Scythe Beats Weedwhacker

April is here. The days are now longer than the nights and the frost is gone.  It is now time to cut the grass.  Scythe Beats Weedwhacker

And of course summer is approaching which means trips to the shore will soon be in order.

So, how can one get in shape for the beach, while saving the environment and having a nice lawn, all at the same time?

One word: scythe!

That’s right ladies, the ancient European farm implement is faster than a Weed Whacker, does not release planet-killing carbon emissions and gets you six-pack abs in no time.

Don’t just ask but DEMAND that your husband buy you one right now!!!

Here it is in action:

Hat tip Digg.com

Scythe Beats Weedwhacker

Holy Myrrh-Bearers First Mass

Archbishop Stefan Soroka is greeted before the first Divine Liturgy, yesterday, April 19, at  Holy Myrrh-Bearers Eastern Catholic Church. Bishop Stefan at first Holy Myrrh Bearers mass

The church at 900 Fairview Road, Pa.  Swarthmore 19081 will have Masses 10 a.m., Sundays.

Eastern Catholics are self-governing  churches in full communion with the Pope. Roman Catholics can fully participate in Eastern Catholic services just as Eastern Catholics often attend Roman Catholic services. This of course means the mutual reception of the Holy Eucharist.

Archbishop Stefan Soroka greeted at Holy Myrrh-Bearers First Mass

 

Lorena Harris Regional Chief Ranger

National Park Service Northeast Regional Director Michael Caldwell has named Lorena “Lori” Harris as regional chief ranger. The Northeast Region (NER) includes over 85 sites across 13 states in the northeast United States.  Lorena Harris Regional Chief Ranger

“Lori’s broad vision for ranger services hallmarked by a commitment to resource protection and public safety makes her a perfect fit to lead the Northeast Region’s Office of Ranger Services and Safety,” said Caldwell. “She will be a tremendous asset to the parks and programs of the Northeast Region.  She truly understands the role of the 21st century National Park Service ranger.”

Ms. Harris, currently acting regional chief ranger, has served as NER branch chief of law enforcement and emergency services in the region since December 2013. Harris succeeds Stephen M. Clark, who recently became superintendent of the NPS Western Pennsylvania Parks; including Flight 93 National Memorial.

Lorena Harris Regional Chief Ranger

Holy Myrrh-Bearers Church Consecrated

Holy Myrrh-Bearers Church Consecrated iconostatis
The washing of the altar is occurring behind the iconostasis.

Delaware County Pa.’s newest church was consecrated, today, April 18. Holy Myrrh-Bearers Eastern Catholic Church, 900 Fairview Road, Ridley, albeit with a Swarthmore address, is the combination of the congregations of Saints Peter and Paul Church in Clifton Heights and Holy Ghost Church in Chester, both of which held their final masses last weekend, and Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Philadelphia which closed in 2004.

Holy Myrrh-Bearers Church Consecrated altar
The altar being prepared the day before the ceremony.

The inside is a thing of beauty with red and sand-colored walls graced with large bright icons. The iconostasis —  a wall of icons and religious paintings that separates the nave from the sanctuary  — comes from Holy Ghost.

The alter was custom made and hand-carved by Igor Deervyanyy of Artsacrum, Louisville, Ky. It is a work of art. It was donated in memory of the Dearden, Urbach and Chambers family by Francis R. Dearden.

The ceremony was led by Archbishop Stefan Soroka,  the Metropolitan Archbishop of Philadelphia for Ukranians. Co-celebrants were Bishop John Bura, who is the archdiocese auxiliary bishiop; Bishop emeritus Basil H. Losten, John N. Ciurpita, the church pastor; and Joseph Szupa, chancellor.

Master of ceremonies were Very Rev. Edward Higgins and Rev. Walter Pasciznky.

Sanctifying the altar started with  washing it with water. It was then scrubbed with soap — Ivory, in this case, due to its lack of additives. Wine was then  poured upon it in in the shape of a cross. A pouring of rose-water, also in the shape of a cross, followed this. The rose-water was mixed  spikenard, the perfume that was used to anoint the feet of Jesus.

Relics relating to Saint Stephen, the First Martyr, Saint Dorothea of Caesarea and Saint Josaphat Kuntsevych of Polotsk were  placed in a cavity in the center and sealed with wax. Icons representing each of the four Evangelists were placed in spots prepared at the altar’s corners and also sealed with wax.

The  altar was then vested with the vesting cloths sprinkled with holy water.  The antimension, holy Gospel Book, and hand cross  then placed with each getting a sprinkling of holy water. After this the table of oblation– where the bread and wine are prepared for the Eucharist — was placed.

The church was then incensed and sprinkled with holy water in a procession of clergy. The western door and the southern and northern windows were then anointed with oil.

And so the church was sanctified.

The Holy Myrrh-Bearers for whom the church is named were the women who went to anoint the body of Jesus after his crucifixion and found the tomb empty, along with Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, who prepared the Lord’s body for burial. The women who found the empty tomb are Mary the Mother of God, Mary Magdalene and Martha, who were the sisters of Lazarus; Mary, the mother of James and Joses; Mary, the wife of Cleopas; Joanna, the wife of Chuza; Salome, the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee; and Susanna.

The first Mass is 11 a.m., tomorrow, April 19.

Eastern Catholics are self-governing  churches in full communion with the Pope. Roman Catholics can fully participate in Eastern Catholic services just as Eastern Catholics often attend Roman Catholic services. This of course means the mutual reception of the Holy Eucharist.

Holy Myrrh-Bearers is the site of the former Leiper Presbyterian Church which was founded in 1819 and closed in 2012. Presidents Andrew Jackson, William Henry Harrison and James Buchanan worshiped at Leiper Presbyterian at the invitation of Leiper family members.

Kudos to Bill Rhoads of Rhoads Plumbing and Heating of Springfield for directing things, and kudos to all the other contractors for the great job they did.

Update: The Delaware County Daily Times has a great story by  Patti Mengers with a great online photo spread by Tom Kelly IV.

 Holy Myrrh-Bearers Church Consecrated

William Lawrence Sr. Omnibit 4-18-15

William Lawrence Sr. Omnibit 4-18-15

Deadly radium was used as an ingredient in toothpaste, cosmetics and even chocolate bars in the 1920s.

 

 

National Hi-Q Title Taken By Penncrest

Kudos to Charlie Frindt, Raman Ishwar, Abigail Pearse and Schafer Hudson Ortyn and the rest of the Penncrest Hi-Q team for winning the 2015 National Hi-Q Competition on April 16. National Hi-Q Title Taken By Penncrest

Hi-Q is an academic quiz competition for high school students that was founded in Delaware County in 1948 by the Scott Paper Co.

National Hi-Q Title Taken By Penncrest

William Lawrence Sr. Omnibit 4-17-15

William Lawrence Sr. Omnibit 4-17-15

What does Abe Lincoln’s son Robert and Paul von Hindenburg who would lead Germany just before Adolph Hitler have in common? They both appeared on the cover of Time magazine in March 1926.

Independence Hall Foundation Fundraiser

Independence Hall Foundation Fundraiser
Sen. Pat Toomey at the Independence Hall Foundation’s Pro Blue Rally on Jan. 10.

The Independence Hall Foundation is  holding a Pot of Gold Money Drop Campaign. The goal–to raise $5,000–would help it retire a small debt and fund upcoming projects says the Foundation’s Don Adams.

“Without your continued support, we could not host events like the recent Delaware Valley Pro-Blue Rally and our 2013 What Difference Does It Make Press Conference denouncing the decision of the Board of the National Constitution Center to award Hillary Clinton the 2014  Liberty Medal on the eve of the 1st Anniversary of the Benghazi attack,” said Adams.

He noted that if everyone who had participated in a Foundation event contributed just $5, the fundraising needs would be greatly surpassed

Contributions should be sent to:

The Independence Hall Foundation
The Continental
615 Chestnut Street, Box 39725
Philadelphia, PA 19106

Independence Hall Foundation Fundraiser

Grover Norquist Huma Abedin

Grover Norquist Huma Abedin
Grover Norquist

The Pennsylvania Leadership Conference (PLC) starts in hour and scheduled to speak at 3:55 p.m. is Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform. Norquist topic is “Phasing out the Income Tax”.

The controversy, though, is Norquist himself.

Norquist is married to a Muslim born in Kuwait to Palestinian Arab parents. He founded the Islamic Free Market Institute  with Khaled Saffuri and Abdul Rahman al-Amoudi.

Al-Amoudi, described as a Muslim Brotherhood operative and financier for Al Qaeda, is currently serving a 23 year federal prison term for supporting terrorism.

Norquist’s sister Lorraine is married to Majed Tomeh, founder of the Islamic Institute.

Talk show host Glenn Beck, who has been critical of Norquist’s Islamic ties, invited him on his show about three weeks ago. To his credit Norquist appeared. To his dismay, it didn’t help him. A simmering controversy regarding the National Rifle Association, ended with his stepping down as a board member of the institution yesterday, April 15.

Some conservative groups are seeking to stop him from speaking at the PLC.

Hillary Clinton’s top aide is Huma Abedin, whose mother and brother have strong connections to the Muslim Brotherhood. While Mrs. Clinton was Secretary of State, the United States supported the Muslim Brotherhood’s assumption of power — since lost — in Egypt, and downplayed its connections to the Sept. 11, 2012 attack on our Benghazi Consulate. It also supported policies that led to a breakdown in Iraq and refused to help democracy supporters in Iran.

We don’t need a Republican to have a similar effect. Norquist must become outspoken in opposition to Islamism or we must become outspoken in opposition to Norquist.

We don’t think Norquist will become outspoken regarding Islamism.

Grover Norquist Huma Abedin

 

William Lawrence Sr Omnibit 4-16-15

William Lawrence Sr Omnibit 4-16-15

The ancient Egyptian word for cat was “Miaow”.