There will be no newsletter published on May 19, due to the Victoria Day holiday. The next issue will be published on May 26. | | | |
In this issue...
• American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost becomes Pope Leo XIV
• Les Petites Soeurs Disciples de l'Agneau: The French convent where many of the nuns have Down syndrome
• Why many teen males are saying "Good boy!" these days. It may not be as wholesome as you think.
• By the numbers X 10 + 1
• Famed Canadian puppeteer Noreen Young dies at 85
• CBC Radio's Under the Influence: The annual Bookmarks episode looking back at some of the books come across during research for this season
• Available now: The Hump Day Collection - Volume 1
• Buy them now! Acadian Recipes and More - Volumes 1, 2 & 3, and Forgotten Recipes - Volume 1
• The next Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Trivia Night will be held on Monday, May 26
• Before you go: 7 things you may have missed in the news
• Enjoy the outdoors this winter with the Greater Moncton Walking Group
... and trivia, quotes and more!
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American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost becomes Pope Leo XIV
Although Cardinal Robert Prevost was considered by many to be a long-shot candidate for pope, no one had him at the very top, so when his name was announced, the media and others were left scrambling to determine who he was, as many were expecting to hear Tagle, Pizzaballa or Zuppi as the cardinal named pope.
At 69, he is a relatively young as far as popes go and could be expected to serve for many years, if not decades. Born in Chicago, Pope Leo XIV is also a naturalized citizen of Peru, not only making him the first American-born pope, but also the second consecutive one with strong ties to Latin America.
Appointed by Pope Francis as a cardinal in only 2023, Prevost's rise to the top of the Roman Catholic Church has been nothing but meteoric.
Read: Who is Robert Prevost, the new Pope Leo XIV? Related: Destined to be pope: Brother says Leo XIV always wanted to be a priest.
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Les Petites Soeurs Disciples de l'Agneau: The French convent where many of the nuns have Down syndrome
When I was reading articles about the election of the new pope, I came across some coverage of a convent in France where a number of its nuns have Down syndrome. Some of the linked articles below are not recent, but I thought this was so interesting - and unexpected (not sure why, though) - that there were nuns with Down syndrome.
Article excerpt from "Related 2" below: "Deep in the hills of the Indre region of southern France, a community of religious sisters with Down syndrome faithfully live out their vocation of contemplative prayer.
It’s the only religious community in the world that welcomes sisters with Down syndrome, Mother Line - who serves as prioress - told CNA.
And now, the community seeks able sisters from America to join it.
A ‘joining of two vocations’
Les Petites Sœurs Disciples de l’Agneau, or The Little Sisters Disciples of the Lamb, was founded by the 'joining of two vocations,' Mother Line told CNA in a translated interview.
In 1985, a young woman with Down syndrome - Sister Veronica - met Mother Line. Sister Veronica had already received her vocational calling to become a nun but had been turned away by several religious communities.
Mother Line recognized Sister Veronica’s call to become a nun, so the two began living together - hoping that other young women with Down syndrome who felt a call to religious life would join the community.
Mother Line said that at the time, the Church and religious communities did not understand 'how a person with Down syndrome could have a call from God' to join religious life."
The order regularly recruits sisters without Down syndrome to administer the convent and assist the nuns with Down's.
Read: Les Petites Soeurs Disciples de l'Agneau website. Related 1: Les Petites Soeurs Disciples de l'Agneau Wikipedia page. Related 2: Only religious community in the world for sisters with Down syndrome seeks American sisters.
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Why many teen males are saying "Good boy!" these days. It may not be as wholesome as you think.
Instead of a simple and polite "Thank you!", many teen males these days are responding to gestures or requests with "Good boy!" said in a demeaning and power-dominating manner like they're talking to a dog who just rolled over for a treat.
Article excerpt: "Just when you think you’ve got a handle on the slang (or at least figured out how to use 'rizz' in a sentence without sounding like a total dork), kids come up with something new. And right now, that something is the 'Good Boy' trend - a phrase that’s popping up in classrooms, group chats, and TikToks, leaving adults everywhere wondering what the heck it means and why it kind of... gives us the ick.
At face value, it’s pretty simple: one kid tells another to do something - hand them a pencil, pick something up, answer a question - and when the other kid complies, they respond with an overly-dramatic 'Good boy!' in the same sing-song tone you might use with a dog who just learned to sit.
Sometimes it’s 'Good girl!' or sometimes it’s accompanied by a slow clap or a fake-patronizing smile. Either way, it’s not exactly praise - it’s mockery wrapped in fake sweetness. And while it started as a joke on TikTok, it’s made its way into middle school hallways and high school classrooms in a big way.
Like most trends from this age group, it’s born from the internet. TikTok videos featuring people sarcastically praising others - including authority figures - with a smug 'Good boy!' took off months ago. (Reportedly, it all started with this video where someone asks a police officer for his name and badge number, then says 'Good boy!' when he gives it to them.) The point is to flip the power dynamic and act like the one giving the command has all the control.
Kids, of course, ran with it. Because what could be more fun when you’re 13 than making your friend (or even your teacher) feel like you’re the one in charge?"
This all sounds a bit ridiculous and harmless, but when some kid says, "Good boy!" in a mocking fashion to an adult, don't be surprised if the "joke" isn't well received. Kids saying "Good boy!" or "Good girl!" to their parents or other adults like they're some kind of dog or lesser being should be corrected immediately to nip that behaviour in the bud. A curt and firm "Don't you dare talk to me like I'm a dog!" should do it. Shut it down immediately. Let them know in no uncertain terms that what they're saying is disrespectful. (There are many ways to joke around. This isn't one of them.)
The explosion in toxic masculinity - the "Bro Culture" - is real. These "jokes" will entrench themselves in behaviour if not corrected immediately.
Yeah, I know I sound old. Oh well.
Read: Why is your kid saying "Good boy!'? The new trend that’s driving teachers nuts.
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Famed Canadian puppeteer Noreen Young dies at 85
If you grew up in the 1970s like I did, you may remember the rather obscure but totally fun show called Hi Diddle Day starring the array of puppet characters shown in the photo above. Sadly, famed puppeteer Noreen Young died recently at the age of 85.
Article excerpt: "Noreen Young, a renowned Canadian puppeteer perhaps best known for creating the popular CBC children's show Under the Umbrella Tree, has died.
Young, who was born in Ottawa and worked in puppetry for over 50 years, produced Under the Umbrella Tree from 1987 to 1993 and portrayed Gloria Gopher, one of the show's main characters.
She was also the first artistic director of the Puppets Up! International Puppet Festival in Almonte, Ont., which began in 2005 and - save for a hiatus between 2017 and 2022 - is still running.
Young died after suffering a stroke late last week, her family told CBC. She was 85."
... "Some of her earliest work was with another CBC puppet show, Hi Diddle Day, which aired from 1968 to 1976. She also worked on Sesame Park, the Canadian version of Sesame Street."
It's a real shame that video clips of Hi Diddle Day are nowhere to be found online, which is astonishing considering the fact that you can find nearly anything on YouTube these days! Sadly, Hi Diddle Day isn't one of them.
Video: Under the Umbrella Tree - Gloria Can't Sleep.
Read: Renowned Canadian puppeteer Noreen Young dead at 85. Related 1: The Hi- Diddle-Day House of Carleton Place - Puppets on a String. Related 2: History of Canadian Broadcasting: Hi Diddle Day.
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CBC Radio's Under the Influence: The annual Bookmarks episode looking back at some of the books come across during research for this season
Last week's episode of CBC Radio's Under the Influence series with host Terry O'Reilly looked at some of the books that he came across during research for the show's past season.
• May 8, 2025 - Bookmarks 2025: "This week, it’s our annual “Bookmarks” episode. We read a lot of books to research this show, and often we stumble on great stories that don’t fit our regular episodes. So we save them up for this show. We’ll talk about a new book on SNL producer Lorne Michaels, we’ll take a few notes from a famous songwriter, and we’ll talk about a Bible with a wicked typo." Click here to listen to the episode and click here to read the episode's website post.
Click here for the show's website and here for the show's podcast archive.
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Available now: The Hump Day Collection - Volume 1
I'm thrilled to announce that The Hump Day Collection - Volume 1 is now available for purchase through Amazon in ebook or paperback (300+ pages) format. The book contains 75 updated and revised Hump Day stories that ran for many years in a local newspaper. I've been asked many times to put these in book format, so I'm hoping you'll like it! For ebook lovers, the book is part of the Kindle Unlimited subscription-based program from Amazon. To purchase today:
• Chapters (Dieppe NB location)
• Amazon Canada: amzn.to/4gckiQX
• Amazon USA: amzn.to/3CnKfiF
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Buy them now! Acadian Recipes and More - Volumes 1, 2 & 3, and Forgotten Recipes - Volume 1
My three volumes of Acadian recipe books (English and French) and Forgotten Recipes - Volume 1 are out now and make a great addition to your recipe book library or a gift for someone else! They are available on Amazon Canada, Amazon USA and in some local retail outlets in Southeastern New Brunswick:
• Chapters (Dieppe) (Volumes 1-3, Forgotten Recipes)
• Le P'tit Coin Acadien Poutine Râpée (Bouctouche) (Volumes 1-3)
• Jean Coutu Pharmacy (Champlain Street, Dieppe) (Volumes 1-3)
• Monument-Lefebvre (Memramcook) (Volumes 1-2)
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The next Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Trivia Night will be held on Monday, May 26
The last Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club Trivia Night of the 2024-2025 season will be held at St. Louis Bar & Grill, 1405 Mountain Road, Moncton, on Monday, May 26, beginning at 6:30 p.m. $10 per person (cash only). Facebook event listing: bit.ly/4m2m0bT
Participants may play as teams or individuals. The winning team gets 50% of the door receipts as their prize.
It is strongly suggested that participants arrive by 5:15-5:30 p.m. for a seat. Trivia begins at 6:30 p.m. sharp and is usually over by 8 p.m. Everyone welcome!
Please note that restaurant reservations are NOT available for this event. First come, first served. Limited seating of approximately 50 guests.
Participants may bring an optional non-perishable food item (box of granola bars, Kraft Dinner, cereal, etc.) for distribution at Krista Richard's Community Sports Program events, of which the Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club is a sponsor. Any donations will be gratefully received and provided to Krista for distribution to her program participants (school-aged children from Moncton-area schools).
Since Rotary Trivia Nights began in 2016, the Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club has donated more than $20,000 to Atlantic Wellness, Karing Kitchen, Ray of Hope Kitchen, Salvus Clinic, The Humanity Project, BGC Moncton (Moncton Boys & Girls Club), Junior Achievement New Brunswick, Project Linus - Moncton Chapter, Habitat for Humanity, Junior Achievement New Brunswick, Children's Wish Canada and Krista Richard's Community Sports Program, among others.
The Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club gratefully acknowledges the kind and generous sponsorship of our restaurant partner, St. Louis Bar & Grill.
PLEASE NOTE: There is a no telephone rule at these events. The answers cannot be researched except among discussion with your team members.
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Trivia: Did you know?
The original Abegweit ferry that once transported passengers between Cape Tormentine, N.B., and Borden, P.E.I., between 1947 and 1982 is still in use today as the clubhouse for the Columbia Yacht Club in Chicago. The Northumberland Strait was once the Abegweit's home. Today, it is Lake Michigan.
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Quotes of note
• 1. "Whatever the problem, be part of the solution. Don’t just sit around raising questions and pointing out obstacles."
- Tina Fey (1970- ), actress, comedian, writer and producer (shown in photo)
• 2. "I want to be around people that do things. I don’t want to be around people anymore that judge or talk about what people do. I want to be around people that dream and support and do things."
- Amy Poehler
• 3. "It is curious that physical courage should be so common in the world and moral courage so rare."
- Mark Twain
• 4. "A smile remains the most inexpensive gift I can bestow on anyone, and yet its powers can vanquish kingdoms."
- Og Mandino
• 5. "Not all celebrities are dunces."
- Carroll O'Connor
• 6. "Our finger prints don't fade from the lives we touch."
- Judy Blume
• 7. "... something terrible can happen to you, and yet, the day after this something terrible, the sun still rises, and life goes on. And so must you."
- Martin Short
• 8. "When I was a child my mother said to me, 'If you become a soldier, you'll be a general. If you become a monk, you'll be the pope.' Instead I became a painter and wound up as Picasso."
- Pablo Picasso
• 9. "Assumptions are the termites of relationships."
- Henry Winkler
• 10. "Never worry about bad press. All that matters is if they spell your name right."
- Kate Hudson
Photo credit: Tina Fey Stock photos by Vecteezy
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Enjoy the outdoors this winter with the Greater Moncton Walking Group
In May, the group is walking on the Dobson Trail in Riverview with meet-up in the parking lot on Quinn Court.
In June, the walking group moves to Mapleton Park with meet-up in the Rotary Lodge parking lot off Mapleton Road.
The group meets for walks every Tuesday and Thursday at 8:30 a.m. New participants are always welcome! For more information, please contact Wayne Harrigan at 506-386-2187 or via email.
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About this newsletter
Brian Cormier's Weekly Update is distributed weekly from September to June. If you're reading this newsletter online and want to subscribe, please email me, fill out the subscription form on my website, or subscribe via the "Join Our Email List" button at the top of the newsletter (if you're viewing this in a browser.) This newsletter is not published in July and August and on holidays.
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