Lady Diana – 25 years later

It has been 25 years since Lady Diana was tragically killed on that horrible night in Paris, August 31, 1997. Born on July 1, 1961 in Sandringham, Norfolk, England, she had some Royal connection as both her grandmothers had served as ladies-in-waiting to the Queen Mother. In 1981, while working as a nursery teacher's assistant, she became engaged to Prince Charles, the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II. Their wedding took place at St. Paul’s Cathedral on 29 July 1981 and made her Princess of Wales, a role in which she was enthusiastically received by the public. They had two sons, William and Harry, who were then second and third in the line of succession to the British throne. 

Diana's marriage to Charles suffered due to their incompatibility and extramarital affairs. They separated in 1992, soon after the breakdown of their relationship became public knowledge. Their marital difficulties became increasingly publicised, and they divorced in 1996. Diana's activism and glamour made her an international icon and earned her enduring popularity as well as unprecedented public scrutiny all throughout her life as a Princess.

Diana was involved with over 100 charities and worked courageously with AIDS patients, also with cancer victims, and became a great advocate  for an organisation that removed landmines, left behind by war. Diana even visited a leprosy hospital in Indonesia. Following her visit, she became patron of the Leprosy Mission, an organisation dedicated to providing medicine, treatment, and other support services to those who are afflicted with the disease. We remember today her stunning beauty, her struggles and her humanity, represented so eloquently in these three photos shown in this post.

Now, you want to see what Diana would have looked like today ? Check this video and watch till the end, and you will find out that she would be just as pretty as a young Princess, even at 61.

My childhood church

It is my honor today to share with you three photos of my childhood church of St. Julian, also known as Lapsi Church (Ascension Church.) Built over the last two centuries, it has been recently restored to its magnificent best, probably like never seen before, thanks to the enthusiasm of a few young people who are dedicated to its upkeep, restoration and selfless sacrifice they make to see it become one of the most ornate smaller churches in Malta, which has a church for every day of the year, 365 in total. 

This is the church where my parents were married in July of 1948, where all of us children were baptized, where I served as an altar boy for many years, helped as a seminarian and celebrated many Masses after my ordination. It was the parish church of the town of St. Julian’s from 1891 until 1968 when the newer, bigger church was opened. Mass is still celebrated in it on a daily basis, and quite a few weddings are also celebrated there, even though it is not always wearing its finest outfit, as it does on Christmas, Easter and the feast of St Julian which was celebrated this past weekend.

100 years ago

Vintage photo of my paternal grandparents.

Going back to 1922, I introduce you today with my paternal grandparents, Joseph and Maria Cassar, seen here with two of their children Costanza and Julian. Unfortunately my grandparents both died before I was born, and so I never met them. My grandfather Joseph died in 1935 when my own father John was only 10 years old. My grandmother Maria died in 1950, 2 years before I was born. They would have 5 more children, Concetta, Carmelo, Joseph, John and Magdalen, now all of them deceased. They were all born between 1914 and 1928. Between them they had 19 grandchildren, 14 of whom are still alive.

Recent watercolors

I share with you some of my recent watercolors, done over the last 2 months. The first two are scenic views in my own style, and the other two are modern ideas that come to my mind. Whenever I show them to some friends, they all like them. They may not be worth anything today, but who knows, one day 100 years from now, they may end up in an auction and  fetch over a thousand euros or even more. The few that were auctioned in 2014 and 2015 in my last Oregon parish raised over three thousand dollars as a fund-raiser for the school. And those paintings are hanging somewhere in a few houses in the USA. People admire my charming style and the bright colors I use, and once I get more ideas, you will see more paintings.

Turning 70

I thank God today for letting me live this long while doing my best to serve my people all around the world. Grateful for the disciplined upbringing I had from my parents, the support and encouragement  from my siblings, and the genuine friendship from all my relatives and friends, I commit myself to continue my ministry, wherever the Lord wants me to work. Presently I continue to serve the residents at Hilltop Gardens and Simblija Care home, while helping out at the Naxxar parish church, and occasional visits at my childhood parish of St. Julian’s. As I occupy myself with various hobbies that keep me busy, I share my talents that God gave me through flute playing, water coloring, calligraphy, photography, writing, blogging, cooking, classical music, reading and walking. I am forever grateful for the years I spent in my pastoral ministry in St. Julian’s (1977-1981), New Hyde Park, NY (1981-1991), Rocky Point, NY (1991-1996), Hicksville, NY(1996-1998), Pleasant Valley, NY (1998-2002), John Day, Oregon (2003-2005), Baker City, Oregon (2005-2013), Bend, Oregon (2013-2016), Hilltop Gardens, Naxxar, (2016-present.)

Over the past 9 days I shared with you some of my favorites in all facets of life, and of course I could have gone on and on in various categories, but hopefully you got a glimpse of my favorite moments and best memories of which I have so many. Becoming a septuagenarian makes me realize that I am now closer to the end than to the beginning, but like everybody else, I take life one day a time. I count my blessings and continue in my journey of faith and love, as I pray for good health that I can accomplish all that the Lord wants me to do. Many people have touched my life during these years and I hope I was able to have a positive impact on many of you. Please keep checking my blog daily, for some inspiration, unusual stories, photos, gentle reflections and anecdotes. God bless you.

10 Favorite personal accomplishments

With my family back in the year 2000.

These are experiences I lived through and things I am mostly proud of.

1.       Serving the people of God as a priest in Malta, New York and Oregon for 45 years so far.

2.       Donating 118 pints of blood at various Blood Drives, many of which I organized myself.

3.       Writing regularly since 1986 in a Maltese Catholic newspaper, ‘Leħen is-Sewwa.’

4.       Participating in the New York City Marathon, earning 3 medals in 1985, 1986, 1987.

5.       Learning to play the flute and do watercolors and calligraphy all by myself. (also cooking)

6.       Being invited to give the Invocation and Benediction for the New York Mets in 1986, and everything I prayed for happened as they won the World Series in October.

7.       Leading the renovation at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral in Baker City, Oregon in 2008.

8.       Preaching at many funerals, weddings, other special Masses, always with a personal message.

9.       Taking thousands of photos, especially of wildlife and scenic views, which I always share with others.

10.   Running the blog for over 10 years so far, getting over 100 hits daily (www.dungiljan.blogspot.com)

My 10 favorite books and reading material

My reading has lately been done online, but I still have some favorite books, which I refer to regularly. They give me the inspiration I need for my spiritual and pastoral approach to my life as a priest. I read a lot of Melitensia books (Maltese history, art, culture) which I borrow from friends, and which are not listed here.

1.       The Life of Christ – Bishop Fulton Sheen.

2.       National Catholic Register. (online)

3.       The Bible.

4.       Journal of a Parish Priest – Fr Rawley Myers.

5.       Travelers along the Way – Fr  Benedict Groeschel, CFR.

6.       The Way – St Jose Maria Escriva.

7.       Joshua – Joseph F. Girzone.

8.       Creighton University Daily Reflections.

9.       National Catholic Reporter. (online)

10.   Catholic News Agency. (online)

My 10 Favorite Songs

Any song by ABBA is a first-class hit.

I used to listen to a lot of Italian songs growing up, besides some of the American and UK oldies that turned up on the radio, or what we called here in Malta ‘Rediffusion.’ There are many Maltese songs also which are much beloved here, but I restrict myself to internationally known songs. Most often I like the melody rather than the words, but the first one reminds me of my father. And the Boys Choir adds a very nostalgic memory.

1.       The Living Years – Mike and the Mechanics. (watch below)

2.       Never giving up on love – Michael Martin Murphy.

3.       Hey Jude – Beatles.

4.       Kodachrome – Paul Simon. (also Graceland)

5.       America – Neil Diamond

6.       Rocky Mountain High – John Denver

7.       Everything by ABBA.

8.       Maltese marching bands.

9.       Another brick in the wall – Pink Floyd

10.   I want to break free - Queen 

My 10 Favorite Hobbies

Fluting next to Mount Hood, Oregon.

My hobbies have changed over the years. As a child, I enjoyed collecting stamps, as a teenager listening to short-wave radio, as a seminarian playing table-tennis and snooker, but in the USA I discovered other talents that I had buried inside of me, and which I developed, and here they are, in order of preference.

1.       Playing the flute, and transcribing many melodies.

2.       Doing watercolors.

3.       Photography.

4.       Calligraphy.

5.       Classical Music.

6.       Cooking.

7.       Watching cycling and snooker.

8.       Walking, listening to my Ipod.

9.       Blogging.

10.   Writing articles.

Favorite churches where I served

St. Francis de Sales Cathedral, Baker City, Oregon.

 As I continue my countdown of my 10 favorites, I point to your attention that this Blog has received its 300,000th visit. I am averaging close to 100 hits or visits a day. Moreover, so far I placed 2300 posts on this Blog, to be added to the over 1500 I placed on my former blog which I had started in 2012. This list shows my favorite churches where I served over the past 45 years. They all have special memories for me, although I do have a special affection and connection with the Baker City Cathedral, since I helped in its renovation for its 2008 centennial.

1.       St. Francis de Sales, Baker City Cathedral, OREGON.

2.       Holy Spirit Church, New Hyde Park, NY.

3.       St. Elizabeth of Hungary, John Day, OREGON

4.       Resurrection Chapel, Hilltop Gardens, Naxxar.

5.       St. Anthony of Padua, Rocky Point, NY.

6.       Lapsi Church, St. Julian’s. Malta.

7.       St. Stanislaus Kostka, Pleasant Valley, NY.

8.       St. Francis of Assisi, Bend, OREGON.

9.       St. Julian’s new church, Malta.

10.   Naxxar Parish Church, Malta.

My Favorite 10 Movies

I love the classic movies and I am not much for sci-fi or horror movies at all. I treasure  movies that focus on positive values, of which there are quite a few, even though they don’t make it big in the box-office. These are my 10 favorites of all time.

1.       Ben Hur.

2.       The Ten Commandments.

3.       The Sound of Music.

4.       The Great Escape.

5.       The Quiet Man.

6.       It’s a mad, mad, mad, mad world.

7.       The Godfather - part 1 and 2.

8.       Singing in the Rain.

9.       Titanic.

10.   The Mission.

My favorite 10 classical music selections

I have been an avid lover of classical music since my years in the Seminary. I can run my own radio station with the CDs I bought over the years, and still enjoy listening to them daily, besides listening to radio, DAB radio, and following concerts on the Mezzo channel on TV .Here are my 10 favorite classical compositions, although I can go to at least another 100 favorites.

1.    JS Bach – B Minor Mass.

2.    Ludwig van Beethoven – 9 Symphonies.

3.    Hector Berlioz – Requiem Mass.

4.   Antonio Vivaldi – all his concertos.

5.   Gioacchino Rossini – Overtures.

6.  Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Great Mass.

7.  Miklos Rosza – Soundtrack of Ben Hur.

8.  Philip Glass – Powaqqatsi – Anthem.

9.  FJ Haydn – The Creation, oratorio.

10 JS Bach – 4 Suites and 6 Brandenburg Concertos.

JS Bach's B Minor Mass

My top 10 athletes

                          

Lance Armstrong battling with Marco Pantani

                         

Here are my top 10 athletes that I have followed all though the years. They each excelled in their sport and all remain in my personal Hall of Fame, even though some of them may not be loved and admired by everyone.

1.      Lance Armstrong, cycling, winning 7 Tour de France races, even though suspended.

2.      Darryl Strawberry, Baseball, New York Mets.

3.      Tiger Woods, golf, winning 16 major titles.

4.      Bobby Charlton, football, Manchester United.

5.      Joe Rudi, Baseball. Oakland A’s, a personal friend of mine and former parishioner.

6.      Dino Zoff, football, Juventus goalkeeper.

7.      Abebe Bikila, marathon runner, winning two gold Olympic medals, running barefoot in 1960.

8.      Michael Phelps, swimming winner of 23 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze medals in the Olympics.

9.      Tom Brady, American football, with New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

10.  Ronnie O’Sullivan, snooker.

My top 10 of everything - part 1

Playing snooker in my Seminary years - 1970s

As I reach an important milestone in my life 10 days from now, (turning 40 after 30 years of experience!) over the next 10 days I am sharing with you a series of lists of my top 10 favorites. I’m sure you will enjoy them and compare them to yourself and your own favorites. Today is just an introduction and I list the top 10 sports I enjoy playing, at least when I was younger, and the sports I enjoy watching, both live but mainly on TV. So this list is showing 5 of each as you can see here:

      Sports I enjoyed playing:
1.      Table-Tennis.
2.      Snooker.
3.      Football.
4.      Cycling.
5.      Darts.
Sports I enjoy watching:
1.      Cycling.
2.      Baseball.
3.      Snooker.
4.      Skiing.
5.      Golf.

Mons Philip Calleja

I want to honor today a dedicated priest who died yesterday at the age of 93. Monsignor Philip Calleja initiated the Emigrants Commission and even was instrumental to build the Emigrants’ Building in Valletta in the early 1960s. I personally had a few contacts with him since I spent 35 years in the USA, and he often sent me letters inquiring about other priests who were in the States over the years. He was born on December 8, 1928 and was ordained on August 2 1953. He also worked in various offices at the Chancery. In the year 2000 he was also instrumental in organizing an international convention for those working with migrants, and I was asked by him to prepare a paper and delivered the speech in Malta. I recently interviewed him for the Maltese Catholic newspaper in which I’ve been writing since 1986. He was also the mastermind behind the Pope’s visit to Malta in 1990, having many contacts and an organizational mind, which he used effectively over the decades. Over the past 30 years he has also been helping the thousands of refugees that arrived in Malta searching for a new life. He died on August 16, 2022 at the Dar tal-Kleru, a retirement home for priests, where he has been residing lately.

The 6 faces of Mary (part 2)

                   
Continuing from what I started yesterday, reflecting on 6 images of the Blessed Mother as depicted in the stained-glass windows of my previous Cathedral parish in Baker City, Oregon, some of which, crafted by the Povey Brothers from Portland, OR will celebrate 100 years next year.
The fourth image is seen at Pentecost, the historic day on which the church was officially born, and we see Mary here encouraging the apostles as the Holy Spirit descends on each of them in the form of a tongue of fire.
The fifth image is that of Mary being assumed into Heaven, as she looks heavenward with arms open being welcomed into heaven, while the apostles underneath appear surprised seeing Mary leaving them, as they surround the empty tomb. Impressive rays surround her glorified image. You can see the full image of the Assumption above.
The last image is that of Mary being crowned as Queen of Heaven. While sitting on a throne, two angels are placing a crown on her head, as she is surrounded by God the Father and God the Son, while other angels rejoice around her. The complexion of Mary’s face is a very peaceful one, reminiscent of the joy she experienced being joined once again with her Son Jesus.

Incidentally the Pentecost and Coronation windows cost $8,200 in 1958, while the other large ones from 1923 cost $1000 each, while the smaller windows cost $500 each. I hope you can all use these images of Mary as a constant meditation of her role and intervention in our lives, especially some of my friends from Baker City who can attend this beautiful gem which we renovated in 2008 to commemorate its centennial.

The 6 faces of Mary (part 1)

Today and tomorrow I am taking you on a trip to one of my previous parishes, the Cathedral at Baker City in Oregon, and precisely reflect on 6 images of Mary, depicted in the stained-glass windows, most of them going back 99 years. On August 15, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption and we honor her today with one of the windows which you will see in full tomorrow.

The windows in the main body of the church were crafted by the Povey Brothers of Portland in 1923. The other two closer to the altar, of the Coronation and Pentecost were crafted by the Rambusch Company of New York in 1958. Each image of Mary is different and yet the same. The maternal aspect of each image portrays the affection, the anticipation, the sorrow, the joy and the glory of Mary’s journey. The images here portrayed are in a chronological sequence.
The first one shows the Annunciation, as the Angel Gabriel brings her glad tidings, revealing that she was chosen by God to be the mother of our Savior. There is a hesitant look on her face as she pondered the message of the Angel, realizing that she was not married and yet was to become pregnant as soon as she utters her historic YES.
The second image is at the Presentation of Jesus at the temple, showing a look of anticipation and eagerness, moving forward with two turtle doves, accompanied by St Joseph behind her. The offering of doves was a requirement of the poor parents, while wealthy parents were to present two sheep. Mary is also seen holding a candle, to remind us that the feast is known as Candlemas day, and happened 40 days after the birth of Jesus, at which time, the mother was to be purified by the High Priest. At the birth of a baby, any mother would be considered impure for 40 days, and could not attend the temple for the duration.

St Francis de Sales Cathedral, Baker City, Oregon

The third image is of the Sorrowful Mother under the cross, even with a tear trickling down her cheeks, accompanied by another Mary. Yet another Mary, of Magdala is kneeling down clasping the foot of the cross in this impressive depiction of the Crucifixion. 

Being positive

Think freely. Practice patience. Smile often. Treasure special  moments. Make new friends. Rediscover old ones. Tell those that you love that you do. Feel deeply. Forget trouble. Forgive an enemy. Hope. Grow. Be crazy sometimes. Count your blessings. Observe miracles. Let them happen. Discard worry. Give. Give in. Trust enough to take. Pick some flowers. Share them. Keep a promise. Look for rainbows. Gaze at stars. See beauty everywhere. Walk barefoot on the sand. Work hard. Be wise. Try to understand others. Take time for people. Make time for yourself. Laugh heartily. Spread joy. Take a chance.  Reach out. Let someone in. Try something new. Slow down. Be soft sometimes. Believe in yourself. Forgive past hurts. Trust others. Watch a sunrise or sunset. Listen to rain. Reminisce. Cry when you need to. Trust life. Have faith. Enjoy wonder. Comfort a friend. Get a dog as a pet. Have good ideas. Share them. Make mistakes. Learn from them.  Celebrate life.