Lakes and Oceans

So it seems, even Rome's getting in on the Trade Deadline action -- at least as evidenced by this morning's appointment of Msgr Lawrence Persico as bishop of Erie on the retirement of one of the last "giants" of the Stateside bench, Bishop Donald Trautman.

Heretofore doing double-duty as vicar-general of Greensburg and a pastor in the Western Pennsylvania diocese, the 61 year-old cleric will be ordained by the Lake on October 1st.

Home to 225,000 Catholics, the Erie church comprises the 13 Northwestern counties of the Keystone State -- an area encompassing over 10,000 square miles.

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While the more observant would've noticed the warning shot on the Inside Pages yesterday, with the shop on its traditional (and already-delayed) Summer Hiatus, the rest will have to remain aside for now.

Some things in life are just more important, folks -- and 'round these parts, the gifts of these lazy, hazy days (well, what's left of them) run very high on that list.

Every blessing and good thing of summer to you and yours, church. Enjoy it while it lasts.

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