Reader Poll: Dinner Party Guest List
Which three people from the past would you most like to invite to dinner (they needn’t be historically significant), and what would be the topic of conversation?
53 Responses to “Reader Poll: Dinner Party Guest List”
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January 5th, 2010 at 12:20 pm
1. Jesus
2. Sir (Or Saint) Thomas More
3. Reverend Martin Luther King
January 5th, 2010 at 12:21 pm
John XXIII, Ed Schillebeeckx, Sister Agnes Claire Lancer,O.P.(Racine)
topic: Jesus
January 5th, 2010 at 12:22 pm
Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill & Our Lord Jesus Christ. The topic would be the state of the world since your passing: What’s better, what’s worse and what needs to be done.
January 5th, 2010 at 12:23 pm
I would invite Jesus, Mother Theresa, and Pope John Paul II to to have a peace-filled discussion on love and peace in the world and how to really achieve it without violence, hatred, and greed. A banquet to get the right answers to help everyone would be my goal.
January 5th, 2010 at 12:30 pm
I would invite my Great Grandmother on my mothers side to great information regarding family history which was lost with her passing. I would also invite my grandfather on my fathers side for the same reason. Then I would invite President John F. Kennedy to hear his thoughts and suggestions on where we stand politically, economically and morally in todays world.
January 5th, 2010 at 12:33 pm
Pope John Paul II
St. Jose Maria Escriba de Barraguer
Ronald Reagan
Topics : Peace in the world
Religion and State
Freedom
January 5th, 2010 at 12:37 pm
I would like to invite my grandmother for dinner. It’s strange, I lost her when I was only 12 years old and now I am 69. She has had a powerful influence in my life. I think of her a lot. I wonder would she would tell me about her life, herjourney in life.
January 5th, 2010 at 12:45 pm
St John Vianney
St Pio
Blessed Virgin Mary
Topic: the priesthood today.
January 5th, 2010 at 12:46 pm
Jesus Christ
George Washington
My Mother
Three of my life’s greatest heroes. They gave me the essential foundations of a meaningful life. The magnificence they created are as close to perfection as human beings can imagine. What are the qualities they possessed in common? Humility, selflessness, dedication to principles larger than themselves, integrity, bravery, leadership, respect, vision and love.
Jack
January 5th, 2010 at 12:46 pm
Jesus – I would want to know how thinks we are doing, overall.
Mother Theresa – I would ask how she did it day in and day out.
My grandmother – I really miss her. We would talk about everything and nothing.
January 5th, 2010 at 12:47 pm
Ditto
January 5th, 2010 at 1:06 pm
I would invite Mother Teresa and ask her to bring 2 guests that she thinks would benefit the most from our conversation, i.e. world leaders. The dinner conversation would be about love, forgiveness and how to work towards peace. For dessert I would have her repeat herself again and again until it sticks!
January 5th, 2010 at 1:11 pm
I’m reading “On the Irish Waterfront” – the story of mob domination of the dock workers of NYC and Jersey City in the 1940s & 50s. The famous Fr. Corridan, SJ (later portrayed by Karl Malden in the great film)is featured prominently. But before, Corridan, a young Fr. Swanstrom is mentioned for having challenged the mob (courageously but unsuccessfully) on the Brooklyn docks.
I’d like to take Bishop Swanstrom to dinner in a Red Hook Brooklyn restaurant. To get him to tell the whole story, I’d like to get Eileen Egan at the table to ask the questions. She always had great questions.
I might also ask Bishop Swanstrom if he thought that Hackett kid had any future with CRS.
January 5th, 2010 at 1:15 pm
Jesus, Gandhi, my mom
January 5th, 2010 at 1:20 pm
Ghandi, Mother Theresa and FDR
January 5th, 2010 at 1:27 pm
Moses, Jesus, Mohammed
I’d like to get a clear picture – unfiltered by history – of the old testament, New Testament, and Islam.
January 5th, 2010 at 1:34 pm
My Dad, Charles
Jesus
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Unconditional love — how to best express it in every day moments, how to help others be open to it and how to inspire others to share it.
January 5th, 2010 at 1:37 pm
1. My father, who passed away in 1992 — the topic(s) would be: What is heaven like? And what do you think of your great-grandchildren?
2. Jesus Christ — the topic would be: How can I best serve others in this world?
3. Charles Schulz (Creator of the Peanuts comic strip) — the topic would be: What/who inspired you to create the Lucy character? And anything else he’d like to share.
January 5th, 2010 at 1:41 pm
l. Clare Boothe Luce
2. Senator Richard Lugar (alive and well!)
3. Jean Baptist de La Salle
Topic of conversation: Living the gospels..the true character of teaching. How can true resources of talents, gifts, and education change censorship, racial strife, civil unrest, and poverty??
To listen to each of these individuals speak to the common struggles and hurdles they share(or shared) in their lives as they embraced communities and people throughout the world would be wonderful!
January 5th, 2010 at 1:43 pm
I would have Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, and my two grandfathers. I know that’s cheating, but I can’t imagine having just one of them there.
I think we would start by talking about Shakespeare, and let the rest of the conversation go from there.
January 5th, 2010 at 2:05 pm
Since Jesus is already present at every meal, don’t be surprised that He’s not on my list. That goes for His mother, too!
1. My grandmother, Bobbi, who died in 1997, just because I miss her so much. Topic of conversation ~ whatever she wants to talk about, as long as it makes her smile because I miss the way her eyes looked when she smiled.
2. Lou Rawls. Topic of conversation ~ does it really matter? I just love the sound of his voice…he’d have to sing at least half the conversation. I guess maybe we could talk about what inspired him to record certain songs – starting with “Saturday Night Fish Fry.”
3. Isreali astronaut Ilan Ramon, who died during the shuttle Columbia explosion in 2003. Topic of conversation ~ how he integrated his Jewish faith into his career as an astronaut.
January 5th, 2010 at 2:10 pm
Ben Franklin, Abe Lincoln, MLK. Subject—Making a difference in the world you live in.
January 5th, 2010 at 2:34 pm
I would most likely invite Pope John Paul II, Mother Teresa and the third person would be a toss-up. My first thought was my dear friend from childhood, Jennifer. If she was there, the topic would definitely be about music, both liturgical and secular. My second thought would be my late father-in-law. With him there, I think health care and the economy would both be topics that would come up.
January 5th, 2010 at 2:34 pm
1. Jesus Christ our Savior
2. Mary, his Mother and our prayer partner
3. Saint Joseph, the quiet Carpenter
I’d like to hear how they think we should celebrate Christmas.
It would also be nice to talk in detail about what we need to do to achieve wolrd peace and freedom from famine, disease and fear. (as if we didn’t know already).
Some info about relationships between Christians and Muslim would also be helpful.
A little bit about what it’s like in heaven would make a good dessert topic too. Then, I’d like a phone call from the hosts of all those other dinner parties where Mother Teresa, Gandhi, the popes and politicians, etc. attended.
January 5th, 2010 at 7:34 pm
1. Jesus
2. Mary
3. My brother, Tom
I would ask for more information about Jesus life and events not recorded by Matthew, Mark, Luke or John. And the applications.
I’d like to visit with Mary about living in this culture as a divorced Christian Catholic woman.
Third, just to be with my brother again and have him tell me what he’s been up to in heaven, as well as what heaven is like!
Sounds like a great dinner party!
January 5th, 2010 at 9:07 pm
Theologian St. Thomas Aquinas, exprimentalist Leon Lederman, theorist Stephen Hawkings. Start with quantum physics..
I think you might need more than a dinner though..
January 5th, 2010 at 11:26 pm
George c Marshall- he gave so much to the world and asked nothing in return.
Ghandi- his actions spoke to all!
John Abernathy- he continued the fight for civil rights and unity despite threats and violence but he always maintained his vigil for peace.
January 6th, 2010 at 8:42 am
I’d invite Pope John XXIII, Dorothy Day, and
Gandhi
January 6th, 2010 at 8:44 am
These three could share their vision of the real meaning of church, socal justice and peace.
January 6th, 2010 at 11:14 am
Monseñor Oscar Romero, Lanza del Vasto, Father Regis Duffy, OFM
Living the Gospel with the poor
January 8th, 2010 at 5:42 pm
I’d invite Thomas Merton, Gandhi, and either MLK or Dorothy Day.
Topic: achieving peace through nonviolence
January 13th, 2010 at 12:31 pm
I would invite Jesus, even though He is with us already; Mother Teresa; and St. Terese of Liseaux. We would discuss evangelization and discipleship.
January 13th, 2010 at 8:50 pm
Jesus, Mary, and St. Paul.
I would not have any question – being with them answers all my questions.
January 15th, 2010 at 10:07 am
Mary the Mother of God because she is motherly and helpful and through her you meet her son.
Next it would be nice to meet St. Patrick because he has been so helpful to me and I am one of his people.
Finally the most important person I would leave to meet at the end and that of course is Jesus. The reason is that I simply love him.
January 20th, 2010 at 12:08 am
Plato, Einstein and Lincoln. Wow, what a discussion this would be!
January 20th, 2010 at 12:09 am
My grandmother or grandfather, whichever should be free that evening (lots of parties to attend in heaven I am sure), would like to know them since they passed away before I arrived.
Ella Fitzgerald – I would like to hear her sing again.
Charlotte Bronte – how did she make it? Writing one of the best books of all times, living a life like she did.
No questions to Jesus I am afraid; I think I would be terrified by the answer.
January 20th, 2010 at 12:27 am
My daughter because I only had her for the littlest while and I want to kiss her, hear her voice, and see her smile
Jesus of course or maybe instead Blessed Mother
Either my Granny or the Blessed Mother…I know I should pick the latter but I’d do anything to have a hug from my Granny.
But I would love to hear the words of the Blessed Mother. Either of them would understand me picking the other 
January 20th, 2010 at 12:32 am
1. Jesus
2. Lucifer
I would like to be there at the same dinner. That would be one heck of a conversation.
January 20th, 2010 at 12:36 am
Jesus
Thomas Jefferson
Abe Lincoln
Explain your thoughts and writings as you intended them not as they have been interpreted through the years.
January 20th, 2010 at 12:54 am
Jesus, my mother and my father. I know they are all together, so they can travel in a group. We would talk about living a life well spent. I would want my son to be present also, since he never got to meet his grandparents. I lost them long before he was born, but they and Our Lord are with me every day.
January 20th, 2010 at 2:27 am
It would be very difficult to choose only three because I would want to invite all of the following:
Jesus Christ, Our Blessed Mother, St. Joseph, St. Terese of Lisieux, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Anthony, Pope John Paul I, Pope John Paul II, Mother Teresa, Padre Pio, Bishop Fulton Sheen, Ronald Reagan, and my deceased father, maternal grandmother, and maternal aunts and uncle.
I would let Jesus pick the topic of conversation.
January 20th, 2010 at 6:17 am
Jesus,Adam,Pope John Paul II!
The subject would be “Why”!
January 20th, 2010 at 11:45 am
1. Pope John PaulII
2. Holy Mother Mary
3. My Father
Discuss how to live a saintly life as a women in todays world and how it compares to Mother Mary’s Life. And just get a big long hug from my Dad.
January 20th, 2010 at 1:30 pm
1. My grandmother from my mother’s side — to ask her all the questions as a child you never thought to ask. Even though she died in 1960 I miss so much.
2. My grandmother from my father’s side, because I never really knew her. I would would ask pretty much the same questions that I asked of my maternal grandmother.
3. Mandela or Mother Theresa and ask how did they have the courage and faith to unselfishlessly love and serve others, to truly love and trust God.
January 20th, 2010 at 4:00 pm
I could never just invite three. I would have to invite Jesus, Mary, St. Therese (the little flower) St. Jude, St. Francis, St. Anthony and my dearest departed mum. The topic would be how to help get the world back to Jesus and prayer.
January 20th, 2010 at 6:05 pm
I would love to have dinner with my parents, Dick & Vera Lee and my father in law, Les…to share with them our lives since their passing and the positive influence they continue to be on our families! Also, would love to ask some questions since we now have teenagers who were very young when they lost their grandparents. We love & miss them!
January 20th, 2010 at 8:02 pm
My dinner guests would be John Wayne, Ted Williams, and my Dad. The Duke and the Splinter were my Dad’s heroes, while my Dad is my hero. We would talk about doing the right thing, standing up for what we believe in, and the love of our God and country. That would be awesome!
January 22nd, 2010 at 1:49 pm
My guests would be St. John of the Cross, St. Bernadette and St. Elizabeth of the Trinity. the topic of conversation would be how can you best achieve true humilty and love. These saints exemplify these characteristics and would be able to assist so much in my growth.
January 23rd, 2010 at 1:34 am
I would invite Jesus, Pope John Paul II, and my great gather, Thomas Burke, who died long before I was born, but has always intrigued me. Maybe we’d talk about what it’s like to leave home to go out and start a new life or spread the word of God.
January 25th, 2010 at 5:48 pm
JESUS and our mother Mary, Fulton Sheen, and St. Paul.
February 3rd, 2010 at 2:24 pm
I would invite Jesus, Mother Terese and Martin Luther King. The dinner conversation would be spiritual poverty
February 3rd, 2010 at 6:34 pm
ST. Paul
St. John the Evangelist
Our blessed Mother
topic:Jesus
February 4th, 2010 at 5:44 pm
My three guests would be:
C.S. Lewis
J.R.R. Tolkien
G.K. Chesterton
topic of discussion: the world today!