Ellicott City

Peace and good, April 12, 2025 These past couple of week have been quite busy with Lenten practices. We are getting tons of people coming to Confession in our chapel. I preached a parish mission in one of our local parishes, and the next night I had a presentation in another. I enjoy the ministry, but I have to find some time to get caught up with my podcasts and to write the text of the children's book on Carlo Acutis. The weather here has been cooler than one would expect at this time of year. We have gotten some rain which was badly needed. All of nature is coming to life. The birds are singing and squaking like crazy. I have been teaching a series on the Gospel of John these past few weeks. Just one more class to go. This morning I had a session on the liturgy and readings for Holy Week. I have finished some reading and listening: Lost Scriptures: Books that did not make it into the New Testament by Bart Ehrman This is a long collection of those books which did not make it into the Bible, especially the New Testament. The author gives an overview of both what we know about the books’ authors and composition and also content. He then gives long excerpts from those books. Many of the books (and letters and acts) come from the Gnostic tradition and it is clear why they were not incorporated into the New Testament for they portray a Jesus different from what is found in the Gospels. Others are apocalypses which can be strange and very violent. Still others are inspirational works which the Church did not accept for they did not have apostolic tradition or for some other reason. World War II: Carrier War by Stephen Sears This is an overview of the movements of aircraft carriers (both Japanese and American) during the Pacific theater of the Second World War. It does not bring any revelations, but it is a good outline of what happened and why that was important. Caught in the Revolution by Helen Rappaport This is a book which covers the Russian Revolution (both that which overthrew the czar and then the communist revolution) told from eye-witness accounts of foreigners who were living in St. Petersburg and Moscow at the time. The account is filled with the sense of something great but at times terrible happening all at once. World Heritage Sites by Justin Jacobs This is a Great Courses video presentation on 24 World Heritage sites throughout the world. Jacobs gives the history of the site, its importance to ancient and modern culture, and its use and at times abuse in modern times. The sites range from the Taj Mahal and Persepolis to the Great Barrier Reef and the Redwoods. The presenter is very good, and the series is quite enjoyable. Prisoner in the Castle by Ben Macintyre Ben Macintyre has written a series of very good books about spies. This one is slightly different for it deals with the prisoner of war camp that the Nazi’s established in Colditz, a castle in Germany. The camp was for officers who had tried to escape from other camps. The book recounts their escape attempts, their interaction among themselves (for they were from different nations) and with the camp personnel, and their eventual liberation at the end of the war. The Demon Next Door by Bryan Burrough This is a disturbing story of a young boy and later young man who rapes and kills several women. He is at first defended by those who knew him, and the victims are even blamed for what he did. It was only after he was caught after some terrible deeds that everyone realized that they had a monster hiding in plain site. The American West: History, Myth and Legacy by Greg Allitt This is a great courses presentation of the American West during the 19th century. It deals with historic events, different social groups (cowboys, explorers, women, outlaws, etc.). The presenter is English, which actually helps in giving a more objective presentation of the material. Allitt is entertaining and informative in his presentations. Extraction by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child This is a short story about FBI special agent Pendergast growing up in New Orleans and a nasty man who collected the teeth of children (instead of the lost tooth man). It is filled with suspense and magical overtones. Constantine the Emperor by David Potter This is a good study of the emperor who granted religious liberty to Christians in the Roman Empire (but did not make it the official religion – that was done later in the 4th century). He was only baptized as he prepared for his death. But his political and religious movements had a great influence on the next centuries of the Roman Empire (in the west and especially in the east). He valued harmony in his reign, and this is why he intervened in various crisis of dogma in the Church (against Donatism and Arianism) which ended in the proclamation of the Nicene Creed. The Bill of Rights by Carol Berkin I always thought that the Bill of Rights were passed right after the ratification of the constitution without any difficulty. This study shows that this was not the case. Madison, who was the author of the Bill of Rights (compiling and evaluating suggestions from various state conventions to ratify the constitution) had to push his ideas through a very skeptical Congress (including those who did not the constitution and even the Federalists who had supported the constitution). Through a Glass Darkly by Donna Leon This is the story of Comisario Brunetti in Venice who must investigate a mysterious death on the island of Murano (where Venetian glass is made). The plot involves strained relationships and the treat of pollution from the industrial parts of the region and from Murano itself. I find these stories completely entertaining and even though the author is Spanish, she is able to capture the culture of Venice very well. Have a good Holy Week. Shalom fr. Jude