Saturday, February 27, 2021

Accra, Ghana - Saltpond, Ghana

February 27, 2021 Peace and Good, I arrived here in Ghana at the beginning of the week. The early days were in Accra, the capital of the country. We have a house of studies there with 26 students froom 4 different countries. Wednesday I was driven to Saltpond, a couple of hours down the coast from Accra. Here we have a retreat house and a novitiate. In Accra and here in Saltpond I have given some talks to the men in formation. They have quite a few vocations here. Presently, Ghana is a custody of the Northern Italian Province, and eventually it will become a province (possibly as early as 2025). Monday evening I will begin preaching to a group of 26 friars from the custody. The topic is based on a document passed at the General Chapter called the six year plan, a guideline for conversion over the years between chapters. The main topic will be living in fraternity, a topic that fits in well with the encyclical Fratelli Tutti. The weather is hot, very hot. It is a real challenge to wear a mask in this heat, but Ghana is going through a second wave right now so it is the right choice. I have finished some reading: 1066 The Year of Five Kings by Ray Moore This is an account of the year in which Harold became king of England, when he defeated the Norwegian king who invaded the land to take the throne, and then had to fight William the Bastard (whom we now call William the Conqueror. It is based on the Saxon accounts of those years, but it is historical fiction. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley I read this book many, many years ago. It is now being offered for free by audible, so I decided to listen to it once again. I had forgotten how gothic the book was. It almost ignores the scientific aspects of the story. It is all about the responsibility of the creator, and the loneliness of being the only one of a type. Both the creature and Frankenstein feel betrayed by what has happened. The language is typical of the era in which the book was written, but the underlying premise makes one think. Museum Masterpieces: the Louvre by Richard Brittell I have watched another 24 session course on the Metropolitan Museum in New York. This is a 12 session course on the Louvre in Paris. It is a good presentation, but does not rise to the level of the other course. The Pagan World: Ancient Religions before Christianity by Hans-Friedrich Mueller This is a 24 lesson series on pagan religions before the triumph of Christianity. The presenter is very good, and the material is very useful. This is a course from the Teaching Company. I highly recommend this course for anyone who is interested in the topic. The Poison King: the Life and Legend of Mithradates, Rome’s Deadliest Enemy by Adrienne Mayor This is an excellent account of Mithradates, the king of Pontus (in northern Turkey). It deals with the many battles he fought with the forces of Rome. It also deals with Mithradates’ fascination with poison. He was an incredible figure whose entire life was passed in one battle or another. The author presents an excellent portrait of the times and the man. This is a book I can highly recommend. Heather Morris by Audible Interviews This is an interview with the author of the Tattooist of Auschwitz. She speaks about her new volume, Cilka’s Journey. Her first book has now been published in over 50 countries. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by JK Rowling Audible has made a series of books available for free during this quarantine. I had listened to this book a long, long time ago. It was a joy listening to it again. JK Rowling is able to present a full picture of this imaginary world. I have reserved a number of her other books on hold at the local library so that I can go through the whole series. Keep safe fr. Jude

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