Sicilian DNA

[mallorys_camera]

In the late afternoon, I moseyed out to the garden, where I found Deb and James drinking beer and gabbing away at one of the picnic tables.

I joined them.

Apparently, Regina Coeli Church is kicking the Hyde Park Food Bank out.

With just one month’s notice.

There's a leaky pipe beneath the old convent building that we’ve been using as a distribution center. The priest sez Regina Coeli can’t afford to fix it.

I snorted. “Why? Because the Catholic Church had to pay off so many pedophile victims?”

Regina Coeli did offer us another space approximately half the size. For twice the rent.

I snorted again. “Wait! We’ve actually been paying for that space? They didn’t donate it? The Hyde Park Food Bank is a 501c3, volunteer-run, not-for-profit organization trying to use donated money to feed people who don’t have enough money to buy food. Caring for the poor! Isn’t that what the Catholic Church says it does?”

We’ve done the math: We serve approximately 150 families a month, which works out to around 800 people.

These are people who otherwise would be making the difficult choice between therapeutic drugs or food, or children’s shoes or food, or the electric bill or food.

Or even rent or food.

Shortly, I will be toddling off to do my own monthly shift at the Hyde Park Food Bank.

I’ll be bringing along approximately 20 pounds of tomatoes.

###

Also yesterday, I found out that someone who was once very mean to me had died.

She wasn’t mean to me for no reason: I’d said something thoughtless, which offended her.

But I apologized profusely! I didn’t mean…. I didn’t know…

She ignored the apologies.

I believe in the assumption of good faith. Everyone fucks up; you judge them (if at all) on how they behave after they fuck up.

So, the fact that she ignored my apologies to my mind was a bigger offense than my original transgression.

And I was pleased to learn she was dead. I rejoiced! I read the grieving widower’s blog with a big smile on my face. Learning to live without Laura (not her real name): Her work was just so much more important than my work, and just a few days before we were discussing how I could support her work better—

He is a rather entertaining food writer. Frankly, I think his work is more important.

There were screeds, too, on all the websites of the various ridiculous nonprofits she was associated with, all of them dedicated to Improving Diversity in California—like fuckin’ California needs to be more diverse!

What fuckin’ California needs is to figure out a solution to homelessness.

Anyway, I kept waiting to be horrified by the callousness of my response.

But I wasn’t.

Just went right on gloating. And furthermore, felt perfectly justified in gloating.

Which just goes to prove once again you can take the DNA out of Sicily, but you can’t take Sicily out of the DNA.

Comments

[asakiyume]

Wow, the Catholic Church should be mightily, mightily ashamed of itself. Of course in general, and for its history, but in this one case in particular. Kicking out a food pantry. Way to go, Catholic church.

Regarding that woman who died and your reaction, ehhn. I always feel like in the privacy of my own mind I can have whatever feelings I want and it's no one's business and it doesn't harm anyone. I LOVE that fact. Pragmatically speaking, your being gleeful hurts no one at all. I don't even think it hurts *you* particularly, which is I think the thing that's usually used to get people to try to school their emotions (and which w/some emotions in some situations I do think can be a thing).

[mallorys_camera]

Thanks! Absolution from you is a Big Deal since you are an angel. 😀

I think I should feel bad. Or rather, I think if I were a Good Person, I'd feel bad.

But I don't feel bad. Does that make me a Bad Person? Or is that a syllogism? 😀

Glorying in the misfortunes of one's enemies is such a primative emotion!

[asakiyume]

IDK, I feel delighted or relieved when various public figures I don't like die. *shrugs*

[adoptedwriter]

I worked for 20 urs in Catholic schools. Good work as far as the kids went...The church is a bunch of cheap bastards though. IMO parents were spending way to much for their kids to sweat in ugly uniforms or freeze all winter due to last century's HVAC systems. Yet they have $ for so many other things. WTF.

2 of my worst school bullies have died within the past couple of years. Not sorry. I feel society is safer now.

[mallorys_camera]

I am outraged by this particular church. I can't think of a more blessed thing for a church to do than to support a food bank that feeds the poor in any way it can. Fuck 'em.

If the dead woman had really been the paragon of virtue all those idiot nonprofits claimed she was, she would have seen what happened with me as a teachable moment. But she didn't because it was more fun for her to make me feel bad. Fuck her.

[puddleshark]

The church has been charging you rent for the food bank?!

This is doing nothing to improve my opinion of the Catholic church.

[mallorys_camera]

Nor mine.

Sheesh.

[bleodswean]

Being Irish Catholic, this does not surprise me. During my La Leche League years we asked the Catholic diocese if there was a meeting room we could use one morning a month. NOPE. The Quakers were the only group that welcomed us with open arms.

I love the idea that judgement should come on actions taken after the fuck up! That's really affirming, imo.

[mallorys_camera]

judgement should come on actions taken after the fuck up!

But, I mean—doesn't that make sense?? 😀 Isn't that the philosophy behind "teachable moments"?

My opinion of the Catholic Church was never high. And now it's even lower.

[lethe1]

I am surprised that you are surprised. The Catholic Church is all about the money.

[mallorys_camera]

I've read too much Graham Greene, I guess. 😀