Stained Glass Windows

I love stained glass windows.  The pieces alone mean nothing, but placed together, the pieces in stained glass windows tell stories.  In churches, synagogues, and mosques, the stained glass windows communicate stories of faith.   In homes, they may be used as decoration.  Some are created from broken glass and held together by a binding compound, such as lead.  All are made of pieces of colored glass- otherwise they would be just plain windows.

Stained glass windows are dark, unless light is shining through.  In the daylight, the colors don't appear lively.  At night, with no light, one would not be able to discern the individual pieces except for the lead in between.

Stained glass- when the light shines through are beautiful. Let the light shine.  They become "alive."


History of stained glass

Let the light shine through and make the stains of sin not over shadow the stained glass windows of the Word.  The Catholic Church is not alone in the history of sexual abuse nor cover ups.  That being said, the abusive staff and clergy used their positions to violate God's law.  Know God's law  and the practical application of those laws on reporting.  Start with knowing the signs.  Abuser use similar techniques no matter the location of their preying ground.  All of their behaviors are criminal. 

If you are a victim of past abuse, seek help. 

Google the report. It is in a pdf  form and can be downloaded.   Don't blame the messengers and do not blame all clergy.  Just as the universities, the Olympics, Hollywood and families have tried not to bring scandal, they have found the cover ups do just that.  God sees the bigger picture even before the artist assembles the pieces in a window or a report.

Eventually God allows the light to shine through the cover ups.  The adults in charge in this Grand Jury report ignored the messengers.  None of us are free from the stain of sin because sin has ripple effects. Those signed confidentiality agreements are stained with blood.

To be truly beautiful,  Keep the light on.

The light was shining through during the Eucharist consecration.  Jesus' face and halo were shining.

Jesus is the light of the world.  He came to us because of the stain of sin.  Hold our clergy accountable.  They are not infallible.   We have Peter and Judas in our history.   Stained glass windows do tell that story.
.

I am a cradle Catholic who was often a lazy Catholic in my early adult years.  I am no longer lazy.  I currently live in a "ground zero" city for the scandal. .. and I heard the cry of a friend.  So I am asking the faithful to read the report.  Find relevance in your background checks and training.  If you do not, you are part of the problem and you should get out of any ministry with which you are currently working.   I have told teachers the same thing about working in a school.

If you can't say something nice about someone, then that may mean the person is not kind.

If you think you are not worthy to speak up,  speak up, we are all broken. God uses the broken for the greater good.  The devil does not.

Article about how the Church tried to block grand jury report

When I have prayed for the truth to be revealed in my own life, God reveals it.  Sometimes I even get phone calls.


Marian R. Carlino
September 15, 2018

The Red Plastic Straw and Eating My Way Through Lawrenceville

Chocalate Paradise and the red straw

For the past several weeks, I have been house sitting in Lawrenceville, Pa.  A few weeks ago I wrote a few ideas about my stay here.  Lawrenceville is an eclectic section of Pittsburgh.  It was once very depressed in terms of the economy, but, it too has thought outside the proverbial box and has welcomed new types of businesses.  Lawrenceville has  the Children's Hospital, tech companies, contractors who are renovating run down properties and building new.  It is true that property values have gone up so the cost of living has as well, but what would one rather have?  New eating establishments open, close, stay for a long time, and welcome people from all around.  A movie theater and a bowling alley... right here.   Last week the movie theater ran The Wizard of Oz.  The bowling alley has a live DJ.

 I met people from Delaware in front of  Geppeto Cafe today as they were waiting and I didn't want to cut in front.  They told me they were waiting for take out.  After I ordered mine, we chatted. They were visiting Pittsburgh for a birthday party.  I told them of other areas too if doing a bit of sight seeing- downtown, the sports complexes, museums,  the Cathedral of  Learning on Pitts campus in Oakland, and the Strip District.   Streets are closed downtown for the filming of Mr. Rogers with Tom Hanks as Mr. Rogers. These are all places I love in the Paris of Appalachia and the home of Mr. Rogers.  Thanks to Beth and Cousin Gerry for all those tours years ago.

I stopped at Frio, the Penn State Creamery, ice cream shop again today. It won't be on my regular  route home to my apartment, so I took advantage. Once I make room after having had a few sips of a truly rich Chocolate Paradise milkshake from Frio, I can see if the food from Gepetto Cafe is as good as the crowd waiting outside and full tables inside would indicate.  I stopped and got a coffee there this morning -  that was great!! Children would love the  decor of puppets.

So why am I writing about food-- well I have been eating my way through Lawrenceville on this vacation time.   So many people in years past used the expression "Love the one you're with."  Well, that advice got a lot of people in trouble.  So, I say, "Love the place you live."  This is not to take anything away from my NJ roots. They go deep-- 59 years deep. But Pittsburgh is a place I always loved once I visited Aunt Ann Rosinski.  Then Beth moved here with Keith so the visits were more often.   Our few years in Indiana, Pa. made it a favorite city- stamped in my heart.  My daughter went to Pitt-  visdom, visdom, visdom!!   ( My inner circle would get the spelling.)

The proprietor of Frio doesn't need a law to tell him that plastic straws can be an issue. His straws are large because without the large one, that is not paper, the chunks of brownies (or strawberries) would not travel to the direction of the mouth!!

So I am posting these pictures for those who would love to visit Paris but can't. There is a delicious French bakery too!! Come to Pittsburgh, Paris of Appalachia,  says an author.  Native Pittsburgher's and those from other countries who have chosen to invest in it are always welcoming.  The accents of those I meet often are not Pittsburgh accents.  I have brought my NJ accent with me too!!  But the Pittsburgh accent-  today in front of the restaurant a young woman was speaking.  I looked to see if it was my friend with whom I stood this morning in my advocacy.  

No law needed for Frio to think of the environment!!    I kept my pink straw to re-use.

r

This customer got a waffle cone. The proprietor is from Turkey.  And the sign,

well, that tells me he doesn't need a new law.

A sign on the fence of a property in the local neighborhood.  I asked the owner if I could take a picture.  He said yes.





Marian R. Carlino  September 15, 2018