More than 'Ground Zero'...

Lady Liberty


Just before driving the RV toward New York City, I mentioned to a woman that we planned to stop at 'Ground Zero' and she quickly said, 'But we are more than Ground Zero!.' Then she went on to list the normal attractions and told me they are still open and not to be missed... She had a good point.

We intended to make St. Patrick Cathedral our first stop but in the rush of the morning commute, we boarded the subway train that took us right to the World Trade Center aka: 'Ground Zero'.

Arriving at the station, the first thing I noticed was the sunlight. Before 9/11 we would have seen the underground level of the two Trade Center towers; now there is sunlight. Before taking the escalator up to the street, one woman told me, "It looked nothing like this. All of this is changed. I was supposed to meet someone here the morning of the 11th - but I was late and then, the news came about the plane... this looks so different now..."


I snapped this photo after we reached the street level at 'Ground Zero'.


Recalling Joseph's comments in the earlier "Andover, MA to New York" posting, about having been stuck in an elevator when he was four years old, we are especially proud of him for bravely going up 86 floors to the observation deck of the Empire State Building! I mean, after that ride, any other elevator is a breeze - right?

We had hoped to meet up with the "Funky Friars" who are helping lead a movement with youth in the poorer neighborhoods of New York. We traded phone calls but unfortunately were not able to meet with them. Click here to learn about their unique ministry.


We actually snapped this picture while driving in downtown New York on a Thursday evening. Before I got into the swing of things - you know - switching from the slow, Oklahoma Driver to the intense New York Driver - I did manage to be the reason at least one person honked. I felt like I had helped add to the NY night time traffic sound. It was thrilling.

I was told that the main office of 'Covenant House' is right near Times Square, NY. What a ministry! I remember singing for Covenant House in Anchorage, Alaska years ago - I am so glad that it continues to this day.

We rode the subway, took the Ferry over Hudson river, drove through a tunnel UNDER Hudson River, took a taxi ride and walked the streets. Yes there were homeless and yes we did have the honor of providing some food for a mother of four. It is always so much easier being on the giving side - it takes far more humility and grace to be on the receiving side.


Noon Mass at St Patrick Cathedral was a beautiful oasis of peace and grace amidst the hustle and bustle of the city.

Living Stones

Several parishes in the Eastern US are experiencing the effects of closings and renewal. This is a photo of the new Epiphany parish in North Collins, New York the night before I offered a concert there. Nearby parishes were closed down and merged into this one.

Earlier I sat alone in one of the nearby (empty) parishes reflecting on what it must be like for the families who built the structure, those who professed vows at the altar, received the sacraments there. Of course it has to be bittersweet for those families, but what is going on here might also be twisted by the media to sound a lot worse than it really is. Yes - the identity of a particular community is going to be missed - but it is a chance to learn or re-learn our church is not the building. WE are the church.

By this September the parish called Prince of Peace in Niagra Falls, where I offered a concert this past weekend, will be the new Parish of St. Vincent de Paul. You know there is bound to be some who greive and some who celebrate.

It tests our faith. Those committed to an ongoing conversion of heart will make the transition - those who look Catholic but really attend the church of their opinion might not. Just like the fall-out after Vatican II when so many quit attending because of a change in the way the sacrifice of the mass was celebrated. Are we worshipping God or a style of worship?

If we think living our faith only takes place in a particular building - of course our faith life will crumble if the building is closed or sold. Faith life means the way we LIVE inside a church building and outside in the parking lot. Years ago - after mass in the parking lot at St. Anne's parish in Gilbert, Arizona we witnessed over and over again some wonderful examples of Catholics living their faith after mass.

We are honored to offer occasions for healing and encouragement to those living out this transition of parish closings and renewal.

Last week Mary was invited to an all-girl school in Hamburg to share her experience of God's Mercy with students and staff alike. It was warmly received and once again God moved hearts by the word of her testimony. We were both commenting on how well it works to share at Catholic High Schools and follow it up with a time of adoration. God bless those of you helping us travel to these places and offer this ministry. We are still thanking God we get to do this and we are committed to continuing for as long as he continues calling us.

After speaking with a few priests along the way, the picture becomes clearer: Some of these parishes were started way back when there were huge numbers of immigrants from different communities and countries. A few of these parishes are so close to each other, you can see one parish from the parking lot of another! It helps to keep in mind ALL THINGS WORK FOR THE GOOD of those who trust in the Lord. Give us grace to trust you Lord when everything around us seems to be falling apart. Give us eyes to see more like you and please let us continue to be living stones in the temple that glorifies YOU. Amen!

Andover, MA to New York

As we were leaving Andover, MA, the boys said how they look forward to keeping in touch with their new friends pictured here. When Mary and I share that the boys are home schooled, often people will speak of their concern that the boys are not able to interact with peers... We think they are going to be just fine.




The writers, actors, and film crew from "A Tale Of The West" (filmed in Western New York)


This was taken right outside the RV at the Tremblay family farm where we parked in North Collins, New York. God led us to a quiet place to rest a bit and the children began their summer days fishing, running, playing, and filming a cowboy movie with new friends. We were glad for the chance to unwind between concerts in Hamburg (the 'birthplace' of the hamburger), North Collins, and Niagara Falls. Today we are heading toward Connecticut for a concert there this weekend.

We do not want to trigger a housing development frenzy by telling you how beautiful Western New York really IS - so we will just tell you that once more we found very kind and very alive Catholic families. We can pretend this horse picture was taken in Arkansas. We are thanking God for the chance to speak and sing about his mercy as we travel. We are also thanking God for those of you who helped us into our new home on wheels as well as those who help us keep it fueled! When we saw diesel go over $5.00 a gallon we reminded each other how it is totally up to God how long he wants us to stay on the road. Thank you for your part in that!

Here are a few words from the boys about their time in New York:

John Paul:
It was really fun at the Tremblay’s house. It feels like we’ve known them forever but we really just met them. We did a movie with them. We fished with them. We got pocket knives from them and that’s a really big surprise for me because I’m eight!!!! It was really fun at Niagara Falls. There was a ledge called “Hurricane Ledge” and I stood in it and I got really soaked. I went on “Maid of the Mist” and that was fun, too, because on that one it looked like we were going to go into the waterfall and there was all this mist and it got us soaked also. In the mist I could hardly see... It was so much fun.

Joseph:
Western New York is a really cool place. We met these new people and we got to be really good friends with them. We made a movie called “A Tale of the West” and I hope we can put it on the blog and then on “You Tube”. (Note from Dad: The boys are not allowed to go on “You Tube” so they do not know how bad of a place it IS for young people - they just hear the name all the time) We got to go on “Maid in the Mist” it was really cool I got pretty wet - all the mist was swirling around in the air really fast. I went down a 170 foot elevator which was a really big accomplishment for me because I got trapped in an elevator when I was four years old. And I got to go in “Cave of the Winds” which really isn’t a cave at all. And then I got really wet at “Hurricane Deck” which was right at the foot of the waterfall so I got drenched. Then after that we got to go drop off our camera at the 1 hour Photo and get the pictures printed. We got too many pictures of Meteor Crater and we got a picture of me getting soaked by the waterfall. It was awesome.


At the top of the Falls