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The Beatitudes of St. Matthew’s Gospel are among the best known and favored verses in Sacred Scripture, appreciated over the centuries by all religious traditions. They form the preamble to the revered Sermon on the Mount. They offer a prayerful glimpse of heaven on earth, for they present us with a verbal portrait of the Word made flesh, Jesus Himself. To sample only the first three Beatitudes and their resonance in the life of Jesus:

Justice John Paul Stevens is 88, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is 75. Justice Anthony Kennedy is 72. Justice Stephen Breyer is 70. Justice David Souter is 68. Given those demographics, the next president of the United States will likely nominate at least one, and perhaps several, justices to the U.S. Supreme Court.

These are uncertain times. Banks are failing, Wall Street is reeling, and the cost of just about everything seems to be through the roof. Talk of bailouts and mergers, record declines and a looming recession – not to mention the fast-approaching presidential election – has much of the nation in a frenzy of uncertainty and worry. Understandably, many people, when not peeking through their hands at their investment account statements, find themselves taking inventory these days. This local Church is, too.

Talk about going back to the drawing board! As a senior person trying to avoid tiresome nostalgia, I am still driven to see the chasm-like gap between the mid-20th century, with all its faults, and the present. And it happened fast. Instant communication with the rest of the globe, once a marvel, is now hand-held, including the visual dimension. That is a revolution, not necessarily negative, but a revolution nonetheless. Our modest local good music station, for example, can be summoned instantly from anywhere in the world on one’s computer. Thanks to the fine programming, everyone is invited to enter into the vast tradition of musical art which was once for the few. Compared to this reality, worries about what’s lost from live performances can seem like a quibble. Besides more people than ever are lured to the live groups by free exposure to the recorded version.

Mary, a nurse who teaches childbirth classes, was sitting in a waiting room while her car was being serviced. As she sat there, another woman entered the area, and began talking to the cashier.

If you missed the Keep on Teaching Workshop held Sept. 13, you missed a catechetical moment of great proportion.

Delivering a fiery speech Oct. 6 at the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Conference for Catholic Educators, superintendent Dr. Ronald J. Valenti told a crowd of hundreds that the fight for financial equality among schools has begun.

What should knights of old and modern Catholic men have in common? A lot, if you ask the Respect Life Committee of St. John.