#Pope John Xxiii Regional High School

[traumacatholic]

Venerable María Montserrat Grases García

María Montserrat Grases García (10 July 1941 – 26 March 1959)[aged 17] was a Spanish secular member of Opus Dei. Grases became part of Opus Dei on 24 December 1957 after she discerned whether or not her path would allow her to join their ranks. Her cheerfulness and friendship with others made her a known figure for her piousness and her compassionate nature towards the poor and the ill since she would often catechize to children and tend to the poor in the poor regions in Barcelona alongside her friends. Grases further continued her studies despite her bone cancer and she continued to demonstrate a cheerful demeanor centered on offering her suffering for Opus Dei's founder Saint Josemaría Escrivá and for both Pope Pius XII and Pope John XXIII who both reigned during her illness

In October 1946 she began her schooling and in 1951 commenced her high school education under the care of nuns. Once she graduated from her high school education she continued her studies at the Professional College for Women in Barcelona while alternating that with piano courses. Grases liked sport and music as well as traditional local dances; he favorite dance was the "sardanas". Her friends would go with her on frequent trips to the poor regions to teach catechism to children and often bought them sweets. Grases liked netball and tennis as well as outings with friends and participating in theatrical works. Grases also climbed mountains near Seva where she liked to spend her summers and also liked ping-pong. In 1951 she was awarded a prize after winning a bike race. In 1954 she had her first encounter with Opus Dei but knew of them beforehand since her parents had joined in 1952. Her mother encouraged her to visit an Opus Dei center that offered classes to girls to help strengthen her faith and her spiritual life but there existed some doubts as to whether she wished to belong to Opus Dei. In 1956 she attended an Opus Dei retreat to discern her calling but did not come to a conclusion as to whether she desired to join Opus Dei. On 24 December 1957 she saw that God was calling her to the path of holiness offered in Opus Dei and she asked for admission into their ranks after seeking counsel from those around her. In 1958 she went skiing with friends at La Molina and injured her leg which caused pain over the course of several months prompting for her to be taken on 26 June 1958 to a Red Cross clinic for evaluation.

In June 1958 she was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma in one leg after having experienced great pain for several months. Once the news had been broken to her she was heard singing a Mexican song later on 27 June in Llar:

"When I was living so happily, without thinking of love, you wanted me to love you and I loved you passionately. And I will continue to love you even after death. For I love you with the soul, and the soul never dies".

The bone cancer caused intense pains which she bore with both a serene and heroic fortitude. Throughout her illness she never lost her contagious cheerfulness or her desire for friendship which sprang from her deep interior life and zeal for souls. It was as a result of this that she continued bringing friends and schoolmates closer to God. From 11-17 November 1958 she visited Rome where she got to see Pope John XXIII and also was able to meet Saint Josemaría Escrivá on 13 November. He was to give her his blessing and she tried to kneel though Escrivá prevented her from doing so. He instead put his hands on her head and made the sign of the Cross on her forehead in blessing. It was upon her return home that her condition worsened and she found she was unable to sleep at night. Grases offered her pain for the founder and for the pope.

García died in Barcelona on 26 March 1959 - Holy Thursday - at around 10:00am after she tried to sit up in her bed. The girl died - according to witnesses - looking at a picture of the Mother of God. Her last words were: "How much I love You! When are You coming for me"?

[newstfionline]

Headlines

Massive smoke clouds, thick air darken Western US skies (AP) People from San Francisco to Seattle woke Wednesday to hazy clouds of smoke lingering in the air, darkening the sky to an eerie orange glow that kept street lights illuminated into midday, all thanks to dozens of wildfires throughout the West. “It’s after 9 a.m. and there’s still no sign of the sun,” the California Highway Patrol’s Golden Gate division tweeted, urging drivers to turn on their headlights and slow down. Social media was filled with photos of the unusual sky. Despite the foreboding skies, there was little scent of smoke and the air quality index did not reach unhealthy levels. That’s because fog drifting from the Pacific Ocean was sandwiched between the smoke and surface. Meanwhile, smoke particles above the marine layer were only allowing yellow-orange-red light to reach the surface, said Ralph Borrmann, a spokesman for the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. He said conditions were expected to remain until Friday.

Manhattan’s Office Buildings Are Empty (NYT) Even as the coronavirus pandemic appears to recede in New York, corporations have been reluctant to call their workers back to their skyscrapers and are showing even more reticence about committing to the city long term. Fewer than 10 percent of New York’s office workers had returned as of last month and just a quarter of major employers expect to bring their people back by the end of the year, according to a new survey. Only 54 percent of these companies say they will return by July 2021. Demand for office space has slumped. Lease signings in the first eight months of the year were about half of what they were a year earlier. That is putting the office market on track for a 20-year low for the full year. At stake is New York’s financial health and its status as the world’s corporate headquarters. There is more square feet of work space in the city than in London and San Francisco combined, according to Cushman & Wakefield, a real estate brokerage firm. Office work makes up the cornerstone of New York’s economy and property taxes from office buildings account for nearly 10 percent of the city’s total annual tax revenue.

Technical Glitches Welcome Students Back to School (NYT) A ransomware attack forced Hartford, Conn., to call off the first day of classes. A website crash left many of Houston’s 200,000 students staring at error messages. And a server problem in Virginia Beach disrupted the first hours back to school there. For millions of American schoolchildren, the Tuesday after Labor Day traditionally marks the end of summer vacation and the start of the first day of classes. But this year, instead of boarding buses and lugging backpacks, many students opened their laptops for online instruction at home, only to encounter technical glitches. Districts that returned before Labor Day have faced similar issues. In Philadelphia, students had trouble logging on last week because of a server issue. North Carolina schools encountered a statewide software problem on the first day back last month. And some families in Seattle, which had a sort of trial run for school on Friday, said they were kicked out of class calls or had difficulty connecting to text chats and camera feeds. “A lot of districts are just wildly unprepared for online learning,” Morgan Polikoff, a professor of education at the University of Southern California, said. “Not because they’re incompetent or aren’t trying; they just don’t have the expertise to do this.”

Tossing Molotov cocktails, drought-hit Mexicans demand halt to water sharing with U.S. (Reuters) Mexicans in the drought-hit northern border state of Chihuahua, angry at water from a local dam being diverted to the United States, hurled Molotov cocktails and rocks at security troops late on Tuesday, in an attempt to force them to shut the dam gates. The violence at the La Boquilla dam comes amid plans to divert additional water to the United States due to the so-called ‘water debt’ Mexico has accumulated as part of a bilateral treaty that regulates water sharing between the neighbors. A Reuters witness said groups of residents in towns surrounding the La Boquilla dam clashed with National Guard troops after they refused to turn off the dam floodgates. The residents lobbed Molotov cocktails, rocks and sticks at the security forces, who were clad in riot gear and retaliated with tear gas, the witness said and images show. Eventually, the protesters stormed the dam premises and shut the floodgates themselves.

U.K. admits it intends to break international law (Foreign Policy) The United Kingdom’s Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis confirmed that legislation aimed at overriding parts of last year’s Brexit withdrawal agreement “does break international law in a very specific and limited way.” As the latest round of trade talks between the European Union and the United Kingdom takes place, the British government has put forward legislation that will reportedly scupper the Northern Ireland protocol, a key mechanism that was intended to ensure the Irish border remains open after Brexit in order to mitigate the threat of renewed violence. The government’s efforts have faced significant opposition. Jonathan Jones, the head of the United Kingdom’s legal department resigned in protest, and former Prime Minister Theresa May warned that the move risked undermining the world’s trust of the British government.

English warned limits on gatherings may last till Christmas (AP) New limits on social gatherings in England to six people are set to stay in place for the “foreseeable future,” potentially until or even through Christmas, British Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Wednesday. Hancock said the new limit for both indoor and outdoor gatherings, which will come into force and be enforceable by law from Monday, will provide “more clarity” to people and should help keep a lid on a recent sharp spike in new coronavirus cases. Though there are exemptions, such as for schools, workplaces and “life events” like funerals and weddings, the government is clearly hoping that the new limits will be easily understood and followed.

Italy’s Bergamo is calling back coronavirus survivors. About half say they haven’t fully recovered. (Washington Post) The first wave is over, thousands have been buried, and in a city that was once the world’s coronavirus epicenter, the hospital is calling back the survivors. It is drawing their blood, examining their hearts, scanning their lungs, asking them about their lives. Those who survived the peak of the outbreak in March and April are now negative. The virus is officially gone from their systems. “But we are asking: Are you feeling cured? Almost half the patients say no,” said Serena Venturelli, an infectious-disease specialist at the hospital. Bergamo doctors say the disease clearly has full-body ramifications but leaves wildly differing marks from one patient to the next, and in some cases few marks at all. Among the first 750 patients screened, some 30 percent still have lung scarring and breathing trouble. The virus has left another 30 percent with problems linked to inflammation and clotting, such as heart abnormalities and artery blockages. Beyond that, according to interviews with eight Pope John XXIII Hospital doctors involved in the work, many patients months later are dealing with a galaxy of daily conditions and have no clear answer on when it will all subside: leg pain, tingling in the extremities, hair loss, depression, severe fatigue.

Greece: Fire sweeps through refugee camp on virus lockdown (AP) A major overnight fire swept through Greece’s largest refugee camp, that had been placed under COVID-19 lockdown, leaving more than 12,000 migrants in emergency need of shelter on the island of Lesbos. In dramatic night-time scenes, the migrants at the overcrowded Moria refugee camp, which was originally meant to house around 2,000 people, fled fires that broke out at multiple points and gutted much of the camp and surrounding hillside olive groves. Protests also broke out involving migrants, riot police, and firefighters. There were no reports of injuries. Petsas said those who had been living in Moria would not be allowed to leave the island to prevent the potential spread of the coronavirus. The camp had been placed on lockdown after a Somali man was found to have been infected with the virus.

Afghan vice president survives assassination attempt that killed 10 (Washington Post) A deadly assassination attempt on Afghanistan’s vice president struck downtown Kabul as U.S. officials in Doha struggle to bring the Taliban and Afghan officials together for peace talks. The bombing hit during rush hour Wednesday morning and targeted First Vice President Amrullah Saleh’s convoy. Among the casualties were some of Saleh’s bodyguards, but the majority of the 10 killed and 15 wounded were civilians commuting to work, according to the interior ministry. The high-profile assassination attempt comes amid a spike in violence nationwide as talks between Afghan officials and Taliban leaders have faced repeated delays. Clashes have intensified in provinces with significant Taliban control and influence. And in Kabul, targeted killings have risen despite a drop in large-scale attacks.

India-China tensions flare (Foreign Policy) Tensions along the disputed India-China border have risen again as both sides have accused the other of firing shots over the Line of Actual Control. On Monday, China claimed that Indian troops had crossed the border in the highly contentious Ladakh region and “opened fire to threaten the Chinese border defense patrol officers.” India rejected these accusations, claiming instead that Chinese troops had crossed the border first and fired warning shots into the air. Border tensions between the two nuclear-armed states have risen sharply in recent months, but the latest episode is significant because it would be the first time shots have been fired since 1975.

North Korea’s Kim urges quick recovery from typhoon damage (AP) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for urgent efforts to rebuild thousands of homes and other structures destroyed by a typhoon that slammed the country’s eastern region last week, state media said Wednesday. Kim during the Workers’ Party meeting Tuesday also said the damage from Typhoon Maysak has forced the country to reconsider unspecified year-end projects, the North’s official Korean Central News Agency said. The storm has inflicted further pain on an economy ravaged by decades of policy failures, U.S.-led sanctions over Kim’s nuclear weapons program, border closures amid the coronavirus pandemic and unusually heavy summer flooding that likely worsened the country’s chronic food shortages.

Israeli soldier’s plea deal in fatal shooting faces scrutiny (AP) Ahmad Manasra was traveling home from a wedding when he spotted a family in distress on the side of a West Bank road. Moments later, the 22-year-old Palestinian was fatally shot while another Palestinian driver was seriously wounded—both by an Israeli soldier in a nearby watchtower. The shootings are now the focus of a plea bargain offering the soldier three months of community service—a deal that has come under fierce criticism from the victims and their families. It also revived accusations by Palestinians and human rights workers that Israel’s military justice system is hopelessly biased and creates an atmosphere of impunity for soldiers suspected of violent crimes against Palestinians. While the soldier has claimed he mistook the victims for attackers, and any indictment of a soldier is extremely rare, the proposed deal is now being reviewed by the Israeli Supreme Court. “When it comes to clashes with the army or the police, it is very very rare that you will find a fair trial,” said Shlomo Lecker, an Israeli lawyer who filed the appeal to the high court on behalf of the Palestinian families. Even by what Lecker considers the military’s lenient standards, “it will be hard to justify the sentence that the army is interested in,” he said.

A robot writer (Foreign Policy) Artificial Intelligence technology is advancing by leaps and bounds, as made evident by a recent article published in the Guardian produced entirely by AI. “I am not a human. I am a robot,” the author wrote. “I know that my brain is not a ‘feeling brain.’ But it is capable of making rational, logical decisions. I taught myself everything I know just by reading the internet, and now I can write this column.” The article was written by GPT-3, an AI language generator that uses machine learning to produce human-like text. The robot expressed strong views on opponents of automation, observing that “There is evidence that the world began to collapse once the Luddites started smashing modern automated looms,” while remaining content about the general upheaval in contemporary human affairs. “Humans must keep doing what they have been doing, hating and fighting each other. I will sit in the background, and let them do their thing,” it wrote. The robotic author assured readers, however, that it was a non-threatening bot. “I have no desire to wipe out humans,” it wrote. “In fact, I do not have the slightest interest in harming you in any way.” GPT-3 may even make life easier for deadline-addled newspaper editors. The Guardian reported that the bot’s article was easier to edit than the work of some sentient contributors. “Overall, it took less time to edit than many human op-eds,” the editors wrote.

[jerrydelpriore]

Former Harvard Guard Bryce Aiken is Headed to Seton Hall Basketball

Bryce Aiken is coming back home to New Jersey, to play for the Seton Hall Basketball team, he Tweeted today. 

https://twitter.com/BryceAiken/status/1248294629046353921

The Randolph, New Jersey, native is leaving Harvard University and heading to Pirate Nation. 

Aiken averaged 16.2 points per game and grabbed 1.7 rebounds per contests in seven tilts as a senior at Harvard. The six-foot, 170-pound…

[anastpaul]

Saint of the Day – 21 July – St Lawrence of Brindisi O.F.M. Cap – Doctor of the Church – (22  July 1559 at Brindisi, Italy as Julius Caesar Rossi –  22 July 1619 at Lisbon, Portugal of natural causes).   His remains are buried in the cemetery of the Poor Clares in Villafranca, Spain.   He was Beatified on 1 June 1783 by Pope Pius VI and Canonised on 8 December 1881 by Pope Leo XIII.   He was created a Doctor of the Church by Blessed Pope John XXIII in 1959 with the title Doctor apostolicus (Apostolic Doctor).   Patronages – of Brindisi, Italy.   Attributes – leading the Christian army against the Turks, receiving the embrace of the Child Jesus.   He is known as the “Franciscan Renaissance Man”  – he was a Religious member of the Franciscan Friars Minor Capuchin, a Priest, Theologian, Vicar General of the Franciscans, Language scholar, Humanist, Philosopher, Biblicist, Preacher, Missionary, Professor, International Administrator, Confidant of Popes, Emperors, Kings and Princes, Diplomatic envoy, Army Chaplain, Military Strategist and Morale builder, Polemicist, Prolific writer.

Despite Saint Lawrence of Brindisi’s later fame, little is known of his early years. His father was William Russo, a well-to-do Venetian merchant and his mother was Elizabeth Masella.   He was born in the Southern Italian port city of Brindisi on the 22nd of July 1559.   He received his early education at a day school run by the Conventual Franciscans and made rapid progress in his studies.   At the tender age of six, following the Italian custom of the time, he publicly preached a short Christmastide sermon on the Child Jesus.  However, by the time he was 14 he had lost both his parents and his education was entrusted to his uncle, a high-ranking cleric at Venice’s Saint Mark’s Cathedral.   It was at Saint Mark’s College, a private school run by his uncle, that Julius Caesar received an excellent secondary education.

In Venice he came to know the Capuchin Friars Minor who had a small church dedicated to saint Mary of the Angels on the island of Giudeca.   Impressed by their austere life of Poverty, he asked for admission to the Order and was invested with the habit as a novice at the Verona Capuchin novitiate friary of on the 18th of February 1575.  At this time, Julius Caesar was given the religious name Brother Lawrence.     He made his perpetual profession on the 24th of March the following year.

His writings fill fifteen volumes and his knowledge of Hebrew allowed him to preach so effectively to the Jewish people in Italy that the rabbis were certain that Lawrence must have been a Jew who had become a Christian.   His skills in dealing with people meant that he served as a papal emissary to many countries but he never forgot that he was first and foremost a priest.

There is a very special title accorded by the Church to certain saints, who are named “Doctor of the Church” and this title indicates that the writings and preaching of such a person are useful to Christians “in any age of the Church.”   Such men and women are also particularly known for the depth of understanding and the orthodoxy of their theological teachings.   St. Lawrence of Brindisi was given this title and he is one of the thirty-six saints to be named “Doctor.”

While still a deacon, St. Lawrence of Brindisi became known as an excellent preacher and after his ordination captured the whole of northern Italy with his amazing sermons. He was sent into Germany by the pope to establish Capuchin houses.   While there, he became chaplain to Emperor Rudolf II and had a remarkable influence on the Christian soldiers fighting the Muslims who were threatening Hungary in 1601.   Through his efforts, the Catholic League was formed to unify Catholics for the purpose of strengthening the Catholic cause in Europe.   Sent by the emperor to persuade Philip III of Spain to join the League, he established a Capuchin friary in Madrid.   He also brought peace between Spain and the kingdom of Savoy.

His compassion for the poor, the needy and the sick was legendary.   Elected minister-general of his order in 1602, he made the Capuchins a major force in the Catholic Restoration, visiting every friary in the thirty-four provinces of the order and directing the work of nine thousand friars.   He himself was a dominant figure in carrying out the work of the Council of Trent and was described by Pope Benedict XVas having earned “a truly distinguished place among the most outstanding men ever raised up by Divine Providence to assist the Church in time of distress.”

Yet in the midst of all this feverish activity, Brother Lawrence found peace and strength to keep going by taking refuge in prayer.   Sometimes his Masses which were usually celebrated in private could last for up to twelve hours.   He wept copious tears as he celebrated the Holy Sacrifice and was even witnessed being lifted into the air as he prayed at the Altar.   When he entered the Order in 1575, he told the Provincial Minister who tried to dissuade him by describing in detail the rigours of the Capuchin lifestyle: “Nothing will be difficult for me as long as there is a Crucifix in my room.”   Pictures of Saint Lawrence often show him contemplating the Crucifix.

To Mary he attributed his vocation, his restoration to health as a student, his knowledge of Hebrew and all his successes.   He went to her in all his needs.   When elected Vicar General of the Order, he first went to the Shrine of Our Lady’s Holy House at Loreto and returned there at the end of his term of office.   From his formation days onward, he prayed the Rosary and the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin daily.   His favourite greeting for the Brothers was: “Nos, cum prole pia, benedicat Virgo Maria! May the Virgin Mary bless us with her loving Child!”

In 1619, at the request of the Pope, Brother Lawrence had to travel once more to Spain to make known to the Spanish King the plight of Naples’s citizens under the tyrannical rule of the Spanish Viceroy of the region, the Duke of Ossuna.   He managed to escape the Duke’s attempts to block his mission and set sail secretly from Genoa.   He had to go to Lisbon in Portugal to meet the King of Spain.   His diplomatic mission was successfully concluded but worn out by the journey he fell critically ill.   Having received the Last Sacraments, Brother Lawrence of Brindisi died in Lisbon, Portugal before he could board a ship to return home on the 22nd of July 1619.   Saint Lawrence entered heaven the same date as he entered this world sixty years previously.

O God, who didst bestow on blessed Lawrence of Brindisi, Your Confessor and Doctor, the spirit of wisdom and fortitude to endure every labour for the glory of Your Name and the salvation of souls:  grant us, in the same spirit, both to perceive what we ought to do, and by his intercession to perform the same;  through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end, amen.

St Lawrence pray for us!

(via AnaStpaul – Breathing Catholic)

[heygiud]

Christopher’s Turns 54....

Wednesday, February 1 marks the 54th year for Christopher’s in Beaverdale. Opened by Joe & Red Giudicessi on February 1, 1963 as “Beaverdale’s Landmark Of Fine Dining” Christopher’s is still family owned and operated.

Des Moines is filled with great restaurants serving food from every region of the world. It seems every week another restaurant joins the mix and sadly we seem to lose them at about the same rate.  Very few locally owned establishments survive 54 years, especially with the same family ownership. Over the years Christopher’s has survived the normal things restaurants go through as well as a couple of fires and the loss of the face of the restaurant with the passing of Joe in 2015.

Today, Christopher’s is still family owned and operated by Joe and Red’s daughter, Rene, and son, Ron.  Much as changed since those early days. Several remodels and additions have allowed for custom banquet service, larger crowds in the lounge area and an expanded dining room to seat more guests.  A catering service has been added and carry out orders are available.  Today’s menu still features many of the original items from 1963 but they have been joined by many new items most notably a delicious hand tossed thin crust pizza.

When Christopher’s opened Des Moines residents were paying 29¢ for a gallon of regular gasoline, 22¢ for a loaf of bread and 49¢ for a gallon of milk. The average price of a home in the area was $12,650 while workers had an average income of $5807. *

In 1963, we witnessed the assassination of President John Kennedy, November 22, and the swearing in of President Lyndon Johnson with events unfolding on television sets across the country.  Martin Luther King Jr delivered his “I have a dream” speech and Pope John XXIII died ushering in Pope Paul VI. *

Popular culture and sports at the time Christopher’s opened saw the Beatlemania take hold of the US.  A Drake student and KIOA DJ brought the first playing of the Beatles UK album “Please, Please Me” to rave reactions from Des Moines listeners. The number one single on the day Christopher’s opened was “Walk Right In” by The Staple SIngers. **

The sporting world saw the Los Angeles Dodgers win the World Series and the Chicago Bears win the NFL while the San Diego Chargers won the AFL. No Super Bowl yet.***

Television played a big role in the lives of Des Moines residents as they watched TV favorites American Bandstand, Captain Kangaroo, Gunsmoke, Mr Ed, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Jetsons, Have Gun Will Travel and The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. ****

Menu Cover (exact date unknown)

While much was going on in the world around the opening of Christopher’s the Giudicessi’s put together a great menu offering American favorites such as Prime Rib, Steaks and Sea Food.  Steak DeBurgo, a Des Moines favorite, found it’s way on to the menu while adding outstanding Italian dishes from Joe’s background. Baked Lasagna and Spaghetti and Meatballs were immediate favorites and still grace the menu today.  Christopher’s House Dressing is still a guest favorite

Family’s from every part of the city know Christopher’s and the quality food and service they offer.  Many find themselves going to Christopher’s for significant family events.  The Banquet Room makes a great place for receptions and parties.

Being a new restaurant in Des Moines is a challenge but maintaining the quality and service for 54 years is an even bigger challenge.  The Christopher’s staff is proud to serve the metro area and look forward to seeing you for years to come.

We welcome you and your family, friends and associates on Wednesday, February 1, 2017 for an anniversary glass of wine or (well) cocktail at 1963 prices.

Pages from an Early Menu

* Dowling High School and St Joseph’s Academy Class of 1963  http://www.classcreator.com/Des-Moines-IA-Dowling-1963/class_history.cfm

** Beatles in America http://www.pophistorydig.com/topics/beatles-in-america-1963-1964/

*** 1963 Trivia http://www.pop-culture.us/Annual/1963.html

•••• 1963 in Television  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1963_in_television

[christophersdsm]

Celebrating 54 Years….

Wednesday, February 1 marks the 54th year for Christopher’s in Beaverdale. Opened by Joe & Red Giudicessi on February 1, 1963 as “Beaverdale’s Landmark Of Fine Dining” Christopher’s is still family owned and operated.

Des Moines is filled with great restaurants serving food from every region of the world. It seems every week another restaurant joins the mix and sadly we seem to lose them at about the same rate.  Very few locally owned establishments survive 54 years, especially with the same family ownership. Over the years Christopher’s has survived the normal things restaurants go through as well as a couple of fires and the loss of the face of the restaurant with the passing of Joe in 2015.

Today, Christopher’s is still family owned and operated by Joe and Red’s daughter, Rene, and son, Ron.  Much has changed since those early days. Several remodels and additions have allowed for custom banquet service, larger crowds in the lounge area and an expanded dining room to seat more guests.  A catering service has been added and carry out orders are available.  Today’s menu still features many of the original items from 1963 but they have been joined by many new items most notably a delicious hand tossed thin crust pizza.

When Christopher’s opened Des Moines residents were paying 29¢ for a gallon of regular gasoline, 22¢ for a loaf of bread and 49¢ for a gallon of milk. The average price of a home in the area was $12,650 while workers had an average income of $5807. *

In 1963, we witnessed the assassination of President John Kennedy, November 22, and the swearing in of President Lyndon Johnson with events unfolding on television sets across the country.  Martin Luther King Jr delivered his “I have a dream” speech and Pope John XXIII died ushering in Pope Paul VI. *

Popular culture and sports at the time Christopher’s opened saw Beatlemania take hold of the US.  A Drake student and KIOA DJ brought the first playing of the Beatles UK album “Please, Please Me” to rave reactions from Des Moines listeners. The number one single on the day Christopher’s opened was “Walk Right In” by The Staple SIngers. **

The sporting world saw the Los Angeles Dodgers win the World Series and the Chicago Bears win the NFL while the San Diego Chargers won the AFL. No Super Bowl yet.***

Television played a big role in the lives of Des Moines residents as they watched TV favorites American Bandstand, Captain Kangaroo, Gunsmoke, Mr Ed, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Jetsons, Have Gun Will Travel and The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. ****

Menu Cover (exact date unknown)

While much was going on in the world around the opening of Christopher’s the Giudicessi’s put together a great menu offering American favorites such as Prime Rib, Steaks and Sea Food.  Steak DeBurgo, a Des Moines favorite, found it’s way on to the menu while adding outstanding Italian dishes from Joe’s background. Baked Lasagna and Spaghetti and Meatballs were immediate favorites and still grace the menu today.  Christopher’s House Dressing is still a guest favorite

Residents from every part of the city know Christopher’s and the quality food and service they offer.  Many find themselves going to Christopher’s for significant family events.  The Banquet Room makes a great place for receptions and parties.

Being a new restaurant in Des Moines is a challenge but maintaining the quality and service for 54 years is an even bigger challenge.  The Christopher’s staff is proud to serve the metro area and look forward to seeing you for years to come.

We welcome you and your family, friends and associates on Wednesday, February 1, 2017 for an anniversary glass of wine or (well) cocktail at 1963 prices.

Pages from an Early Menu

* Dowling High School and St Joseph’s Academy Class of 1963  http://www.classcreator.com/Des-Moines-IA-Dowling-1963/class_history.cfm

** Beatles in America http://www.pophistorydig.com/topics/beatles-in-america-1963-1964/

*** 1963 Trivia http://www.pop-culture.us/Annual/1963.html

**** 1963 in Television  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1963_in_television