09/24/13

Dear readers of my blog:

Sorry for the lapse in postings. I have been in the hospital unit at the Souza-Baranowski prison battling a bout with severe cellulitis in my lower left leg. It has been a slow and uphill fight but I am blessed to report that I am doing much better than I was when I entered this "death chamber" of a hospital on September 9. Please keep me in your prayers and I should be back in action at ShirleyWorld in the very near future. I want to thank all my family, friends and supporters who have sent me all the cards, letters and support while I have been laid up. I am ever so grateful.

I must convey my true feelings of broken-heartedness at the passing of one of my best friends: William "Billy" Barnoski. Billy and I were extremely close - close in a manner which goes against most "prison" logic or reasoning. You see, I knew of Billy many-many years ago - on the streets - as I frequented a "den of iniquity" that the Winter Hill Gang controlled and of which Billy was the "handler". I knew better than most - back then - Billy's reputation for violence and ruthlessness but that WAS NOT the Billy B. who was my friend. The Billy B. I grew to love was a family man, a concerned citizen, a caring friend, and follower of Jesus Christ. My friendship with Billy was based on true prison conversion. Billy Barnoski found who he truly was in prison, through Jesus Christ, and did his best each and every day to live a new life. Now the prison administration never believed this - and many old school cons had a hard time buying it as well - but I am a witness to my friend's true prison conversion. We ALL struggle - even after we come to believe - and Billy had his struggles - but we cannot forget that even St. Peter - the founder of our church - denied Christ 3 times AFTER he came to believe. The prison suits depend on promoting the fantasy that men cannot change in prison - this theory is supportive of job security for them - and they would never recognize the conversion of my friend but ALL who knew him: his family - his friends - prison volunteers - the clergy - and all who really matter in prison - ALL knew of his true life change. Billy Barnoski led dozens of men to Christ through the Catholic Church. For me that is the legacy of William Barnoski. Rest in peace, my dear friend. God bless you!

It is significant to note that Deputy Denied-Oh issued a "mandate" that NO memorial service be held for Billy Barnoski at ShirleyWorld. She actually threatened the Catholic chaplain's job - Deacon Artful Dodger - if he was to allow the parish council plan a memorial service or if he were to allow Billy's NAME to be mentioned at the next service. This mean spirited and hateful human being - who literally banks on promotion of the theory that men cannot change - even sent a "squad" of IPs to the next scheduled religious service to "ensure" that no memorial was held for Billy. This is who Deputy Denied-Oh is - a truly mean spirited and vile human being who would expend DOC resources to stop a memorial mass. This is YOUR public servant and she is as responsible for murder in the streets as sure as if she pulled the trigger herself. We - the men of faith at ShirleyWorld - will tell the true tale of woe that is evil Deputy Denied-Oh, but most important we will shout from the rooftops that motivated men in prison can change - can find redemption - in spite of the likes of the devil's diva: Deputy Denied-Oh. Good will prevail over evil EVERY time!

Hope to be back at my typewriter very soon. Thank you for all the love and support.

More to come...