Good morning, digital neighbors! Happy Sabbath and Saturday to all you fine frequenters of Substack and Locals. I hope you have had a great week.I had a wonderful evening of playing cards last night with some friends in the parish. While it was mostly a night of lost hands, I did recoup by winning one of the larger hands of the evening. For the first two hours we were divided into groups of five, and for the final hour we played two hands of Pass the Trash—which really isn’t poker, but fun nonetheless. It was a great evening. Off to our prayer for the day. I pray you have a blessed day ahead of you.
Father of men, in whom are one all humankind beneath the sun,
Establish our work in Thee begun.
Except the house be built of Thee,
In vain the builder’s toil must be;
O strengthen our infirmity!
Man lives not for himself alone,
In others’ good he finds his own,
Life’s worth in fellowship is known.
We, friends and comrades on life’s way,
Gather within these walls to pray;
Bless Thou our fellowship today.
H. C. Shuttleworth
Cards - Wesley Tingey - Unsplash
Today marks the three hundred and thirtieth birthday of the Frenchman François-Marie Arouet, better known by his nom de plume, Voltaire (1694-1778).
Born into a bourgeois family during the reign of Louis XIV, the “Sun King” (r. 1643-1715), Voltaire suffered tragedy at a young age when his mother died. Never close with his father or brother, Voltaire exhibited a rebellious attitude toward authority from his youth. His brilliant mind was fostered in the care of the Society of Jesus, who introduced him to the joys of literature and theater. Despite his later criticisms against the Church, Voltaire, throughout his life, fondly recalled his dedicated Jesuit teachers.
Although he spent time as a civil servant in the French embassy to the Hague, Voltaire’s main love was writing—an endeavor where he excelled in various genres, including poetry, which led to his appointment as the royal court poet for King Louis XV. Widely recognized as one of the greatest French writers, and even hyperbolically referred to by ...
Padre - Tom Miller invites you to a Coffee Talk, Speakeasies, Schmoozes, Tea Times, Afterhours and other gatherings.
https://teams.live.com/meet/93792382189049?p=DiBHsYfuECPgDrG7vO
2026 Coffee Talk with the ADD Irregulars
Thursday, January 1, 2026
6:00 AM - 8:00 AM (CST)
Occurs every day starting 1/1 until 12/31/2027
Coffee Talk - Daily beginning at 6:00 AM Central Time Zone - USA
White Pilled Wednesday - A break from the heaviness of news and current events to focus upon things more personal & positive for the first hour of Coffee Talk.
Afternoon Chats - Most Tuesday, Friday & Sundays 2:00 PM Central
Other chats as posted in the community.
