It is not every day that one meets a veteran of World War II much less one who was present during the historic battle for Iwo Jima. But I knew something was different about Norbert Arnold as he approached me during a presentation about Fatima at his cousin’s home in St. Mary’s, … Read more
The Wanamaker is not only the world’s largest organ, it is also the largest musical instrument on earth. Moreau Claude, an organist from Paris, appreciates such things. After all, he has a beautiful organ in his own home and has studied under Marcel Dupre. For his 70th birthday, his daughter bought him … Read more
It must have been a sight to see. Our guide seemed delighted retelling the story of a man so awed by the ornate, seventeenth-century gilded carriage that he could not resist the urge. He just had to sit in it. When he stepped over the small security barrier, the alarms sounded; his … Read more
VISIT LONGWOOD GARDENS ON THE WEB The facts are staggering. Here you will find the greatest and the most in nearly every conceivable category: 1,050 acres of gardens containing exquisite flowers and majestic trees, twenty different outdoor gardens, twenty indoor gardens in four acres of heated greenhouses, and a total of 11,000 … Read more
It was a cool, crisp morning as I drove down a Pennsylvania back road on the way to my first fox hunt. The sky was clear and blue, and the bright sunshine illuminating the frost-covered field brought an agreeable white freshness to the landscape. The sights along the way were what one … Read more
There is something about toy soldiers that brings out the boy in every man. Before toys became genderless and pacifistic, the toy soldier was the mainstay of countless boyhood games. How many boys marched their soldiers into battle, staged mock wars, and dreamed of military glory! Indeed, how many military careers were … Read more
“Sunday morning’s Mass was absolutely magical for me,” said Cindy Lambert, an office manager in New Orleans who portrays a nun in Civil War reenactments. “In all the years we have [reenacted], this is the first time we had a Latin Mass with Gregorian Chant. Many folks were awestruck by the beauty … Read more
Priests, Architects, members of liturgical councils and parishioners gathered in Mundelein, Illinois to discuss how a Church will look in 2010. What most people want is beauty! Building a Domus Dei “I was in awe. In every direction I looked, I saw images that reminded me that I was standing at the … Read more
The informal gathering place provides a way for many Americans to survive their hectic daily lives. Ladies have their tearooms, but many men have found a solution also. Years ago, I had the chance to visit Italy. I loved my stay there and had an amusing experience in the airport the day … Read more
What impressed me were the details, those little touches that created an ambience and put me at ease. Here was a calm spot away from the crowded fast-food places, where one is not an anonymous person dashing down a meal. “Take your time,” my waitress said as she removed my plate, leaving … Read more