Comments for On the Passing of a Beloved Neighbor at http://www.thecatholicthing.org , comment 1 to 13 out of 13 comments http://www.thecatholicthing.org Sun, 19 May 2013 20:23:42 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/on-the-passing-of-a-beloved-neighbor.html#comment-14376 dear gwen, as a former Baptist now Home in the Catholic Church 31 years, i can testify that your comment "she is also closer to Christ than she has ever been before" is not a mere sentimental idea but fact. i will pray this day (Thursday-the Institution of the Holy Priesthood and Eucharist) for His True Presence to enfold your dear friend. May His Sacred Heart renew both your husband's and your friend's physical hearts and eternal souls. Mercy, Sweet Jesus! - debby Thu, 15 Nov 2012 04:30:20 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/on-the-passing-of-a-beloved-neighbor.html#comment-14374 Dear Randall, Last week my husband was rushed into emergency bypass surgery, at a Catholic hospital thanks be to God, which was successful and miraculous in ways that go way beyond the time I have here. A few days later our beloved Baptist neighbors went shopping for the ingredients to make us chicken soup when the wife Karen began to experience chest pain. Just to check it out they went to our local hospital and they decided to keep her overnight for observation. Exactly one week after my husband was transferred downtown to the Catholic hospital for surgery, Karen was taken to the exact same hospital for emergency surgery by he same exact surgeon. Thousands of people prayed for my husband, offering Masses and Adoration for him and our priest friends offered their Masses for his healing. He was sent home in excellent condition 3 days ago and continues to improve daily. Karen however had a ruptured Aorta going into surgery and is now in ICU on life support. She is a 53 yr. old mother of 4 boys who love the Lord and wish to serve Him. Her husband texted me a few minutes ago: "She had a bad day but is still with us." Looking out my window tonight I am between a precious husband who is upstairs resting and healing by the Grace of God and a lovely neighbor who always had the patience for our little girl whenever our boys would head to their house for nerf wars or legos. Her windows are dark and her house is empty. She is close to death, but in that Catholic hospital she is also closer to Christ than she has ever been before. Please pray for Karen. - Gwen Wed, 14 Nov 2012 19:27:19 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/on-the-passing-of-a-beloved-neighbor.html#comment-14373 @GK thanks,God Bless You as well my friend. Jack - Jack,CT Wed, 14 Nov 2012 16:37:35 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/on-the-passing-of-a-beloved-neighbor.html#comment-14372 Alas, it was ever thus for most poor scholars. Recall all those copyists at the University of Paris in the 12th century? Many of them were penniless scholars paid by the word. Generally a scholars life has always been difficult. Those fortunate enough to be able to have a good job as a scholar, whether teaching or researching, are the exceptions to the rule. In the past, religious life has been an option for penniless scholars. Not so much today ... - G.K. Thursday Wed, 14 Nov 2012 14:22:42 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/on-the-passing-of-a-beloved-neighbor.html#comment-14370 God bless you, Jack, as you mourn and remember your Aunt in prayer! - G.K. Thursday Wed, 14 Nov 2012 13:47:18 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/on-the-passing-of-a-beloved-neighbor.html#comment-14369 Wonderful and thoughtful writing as always. Love Anthony, (and loved Colette) and can appreciate his longing and our sadness in losing him - Trish Powers Wed, 14 Nov 2012 10:23:51 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/on-the-passing-of-a-beloved-neighbor.html#comment-14368 Well and truly said, Mr. Smith. In my retirement I am pleased to be a part-time adjunct at a nifty little community college. As a Viet-Nam veteran, a former bum, a former LVN (I was the first male nurse I ever knew), and the survivor of a diversity (sorry) of life experiences, and as a Medicare-card-carrier, I am privileged to be just a bit of a rebel (for the right causes); the desperate young adjuncts live in daily terror, and that is statism in education. - Mack Hall Wed, 14 Nov 2012 07:50:37 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/on-the-passing-of-a-beloved-neighbor.html#comment-14367 Dear Sandy, I have undying respect for the work adjuncts do. Please note, however, that with regard to "adjunct" faculty, there are two categories: those who have regular jobs during the day, with full salary and benefits, who adjunct for fun in their spare time. This would be the proper sort of adjunct. Then there are those the university uses and abuses, paying them almost nothing to teach classes with no health benefits. This is an improper use of adjuncts, but it is even more common now than the first. Some newly- minted Ph.D.s have to accept such "adjunct" status for years, cobbling together various teaching jobs at a number of different institutions just to make ends meet. This is not something one would wish on one's worst enemy, let alone one's dearest friends. It is also, in my humble opinion, immoral for universities to treat young, powerless scholars this way. In either case, however, these "adjunct" faculty often do excellent work and are invaluable to the university. I just wish administrators would treat them and pay them in accord with their true worth, which rarely happens. - Randall B. Smith Wed, 14 Nov 2012 05:31:46 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/on-the-passing-of-a-beloved-neighbor.html#comment-14366 @Sandy, This real story is touching and the personal reflections of the author as he copes with the impending loss of a friend. Many things go through the mind of family, friends, and the cancer patient so let the author have his reflections about adjunct faculty. Even though I'm a prostate cancer survivor, the story is not about me although I can relate to the reflection. And with all the politeness I can muster, this story is not about you either. - Frank Wed, 14 Nov 2012 05:24:24 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/on-the-passing-of-a-beloved-neighbor.html#comment-14365 Thank you G.K. - Jack,CT Wed, 14 Nov 2012 02:24:59 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/on-the-passing-of-a-beloved-neighbor.html#comment-14364 Mr Smith, Beatiful piece of "Art' really.I am reminded of ST thomas Aquinas,"Of all the prayers the most meritorious,the most accaptable to god are prayers for the dead,because they imply all the works of charity,both corpord andspiritual' We hold on to our loved ones as you mentioned, I for one just lost my aunt and I AM ON DAY 8 of a novena for her. I pray for your friend and you I pray your sorrow be eased by the Lords Grace, God Bless you , Jack PS; Dear friends please remember all the poor souls in your prayer - Jack,CT Wed, 14 Nov 2012 02:22:47 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/on-the-passing-of-a-beloved-neighbor.html#comment-14363 Professor Smith, Thanks for this excellent and thoughtful article. The "Catholic Thing" is one of my favorite web sites and I visit it daily. However, could you be a bit easier on the the adjunct faculty -- I understand that it may not be ideal for a newly minted Ph.D. looking for a career, but there are many of us, myself included, who work a day job and then teach on the adjunct faculty at night, for the joy of the material and the inspiration we receive by being around the students. Very truly yours, Sandy O'Seay - Sandy O'Seay Wed, 14 Nov 2012 01:55:32 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/on-the-passing-of-a-beloved-neighbor.html#comment-14362 Profound. I am reminded that St. Augustine said this when his mother, St. Monica died: "as I lay alone upon my bed, there came into m7y mind those true verses of Thy Ambrose, for Thou art 'Deus creator omnium, Polique rector, vestiens Diem decora lumine, Noctem sopora gratia; Artus solutos ut quies Reddat laboris usui, Mentesque fessas allevet, Luctusque solvat anxios.'" Confessions, Liber IX, Caput xii - G.K. Thursday Tue, 13 Nov 2012 20:45:43 +0100