Patrick Laffey Photography

Yesterday I had coffee with two amazing artist friends. One, I knew about and the second, I was delighted to discover. His talents are self-taught. Perhaps, innate, like most talented people. Here are some of his works. He works out of Hackettstown, for the pure love of photography. I asked him for prints and he REFUSED to charge me??? Kindness?? Doing something for the sheer love of it?? That's art in and of itself...beautiful! For more of his work go to www.bluecollarart.com. You can also e-mail him directly at plaffey@netzero.com.

Sr. Helen Prejean's Prayer

www.prejean.org
Working on a documentary on forgiveness, my friend
Johnny and I started to reflect on the movie Dead Man Walking. Intrigued, we started doing some research on the famous nun who devoted a large part of her life to one man's salvation. Dude, see the movie if yuu haven't. You'll walk out a different person than who walked in! Here's a prayer she had on her web site. Oh, and our good 'Ole friend Gandhi has been mentioned repeatedly in my search for Sr. Prejean! Coincedence? I don't believe in coincidences. Check out her latest book, Death of Innocents, and let me know what you think. I haven't read it yet! For more about Sr. Prejean and her work go to http://www.prejean.org

Sr. Prejean's Prayer

God of Compassion
You let your rain fall on the just and the unjust.
Expand and deepen our hearts
so that we may love as You love,
even those among us
who have caused the greatest pain by taking life.
For there is in our land a great cry for vengeance
as we fill up death row and kill the killers
in the name of justice, in the name of peace.
Jesus, our brother,
you suffered execution at the hands of the state
but you did not let hatred overcome you
Help us to reach out to victims of violence
so that our enduring love may help them heal.
Holy Spirit of God,
You strengthen us in the struggle for justice,
Help us to work tirelessly
for the abolition of state-sanctioned death
and to renew our society in its very heart
so that violence will be no more.
Amen.