Thursday, March 4, 2010

News and Miscellany Roundup

Well, I'm not sure how much of this is actually "news" anymore, but I think everything here is still worthy of notice.

Repeal Day... December 5 marked the 76the anniversary of the end of prohibition - Repeal Day. This recently setup website explains the history of prohibition and reasons to celebrate this day!

Omaha Church Renovation... Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Omaha has recently completed a renovation. The new altar was consecrated on November 28. A full story on the renovation is available here from The Catholic Voice newspaper. A pre-renovation photograph of the interior is available here.

View into Monastic Life... The PBS series Religion & Ethics produced a fantastic piece on the Monastic Life, featuring the Benedictine Sisters in Atchison, KS. Watch this moving video here.

First Nebraska Distillery... Cooper's Chase Distillery in West Point has claimed the title of the first legal distillery in the state of Nebraska since prohibition. The Omaha World-Herald has a great story and a video telling the story of the distillery is available here. Cooper's Chase is currently producing and vodka and will expand its offerings soon.

Another New Nebraska Distillery... Solas Distillery in Omaha opened shortly after Cooper's Chase. Here is the Omaha World-Herald story as well as a fascinating video of the distillery producing their first batch of whiskey.

Beer & Personality... What does your taste in beer say about you? Check this out! I've found it to be pretty accurate with everyone I've tried it with!

Benedictine Gristmill... NPR recently produced a story featuring the gristmill at St. Vincent's Archabbey in Latrobe, PA. It's well worth listening to and photos from the story are available here. What a wonderful interweaving of agriculture, spirituality, and history! The story also mentions the brewery that was once operated by the monks.

A Cathedral Centennial... The Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City celebrated its 100th anniversary this past fall. The Cathedral is an architectural and artistic gem. It is also well-know for its fantastic liturgy and superb music program. The Cathedral is also home to one of the nation's two choir schools. Read an article on the centennial here.

A Serious Jesus?... Did Jesus have a sense of humor? Jesuit Father Jim Martin explores this aspect of Jesus in NPR here.

A New Church in LeMars... St. Joseph Catholic Church in Le Mars, Iowa has unveiled plans for a new church. The current church suffers from massive structural issues. The new church will incorporate much of the artistic heritage from the current church. Read the story and see drawings here.

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