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Monthly Archives: September 2021
Ancient Airs and Dances
My first exposure to the music of Ottorino Respighi was my junior year in college. Some friends were discussing an upcoming Eastman School of Music concert where Pines of Rome was on the program. Unfamiliar composer to me. My dad was … Continue reading
Via Pulchritudinis: The Beauty of Creation, Pastoral Proposals, Part 2
Where we left off yesterday in pastoral proposals, we were considering beholding the universe with a posture of adoration and contemplation. Here’s more from the Pontifical Council for Culture: The teaching of an authentic philosophy of nature and a beautiful … Continue reading
Posted in Art, evangelization, Via Pulchritudinis
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The Long Future
Fascinating piece on the BBC on how Marie Curie’s discovery of radioactivity turned human speculation on the future on its head. In 1921, the celebrated scientist was returning to Europe from the US with a fraction of an ounce of … Continue reading
Posted in Science
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Reconciliatio et Paenitentia 4: The Synod’s View, Part 3
The term and the very concept of penance are very complex. Exactly right. What is the Biblical witness to it? What did Jesus tell us? If we link penance with the metanoia which the synoptics refer to, it means the … Continue reading
Posted in Reconciliatio et Paenitentia
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St Michael’s Mass
If a Catholic went to daily Mass today, they probably heard one reading plus the Gospel. In the Lectionary, number 647, one will find an “or” between Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 and Revelation 12:7-12ab. If your parish observes a name feast of … Continue reading
Posted in Liturgy, Saints, spirituality
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MR Prefaces: Apostles II
The Roman Missal provides two prefaces for a feast of an apostle. The second has a wider application beyond just Saints Peter and Paul, as the rubric informs: The following preface is said in Masses of the Apostles and Evangelists. … Continue reading
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St Raphael Prayer
For today’s feast, my favorite archangel of the three. Raphael, lead us toward those we are waiting for, those who are waiting for us. Raphael, Angel of happy meeting, lead us by the hand toward those we are looking for. … Continue reading
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Via Pulchritudinis: The Beauty of Creation, Pastoral Proposals, Part 1
Our tour of this document’s section III-1, The Beauty of Creation, gets down to earth with Pastoral Proposals . We will see these again later for other subjects. For now, though … Particular attention to nature helps discover in it the mirror … Continue reading
Posted in Art, evangelization, Via Pulchritudinis
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Reconciliatio et Paenitentia 4: The Synod’s View, Part 2
Recent popes have not avoided the message of reconciliation: My predecessors constantly preached reconciliation and invited to reconciliation the whole of humanity and every section and portion of the human community that they saw wounded and divided.* And the footnote: … Continue reading
Posted in Reconciliatio et Paenitentia
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MR Prefaces: Apostles I
The Roman Missal provides two prefaces for a feast of an apostle. Here is the rubric that accompanies the first one: The following preface is said in Masses of the Apostles, especially of Saints Peter and Paul. Quick quiz: how … Continue reading
Posted in Liturgy, Roman Missal
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Simple Art
Many years ago, a confirmation candidate gifted me with this simple wooden cross. Frankly, the style is not my usual cup of tea. I have icons, traditional and modern. I gravitate to paintings across all centuries, even modern and abstract … Continue reading
Posted in Art, spirituality
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Via Pulchritudinis: Creation, Used or Idolized
Section C discussing “The Beauty of Creation considers “Creation, Used or Idolized.” I think the writers of the document blunder a bit on this section. Two recent astronomer memoirs testify to the great attraction for the marvels of the heavens. … Continue reading
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Reconciliatio et Paenitentia 4: The Synod’s View, Part 1
We’ll tackle this long section over the next week of posts. Here we get Pope John Paul II’s view of The Synod’s View. First, the Holy Father counselled a study of reconciliation. Can’t argue against that, really. Therefore every institution … Continue reading
Posted in Reconciliatio et Paenitentia
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Et Tu, EWTN?
The past few days I’ve noticed people calling for the bishops to Do Something about the organization widely thought to be referenced by Pope Francis last week as the “work of the devil.” I think this has been brewing for … Continue reading
Posted in bishops, Church News, Scripture, social media
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Cardinal Pell, Lightning Rod
I read a brief check-up on Cardinal George Pell on the Crux website. Speaking for myself, I knew little of the man when he was appointed to the Vox Clara bureaucracy in 2002 or 3. He was part of that … Continue reading
Posted in bishops, Church News
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Catholic Sensibility 