Posts
πΈ January 2026 – Conscience & Vocation
- Jan 5 – Shadowlands (1994)
- Jan 12 – Three Godfathers (1948)
- Jan 19 – I Confess (1953)
- Jan 26 – The Wrong Man (1956)
The Wrong Man (1956) is one of Hitchcock’s starkest moral meditations—his only film based entirely on a true story—It’s a story of conscience, injustice, and the quiet crucifixion of an innocent man, all rendered with documentary restraint and spiritual weight.
π¬ Plot in Clean, Grounded Detail
(All factual details sourced from the film’s documented synopsis and production history.)
- Christopher “Manny” Balestrero (Henry Fonda), a humble musician at the Stork Club, is wrongly identified as the culprit in a string of small robberies.
- Police procedures—lineups, handwriting samples, staged reenactments—slowly trap him in a net of circumstantial evidence.
- His wife Rose (Vera Miles) collapses under the strain, descending into severe depression as the family’s world unravels.
- Attorney Frank O’Connor fights to prove Manny’s innocence, but witnesses die, memories blur, and the justice system grinds forward with chilling indifference.
- Hitchcock opens the film in silhouette, warning the audience that every word is true—a rare, solemn gesture from him.
✝️ Catholic Moral & Spiritual Reading
1. The Innocent Man as a Christ-Figure
Manny is not heroic in the Hollywood sense; he is meek, steady, and bewildered.
His suffering is imposed, not chosen—yet he bears it with quiet endurance.
This is the Passion in a modern key:
- false accusation
- public humiliation
- abandonment
- the crushing of the family
- the long silence of God
Hitchcock even frames Manny behind bars like a man enclosed in a tomb.
2. Rose’s Breakdown as a Portrait of Shared Suffering
Her collapse is not weakness—it is the cost of love.
She becomes the Mater Dolorosa,
the mother/wife who suffers because the innocent suffers.
Her hospitalization is one of the most compassionate depictions of mental anguish in 1950s cinema.
3. The Justice System as Fallen Creation
Hitchcock refuses to caricature the police.
They are not malicious—they are confidently wrong.
This is the deeper warning:
Evil often advances not through cruelty, but through certainty.
4. The Miracle Ending
When the real criminal is finally caught, Manny prays the Rosary.
The film’s final title card notes that Rose eventually recovered.
Grace arrives slowly, but it arrives.
πΈ Hospitality Pairing (Your Style: Symbolic, Simple, Catholic)
Drink: “The Stork Club Vigil”
A contemplative, stripped-down cocktail—nothing flashy, just honest and steady.
- 2 oz bourbon (Manny’s working‑class steadiness)
- 0.5 oz sweet vermouth (the city’s shadows)
- 1 dash bitters (the bitterness of injustice)
- Stir, serve over a single cube
- Express a lemon peel but do not drop it in—symbolizing the grace that touches but does not overwhelm
Snack: “Queens Bread & Salt”
A simple plate of:
- sliced crusty bread
- olive oil
- a pinch of coarse salt
A nod to the Balestrero family’s modest life and the biblical symbol of covenant.
Christopher’s Corner
· Spirit Hour: Vernaccia di San Gimignano Wine or Foggy Day Cocktail in honor of St. Geminianus
· Eat waffles and Pray for the assistance of the Angels
· Religion in the Home for Preschool: January
· Carnival Time begins in Catholic Countries.
· Religion in the Home for Preschool: January
· Carnival Time begins in Catholic Countries.
· Bucket List trip: Jungle Book India
· Actor Paul Newman, born 1925
· Monday: Litany of Humility
o Start your day with a rejuvenating green juice to celebrate the day’s unique holidays. Surprise your spouse with a thoughtful gesture; maybe make some homemade peanut brittle together. Consider donating to a charity that supports individuals affected by leprosy. Dive into the fascinating history of Dundee and Australian culture. Experiment with clean energy alternatives in your home. Attend a local event honoring customs from around the world. Reflect on the importance of encouragement and spread positivity with friends and family. Learn about different customs and traditions from various countries. Embrace the wisdom found in the Bible. Indulge in some Austrian and Indian cuisine to honor their national days. Overall, seize the opportunity to immerse yourself in diverse experiences and celebrate the richness of global culture.
· Plan winter fun:
- Soak in hot springs
- Hit the snow slopes
- Ride a snowmobile
- Go for a dog sled ride
- Ride a hot air balloon
π―️ Bucket List Trip [3] – Part 14: USA 70 Degree Year Journey
Dates: January 26 – February 2, 2026
Theme: Desert Ordinary Time – Light in the Wilderness
Route: Corpus Christi → Phoenix → Scottsdale → Sedona → Jerome
Style: Desert pilgrimage, early‑year purification, Eucharistic clarity
Climate Alignment: Daily highs 68–72°F (Phoenix / Scottsdale)
· π° Estimated Cost Overview
Category | Estimated Cost |
|
Lodging (7 nights) | ~$720 (mid‑range hotels) |
|
Food (daily meals) | ~$260 |
|
Transit (flight + rental car) | ~$310 (CRP → PHX + rental) |
|
Symbolic extras | ~$80 |
|
Total Estimate | ~$1,370 |
|
π️ Lodging Options
o Phoenix: Hilton Garden Inn Phoenix Midtown
o Scottsdale: The Saguaro Scottsdale
o Sedona: Arabella Hotel Sedona
π Day 1 – Monday, January 26
· Location: Phoenix – St. Mary’s Basilica
Symbol: Desert Dawn
Ritual Prompt: “Begin again where the desert meets the altar.”
Quiet afternoon visit + Evening Mass; light a candle for clarity in Ordinary Time.
π₯ Foodie Stop: Pizzeria Bianco (~$28)
π΅ Day 2 – Tuesday, January 27
· Location: Scottsdale – McDowell Sonoran Preserve
Symbol: Purifying Silence
Ritual Prompt: “Let the wide silence widen your heart.”
Morning hike on Gateway Loop; journal on what needs pruning this season.
π² Foodie Stop: The Thumb BBQ (~$22)
π₯ Day 3 – Wednesday, January 28
· Location: Phoenix – Desert Botanical Garden
Symbol: Burning Bush
Ritual Prompt: “Notice the places where God burns without consuming.”
Walk the garden’s desert trails; reflect on vocation and attentiveness.
π₯ Foodie Stop: Gertrude’s Restaurant (~$30)
π️ Day 4 – Thursday, January 29
· Location: Sedona – Chapel of the Holy Cross
Symbol: Rock of Refuge
Ritual Prompt: “Stand upon the rock—let Christ steady your steps.”
Visit the chapel; pray the Litany of Trust overlooking the red rocks.
π· Foodie Stop: The Hudson (~$35)
π Day 5 – Friday, January 30
· Location: Sedona – Cathedral Rock Vortex Trail
Symbol: Ascent
Ritual Prompt: “Climb toward the light—carry only what belongs.”
Sunrise hike; Lectio Divina on the day’s Gospel.
π§Ί Foodie Stop: Wildflower Bread Company (~$18)
π―️ Day 6 – Saturday, January 31
· Location: Jerome – Holy Family Catholic Church
Symbol: Hidden Faith
Ritual Prompt: “Seek the faith that survives on the mountainside.”
Explore the old mining town; pray a decade for perseverance in trials.
π½️ Foodie Stop: The Haunted Hamburger (~$20)
π Day 7 – Sunday, February 1 (Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time)
· Location: Phoenix – Ss. Simon & Jude Cathedral
Symbol: Authority of Christ
Ritual Prompt: “Let His word speak with authority in your life.”
Sunday Mass + blog reflection: “Desert Light in Ordinary Time.”
π· Foodie Stop: Oregano’s Pizza Bistro (~$25)
π Day 8 – Monday, February 2 (Feast of the Presentation)
· Location: Phoenix – Candlemas Mass
Symbol: Light of the Nations
Ritual Prompt: “Carry the light into the year ahead.”
Blessed candles + final reflection on the January pilgrimage arc.
π₯ Foodie Stop: Matt’s Big Breakfast (~$18)
JANUARY 26 Monday
Saints
Timothy and Titus-Australia Day
Exodus, Chapter 2, Verse 13-14
The next day he went out again, and now two Hebrews were
fighting! So, he asked the culprit, “Why are you striking your companion?” But
he replied, “Who has appointed you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of
killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses became AFRAID and thought, “The affair must certainly be known.”
Moses was a prince of Egypt and a Hebrew. Moses as a man sought justice for his Hebrew brothers and in a fit of anger killed an Egyptian that was brutalizing a Hebrew slave and secretly buried him in the sand. Secrecy is an important element in sinfulness. When we find ourselves wanting to keep something secret, we should ask ourselves are we going down a road that we want to go; is this secrecy that we desire really an attempt to hide our sinfulness from God; who sees all things. Think twice the next time you seek secrecy.
What does the Bible say?[1]
1. Proverbs 28:13
“If you hide your sins, you will not succeed. If you confess and reject them,
you will receive mercy.” (mercy verses)
2. Psalm 69:5
“God, you know what I have done wrong; I cannot hide my guilt from you.” (Guilt
in the Bible)
3. Psalm 44:20-21
“If we had forgotten the name of our God or lifted our hands to a foreign god,
wouldn’t God find out since he knows the secrets of the heart?”
4. Psalm 90:8 “You
have set our wrong-doing before You, our secret sins in the light of Your
face.”
5. Numbers 32:23
“But if you don’t do these things, you will be sinning against the Lord; know
for sure that you will be punished for your sin.” God knows everything about
you and He is always watching you.
6. Jeremiah
16:17-18 “I see everything they do. They cannot hide from me the things they
do; their sin is not hidden from my eyes. I will pay back the people of Judah
twice for every one of their sins, because they have made my land unclean. They
have filled my country with their hateful idols.” (Idolatry in the Bible)
7. Psalm 139:1-2
“Lord, you have examined me and know all about me. You know when I sit down and
when I get up. You know my thoughts before I think them.”
8. Psalm 139:3-7
“You know where I go and where I lie down. You know everything I do. Lord, even
before I say a word, you already know it. You are all around me—in front and in
back— and have put your hand on me. Your knowledge is amazing to me; it is more
than I can understand. Where can I go to get away from your Spirit? Where can I
run from you?” (God Bible verses)
9. Luke 12:1-2 “So
many thousands of people had gathered that they were stepping on each other.
Jesus spoke first to his followers, saying, “Beware of the yeast of the
Pharisees, because they are hypocrites. Everything that is hidden will be
shown, and everything that is secret will be made known.”
10. Hebrews
4:12-13 “God’s word is alive and working and is sharper than a double-edged
sword. It cuts all the way into us, where the soul and the spirit are joined,
to the center of our joints and bones. And it judges the thoughts and feelings
in our hearts. Nothing in all the world can be hidden from God. Everything is
clear and lies open before him, and to him we must explain the way we have
lived.”
The danger of unconfessed sin
11. Isaiah 59:1-2
“Surely the Lord’s power is enough to save you. He can hear you when you ask
him for help. It is your evil that has separated you from your God. Your sins
cause him to turn away from you, so he does not hear you.”
12. Psalm 66:18-19
“If I had harbored sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. However,
God heard; he listened to my prayer.”
Repent of the hidden sins you don’t know
about.
13. Psalm 19:12
“How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden
faults.”
Repent: Turn away and follow Christ.
14. 1 John 1:9 “If
we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and
purify us from all unrighteousness.” (Repentance in the Bible)
15. 2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, who are
called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn
from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their
sin and will heal their land.”
Bonus: Don’t deny your sins. See it as God
sees it.
Isaiah 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Copilot’s Take
Evil today works the same way it did in the days of
Moses—quietly, inwardly, and most dangerously through the secrets we try to
bury. Exodus shows that the real turning point wasn’t the killing of the
Egyptian but the moment Moses tried to hide it, because secrecy is the soil
where sin takes root and fear grows. Scripture is unambiguous: nothing stays
hidden before the face of God, and nothing kept in the dark remains harmless.
The saints we honor today, Timothy and Titus, confronted evil not with outrage
or force but with transparent lives, sound teaching, and the courage to bring
everything into the light of Christ. Australia Day, with its mix of celebration
and painful memory, reminds us that individuals and nations alike must face
their histories honestly if they want to walk forward in truth. Confronting
evil today begins with refusing the illusion of secrecy, confessing quickly,
repenting decisively, and living openly before God. When we do this, fear loses
its grip, darkness loses its hiding place, and we become living witnesses that
God’s light is stronger than anything we once tried to conceal.
Feast of Saints Timothy and Titus, Bishops[2]
St.
Timothy, born in Galatia in Asia Minor, was baptized and later ordained to the
priesthood by St. Paul. The young Galatian became Paul's missionary companion
and his most beloved spiritual son. St. Paul showed his trust in this disciple
by consecrating him bishop of the great city of Ephesus. St. Timothy was stoned
to death thirty years after St. Paul's martyrdom for having denounced the
worship of the goddess Diana.
St.
Titus, a convert from paganism, was a fellow laborer of St. Paul on many
apostolic missions. St. Paul later made him bishop of Crete, a difficult charge
because of the character of the inhabitants and the spread of erroneous
doctrines on that island. St. Paul's writings tell us that St. Titus rejoiced
to discover what was good in others and drew the hearts of men by his wide and
affectionate sympathy.
CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
Australia Day[3]
Australia Day commemorates the arrival of the
First Fleet of 11 convict ships from Britain. On this day in 1788,
Captain Arthur Phillip first raised the British flag at Sydney Cove, marking
the British occupation of Australia which has been claimed 8 years earlier by
the arrival of Captain James Cook in 1770. Australia Day is observed annually
on January 26th each year with barbeques and fireworks. Today, the day gives
Australians the opportunity to reflect upon what it means to be Australian, the
history that shaped the nation and the brighter future that the country has to
look forward to.
Australia Day Facts
& Quotes
·
In 2015 Australia day coincided with 150th
anniversary of Colac's Botanic Gardens.
·
Australia was originally designed as a penal
colony - a place used to exile convicts and criminals. The first was
named the Colony of New South Wales.
·
The Australian Flag is flown to commemorate
this holiday. The flag includes: The Union Jack, representing historical
ties to Great Britain; a large white seven-tipped star representing the 7
provinces making up the Commonwealth of Australia; and five white stars in the
Southern Cross constellation pattern, a reminder of their Southern Hemisphere
location.
·
The entire population of Australia (22.3 million)
is less than the population of Texas (26 million).
·
There's an expression in Australia that's
called 'Go Bush,' which means to get out of the city and relax. I try and 'go
bush' to places where there's no cell reception. But I don't get to do that
often, so for the most part, it's just a state of mind. - Cate Blanchett,
actress
Australia Day Top
Events and Things to Do
·
Watch fireworks displays. Some of the
grander displays are at Sydney harbor, Rooty Hill and the shores of Lake Burley
Griffin.
·
Watch or attend the Oz Day 10km race in Sydney,
Australia.
·
Visit Hyde Park in Sidney where many Australia
day events take place.
· Attend flag raising and citizenship ceremonies in Canberra and Perth.
Daily
Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph
by joining them in fasting: Today's Fast: Protection
of Life from Conception until natural death.
·
Litany of the Most
Precious Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to the
sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
[4] Sheraton, Mimi. 1,000 Foods To Eat
Before You Die: A Food Lover's Life List. Workman Publishing Company. Kindle
Edition.
