1265 Is there a doctor in the house? The 'father's house' goes all maternal
austraLasia #1265

Is there a doctor in the house? The 'father's house' goes all  maternal

ROME:  28th September 2005 --  No doubt you've heard the old two-liner that runs something like this:
                                                      PATIENT - "Doctor, I think I need glasses".
                                                      TELLER - "You certainly do.  This is a bank".
Or the one about Paddy trying to find his way home after a few drinks, and discovered by the local policeman, knocking on the lamp post:
                                                      POLICEMAN: "Paddy, been drinking have you?  Move on, can't you see there's nobody home?"
                                                      PADDY: "Oh yesh there ish, there'sh a light on upstairsh"
    Whether it's one glass too many or a pair of glasses too few, one could be forgiven for feeling disoriented these days in the 'Casa del padre', otherwise known as the 'Direzione Generale' or more colloquially 'The Pisana'.   For the past several days (and it aint over yet) it has been 'St. Anne's Maternity Hospital'.  The signboard at the entrance does at least point to The Chapel, but in the other directions, it seems gynaecologists, obstetricians and various pathologists have moved in where once ANS personnel, archivists and hagiographers alone dared tread!
    All in the interests of good relationships with the Italian film industry, via Lux Vide (who made the most recent Don Bosco mini-series), who probably don't do this sort of thing for nothing!  But it has a more serious intent, something still possible in Catholic Italy - to provide prime-time television with mini-series, even soapies, which reflect genuine human and Christian values.  What better opportunity then, for a Congregation which espouses a core interest in communications and such values, to put its money where its mouth is...or even occasionally its mouth where the money is.
    And there is one more likely offshoot of this event.  Enter the Maternità St. Anna, as it is called in Italian, obviously, and the first thing one sees, even before seeing the usual porter's booth (the so-called portineria), is decent signage telling one where to go - to the Chapel this way, to the Garage that way...and so forth.  Now what a good idea that is, and if it were in several languages, how much the better!

VOCABULARY
aint over yet: aint is an afro-american form for 'is not', used by non afro-americans for a bit of fun, which tells you something about this piece!
gynaecologist: medical doctor who deals with functions and diseases peculiar to women.
obstetrician: medical doctor who looks after and treats women in childbrith: before, during, after.
pathologist: medical doctor interested in the courses and treatment of disease generally
hagiographer: one who writes up the lives of saints.
soapie (note, not 'soapy'): a tv series featuring domestic problems, thus termed because once sponsored by American soap manufacturers.
espouse: in its literal meaning, 'to marry', but in context here it means to support an idea.
put your money where your mouth is: also refers to giving support, but meaning you are prepared to support even if it costs something.
_____________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific.  It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome.  For RSS feeds, subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/rssala.xml  If you subscribe, email this information and your name will come off the regular email list.  RSS eliminates problems such as multiple mailings, viruses, email bloat.  Think about it!