Chicago Archdiocese Monsignor: Ron Santo's funeral was not a Mass but a "prayer service to appeal to all religions"

Monsignor Dan Mayall

Approximately 1,000 people filled Holy Name Cathedral this morning for Cubs legend Ron Santo’s funeral. Among those in attendance were all four Ricketts siblings, Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig, Pat Hughes, the Rev. Jessie Jackson, Sr., Ryne Sandberg, Kerry Wood, Glenn Beckert, Fergie Jenkins, Don Kessinger, assorted family members and various Cubs staff.

The service, as explained by Monsignor Dan Mayall, himself a diabetic since his teen years, was not a mass but prayer service to appeal to all religions. Spiritual readings were offered by John J. McDonough from the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation and John F. McDonough formerly with the Cubs and now with the Chicago Blackhawks.

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A's prospect leaving baseball for call of the priesthood

Incredible, he's going to be studying at the Cardinal Mahony's Seminary. Now that he's retiring and being replaced by a more conservative Bishop, and what with the Seminary faculty threatening to leave if this is the case, perhaps the baseball pro will stand a good chance of actually getting a priestly formation.

By 'Duk

Well, here's a story you don't see every day.

Grant Desme, a 23-year-old minor league outfielder in Oakland's system, is retiring from baseball to follow a calling into the Catholic priesthood.

The story was first reported by Fox Sports' Jon Paul Morosi — perhaps appropriately with that first name of his — and this isn't a case of a struggling player going through an early-life crisis. Desme was ranked the A's eighth-best prospect by Baseball America after hitting .288 with 31 home runs and 89 RBIs in A ball in 2009 and he was just named MVP of the Arizona Fall League.

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