Against The Grain

Saturday, August 04, 2007

Through the grapevine comes news of the passing of Karen Marie Knapp (From the Anchor Hold) --

Karen "lived simply, singly and submittedly, interceding for the City and the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, in a little place near Father Groppi's Bridge."

She was of the original Catholic bloggers I encountered, first through the RatzingerFanClub email list and later through what some of us now refer to as 'St. Blog's Parish.' She was a kind and gentle soul -- Shawn McIlhenney describes her "overall Gerard Seraphinesque kind of approach to issues" and I agree: among the heated polemics and sniping that often characterizes the blogging world, she stood out as one worthy of emulation.

Her presence will be missed.

David L. Alexander shares her last request, which I invite readers to honor:

I live alone. I have no kin less than a full day's drive away. I'm chronically ill with a disease that is incurable and fatal. Though I am doing all the things I need to do to collect on the "15 to 20 years of medically manageable symptoms", such as taking all my medicines, doing my physical therapy, using my oxygen, and so on, the fact is that I could easily be Called at any time. And the first notice of my passing, when my body finally stops working entirely, is very likely to be a blaring loudspeaker just like the one in the cafeteria this noontime, at some hospital or skilled nursing facility. I hope that when my time comes, and the loudspeakers start hollering about my room, that there is someone who takes pity on me and prays for me. It's on that list of the Things Catholics Do, the Works of Mercy: Pray for both the living and the dead.