2008, i hate to see you go!

boy, oh boy, what a year it has been. here's a look at some of the highlights from the past 12 months....

Tommy's past:

o Tommy fell in love with a beautiful woman named Gisella

o Tommy finished his JVC year in the Cleve with three great people (Brig, Al & V.) and learned so much from each one of them on Church Avenue

o Tommy kept in touch with family and folks from SMdP HS, PC, Feehan, Norton as well as the greater Cleveland area

o Tommy bought his very first BIKE & loves to wear his helmet while peddling around the city

o Tommy became an experienced traveler as he visited Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, Milwaukee, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, New Orleans, D.C., Iowa, Dayton, Cincy, St. Louis, Burlington, and Canada & used planes, trains & automobiles (as well as his bike & own two feet) to get there

o Tommy voted for President-elect Barack Obama in one of the most historic presidential elections this country has ever witnessed

o Tommy is glad you were a part of his year!

Someone famous & well-liked once said, "there is no better moment than the present." TK agrees with this statement at least for now ;)

TK's present:

- TK is returning to John Carroll for his second semester of grad school

- TK is resuming his position as resident minister in Murphy Hall

- TK is celebrating his sister's (Meghan) 21st birthday in Burlington, VT

- TK is looking for a new pair of basketball sneaks & a used fiddle

- TK is disappointed that the Patriots (11-5) didn't make the playoffs, but is ready for pitchers & catchers to report to spring training in February

- TK is excited that he will be back home (in Massachusetts) for spring break (February 27-March 8)

- TK is praying for you and your loved ones

what promises 2009 (and beyond) hold for mr. tom kerrigan...

Tom's future:

* Tom will be participating in an eight-day silent retreat at the JRH in Parma, OH before beginning the spring semester

* Tom will be traveling to Ecuador with a group of JCU students in May 2009

* Tom will, hopefully, be spending the summer of 2009 serving as a camp counselor to urban youth on the west side of Cleveland (maybe even a possible service trip visit to Ireland in late July?)

* Tom will continue meeting with his spiritual director (Fr. Bob Welsh, S.J.)

* Tom will be writing more letters, saving more money, spending less time on the computer, worrying less, keeping in better shape, cutting his hair at the same barber shop, eating more healthy foods, taking better care of self, and praying more consistently

since it is new year's eve & there is copious amounts of snow falling from the heavens, i thought it would be appropriate to share with you a new joke of mine (taken from a page in the kid's monthly magazine, Highlights).....

q. why was the baby ant confused?
(idk, why?)
a. because, his uncles were ants!

may the Lord continue to bless you each and every day. take good care.

His peace and love,
tk

[receive] Christmas

27 minutes until another Christmas day has come and gone. i figured i'd blog before going to bed on a simple, humbling & very meaningful Christmas. i did not wake up this morning thinking that i would look out my window and see green grass and 12+ inches of melted snow on the ground or play a family boardgame created by my younger sister (Kaitlyn) or even share Christmas meal with my maternal grandfather. but i will retire to bed tonight with a fuller understanding & deeper appreciation for the promise that is Christ each and every morning (not just on December 25th). He has blessed my family & i in oh so many ways and hope that He has done the same for you. so without further adieu, merry Christmas to all and to all a good & peaceful night!

it is a wonderful life...

after watching one of my favorite Christmas movies of all-time, It's a Wonderful Life, i am reminded of the true meaning & spirit of this special season--namely to recognize the greatest gift that the good Lord has given to men and women alike is life. Jesus, of course, is the reason we celebrate the season and His birth, life, death & resurrection have the utmost importance to so many of us; however, for each of us to forget that our life is precious and worth living (no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in) would be foolish. instead, let us celebrate life and the blessings that accompany that great gift this day & every day. tonight, i was reminded of what it feels like to lose all hope in oneself and one's life, and i want no part of that. we can all learn a very important message from George Bailey's (Jimmy Stewart) guardian angel, Clarence AS2 (Angel second-class), whose words jingle like the silver bells that adorn the tallest of trees: "remember that no man is a failure who has FRIENDS."

peace cranes not war planes

i will never have the resolve or the courage to defend our country the way that so many men and women have done (and continue to do) over the years. just recently, my mother informed me that one of my very good friends from back home, benny, had decided to enter the military and would begin training within weeks. he has since then started training in the US and who knows what will be next for good ol' benny. while i don't like to talk to much about war and my position on our country's current involvement overseas, i do feel the need to pay my respects to those service men and women who at such a great cost sacrificed their lives for a seemingly noble purpose. on this veteran's day, i salute those brave folks and pray for immediate and long-withstanding harmony amongst all peoples (no matter whether you are called to battle or not). benny, my prayers and thoughts.

all you holy men and women pray for us (cont.)

yes, i've done it. i've committed the cardinal sin of blogging. i...i...i usedanoldtitle. but there is a good reason for it (oops, i just started a sentence with "but")! that reason is one of overemphasis (read my commentary from last year first, then you will understand). i don't have anything new to say about saintliness or our shared vocation of living holy lives (magnanimous, if you ask me). i said everything i wanted to say in last year's post, but i believe it was worth repeating. you be the judge...

one scaredee kat

you know i've never really been a huge fan of all hallows eve, but really when else can you run up and down your street/neighborhood in a crazy homemade costume (inevitably one article of your outfit is from what you had lying around your room or house) and collect--from your neighbors--enough sweet morsels that will leave you with a big fat filling and your parents with a month's worth of hyperactivity ("tommy, stop....STOP! how many pieces of candy have you eaten already?"to which tommy answers with a big chocolate grin, "only eleven!"). i would prefer not to speak about how scared i was to enter any makeshift haunted garages or get in the way of teenagers throwing eggs at houses and cars. for me (and my sisters), one of the best moments of halloween was not the actual trick or treatin', but rather the post-game ritual of dumping out all of the hershey bars, milky ways, sweet tarts, flavored tootsie rolls and pretzels (i even got a miniature Bible one year!) from our plastic pumpkin containers or pillow cases and spreading them across our living room carpet in order to count each individually-wrapped treat. once the final tallies were recorded, the trade talks began ("meg, i'll trade you a reese's peanut butter cup and a candy necklace for your king size nestle crunch bar?"). the halloween activities that the Kerrigan children participated in were minimal and lasted only a couple of hours; however, we were ready for bed by 9 o'clock. and for somebody who has always had stomach issues (usually excessive gas), everyone was pleased that tommy was retiring for the evening :)

a general rule of thumb for all you trick-or-treaters:
be good and be safe. but if you can't be good, well, at least be safe.

welcome friends

i've heard through the grapevine that more and more folks have been checking out my blog. i'm happy to hear this. please feel free to comment or just read some of my monologues (which i hope will become dialogues soon). thank you for visiting...

labre.

one of my roommates last year explained to me the difference between "homeless people " and "people who are homeless." another roommate taught me that trust is hard to regain when someone has proved to be untrustworthy. my third roommate reminded me what true gratitude entails and exemplified how i can indeed show God that i am thankful for all that i have been blessed with. all three of these lessons have actualized for me, especially after my involvement with the saint benedict joseph labre project at st. ignatius high school. what made me think back to these memories and morals? well, tonight was the first night in quite some time that i was given the opportunity to provide nourishment and company to some folks who are living on the streets of cleveland. and boy, was i glad i got that chance (this time alongside john carroll university students), because i forgot how special this activity can be. throughout the course of our van route, which made eleven stops in all, i think the one liner that made me stop and smile was when a man by the name of charles said to a few students gathered around him, "say thank you always and give back when you can." what simple, yet beautiful words that i was able to catch this evening. man, i only hope that i can grow as close to the Lord as some of these folks have become. poor in the eyes of men and women, but rich in the eyes of God, saint benedict joseph labre, please pray for ALL OF US.

say what you need to say...pretty please

do yourself a favor (om...my dad is always saying that!) and say what you need to say. why is this even a issue, folks? shouldn't speaking what is on your mind be obvious and automatic? in my opinion, yes it should be a given, but there is more to it than just telling someone how you really feel or explaining to someone (who doesn't even care) why something they did or said bothers you. in fact, many psychologists would say that we are protecting ourselves from further harm by avoiding confrontation and failing to express our innermost thoughts & emotions. enough already! are you worried about being hurt because of the beliefs, values and ideals that you h0ld dear or are you scared of embarrassing yourself in front of your peers (many of who will never be more than a passerby)? i mean really. what is it going to take for you to let your spouse, lover, friend, parent, sibling, neighbor know exactly how you are doing (when he or she inevitably asks you that conversation starter)? don't get me wrong, this sort of trust and security is not easy; it actually is quite difficult to attain. but in order to reach this stage, you MUST start somewhere at sometime with someone, so you might as well begin NOW. so let's get practical. next time you are in a situation where someone asks you how are you, would you please treat your own well-being with the respect that you deserve? is that too much to ask? i do not think so. chin up, look 'em straight in the eyes and let 'em know. you'll be better for it.

we remember...we celebrate...we believe

"nine eleven." we have heard those two words repeated thousands of times over the past seven years and every time that date stirs up a number of emotions (fear, anger, sadness, hope) inside me. we have seen the pictures and heard the stories and tried to remember where we were and what we were doing at that moment on that infamous day. isn't it interesting how this event in human history has become a fulcrum by which we measure and refer and trace seemingly almost ever other event? what was a heinous and devastating attack on our nation (in which the precious lives of children, women and men were lost) has become a rallying point by which every American can interlock arms with his or her fellow neighbor and say in unison "never again." for some, september eleventh has become another fourth of july, as we are reminded and celebrate all the freedoms and liberties that our country has granted to its people. a reminder of the formidable and resilient American spirit that will respond to such a tragedy with nationalistic pride and action. for others though (least we forget), it is a reminder of the pain and anguish that they endure each day because their spouse, sibling, colleague or child is no longer with them. whatever your reason is for remembering and honoring those who lost their lives on september 11, 2001, please see to it that you say a special prayer for them and the us of a today. god bless humanity...

dear august, i hate to see you go...

august was another memorable month with some noteworthy transitions. i think the best way to present these events would be to countdown the minutes until it is officially SEPTEMBER.

10 - days that i got to spend at home in massachusetts with my parents and two younger sisters

9 - is the score i give to the cafeteria food here at John Carroll (it puts the menu @ PC to shame)

8 - the number of Olympic gold medals that Michael Phelps won this month in Bejing

7 - new Cleveland JVs and i've already been able to be a supportive fJV to them

6 - ty percent chance that veronica will move back to cleveland before the winter solstice

5 - different & oftentimes frustrating ways of getting around (rapid, RTA, walk, bike, carpool)

4 - month anniversary for Gisella and I (she is pretty special)

3 - lovely young women (allison, brigid & veronica) whom i had to say farewell to after living in intentional community and serving with them in Cleveland for the past eleven months

2 - places at once (still trying to balance my time spent in west & east cleveland)

1 - more day until graduate classes begin...

even though i loved you* (august), i welcome you** (september) with open arms...

to bike or not to bike?

that really is the only question for cyclists, isn't it? i mean there are plenty of tasks that need to be completed and plenty of people to "catch up" with, but does anything compare to the possibility of being selected to pedal "from sea to shining sea" in the name of habitat for humanity? i may be exaggerating the awesomeness of such a prospect (of course, there are better ways to spend one's time especially with regards to family and friends and lovers), which is why i need your help. this is the first official poll that i have ever posted on my blog (and believe me when i say that it is only the beginning) and i hope you will share your thoughts. so here it is?

should i spend the next 7.5 months fund raising/training (which includes collecting at least $4,000 and biking an average of 40-75 miles per week) and then an additional 2.5 months on the actual bike & build (assisting at various Habitat for Humanity sites) journey from providence to san francisco?

reply with a...

(1) if you think this is a great idea and should be pursued, if all other factors have been considered.

(2) if you think this is a good idea, but would encourage me to consider other options of achieving a similar experience without the physical, financial and emotional costs

(3) if you think this is not a good idea, but would suggest that i think and pray about this prospect a little bit more

(4) if you think this is a terrible idea and would suggest that i discontinue any/all preparations for this trip immediately

thanks everyone. for more information about this bike ride go to www.bikeandbuild.org

until next time, remember to wear your helmets and check your brakes...

unrecognizable

up and at 'em! one of the saddest things is when you realize that you no longer recognize something (or someone for that matter) that you once knew so well. i do not know if this is a phenomenon that you have ever experienced, but it is one that i am familiar with oh so well. in fact, just the other day i was driving along route 106 and discovered that a large section of vegetation had been wiped out, so that a local bank company could construct a castle-like structure as their headquarters. some of my favorite stores from when i was younger-- dorothy lou's bakery, roche bros., even my own neighborhood--appear foreign to me. granted i am getting older and my sight is not as stable as it once was; regardless, i have an issue with these childhood gems being plucked from my life. i want to experience all these wonders like i did when i was eleven and seven--except i can't! i must cope with the reality of this discovery and react accordingly. so far, my reaction has been one of grand disgust and abhorrence, but just like almost everything else, give it time and all will be well. i'm not sure if i will ever recover from my most recent findings, but one thing is for certain, "the more things change the more they stay the same" (i'm sorry but i cannot give credit to the author of those wise words, because i do not know his or her name and therefore must plead ignorance). it's good (no, it's great) to be blogging again...

n.b. today is 08.08.08 (i just love numbers)

boston your my home...

as relentless feelings of homesickness resurface and in the wake of the boston celtic's 17th nba championship, i am reminded of my roots. as much as i have fallen in love (and i have literally done that too ;) with the midwest, i will forever be indebted to new england. something about the rustic aroma, the way the breeze blows, and those family members & friends whom i hold dear to me makes massa"chu"setts (excuse you) like no other place on earth. now, of course, i have enjoyed venturing outside of the sheltered east coast and exploring new lands and cultures; however, as dorothy gale so graciously reminds us "there is no place like home." so for those who question whether i will ever come home, i hope that you know me better than that. peace be the journey...(home)

"May love and laughter light your days, and warm your heart and home. May good and faithful friends be yours, wherever you may roam. May peace and plenty bless your world with joy that long endures. May all life's passing seasons bring the best to you and yours!"
~ an old Irish blessing

school's out for the summah

to say the least, it has been a LONG year. with that being said, i have thoroughly enjoyed my stay here at Saint Martin de Porres high school. my students were difficult & disrespectful at times, entertaining & inspirational at other moments. some days were harder to arise from bed than others and some staff members i got along with better than others. as i sit at my desk on this humid friday afternoon in june on the last day of school, i sluggishly retrace my steps starting in early august/september. there were feelings of incompetence, uncertainty, serenity, and jubilation. there was frustration and tears and pain and sacrifice. i s t r e t c h e d myself to the max and i grew in humility & patience. i would never change this year (even if those changes would make the year less stressful), because the people that i have encountered have transformed me in ways that i never thought possible. thank you saint martin's and know that i am forever changed because of you. st. martin de porres pray for all of us.

06.07.08

many of you know i find numbers to be fascinating! today's date is no exception. in fact, i had a conversation with a gentlemen at the local bike shop about this and he informed me that not only will we experience another date like this next year (07.08.09), but for the next several years as well. for a very different reason, today's date is significant and VERY MEANINGFUL--namely its Saint Martin de Porres High School's first ever graduation. 50 seniors will be receiving their diplomas and all 50 have been accepted (and hopefully will be attending) college in the fall. even though it is a sweltering 90 degrees here in cleveland, ohio, there is still a lot of electricity in the air. well, i gotta get ready for the graduation, so i'm signing off. GO WITH GOD, GOD GOES WITH YOU. God bless the Saint Martin de Porres family.

Click here http://www.wkyc.com/video/default.aspx?maven_playerId=immersiveplayer&maven_referralPlaylistId=ac49b0ccd57480aef723c280aca6e201f6f6a5f5&maven_referralObject=766950561

ragging peace

i think this theme of peace has been a common theme of mine throughout each one of my blog entries, but i have been too antsy and rushed to notice it. i finally paid attention to it last evening inside the Grady's home. it is amazing to me how complete strangers nine months ago can become family so quickly and beautifully. not a day goes by that i don't appreciate all that everyone has done for me this year. and that is a good thing.

He is down off that cross...He has risen from that tomb

for some this was just another Sunday. for others, it was anything but. in fact, the most miraculous and glorious mystery was epitomized today as Christians across the globe celebrated their Savior's victory over death and fulfillment of His messianic promise. celebration of Christ's Resurrection is not just reserved to Easter Sunday. it is meant for every day, every moment, every encounter. what I believe we should reflect upon this Easter and every subsequent one is His gift and the price He paid for it. if we're already doing this, well then, keep doing it. it cannot hurt; it can only make us stronger. for if we don't know-and don't desire-what it is that we are striving for (i don't know about you, but i sure as heck want eternal salvation), then what's the point? Resurrection Sunday reminds us of the fact that even if you hold onto a sliver of hope, you hold onto a piece of the promise. oh and if that isn't comforting enough, know that God is on your side offering his hand for you to grab whenever you are ready to do so.

holy mAdNeSs

this is my favorite time of the year. the snow is beginning to melt (except in cleveland) and the birds are migrating north once again. let's not forget the boys of summer are more than half-way through their training. then, of course, there is another field of 64 college basketball teams from all over the country who have earned their right to DANCE. as i pick and choose which #12 seeds will go deep into the tourney and hope and pray that my final four picks will surive the first two rounds, i realize how great (and nerve-racking) it would be to actually coach/play on that stage. i also begin to consider how easily fans of basketball can become religiously glued to the tv set over these next two weeks of march mayhem, and i think to myself that i do not want to be one of them. of course, it would be nice to catch a few of the earlier games over a beer or two with my father/friends, but to miss the holiest week of the year and the greatest miracle that ever was would be truly disgraceful. this is why my family is coming to town and keeping me focused on the important things in life rather than letting my time slip away worrying and focusing on all the wrong things. all in all, i don't want to MISS IT. that IT is what you make of it...happy holy week

leaps and bounds

there are few occurrences that happen every four years (i.e. the Olympic games, the US presidential election, and of course leap year). four many of us the wait is too long; four others we could have benefited from a little extra prep time. either way it is important to recognize that these seemingly-long hiatuses actually work to our favor. four those who were born on February 29th (insert year), this fortuitous event allows you to drink from the fountain of youth (i immediately thought of the movie Jack when i was considering this phenomenon) and to be acknowledged during some ice-breaking games, like two trues and a lie or tell us something interesting about yourself to name two. those who cannot stand the current president (my hand is raised) have four whole years to tally how many poor decisions were made and evaluate the ditch that our country finds itself in. to those who love the olympics and the games are coming to a city near you (Chicago 2016...you'll find me holding an Irish flag downtown), buy your ticket now! in closing this entry and this month of February, it is interesting to note that in the 5th century, St. Bridget proposed to St. Patrick on this date and as a result, it has become tradition that women can only petition their male lovers once every four years. ladies, you have about 30 minutes remaining (and your next chance won't be until 2012!). 

twenty three

there comes a time in every man's life when he looks into the mirror and sees an aging face, weathered hair, a wrinkled forhead, and a scruffy chin. but just when he realizes that his life is speeding up too fast, he then considers all that he has experienced and lived through. take, for example, his twenty third birthday bash at American Flatbread restaurant in downtown Burlington. surrounded by three young ladies (a common theme in this man's life), this old man couldn't be any more content with his party of four. Paris, a seven year old girl who loves to draw, ask difficult questions, and laugh hysterically, accompanied this man's sister and college friend at the dinner table. the four of them spent time breaking "bread," sipping Shirley Temples, and playing games like MASH and poll the audience. everyone laughed, stared, smiled, and thought deeply about how great this night truly was. Even as this old man blew out the candles on his apple pie a la mode, he knew that this birthday was a special one and one that he would remember for quite some time. thank you.

juan

there's this man i've met who i think is pretty awesome. his name is juan and he is very holy. he attends mass just about every day and lights up to whoever he greets. his english is spotty at best and usually pats you on the back after shaking your hand. he epitomizes humility and makes His Lord proud. i've learned a lot from juan these last few months and i hope you have someone like juan in your life too.

absolution

a new year has begun filled with new beginnings and new experiments and new friends and new habits and new ways of learning how to get back HOME...