Since it's Columbus Day weekend, I am finally home. True to the portrayal in my last post, I knew we had reached Northampton when Human Rights Campaign equality sign stickers festooned every car (my parents, contrariwise, knew they had reached Worcester when they saw their first McCain/Palin sticker). Politics aside- no, for me that's impossible- it's nice to be home, and to catch up on the political and religious mailings that have been piling up since August. A few Remnants, a New Oxford Review or two, and The Chapel Veil: Symbol of the Spouse of Christ, a 24-page booklet advocating what it's named for and printed by Requiem Press; I ordered it partly for the sake of supporting its authors, Elizabeth Black and Emily Griswold, two fellow Catholic students at Christendom College. And besides, it was only $3.25 for a cute little volume bound for the bookshelf.

I wish I were so happy about the November prospects. While Creative Minority Report is optimistic about the Florida and California marriage amendments, the Connecticut news, which will not be repeated here, took me by surprise. Nonetheless happenings of this lugubrious sort are to be expected in heathen New England; and it can't be put to a vote during this election (not that I expect it would be overturned- we Yankees are hopeless). While the presidential polling remains close, I have felt let down ever since I saw this video of a segment of the Couric interview. While my fellow Catholic blogger Mary Alexander took it differently, it frustrates me that Sarah Palin went out of her way to fudge and be unclear on whether abortion should be illegal in the case of rape, and concerning the "morning after" pill. As one of her comments said, "...both you and I would have answered a simple "yes" to the question about believing that abortion should be illegal, and a simple "I condemn it" to the question about the morning after pill,". I couldn't agree more. Great if Sarah's just hiding an unpopular position to be more easily elected, but America will never respect the right to life if we speak with such a lack of conviction. Goodness, the candidate sounds like she's outlining personal values, and not trying to illegalize a genocide. Perhaps we can't afford to vote for anyone else given the alternative, but I sure wish Alan Keyes were the Republican candidate instead. There's a pro-lifer, no questions necessary. Not to mention one of the few good Catholics [trying to get] in[to] public life.

My hope is that we can attend a Mass of the 1962 Rite today. Either way, I ask prayers for Brother Louis Marie, M.I.C.M., a tonsured amigo of mine. He said his final vows yesterday, so this is a bit late, but I do not doubt he needs all the prayers he can get in his monastic vocation.