Dear Friends,

I thought I'd send out an Easter email before the week was over. I hope you had an Easter full of blessing and respite, and are geared up for the coming pre-summer stretch.

I want to thank those of you who have been supportive of our work here in Peterborough. Wayside Academy is progressing very well; it has been a great year, albeit full of learning. The good God has been ever-present in this work, and the net result has been a strong academic and spiritual school, growing in knowledge and faith. And yes, defying the critics, I will actually be doing something for more than ONE year, and continue this work 2002-2003. Please remember me in your prayers.

We will probably be looking for good teacher candidates soon. If you, or someone you know, might fit this bill, please contact me. Just know that at Wayside Academy we are overworked, underpaid, and loving it! (for a complete list of perks & counter-perks, give me a clandestine call).

While on the subject I'd like to invite you to an event we are having next month. Wayside Academy is proud to present a live performance of Leonardo Defilippis's "Therese: Story of a Soul", the one-woman play starring Margaret Litschi. Scoring a Canadian performance of this incredibly moving and rich drama was a Herculean feat, so we are excited that it is coming. I had the opportunity to work on the production of this play back in 1997, and it has been selling out across North America ever since. The full-length feature film based on the play is being released soon.

To witness this live drama, as well as support Wayside Academy (and thereby, a future generation of Catholic leaders), give me a call, and I'll reserve for you. Tickets are $20 general and $12 student, and it's at 8 pm, Friday May 3, at the St. Peter's Auditorium, here in Peterborough. Believe me, it will be worth the trip (I can arrange free accommodations if needed). By the way, the St. Luke Productions website is http://www.stlukeproductions.com/

This past winter I read what is now my favorite novel: Manalive by G.K. Chesterton. Here's the summary:

"A novel about Innocent Smith, a man who picnics on rooftops, breaks into his own house, has an affair with his own wife. There are any number of Chesterton books which offer us a window on his thoughts, but this book grabs us and pulls us in the front door. This is the book on how to live Chesterton.

Quote: "This man's spiritual power has been precisely this, that he has distinguished between custom and creed. He has broken the conventions, but he has kept the commandments."

It's published by Dover Books, and available from http://www.chesterton.org/

There have recently been reams of great journalism lately, mostly coming out of the States, but nonetheless appearing part of a new wave of common sense commentary. Here's a few that have stood out in my mind: VM129 - Wayside Media Today


I wish you every grace and joy this Easter season. Here's a final reflection from Catherine Doherty, foundress of http://www.madonnahouse.org/ :

"Do we remember how to be joyous? Or have we lost joy, along with so much else? Perhaps it is because we have lost simplicity...We have allowed our needs and fears to conquer us...We must find again the master plan of simplicity." --Catherine Doherty, Grace in every Season.


There's one final site you may also be interested in. Catholic multimedia genius Anton Casta has created a website profiling my father's artistic and written work, and is now on-line at http://www.studiobrien.com/. I hope you enjoy.

Meanwhile, I am,

Yours in the Risen Christ,

John