We've entered the next major stage of development: The Cheerios Embedded in the Carpet stage. There's hardly a sight that can match that of King Joseph, sitting up like a big boy, being fed Cheerios one by one by his sister, smacking his lips after each bite.

An idea: You may have heard of the One Book, One Chicago program. Over the past months, "everyone" in Chicago has been encouraged to read one book - To Kill a Mockingbird. The idea was to get an entire community thinking on the same page (heh), to attempt to recreate some sense of cultural cohesiveness in this era of fragmentation. I don't know how successful the program has been (they did get a note of approval from the book's author, though, the usually reclusive Harper Lee), but ever since I heard of it, I've thought it was a very nice idea.

Is it an idea for us fragmented Catholics to put to use? Even on a diocesan level? Doesn't "One Book, One Church" have a nice ring to it? Of course, the use of the term "One Book" leads one to assume it's the Bible we're talking about, and I suppose a book of the Bible would serve the purpose at hand well, but might there other choices?

I'm trying to think of a book or to that might work, but it's not as easy as it sounds: to pick a book that would please almost everyone and be accessible, as well. I'm looking at my bookshelf here. Let's see: The Power and the Glory, maybe. Perhaps something by Jon Hassler. O'Connor's too complex, David Lodge and Walker Percy would offend many with their language and content, Waugh's too British (for the average American Catholic). Maybe Mariette in Ecstasy?

Something to think about. But, guaranteed, if a diocese actually did do something like this, they'd end up picking some pap like Joshua, or maybe the bishop's master's thesis, self-published especially for the event.

Please. Do us all a favor. Don't write me enraged letters about Harry Potter, including this link from The Onion as your evidence. The Onion is obviously a satirical publication, and waving around this article is evidence of nothing except your own anxious gullibility.