Pillars of freedom

So this started as a blog on a theme, then I decided to make it a themed blog but one that's also chronological... so (this was originally started 12/20/06 12:17am with just the wtc stuff...)

Recently I've had a few experiences with some friends... I went to the Cfr day in Newark, with Melanie, Terry and Vicki two of whom I really hung out with for the first time, and the last of which this was only really the second time. Ah new friends... life is beginning to look somewhat normal.

Religious freedom (monasteries)

There's something about Religious freedom that makes so much sense that I'm very happy it's chronologically the first that I wanted to remember. It seems a cornerstone of really valuing a person, even though it brings the heart break of knowing that some people may never find Christ, (heck I may never find Him!) it also is seems fundamentally intrinsic to valuing a person. You can never win over a person by violence. Regardless of how that is manifest. And forcing a faith on someone seems completely contrary to what it's supposed to do.


Freedom of Association (aka. Friends)

After volunteering with the CFRs in Newark NJ, we headed over to go watch the live nativity in the Bronx (NYC, NY) a fun little drive, where a seatbelt fight occurred as in a fight with the seat belts. Not with each other.


The live nativity was really cool, with tons and tons and tons of people filling up a blocked off street in the south bronx... the CFRs are known and loved everywhere in this area.

It was a very nice take on the nativity story... a bit funny at times, but the focus was amazing.

Freedom of Speech (rapping friars)

This is Br. Paolo... looking at a video of him playing with his fingers or freestyling, I can't remember which, but he did both ;-) He's a great guy. And so pure of heart.

Freedom of Movement (Ice skating rinks)


After the Live nativity, I went and hung out with Annie. Annie is amazing! I love her so much, she's a coworker/friend/sister from NET and lives in Connecticut (the only person I think). She brought a few of her kids and a parent (she's a youth minister) down to NYC for the holidays. It was nice to spend time with her. We went met up on fifth ave. near the Cathedral (where we went to pick up some of the kids who wanted to go skating at the Rockefeller Center) then trekked uptown to FAO schwartz and finally to central park where the three girls skated, and the Mom and I headed to get starbucks for those of us who didn't want to spend $12 to skate or would rather just chill.

That finished my Saturday... and then Tuesday...

Pillars of freedom?

I finally decided/got the courage to take pictures of the "sculpture" that is part of the twisted remains of part of the WTC. That resides in one of my parishes (I go to several, St. Vincent Ferrer most days for daily 12:10 mass, St. Patrick's Cathedral or St. Francis for 1 or 1:15 mass if class lets out late or I'm a bit slow, St. Malachy's "The actor's chapel" on Times Square for Adoration with the Emmanuel community and my favourite priest so far in this city, Fr. Nicolas who is amazingly loving. And tonight I think I've added another one... Holy Innocents just south of Times Square... it's gorgeous and has adoration until 5pm)


I think it a funny coincidence that the day I decided to take pictures of some steel from the WTC 911 attacks that resides in a church I've been going to for months, was also coincidentally the day they decided to raise two main main columns for the new WTC. (Something I just discovered as I'm about to head to bed.)


The church I go to, St. Francis, is also the church where the first official victim of 911 was a friar at...
Fr. Mychal Judge, the Chaplin of the NYC firefighters. And victim 001 of the wtc attacks.

Now I could go on and on about how I think monuments are important, and how the freedom tower is a monument for many Americans, but I really think the pillars of freedom aren't just monuments. In fact I'd say the Monuments only have meaning because of the pillars of freedom that give them meaning.

Freedom of assembly (another live nativity, this time in Times Square)

Live nativities seem the thing in NYC... this one was in a parking lot in times square (I went to it after adoration on Tuesday night)... just half a block from Broadway... Steven Baldwin apparently talked, and apparently walked right besides me without me batting an eye. (I think I wouldn't recognise any celeb unless they were pointed out... they just aren't any more or less important to me than the next guy.)


And Freedom of Movement #2... Charmin...
Charmin had this great idea to give NYC a Christmas present... and after dinner Tuesday night, I decided to partake much needed public bathrooms in times square... there are 20 of them, on a slightly raised stage... so when you come out the staff cheers and claps... which is actually not as embarrassing as it sounds... because they only do it for people that look like it would be okay with them... which apparently is not me.
Inside the toilet, you get to try out their newest toilet papers... I couldn't tell if there was only one or three types...

And you also get a view... mine was the "top of the Rock" (Rockefeller center) Hetti got disorientated... and almost vomited while I was using the toilet...
There's also a stage where people get to dance... if you want to (the staff is very energetic, and I don't think I could keep it up)... There is also a constant song playing, that though pleasant and actually not as annoying as I would think a repeated song would be, would still get annoying after working for a few hours listening to it, I think.

So there I've blogged... I put photos up, tied it all together with a theme, used headings, and witty commentary... I deserve a big pat on the back!