Ellicott City

May 27 2026 Peace and Good, I have settled into a routine of helping out at the Shrine or Nursing Home, doing some writing projects and taping the daily scripture reflections. It is all going very well. I have also been called by various groups to give talks or weekends of recollection. I really get a lot out of that. I am working on a series of articles on archeological discoveries that shed light on some aspect of the Bible for our magazine in Padua. I write for the English edition, and have been writing for them since 1982. I am also writing small reflections for Sunday and Tuesday Masses here at the Shrine on St. Francis and St. Anthony for the Year of St. Francis we are celebrating this year. This past week we held the first part of our provincial chapter at the Maratine Center here in Baltimore. There were about 70 of us, and we elected the new definitory (council), made a few decisions, and discussed some items that we will cover in the second session at the end of July. The spirit among the friars was very positive. Even when we had to discuss a couple of touchy issues, there was a sense of concern and respect. I will be going to Pittsburgh tomorrow for a weekend retreat for a group of Secular Franciscans. I finished some reading and listening: The Way of the Heart: Desert Spirituality and Contemporary Ministry by Henri Nouwen This is a short reflection on the teaching of the Desert Fathers and Mothers and its application to ministry today. It especially deals with topics like solitude, silence and prayer and why they are so essential for people who guide others in this chaotic and every changing world. History’s Greatest Battles by Nigel Cawthorne This is an account of some of the most important battle fought through history, from the earliest times to recent days. The information is not all that new, but it is interesting to hear the story once again and be able to put it in perspective with all the other battles. Unlocking the Hidden History of DNA by Sam Kean This is a Teaching Company course on the discovery and study of DNA. It deals with the historic process of identifying what carries the message for our inheritance, and also with some of the recent questions arising from our ability to manipulate the genetic message (for the good, hopefully, but also with great potential for misuse). The professor is good and presents the material in a way that is understandable. Introduction to Judaism by Shai Cherry This is a Great Courses introduction to Judaism, its history, its beliefs, and its practices. The course is well done and gives considerable information about this faith. Cherry is a good lecturer and I would recommend this course to anyone. The Roman Civil Wars of the 3rd and 4th Centuries by Charles River Editors The 3rd and 4th centuries AD of Roman history were traumatic. The earlier period was marked by a rapid overthrow of emperors and civil war fought all throughout the empire. Toward the end of the 3rd century, Vespasian came to power who calmed the situation and created a new form of government in which the power was split among four leaders (two called Augusti, two Caesars). This was overthrown by the Emperor Constantine who, after another series of wars, was able to concentrate all the power in his own hands. Japan Runs Wild: 1942-1943 by Peter Harmsen This is an account of the beginning of World War II in the Pacific (at least the beginning in the sense of the involvement of America and European powers). Harmsen gives a good account of the action and the strategy behind the moves by the allies and Japan during this era. It marks the high point of Japanese conquest and the beginning of their fall. Morisot by Delphi Art Classics Berte Morisot was one of the few female impressionist artists in France during the dawning and full measure of that movement. Her story is told in the Delphi great artist series which gives short accounts of her life and career accompanied by copies of the pictures she painted at that time. It then gives a catalog of many more of her works. Winter King: Henry VII and the Dawn of Tudor England by Thomas Penn This is the story of Henry VII of England, the king who began the Tudor dynasty. He defeated King Richard III to take the throne, and while he brought a period of stability to the reign, he also proved to be a most avaricious monarch. He surrounded himself with disreputable deputies who extorted money from anyone who crossed their paths. They imprisoned people for no good reason just to force them to pay bribes which mostly went to the king but at times went into their own pockets. Two of the most nefarious of these deputies were tried and killed shortly after Henry VIII took the throne. Queen Victoria’s Children by John Van der Kiste This is an account of Queen Victoria and her many children (nine). It deals both with their personalities and careers, but also with the attitude of Victoria toward them (which often involved massive interference in their lives). Her children and grandchildren were married into almost every royal family in Europe, for better or worse. The Internal Enemy: Slavery and War in Virginia 1772-1832 by Alan Taylor This is the story of slavery in Virginia before, during and after the British American War of 1812-1814. The British advertised among the slaves that if they came over to the British side, they would be liberated. This caused an exodus of slaves from their plantations, especially in Tidewater Virginia. Taylor examines the details of this era, but also the attitudes of slaves and slave owners and of the British who got involved in the question. The Great Dissent by Thomas Healy This is the story of how Justice Oliver Wendel Holmes wrote a descent on a case involving free speech. Although he was on the losing side of the argument, what he said eventually came to be the litmus test for whether free speech should be allowed or not. Previously, free speech was largely defined as being able to say or print what you wanted without previous censorship, but one was then subject to possible prosecution afterwards. Holmes argued that free speech was essential to sort out the truth from the various opinions, and the only speech that could be restricted was that which caused an immediate danger to society or individuals. The Modern Scholar: Liberty and Its Price: Understanding the French Revolution by Donald Sutherland This is a series of lectures on the beginning and conduct and end of the French Revolution. Sutherland is good at describing the social and economic and jurisdictional factors that led to the revolution and on how it spun out of control, descending into the Reign of Terror. He gives a good description of the people involved and the politics of France and its surrounding neighbors. Have a good week. Shalom fr. Jude

Ellicott City

I have been home in Ellicott City for the past couple of weeks. When I am not helping in the Shrine with Mass, confessions or presentations, or at the St. Joseph Nursing Home in Catonsville, I have been working on some shorter writing projects and the daily reflections for the daily Mass readings. Summer has arrived, and then left for a few days, and has now come back. It has been a strange winter and spring. I started a two presentation course on the prophets this past Saturday. These are full day classes, from 9:30-11:30 and 1:30-3:30. The first class dealt with the minor prophets (there are 12 of them). The next class this Saturday will cover the major prophets: Isaiah, Ezekiel and Jeremiah. I have spoken with the head of the deacons' office of continuing formation, and it looks like I will be offerings some material via zoom for the deacons and their wives in the archdiocese. We will start with three classes on the Book of Revelation in June and see how it goes. I have gotten the final OK from the osteopath on my two broken elbows. They pretty much healed on their own, without casts. It did take quite a bit of time, though, something the doctor reminded me of due to my age. I have also gotten hearing aids. I noticed that it was more and more dificult for me to hear questions whenever I would give classes. I have always had difficulty hearing things when there is a background noise, but lately it has become more obvious to me and to others. I have also been giving some individual conferences and weekends of recollection. The next one will be at the end of May in Pittsburgh. I finished some reading and listening: The Pluto Files by Neil deGrasse Tyson This is the account of how scientists argued and eventually decided to demote the status of Pluto from a planet to something less than that. The emotional response to this move is interesting and even entertaining. Tyson describes the difficulty of making this move given that there was not a firm definition of what a planet was. Hildegard of Bingen: Discovering the Woman of Light by Lyn Holley Doucet Hildegard was a German nun who had mystical visions which were eventually depicted in artwork done at her request. She was a leader and also a doctor (concerning the use of medicinal plants) and musician (developing music rhythms for songs and psalms). The presentation is good, but at times it became too laudatory and descriptive rather than insightful. The Stanford Prison Experiment by Charles River Editors This is the account of a very questionable experiment in which students were to play roles of prisoners or prison guards for a period of time to see how they would respond to their roles. The prison guards quickly developed an aggressive and sadistic viewpoint toward the prisoners. The test was terminated early due to serious concerns for the mental health of the participants. There were questions concerning how much the participants had been programmed for the roles they were to play. Biological Anthropology: An Evolutionary Perspective by Barbara King This is a Great Courses presentation on the past, present and future of the human being. King deals with the lessons to learn from observations made on the physiology and activities of other primate species, the evolution of the human being, lessons to learn from genetic and cultural influences on human beings, etc. King has a bit of an ax to grind with those who deny evolution, but other than that, she gives a tremendous presentation of various dimensions of the topic. Eyewitness 1900-1909: Joanna Bourke This is a set of three hour long presentations from eye-witnesses who lived during the early decade of the 20th century (in Great Britain). They deals with the Boer War, culture and recreation, the social tensions caused by the great divide in economic classes in the era, etc. Banana: The Fate of the Fruit that Changed the World by Dan Koeppel This is a history of the banana. It deals with biological questions, the historic use of the banana, the growth of its importance in the diets of some cultures, and of the multi-nationals that controlled its growth and sale in the 19th and especially the 20th centuries (and their control of governments and economies in the countries where it is grown, giving rise to the phrase “banana republics.” It even deals with some of the diseases that affect the fruit and of attempts of combat these difficulties. Being There by Jerzy Kozinski A movie was made from this short novel. It deals with a young man who is mentally deficient who cares for the garden of his grandfather until he died. When the grandfather dies, no one knows that he was related to the family and he is put out on the street. There, by accident he meets a rich woman who puts him up. She and her husband take a shine to him and he is introduced to the President through their efforts. He mouths his wisdom of the garden when asked an important economics question, and everyone takes him to be a genius when he is simply telling them what he learned in the garden. Buried Deep by Margot Hunt This is a short novella about a man who is accused of murder when a skeleton is found of a woman who disappeared decades before. It is told from the point of view of the man’s wife, and it deals with her attempt to make sense of what is happening and to respond to the chaos.The History and Achievements of the Islamic Golden Age by Eamonn Gearon The History and Achievements of the Islamic Golden Age by Eamonn Gearon This is a Great Courses presentation on the Islamic Renaissance which ran from the foundation of the city of Bagdad and its House of Wisdom to its destruction (c. 9th to the end of the 13th century AD). This is a topic that many in the west have not encountered, but the author shows the learning of this center of culture (e.g. medicine, astrology, philosophy, chemistry, etc.). I would recommend this study for those who want to examine this development which had huge influences upon the development of similar studies in the west in the coming centuries. Genghis Khan by Patrick Auerbach This is a short biography of the life and career of one of the greatest conquerors in history. Born into a minor tribe, Genghis Khan was able to unite warning factions in Mongolia to become a powerful conquering army. Auerbach especially deals with his early life and his conquest of the local tribes and the beginning of the conquest of the Muslim empires and China. He sort of drops his story at a certain point in Genghis’ career and simply tells one that he died. 5 Lessons from Sartre by Oswald Sobrino This is part of the series by Sobrino in which he takes five ideas from a major figure, gives an explanation of the ideas, and then applies them to today’s world. In this case, he deals with the existentialist but atheistic French philosopher Sartre. He shows what is useful in some of Sartre’s writings, even to those who believe in God. The Roman Empire: A Very Short Introduction by Christopher Kelly This is one of the very short introduction courses. They are about four to five hours long in audio format. They give a series of extended presentations that deal with the topic rather than a systematic outline of the stated topic. This one deals with topics such of Christian persecution, Roman imperialism, some of the emperors’ reigns, etc. Have a good week. Shalom fr. Jude