This past week has been a busy one for my wife and me. Five people died who were either friends, acquaintances, or relatives. What struck me is how many were culturally Catholic, or the families of the deceased were Catholic in name only. Three of the five were of Hispanic descent. Spain's missionaries evangelized much of North and South America, and within a recent generation many who have a long Catholic background have lost their connection to the Faith.

This lose of Faith seems to have been replaced by a New Agism of self. Reading the obituaries, constructed by family members, provides the clue one needs only read to come to this conclusion. Obits do not only provide family connections, those who preceded the deceased and those who are still living, but a dissertation on the great person the deceased was. George is survived by his wife Lilian and two sons, Clement and Earl. George was a wonderful grandfather who loved his three grandchildren and gave them money. He worked in the car industry for 20 years where he always treated his customers with respect. He loved his favorite programs on television and his iced cold drinks. He loved to lay in his hammock on hot summer days with his iced cold drink and watch his beloved wrestling. He will be missed by his many friends whom he socialized with on a nightly basis. Internment is on Monday at 11:00 am at Curly's Chapel and Cemetery.

Who was this written for? George is dead and judged. Let's not get into the eulogies and photo galleries that seem to be de jour in the mortuary industry. Yes, someone has died, but it is really about the survivors, isn't it? Enough about me. What do you think of me?

When the world has forgotten God and His designs for us, we are headed on a path that ends in a precipice. Wasn't it Hemingway who wrote (maybe John Donne originated this),"Do not ask for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee?"