Overheard at St Blog's Coffee Hour

* The trailer for Mel Gibson's "The Passion" has been released. Word on the street is that he may add subtitles to the spoken original languages. But anyone who knows the story can figure out what Pilate means when he says "Ecce homo!" or Our Lord on the cross when he cries out "Eloi, Eloi..."

* Kathy Shaidle discovers a loss of civility in (gasp!) Canada, starting with panhandlers. Maybe Toronto is actually worse than DC, but I doubt it. I've seen the same jokers for nearly twenty years, begging for money. I've even seen a guy berate those who pass him, even those who give him money. What a twit. I usually only give money to street musicians. But I once adopted a homeless gal, named Pam. She wasn't like the others, and she would give me counsel sometimes on matters of the heart. She was like an angel. But one day she was gone. I still think about her, and hope she's alright.

* Mark Shea starts on his "Rock the Rockies" speaking tour in Denver. Descriptions of purple mountains majesties forthcoming. I recommend he find a little coal town called Idaho Springs, northwest of the city, where there's a restaurant named "Tommyknockers". They've got a microbrewery there, with a maple nut brown ale that's to die for. (Bring some back for me, will ya?)

* Mark Sullivan (aka Irish Elk) is gay-bashing Cardinal Newman -- apparently. Talk about a cry for help, Mark. All these people who think that two guys who are bosom buddies just have to be gay, from David and Jonathon up to the present, are full of horse-puckey, never mind those who believe that the Church actually blessed same-sex unions. During the Byzantine era, it was not uncommon to bless spiritual friendship between men, at a time when sodomy was punished by -- well, let's just say the punishment fit the crime. Anyway, it was the practice of the time for two men who forged a brotherly bond in the field of battle, to be known as each other's "paraclete," or protector. Remnants of the custom are found today, in the form of "blood brother" oaths undertaken by everyday schoolboys.

Anybody got a problem with that?