Patron Saints

On a blog I follow, the author talks about her "patron saints". I decided to think about that and I have come up with a tentative list.
Winston Churchill whose eloquence gave hope to a beleaguered people.
Abraham Lincoln who grew into the moral conviction that slavery was wrong and the Union must be preserved.
Harry Truman who said what he meant and did what he said.
Maran Wright Edelman whose passion for justice and children inspires me to never give up or in.
St John Baptist de la Salle who inspires some of th best teachers I know.
Amela Earhardt who followed a dream.

Playgrounds

It occurred to me today as I was walking back from celebrating Mass with our students, across the hill that separates St. Regis and O'Hara, that playgrounds are made up of hardscabble dirt and random weeds that somehow manage to hang tenuously on to life and that these playgrounds are the same whether one is playing soccer in a barrio of south L.A. or basketball in Zimbabwe. It reminded me again of the commonality that we share with all people. Children play. In Africa, In Latin America, In Europe, In North America.