A Goodbye For Now

Crystal,

I will be checking your blog! And doing some more reading myself, which is very important. bill

Take care, Bill. You are an exceptional blogger: highly engaged, level headed, and always an interesting and insightful read.  Thanks for being here; all the best to you and yours.

#32 PJ Johnson,

Hope the book helps; let me know if you have any questions as it was written a while back. bill

Thanks for providing interesting postings and engaging in civil dialogue.

Happy Easter to you & your family. 

I will miss your postings, Bill.  I was waiting for the one where you said you'd discuss Merton's psychoanalysis :-) ...
Best wishes to you and your family.

Thanks for all the interesting posts.  I hope you decide to come back.  Happy Easter  :)

Bill, best wishes. You are one of the most charitable contributors I find among many Catholic blogs. Thanks also for always personally responding to comments from your readers with patience, insight and empathy. God bless!

Bill,

I am sorry to read that you will be absent, but I hope it will indeed be temporary.  Your topics have always been unique, interesting, and more in-depth than most.  In addition, your engagement with those of us who comment have made them much more civil than most.  If only it were possible to have these discussions last longer and be even greater learning experiences than they already are... the topics you have chosen certainly seem to warrant more time and attention than they get in the fast-moving blog environment.

I just want to add my thanks to you for your contributions.  I think that what I appreciated the most is your willingness to engage at least a bit in direct discussion with those who comment, providing feedback and sometimes greater insight into your views.  That is seldom done by bloggers and writers, and it is too bad.  Sometimes a particular post or article will draw dozens of comments (I have seen more than 150 at times), and yet there is no reaction at all from the author of the blog that was of so much interest to readers.  You took the time to respond, and that is much appreciated.
 Peace.

I will miss your posts.  A happy and blessed Easter to you and your family.

Bill;
thanks/respect for all your work here and at home.. While I'm not denigrating the clerical editors I still say we need more and more Catholic laity like yourself with a family perspective, pushing their way on to the Catholic media. Come back soon..

Vince,

Thanks for all your good thoughts along the way! bill

Beth,

Merton's therapy piece is stil incubating and involves Gregory Zilboorg, MD, Agostino Gemelli, MD, as well as Cardinal Mercier. You have a great memory! bill

Roy & Dale have always said it the best of all:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcYsO890YJY

Bill,

You personify dignity and respect in both your entries and responses to the commentaries.The recent posting on America about Civility could have just used your posting style as a model.
Thanks for all of your postings and for teaching me a little of how to take a genuine interest in what others think,I will have gone forgotten by tomorrow tho :). 

Mark,

Many thanks for reading. bill

Marie,

Many thanks for your many thoughtful contributions, and best wishes to you and your family in the great Southwest. bill

Anne,

Thanks for your very thoughtful postings throughout AMERICA. bill

Bill,
I am saddened reading your  "goodbye for now" and hope it won't be too terribly long before you are back with us.  Should we be on the lookout for another book?  Essays in magazines?  I hope you are able to do all of that.  You give so generously of yourself; your time, talent and treasure and I am very very grateful for the inspiration and learning that you provided for me.  Your blogs were always of particular interest to me as they seemed to have a significent relationship to my own life and history.  I will miss your articles very much.

But, of course I really do understand having experienced working a demanding full-time job and fulfilling the responsibilities of care of my children and all their special needs.  As you put so well, a 24/7 job!  Always challenging and still many moments of pride and joy in their accomplishments.  I just got home a few minutes ago after taking Frank and Kris to their dentist; then dropping off Kris at a mall and Frank at a local college for a baseball game.  There is very good news about Frank.  A few months ago a neurologist told me he is in the early stage of a dementia.  But, a psychologist friend advised me that it is not possible to make that determination now because of all the losses my son experienced.  He was so right.  This is the first time in 2 years that Frank has gone by himself to a sporting event and will take a trolley and bus, home.  WOW!!  My daughter was recentlly given an award as the employee of the year at the AMC La Jolla theater.  So I am a proud, happy mom.

Bill,  that is a great picture of you and the lad.  I hope that you have some train adventures and fishing trips in your beautiful valley, planned.  My prayer for you is that God will grant you the deepest desires of your heart.  God bless you.

Janice

Tom,

Many thanks and Happy Easter! bill

Fr. Jim,

Many thanks for your support. You continue to inspire me! bill

John,

I'll be reading on "the other side." You betcha'. bill

Bill,

In keeping with what you described as your goal for future writing I would like to suggest that you read Don Giussani.
He is a very alternative reading on many things and may help you on your path.
He gives a Christian existentialist view and one that can provoke great things in those who  encounter it.

I have enjoyed reading your posts over the course of the semester. I have learned many new things and thought about topics that I wouldn't normally consider. I hope to read more in the future!

I have learned a lot from your pieces.   I sure hope the absence is only temporary.  A blessed Easter to you and your family.

That is a very sweet picture of you and your son. Your love for each other seems clearly evident. Thank you for your your lively contributions. They were much appreciated. Blessings on you and have a joyful Easter!

Bill, I will miss your posts, as well as the responses by your students and many other readers.  Thank you for offering us thoughtful reflections on interesting and important topics, week after week.  I really don't know how you managed it, with a full teaching load, scholarly activities, and family responsibilities, but I am glad that you did.  I will look for your work in other formats, in future issues of America.  Best wishes.  

Dear Bill,
Thanks so much for sharing your faith and experiences with us. You are really a great mind and a gift to the Church, and always down to earth with whatever you do. I have learnt a lot from all that you wrote here “In All Things” and also the manner in which you tried to get back to your readers with patient and tactfulness. I will personally miss your writings, but it seems to me that you are just dying now on this Good Friday in order to resurrect with Christ on Easter with much zeal and vigor to share more thoughts with us. I wish you all the best in the “tomb” with Christ and will feverishly be waiting for your “resurrection”.  Come back Dr. Bill. May God’s blessings be upon you and your family during this Easter and beyond.
 

Bill - I will keep you and your loved ones in my prayers asking the Holy Spirit to help you discern the best way to service Christ in this new stage of the journey.  Thank you for sharing yourself with all of us.  Peace.

Many thanks for your contributions!  I had a look at your book on scrupulosity the other day and it was both very well-done and helpful in any number of ways.

 Thanks Bill for all the essays you have written over the year. Many times I read them, but felt I couldn't comose a good comment to contribute. I expect there are many others like myself who gained from your insights but who didn't blog back. Perhaps for all these 'silent' readers, i want to say, "Thank You!"

Ed #10,

Many thanks for your insights...the students really appreciated your insights on marriage. Let's hope they have long marriages! bill

#11 David,

Thanks for your many postings. I have taken your advice and ordered the Kindle (after trying out the Mac program). I think it will open up many new things to read. Hasta la vista, mi amigo. guillermo

#15 Jim,

And Happy Trails to you, too...until we meet again! A favorite show of mine long ago. bill

David #16,

Thanks for the very kind words in reference to blogging! bill

#17 Mike,

Many years of teaching via electronic courses at Marist hs taught me a great deal about blogging, with the students themselves offering a guiding hand.  It is a unique communication form. thanks, bill

Janice #21,

Glad things are going well. Thanks for your kind thoughts. bill

David P. #25,

I am truly embarassed that I have been ignorant of Don Giussani (even though we share Crossroad as publisher). I am going to study him carefully as well as the movement. It looks to me that this offers a great deal to young people in the USA also. Many thanks. bill

Alyssa #26,

You are wise beyond your years and your presence in the lives of children and families will enrich them immeasurably! I look forward to hearing about your future successes! bvo

#28 Norma

I am grateful for your kindnesses. bill

#29 Jan,

You hit the nail on the head-tons to manage. And I need to be clear-headed for our last month of teaching and meetings. A break was required. bill

#30 Father Perry,

In sermons and blogs, you have a great talent! Thank you for the very nice thoughts and hope. bill

#31 Juan,

I greatly appreciate your views in the AMERICA discussions. bill

#28 Maria,

My son likes to remind me that I should follow the 11th Commandment, "Honor Thy Son." I think he came up with this himself! I am going to read John Hardon SJ, Servant of God, on my new Kindle-perhaps some day I will teach a class of undergraduates using his catechism. Thanks, bill

#33 John Scileppi,

John I never doubted that you were reading and thinking! Hope you are enjoying teaching in Florence, it will be great to have you back in the USA. Yet to be written is the story of our trip to Rome, living with nuns for one week, and meeting John Paul II in the brilliant summer sunshine. bill

Bill,

I will miss your posts.  You set an example especially for angry guys like me.  God be with you and yours.

Stan

Professor!
Your blog postings have made the semester for me. Even though I don't always find the words to respond with, I do always read your posts. I, too, hope you decide to come back to the magazine and post again someday. Have a great holiday with your family.
Annie

I likewise simply wish to express my gratitude for your arrticulated sharings and personalized responses.  I wish you and your son and family well and am happy for you in having the increassed time for parenting. Perhaps myself and those who may be a bit too envelloped in the blogosphere at times will take this as the best lesson yet...
Peace and blessings...

Dear Dr. Van Ornum,

It has been an honour and pleasure to read many of your writings on various topics ranging from people's rights to gardening.   Thank you for your inspiring words that have helped so many others, including myself and my son in various areas of our lives.  Take good care of yourself and your son and I wish you the best in all your future endavors.  By the way, it is vital for everyone to know, you have been a wonderful friend and teacher to work with and if anyone needs to go into the psychology field, I hope they meet up with you and have you for their teacher for you are among the few best teachers and mentors out there these days.  Thanks again and good luck,

Ranger 

Bill,

The 11th commandment....honor thy son.  What a rascal!!  I am definitely not telling my son that one!

No need to respond.
Janice