. Here he is in a typical activity under the watchful supervision of the late Mr. Snuggles.

Sunday sacristy chat.

"Is there a Kyrie on Ash Wednesday?

"Umm..."

"Should we ask Grok?"

Jesus’ reboot of the commandments can seem overwhelming, even impossible—who doesn’t get angry? Who can avoid noticing an attractive person?—until we grasp the nature of Jesus’ fulfillment of the Law: religion is no longer about God commanding from above but about renovating our humanity from within

St. Ephrem on reading the Sacred Scriptures:

"Be glad then that you are overwhelmed, and do not be saddened because he has overcome you. A thirsty man is happy when he is drinking, and he is not depressed because he cannot exhaust the spring." (Office of Readings)

As my dad used to say, the anarchist you have to watch out for is the one wearing a suit and tie.

mobile phone photo of a one-sided booth at a Wendy's fast food restaurant

Sir, the booth you reserved for #ValentinesDay is ready.

YouTube video by History with Liam Brother Lawrence: A Short History

New from @liamtemple.bsky.social.

I went to Spanish school about a mile and half from here. ¡Pura vida!

Asked friar from India if he had had chicken and waffles before and he was all indignant like of course he has. Like sorry bro trying to hospitable.

Seeing my classmate Fr. Tom at the Mardi gras fundraiser event

"Tomás, Tomás, que feo estás."

[On the way to Mardi gras themed fundraising event]

Friar 1: "What's the menu?"

Friar 2: [sigh] "Can you just be surprised for once?"

Friar 3: "I heard it's southern."

Friar 1: "How far south?"

Annual reminder if God forbid you are thinking about it, giving up coffee for Lent is presuming to choose a penance for everyone around you.

YouTube video by AvvenireNEI Suor Carmen Cimarolli: le fede, massimo dono

Just because she's great, here's a video of Mother Carmen.

mobile phone photo of a "3-pack" of North Pole brand socks from Italy

I've been back from Rome for six years and am now opening the last of my supply of Christmas socks from Mother Carmen of the Capuchin Sisters of Mother Rubatto.

Understanding our new cook's menu requires a good sense of attributive nouns. E.g. lasagna stuffed shells, glazed donut strawberry shortcake

Our Lord Jesus Christ, born true man without ever ceasing to be true God, began in his person a new creation and by the manner of his birth gave humankind a spiritual origin (spiritale principium). ~ Pope St. Leo the Great (Office of Readings)

who up here battering they prawns

Guy carding me at the supermarket: "I don't know where you high school students go; these fake IDs are getting better all the time."

Me, to myself: Bro, save it for the ladies...but maybe don't say high school...or better, just shut up."

Overheard in the friary:

"What's this event called?"

"It's called 'Lenten Morning Reflection,' beginning at eight-thirty with donuts."

Someone asked me for some Ash Wednesday ashes to take for a prayer service during a trip to a remote part of a foreign country. Fine. Good luck though, bro. This won't look at all suspicious to TSA.

It's like the worst Italian friar on Italian friar insult I ever heard: "HIs mother's milk was sour."

Looking over a Protestant baptismal certificate. It specifies "water" baptism. Were there other choices? Come to think of it, I wonder if some of the friars weren't baptized in vinegar.

I clicked on the AP article on David Gelernter mainly because back in 1993 I happened to walk by the police/first responder scene after the Unabomber blew him up (I'm from the neighborhood). So why 'editoress' and not 'editress' or even better, 'editrix'? The misogyny/inelegant grammar complex.