Off to Cincinnati.

This is necessarily a very brief update, as I'm preparing to leave early tomorrow to attend the annual "kiddie conference" of Jesuits in formation in the Chicago and Detroit Provinces. Held every year around this time, the bi-province formation gathering is most frequently held at Bellarmine Jesuit Retreat House near Chicago or Manresa Jesuit Retreat House outside Detroit. This year, we'll be varying our usual routine by meeting at the Jesuit Spiritual Center at Milford, in the suburbs of Cincinnati. This is only my fourth visit to Cincinnati; my three previous trips to the Queen City were for various other Jesuit events. I probably won't have much time to explore the city on this trip, which is too bad as there are some attractions - notably the Taft Museum - that I'd like to see. I suppose there's always next time.

I've been having a restful and enjoyable time at home with my family, and I had a very happy Christmas. Over the last couple days I've been paying a great deal of attention to the news from Pakistan. No matter what Pakistani officials may say, the circumstances surrounding the assassination of Benazir Bhutto remain highly suspicious. A politician with powerful enemies as well as a considerable popular following, Ms. Bhutto knew that she was placing her life at risk when she returned from exile a little more than two months ago to contest parliamentary elections planned for early 2008. Tragic in itself, Bhutto's death has also unleashed further chaos in an already-unstable country. In this time of great anger, sadness, and political uncertainty, I hope that the readers of this blog will join me in praying for the people of Pakistan. At a time when hopes for a better future seem to have been destroyed by violence, I pray that a spirit of peace, prudence and wisdom may somehow prevail. AMDG.