Arroyo Grande, CA - Ellicott City, MD

October 24, 2024 Peace and Good, I finished my series of lectures at our novitiate in Arroyo Grande, CA. This is half way between Los Angeles and San Francisco. There are three novices this year, each from a different country (Germany, Great Britain, and India). This provided a wide background to add to the discussions on Biblical thopics. I presented the four Gospels in overview (especially as they intersect with Franciscan values) and the psalms. I do this presentation every year. What is nice is that I also do a presentation to the postulants each year, so by the time I arrive at the novitiate, I already know the novices from the previous year. I came back from California on Monday night on the redeye. I had messed up my schedule and had a full day of work on Tuesday, including Mass at the Shrine. I was able to get through the day without falling asleep on anyone. Yesterday I started a four week course on the Gospel of Luke, the gospel we will be using this coming year in our liturgy. I offer a two hour lecture in the morning and the same topic in the evening (which is also broudcast on the Companions website). We had a good, active crowd in both sessions. I do it twice because the morning session is for those who are retired and possibly hesitant to drive in the evening, while the other session is for those who work. I am giving a couple of days of recollection this weekend, one for a Bible Study group and one for the sisters at the rest home where I occasionally say Mass. The weather these days has been magnificent. It is not too hot, and all the leaves are changing color. I finished some books: Michelangelo and the Pope’s Ceiling by Ross King Ross King is an incredible expert at telling stories about art and history. I had actually read this book many years ago, but it was so good that I wanted to read it again. The book deals with the fact that Michelangelo was not trained to do fresco, his difficult relationship with Pope Julius II, the irascible personality, his family problems, his artistic choices on the ceiling, etc. I would recommend this and any other books he has written. Eiffel’s Tower by Jill Jonnes This is a very good book on the construction of the Eiffel Tower for the World Exhibition held to celebrate the centennial of the French Revolution. Jonnes speaks of the opposition before and even after the construction. She speaks of some of the major figures who visited the tower (e.g. Edison, the Shah of Persia, etc.). She speaks of other activities at the exhibition (the Wild West presentation with Wild Bill Cody, the art exhibitions, the cultural presentations, etc.). Vikings by History Nerds This is an overview of Viking history and culture. It speaks of their incredible geographic extension (from Russia to Sicily to North America). It deals with their languages, their mythologies, their reasons for plundering, etc. It is not an extensive treatment, but it gives a good outline on the topic. Operation Barbarosa by David Stahel This is a long treatment of the planning and execution of the invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II. The author’s thesis is that while the German army seemed to have sufficient forces to do this, they in fact did not have replacements (for soldiers or munitions or even trucks), they were poorly led, and they bled their strength away on pointless attacks which left them vulnerable when the Soviets were able to replace soldiers and arms that were lost in the early days of the invasion. Nature’s Mutiny by Philipp Blom This is about the little ice age that hit Europe from the beginning of the 14th century to the 19th century. The climate was significantly colder and wetter which destroyed many harvests, leaving people malnourished and susceptible to disease. Blom also speaks of the intellectual revolution occurring at the same time, as well as the growth of national movements. The only difficulty is to connect the dots in his theory – did these movements occur at the same time or were they caused by the climate change? Dust by Patricia Cornwall I think that this is the last book by Cornwall that I intend to read. He write about a medical examiner, but every book she writes is more and more about her difficult relationships with most of those around her (family, co-workers, etc.). I just don’t feel like reading a book where there is nothing but kvetching. The Echo of Greece by Edith Hamilton This is a short overview of some of the most important figures of Greek culture. Hamilton is a scholar of Greek and Roman history and art. She speaks of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Alexander the Great, etc. in this account. She has an interesting theory toward the end of the book that it would have been better if Christianity were more Greek (accepting more ideas and variety) and less Roman (legalistic). Yet, when you think about it, the Greek world has suffered long periods of violent controversy over that same variety. Guangzhou by Charles River Editors This is some of the history of the city of Guangzhou (Canton) in China. The author especially emphasizes the colonial era under the influence of the British empire. The Death Trade by Jack Higgins Sean Dillon, the hero of this series, tries to find a way to rescue an Iranian scientist who has been forced into doing research work on a nuclear device (his specialty was developing isotopes for medical purposes). The action a bit black and white, almost like a superhero story, but it is entertaining all the same. Karl Rahner: Theologian of Grace by Richard Lennan Rahner was an incredible theologian just before and during the Second Vatican Council. Many of the ideas found in the writings of the Council are found in his writings. He especially speaks of the fact that God has already revealed His grace in our lives and one of the most important tasks we can perform is to recognize that presence and embrace it. The Dispatcher by John Scalzi This is a very strange story of a dispatcher (someone who kills people at the point of death). Those people immediately appear in their homes as they were a few hours before their death. A detective is investigating the disappearance of one of the dispatcher’s co-workers. This leads to meetings with a billionaire whose wife had just died and an ex-Mafia organization. It is a strange, very good story. Prince of Fire by Daniel Silva This is one of the volumes of the series written by Silva on the secret service of Israel. His hero is Gabriel Allon, a painter and famous art restorer. He was also an assassin who killed members of the squad who attacked the Israelite at the Munich Olympics. In this volume, he kills a mysterious Palestinian mastermind who seeks revenge for the death of his father at the hands of the Israelis. He has been in hiding while he planned attacks on symbols of Israel (e.g. embassies). Have a good week. Shalom fr. Jude

Ellicott City, Md - Arroyo Grande, CA

September 13, 2024 Peace and Good, All is going well. I have been working quite a bit at the shrine in these days with confessions and Masses (as well as St. Joseph's nursing home nearby). I truly enjoy this work. I have also started to do quite a bit of spiritual direction. These past few days were great. On Thursday evening, I had a session with a men's group on Eschatology, what will happen after our death and the end of the world. The next morning I had a talk and Mass with a group of 80 second graders visiting our shrine. Saturday morning, I had Mass at the nursing home (for residents and for the sisters there). Talk about a rapid change of roles. I am now at our novitiate in Arroyo Grande, California to give a workshop to the novices on the Gospels and the psalms. I have een doing this every year for a long time. I enjoy this time to help our novices see these Sacred Scripture books in a Franciscan light. I will be here for a week, and then back to Ellicott City where I will begin a series of adult ed classes on the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Revelation. I finished some reading and listening: Jackson Pollock by Charles River Editors I have never liked the paintings of Jackson Pollock, but this short treatment of his life left me stunned. He came from a not so promising environment, and he seems to have suffered both some learning disabilities and emotional/psychological disabilities. He effectively drank himself to death at a relatively young age, a truly pathetic story. The Battleship Potemkin by Charles River Editors This is the story of the Russian battleship in the Black Sea that was the site of a mutiny during the uprising in 1905. The proximate cause of the turmoil was the lack of decent treatment of the crew (especially in terms of the food they were served). There was also a rebellious spirit in the air following the rapid industrialization of the country (with great social inequalities) and the loss of the war with Japan that left the country humiliated. Caravaggio by Francine Prose This is a very good overview of the life and art of this artist of realism and chiaroscuro art. His life was a mess, always getting in fights and drinking beyond measure. He was exiled for murder and died on his way back to Rome when he had received a pardon. His art was not always appreciated in his own days, but his style was often copied later. Prose gives tremendous insight to his choice of scenes and images used in his most famous paintings. Germany by Ralph Raico This is one of the history courses on various countries offered by Audible.com for free. It is a good overview of history from its earliest days to the modern times. A History of Ancient Greece by Eric Cline This is a Modern Scholar Course that gives a good outline of the history of ancient Greece. It is not very profound, but it does give a good review of the material. Tales of Troy and Greece by Andrew Lang This is a retelling of the story of the Trojan War and the events that preceded and followed it. It was done at the end of the 19th century, so it is a bit dated. Yet, it even throws in comments about archeological discoveries which is a useful addition to the story. It serve as a good intro to Greek legends. The Sacred Year by Michael Yankowski An Evangelical youth pastor has a crisis of whether he really believes and lives what he is sharing with the young people to whom he speaks. He goes to a Benedictine monastery and an elderly monk advises him to create a sacred year in which he goes back to the basis of his spirituality. The story is well told and very profound. The manner of narrative is filled with enthusiasm and a spirituality that is clearly not phony but is discerned and lived. Great Catholic Scientists by Michaelle Franci-Donnay and Guy Consolmagno This is a Learn25 course on Catholic scientists who over the centuries have shown that science and faith do not have to be two opposing forces in our world. The great majority of male scientists are Jesuits, which is to be expected because Consolmagno is a Jesuit brother, the official astronomer of the Vatican. The man/woman team work in tandem in the presentation. The most important insight is that in science, as in faith, one must be filled with a sense of wonder. Constantine the Emperor by David Potter This is a long but very good presentation of the life and career of the emperor Constantine. It deals with the confusing politics as he won control of the Roman Empire. It speaks of his role in the development of the Catholic Faith, especially in his sponsorship of the Council of Nicea. This political/religious role mirrored that which a Roman Emperor exercised in the Empire and with the official pagan religions. The book is well worth reading. The Sign of Jonas by Thomas Merton This is a journal written by Merton some years after he entered the monastery, while he was in formation for the priesthood until the time that he was called to be the Formation Director for theological and philosophical students in the monastery. The beginning comes across as if Merton knows he is writing for others, and he therefore feels he must write the correct edifying things. Later in the book one can sense that he becomes more real, especially as he delves into the mystery of God. The Best Short Stories of Mark Twain This is an anthology of Twain’s stories, especially his later ones. They display the naughty cleverness which challenged political and religious authorities whenever he sense a spirit of hypocrisy. Heretic Queen by Susan Ronald This is an account of the rapport of Queen Elizabeth I with the religious realities in her realm which were complicated for they included the official Anglican Church, the Puritanical Calvinist movement, and the recusant Catholic remnant. This became even more complicated when the Pope excommunicated Elizabeth as a heretic, and when Elizabeth had Queen Mary of Scotland put to death. Have a good week. Shalom fr. Jude