Editor’s Note: The following article by Loretta Fulton first was published in the West Texas Angelus, the newspaper of the Catholic Diocese of San Angelo. By Loretta Fulton Every priest serving St. Vincent Pallotti Catholic Church in Abilene since 1985 has at one time or another said the same words when confronted with an issue that needed a decision. “Let’s
Read moreBy NANCY PATRICK I recently had my seventy-first birthday. (I didn’t say “celebrate” because I don’t enjoy birthdays as some people do.) My birthdays, especially those of the past two decades, have effected a time of reflection and assessment for me. I think my family must have had some pretty good genes because most of us have lived full lives.
Read moreBy JIM NICHOLS At the conclusion of a visit to a hospice patient, the outside caregiver must complete an electronic questionnaire regarding the impressions from the visit. This is a requirement of the hospice providing company as well as Medicare, the entity often paying for the service. Since there are generally three different types of service provided, there are three
Read moreBy JIM NICHOLS It has happened so many times now that I have stopped thinking it is unusual. I will see or hear one snippet and, suddenly, a flood of other memories arises and stacks on top. One of my favorite parts of the local newspaper is a section “Today in History.” Here appears a short list of notable events
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By LORETTA FULTON The word “ALLELUIA” in colorful capital letters stretches across part of the lawn at the new location of First Christian Church. The congregation has much to shout “alleluia” about. Number one, of course, is that Sunday, April 4, is Easter–the most appropriate day to sing “alleluia.” But members of First Christian also have a couple of other
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By LORETTA FULTON Thinking of going shopping for a new Easter outfit? Be sure to add “white mask” to the list. A year after Christians were stunned by the closure of churches on Easter Sunday, life is somewhat back to normal. In 2020, the traditional Easter celebrations with flowers, music, sunrise services, breakfasts, and egg hunts fell victim to the
Read moreBy NANCY PATRICK In my youth, American society did not set aside a month during which to honor women for their contributions to the world. In 1987, Congress established March as the official month to do so. As a woman, I shamefully admit my ignorance about the historical status of women in American society. I would venture to say that
Read moreBy JIM NICHOLS One of the most common delusions for you and me is to be blind to our own presuppositions or biases. Many have defined such assumptions as a worldview. This can be manifested on both personal and national levels. As an historical example, the New England Native American population in 1600, being a nomadic group, had a much
Read moreBy DANNY MINTON The word “hate” seems to be thrown around with a completely new meaning these days. I asked myself what does it mean to “hate” someone? Can you disagree with someone and it not be “hate?” The dictionary defines “hate” as “to feel intense or passionate dislike.” Synonyms include abhor, loathe, detest, abominate, and despise. Those words exhibit
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Spirit Of Abilene 