Lord Byron
Mad, bad, and dangerous to know

William Styron
Darkness Visible (he told us so)

Langston Hughes
Raisin in the sun

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
The Day is Done.

Do not talk to me about the Infinite love and mercy of God until you have visited the children's cancer ward of your local hospital.

                        - Bertrand Russell

The brilliant atheist mathematician and philosopher is quite right.  We must put our faith into practice. So after Mass there will be sign up sheets.  We are going to visit the nursing home, the homeless shelter, the mental hospital, and, yes, the children in the hospital, some of them suffering from terrible diseases.  We are going to be their companions.  Vans will leave from the CCM house.  Please come if you can.  Then come back to Mass next week, share what you learned, and I will speak with you about the Infinite love and mercy of God.

                        - Fr. Bill Lafratta
                  Catholic Campus Ministry
                  James Madison University
                                    1987

Beware your Irish mystic
He's at least 3 quarters mad

He'll protect if he is able
He's done both good and bad

He rises at the dawning
Though melancholy sad

At twilight time he listens
This learning loving lad

I would rather not sing at all than not sing loud.

                       - Janis Joplin

Life along the Liffey
Riverruns and keeps on running

In this misty musical city
I keep playing, praying, punning

Postmodernity arrives
I reJoyce and am not shunning

Though much is taken, much abides
Including silence, exile, and cunning

137 Franklin Street
The Central
Not open

The Christ child lay on Mary's lap
His hair was like a light
(O weary, weary were the world,
but here all is aright)

The Christ child lay on Mary's breast
His hair was like a star
(O stern and cunning are the kings,
but here the true hearts are)

The Christ child lay on Mary's heart
His hair was like a fire
(O weary, weary is the world,
but here the world's desire)

The Christ child stood at Mary's knee
On his head there was a crown
And all the flowers looked up at Him
And all the stars looked down.

        - Gilbert Keith Chesterton
             " A Christmas Carol"