Friday, January 29
Ralph McInerny (1929-2010)
Beloved mystery author, Notre Dame professor and all-round cool Catholic guy Ralph McInerny has died. I never encountered him on campus during my time there (at least I don't remember doing so; though I got a little vicarious thrill once passing his office door in Hesburgh Library when I came up as a thought-he-knew-it-all high-schooler for a summer program at the School of Architecture) and now it seems I never will, at least in this earthly life. Jody Bottum at First Thoughts has further commentary, including this McInerny poem:
Effable
Where are words when not yet spoken:
on the tongue,
in the mind,
perhaps in air,
nowhere?
Their meanings, more elusive
still, unbreathed await
articulation,
though I have heard
in the beginning was the word.
Many people in many different worlds--the groves of academe, the backstreets of mystery fiction, and of course, we, his fellow Catholics--will miss him. God rest his soul.
Effable
Where are words when not yet spoken:
on the tongue,
in the mind,
perhaps in air,
nowhere?
Their meanings, more elusive
still, unbreathed await
articulation,
though I have heard
in the beginning was the word.
Many people in many different worlds--the groves of academe, the backstreets of mystery fiction, and of course, we, his fellow Catholics--will miss him. God rest his soul.
![[SMMMHDH]](http://www.mgilleland.com/music/smmmhdh.png){kind=small}
