emphasize the positive!

By Diogenes ( articles ) | Jun 03, 2007

Did you notice that Father was wearing white vestments this morning? It turns out today is Say Something Nice Sunday. If this isn't your Uncle Di's patronal feast, it certainly ought to be. Here's the deal:

In Charleston, South Carolina a slow but potentially powerful movement is beginning to emerge. Historic First Baptist Church now in its 325th year and the Charleston Baptist Association, the oldest Baptist association in the South, have declared the first Sunday in June as Say Something Nice Sunday. On this Sunday Christians of all denominations are urged to step back from strident discourse and to utter no word of criticism about another person or another religious group. In fact they are urged to go further and to say nice things about others and other religious groups.

Uncle Di applauds this idea without reserve, committed as he is to reducing strident discourse, muting criticism, and, well, bringing a little sunshine into the lives of others.

In the spirit of Say Something Nice Sunday, he will pass over in decorous silence the details of Bishop Brom's Diocese of San Diego's nose-dive into bankruptcy.

Nor will he mention the Archdiocese of Los Angeles' miraculous mystery video of priestly frolics, which uncannily re-edited itself to the Archbishop's advantage without human intervention.

He will keep mum about the conveniently invisible Bishop Thomas Dupre and about his confreres' celebrated "Promise to Protect, Pledge to Heal" campaign.

Finally, by way of conceding to the request "to go further and to say nice things about others," Uncle Di would like to compliment Bishop Thomas Gumbleton on a homily that is not only well-spelled but displayed in easy-to-read 12-point type.

Hey, can't we ALL just get along ...?