WALKING MY "OLD HOME"...AND "BEING HUMAN

Today I walked the perimiter of THE MOUNT which was my home for these last four years.  It will have been the home of our Redemptorist Semimary for 85 years and a Retreat Center for the last 25....On Feb 1st the Bruderhof Community (Christian Communities Inc.) will move here and create a Christian School...
I trust that they will love and care for these 413 acres as we Redemptorists have. ...Today, as I walked the perimeter scaring up the Black Ducks that winter along the streams, and snowshoeing out to my favorite Purple Beech and the Old Pell Silo, I prayed for this great piece of land to be loved, cherished and to continue teaching others to love God and one another.
....And speaking "loving one ano.ther" please enjoy this great video called..BEING HUMAN...... ..

THE HUDSON RIVER BIRDER..."PINES A BIT"

I have not written anything for quite a long time.  Originally I created this blog to show the birds, trees, flowers, river scenes and many other beautiful and interesting historical and ecological elements that are found here in the Hudson Valle...here in Esopus where I live.  I still live here in Esopus. I still am roaming the 413 or so acres of what has been called MT. ST. ALPHONSUS since 1907.  I still take the two hour hike up the White Trail from the Esopus Firehouse to Lake Louise on Shaupeneak Ridge. But, as the title says this Birder has been "pining" for a while.  The reason is that, at the end of this month I will no longer live at Mt. St. Alphonsus, although I will be "close by".  Our chapel (shown here) will be occupied by the Bruderhof Community who will run a Christian School for High School children.  (In the LEFT of the picture there is a CROSS of five salmon colored tiles. In 1965, when I was only 26 years ago I was ordained a Roman Catholic Redemptorist missionary priest as I knelt on that "Tile Cross".)

I love the Bruderhof Community and have many friends among them, most especially Brenda, Ben, Lisa, Ben Jr., Micah, Joel and Sammy.  I wish them all well.  At the same time I will continue to enjoy God's creation both on the property of what we called THE MOUNT as well as along the Hudson River, up in Mohonk and Minnewaska and so many other beautiful places here in the Hudson Valley

HALLELUYA CHORUS FROM ALASKA SCHOOL PROJECT

This very well done video was forwarded to be by Ron Bonneau, one of my blog followers. Thanks so much, Ron!  It was a computer project meant to simply be shared with other people in the area, but has had over a million viewers on You Tube.

EAGLE OWL IN SLOW MOTION

With all the rain from last spring onward, the chore of keeping my garden going, I did not get to do much birding.  "Soundwise"  I am always capable, even with my hearing deficiency, of identifying bird calls and songs, even though I don't "always" visually capture the bird.  Even this last September and October, the raptor (hawks, falcons) season, the weather was not always good.   Even though The Mount (Esopus and the Hudson River) are "pretty much" on the "Atlantic Flyway", I did not see too many migrating raptors. Soooo......now that Fall has pretty much morphed into winter I have the hope of both hearing and seeing owls.  Here is a good Eagle Owl sequence in slow motion that my friend and fellow Redemptorist Missionary, Kevin MacDonald sent me.  Thanks, Kevin.

STEPHEN COLBERT'S TESTIMONY ON IMMIGRATION LABOR IN USA

It just so happened last summer that Stephen Colbert did a comedy sketch at one of the Corn Camps where I often visite to say Mass, prepare some of the Roman Catholic seasonal workers for their sacraments as are Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist and Marriage.  The program was funny.  But it also made some very important points in support of the reform of the USA's oftentime harsh and oppressive dealings with undocumented immigrants.  Stephen showed just how very hard and demanding agricultural day labor is.  He ended up by saying something to the extent of "You legislators really need to fix this Immigration Policy.  I certainly am not qualified or capable of doing that difficult work. But these people are.."  ENJOY STEPHEN'S HUMOROUS PRESENTATION TO CONGRESS.  (Some considered his presentation disrespectul and silly.  But one legislator I know said it was very good.  He thinks that legislators need to hear these kind of ideas).

THE LIFE OF FLOWERS

I thank Ronnie, one of my friends for this nice VIMEO film, THE LIFE OF FLOWERS.  I just LOVE time lapse films of nature!!...ENJOY!!

Life of flowers from VOROBYOFF PRODUCTION on Vimeo.

MULTI ETHNIC REGIONAL MISSION IN PERTH AMBOY

Since Saturday, Oct 15th I have been part of a "regional intra parish mission" by the Roman Catholic diocese of Metuchen here in Perth Amboy, NJ.  I am working in the parish of St. Marys which is, as is most of this town 80% hispanic.  Most, if not all, of the hispanics are from the Dominican Republic.  Many families have spent nearly 40 years here in Perth Amboy.  Since I spent close to all of my 32 years in the Caribbean working in the DR I am enjoying preaching the Word of God to my "old and new friends". The two pictures here are of me visiting various homes where there are sick people.  I thank Ramón, Deac. Barsilio and Rubén as well as Juan and Ramona for helping me find and visit the sick.

IRENE AND UPSTATE NEW YORK--VERMONT

 A week ago we had a group of United Methodists pastors here at The Mount.  There biggest concern was what had happened in the wake of Hurricance Irene and the following flooding in Catskill Mountain towns like Prattsville, Windham and Margaretville.  The flooding carried away entire herds of cows, an entire horse farm as well as doing damage to churches and parsonages in the area.  The pastors urged even seniors who had some time to come and just "encourage and support" the young people working in the disaster relief work.  Yesterday (Oct 4th) my brother and I drove up through Vermont which is still digging out from the enormous flooding.  Here are some shots I took in Vermont across from the blocked Highway 107 on the way into Woodstock VT.

TREE KNOCKING HURRICANE IRENE

This is my confrere, Fr. Tom Travers next to one of the trees Irene brought down on our road down to the Hudson.

IRENE AND MT. ST. ALPHONSUS'S DOCK

This is how our dock looked the day after Irene passed through.  Many huge trees, and even one large floating dock that had broken loose somewhere on the River came crashing or floating onto our own dock.  We were largely spared the damage and destruction of many people here in Ulster County who lost homes, animals and large pieces of their lawns and riverfronts.

This is a spot out near our old "Pell Silo".  Right behind it, near the "fallen barn" where I often worked as a seminarian is a place where  I have gone to pray, read the Scriptures and meditate.  (This spot is on the southern border of riverfront property owned by the Bruderhof Community who will begin "leasing our 413 acres beginning February, 2012)

HUDSON RIVER RAINBOW

This was a most beautiful "double rainbow" over the Hudson a week or so ago.

A LAZY BLOGGER HAS BEEN THIS BIRDER

I have not done anything on this since the end of last July. But...in these last few months before I move to our GateHouse and allow the Bruderhof Community to begin their lease on Mount Saint Alphonus,  I'd just like to show you some of my recent shots of "in and around" Esopus and "The Mount" (This is a view from what we once called the "Acre Pond".  It looks southwest towards what is our northern entrance off Highway 9 W).

ST. PHILOMENA'S PARISH-ST. JOHN NEUMANN AND BLESSED FRANCIS SEELOS

I am from Pittsburgh PA where my Redemptorists founded the parish of St. Philomena's back in the 1800's.  Two of our Redemptorist Saints (St. John Neumann and Blessed Francis Seelos) worked there.  John Neumann later went as bishop to Philadelphia where, as a great "immigrint bishop" he served immigrint Catholics, not only from his native Bohemia, but from all parts of the world.  John Neumann died, apparently of a heart attack, falling to the pavement at 42 years of age on Vine St. in Philadelphia...Francis Seelos, who had also come as an immigrint to serve the Catholic immigrint peoples, also spent time in Pittsburgh at  St, Phils with John Neumann.  Francis Seelos is called the Smiling  Ascetic in one great book on his life, because he worked so very hard and was very joyful.  Seelos spent his last years in New Orleans where he died of yellow fever. 
Today, visiting my own Dad's grave here in Calvary Cemetery in Pittsburgh I came upon the place where my many Redemptorists priest and brother confreres have found their final resting place...On it are these truly beautiful statues of both John Neumann and Francis Seelos.  As the inscriptions say they were placed their by  Rev. John Kelly, C.SS.R. who inspired a "young and future Hudson River Birder" to desire being a Redemptorist missionary.  Thanks, Fr, John!!!  And thanks  Regina Kelly who is a Redemptorist oblate and is living her last moments on earth in a hospice here in Pittsburgh as she awaits her own joyful reunion with  Christ, the Blessed Virgin and, of course, with St. John Neumann and Blessed Francis Seelos .

THE BIRDER "A FEW" YEARS AGO

Next January I will continue being the HUDSON RIVER BIRDER, but I will have to change the introduction above.  Because I will no longer live in THE MOUNT.  I will live in a gatehouse at the entrance to this place which from 1907 until 1987 was the Theological Seminary for the Redemptorist Fathers and Brothers of what we call our Baltimore Province.  For many reasons into which I will not enter our governing chapter has decided to cease ministry in what we called from 1987 until this present year, Mount St. Alphonsus Retreat Center.   Right now I am preparing a 10 minute video for our August Century of Blessings celebration.  I will try to describe with old and new images how God's work has been prepared for and done here at "The Mount" during what will actually be 104 years...I was ordained a priest in our chapel here 46 years ago.  I am the third one from the left. I have never forgotten the exact tile upon which I knelt with that candle waiting for Cardinal Spellman's hands to bless and annoint me for this mission which has brought me back to this great castle on the Hudson River which I left in August of 1966.  (You know I was really not much of a birder then. I do remember, of course, the Northern Mockingbirds.  Who wouldn't...in as much as they are the most "in your face, joyful bird around.) 

Heh!!...It's an Eagle

It is a special treat kayaking on the Hudson. It is one of the best ways to see the American Eagles that one will just "chance upon" sitting in a branch.

NUMBERS, GEOMETRY AND NATURE

This is another wonderful VIMEO video done by a great Spanish film maker, Cristóbal Vila from Zaragozza. The connection between the mathematics, and most especially the geometry of nature becomes most powerfully clear as this three minute or so film shows.  I wondered what the 137.7 degree item meant. Maybe you will.  Enjoy

Nature by Numbers from Cristóbal Vila on Vimeo.

MURAL OF EL YUNQUE IN PUERTO RICO

The names of the artists of this famous mountain of "El Yunque" in Puerto Rico are in the next post.

BARRIO MURAL ARTISTS IN PHILADELPHIA

BEAUTIFUL PHILADELPHIA BARRIO ART