Reader Feedback and Challenge Coin Update

Today I took a bunch of envelopes containing “challenge coins” to the post office.  These were tokens of gratitude to some benefactors.

Some coins are intended for benefactors, while others will go to friends, to priests who have their own challenge coins or who are going to make them (a few priests have written me about this already), and to military and LEOs out there who might want to exchange.  (CPT G and AC – I have yours).

I am now furnished with proper envelopes, cards, and the correct postage.  I’ll have to drop them personally at the PO with the comment “non-machineable”.  They are just a touch to wide.  But that won’t slow them down, so long as the proper notation is made.  You learn something new every day.

One person who will receive a challenge coin as a token of gratitude wrote this recently in response to a thank you note:

You’re working for all of us out here everyday.  Your blog is a source of information and inspiration that fills many a gap left by others in the Catholic Church.  I sense your trips to Rome recharge your batteries.  What you may not realize is that they recharge ours as well.  I think it’s because in Rome one can immerse oneself in the Catholic culture that so often is lacking in many of our parishes as well as in our society (next time you’re at the Met, take a moment to look at all the bewildered faces walking through the 600’s).  Your blog, btw, has inspired me to familiarize CCD kids with the Greek alphabet and the Greek monograms of Jesus and Christ, and what the heck A & O on those candles stand for.  The Latin INRI they get for dessert.  These fourth graders eat it up.  They even try to write their names in Greek.  Kids that age are sponges – how much are our curriculums missing by not teaching our ancient culture to them – it’s all about the environment and other such pap these days.  So keep it up, dear Father  Z.  You have no idea how many lives your blog has touched and changed – not just for us, your readers, but through us the many others who will never know you personally but will nonetheless be graced by the work that you do.

Thanks for that.  It helps.

It is true that the trips help me to recharge and keep my mind from melting down (especially as I watch what is going on in the Church today – you should see my email and texts).  To use an analogy, sometimes when he gets beaten up rather badly, Superman has to get a dose of light from your planet’s yellow sun in order to recharge his battery and get back to work fighting for truth, justice and the American way.

This isn’t quite me going to Rome, but… hey… you get the drift.

And so, the Man of Steel now has to plunge down into the depths in order to rid the world of the “artificially created” work of fiends that threatens the safety of the planet. That’s sort of like a day around here, right?

And ain’t it the truth about kids and language?  When I was very small, I remember the first time I was conscious of hearing something in a different language.  I was so intrigued that I went up and down the neighborhood asking people if they knew how to count to 10 in some tongue.  That was my first “trip” into other cultures, as it were.

In any event, I remember benefactors in my prayers and celebrate Masses for your intentions.  This includes those of you who contribute to TMSM projects and who send items via my wish lists.

¡Hagan lío!

Meanwhile, I had to share this too. When I picked up that Superman video (above) I also found this, which is sort of how I feel when I get good feedback from readers.

May I add that this is also how I feel when one of you tells me that you went to confession after a long time because I keep nagging you.

So…

GO TO CONFESSION!