Category: Mission Journal

While it’s still the beginning of the year, it might be useful to look at Pope Francis’ list of new year resolutions. It could give us some ideas.

When I got my first passport in 1983 it had, I think, 40 pages and cost $15. After ten years when I got a new one, it cost $30. Then the third one was $80 or $90 and had only half the pages. Now this latest announcement from the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh raises the cost to $130! Ouch!

Today I went to the dentist for teeth cleaning and a check up, and during the cleaning, I was wondering if bottom teeth get cleaned better than top teeth because the dental tech can see the bottom teeth better. That started me wondering about dental work in space where a dentist could be upside down (like these astronauts brushing away) and so could look at the patient’s top teeth like they were bottom teeth.

Last night, Cambodia time, a funeral was celebrated at the Maryknoll headquarters in Ossining, New York for Fr. Ed McGovern. Ed was a former prosecutor for New York City courts but made a career change and became a Maryknoll priest and was assigned to Cambodia in 2004. He and I lived together until 2008 when he was elected to the General Council for the Maryknoll priests and brothers group. Good guy. I’m going to miss him.

In the photo, Fr. Ray Finch, the Superior General of the Maryknoll priests and brothers, incense’s Ed’s coffin at the beginning of the funeral in the main chapel at Maryknoll, New York.