Can you read and write Italian? If so, please call the New York Times immediately and apply to be their new head of Italian research. Your skills are desperately needed to save the failing newspaper any further embarrassment (good luck with that).

It turns out that much of the false attacks against the Pope initiated by this newspaper were in fact not properly researched (I know…it’s shocking). Apparently they were in such a hurry to find some facts to back up the story they had written that they didn’t even have time to properly translate the key source for their story which happened to be in Italian. Seemingly lacking even one person on a staff of thousands who was fluent in Italian, they instead decided to use “Yahoo translator” to interpret.

Perhaps they also consulted Wikipedia as a source for this story. Thank goodness for journalists who can work to find all the hard facts we normal people could never figure out. Read the sad details below and then say a prayer for the Pope (and maybe think about that job at the NYT).

New York Times Story Based on Gross Translating Error

In order to help foster a better understanding and commitment to stewardship of God’s many gifts, the Hayden High School media club helped produce a video featuring many of the local Topeka priests (even me!) talking about stewardship. All the parishes in Topeka are doing our annual stewardship commitment renewal at the same time this year and the theme “Revealing God’s Presence in Topeka” has been chosen for this effort. At the heart of stewardship is a spirit of thanksgiving. Everything we have is a gift from God. Many thanks to the students at Hayden who helped create the video and to the priests, principals and others featured. May God bless our parishes with a spirit of thankfulness and generosity through this effort.

Thanks for all the many kind wishes on my birthday. I’m 33 today…which is the same age at which Jesus was crucified. Who knows what this year could hold?

I first started a blog in 2005 and have been a faithful user of the Xanga platform since then. Over the years I’ve noticed that Xanga seems to have fallen by the wayside as far as mainstream blogging platforms go. However, a recent event convinced me that it was time to migrate. I sent a link from my blog to my Archbishop and he wrote back that the firewall at the chancery had blocked the entire Xanga domain as “obscene.” Well…

I decided if I was going to move, I’d go all out. So, I registered this new snazzy domain (Shawn is the Irish version of John and I take John the Baptist as my principal patron saint) and got my self-hosted WordPress site all up and running…including the much demanded homily podcast. As you can see, I still have only the very basic standard WordPress theme and have much work to do. I’m debating about migrating over all the old posts from Xanga, but that could be a chore. We’ll see. Thanks for visiting and stay tuned.

My old blog, Diary of a Pilgrimage

I have finally moved into my new home at Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Topeka, KS. I have been assigned here as the Associate Pastor (Parochial Vicar in church law). I am also the Chaplain for Hayden High School here in Topeka as well as Chaplain to the Archdiocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting. So, I’ve definitely got enough to keep my busy. Right now I’m just working on getting everything out of my boxes and into their new homes.

I haven’t done much with my blog since ordination as I’ve been very busy. Almost immediately after being ordained I returned to Mundelein Seminary in Chicago to finish an advanced degree. I graduated in May with a Master of Divinity degree in the “secular” system and a Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology in the “ecclesiastical” system. I returned to complete a Licentiate in Sacred Theology which is kind of like a PhD “all but dissertation” (ABD). I took a couple classes and then had my final comprehensive exam before the board, which I passed. The only thing left now is to write my thesis. I did a lot of research while I was back at school, but now I need to find the time to write.

This next week I am headed to the National Training Center of the Boy Scouts to learn more about being a Scout Chaplain. The center is located at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico where I’ve been backpacking twice before. I haven’t really had much “down” time yet this summer, so this will be good. There will be lots of classes, but just to be out in the scenic beautiful of Philmont will be a refreshing change of pace. When I get back I intend to be more regular in updating my blog. Thanks to all who have made my first two months of priesthood so wonderful.