It should be embarrassing, but some people

apparently have no shame.
They justify there actions and statements by believing they have worked hard and deserve all they have.

Was there any accounting for bad weather or other circumstances, other then

sickness?
Many would choose to not drive in snow, for instance, or to even walk in snow. Certainly, older persons would consider those circumstances good reason to not attend on a given date.

Sweet, kind friend that was.

Sad occasion, and the beautiful song would have me - or most anyone- in tears at the death of a child.

The real pity is that this man was ever ordained in the first place.

It they had refused to ordain him, the diocese wouldn't be dealing with this for probably the rest of the man's life, not to mention the pain of his victims, and the monetary price to paid from the offerings of people of good will.

There was apparently a period when some of the seminaries had few students and kept those who showed these tendencies. The church will be paying (literally and figurally) for this bad judgment and problem for decades, despite best attempts to right the wrong currently.

We have a saying-

The buck stops here! - That's at the top.
What a coward.

I never considered Justice Scalia "America's Catholic"

He's just one of too many who speak out in ways that are often disturbing to those Catholics following their conscience and what they have been taught by selfless and committed religious over the years.

Maybe the author is so young that she didn't have schooling by priests and nuns. Lord knows, there haven't been many in schools at any grade level for what's become generations now.

I do applaud Stephen Colbert for speaking up in defense of his Church, even though it's usually in a humorous fashion. The audience gets his point. From what I've read of Stephen, he walks the walk as well as talking the talk.

A parrot is likely to outlive you

I don't know how long cockatoos, budgies, etc. live

I've always enjoyed parrots and thought I might like to have on, but I'm not big on cage cleaning.
When I was a youngster we occasionally cared for a neighbor's parrot when she traveled. It was mildly interesting.

I would never spend the whole day housecleaning.

I just don't think housecleaning is worth that much of my time and energy.

I must have come in late; there's obviously more to this story than the few sentences in the OP.

Very interesting information. I'll pass it along. nt

Can you negotiate?

Do they need someone to teach that course, or do they have their pick of many?

Tell them what you think you should be paid and see where it goes.