Buckle Up

A Happy Monday to one and all... and, with another national birthday now in the books, hope all the Yanks here at home and beyond had a restful, safe, sweet 4th.

If you thought the weekend's fireworks were something, though, there's more to come -- just this time around, in multiple senses of the word.

It'll likely be the beat's Last Blast before the summer slowdown begins in earnest, but the week ahead brings three major events that, taken together, comprise a "Christmas in July" for the news-loving crowd: the release of B16's social encyclical Caritas in Veritate ("Charity in Truth") early tomorrow, Friday's first meeting of the 265th Roman Pontiff and 44th American President (for which, indeed, the Vatican's "playing a fanfare"), and Saturday's ordination in Washington of Archbishop-elect Gus DiNoia OP -- the first senior Vatican official so elevated on these shores in a quarter-century... and, of course, the Bronx-born hand now tackling the task of overseeing the English-speaking church's worldwide transition to the new "New Mass."

Given the sudden mother-lode, hopefully you'll understand that your narrator's gotta pace himself, lest he collapse in mid-stream. As the year goes, see, alongside the handover in Gotham, a certain springtime firestorm over Indiana and what's become known as "Caso Williamson," we're coming into the next wave of big stories for this corner of Newsdom... only this time, they're all upon us in the same week.

What's more, lest anyone's thinking that alone would be enough to make things crazed, the hardest-working laptop in the business now finds itself in the shop for a second week running, its wi-fi card and internal speakers having thrown in the towel after three years of wear, with promises of the machine's return now repeatedly delayed due to part orders.

Perfect timing, right?

Luckily, the Good (Note)Book is at the tail-end of its warranty, so the only cost of the experience is having to bum friends' machines as their indulgence allows... and, when that fails, reuniting with our old pals at Kinko's.

Sure, it's all making for an eventful ride, and hopefully watching what transpires over the next few will prove as fun as the news-plate's full. Before it begins, though, a quick word of thanks to everyone who's made these pages part of your days, especially the many who've lent a hand to keep 'em running along the way and, while we're at it, every apology under the sun for the ever-huge number of things that, with all of one set of hands on-deck, tend to fall through the cracks.

Beginning with Caritas in full at sunrise, more early and as often as it happens in the days ahead.... God love you lot and, as always, stay tuned.

PHOTO: AP

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