Your gift counts double until 5/31: $25,969 to go in our Easter Campaign. Please help now!
 Off the Record

doughnuts, huh??

By Fr. Wilson (articles ) | June 24, 2003 4:09 PM

Well MAY Dunkin' Donuts emphasize bagels now. The bagel is the worthiest of breakfast foods. With all respect to doughnuts, or to Dunkin's "Donuts" even... ah. the Bagel.

When I was in seminary in Dallas, the saddest mornings were the ones where they had "bagels" for breakfast. "Bagels." In Texas. The other guys would say, "Hey, Joe, just like home, huh?? Just like Noo Yawk??" I'd just sit there disconsolate, born and bred as I'd been in the new Jerusalem of the east coast, mumbling, "By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept, when we remembered thee, O Sion; as for our harps, we hanged them up upon the trees that are therein."

[Almost as bad was "Pizza Lunch," where I first encountered the Little Frisbees of Death. Pizza in Dallas. "How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?"]

My first parish after ordination was the perfect setting for me. It was twenty-five city blocks by eight blocks (ten thousand Catholics living therein), with an elevated train running down the main drag/commercial strip, Jamaica Ave. In the morning I'd say the 7AM Mass, then hop up to the end of the block, make a right, buy bagels and cream cheese (two bags -- for us and for the sisters) and newspapers, and a cuppa steaming black coffee to sip on the way back. A Korean Presbyterian family made the most FANTASTIC bagels, a great assortment. Then, back to the rectory for the papers. In my current parish, I'm glad to say, a real baker just opened up three doors from Dunkin' Donuts. SPLENDID bagels. And he's doing great business.

Meanwhile... in Dallas there is something called the "New York Deli." All I could think was, "Blessed shall he be that taketh thy children and throweth them against the stones."

An appeal from our founder, Dr. Jeffrey Mirus:

Dear reader: If you found the information on this page helpful in your pursuit of a better Catholic life, please support our work with a donation. Your donation will help us reach five million Truth-seeking readers worldwide this year. Thank you!

Easter Campaign:
Progress toward our Spring 2013 goal ($25,969 to go):
$80,000.00 $54,030.55
32% 68%
Sound Off! CatholicCulture.org supporters weigh in.

All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!

There are no comments yet for this item.

Think with the Catholic Leaders: Subscribe to Catholic Culture Insights Newsletter
Donate to Support this Site: Your contribution will be put to good work.
Tour the CatholicCulture.org Site
Shop Amazon to Raise Money for Catholic Culture

Recent Catholic Commentary

That impromptu exorcism again 3 hours ago
The Mystery of the Spirit 18 hours ago
Against a Facile Assurance of Salvation, the Need for Mystery 19 hours ago
Making Sense of Society: The Ebook May 21
An exorcism? No, a blessing. You'd think reporters would know the difference. May 21

Top Catholic News

Most Important Stories of the Last 30 Days
Pope strongly supports call for reform in religious life CWN - May 8