...brings together Catholics who are concerned about the public and community life of the country. Excellent gathering for the annual general meeting at Vaughan House, Westminster,a grand attendance despite a freezing November night. Lord Brennan President, and Jamie Bogle Chairman. A lot to discuss, following the Papal Visit and the General Election, and a v. active year for the Union: among the highlights a memoral Craigmyle Memorial Lecture delivered by Dr Philip Howard on the sanctity of life.
I was able to report on the Catholic Young Writer Award, which this year for the first time was a joint project between the Catholic Writers' Guild and the Catholic Union. Having it as a joint Award has proved a real success, and we now have great plans for 2011 - I am especially indebted to Sarah de Norwall of The Bard School whose creative thinking has been extremely helpful...
Discussion about recent court decisions affecting the rights of Christians at work and in the public sphere, also on the importance of resistance to any and all plans or promoting euthanasia. After the meeting, a friendly and lively gathering over wine and snacks, many things to discuss. I had appealed for ideas for the Young Writer Award and two people approached me to offer suggestions - both at the same time and both with the same thought, and an inspired one...more on this in due course...
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FROM AMERICA
Our TV newscasts have been showing interviews with British tourists visiting NYC to enjoy pre-Christmas sales and cultural attractions. One couple visited the birthplace of Pres. Theodore Roosevelt on E.20th St. "TR" endured so much mockery in the forms of personal attacks, cartoons and jokes about his asthmatic problems, poor eyesight & high-pitched voice. Pres. Roosevelt said: "It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes up short again & again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming; but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who at the best, knows the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and TIMID souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."
JOANNA, you are always "in the arena."
Sheila A. Waters
Bronxville, NY
Joanna, just want to thank you for all you do to educate us on our Catholic traditions and heritage. It's because of your efforts (and many behind the scenes I know) that both my Advent and Lenten journeys (and thus my Christmas and Easter celebrations) have taken on new and a more rich meaning.
Gob bless you and yours this sacred season
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