PRESENTATION PARTY IN THE BRONX THAT THE BIRDER DID

A few years ago I was still in the South Bronx, in Immaculate Conception Parish.  Today and tomorrow the various Mexican communities cut what they call LA ROSCA.  The ROSCA is a very tasty, very delicious pastry.  Within it are hidden small, tiny white plastic images of the Baby Jesus.  If when you get your piece of the ROSCA there is one of those tiny white plastic Jesus's then for Feb 2nd, when the Catholic Church celebrates the PRESENTATION OF THE CHILD JESUS IN THE TEMPLE, there will be a very nice party and YOU will have to bring something.  It could simply be the plastic plates, knives or forks.  Or you could bring the meat, the tamales, beans, soda or something for the party.  During the party each person who has received a tiny white plastic Jesus has to make their own, creative image of the child Jesus in the Crib.  Then there is an award ceremony to see whose image is the most beautiful...
And so, a few years ago I filmed our Presentation party in Immaculate Conception Parish in the Bronx.  It was one of my better YouTubes, and still "moves me" when I see the joy, the fun, the food and all those people I have come to love so much...Enjoy!!

THE "BIRDER" ON "MIGRANTS AND THE DREAM ACT"

There is a very clear connection between my love for nature, birds, wildlife and my involvement in "Migrant Ministry" as a Redemptorist Missionary priest. The two yearly bird migrations are SPRING and FALL.  In both cases the neo tropical migrant birds are seeking a place for nesting, nourishment and the creation and protection of their young.  It is very much the same with the many human beings who have come, many with their children, to the North.  They "migrate to live, to nest, to eat...to survive".  One of our recent disappointments who had hopes for the 80,000 or so children of undocumented immigrints was the possibility of the passing in the recent legislative session of the DREAM ACT  which would be a route to documenting the many talented and hard working children who arrived here with their parents.  As a hope for the New Year which we  begin, I present this small video on the DREAM ACT.

(IT IS 4 MINS.)

FROM THE "BIRDER'S FROSTY WINDOW"

This Hudson River Birder, with my Redemptorist community: Frs. Gene, Charlie and my own brother Dan have spent a most layed back and enjoyable Christmas here at The Mount.  The snow came last night, lots of wind and drifting.  It knocked half of a huge spruce at the North End of our building facing the river... And I also shot these "frosty window" pictures through which I look out to the snow-wind swept lawn...Merry and Blessed Christmas time to all.

WORDS IN ENGLISH FOR THE POSADAS OF MEXICO

These are my own translation of the "dialogue" that happens between Mary, Joseph and those of whom they ask for POSADA, that is SHELTER on their journey from Nazaret to Bethlehem.


The Posada Song
(Mary and Joseph seeking  Posada= shelter)

Mary & Joseph :In the name of heaven we ask shelter of you,
because my beloved wife can hardly walk.

Answer:

This is no hotel. Keep moving. I can’t let you have shelter here.
You just might be robbers..

Joseph

Please don’t be inhuman. Have mercy on us.
It is the very God in heaven that you will reward you.

Answer:

You can both go now and not bother us,
because if I get mad I’m capable of clubbing you both.

Joseph:

Mi wife is Mary. She is Queen of Heaven.
She is going to be Mother of the Divine Word.

Answer:
Are you Joseph? Is your wife Mary?
Oh, please enter, travelers. I did not recognize you.

Then All Enter the House Singing:

Come in pilgrims, holy pilgrims, holy pilgrims,
In this nook take your part; Not alone
of my poor dwelling, my poor dwelling,
But take also of my heart.Scatter the candies,
scatter the sweets now, For all the children
are longing to eat now. Candied pineapple!
Chestnuts well roasted! Hit with a stick
all those at the door posted! Come on then,
Lola! Hurry, we ask it! Bring us the peanuts
you have in the basket!Here from this dwelling
we'll go of sadly;They've giv'n us nothing
and treated us badly!

ANOTHER VIDEO ON THE MEXICAN POSADAS WITH THE TRANSLATION ABOVE

THE MEXICAN POSADAS

Tomorrow will be the last time that Mexican familes, both here in the North, as well as back in the land they  had to leave...will be celebrated what are called the POSADAS.  (Here in Ulster County, among my other tasks such as: my work as retreat director here at THE MOUNT, chaplain to our Redemptoristine Sisters, Jail Ministry, I have been working in "Reaping the Harvest" which is a migrant ministry).  The "Posadas" begin on Dec 16th and go for nine days .  And so...tomorrow Christmas Eve will be the last one.  What the posadas celebrate is the journey of Mary, Joseph looking for the need SHELTER for Jesus to be born.   The Spanish word :Posada...SHELTER.  It is what, not only poor Mexicans today seek. It is what the poor of America and the world seeks.  I got sick last Friday, so I won't be able to go to these last two posasas.  But I share this nice Disney video that show what the posadas are.
BLESSED CHRISTMAS FROM
THE HUDSON RIVER BIRDER

SHOOTING BEAUTY...AND MY FRIEND, "FR JACK"

Last year, while watching the documentary, Shooting Beauty that showed the work of some physically challenged photographers and videographers I was surprised to see this photo of my fellow Redemptorist, Fr. Jack Hennessy C.SS.R.  One of the young women working under Director Courtney Bent's direction had shot this nice photo of  Fr. Jack and a woman from our Mission Church Parish in Roxbury MA. (Cathy Culkin, who took the picture is to the right.)
                                                                                        

The MSNBC segment on  Making a Difference shows how Courtney Bent's Shooting Beauty project is growing around the country.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and

news about the economy

THE BIRDER SLOWS DOWN AS CHRISTMAS APPROACHES

I have not posted in a long time.  I was in Canada and even before that I had pneumonia.  I have had to learn to slow down. There is not much wildlife here at The Mount to photograph.  (Well, we did have a bear for a few nights but "he" or "she" left since our dumpster was not that inviting I guess).  As all of you this HUDSON RIVER BIRDER has to learn to "SLOW DOWN" and see what God has for me to see, do or just observe.  So I found this great Advent segment on YouTube.  Enjoy it!

PLACES, BIRDS AND ENVIRONMENT IN GRANDE PRAIRIE, ALBERTA-CA

I have just finished the first week of a Parish Mission here in the parish of St. Joseph's in Grande Prairie, Alberta, CANADA.  The As I was walking last Sunday along Bear Creek, which is a city park here which goes for miles around the University of  Grand Prairied as well as for miles out towards the countryside, I saw these adventurous magpies fishing in what is now, two days later a frozen lake.

The sunsets here are truly in but "out of this world".  Here is one on Flying  Shot Lake.

Finally, I show you a picture of Luisa, my friend and coordinator of the Spanish speaking mission from last week.  With her are Marvin and myself.  We are in front of the newly constructed St. Joseph Parish Belltower which was rung for the first time last Sunday, Nov. 7th-2010

Finally my loving and faith-filled "hosts"--- Roger and Angel Field who have filled me with faith, love, cinnamon rolls and a great desire to do the famous CAMINO PILGRIMAGE in Spain to the Shrine of  St. James Compostella.  I love these two people as they do me.

 

Bohemian Waxwings in Grande Prairie

These are, I believe, a hearty flock of Bohemian Waxwings  that enjoy the berry trees here in Grande Prairie, Alberta CANADA.

AND HERE IS A BEAUTIFUL PAPER MACHE PICTURE OF THE "SOWER GOING OUT TO SOW THE SEED.  It was created by the children here in St. Joseph's Parish here for this week's parish mission in Grande Prairie, Alberta, CANADA.

IN THE "LAND OF MOOSE AND GROUSE"

Here on Lake "Flying Shot"  just two miles  outside of the town of Grande Prairie I am with Roger and Angel  Field.  Roger, (as was my own dad) is an architect who recently designed the beautiful new bell tower in St. Joseph's Church in Grande Prairie.  Angel has her house full of beautiful water color paintings.  I will send pictures of some later on....Today I just want to show a  great shot of a moose I got yesterday right outside on the lawn.

THE "HUDSON RIVER BIRDER"......FROM GRAND PRAIRIE-ALBERTA, CANADA

I am here in Grand Prairie on a preaching mission with about thirty of my Redemptorists confreres from here in Canada, from the Western Provinces as is this one of Alberta.  There will also be our priests from Brittish Columbia, Quebec, Ontario....And besides we who have come from the eastern US, there are also confreres here from our communities in the Western US.   The mission will be preached in this town of Grand Prairie, ALBERTA and many other smaller towns within a five hour distance of here.  Yesterday I saw a number of TROMPETER SWANS  on the lake where I am staying which is called Flying Shot Lake.   The sunrises and sunsets here are truly marvelous.  Here are some. My new friend and Redemptorist confrere, Fr. Pierre Bach took these.  He is a Redemptorist who works in our shrine of Ste. Anne de Beaupre. 

IN LOVING SOLIDARITY WITH THE FAMILY OF LIAM MURPHY

I have not been placing much new on my  blog for the past few months.  (The work on my "Sylvester Feeley Abundant Life Garden"  really paid off.   One of my "many" mistakes, however, was ripping out my Romaine lettuce and Bush Beans before an actual frost came.  (I was under the "false" impression that 42 degrees represented a frost.  That of course is incorrect.  A frost is a sustained temperature of under 32.6. 
Here is an embedded greeting that we send to all our Manchester England and Donegal cousins in Ireland, most especially for our cousin and dear mother of our deceased Liam Murphy.

TRANSFORMATIONS ARE THE BREAD OF LIFE

BIRTH OF A BUTTERFLY

I have been preparing a Mission for a place called Grand Praire in Alberta, CANADA.  One of the talks will be on the theme of CONVERSION.  I understand conversion as a change or a transformation of a person so much so that their real inner beauty placed there by God sudden or slowly and surely "becomes visible".  I was thinking the created world (NATURE) has one most awesome example of transformation.  It is that moment when, after beginning as a tiny, humble caterpillar and the hanging in the dark as a cocoon...Well that beauty just bursts out.  So this video that I share with you I hope to use when I do actually preach about Conversion in Grand Prairie beginning this November 5th..  ENJOY THIS!!!

LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH--WALK FOR PEACE IN POUGHKEEPSIE, NY

THIS IS PART OF A "BELLS RINGING FOR PEACE WALK" THAT OUR PAX CHRISTI GROUP OF THE HUDSON VALLEY DID ON THE POUGHKEEPSIE "WALKAWAY BRIDGE" ON SATURDAY, SEPT 18, 2010

IT WAS ORGANIZED BY PAX CHRISTI OF THE HUDSON VALLEY, WITH THE EFFORTS OF DOUG AND MARTHA MARTIN AND GILBERTO CINTRON...THIS "HUDSON RIVER BIRDER" WAS THE VIDEOGRAPHER..

ENJOY!!



PEACE BELLS OVER THE HUDSON

"THE MARVELOUS MARTINS PLAYING A PEACE MEDLEY AT THE SEPT 18TH, 2010 "BELLS FOR PEACE WALK ON THE POUGKEEPSIE WALKAWAY BRIDGE"

FALL MIGRATION AND RESPECT AND LOVE FOR OUR WORLD

The Hudson River Birder and niece Jayne Christine at Muir Woods

On the weekend of October 1-3  I have a workshop for birders and nature lovers here at the Mount.  Below is the way I have announced it in our brochure here at Mt. St. Alphonsus:

FALL MIGRATION AND AND RESPECT AND LOVE FOR OUR WORLD

(A weekend for lovers of birds, butterflies, trees flowers etc, etc and nature lovers at “The Mount”)

Oct 1-3, 2010

Saturday Program: (begins at 9 am ). At the height of “Fall Bird Migration” Fr. Tom Martín Deely invites nature and bird enthusiasts to spend a very active weekend walking the length and breadth of Mt. St. Alphonsus´s 412 Hudson River property. Besides indentifying by ear and sight the various migrating birds, butterflies, raptors etc., we will visit some interesting ecological and historical sites on our propery: the old wine cellar, the 18th century Smith Cemetery, an indigenous site, the “Ancient Oak and Purple Beech on the old Pell Farm. As we walk and explore there will be moments of both private and group prayer and reflection . Participants must be prepared to do some good walking. Bring your bird, tree, butterfly books blocker, repellent and your Bible, Koran and reflective journals. Mr. Brian McPhillips, long time Central Park Birder and naturalist and Mr. Rusty Johnson, falconer, Amazon Tour Guide and author “The Twilight of the Wild “ will accompany the group along with Fr. Tom Martín Deely

Sunday Program: . After Sunday Breakfast at 8am, as we “walk, bird, discover and talk” Fr. Deely will share an ecological perspective from the Roman Catholic tradition. Others will be invited to share their perspective on nature and the environment from Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist or their own personal perspectives. Also on Sunday Morning just before lunch there will be an interfaith worship and praise service somewhere on the property.

Cost: Full Weekend (including Friday night)= $180

Weekend (minus Friday night) = $140

Saturday/Sunday with lunch (commuters) = $70

Saturday or Sunday with lunch (commuters) = $35

EAGLE'S NEST FALLS AT EMERALD BAY -WEST SHORE OF LAKE TAHOE

Pardon me!  Here at Eagle's Falls on Emerald Bay on the west shore of Lake Tahoe I had gotten two much sun.  And, silly as my look appears, it was my 71st birthday and I wasam experiencing a GREAT JOY and and even greater GRATITUDE for the gift of  MY LIFE and also for the GIFT OF ALL LIFE.  I do hope that all strife, wars, greed, injustice, selfishnesss, ingratitude and all kinds of behaviour that do not reflect the CREATOR'S LOVE FOR US AND GOODNESS IN US come to and end in the near future......I have a ministry in the local jail here in Kingston, NY.   A phrase that came to me  recently, and it is something I share with the inmates when they share with me their sorrow, shame and sadness for the mistakes they have made and the people they have hurt.  I say, Just say this little prayer: LORD, TURN MY SHAME AND REPENTANCE INTO HOPE!

Your friend,

Tom  Deely

The "Hudson River Birder"

HUDSON RIVER BIRDER ON LAKE TAHOE

Lake Tahoe is 22 miles long & 12 miles wide.  The lake  is the 2nd deepest lake in US @ 1645 ft. with Crater Lake in Oregon the deepest @ 1949 ft.3.  Its average surface elevation is 6225 above sea level.   Its surface area is 191 miles And the highest peak above Lake Tahoe is Freel Peak @ 10891 ft.....

IT IS  75 MILES TO DRIVE AROUND IT. WE VISITED EMERALD FALLS WHERE I MUST HAVE SEEN HUNDREDS OF THE BEAUTIFUL STELLAR JAY.

THIS HUDSON RIVER BIRDER AND FAMILY AT "MUIR WOODS" CALIFORNIA