Paulist Fathers Offer Summer 09 Programs

We received the following press release from our friends, the Paulist fathers.

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – January 26, 2009

Paulist Fathers to offer exciting retreat program during June and July at Lake George, NY

As they have done for the past 12 years the Paulist Fathers will offer a series of retreats during June and July 2009 at their summer home at St. Mary’s on the Lake, located on Lake George in New York. Fr. Isaac Hecker, the Paulist Founder, established the foundation in 1868. The retreats are open to anyone. More information can be found at www.lakegeorge.paulist.org

June 12-14 Fr. Ken McGuire, CSP: RE – MEMBERING RETREAT: Bring all your parts!
Your body and soul, humanity and divinity,
color and orientation, sorrows and joys.
Don’t wait for other to recognize you in your goodness:
God already does.
Don’t let other confer power: God has done that.
If we listen, the God of the universe is acting in the ordinariness of our lives.
Let us get together and re-member ourselves and each other.

June 19-21 Fr. Vinny McKiernan, CSP : Praying Your Life Weekend
A weekend to learn and experience Centering Prayer and the practice of Lectio Divina, the prayerful practice of praying the Scriptures.

June 22-26 Fr. Vinny McKiernan, CSP : Praying Your Life 5 day retreat
Praying Your Life:contemplating and celebrating your life, past, present and future in the the context of God’s Providence. The week will be anchored by daily periods and Centering Prayer and the celebration of the Eucharist in the beauty of the Adirondacks. Fr. Vinny McKiernan, CSP is Campus Minister at The Ohio State University and an experienced Spiritual Director and Retreat Master.

June 26-28 Fr. Ken McGuire, CSP : Spiritual Discovery Through Movies
Spirituality and values portrayed through movies have a huge effect, maybe more than 10 minute sermons on Sunday. We will explore themes, values and spirituality of films like Whale Rider, Into the Wild, Brokeback Mountain and Inherit the Wind, Notebook and Stand and Deliver. Ken McGuire is a Paulist Priest and Cultural Anthropologist. He has served many years as a campus minister, pastor, director of St. Mary’s on the Lake and taught Cultural Orientation for International Priests and Nuns, COPIM at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.

July 6-10 Br. Michael Moran, CP “Windows to Heaven: An Icon Painting Retreat”Brother Michael Moran, C.P., an artist who specializes in the painting of icons will lead the participants in the painting of an icon of the Mother of God. The daily schedule of the week will consist of two large blocks of time for painting, as well as “teachings” relevant to the spirituality of seeing and of icons. There will also be daily prayer, opportunties for discussion, as well as quiet time. No experience is necessary and art supplies will be provided. The goal is for each participant to have painted his/her own icon by the end of the retreat.

July 10-12 Brett Hoover, CSP “Here Comes Everybody: Catholic unity amidst our different opinions, cultures and theologies.”Brett Hoover is the author of “Loosing Your Religion, Finding your Faith” and “Soundbyte Spirituality” as well as numerous articles. He was the founder of Busted Halo, the Paulist Fathers program for young adults and is currently a Ph.D candidate in theology with a focus on the multicultural church at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley.

July 24-26 Fr. Lawrence Boadt, CSP “Exploring the Major Insights of St. Paul for Modern Spirituality.”
Noted Old Testament scholar, Fr. Lawrence Boadt will examine the ten most important aspects in Paul’s understanding of life in Christ, with an in depth look at some key Pauline passages in his Letters. Lawrence Boadt, CSP, is an ordained priest in the Paulist Fathers, and professor emeritus of Scripture Studies at the Washington Theological Union. He has written and spoken widely on Old Testament topics, and currently serves as the president and publisher of Paulist Press in Mahwah, NJ. He is author of “Reading the Old Testament” by Paulist Press.

Luke La Valle – Rest in Peace

We ask for your continued prayers for the Spiess/La Valle family as they cope with the loss of Jennifer’s husband, Luke. Jennifer is the daughter of Peter and Mary Spiess. She worked many summers in the Soda Fountain growing up. Luke battled heroically during his last months and was an inspiration to us all. Luke and Jennifer’s daughter, Abigail Rose, was born on August 30th.

For those who were unable to attend the funeral, here was Jennifer’s touching eulogy to her husband.

Luke was a very engaging guy who was a four-year All-American at Notre Dame who also won the 1998 NCAA men’s sabre title in fencing. Here is a tribute to him on the Notre Dame site and a wonderful piece on his life on CollegeFencing360.com. More than this, he was a great husband, father and friend to many.

Luke was a true hero and will be greatly missed by his family and the Huletts community.

Saturday Quote

“With this in mind, I was traveling to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests, when at midday along the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my companions. When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, `Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It hurts you to kick against the goads.’ I asked, `Who are you, Lord?’ The Lord answered, `I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.”

Acts: 26:12-15


La conversion de Saint Paul (1690), by Luca Giordano (Naples 1634 – 1705)

She Beat Them Out of the Gate

With the announcement today that Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand (D) has been appointed to fill Hillary Clinton’s Senate seat, this in turn opens up the Congressional seat which Huletts is a part of. Within hours of this announcement, we received this press release from Senator Betty Little’s (R) office announcing her candidacy for the House of Representatives.

Senator Little has always been a fierce advocate for lower taxes in the Adirondacks, and while we are not endorsing a candidate for Congress at this time, the fact that the Huletts Current was notified so quickly bespeaks a winning campaign operation that is organized and up and running already. You heard it here first, because Senator Little was the first. The Current likes people who move.

SENATOR LITTLE ANNOUNCES CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDACY

State Senator Betty Little (R,C,I-Queensbury) today announced she is a candidate for the 20th Congressional District. The popular upstate senator well known for her accessibility and hands-on approach has a strong record of experience in local and state government.

“I have a proven record of fighting and winning for the people I represent,” said Little. “I am eager to put that experience to work for the residents of the 20th Congressional District and look forward to traveling the district and talking with voters to earn their support over the course of this campaign.”

Prior to first winning election to the State Senate in November 2002, Senator Little served in the New York State Assembly for seven years. Little is a proven vote-getter and has consistently led the ballot on Election Day.

Little’s legislative successes include: creation of a program that encourages greater government efficiency to save tax dollars; reform of the adverse possession law to protect private property rights; and an affordable housing program to help low- and middle-income families.

The mother of a combat veteran, active duty Navy pilot, Little was honored to sponsor Patriot Plans I and II, which expanded benefits and services available to New York’s military personnel and their families.

Little first began public service as a member and later Chair of the Town of Queensbury Recreation Commission. In 1986, she was elected to serve as an At-Large-Supervisor to the Warren County Board of Supervisors for the Town of Queensbury, where she served on various committees, including the Warren County Recycling Advisory Committee which she organized and chaired, and as County Budget Officer in 1990 and 1991.

Born in Glens Falls, New York, Senator Little has lived in upstate New York most of her life. The former teacher and realtor now resides in Queensbury and has six children and thirteen grandchildren

Inauguration Day – 2009

This is a timeless piece entitled; “America – Why I Love Her”, performed by John Wayne. On Inauguration Day, when we all come together to inaugurate our new President, it’s a great reminder of the special place that is America.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQM1oLnMLNU

List of Catholic Churches to be Closed

Tonight the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany released the list of Catholic churches that will be closed or consolidated.

These were the churches listed in Washington & Warren counties:

Washington County

St. Joseph’s (Fort Edward) and St. Mary’s/St. Paul’s (Hudson Falls) will share a pastor in July, 2010, with both remaining open.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Granville) will close by April 13, 2009.

Warren County

St. Alphonsus (Glens Falls) will close by July 1, 2010.
Immaculate Conception (Corinth) and Holy Infancy (Lake Luzerne) will merge by July 1, 2009 with both to remain open.
St. John the Baptist (Chestertown) and Blessed Sacrament (Hague) will merge by December 31, 2009, with both to remain open.

Read the complete list and statement from the diocese here.

Saturday Quote

“We are uncertain of the next step,
but we are certain of God.

Immediately we abandon to God, and do the duty that lies nearest.
He packs our life with surprises all the time …

Leave the whole thing to Him.
It is gloriously uncertain how He will come in,
but He will come.”

Oswald Chambers

Many Catholic Churches to Close

While this doesn’t look like it will affect any local Catholic churches right now, there was some pretty significant news from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany this week:

As reported by the Albany Times Union.
“Roughly 20 percent of worship sites in the 164-parish Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany will close or merge in an unprecedented restructuring plan expected to be released this month, Bishop Howard Hubbard said Wednesday.”

Read about it here.
See the video of the bishop here.

2009 Blows In

We wanted to wish you a Happy New Year and a healthy and prosperous 2009. We were blown off-line yesterday with some heavy winds but everything is a bit calmer today. If 2009 is already here, it means the summer of 2009 will be here soon.

Saturday Quote

“Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.”

Benjamin Franklin

We’re Going NFL

As the NFL playoffs approach, we are going to bring you a story about a current NFL player who has ties to Huletts and the surrounding area in the days ahead.

Now we know that many of you have strong feelings regarding certain football teams, but we think you’ll enjoy knowing the connection that Huletts has to a certain NFL team.

To demonstrate the growing influence of the “blogosphere”, we have been granted an interview with this player and will bring you the details and our interview with him in the days ahead.

You might even decide to change who you root for in the playoffs this year.

Merry Christmas

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.”

From our family to yours: have a Blessed Christmas and best wishes for a Happy New Year.

He Gets a Commission

One of our guests passed along this cute story about her young son. We share it here with you for the holidays.

After returning from their vacation in Huletts, her son started first grade. As one of his first assignments, he had to create a web-page about the things he had done that summer. This may be hard to believe that first graders are creating web pages, but the mother tells us it happened just like this.

Well he worked for a couple of weeks and diligently built his webpage. It was a montage of all the things he had done in Huletts, illustrated by pictures his family took. There were shots of him playing on the beach, him riding his bicycle, going to the soda fountain, etc. I’m sure you get the idea.

Well it comes time to present his website to his class and he pulls it up on his monitor with all his first grade classmates gathered around. On seeing all the things he had done in Huletts and what joy he had, his classmates were completely incredulous that there was a place where a first grader could have so much fun. Two asked simultaneously; “is that a real place?” To which he replied; “Of course, it’s a real place, it’s Huletts Landing and that’s where I go on vacation!” He then proceeded to pull up our website and show them how they could make a reservation. His mother said every child in the class said they were going to tell their parents.

Now how’s that for word of mouth advertising!

The Huletts Cookie

If you’re looking for a good cookie recipe for the holidays, we pass this one along to you. We call it the Huletts Cookie.

(Recipe may be halved)

2 cups butter
24 oz. chocolate chips
4 cups flour
2 cups brown sugar
2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
2 cups sugar
1 8 oz. Hershey Bar (grated)
5 cups blended oatmeal
4 eggs
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups chopped walnut

Measure oatmeal, and blend in a blender to a fine powder. Cream the
butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla, mix together with flour,
oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and soda. Add chocolate chips, Hershey Bar,
and nuts. Roll into balls, and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Makes 112 cookies. Think of all the good
times you’ve had in Huletts when you eat it!