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January 12, 2021 January 12, 2021 josephhouseLeave a comment
Here we are in the year 2021 in the 21st century. Opening up a new calendar is symbolic of a new beginning, which is something we all need right now. The year 2020 is certainly one for the history books. How many times did we hear the word "unprecedented?" How many times did we dread hearing the latest news of the day? The year has been up and down, tense and eventful, showing the best and the worst of who we are as a society. Charles Dickens could have been describing our present age in A Tale of Two Cities:
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way."
And now here we are in 2021, and even though all of our problems don't magically disappear, we can hope there is a little more light peeking above the horizon. By working at a place like the Joseph House, we see the quiet goodness that goes on that never makes the news. We're reminded of the Jewish belief that the hidden righteousness of 36 people, known to God alone, keeps the world from falling apart. Based on the love and support we receive for our ministry, we're pretty sure that number is much higher.
A new year dawns, and as we go forth in our lives it is essential that we see things as they really are—not as we would like them to be. This is the essence of prudence, the mother of all virtues; everything else depends on it. Pontius Pilate, looking straight at Jesus, asked, "What is truth?" (John 18:38). We can miss what's right in front of us, too. Living in a digital world puts layers between us and reality. We end up letting others chose what we see, resulting in the ingrained blindness of modern life. But healing blindness is one of Christ's specialties.
Let us ask that our eyes be opened, the eyes of our mind and the eyes of our heart. There are vital questions to ask as members of society that depend on clear-sightedness. Does a course of action benefit the poor, weak, and marginalized? Does it foster joy, peace, gentleness, patience, kindness and the other fruits of the Holy Spirit? The answers will show us which road to take.
Sr. Mary Elizabeth once said there is no make-believe in our life as Little Sisters. Working in the trenches at the Joseph House helps to ensure that. We are so grateful for your prayers and support! You are part of our mission to assist those who seek food, shelter, heat, and other necessities. Your goodness shines brightly as a beacon of hope.
Our numbers at the Joseph House Crisis Center have been increasing, and we are still short of many volunteers. This is God's work, however, and God is well aware of our difficulties. It's in His hands.
Even without a pandemic, the life of a person who is poor is often tumultuous. Katie, 36, worked at a chicken farm for 14 years. She stopped working after her knee surgery, which required a long and painful recovery. Katie spent her Unemployment getting her car repaired, but then it broke down again and is no longer drivable. She and her two children had to move into a homeless shelter. When their time was up, they moved into a motel. In a few days, when the money ran out, the next stop was going to be the streets. Although Katie found a job, her first paycheck was going to be too late to help.
Feeling desperate, she got a ride to our Crisis Center. Katie was on the verge of tears because she had no idea what to do and she was afraid that her children were going to suffer. After talking with her, we agreed to a plan: we would pay for five nights in the motel ($280), and then Katie could use her paycheck to move into an apartment. A relatively simple intervention, but a lifesaver for this family.
Elsie, 26, was also homeless. She was living in her car to escape a bad marriage. Elsie has lupus and heart problems, but manages to work part-time as a gas station cashier. She earns about $400 per month. The cheapest apartments around cost that much in monthly rent. We contacted a landlord and paid that amount so Elsie could move in immediately. She believes that with a stable place to rest she will be able to work more hours at her job.
Loretta is an 83-year-old widow. She lives alone in a house that she says should be condemned. A tree fell on it recently and now snakes have come inside. She is trying to get repairs done and did not have any money for her other bills. We paid her gas bill of $330.
Garrett, 72, lives with his wife who is 77. She is in frail health and depends on bottled oxygen. She is completely homebound because of the pandemic. With no car, Garrett walked to our Crisis Center. We're not that far, but Garrett walks with difficulty and it took him an hour. He needed help paying his electric bill. We paid the full amount ($368) and called a cab to take him home.
Kristin, 26, was laid off at a chicken plant when hours were cut because of COVID-19. She is one of the many essential workers who labor to provide us with food, but there is not much of a safety net for them. We gave her groceries, gas for her car, and $300 for her rent as she looks for a new job.
Thank you for your support! We'll have figures for 2020 (including holiday activities) next month.
The Joseph House depends on the support of individuals like you. Learn how to help: Donate.
We offer you in return our best efforts to help the needy and a daily remembrance in our prayers. Please let us know your prayer requests: Contact Form.
Hopefully, we will enter a post-pandemic world this year. It won't happen all at once, but it will represent a new beginning. What can we do to make this world less divided and more just and peaceful? Last October, Pope Francis released On Fraternity And Social Friendship, an encyclical that addresses these concerns. His vision is centered on the "acknowledgement of the worth of every human person, always and everywhere." At the conclusion of the document he points to a particular role model for our troubled times: Charles de Foucauld. This made us very happy. Of our spiritual father, Pope Francis writes:
"Blessed Charles directed his ideal of total surrender to God towards an identification with the poor, abandoned in the depths of the African desert. In that setting, he expressed his desire to feel himself a brother to every human being, and asked a friend to 'pray to God that I truly be the brother of all.' He wanted to be, in the end, 'the universal brother.' Yet only by identifying with the least did he come at last to be the brother of all. May God inspire that dream in each one of us. Amen."
May God inspire us indeed. A recurring message from the Pope is that "no one can face life in isolation." Let us not be afraid to reach out as a sister or brother to other people, especially those who feel abandoned. Many people have been feeling lonely because of the pandemic. If sorrow has touched your heart, we pray that better days may come again. They always will.
Our prayer list is long. We pray for those who have died, for those who are suffering in any way, and for those working on a vaccine. This has been a time of sacrifice, but these sacrifices are helping to save lives. With God's help, our united strength as one human family will prevail over any adversity. There is always cause to hope for a Happy New Year. We wish you one filled with many blessings.
A PRAYER FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS
Dear God, we lift up our elected officials.
During this time of difficult and serious decision making, we pray that you put a spirit of civility and reconciliation into the hearts of those called to lead our country.
Give them discernment, humility, empathy, and a willingness to put the common good above politics.
(Sojourners)
December 22, 2020 December 22, 2020 josephhouseLeave a comment
Years ago, in December of 1964, our founder Sr. Mary Elizabeth was at a turning point in her life. Unsure of her next move, she decided to make a pilgrimage to St. Joseph's Oratory in Montreal, the largest shrine in the world dedicated to St. Joseph. She went there to have a heart-to-heart talk with the shrine's namesake. Sr. Mary Elizabeth believed she had a calling from God, "a call within a call," to begin a new mission of service to the poor. The problem was, she was alone and had absolutely nothing. How could she do what was being asked of her? She needed help.
So she went to St. Joseph, the carpenter from Nazareth, the one chosen by God to love and care for Jesus and His mother Mary, the one who protected them from danger, established a home for them and provided for their needs. She entrusted to St. Joseph all of her hopes and dreams, the desires of her heart that we're waiting to be fulfilled. After spending long hours in prayer, she left the shrine and returned to Baltimore. She had a few ideas about the next steps to take, and confidence that she wasn't really alone. Within a year she started the Joseph House ministry.
Now in December of 2020, in the midst of a pandemic that has caused suffering across the globe, Pope Francis is asking all the faithful to "Go to Joseph" (Gen 41:55). To highlight the unique importance of this saint, the Pope recently announced a "Year of St. Joseph," extending from December 8, 2020 to December 8, 2021.
The purpose of this year is to encourage the faithful to learn from and follow the example of this beloved saint. In so doing, according to the official decree, people may find "with the help of St. Joseph, head of the heavenly Family of Nazareth, comfort and relief from the serious human and social tribulations which today afflict the contemporary world."
To coincide with this "Year of St. Joseph," Pope Francis has written an Apostolic Letter entitled Patris Corde ("With a Father's Heart"), which refers to "how Joseph loved Jesus, whom all four Gospels refer to as 'the son of Joseph.'"
The Letter presents a personal and prayerful look at the life and actions of St. Joseph in the Gospels. Special emphasis is given to Joseph's role as a father, with Pope Francis describing him as a beloved, tender and loving, obedient, accepting, creatively courageous, and working father, as well as a father in the shadows.
The entire Letter is worth reading. Here is the link for the online text of Patris Corde:
http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_letters/documents/papa-francesco-lettera-ap_20201208_patris-corde.html
Below are a few noteworthy passages:
"I would like to share some personal reflections on this extraordinary figure, so close to our own human experience. For, as Jesus says, 'out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks' (Mt 12:34). My desire to do so increased during these months of pandemic, when we experienced, amid the crisis, how 'our lives are woven together and sustained by ordinary people, people often overlooked. People who do not appear in newspaper and magazine headlines, or on the latest television show, yet in these very days are surely shaping the decisive events of our history. Doctors, nurses, storekeepers and supermarket workers, cleaning personnel, caregivers, transport workers, men and women working to provide essential services and public safety, volunteers, priests, men and women religious, and so very many others. They understood that no one is saved alone.'"
"How many people daily exercise patience and offer hope, taking care to spread not panic, but shared responsibility. How many fathers, mothers, grandparents and teachers are showing our children, in small everyday ways, how to accept and deal with a crisis by adjusting their routines, looking ahead and encouraging the practice of prayer. How many are praying, making sacrifices and interceding for the good of all."
"Each of us can discover in Joseph – the man who goes unnoticed, a daily, discreet and hidden presence – an intercessor, a support and a guide in times of trouble. Saint Joseph reminds us that those who appear hidden or in the shadows can play an incomparable role in the history of salvation. A word of recognition and of gratitude is due to them all."
A painting of St. Joseph at the Joseph House Crisis Center.
"Even through Joseph's fears, God's will, his history and his plan were at work. Joseph, then, teaches us that faith in God includes believing that he can work even through our fears, our frailties and our weaknesses. He also teaches us that amid the tempests of life, we must never be afraid to let the Lord steer our course. At times, we want to be in complete control, yet God always sees the bigger picture."
"Nor should we ever think that believing means finding facile and comforting solutions. The faith Christ taught us is what we see in Saint Joseph. He did not look for shortcuts, but confronted reality with open eyes and accepted personal responsibility for it."
"Just as God told Joseph: 'Son of David, do not be afraid!' (Mt 1:20), so he seems to tell us: 'Do not be afraid!' We need to set aside all anger and disappointment, and to embrace the way things are, even when they do not turn out as we wish. Not with mere resignation but with hope and courage. In this way, we become open to a deeper meaning. Our lives can be miraculously reborn if we find the courage to live them in accordance with the Gospel. It does not matter if everything seems to have gone wrong or some things can no longer be fixed. God can make flowers spring up from stony ground. Even if our heart condemns us, 'God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything' (1 Jn 3:20)."
"Working persons, whatever their job may be, are cooperating with God himself, and in some way become creators of the world around us. The crisis of our time, which is economic, social, cultural and spiritual, can serve as a summons for all of us to rediscover the value, the importance and necessity of work for bringing about a new 'normal' from which no one is excluded."
"Fathers are not born, but made. A man does not become a father simply by bringing a child into the world, but by taking up the responsibility to care for that child. Whenever a man accepts responsibility for the life of another, in some way he becomes a father to that person."
"Our world today needs fathers. It has no use for tyrants who would domineer others as a means of compensating for their own needs. It rejects those who confuse authority with authoritarianism, service with servility, discussion with oppression, charity with a welfare mentality, power with destruction."
"The aim of this Apostolic Letter is to increase our love for this great saint, to encourage us to implore his intercession and to imitate his virtues and his zeal. Indeed, the proper mission of the saints is not only to obtain miracles and graces, but to intercede for us before God, like Abraham and Moses, and like Jesus, the 'one mediator' (1 Tim 2:5), who is our 'advocate' with the Father (1 Jn 2:1) and who 'always lives to make intercession for [us]' (Heb 7:25; cf. Rom 8:34). The saints help all the faithful 'to strive for the holiness and the perfection of their particular state of life.' Their lives are concrete proof that it is possible to put the Gospel into practice."
The journey that Sr. Mary Elizabeth made in 1964 was an expression of her determination and faith. The shrine sits high above Montreal and one must climb many steps to reach it. But as it is in life, each step brought her closer to the goal.
It has been a hard year for everyone, and many people are feeling worn out and exhausted. The steps seem never-ending. Even if we feel like there is no one beside us, we can always reach out to St. Joseph. He will help us obtain the graces we need.
Our ministry is named after St. Joseph. We depend on his help all the time. The "Year of St. Joseph" is a blessing for the world, and we encourage everyone to spend some time getting acquainted with this trustworthy saint.
P.S. St. Joseph's Oratory in Montreal is beautiful. Here is the link for the website to make a virtual visit: https://www.saint-joseph.org/en/
Newsletter: September 2020
September 9, 2020 September 9, 2020 josephhouseLeave a comment
"We're all in this together."
We've heard this over and over again during these past few months. And it's true: we are not alone in dealing with the pain, hardship, and anxiety that this year has brought.
The normal course of our lives has been disrupted, not only by the pandemic and its fallout but also by civil unrest across our land. Things are not the same. But in feeling tossed about, what comes to mind is the image of Noah's Ark, a powerful symbol of being in the same boat together while the familiar world disappears. Perhaps this story has something to say to us.
The story of Noah is a creation story, or rather, a re-creation story. The old is washed away and Noah, his family, and the animals are taken to someplace new. We should make note of what God said to Noah before the rain began: "Of all living creatures you shall bring two of every kind into the ark" (Gen 6:19). God didn't tell Noah to bring only the creatures he liked, but all of them, because diversity is needed for life to continue. Here we can see how the ark prefigures the Body of Christ, referenced in our August Newsletter.
Noah did his part and listened to God and prepared for the flood, but then it became a matter of trust. Scripture scholars say the ark has a linguistic connection with the floating basket in which the baby Moses was placed: set adrift with no rudder or sail, the ark likewise was a surrender into the hands of God. After the rains, Noah released a dove. The first time it came back with nothing, but then it brought back an olive leaf. With the ark surrounded by water, can you imagine the excitement and relief of everyone on board?
We, too, must be looking for signs of hope. For us today, it's been raining, so to speak, for more than 40 days and 40 nights—and it's still coming down. But in this storm we are going through, our compassion and care for each other creates an ark of safety. It's up to us to keep this vessel strong and secure. Life goes on, and one day (hopefully soon) our deliverance will come.
When the flood receded, Noah had the chance to make a fresh start. So will we, to some degree at least. What will we leave behind? What will we embrace? The decisions we make define us.
We're all in this together, but not everyone is having the same experience or facing the same consequences. The losses are not equal. Some people are paying a higher price than others.
Our mission at the Joseph House is to assist the poorest and most vulnerable of our brothers and sisters. We, and they, are grateful that you share the same concern. Although our Soup Kitchen at the Joseph House Crisis Center remains closed, the Food Pantry, Hospitality Room, and Financial Assistance program are very much active, as is the Joseph House Workshop, our residential program for homeless men.
Corey and Laurie, both in their late thirties, have an infant daughter. Corey was laid off from his job as a construction laborer because of COVID-19. His car, a 1997 model, broke down and he used his savings to get it fixed. It broke down again, and with no money to get it repaired, it was towed away. Corey and his family became homeless, and with the last of their money they moved into a motel. When their funds ran out they contacted the Joseph House. Corey had some promising news: he found a new job but his first paycheck was a week away. We paid for another week at the motel ($350) and gave them plenty of food that they could cook in a microwave. We also gave them a supply of diapers for their daughter.
Juanita, 27, has a young son. She lost her job at a chicken processing plant when production was halted because of the pandemic. She and her son live in a tiny matchbox of a house. Juanita is very hardworking and readily agreed to meet with our excellent job counselor. She is not used to asking for help. We committed $300 to her overdue electric bill.
Janine, 30, and her husband also work at a chicken plant. Hours at the plant were reduced, and Janine's husband was laid off. They have five children. This family is struggling, but Janine has come a long way through many difficulties. Her composure is edifying. We paid $197 to keep the electricity on in her family's home.
Suzanne, 36, is married and has three children. Her husband was diagnosed with COVID-19 and is out of work. This family is receiving temporary state benefits of $600 per month. They are behind in all of their bills and the water was shut off. Their old car is ready to fall apart. We paid $422 to get the water back on. Suzanne said her husband is recovering and feels he should be ready to start working again soon.
Carrie, 34, started her own child-care business shortly before the pandemic shut everything down. She has a lot of positive energy and was excited about being self-employed. She is still hopeful about the future, but with two children of her own and no income, she had to ask for help. Carrie used her stimulus check to pay for the rent. She applied for Food Stamps for the first time in her life, and came to the Joseph House about her electric bill. We called the utility company and learned that a payment of $250 was required to get Carrie's account placed on a budget plan. So we paid that amount.
Fred is 60, and when he came to the Joseph House at the end of July he was still waiting for his stimulus check. It would be a big help. Fred is disabled (a car hit him while he was riding his bicycle) and back pain is part of his daily life. With his bike-riding days over, Fred spent what little money he had to get his aging car working again. He was hoping to use his stimulus check to pay his other bills, but so far it hasn't materialized. Fred has spent many hours on the phone trying to find out what happened. He's been told it was deposited in his checking account, but he showed us his bank statements and there's no evidence of it. We could feel his frustration. In the meantime, the gas was scheduled to be turned off in his home because of a past-due bill. We sent $304 to prevent that from happening.
It's the water that gets inside the boat that sinks it, not the ocean around it. Keep in mind that God, the source of all hope, makes this journey with us: "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?" (Mt 8:26). Our place of encounter with God is in the present moment. Returning there can help calm our worries. We must do what we can do, and then leave to God what only God can do.
Let us continue to support each other through our prayers and good example. May God bless all who are patiently working, praying, and sacrificing for the sake of others. May God's mercy be with all who are suffering, and all who have passed on. As always, we are so grateful for you.
We are praying for healing and justice around the world. Please send us your special prayer intentions: Contact Form
Your support allows us to continue the ministry of Joseph House. Learn how you can help: Donate
Newsletter: March 2020
March 14, 2020 March 14, 2020 josephhouseLeave a comment
A marvel of modern life is that we can go to the grocery store any time of year and find a wide selection of produce. Even when it is still cold outside, the market bins are filled with bananas, grapes, lettuce, avocados, tomatoes, carrots…you name it.
Another marvel of modern life is that we never have to see the hands that pick these fruits of the earth. We never have to give them any consideration at all. Did the workers receive a fair wage? Who knows, what counts is the sale price.
The same is true for the clothes we wear. They could have been made by the nimble fingers of a twelve-year-old in a sweatshop, but we don't have to concern ourselves with that. In fact, we surround ourselves with things and live in manufactured habitats, but we never have to think about where all this stuff comes from—or where it all goes when we're finished with it, for that matter. We just pick it up from the store and then drop it in the trash.
"Most people are now fed, clothed, and sheltered from sources—in nature and in the work of other people—toward which they feel no gratitude and exercise no responsibility," says Wendell Berry, a poet, essayist, and farmer. According to Berry, our industrialized society has two goals: to keep people in a state of helplessness (we have to buy everything we need) and ignorance (the seduction of consumerism hides the use of exploited labor and the reckless disregard of creation). This is what fuels our disjointed, fractured, stratified world of non-stop consumption.
Reflecting on this brought to mind a story in the Gospel of Luke. In the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16: 19-31), the rich man is dressed in fine clothes and dines sumptuously while the beggar Lazarus slowly starves to death. Brought low by his destitution, Lazarus would have gladly eaten the scraps that fell from the rich man's table, but he's denied even that. After they both die, Lazarus is welcomed into the arms of Abraham. The rich man, however, goes to a place of torment.
Is this because in life the rich man displayed animosity toward Lazarus? No, the rich man simply failed to notice him, even though Lazarus was right there outside his door. Wrapped up in his own pleasure, the rich man was indifferent to another's suffering, which is the opposite of love.
It's distressing to realize that our modern way of life is built upon this same type of indifference.
Although that may be the way of the world, we can choose to live differently. Our participation in modern economic life is a moral issue that involves everyone since we all buy things or use things that someone else bought. What can we do? We can question our spending habits and make informed decisions about where our money goes. We can be good stewards of what we purchase and reuse and recycle whatever is possible (and please remember: unless something is 100% biodegradable and it gets composted, it ultimately ends up in the landfill). We can make the needs of the poor a priority at the voting booth. Even if what we do seems small, over time little things have a cumulative effect.
The people who toil at the bottom of our service economy, who work in the fields and factories, who unload trucks, stock shelves, and mop floors, are not nameless cogs in a great machine. Their work supports our lives in countless ways. They deserve, not our scraps, but our respect, recognition, livable wages, and safe workplaces. That is why our charity must always go hand-in-hand with justice.
Signs of hope are everywhere. Your support, which keeps the Joseph House in operation, is one we see every day. The marginalized and downtrodden thank you, and so do we.
Gabby, 28, has five children, including a newborn. Her husband is in jail awaiting a court date. Gabby was ordered by her doctor to stay at home for several weeks and not work (and by that we mean her paid employment). Unfortunately, Gabby doesn't have any paid maternity leave, and this, coupled with her husband's arrest and loss of income, put the family's safety in danger. The Joseph House contributed $200 toward their housing costs so they would not lose their home.
Amanda, 40, is another working mother. She has four children, and she is very proud of how well they do in school. The house Amanda rents had problematic plumbing and sewer drainage. The landlord fixed everything, but he added the costs to the rent. Amanda fell behind and received an eviction notice. We paid $225 to halt the proceedings.
Irene, 72, was living with her sister until her sister had to enter a nursing home. Trying to make ends meet on her own, Irene has started cleaning houses for about $300 per month. She found a less expensive place to live, but needed to pay a $590 security deposit. We contributed $300 toward the cost.
Rosa, 41, had to leave her job at a chicken plant because of her heart trouble—her doctor ordered her to do so. After looking for work Rosa found a job as a cashier in a fast-food restaurant. The pay is just above minimum wage and she works just less than full-time. Paying her rent is harder than ever. When Rosa fell behind and received an eviction notice, we sent $200 to the landlord.
Troy, 30, is married and has three children. Two years ago, Troy was in the Army and deployed overseas. He saw a good friend get killed right in front of his eyes. Troy has been having a difficult time adjusting to civilian life and has not been able to work. His wife recently lost her job when the place where she worked went out of business. This struggling family needed help paying their water bill. The Joseph House contributed $245 and one of our volunteers added $45 on the spot.
Brooke, 25, is legally blind. She is pregnant and has two other children. The father has abandoned the family. If Brooke didn't have subsidized housing, she and her children would be homeless. She is trying to cope with her situation and needed help paying her electric bill. If the power got shut off her housing subsidy would be in jeopardy. We paid $220 toward the amount due.
We live in a world of "globalized indifference," as Pope Francis has said. It's easy to become complacent in our bubbles of comfort and habit. Let us dare to do something new to show our love for the poor and exploited. We each have different circumstances: if you're not sure of what to do, ask God for help. God will answer that prayer.
And did you know? This year there are two reasons to celebrate on the 19th: it's the Feast of St. Joseph and also the first day of Spring. May God bless you!
We are overjoyed that Divine Providence is allowing us to do some much needed renovation and maintenance work at the Joseph House Crisis Center and the Joseph House Workshop.
After seeing years of heavy foot traffic, the floors in the Crisis Center are being replaced and new carpeting is being installed in the supervisor's office. The director's office in an adjacent trailer is also being carpeted, and the rusty air vents and water-damaged ceiling tiles are being replaced with new and clean ones.
Across the parking lot at the Workshop, an unused space is being transformed into an art room with new flooring and individual workstations for the residents. In addition, the living room is getting a new carpet and a fresh coat of paint is being applied throughout the building. It's been almost 15 years since the Workshop opened. That's hard to believe!
We are so grateful for the kind and generous souls who are making this possible.
If you would like to help us in our mission to the poor, you can learn how here: Donate.
It will be our joy to pray for your special intentions. Please send us your prayer requests: Contact Form.
October 23, 2018 October 23, 2018 josephhouseLeave a comment
You've heard the adage, "All the flowers of all of the tomorrows are in the seeds of today."
This brings to mind the question: what seeds have I planted in the course of my day? Of my words and actions, what has taken root? Will something beautiful grow?
And who will do the harvesting? Have I tilled a field for my own benefit, or have I scattered widely for the sake of others? Some people walk through life like Johnny Appleseed, dropping little seeds of goodness—smiles and kind words and helpful acts—wherever they go. These can blossom in unexpected ways and make a big difference to people we don't even know.
Our garden patch is what we make of it. If we're not satisfied, we can always plant something new.
Pope Francis often speaks of the importance of starting a new process, those that result in people-building and not the possession of power: "What we need is to give priority to actions which generate new processes in society and engage other persons and groups who can develop them to the point where they bear fruit in significant historical events. Without anxiety, but with clear convictions and tenacity." (The Joy of the Gospel)
In other words, do we want more love? Plant kindness. More unity? Cultivate understanding. More peace? Propagate justice. Start a new process.
One thing is clear from the lesson of the seed: our hope for a better tomorrow begins with what we do today.
At the Joseph House, your generosity and fidelity grow into marvelous things for the poor. We're not just talking about the bills that get paid and the food that gets served, as vital as those things are. We mean the family life that gets supported and the human dignity that is affirmed and upheld. In the busy rooms of the Crisis Center, we see a preview of heaven where the less fortunate are honored guests. And you're a part of all this.
Not that long ago Malia came to see us and she was feeling exhausted. She and her four children were living in a car. She said her children had to wash in a gas station bathroom before going to school. Malia and her family fled to our area from another state. They had to leave because Malia's fiancé was physically abusive. She has a restraining order against him, but she was afraid he would ignore it and come after her.
Malia was down to her last $25 in cash when she arrived at our Crisis Center. She was able to transfer her subsidized housing voucher to Maryland, but there was going to be a wait until she and her kids could move into an apartment. We paid $500 so they could stay in a motel in the meantime. We also washed three bags of laundry and gave them plenty of food they could microwave in their motel room.
Beatrice and John were also living in a car, and their situation was becoming even more desperate. They were leasing the car and had missed two weekly payments. Beatrice said they had to keep the engine running at all times because if it stopped, the car dealership would use a remote device to keep it from starting up and then repossess the vehicle. Beatrice and John had been out of work for three weeks. They were lining up new positions, but without their car those job prospects would be lost. We wrote a check for the two missed lease payments ($261) and had it delivered to the dealership.
Following open-heart surgery, Gilbert, 58, was out of work for 12 weeks. He has returned to his job, but he was so far behind in his rent that his landlord had to give him an eviction notice. We paid $300 to keep Gilbert from becoming homeless.
Kaylee, 22, works in a chicken factory. Her daughter was born prematurely and has ongoing medical issues; sometimes she needs to be hospitalized. This causes Kaylee to miss work, and it doesn't take much for her to fall short on a rent payment. To prevent Kaylee from being evicted, we sent $200 to the landlord.
Odelle's smile was hiding a terrible tragedy: a few months ago her husband was shot and killed in their neighborhood. She feels unsafe where she is living and is haunted by the memories of what happened. Odelle is receiving a monthly benefit of $389. That is the only income she has for herself and her two young sons.
Odelle saw a glimmer of hope when she was approved for subsidized housing. She wants to use this as an opportunity to move to a safer neighborhood. The rules require that she still pay a security deposit, however. We contributed $200 so Odelle and her family can begin to rebuild their lives.
Thank you for your prayers and support!
Fifty-three years ago, on October 15, 1965, Sr. Mary Elizabeth started a new process when she opened the Joseph House. The tiny seed she planted was her love for the poor, and she cared for it with her faith in God. Over the years the Joseph House has grown and developed, even after being transplanted from Baltimore to the Eastern Shore. It has always followed the plan of "letting the work build itself through the needs that were expressed by the people in the area."
Today, the Joseph House Crisis Center—which offers Financial Assistance for emergencies, a Food Pantry, Soup Kitchen, and Hospitality Room for the Homeless—and the Joseph House Workshop—which provides comprehensive services 24/7 to help homeless men get back on their feet—still depend on private support to stay in operation. That's a tall order, but we know the goodness and charity of people like you are a match for it. May God bless you in abundance.
Relying on volunteers was always part of our founder's plan. Sr. Mary Elizabeth wanted to keep operating costs low so more of your donations could go directly to the poor. She also understood the value of getting people personally involved. She once said:
Whenever I get the least bit discouraged about the state of the world I only have to think of our volunteers and I am filled with hope. Joseph House could not exist without our volunteers. It's that simple. The entire Joseph House organization runs almost exclusively on volunteers. That's the way it's always been. People need the opportunity to give back to the community and to help their fellow man.
The vision and example of Sr. Mary Elizabeth are the treasures of the Joseph House. We remember her and pray for her every day. She departed this earthly life 14 years ago this month, on October 27, 2004.
A PRAYER FOR VOLUNTEERS
Heavenly God,
Holy Scripture says that if my brothers and sisters have no clothes and no food, and I say to them, "Be blessed! Stay warm and well fed," but I do nothing to meet their needs, what good is that?
Do not let my heart grow so cold that I turn to empty words. Do not let me keep saying, "Someone else will help." Let me be the one who steps in.
I offer You everything You have given me: my abilities, my talents, and my capacity to love. Direct me to where I can be of service to someone who needs what I can offer.
With a cheerful smile and a compassionate heart, let me be the one who lends a hand. Right now someone is praying for help. Include me in the answer You give.
The World is a Joyful Mystery
April 5, 2018 April 10, 2018 josephhouse3 Comments
Spring is a tonic for the soul. After being cooped up inside during the winter, stepping outside to perceive the awakening land is a blessing. It feels like the flowers and grasses are not the only things coming back to life.
Sooner or later, though, we have to consider the garden chores that await us. There's always a list of things to do: pruning, clearing, raking, planting. But perhaps not every corner of the yard needs to bear the mark of human cultivation. Pope Francis gives an example why in his encyclical, On Care For Our Common Home:
Saint Francis, faithful to Scripture, invites us to see nature as a magnificent book in which God speaks to us and grants us a glimpse of His infinite beauty and goodness.
"Through the greatness and the beauty of creatures one comes to know by analogy their maker" (Wis 13:5); indeed, "His eternal power and divinity have been made known through His works since the creation of the world" (Rom 1:20).
For this reason, Francis asked that part of the friary garden always be left untouched, so that wild flowers and herbs could grow there, and those who saw them could raise their minds to God, the Creator of such beauty.
Rather than a problem to be solved, the world is a joyful mystery to be contemplated with gladness and praise.
Here is a "before" photo of our yard. Hopefully at a later time we will have a nice "after" picture. A good portion of the yard will probably end up in its natural, untouched state 🙂
St. Francis is in our garden for inspiration.
When St. Joseph Sleeps
December 7, 2017 January 10, 2018 josephhouseLeave a comment
As Head of the Holy Family, extraordinary demands were placed on St. Joseph, and he worked hard at being the best husband and father he could be. This involved not only doing, but listening. St. Joseph was receptive to God's will, and that set the course for the action he took. His life turned out far differently from the one he had planned. And for that we are eternally grateful!
To be strong yet pliable: the same attitude can guide us as we look after the people entrusted to our care.
During an apostolic journey to the Philippines in 2015, Pope Francis spoke about the importance of St. Joseph, what we can learn from him, and how we can trust in his prayers. His remarks were given at a meeting with families at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila. Here is an excerpt:
The Scriptures seldom speak of St. Joseph, but when they do, we often find him resting, as an angel reveals God's will to him in his dreams….
I am very fond of dreams in families. For nine months every mother and father dream about their baby. Am I right? [Yes!] They dream about what kind of child he or she will be… You can't have a family without dreams. Once a family loses the ability to dream, children do not grow, love does not grow, life shrivels up and dies.
So I ask you each evening, when you make your examination of conscience, to also ask yourselves this question: Today did I dream about my children's future? Today did I dream about the love of my husband, my wife? Did I dream about my parents and grandparents who have gone before me? Dreaming is very important. Especially dreaming in families. Do not lose this ability to dream!
How many difficulties in married life are resolved when we leave room for dreaming, when we stop a moment to think of our spouse, and we dream about the goodness present in the good things all around us. So it is very important to reclaim love by what we do each day. Do not ever stop being newlyweds!…
Rest is so necessary for the health of our minds and bodies, and often so difficult to achieve due to the many demands placed on us. But rest is also essential for our spiritual health, so that we can hear God's voice and understand what he asks of us.
Joseph was chosen by God to be the foster father of Jesus and the husband of Mary. As Christians, you too are called, like Joseph, to make a home for Jesus. To make a home for Jesus! You make a home for him in your hearts, your families, your parishes and your communities….
Demonstrating the receptive pose of St. Joseph.
I would also like to tell you something very personal. I have great love for St. Joseph, because he is a man of silence and strength. On my table I have an image of St. Joseph sleeping. Even when he is asleep, he is taking care of the Church! Yes! We know that he can do that. So when I have a problem, a difficulty, I write a little note and I put it underneath St. Joseph, so that he can dream about it! In other words I tell him: pray for this problem!
October 28, 2015 December 2, 2015 josephhouseLeave a comment
Dorothy Day (1897-1980) was a journalist and social activist. She co-founded the Catholic Worker newspaper, which carries on her dedication to peace and the works of mercy.
When Pope Francis addressed a joint session of the United States Congress on September 24, 2015, he spoke about Dorothy as an example of someone who worked to build a better future and who shaped the fundamental values of the American people:
"In these times when social concerns are so important, I cannot fail to mention the Servant of God Dorothy Day, who founded the Catholic Worker Movement. Her social activism, her passion for justice and for the cause of the oppressed, were inspired by the Gospel, her faith, and the example of the saints."
Of Dorothy's many attractive qualities, there is one that stands out: she practiced what she preached. She loved the poor, she lived with the poor, and she lived as a poor person herself. She once wrote:
"The solution proposed… in the Gospels, is that of voluntary poverty and the works of mercy. It is the little way. It is within the power of all. Everybody can begin here and now…We have the greatest weapons in the world, greater than any hydrogen or atom bomb, and they are the weapons of poverty and prayer, fasting and alms, the reckless spending of ourselves in God's service and for His poor. Without poverty we will not have learned love, and love, at the end, is the measure by which we shall be judged."
Sr. Mary Elizabeth, our foundress, met Dorothy in 1966 when they were both invited to speak at the Jesuit novitiate in Wernersville, Pennsylvania. This is Sister's recollection of Dorothy:
"That's where I met her personally, but I had known about her and read about her because in my younger days as a nurse I had worked with the Catholic Worker in Baltimore when it first started. I volunteered there for a short time while I was doing my studies at Mercy Hospital. So I knew about Dorothy and read about her and admired her very much. When she came to Loyola to speak I invited her to the house and she came. But my first meeting with her was at Wernersville.
"I admired her ability to live completely with the poor, and to share with them absolutely anything and everything she had. She never kept anything for herself alone. She was the poorest person I think I've ever met. Wherever they have a Catholic Worker house around Washington or Baltimore they always had a room for Dorothy, but Dorothy insisted that her room be used for the poor when she was not there. So many times when she would arrive from somewhere – if they didn't know ahead of time – there was already a poor person sleeping in her room and she slept in somebody else's bed. And if you knew Dorothy's houses at that point in history, that was not like 'I'll sleep in your bed tonight,' because a lot of those beds were wet in over and over again, and they smelled of urine terribly, and Dorothy would just go lay in one as if it were her own.
"She was the most selfless person I think I've ever heard of, and I really admired that tremendously. She was so detached. A very detached person. Except from her opinions, which she had a right to stand up for. But she was extremely detached. And very humble. But she did have a temper. I saw her one night put a priest in his place because he was speaking against the teachings of the Church. She really put him right where he belonged. She could handle any argument, anyone. But as I say she was simply, totally unattached to herself.
"The same thing came up when she spoke at Loyola. She was a controversial figure so they did have bouncers, so to speak, for her talk. And they almost had to use them because one man stood up. I think these people were sent by her enemies to talk out loud and heckle her.
"And so this guy stood up and said was it true that she had been arrested on a morals charge at one time. And she said 'Yes, it's true.' But she said, 'Worse than that.'
"And he said, 'What?'
"And she said 'I just remembered I have two coats in my closet at home and I can only use one.' Which really carried a big message with it.
"And I thought, 'God, isn't she admirable?' To say a thing like that in public, and not to defend herself on the morals charge whatsoever, but just simply to say yes, that she just remembered that she had two winter coats at home in the closet and she could only wear one. She just was a woman of principle, at any expense to herself whatsoever. Never did she come first, she was always last in whatever God's cause was. So that's why I admired her. I certainly don't have her virtues, but I admire them."
On Dorothy's visit to the Joseph House in May 1966:
"She came, and knowing how poor she lived, and knowing that certainly I was not rich in any way shape or form, but knowing also that she lived in this total disorder and total untidiness, and I at that point in life was very tidy, because I had the energy to be tidy, I was worried because my place looked nice even though it was very poor. And I thought, 'Is she going to think that I don't care about poverty?' I was really concerned that maybe she would be offended by that. And when she walked in the front door I had a little classroom on the side in what would be the living room, and they had desks and chairs and a little library, and that's of course what she saw first. So I thought, 'Well, I wonder what she's going to think?'
"And she looked at it and looked at it and she looked around and she said, 'I would give my right arm to have a place like this.' [laughter] So I breathed easy. Yes, she was really a wonderful woman.
The classroom in question. From an article in the Baltimore Evening Sun, May 17, 1966.
"So she gave us a talk that night in one of the classrooms. We had a classroom upstairs. And she went to Mass. And when it was over, I had put her in one of the back bedrooms where she would be quiet. All my things were very poor, and she had a little poor rocking chair with no arms on it. And so I went back to see if she wanted anything before she retired, and she was sitting in the little rocking chair in her night gown, and rocking back and forth and preparing for the Mass in the morning. She was reading the prayers of the Mass for the next morning and was preparing for that.
"She really was a very holy person. Extremely holy, very prayerful and just. Justice was a big thing with her. And justice was a big thing with me and I think that's another reason I liked her so much. I didn't fear poverty as much as I feared injustice for the poor."
For more information about Dorothy Day, please visit http://www.catholicworker.org
Below you can see two cards Dorothy sent to Sr. Mary Elizabeth, who was a lay person at the time and known as Mae Gintling:
Front of postcard.
Back of postcard.
Envelope for greeting card.
Front of greeting card.
Inside of greeting card. The accident refers to a car accident that involved Sister.
Praying With Five Fingers
September 22, 2015 September 22, 2015 josephhouseLeave a comment
Through his ministry as shepherd and teacher, Pope Francis is presenting the Gospel with simplicity without sacrificing its depth. His words let the truth shine. His actions also speak clearly about the importance of humility.
While serving as the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, he taught a "simple" method of prayer to children. It's easy to remember since it uses the five fingers of the hand. It's also not just for children.
Using the fingers on your hand, start with the thumb and pray these intentions in this order:
1.) The thumb is the closest finger to you. So start praying for those who are closest to you. They are the persons easiest to remember. To pray for our dear ones is a "sweet obligation."
2.) The next finger is the index. Pray for those who teach you, instruct you and heal you. They need the support and wisdom to show direction to others. Always keep them in your prayers.
3.) The following finger is the tallest. It reminds us of our leaders, the governors and those who have authority. They need God's guidance.
4.) The fourth finger is the ring finger. Even though it may surprise you, it is our weakest finger. It should remind us to pray for the weakest, the sick or those plagued by problems. They need your prayers.
5.) And finally we have our smallest finger, the smallest of all. Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. When you are done praying for the other four groups, you will be able to see your own needs but in the proper perspective, and also you will be able to pray for your own needs in a better way.
The text for this prayer comes from the Catholic University of America website: www.cua.edu


Once known as the Paris of the Middle East, Beirut's vibrant and cosmopolitan nightlife is renowned throughout the region and beyond. In 2009, the New York Times even ranked Beirut the number one out of 44 cities to visit.
The city's nightlife centers around the neighborhoods of Hamra and Gemmayzeh, with the latter bordering Beirut's eastern downtown area, within walking distance of the city center. Starting where Gemmayzeh ends, Mar Mikhael is the new hotspot for locals, with dozens of bars and pubs transforming this quiet area, which used to be a residential part of Achrafieh, into a vibrant center. Nightclubs, on the other hand, are scattered around the city, with stylish terrace locales a hallmark of Lebanese nightlife.
Tony Habre, CEO of Addmind, a group that owns some of the trendiest and most iconic clubs in the city, including White, Iris, and Iris Beach Club, believes the entertainment business is kept alive by ordinary people who run their own businesses, rather than by major investors, such that the market tends to be more local than big-chain oriented. "Many young people who started from scratch ended up opening their own premises, and hence this adds a personal flavor to the entertainment scene," he told TBY. People enjoying the nightlife today have been doing so for the past 10 years in an atmosphere of familiarity, according to Habre, making for a very intimate experience. For Habre, the main advantage of Lebanon as a regional entertainment hub is the people themselves; "Lebanese people are eager to spend, and love to party." Beirut's tolerant attitude toward alcohol consumption, as well as its fabled cosmopolitanism, make the city stand out from its peers in the region. In terms of trends, there is room for, and interest in, new concepts and locations. The Lebanese people like to dress up and visit plush venues, and there is a gap in the market for such venues that allow people to chat, eat, and party, Habre continued, stating that, "the country is trending toward high-end restaurant lounges and clubs."
Some successful club owners are even taking their concepts and expanding regionally. Addmind is brainstorming ways to further expand in Abu Dhabi, where it opened its club, Eight, back in 2009. It is also interested in taking its expertise to Shanghai, and has recently inaugurated The White Room in Dubai. World-renowned SKYBAR, on the other hand, is expecting to launch O1NE in Beirut at the end of 2013, a new indoor venue featuring 2,500 sqm of graffiti art, created by 15 artists from around the world that integrates the newest technology in imagery and lighting, including 1,200 sqm of 360° projections with 3D mapping technology. This concept recently opened in Abu Dhabi, adapting to the UAE market. As Chafic El Khazen, CEO of SKYBAR, told TBY, "we consider Abu Dhabi to be a virgin market, while Dubai is a bit more saturated." SKYBAR is not only looking at expanding in the region, El Khazen told TBY, "we may yet expand westward."
One of the reasons why many club owners are looking beyond Lebanese frontiers is the impact of the Syrian crisis on tourism inflows. According to El Khazen, the inflow of foreign visitors has decreased dramatically. He explained, "although an onlooker wouldn't necessarily notice anything wrong in Lebanon—people still go out and have fun—people are spending much less than they normally do."


text:
Q: Question on mixed Python performance results from PC vs smartphone I did some Python performance comparison on PC and smartphone and results were confusing.
PC: i7-8750H / 32GB RAM / 1TB SSD / Windows 10
Smartphone: Galaxy S10 with Termux Linux emulator on Android 11
First one was simple Monte Carlo simulation with following code.
import random
import time

def monte_carlo_pi(n_samples: int):
    acc = 0
    for i in range(n_samples):
        x = random.random()
        y = random.random()
        if (x**2 + y**2) < 1.0:
            acc += 1
    return 4.0 * acc / n_samples

start_time = time.time()

print(monte_carlo_pi(10000000))
print(time.time()-start_time)

Surprisingly, it took about 5.2sec for PC and 2.7sec for smartphone.
Second was using pandas with some dataframe operations.
import pandas as pd
import time

start_time = time.time()

df = pd.DataFrame(
    [ [21, 72, -67],
      [23, 78, 62],
      [32, 74, 54],
      [52, 54, 76],
      [0, 23, 66],
      [2, 1, 2] ],
    index = [11, 22, 33, 44, 55, 66],
    columns = ['a', 'b', 'c'])

df2 = pd.DataFrame()

df2 = pd.concat([df2, df['a']], axis=1)
df2 = pd.concat([df2, df['c']], axis=1)

print(df2)
print(time.time()-start_time)

This time, PC was about 0.007sec and smartphone was about 0.009sec, but the actual time from exec. to finish for smartphone was about 2 sec.  My guess is that it takes longer for smartphone to load lengthy pandas package but not sure.

*

*Is ARM processor faster on simple repetitive calculations? Or is or isn't either one of the processor utilizing multi-core capability?

*Is smartphone relatively slow on reading lengthy packages as observed above?

*Is there a better way to measure overall Python performance between PC and smartphone?

A: The execution time of your Python code is bounded by overheads. Indeed, calling random.random() takes a significant time regarding the number of iteration and the time of one iteration. This comes from the slow module fetch. You can cache the function using rand = random.random. Moreover, x**2 + y**2 is not optimized either. x*x + y*y can be used instead to speed up the computation. Additionally, you do not need a branch either: you can just use acc += (x*x + y*y) < 1.0. Here is the resulting code:
def monte_carlo_pi(n_samples: int):
    acc = 0
    rand = random.random
    for i in range(n_samples):
        x = rand()
        y = rand()
        acc += (x*x + y*y) < 1.0
    return 4.0 * acc / n_samples

This code is about 3 times faster on my machine. It is still slow compared to a native code. For example, using the Numba JIT is even 12 times faster on this simple code (35 times compared to the original code). This slow execution comes from the standard CPython interpreter itself. You can try PyPy (JIT-based interpreter) is you want such a code to be executed much faster without changing the code itself.
Finally, note that the Numpy package is generally used for such code so to get efficient codes.

Is ARM processor faster on simple repetitive calculations? Or is or isn't either one of the processor utilizing multi-core capability?

None of the two. The speed of the interpreter can change due to the way it is compiled on the two different platforms. Moreover, the operating systems can play a significant role on the performance of the code (typically the speed of the allocations). In your case, one code is running on Windows while another is running on Android (Linux like).  AFAIK, object allocations are significantly slower on Windows.

Is smartphone relatively slow on reading lengthy packages as observed above?

This is very-dependent of your hardware, especially your storage device, your RAM and the CPU. The file system also play a significant role as well as the OS itself. The best to know why platform is slower than another is simply to use a profiler.

Is there a better way to measure overall Python performance between PC and smartphone?

There are several benchmark to evaluate the performance of Python implementations on several platforms. One of them is this one. Benchmarking is quite-hard (especially micro-benchmarking) because you can very-easily draw the wrong conclusions due to a missing factor. Think about what you really want to measure and then reduce every possible source of noise to nothing because comparing several factor at once is a major source of benchmarking mistakes. For example, use the same OS on the two devices (eg. Android or at least a Linux-based systems with the same kernel version and a similar configuration/flags). You should use the exact same version of CPython. You should also compile CPython yourself using the same compiler with the same flags (or possibly use equivalent pre-compiled binaries). The version of libraries/packages often matter too. This is especially true for the libc (standard C library) and GMP (library to efficiently compute big numbers). You should also use a partition with the same file-system if you want to measure things related to it. I am probably missing many important points. Sometimes a code can be much slower than another just because it is not aligned the same way in memory (and alignment policy changes regarding the target platform)! Even the size of the code matters a lot. This is why you should check why the same code is slower/faster on a different context using a profiler (eg. perf on Linux for example or possibly VTune on Windows).
Here are related posts:

*

*Idiomatic way of performance evaluation?
Here are interesting talks:

*

*"Performance Matters" by Emery Berger

*CppCon 2017: Chandler Carruth "Going Nowhere Faster"

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Ryszard Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (niem. Richard Casimir Karl August Robert Konstantin; ur. 29 października 1934 w Gießen, zm. 13 marca 2017 w Bad Berleburg) – książę Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg. Poprzez swoje małżeństwo z Benedyktą Glücksburg był szwagrem królowej Danii, Małgorzaty II.

Urodził się jako najstarsze z pięciorga dzieci tytularnego księcia Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg Gustawa Albrechta i jego żony Margarety Fouché d'Otrante (potomkini francuskiego polityka Josepha Fouché).

W 1966 roku w Holandii poznał drugą córkę króla Danii, Fryderyka IX, oraz Ingrid Bernadotte – Benedyktę Glücksburg, którą poślubił 3 lutego 1968 w Fredensborgu.

Wraz z żoną doczekał się trojga dzieci:

 Gustaw (ur. 12 stycznia 1969).
 Aleksandra (ur. 20 listopada 1970). W latach 1998-2017 była żoną hrabiego Jeffersona von Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth, z którym ma dwoje dzieci – Ryszarda (ur. 1999) i Ingrid (ur. 2003). W 2019 roku wyszła za mąż za hrabiego Michaela Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Bille.
 Natalia (ur. 2 maja 1975). W 2010 roku wyszła za mąż za Aleksandra Johannsmanna, z którym ma dwoje dzieci – Konstantyna (ur. 2010) i Luizę (ur. 2015).\

Ryszard zmarł 13 marca 2017 roku w Bad Berleburgu.

Odznaczenia
 Krzyż Wielki Orderu Zasługi Republiki Federalnej Niemiec
 Order Słonia (Dania) – 1968
 Medal Pamiątkowy Srebrnego Wesela Królowej Małgorzaty i Księcia Henryka (Dania) – 1992
 Medal Pamiątkowy 25-lecia Panowania Królowej Małgorzaty II (Dania) – 1997
 Medal Wspomnieniowy 100-lecia od Narodzin Króla Fryderyka IX (Dania) – 1999
 Krzyż Wielki Orderu Izabeli Katolickiej (Hiszpania) – 1980
 Order Gwiazdy Polarnej (Szwecja) – 2007
 Krzyż Wielki Orderu Korony (Holandia) – 2015

Bibliografia

Przypisy

Linki zewnętrzne
 thepeerage.com
 Henri van Oene's Royal Genealogies Page
 Munzinger Online
 Almanach Gotajski Denmark

Niemiecka szlachta
Odznaczeni Orderem Domowym Orańskim
Odznaczeni Orderem Gwiazdy Polarnej (Szwecja)
Odznaczeni Orderem Izabeli Katolickiej
Odznaczeni Orderem Słonia
Odznaczeni Orderem Zasługi Republiki Federalnej Niemiec
Urodzeni w 1934
Zmarli w 2017

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Contact us to inquire about getting samples or display tops for your showroom or design center. If you have any general questions, feel free to contact us at 914-666-2029, or send a request through the form on the right. For pricing inquiries, please send drawings or plans to quotes@brookscustom.com.


The future of Bosnia-Herzegovina is being discussed at a two-day international conference in Geneva, under the banner "Ten Years of Dayton and Beyond".
In 1995 the Dayton peace agreement signalled the end of a four-year conflict in Bosnia in which an estimated 100,000 people died and two million became refugees.
The peace process began in Geneva on September 8, 1995, under the guidance of the Swedish mediator and former High Representative in Bosnia, Carl Bildt.
The peace treaty was subsequently negotiated in Dayton, Ohio, in November and signed in Paris on December 14.
The "Ten Years of Dayton and Beyond" conference has been organised by the Association Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was co-founded by the Austrian UN ambassador and also former High Representative in Bosnia, Wolfgang Petritsch.
Petritsch has said the future success of Bosnia depends on political stability, the return of refugees, foreign investment and entry to the European Council.
Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey, who addressed the conference on Thursday, said Bosnia had now arrived at a "real turning point in its history".
She said the country still faced major challenges, including strengthening the central institutions of the state, fighting organised crime, tackling high unemployment, and addressing ethnic discord.
"There are still important reforms to be implemented in order to overcome today's remaining divisions and to free the country from its present dysfunctionalities," she said.
"This will require significant efforts, however, and urgently so if Bosnia-Herzegovina is not to be left behind by its neighbours and the rest of Europe."
Calmy-Rey added that the failure to bring suspected war criminals Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic to justice prevented the country from dealing adequately with its past.
The Swiss foreign minister also highlighted Switzerland's long-standing commitment to Bosnia, which has benefited from almost SFr400 million ($309 million) in aid since 1996.
"Our vision for Bosnia-Herzegovina is that of a country as part of a peaceful, democratic and prosperous region, fully integrated in Europe, which is where - without doubt - it belongs," she said.
In Geneva the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) will put forward its "Platform Bosnia-Herzegovina", aimed at speeding up dialogue on constitutional questions and sparking discussions on future perspectives.
The SDC has contributed SFr150,000, a third of the conference's costs.
Vreni Müller-Hemmi, Swiss parliamentarian and member of the Association Bosnia and Herzegovina senior advisory board, said the support of the international community was crucial for the transition to a democratic state and entry into the European Union."
She played down fears that recent pressure from Bosnian Croats for their own republic would derail progress towards a unified state.
"There are a lot of people from Bosnia-Herzegovina, from all parts of the country, who are willing to build a unified state," she told swissinfo. "That's the aim of the association, the international community and Switzerland."
In a separate development, European Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn met Bosnian Prime Minister Adnan Terzić on Wednesday following the approval, by the upper house of the Bosnian central parliament, of legislation on police reform.
"I welcome the recent progress on police reform," said Rehn. "This will allow me to recommend to the Commission and the Council opening negotiations on a Stabilization and Association Agreement with Bosnia and Herzegovina."
This agreement is seen as a stepping-stone towards EU membership.
Rehn called for sufficient "follow-up" on the police agreement, which will see a multi-ethnic police force replacing the separate services that followed in the Serb Republic and the Muslim-Croat Federation after the end of the war.
Bosnia-Herzegovina has a population of around 4 million.
40 per cent are unemployed and nearly 20 per cent live below the poverty level.
Since 1992 Bosnia-Herzegovina has been an independent country, member of the UN and other international organisations.
Since the Dayton Accords in 1995, Bosnia has been administered in a supervisory role by a High Representative selected by the UN Security Council.
It is decentralised and administratively divided into two entities: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska.
The country is a Swiss foreign policy priority, due to its post-war problems.
On October 20-21 a Swiss-supported international conference on Bosnia's future is taking place in Geneva.
Geneva marks ten years of peace in Bosnia Oct 19, 2005 - 22:05 The future of Bosnia-Herzegovina is being discussed at a two-day international conference in Geneva, under the banner "Ten Years of Dayton and Beyond". In 1995 the Dayton peace agreement signalled the end of a four-year conflict in Bosnia in which an estimated 100,000 people died and two million became refugees. The peace process began in Geneva on September 8, 1995, under the guidance of the Swedish mediator and former High Representative in Bosnia, Carl Bildt. The peace treaty was subsequently negotiated in Dayton, Ohio, in November and signed in Paris on December 14. The "Ten Years of Dayton and Beyond" conference has been organised by the Association Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was co-founded by the Austrian UN ambassador and also former High Representative in Bosnia, Wolfgang Petritsch. Petritsch has said the future success of Bosnia depends on political stability, the return of refugees, foreign investment and entry to the European Council. Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey, who addressed the conference on Thursday, said Bosnia had now arrived at a "real turning point in its history". She said the country still faced major challenges, including strengthening the central institutions of the state, fighting organised crime, tackling high unemployment, and addressing ethnic discord. "There are still important reforms to be implemented in order to overcome today's remaining divisions and to free the country from its present dysfunctionalities," she said. "This will require significant efforts, however, and urgently so if Bosnia-Herzegovina is not to be left behind by its neighbours and the rest of Europe." Calmy-Rey added that the failure to bring suspected war criminals Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic to justice prevented the country from dealing adequately with its past. Challenges The Swiss foreign minister also highlighted Switzerland's long-standing commitment to Bosnia, which has benefited from almost SFr400 million ($309 million) in aid since 1996. "Our vision for Bosnia-Herzegovina is that of a country as part of a peaceful, democratic and prosperous region, fully integrated in Europe, which is where - without doubt - it belongs," she said. In Geneva the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) will put forward its "Platform Bosnia-Herzegovina", aimed at speeding up dialogue on constitutional questions and sparking discussions on future perspectives. The SDC has contributed SFr150,000, a third of the conference's costs. Vreni Müller-Hemmi, Swiss parliamentarian and member of the Association Bosnia and Herzegovina senior advisory board, said the support of the international community was crucial for the transition to a democratic state and entry into the European Union." She played down fears that recent pressure from Bosnian Croats for their own republic would derail progress towards a unified state. "There are a lot of people from Bosnia-Herzegovina, from all parts of the country, who are willing to build a unified state," she told swissinfo. "That's the aim of the association, the international community and Switzerland." Police progress In a separate development, European Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn met Bosnian Prime Minister Adnan Terzić on Wednesday following the approval, by the upper house of the Bosnian central parliament, of legislation on police reform. "I welcome the recent progress on police reform," said Rehn. "This will allow me to recommend to the Commission and the Council opening negotiations on a Stabilization and Association Agreement with Bosnia and Herzegovina." This agreement is seen as a stepping-stone towards EU membership. Rehn called for sufficient "follow-up" on the police agreement, which will see a multi-ethnic police force replacing the separate services that followed in the Serb Republic and the Muslim-Croat Federation after the end of the war. swissinfo with agencies Key facts Bosnia-Herzegovina has a population of around 4 million. 40 per cent are unemployed and nearly 20 per cent live below the poverty level. In brief Since 1992 Bosnia-Herzegovina has been an independent country, member of the UN and other international organisations. Since the Dayton Accords in 1995, Bosnia has been administered in a supervisory role by a High Representative selected by the UN Security Council. It is decentralised and administratively divided into two entities: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska. The country is a Swiss foreign policy priority, due to its post-war problems. On October 20-21 a Swiss-supported international conference on Bosnia's future is taking place in Geneva.


text:
Peter Sundström (* 14. prosince 1961 Skellefteå) je bývalý švédský hokejový útočník.

Hráčská kariéra
Hokejovou kariéru začal v klubu IF Björklöven, za který hrál v letech 1978 - 1983 nejvyšší domácí soutěž Elitserien. S klubem si v ročníku 1981/82 zahrál finále playoff, prohráli 2:3 na zápasy s klubem AIK. Během tohoto období odehrál v roce 1981 mistrovství světa juniorů a se švédskou reprezentací získali zlaté medaile. V létě 1981 byl draftován klubem New York Rangers ve třetím kole z 50. místa. V roce 1982 a 1983 se zúčastnil v mistrovství světa, ale tentokrát nepřinesli účasti žádný zisk medailí. Do sestavy Rangers se zapojil od roku 1983, o rok dříve začal kariéru v NHL jeho dvojče Patrik Sundström za tým Vancouver Canucks. Za klub Rangers odehrál tři sezóny, poté se rozhodl vrátit se na rok do mateřského týmu IF Björklöven, kterému pomohl k zisku Le Matův pohár. 27. srpna 1987 byl vyměněn do týmu Washington Capitals za páté kolo draftu (touto volbou byl vybrán Martin Bergeron). V organizaci Caps strávil dvě sezóny. 19. června 1989 byl podruhé v kariéře vyměněn, tentokráte do klubu New Jersey Devils za desáté kolo draftu (touto volbou byl vybrán Rob Leask). V týmu Devils se potkal s svým dvojčetem bratrem Patrikem, v týmu však nehrával často, častěji hrával na farmě v Utica Devils. To byl jeho poslední ročník v zámořské soutěži, poté ještě pět sezón hrával ve švédské nejvyšší lize za klub Malmö IF. Klubu pomohl dvakrát k titulu ligy a v ročníku 1992/93 vypomohl k vítězství v evropské hokejové lize.

Ocenění a úspěchy
 1992 SEL - Nejlepší nahrávač v playoff
 1992 SEL - Nejproduktivnější hráč v playoff

Prvenství
 Debut v NHL - 5. října 1983 (New York Rangers proti New Jersey Devils)
 První gól v NHL - 5. října 1983 (New York Rangers proti New Jersey Devils, brankáři Glenn Resch)
 První asistence v NHL - 26. října 1983 (New York Rangers proti Winnipeg Jets)
 První hattrick v NHL - 16. ledna 1984 (New York Rangers proti Detroit Red Wings)

Klubové statistiky

|-bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1978/1979|| IF Björklöven || SEL || 1|| 0|| 0|| 0|| 0||—||—||—||—||—
|-
| 1979/1980|| IF Björklöven || SEL || 8|| 0|| 0|| 0|| 4||—||—||—||—||—
|-bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1980/1981|| IF Björklöven || SEL || 29|| 7|| 2|| 9|| 8||—||—||—||—||—
|-
| 1981/1982|| IF Björklöven || SEL || 35|| 10|| 14|| 24|| 18|| 7|| 2|| 1|| 3|| 0
|-bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1982/1983|| IF Björklöven || SEL || 33|| 14|| 11|| 25|| 26|| 3|| 2|| 0|| 2|| 4
|-
| 1983/1984|| New York Rangers|| NHL || 77|| 22|| 22|| 44|| 24|| 5|| 1|| 3|| 4|| 0
|-bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1984/1985|| New York Rangers || NHL || 76|| 18|| 25|| 43|| 34|| 3|| 0|| 0|| 0|| 0
|-
| 1985/1986|| New York Rangers || NHL || 53|| 8|| 15|| 23|| 12|| 1|| 0|| 0|| 0|| 2
|-bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1985/1986|| New Haven Nighthawks|| AHL|| 8|| 3|| 6|| 9|| 4||—||—||—||—||—
|-
| 1986/1987|| IF Björklöven || SEL || 36|| 22|| 16|| 38|| 44|| 6|| 2|| 5|| 7|| 8
|-bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1987/1988|| Washington Capitals|| NHL || 76|| 8|| 17|| 25|| 34|| 14|| 2|| 0|| 2|| 6
|-
| 1988/1989|| Washington Capitals || NHL || 35|| 4|| 2|| 6|| 12||—||—||—||—||—
|-bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1989/1990|| New Jersey Devils|| NHL || 21|| 1|| 2|| 3|| 4||—||—||—||—||—
|-
| 1989/1990|| Utica Devils|| AHL || 31|| 11|| 18|| 29|| 6|| 5|| 4|| 1|| 5|| 0
|-bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1990/1991|| Malmö IF || SEL || 40|| 12|| 19|| 31|| 50|| 2|| 1|| 0|| 1|| 4
|-
| 1991/1992|| Malmö IF || SEL || 40|| 10|| 17|| 27|| 36|| 10|| 5|| 6|| 11|| 2
|-bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1992/1993|| Malmö IF || SEL || 40|| 11|| 15|| 26|| 36|| 6|| 1|| 0|| 1|| 18
|-
| 1993/1994|| Malmö IF || SEL || 40|| 4|| 14|| 18|| 28|| 11|| 5|| 2|| 7|| 8
|-bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1994/1995|| Malmö IF || SEL || 40|| 9|| 13|| 22|| 30|| 9|| 1|| 4|| 5|| 2
|- bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" | Celkem v NHL
!335
!61
!84
!145
!122
!23
!3
!3
!6
!8
|}

Reprezentace

|-
| 1981
| Švédsko 20
| MSJ
| 5
| 2
| 2
| 4
| 4
|-bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1982
| Švédsko
| MS
| 8
| 3
| 1
| 4
| 2
|-
| 1983
| Švédsko
| MS
| 10
| 3
| 3
| 6
| 2
|-bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1984
| Švédsko
| KP
| 8
| 2
| 2
| 4
| 8
|-
| 1987
| Švédsko
| KP
| 6
| 1
| 0
| 1
| 2
|-bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1987
| Švédsko
| MS
| 10
| 1
| 1
| 2
| 6
|-bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" | Celkem
!28!!7!!5!!12!!10
|}

Reference

Externí odkazy

Narození v roce 1961
Narození 14. prosince
Narození ve Skellefteå
Žijící lidé
Švédští lední hokejisté
Švédští hokejoví útočníci
Hokejisté American Hockey League
Hokejisté Svenska hockeyligan
Hráči New Jersey Devils
Hráči New York Rangers
Hráči Washington Capitals
Hokejisté New Haven Nighthawks
Mistři světa v ledním hokeji
Mistři světa juniorů v ledním hokeji
Muži
Hráči draftovaní New Yorkem Rangers


text:
InícioBlogRoadblocks in love life
Roadblocks in love life
One of the many solutions that Multidimensional Therapy offers with the help of Beings of Light concerns the healing of a person's love life.
Given that love life is the main source of happiness and well-being for the person when "things go well" it can also be exactly the cause of a deep sadness and sense of weak value as a loving companion of someone, a sense that is evidently false given that every human being has an inestimable value.
To note that all the work of the Beings of Light, carried out in various dimensions, is always done according to the will of God and for the supreme good of the souls of all involved.
Multidimensional Therapy at the service of healing existing love relationships
The causes of an unsatisfactory love life sometimes radiate in situations such as:
companion lives with a partner for 10, 15 or 20 years having been happy with him/her (loved and felt love) only during the first 2 years of relationship. However, you feel unable to end the relationship out of his/her piety, gratitude to him/her for all that he/she has brought him (money, emotional stability, material comfort or children) or fear of loneliness;
after the birth of the first and remaining children of the relationship, the companion is disinterested in the companion often telling him that "she no longer gives attention to him" and feels, in some cases, however difficult to admit, a certain envy of the attention given to the children;
companion abandons the companion despite the fact that he considers himself "exemplary" (good financial provider, worker, extreme father, devoted husband who remembers, from time to time, to create a romantic program for two in order to invest in the relationship, cooperates in domestic chores, gives her freedom to go out with friends and have fun alone, etc.);
constant suspicion that the partner has a double life (another family), a suspicion that is often denied by the partner;
the person (single, separated, married or divorced) discovers that he/she is in love with someone (other than his/her own partner) for whom he/she feels an irresistible attraction, possibly arising from a life spent in communion that the spirit decides to resume to resolve karmic issues but cannot experience at the moment this relationship since the person through whom he nourishes this feeling is already in a relationship. Sometimes, the person feels guilty as he does not intend to interfere with the loving relationship of his/her loved one or cause him/her any affective disorder. At other times, the person feels that the partner of that person no longer truly loves him or her, intending to maintain the relationship out of financial interest or, simply, by habituation;
companion loses the attraction for the companion tending to devote more time to work and justifying the distancing, often noted by the companion, as being necessary more money to buy more things or make a trip for two or take the whole family;
partner does not feel sexual satisfaction with the partner, a situation resulting from, in many cases, simply not loving him;
partner considers that the partner was disinterested in him/her after a year of relationship, neglected the relationship, began to prefer the company of friends or "took it for granted";
partner does not understand, from a certain moment, a more or less rapid change in the behavior of the partner;
partner decided to marry too early (under 26 years old) to escape a troubled family life at the parents' home;
partner decides, for financial or professional reasons, to change city or country, leaving behind the companion if she does not want to support this decision and continue to demonstrate that the love you feel for him/her is more important than everything else;
companion noticed that companion was left with psychological trauma after intense military training, participation in certain spiritual rites or a car accident and is "different";
partner made (or ordered to make) a mooring to arrest the companion;
Multidimensional Therapy at the service of creating new love relationships
Multidimensional Therapy is not limited to healing the wounds of the relationship that already exists. Multidimensional Therapy has also been used to create a new relationship. However, from time to time, there are impediments of the most varied orders, which this therapy can help unlock. The Multidimensional Therapy Consultation it is used to heal and not so much to diagnose and is therefore best suited for people who want to see positive changes in their love life rather than going down a 7- or 8-year path of psychoanalysis with hundreds or thousands of sheets written about the life of the person in which, in practice, little result has besides, as often happens, the client has become a personal friend of the psychotherapy professional, after a few hundred hours spent in his company.
Some of the causes that hide behind the lack of a loving relationship although, in some cases, the patient says superficially to be satisfied with his current situation (a deeper reading and analysis of the person's energy allows us to see that the patient is in resistance mode and with an ego that wants to remain in his comfort zone):
low self-esteem (did not receive enough love in childhood by one parent or both, suicide of one of the parents, one parent opted for the energy of criticism of all that did not approve of the son or daughter)
sexual abuse (in physical and/or psychological terms) by family members (father, grandfather, uncle, brother, stepfather, etc.), known to one of the parents, classmates, high school, secondary, college, etc.;
strong desire for approval by a parent, more often, of the father;
school and/or professional bullying;
not trusting the opposite sex because the father has betrayed the mother, generalizing male behavior from this event and starting to expect this behavior on the part of men, which prevents the woman from starting a lasting loving relationship with someone for fear of suffering;
the woman or man does not initiate a loving relationship by attributing too much importance to a physical defect arising from a genetic cause or an accident; Often, this woman or this man, they say they want to find someone who accepts them for themselves even though they do not do it to themselves; As the exterior is a perfect mirror of the interior, it goes without saying that they will not achieve it, in the medium or long term, as long as the interior of them does not change.
fear of showing feelings and feeling vulnerable afterwards;
conditioning to hide their feelings and love/sexual needs and to see them as frailties;
one does not think a human being worthy and worthy of receiving love;
the father or mother used too much physical violence to "educate" the child, which causes the child to seek a partner with characteristics similar to their parent of the opposite sex, given the conditioning of the ego to associate love with violence;
one or both parents were "absent" although physically present, several times due to their parents (grandparents), they were also quite absent in the education of their children (future parents) or, on the contrary, present but from a negative point of view (physical/psychological aggression as a way of educating);
abandonment by one or both parents;
trauma of abandonment in early childhood, resulting not from a real situation of abandonment, but from simply the father or mother having been away for a few minutes, hours or days, without having conveniently explained to the daughter that she would return to the search; this kind of trauma can occur simply when the mother or father are shopping in a big supermarket and leave their 4-year-old son alone in a supermarket aisle (dairy, for example) to quickly go to the frozen area and when they return the 4-year-old is crying as if he were an abandoned baby… Such an event, given that the child's mind is not yet properly configured to understand, can create a belief in her subconscious ("my mother abandoned me in a supermarket aisle when I was 4 years old, I tried to reach her but her legs were bigger and she ran away from me faster so I wouldn't catch her… She probably abandoned me because she doesn't like me. If she, my own mother, doesn't like me, it's because I'm not a love-worthy being.")
having already heard as a spirit incarnated in the future to be born (intrauterine life) that was not desired, that it would bring many complications at the financial and social level to parents, who wanted a girl instead of a boy or the opposite, etc.;
the person easily socializes with others but when the issues touch the loving area, the person tends to retract in a situation of a possible involvement with someone (often, it retracts when a potential suitor crosses the line from social to loving).
Spiritual causes of love locks
Sometimes, the blocks that prevent the person from being happy in this area so important to the human being have spiritual causes, which, unfortunately, due to ignorance or prejudice of the psychotherapists or patients themselves, are placed as the last to be analyzed due to the scepticism that rages in Western society, boasting of its technological and scientific development but extremely immature and unpredictable in what spirituality concerns.
Sometimes it becomes necessary that the ego suffers for about 10 consecutive years or more in the loving area, has tried all existing psychology methods using including techniques such as the statements of the defenders of positive thinking, hypnosis and self-hypnosis, NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), TLT (Time Line Therapy), EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), Fast EFT (Emotional Fast Freedom Technique), Sedona method after the more traditional techniques have failed (approximation via social circle, change of attitude, demonstration of personal, social, financial value among others) until a spiritual solution is finally considered and pride, prejudice, scepticism, disbelief and fear (which, at least, is indicative that the person believes in something else) are finally put aside and the person can heal.
However, when the person finally shows himself open enough to explore the spirituality of his life, suffering will have already contributed to something extremely positive – the openness of the person. Even if that person shows up for a Multidimensional Therapy session at the age of 89 and, she herself, considers that it is too late, that session will have been worth it and, it, will have already contributed to the elevation of her spirit, which, when she returns in the next reincarnation to the physical plane, will already be more mature and certainly with a more open tendency to Spirituality and should not take as long to solve his problems as it took in the incarnation or previous incarnations.
Some of the spiritual causes may be:
karmic rescue (details may appear in an Aura Reading Therapy session)– the person is fulfilling a teaching that the soul intends to acquire; For example, the person may have made someone else never happy in love in a past life. You may have forced yourself, by ego, not to work love for a lifetime and, in today's life, you find yourself in an identical situation (consequences are repeated in today's life but the cause is in a past life) but whose cause no longer remembers consciously since it was a conscious choice of yours from the past;
presence of obsessives in the person's energetic field;
vows of fidelity to a companion who has since passed away but nevertheless remain perennial;
vows of chastity (very frequent in people who, in past lives, belonged to religious orders that imposed them);
magic performed by someone against the person;
love paths cut off;
Telefone (obrigatório)
Email (email válido obrigatório)
Hora 10:0012:0014:0016:0018:0020:0022:00

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
PROVOST MONUMENTS, INC.
28 BANGOR ROAD - BENTON, MAINE 04901
Because of the Covid-19 pandemic and our concern for the health and well-being of our employees and customers we are practicing social distancing and are following all CDC guidelines. Please call us with any questions or concerns you may have.
Completed Memorial
At Provost Monuments we offer the latest techniques in memorial design, as well as the time-tested methods of years past. Staying abreast of our industries innovations enables us to complete most orders right in our Benton shop.
Our computerized drafting and cutting system enables us to offer endless design possibilities, as well as over 30 different styles of lettering. We can also provide a computer generated drawing for you to preview, and possibly make changes to, before we engrave the granite.
Statues & Vases
Memories Carved in Stone
Personalized Rocks
Rock & Bernadette LaCroix
Email: provostmonuments@yahoo.com
Veterans Memorials
Granite Signs
Around 1888 George Provost, along with his wife, started a small monument company in Springfield, Massachusetts. They later moved the business to Augusta, Maine and ran it with their two sons, Fred and Wilfred.
Fred and Wilfred went on to run their own businesses and in 1948 the younger son, Fred, moved his business to Hallowell, Maine. For reasons unknown in 1952 Fred moved his family and business to its present location in Benton.
When Fred retired in 1961 the business was taken over by his daughter Denise and her husband Felix LaCroix. Together they expanded the business to four locations in Belfast, Brunswick, and Carmel as well as the main office in Benton.
After 30 years Felix and Denise retired in 1991. The business ownership was then passed to their son Rock LaCroix and his wife Bernadette. We are conveniently located at 28 Bangor Road in Benton.
Copyright © Provost Monuments, Inc. | Privacy Policy


On Thursday, gold capitalized on its safe haven status amid another down day on equity markets and after weak US economic news supported a decision by the US Federal Reserve last week not to raise interest rates.
In late afternoon dealings on the Comex market in New York, gold futures with December delivery dates jumped more than $25 or 2% to $1,156.70 in heavy trade with double the daily average number of contracts changing hands. The last time gold was above the $1,150 resistance level was August 24.
Gold is up 5% from where it was trading before the Fed's hold on rates which have not been raised since June 2006.
The US Commerce Department said on Thursday orders for durable goods fell in August for the first time in three months, while the Labor Department announced applications for unemployment benefits increased during the week.
That gives ammunition to Fed doves who want to keep interest rates lower for longer and sent the dollar tumbling and bond yields falling.
The dollar and gold and bond yields – specifically inflation-adjusted interest rates – and gold and have strong negative correlations – see charts.
These two graphs from independent research house Capital Economics shows based on the correlation between gold and the dollar and gold and bond yields, the metal still has plenty of upside.
Gold performance on Thursday was also boosted by short-covering. Gold speculators were wrong-footed by the decision to keep interest rates near zero as the positioning by hedge funds on the New York futures market appeared to factor in a rate hike.
According to the CFTC's weekly Commitment of Traders data for the week to September 15 large speculators on Comex – referred to as "managed money" – slashed net bullish positions by 75% to a mere 686,000 ounces.
Speculators added significantly to short positions – bets that gold could be bought cheaper in the future – and at the same time cut longs.
Short positions are now back within shouting distance of 10 million ounces (283 tonnes) while bullish bets have been reduced to more than five year lows.


text:
Are you Ready for Run Barbados 2017?
Join Team Terra!
Thursday, November 16, 2017 | By Terra Caribbean
December in Barbados will open with the exciting Run Barbados Marathon Weekend - the Caribbean's most highly anticipated road race event that is an annual staple with the local, regional and international road racing fraternity. This decades'-old running tradition has grown exponentially over the years, and is now in its 34th year, promises to be even more exciting than ever.
The event kicks off on Friday December 1 with runners converging within the island's UNESCO Heritage site at the Garrison Savannah for the Fun Mile at 8PM. The new start point is a departure from the previous years, where youngsters, veterans and fun seekers would usually flock to St. Lawrence Gap for the high-paced mile-long run. The night will not only culminate with the crowning of the Fun Mile champion, but also runners with the most original costume; the best dressed couple; and, the best dressed group of 5 or more runners.
The adrenaline keeps pumping straight into Saturday when the 5K and 10K races will take place. At 3:30PM, all participants of the Saturday events are invited to join the warm-up session hosted by local crossfit instructors. Directly after, as the sun slowly starts its descent, the starter's gun will sound for the 5K run, which will once again feature a corporate challenge for business groups, as well as a schools' challenge for the next generation of road racers. Both races leave the Bay Street Esplanade and continue on a gorgeous course through historic Bridgetown, looping back to the original start point for the finish.
The weekend marathon then culminates on Sunday as runners take their mark for the marathon and half marathon - both of which begin at 5AM at the Bay Street Esplanade. Two hours later at the same start point, the family event, the 5K walk for charity, gets going at 7AM. The three-day festival finally comes to an end at 5PM at the Harbour Lights night club with the Run Barbados after party.
The event, which continues to be billed as a family friendly event, is produced by the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. and attracts hundreds of runners ranging from seasoned international veterans to hobbyists and those looking to challenge themselves.
We invite you to come out and join Team Terra for any of the events! Contact Ramona Smart at 430-3641 or Ramona.smart@terracaribbean.com to sign up! Sign up closes on November 23rd at 4pm.


How much does the installation of a garage door cost?
It is very difficult to give an exact price as some variables need to be considered. Is it a replacement door or a new construction? Must we remove the existing door? Do we have to rebuild the frame and cover with aluminum?
What is the headroom above the door (to determine what type of lift)? Is there a bedroom above the garage (door insulation and noise reducing mechanism)? Do you need any extra accessories with your electric operator? What use will you make of your garage? Will you park your cars in it? Or maybe store things in it? Or maybe, it will be a workshop or a recreational room for your children.
These are all questions that must be answered in order to determine your specific needs. Besides, isn't your garage door an important investment for you?
If you would like one of our dealers to contact you in order to receive a free estimate, please fill out the online quote request form or contact us directly.


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Ябча́нка () — холодный украинский десерт из яблок, напоминающий мусс, также может обозначать холодный фруктовый суп.

Состав и приготовление

Рецепт мусса
Яблоки запекают в духовке (можно использовать яблочное повидло), протирают мякоть через сито, добавляют сахар и сырые белки, после чего взбивают веничком до образования белой густой массы. После этого ябчанку выкладывают в форму и ставят в холодное место (на лёд) для охлаждения. Также готовят ябчанку сметанную, для чего добавляют немного белого вина или рома, смешивают со взбитыми сливками или сметаной и охлаждают.

Рецепт супа
Сварить яблоки с кожурой в небольшом количестве воды и протереть через дуршлаг или сито. Долить немного воды, добавить по вкусу сахар и довести до кипения на медленном огне. Взболтать в пол литре молока или стакане сметаны 2 ложки муки, добавить щепотку корицы и ванильный сахар. Когда закипит яблочная часть — долить молоко (сметану) с мукой, и помешивая дать закипеть. Остудить. Подавать с корицей и гренками из белой булки. В некоторых рецептах вместо сухариков к ябчанке подается варёная фасоль.

Примечания

Источники

 Пані Стефа. Ябчанка. Страви Галицької кухні.
 Ябчанка сметанная

Десерты
Украинская кухня


Karen is hosting a clothes swap party with a theatrical twist. Join her to play games for points, watch pop up plays, swap old clothes and have an interactive theatre experience like no other.
Inspired by the brilliant, unique location of Derby Theatre being inside the shopping district, five critically acclaimed playwrights ask, what do our wardrobe choices say about us?
In ARMOUR, Sandra loses critical markers that told her who she was. So now, how does she show her inside out when she doesn't know what her inside is anymore?
ARMOUR was directed by Charlotte Bennett and performed by Olwen May.
My previous credits with Forward Theatre Project include WHEN IT FALLS (Soho Theatre) and CAN CAUSE DEATH (National Theatre, Northern Stage, Latitude).