Silent Servants...

Silent Servants...

... of the Used, Abused, and Utterly Screwed Up.

A Secular Franciscan looks at the world...
with a more jaundiced eye than ever...
and lots of ellipses for you to fill in the missing text...
(with thanks to Thomas S. Klise for the title)



Showing posts with label courage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label courage. Show all posts

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Such an inspiration



Malala delivers defiant riposte to Taliban militants as UN hails 'our hero'

"'They thought that the bullet would silence us. But they failed,' says Malala, 16, at UN to push campaign for girls' education"

This young woman is someone who was probably thrust into a limelight that she didn't desire. She has certainly taken up her role with conviction and courage. She has suffered so much already due to the actions of the violent Islamist cowards in her home country. I do hope she can stay safe and healthy, protected from the fanatics. Words against bullets...


Monday, April 30, 2012

And a moment's silence...





...for the subject of a legend, but a real person, and a real hero...

Casey Jones

died this day in 1900.





Saturday, July 03, 2010

It doesn't matter what they find


The criticism of Pope Pius XII isn't about what he did or didn't do for the Jews. It's all about hating Catholics. Our world hasn't come very far since the heyday of the KKK...

Future Pope Pius XII asked bishops to work to save synagogues

The critics would never admit it, though. Even though prejudice and bigotry against Catholics is the last acceptable prejudice, it's still not seen as such in circles that want to be taken seriously the public. One must cloak it in the garb of academia...


Friday, May 07, 2010

Inspiring approach to loss

Jobless woman finds generosity on the streets

Within weeks she had her answer: Travel to all 50 states in 50 weeks. Collect canned goods for charities along the way and take a ton of pictures. She has dubbed it Project 50/50.

Her Website

stories like this remind me of the lives of the Saints


Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Today is the anniversary

of one of the Vietnam war's most horrific events, the My Lai Massacre that took place on this day in 1968, and the three brave individuals who did what they could to stop it:

Hugh Thompson, Jr., who died in 2006,

Glenn Andreotta, who died in Vietnam shortly after this tragedy, and

Lawrence Colburn.

God bless them all...


Tuesday, January 12, 2010

R.I.P. - Miep Gies

Anne Frank diary guardian Miep Gies dies aged 100

"Miep Gies, the last surviving member of the group who helped protect Anne Frank and her family from the Nazis, has died in the Netherlands aged 100."
Truly a Righteous Gentile. Rest in peace, and go swiftly to God...


Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Today

is the anniversary of the death of

Hugh Thompson, Jr.

His story may be somewhat familiar to you, but the story of the massacre will be the most familiar part. Songs have been written about him. The massacre is one of the biggest blots on the tarnished image of the U.S. during the Vietnam War. It's often difficult to stand up for what's right, but how much more so to stand up against your own countrymen and risk your life doing so. A very courageous individual, and one it is fitting to remember...

Rest in peace, Mr. Thompson.


Friday, December 18, 2009

DNA testing

is such a wonderful step forward in righting old wrongs and preventing new ones...

DNA clears Fla. man after 35 years behind bars

"He is longest-serving prisoner exonerated by genetic tests, attorneys say"



Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

When next

you see a panhandler or homeless person, keep in mind that they're no different than you are:

Faron Hall getting a hero's day in Winnipeg

And some may be more courageous, generous and giving...

Wednesday, April 08, 2009

Today

is the anniversary of the death of

Glenn Andreotta

during the Vietnam War. His story is familiar. He was a courageous individual...

Rest in peace, Mr. Andreotta.

Friday, February 06, 2009

It does deserve a movie


Self-sacrifice tale one for the ages

All we hear about are scandals. We need more tales of bravery, courage and self-sacrifice rather than stories about greed and self-interest.