Great Expectations

A lot of things to be hopeful for and about this October.  Among them:

October 7: The SSPX will be meeting in a suburb of Rome to discuss the "Preamble" they were given a few weeks ago by the CDF regarding their return to the fold.  Symbolism again ranks high as it's the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary and all sides are asked to pray a full Rosary for a positive outcome.  It's never been closer.

October 8:  Hockey season begins tomorrow (finally!) and my Washington Capitals have been picked by Hockey News to win it all this year.  They open against Carolina on October 8.  Might this actually be the year that this exquisite painting becomes "non-fiction?"

October 27:  Assisi III.  A letter was made public a few days ago in which Pope Benedict expressed to a Lutheran friend his motivation behind his upcoming presence at the interfaith meeting previously marked by scandal:

"I understand quite well your concern regarding the participation at the Assisi meeting. However, this commemoration would have to have been celebrated in some way and, all things considered, it seemed to me that the best thing would be for me to personally go there being thus able to determine the direction of it all. I will nevertheless do everything in order that a syncretistic or relativistic interpretation of the event will be impossible and so that what will remain is that I will always believe and confess that which I had called to the attention of the Church with [the Declaration] 'Dominus Iesus'."

October 1:  That's the last day my wife had a cigarette.  After nearly 30 years for both of us, we're in the quitting "process."  She's doing much better than I right now and am so proud of her.  Harder than heroin to quit.  Here's to hoping it continues throughout the month and forevermore.  Prayers for both of us are appreciated.