February 7 Cronan the Wise 8th c

Thommy and John


Good morning
I love you

The news of the day: A-Rod and steroids. In 2003 he agreed, along with all other MLB players, to be tested anonymously. In 2007 [and at other times, I bet] he categorically denied using steroids. This weekend, because of a convoluted set of circumstances, it has been revealed [reported] that A-Rod tested positive in 2003. … . Of course, character is what you do when no one is looking [or testing]. [that would make my character, as I look around the living room, cluttered and boxed.]. … .or, no good deed goes unpunished. … . Or, like Daschle after Geitner, once upon a time we tolerated it and now we don’t. … . or, maybe, slink back to the basics, e.g., the ten commandments, and don’t lie, don’t cheat to begin with. [which is anti-genetic to a guy’s ‘deny deny deny’. Our need for ego-protection is greater than our trust in forgiveness. I wonder where that comes from. Also genetic? A survival mechanism? A better trust in self than in reliance upon another? … . If you were A-Rod [ok, I know that’s beyond an extreme reach, A-Rod being, until Friday anyway, the poster boy for striving for the best, yep, let me say it, for perfection in his vocation], would you have accepted testing, would you have categorically said no if you had a positive test on the books, anonymously? Or is such a question only relevant if you’ve put yourself out there by actually trying to be your best, be the best?.!

This weekend saw two articles about patient abuse in state psychiatric hospitals - one in NY one in NC. [unfortunately, I bet there were incidents of abuse in each of the states within the past month. Isn’t that a tragic belief?!] I’ve confronted similar circumstances in several hospitals - some where I’ve come in as the new ceo; others where I had corporate oversight responsibility. I’m believing that it is different in the private sector than in the public sector. You can shut down and start over in the private sector. You can rapidly ‘clean house’ in the private sector. The patients and, maybe, the staff are qualitatively different in the private sector - - on average and within a narrow range. In the public sector the average is ‘lower’ and the range more narrow, more of the more extreme. … . I wonder if there is more of this or if there is less tolerance for this or if we have better reporting. But, just like the goal is for zero seclusions; should not the explicit goal be zero abuse?! … . Yeh, our hospitals for the state committed mentally ill should be to not abuse any of them; not break any laws. … . The biggest tragedy is the failure to report the incidents by those who know the patient was abused. … . I remember telling one director of nursing about a unit - - if you cannot guarantee me that there is one set of eyes on each shift who will report any wrong doing, then either the DON worked every shift on that unit or I’d close the unit. … . Imagine the horror such a unit must have been for the patients never mind the staff….



February 9
Cronan the Wise 8th c. [?]

The dictionary of Christian biography… on line, gives us a genealogy for Cronan: Son of Nethesman from the old and noble family of Ferlacta, son of Fergus, son of Ross, son of Rudhraighe. I wish I could give you a genealogy that went that far back - four generations. We are missing more than you can yet imagine by not having such ties. Grandma spent several years unsuccessfully hunting down her father. Grandpa has never told me any ‘father stories’ - except that he left. Sorry.

Cronan was renowned for knowledge and piety - thus, The Wise. Knowledge and piety, thus, are not mutually exclusive. I suggest that the more we know, the more we should know to be pious.

Cronan was elected bishop. Being from an old and noble family helped. Being knowledgeable and pious was a plus. The question - why/how did he choose the priesthood as his vocation for leadership and service?

Cronan went to Iona but kept the fact of his episcopate to himself. St Columba discovered the truth. There Cronan was, Bishop of Waterford, ensconced within his old and noble family. And he gets up and goes, anonymously, to Iona. Imagine…. And apply to yourself….


I love you
dad