Huron Expositor, 2005-05-04, Page 5Opinion
How to crash a Pope's installation
with a few contacts and lots of moxie
From Page 4
We had to come up with a
way to get into the cordoned
off V.I.P. section in front of
St. Peters. At the
ambassador's reception, we
discovered Prime Minister
Trudeau was staying at one
hotel, while a dozen cabinet
ministers were at another a
few blocks away.
The drill was for the cars to
pick up the delegates and
leave with a police
motorcycle escort at the front
and back, then proceed to the
Prime Minister's hotel. Mr.
Trudeau would be in the lead
car and the procession would
then be escorted at high
speed to the private
automobile entrance at the
left of the large pillars that
circle St. Peter's Square.
Tony had fastened a small
Ontario flag on a foot long
stick to each fender with duct
tape. He bought an
impressive looking
chauffeur's hat matching his
jet black suit, and we took off
to the Minister's hotel. We
felt like Batman and Robin
and probably looked the part.
Tony slowly pulled up
behind the last of the half
dozen long black Fiats that
were lined up.
Suddenly, with his head
down, Frank spoke. "Don't
look now but we've made the
parade: The Rome police
have pulled in behind us on
two motorcycles." A minute
later, we left.
It was easier than we
thought. For 10 or 12 minutes
we raced through red lights
with a police escort in front
and behind. It was hard to
fight off feeling important.
Rows of Caribbineri lining
each side saluted as we sped
through the holy gates.
It was a short walk to the
roped -off enclave reserved
for the royal personages, the
rich and famous, prime
ministers and presidents and
a lot of high holy people, as
well as movie stirs and
business moguls. But we had
no seats.
They all appeared to have a
large white ticket that entitled
them to a spot in the first 20
rows directly in front of the
dias where the formal
ceremony would take place,
The truly great sat in rows
behind the Cardinals on the
landing.
Bad planning made it
tough for our prime minister
and the other important folks
to see what was taking place
— for when the Cardinals
donned their tall hats, they
blocked the view of the
favoured folks sitting on the
upper landing.
Frank and I walked around
trying to look holy and wise
and important.
Although our devious
scheming put us beyond
deserving of a miracle, it
happened. All because of a
wonderful Newfie I met years
earlier.
In an earlier life 1 met
Monsignor William Carew
who was then personal
assistant to Pope Paul VI. Bill
was from Newfoundland and
had been at the Canadian
College in Rome before
joining the staff of the Holy
Father.
I met him at a gathering of
Canadians in Rome. A few
days earlier, I had attended
the opening of the Ontario
Office in Milan where I
asked Bill to take a donated
case of Crown Royal off my
hands rather than lug it back
to Canada. It sealed a
friendship that lasted over 30
years. He rose to become the
Vatican Ambassador to Japan
until his retirement in 1997.
I spotted him in the crowd
and took Frank over to meet
him.
We shook hands and
chatted for a few minutes
about earlier days. And then
it happened. The miracle.
Praise the Lord!
The Archbishop was
lamenting that his sister and
her husband were to attend
the ceremony but because of
the British Airways strike,
News
they were stuck in London.
Frank was almost
salivating as he saw the two
white V.I.P. tickets in his
hand. They were for the third
row and immediately in front
of where it was all to take
place.
I looked at Frank and said
something like. "Those
tickets are better than ours 1
think, aren't they Frank."
Right on cue he answered,
"Yes Clare I believe they
are." Of course they were.
We were not really fibbing
because any tickets were
better than ours - we didn't
have any.
And so it was. We started
with little more than revenge
in mind for being zapped
from the list. Now we were
three rows from the front and
the Prime Minister of
Canada, although he was
above us and up on the
landing, was 17 rows back
with a view obstructed by the
high pointed hats of the
Cardinals.
Frank was overjoyed. With
little more than his Irish
determination, and smoke
and mirrors, we had upstaged
Pierre Trudeau. But more
important, with moist eyes
Frank sat praying that his
mother was looking down on
him with great pride in her
Catholic son.
St. James principal changing under
Catholic staff shuffle for 2005-06
By Stew Slater
Special to the Expositor
Barring unforeseen events prior to September, all but
one elementary principal placement has been set for the
2005-06 calendar of the Huron -Perth Catholic District
School Board. But there will be some significant
changes.
At a regular meeting Monday, April 25, trustees
approved the transfer of one principal into a coordinator
position at the board's Dublin head office, the transfer of
two principals from one site to another, the assumption
of dual -school duties by a principal, and -- somewhat
reluctantly -- the impending resignation of well-
respected principal Ann Sutton.
"We certainly are sorry to see (Sutton) leaving us, but
we wish her all the best in her new endeavours," said
board chair Bernard Murray. "We have been blessed, and
we realize we have to share the wealth."
Sutton, who currently serves as principal at both St.
Columban and St. Patrick's in Dublin, will not return in
September.
She'll be replaced by current Our Lady of Mount
Carmel principal Judy Merkel. This leaves Mount
Carmel as the only elementary facility in the board
without a principal placement for 2005-06, although the
process is now underway to fill the position.
Further west and north, St. James in Seaforth will lose
its principal, Donna Gregus, to the hoard's
administrative office.
She'll be replaced by Mary Brown, currently at Sacred
Heart in Wingham.
Nancy Barrett, currently principal at St. Joseph's in
Kingsbridge, will assume leadership duties for both St.
Joseph's and Sacred Heart.
The Kingsbridge school has been threatened with
FOR ALL YOUR
GARDENING NEEDS
• Screened
• Mpie tot
• Landscape Sten.
• Sandi Gravel
we delver ea Saturdays
VanDriel Excavating Inc.
482-3783
JULY 29-31, 2005
www.townofseaforth.ca
NI
fir' 1�
Come and View the
Wonderful Sights
In our Greenhouses!
1000's of Geraniums.
1000's of Hanging Baskets.
1000's of Distinctive Plants
15 Colours of
Wave Petunias.
Home of
Ted's Tasty Tomatoes!
RETAIL 8 WHOLESALE
-4k*.<
Alt Mothers Shopping on
Sat.y, May 7 & Sun., May 8
receive a
FREE
3.5" Petted
Wave Petunia
Also...Alf Mothers Shopping on those
days will have their name put into a
draw for A Large Shrub Tubl
Hours Mon -Fri 8-8.
Sat & Sun 9-6
f
closure, although a community group vows to assist the
board in turning around a trend of declining enrolment. c
It's likely a full-time vice-principal would be hired to
handle administrative duties at St. Joseph's, thereby
freeing Barrett to spend more time in Wingham.
At the April 25 meeting, Murray was glad to see that
only one search process would have to take place for a
new principal.
"It's not easy to find principals these days, but we're
happy to be able to fill these positions with people from
our own area," the board chair said.
1
1
1
1
1
1
„00001111 a— .ear.
aeaaa .aaa cx..:.
WV= Gee- .0000
r 1
DOMINION DRIVER TRAINING & ,
CAROL BLAKE, COURSE PROVIDER
are offering you a Ministry 1
Approved Driver Education
4 DAY COURSE
beginning July 4/05
to be held in Clinton
1
in our new classroom at the Betty
Cardno Centre Highway #8, West of Clinton
Call to book space.
1-800-665-3027 or 519-527-1891 or
www.dominiondrivertraining.on.ca
•+,. ..aaa — ea 4 wan
I1
•
110E211 110.1111M
1
1
1
1
1
THE HURON EXPOSITOR. May 4 2005-5
Municipality of Huron East
APPOINTMENT
The Municipality of Huron East is accepting
applications from interested citizens of Huron East to
serve on the Seaforth & District Community Centres
Committee. The appointments will be for the balance of
this term of council.
For additional information concerning
responsibilities, etc., please contact the municipal office.
Applications, clearly marked, outlining background
and interest in the position should be addressed to the
undersigned prior to Friday. May 13th 2005 at 12:00 pm
Clerk Administrator (J.R. McLachlan)
Municipality of Huron East
72 Main St., South, PO Box 610
Seaforth Ontario
NOK 1 WO
519 527-0160
ANNUAL MEETINGS
Clinton Public Hospital
St. Marys Memorial Hospital
Seaforth Community Hospital
Stratford General Hospital
I1t. RON PI.ItI I{ THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2005 at 7 p.m.
MITCHELL GOLF AND
COUNTRY CLUB
1 IEA1T11('.ARE
ALLIANCE
Members who pay their fees annually shall not be entitled to
vote at any meetings of the Corporation unless their member-
ship fees were paid in full at least thirty (30) days prior to the
date of the meeting. A person is eligible to be an Annual
Member where he or she pays to the Corporation the annual
membership tee of $10.00 and where he or she meets the con-
ditions outlined in the By-laws. Annual Memberships in the
Corporation are effective from April 1 in one year to March 31
in the following year.
Annual Membership Fees can he purchased from the Business
Office at the hospital no later than May 22, 2005.
A,Iclre►t' Williams
Secretary, Boatel of Directors
Church
Services
You are invited to attend these area churches
St. Thomas
Anglican Church
A Congregation of the Parish of The
Holy Spirit
Jarvis St. Seaforth
Fr. Michael Atkins
Parish Office 527-1522
Sunday, May 8' -
Worship al 9.30 am
Mon May 9 Prayer group at 7 pm
Grower's Group at 7 30 pm
Tues May 10 Photo Day
Catholic Church
St. James RC Church
14 Victoria Street, Seaforth
527-0142
Weekend Masses: Sat 5:15 pm
Sun. 11:00 am
St. Columban RC Church
Saturday Mass at 7:30 pm
Father Lance Magdziak
Bethel Bible Church
An Associated Gospel Church
Egmondville
United Church
126 Main St. Seaforth
Sunday, May 8
10 a.m. Sunday School
527-0982
11 a.m. Worship
Sunday Worship Hour 11 am
Steve Hildebrand - Lay Pastoral
Minister in Training
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Annual Pork Chop BBQ
Wednesday, May 25
EVERYONE WELCOME
NORTHSIDE UNITED
First Presbyterian
CHURCH
Church
54 Goderich St. W
Goderich St. W., Seaforth
Sun., May 8, 2005
Rev. Henry Huberts
Sunday School
Sunday, May 8
Adult 8 Youth 9:30 a m
Worship: 11:15 a.m.
Junior 11.00 a m
Sunday School & Nursery
Worship 11 00 a m
Provided
Rev. John Gould
May 8 - Mother's Day Breakfast
The Real Jesus is
May 14 - Plant Sale & Garage
Channeling Grace
Sale
FRENCH DRESSING`
Celebrates You on
1 U r ',
er
Enter the draw for
a chance to win a pair of
FDJ French Dressing jeans
from April 21st to May 8th, 2005.
Try on a pair TODAY
and tell us what you think.
a90 (' ' -', ru r rr rtzt Nr.!or
la* r;1.3,4 pp,.
dttwrt dr ..._ . .. .
a+4rasrsw
43 Albert St., Clinton 482-7872