Monthly Archives: December 2025

Happy New Year, dear friends!!!

Why not begin the year with the Divine Praises?

Every year around this time I head to my homeland – New Jersey – to visit family for New Years Eve. While here I usually take one or more side trips with my kids, usually into the City (NYC).

This morning as part of my Christmas present from my son, he and I ventured into Queens, Flusing specifically, to take a tour of CitiField, home field of our beloved New York Mets. It was a great morning. The tour guide was on point even if the weather was sub-freezing when we got to step onto the field. By the way, we got to step onto the field!

After our tour, owing to the proximity, I decided to visit Calvary Cemetery. Calvary is one of the largest cities of the dead in the country. It is divided into four sections as it sits at the intersection of the Long Island Expressway and the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. And it is the resting place of my mother’s parents. So of course we visited to offer our prayers for my grandparents and my son’s great-grandparents.

But you know I couldn’t leave it at that. You see, I am also known for my affinity for celebrity grave stalking. I’ve seen many of the best – Donna Summer, Jon-Benet Ramsay, Patsy Cline… From presidents to singers to famous murder victims, I figure I get to stand closer to them in death than I ever could have in life AND I always say prayers for their souls.

So imagine my surprise when I discovered that, reposing beneath the sod in the very next block from my grandparents is one of Mom’s favorite singers.

In case you’re wondering, you’d probably know him better by his stage name. Anthony Benedetto was Tony Bennet.

But it didn’t end there. A few blocks away was Mr. Dom Deluise!

Beautiful monument with the Sacred Heart! And with the BQE overhead, he’ll need it in order to get that eternal rest.

But I also came across this:

Look at the bottom of the stone.

“One Hail Mary”

You heard the stone etcher.

“Ave Maria, gratia plena…”

May all those who die in the Lord, rest in peace.

This is what’s inside that building from yesterday.

St. Rita, pray for us!

Some of you will be able to tell where I am this morning. Just touched down with an hour and a half drive ahead of me but couldn’t resist stopping here.

Those of us who do say the quiet part out loud, who could give two what the world thinks of us, who never minded being labeled as extreme – us, we need to stick together and speak boldly together.

Check out this piece from Laramie Hirsch.

I’ve been following Laramie’s posts for a little while – always linked by my friend St. Louis Catholic (a man I’ve met and for whom I have great respect) and Non Veni Mark (a man I’ve not met but with whom I have corresponded and for whom I have great respect).

I read the post today and agreed with everything he says.

Click the link above and see for yourself.

How long, O Lord, how long?

And Laramie, if you read this, know that you are not alone. Drop me a line sometime and we can chat.

Heading out with the family to see the family. Want to know painful? 5AM flight. Not boards at 5 – departs at 5.

St. Christopher and all the Holy Angels, pray for us!

I’m posting a link to Non Veni Mark’s post on. Boxing Day and Worthy Causes

I echo his sentiment on being grateful I do not need a donate button. I have given to several of the people/organizations listed below.

If you do not check out Mark’s blog on the daily, pleas make sure to do that going forward.