Comings and goings.

Say it ain't so, Johnny . . . this was bad news to come home to after the retreat. "Many fans angry, disillusioned at Damon's move to archrival Yankees," says the Globe, understating things a wee bit.

Johnny Damon's betrayal aside, it's good to be back at Loyola House after a fine retreat. Pat Fairbanks delivered a number of eloquent and affecting talks on the theme "Questions of Advent." At the end of the retreat, Pat and I also had an opportunity to talk about St. Ignatius College Prep in Chicago - where he just spent five years and where I'll be spending the next five months. Yes, it's official: I'm going to SICP for Long Experiment. It's not yet clear exactly what I'll be doing - ideally, some combination of teaching, campus ministry and assistance with extracurricular activities. I was very impressed with SICP when I passed through there on Vo To 05 in March, and I'm looking forward to spending the spring semester there. This will be my first experience working in a high school and my first in-depth experience of Jesuit secondary education, so I'm sure I'll learn a lot. If I'm lucky, the students at St. Ignatius will learn something from me as well. Expect more details on what I'll be doing when I settle in at SICP in early January. In the meantime, your prayers for me and my brother novices - who are variously looking forward to their own postings for Long Experiment or to making the Long Retreat - are greatly appreciated. AMDG.