Author Archives: Philip E Jenks

Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen’s remains were transferred last June from the Archdiocese of New York to Peoria, Illinois. The move came after three years of sometimes bitter wrangling between Bishop Daniel Jenky of Peoria, Ill., who wanted Sheen’s body to … Continue reading →

Gerrit Smith’s mighty shadow over Peterboro, N.Y., did not fade after his death in 1874. All of us who grew up in or near the tiny Madison County village knew who he was. Peterboro, where Smith lived, was an outpost … Continue reading →

The Divine Doc M and I binged our way through season 3 of the Netflix miniseries The Crown. The series purports to make reasonable guesses about what Queen Elizabeth II, the Royals, and a succession of prime ministers said to … Continue reading →

Thanks to a file of old clippings in my bookshelf, I know exactly what I was doing 52 years ago. I was sitting at my gray desk in the base chapel at RAF Station Woodbridge, England, pressing a special pencil … Continue reading →

Perhaps it’s the shallow sentiment of age. Perhaps it’s nostalgia for an era that seems far brighter than the dark political gloom that engulfs us now. Perhaps it’s because I loved him from afar though I never met him. Whatever … Continue reading →

Here’s hoping the excellent biopic “Harriet” will focus more attention on what can reasonably be regarded as a racist decision.

November 11, 2019 – Looking back on my Air Force years this Veteran’s Day (1964-1968), I don’t detect a whole lot of sacrificial heroism. When I wear my Veteran hat in town, people – usually fellow Boomers – reach for … Continue reading →

Veteran’s Day 2019. – I joined the U.S. Air Force 55 years ago last September. My experience was shared by millions of women and men who joined the Aerospace Team since it was founded in 1948. I salute them all. … Continue reading →

Not enough is known about Neanderthals except we are related to them. Somewhere 40,000 years ago there was a Neanderthal nana who passed on the two to three percent Neanderthal genes you have in your genome. Herewith is a meticulously … Continue reading →