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