This little (baptized!) daughter of mine

Annabella and friends, today (June 27th) was a very special day in Lowell, Massachusetts. Our daughter, Annabella Killari Mendizabal Kerrigan, was baptized by Fr. Victor Cancino at St. Margaret of Scotland church. 

FORTY

first and last

 My first and only blog post this year comes on the final day of the infamous 2020.

a cavalier spirit

#2 All In for the Cleveland-wide Celebration

Who believed that a Cleveland sports team could come back from a 3-1 series deficit to defeat the winningest team in NBA history as well as the defending champion, Golden State Warriors? I did. Who was downtown yesterday alongside 1.3 million other Clevelanders at the Championship parade and rally for the Cleveland Cavaliers? I was. Some people say that life is sometimes all about timing. I couldn't agree more.

the street that Bill built

#3  Church Ave

I don't know about you and your generation, but whenever I think about the late great, Mr. Fred Rogers, I am immediately reminded of the melodious tune "Who are the People in Your Neighborhood?" that aired on just about every television episode of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, which I watched during the late 80s and early 90s.

Mr. Rogers fan or not, if you have never walked or rode down Church Avenue in Cleveland's Ohio City, then you need to do so soon. William "Bill" Merriman and his beloved wife, Jean, are the "land-stewards" of a particularly-intimate row of houses that overlook Lake Erie. 

I first met Bill & Jean on one of my very first nights in Ohio City. I was floored by their hospitality, generosity and Mid-western charm. Over the course of the next twelve months, they became dear friends and parental figures in my life. To this day, I still enjoy paying a surprise visit to the Merriman household to "tease" Jean about her famous jambalaya gumbo or to listen to Bill tell of the incredible stories of his St. Pat parishioners.

My JVC roommates (Veronica, Allison & Brigid) and I fondly remiscience about how wonderfully-welcoming our Church Ave neighbors were to us (and continue to be), especially on those first few days of living in community.

I will leave you with a few of my favorite Church Avenue moments...

1. Watching from inside the warm comforts of our 3007 Church Avenue, as Bill plowed a clear path along the sidewalk and steps of us/our neighbors after the blizzard of '07. (or literally anytime that Bill responded to our household needs)

2. Playing catch with John Monahan et al. in the middle of Church Ave (unfortunately, i remember all to well the "blind" toss that John made, which left me with a blue, fat lip)

3. Each  every Harvest Moon festival (in case you don't know or have never attended this annual eclectic block party which usually takes place on the full moon nearest the autumnal equinox)

In Bill We Trust.

Go with God, God goes with You!

#4  Be Saint Martin

If you have not yet heard, a very special thing has been happening since 2003 on 6111 Lausche Avenue in the St. Clair-Superior neighborhood on Cleveland's east side--namely the transformation of urban Cleveland, one student at a time. Saint Martin de Porres High School is a Cristo Rey school of about 500 students and upwards of 80 faculty/staff members. Recent graduates are attending--and many excelling at--local colleges/universities as well as a host of Jesuit institutions throughout the country. At the heart of their mission are the following words:

WORK. STUDY. SERVE. LEAD. PRAY

In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus teaches his disciples that "whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." I like to think that sometimes we are most humbled when others tell it how it is versus our own interpretation. I have included two very unique videos, from young alumni as well as parents/corporate work study sponsors, both of which I believe capture what it is to be Saint Martin. I could list the names of the students, faculty and staff who have given countless hours to making Saint Martin de Porres High School the incredible academic and spiritual community that it is; however, I would like you to meet them and see for yourself. Feel free to watch these witnesses or perhaps visit us the next time you drive past E.55th & St. Clair. 

so when are you moving back to Cleveland?

I cannot tell you how many times I have heard that question, since I departed from northeast Ohio in May 2011. While I would love to live more permanently in Cleveland someday, there are many factors that become involved in such a decision. Time, as always, will tell. I did, however, leave you with the promise that I would continue the FINAL FOUR moments of my Top 25 Cleveland countdown, so I would like to follow through on that guarantee. Please enjoy the last four in a seemingly 2-year series of posts that put the final squirts of Bertman's Ballpark Mustard bottle on the best four years of my life.