Forgiveness Made Real In Boston

Woodcut image of the 1834 burning of the Ursuline Convent in Charlestown, Massachusetts.

In 1834, the Irish Catholics of Boston were ready to avenge the ransacking and burning of an Ursuline convent by a Protestant mob. (See also: http://www.celebrateboston.com/crime/ursuline-convent-destruction.htm) But on August 17 of that year, Bishop Benedict Fenwick preached a message of forgiveness in the cathedral and effectively stopped any retribution and bloodshed. Matthew’s gospel today (Matthew 18:21—19:1) challenges us to forgive unconditionally. It is possible. Forgiveness works. We all have someone we could forgive today. It can make a real difference.

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21Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

22Jesus answered,

Bitter Criticism Is Like Cyanide To Relationships

Most people muddle through life without ever thinking about what they do, why they respond the way they do, how they can become better people, improve their emotional stability, change they way they respond, or increase their understanding of others or their relationships with them.

Why?

It’s not as if people are born as experts on themselves or human relationships. And merely “being oneself” is no guarantee of anything remotely resembling self understanding.

It’s important to talk about how we feel, and what we think without negative criticism from each other. Open lines of communication are imperative to maintaining and nourishing relationships. Communication must be ongoing, open, honest, and without strident tones and condemnation.

It would seem reasonable then, to seek understanding not only about oneself, but about others, and relationships, and to endeavor to improve oneself and one’s relationships with others… especially and particularly familial and spousal relationships. Could it be that bilateral lack of such effort – aka LAZINESS – is responsible for the increase in divorce rates in America? For lack of genuine emotional intimacy? Lack of sexual intimacy? Lack of proper parenting?

People are not born smart. We’re born stupid. It’s a choice to remain that way.

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“People tend to criticize their spouse most loudly in the area where they themselves have the deepest emotional need.”
– Gary Chapman

It’s Not Me, It’s You: Why Criticism Poisons Happy Marriages By Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott 

Criticism is an insidious behavior that comes into marriage and eats at the core of our identity. Few things will shut down intimacy quite like being criticized or controlled, and it is capable of immobilizing your emotional health and personal growth, especially within your relationship.

Nobody enjoys being criticized or picked apart, but it’s especially painful when your spouse – your soul mate – is the one being critical and hurtful to you. It’s demoralizing to be treated this way when you’re doing your best to make a contribution and add value to your relationship… but you get criticized instead of appreciated. Criticism can easily break a heart, and that’s a terrible place to be in your marriage.

What makes a person critical?

We often refer to critical people as “control freaks” or “high-maintenance people.” Control freaks are compelled to

Growing America’s Middle Class and Increasing Profitability

Some time ago, a friend shared an unsolicited comment about “ObamaCare” before all the ruckus over it had reached the SCOTUS. He had observed about a fellow he knew and described as “a snaggle-toothed Tennessee hillbilly,” whom had joined the United States Army. He observed that the fellow had some health needs, among them poor dentition and the need for corrective lenses. Upon his enlistment, he noted that the fellow was given proper healthcare, and all of his needs – food, clothing, housing, and healthcare – was provided by the United States government.

“Now, why did they do that?,” he asked rhetorically.

Answering his own question, he said quite simply, “because they know

Politics as usual in Alabama, and in D.C.?

It’s a disheartening state of affairs to learn that even such accusations could even be considered partially, even possibly true. Where is our political “high road”? The more secretive our government becomes – and we are witnessing increased secrecy, much under the guise of “privacy,” or “executive privilege” – the more tyrannical and prone to corruption our government becomes. The Founding Fathers knew that well. Open government demonstrates to EVERYONE that accountability to EVERYONE is ongoing. When there are no “smoke-filled backroom deals,” no “cloak and dagger,” there is no reason to hide. Political partisans are are NOT enemies, we are brothers living in the same house.

Riley’s final days filled with checks, deals

Posted: Thursday, February 3, 2011 6:00 am
by Bob Martin, The Montgomery Independent, TheWetumpkaHerald.com

Amy Bishop’s new book: “How I cooked my goose”; alternate working titles: “My mom lies for me, too!” -OR- “Shit! I missed her!”

Sometimes, it’s difficult to have an effective title, or headline to a new entry, so I decided to have a bit’o fun with this one.

The readers will remember that at age 19 Amy Bishop killed her 18-year old brother Seth with a pump shotgun, to which I referred in previous entries  – the most recent one being entitled “Amy Bishop’s Attorney Bryan Stevens – Can’t Read? Sure – just like Amy Bishop can’t shoot.”

The then-19-year-old Miss Bishop shot and killed her 18-year-old brother Seth, in the kitchen of their Braintree, MA home, after first “accidentally” discharging the same firearm in her bedroom upstairs, which blast her mother said she did not hear.

Following is Braintree Police Officer Charles N. Solimini’s recollection of the incident:

Amy Bishop’s Attorney Bryan Stevens – Can’t Read? Sure – just like Amy Bishop can’t shoot.

UAH mass murdering professor Amy Bishop’s attorney Bryan Stevens recently said, “It was an accident, no question about it,” when asked if then-Miss Bishop aged 19, accidentally discharged a PUMP shotgun THREE times – twice in the house – and once into the chest of her brother Seth, killing him – at their Braintree, MA residence in 1986.

The problem with the good Mr. Stevens’ assertion is that apparently, he didn’t or hasn’t read the part where the now-Harvard-PhD-educated biology professor used a PUMP shotgun while yet a 19-year-old young woman to kill her brother.

UAH Professor Amy Bishop, PhD & Psycho Bitch… the Shit hits the Fan!

This story just keeps getting weirder and freakier.

First, she goes apeshit and shoots six, killing three colleagues.

Then, it’s discovered she killed her own brother with a 12 gauge shotgun when she was 19 and he 18… but she was never charged because then-District Attorney William Delahunt (now Massachusetts’ 10th district Representative) decided not to file charges.

Now, revelations that she and her husband were suspects in