My brother is a former diver, and he was emphatic that speedos were much better for diving and being able to lift legs into pike and tuck positions than jammers; however, I’ll agree that in beach volleyball and most sports where the women dress much more skimpily than the men, the uniforms are just objectifying. Also, with diving, there can also be a different concept of appropriate attire inside a sport than outside. I swam competitively for fifteen years including in college. That left me very comfortable with bodies and desensitized to skin. When I returned to the sacraments after graduating college, I found I had a very different concept of modesty than my more culturally conservative Catholic community, particularly when I was at a young adult pool party and the only girl not wearing shorts over my one piece swim suit. I equate swimming with shorts to swimming with a parachute. To what extent should modesty affect practicality?
JD, dare I say that calling the WWF Intercontinental Championship an “also ran” title is your worst take ever. Former IC champs include Macho Man Randy Savage and Ricky the Dragon Steamboat (who famously squared off in a legendary match for the title at Wrestlemania III), Bret the Hitman Hart, Ravishing Rick Rude, Mr. Perfect, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, The Rock, and Stone Cold Steve Austin to name a few. In fact, the Ultimate Warrior was IC Champion during his famous “Champion vs. Champion” match in which he dethroned Hulk Hogan for the WWF Championship at Wrestlemania VI. Kindly apologize on behalf of all your Catholic wrestling fan readers.
JD, I love you, and very much appreciate the use of the old-school IC belt on the cover and in the Title, but maybe ask Ed about wrestling stuff before comparing it to other things! LOL!
JD, I will keep Max and all of your family in my prayers. Hope he is over the pneumonia now and is back to his happy self. What a precious boy. Thank you for sharing your experience. 🙏🏼
Praying for your family and especially Max. You all are beautiful! you know you are enough because God chose you. He will give you the grace to be the best he can have. Keep us informed.
As a parent, if there's one time for a kid to come down sick it'll be on or just before a vacation. It must be a derivation of Murphy's law.
I have said it before and I will say it again: Thank you for writing about your children and both the highs and lows that come with being their parent. I hope that, by doing so, this paragraph comes a little closer to truth one Pillar reader at a time.->
"I hoped they saw my son for all that he is — for a sweet boy, and a good brother, and a movie buff, and a talented mimic with a great memory, and as a child of God, made in His image and likeness, as much as anyone charging ahead full speed towards the luggage carousel."
This post is a "confession" of sorts. When I saw my subscription re-up on my credit card the other day, I will admit to grumbling a bit about how much you charge. (I am rapidly turning into a querulous old man) But then I remembered all the good work you do for the Mother Church. And when I read today's post, I was reminded again. When I read about Max, I was doubly ashamed. I realize the money I pay isn't charity, but I was glad that my little contribution helps you and Ed and all the contributors to do such good work and support your beautiful families.
Keep up the dependably fantastic and as gratefully objective reporting! The fact that Pillar has always billed itself in that light is what drew me to it in the first place and it is what keeps me here. I am pretty sure that you (as well as Ed) and I would not agree on all sundry of things Catholic...but I know we would happily shake hands on the big and important stuff. And that's what counts! Thank you and hang in there! Prayers for Max and your family as well of course!
"And I don’t know what to expect of his health, either. I wondered, pushing him towards the baggage claim, if maybe this will be the kind of care he eventually needs all the time. "
JD, my younger brother was Downs, born at a time when the recommendation was still institutionalization. My parents were told that he would never talk or read or function "normally'
Well, he proved the doctors wrong bigtime and lived a long (62 years) and a mostly healthy life and a very happy life. Like you, my parents worried how they would care for him as he aged and he did, indeed, outlive them by many years. The miracle was that my "black sheep" older brother had a miraculous conversion, left an alcoholic lifestyle, and cared for him lovingly and heroically until my younger brother passed four years ago. God provided in a miraculous and wondrous way.
My brother is a former diver, and he was emphatic that speedos were much better for diving and being able to lift legs into pike and tuck positions than jammers; however, I’ll agree that in beach volleyball and most sports where the women dress much more skimpily than the men, the uniforms are just objectifying. Also, with diving, there can also be a different concept of appropriate attire inside a sport than outside. I swam competitively for fifteen years including in college. That left me very comfortable with bodies and desensitized to skin. When I returned to the sacraments after graduating college, I found I had a very different concept of modesty than my more culturally conservative Catholic community, particularly when I was at a young adult pool party and the only girl not wearing shorts over my one piece swim suit. I equate swimming with shorts to swimming with a parachute. To what extent should modesty affect practicality?
I am so glad you found Kayak Cross. I just found out about it on Sunday and I am obsessed.
JD, dare I say that calling the WWF Intercontinental Championship an “also ran” title is your worst take ever. Former IC champs include Macho Man Randy Savage and Ricky the Dragon Steamboat (who famously squared off in a legendary match for the title at Wrestlemania III), Bret the Hitman Hart, Ravishing Rick Rude, Mr. Perfect, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, The Rock, and Stone Cold Steve Austin to name a few. In fact, the Ultimate Warrior was IC Champion during his famous “Champion vs. Champion” match in which he dethroned Hulk Hogan for the WWF Championship at Wrestlemania VI. Kindly apologize on behalf of all your Catholic wrestling fan readers.
I have no real idea what the IC championship was FOR, but this seemed like a fun way to get you guys going on an August afternoon.
;-)
JD, I love you, and very much appreciate the use of the old-school IC belt on the cover and in the Title, but maybe ask Ed about wrestling stuff before comparing it to other things! LOL!
JD, I will keep Max and all of your family in my prayers. Hope he is over the pneumonia now and is back to his happy self. What a precious boy. Thank you for sharing your experience. 🙏🏼
May God bless and keep and restore to good health your dear Max. Please be assured of my prayers. St. Maximilian Kolbe, pray for us. 🙏 ❤️
"I’ve grown accustomed to hearing from some of you just about every day."
Some? Here comes the existential crisis as I ponder my place in the comment section.
Where did I place that Litany of Humility link after Bridget gave me homework...
you are among them!
Prayers for Max from Nebraska!!!
Praying for your family and especially Max. You all are beautiful! you know you are enough because God chose you. He will give you the grace to be the best he can have. Keep us informed.
Yes, adding Max & the Flynns to our Rosary.
Prayers for Max and prayers for a redo on the beach vacation when everyone can enjoy it.
Please allow me to add my prayers for Max.
As a parent, if there's one time for a kid to come down sick it'll be on or just before a vacation. It must be a derivation of Murphy's law.
I have said it before and I will say it again: Thank you for writing about your children and both the highs and lows that come with being their parent. I hope that, by doing so, this paragraph comes a little closer to truth one Pillar reader at a time.->
"I hoped they saw my son for all that he is — for a sweet boy, and a good brother, and a movie buff, and a talented mimic with a great memory, and as a child of God, made in His image and likeness, as much as anyone charging ahead full speed towards the luggage carousel."
May God grant Max a speedy recovery.
This post is a "confession" of sorts. When I saw my subscription re-up on my credit card the other day, I will admit to grumbling a bit about how much you charge. (I am rapidly turning into a querulous old man) But then I remembered all the good work you do for the Mother Church. And when I read today's post, I was reminded again. When I read about Max, I was doubly ashamed. I realize the money I pay isn't charity, but I was glad that my little contribution helps you and Ed and all the contributors to do such good work and support your beautiful families.
wow. thank you.
Offering a rosary for Max and the Flynn family today!
Keep up the dependably fantastic and as gratefully objective reporting! The fact that Pillar has always billed itself in that light is what drew me to it in the first place and it is what keeps me here. I am pretty sure that you (as well as Ed) and I would not agree on all sundry of things Catholic...but I know we would happily shake hands on the big and important stuff. And that's what counts! Thank you and hang in there! Prayers for Max and your family as well of course!
"And I don’t know what to expect of his health, either. I wondered, pushing him towards the baggage claim, if maybe this will be the kind of care he eventually needs all the time. "
JD, my younger brother was Downs, born at a time when the recommendation was still institutionalization. My parents were told that he would never talk or read or function "normally'
Well, he proved the doctors wrong bigtime and lived a long (62 years) and a mostly healthy life and a very happy life. Like you, my parents worried how they would care for him as he aged and he did, indeed, outlive them by many years. The miracle was that my "black sheep" older brother had a miraculous conversion, left an alcoholic lifestyle, and cared for him lovingly and heroically until my younger brother passed four years ago. God provided in a miraculous and wondrous way.
Keep the faith; God is good all the time.
Inspirational post about three great brothers - that I needed to read today. Thank you.
What a beautiful story! Thank you for sharing that.
Prayers for you, your wife, your precious son, and your family. Only a good father can write something that heartfelt and genuine.