Ellciott City - the Maratime Center

August 1 Peace and Good, Summer is rolling along quite quickly. I have been busy with the normal ministry in this area (confessions, preaching, celebrating Mass, etc.). I have also begun to work on a new Good News Note on the idea of offering up our suffering - what that means and how to do it. The weather here has been quite hot, as it has in many parts of the country. I have been doing a series of one hour classes for a study group from Alexandria, VA on Wednesday afternoons. I have completed three and have another two to do. I enjoy this sort of thing, and since this is done by zoom, it is a lot easier than having to travel to a place to do it. This past week we held our provincial chapter at the Maratime Center out near the Baltimore airport. Around 70 of us gathered to plan the next four years of life and ministry for the province. It went very well. One of the projects that was approved is some renovations on the grounds here at Ellicott City, especially establishing more parking which is sorely needed given the number of people who are coming to our events. I have finalized the plan to do a series of zoom classes on the Gospel of Mark for the deacons and their wives in November. I did a three class series on the Book of Revelation in the Spring, and it came off quite well. I have finished some reading and listening: Agent 355 by Marie Benedict This is a short story of a young woman who joins the Patriot’s cause during the Revolutionary War. She is living in New York which was occupied by British troops. She play the society belle and listens in to conversations that give clues as to the plans of the British, and she then hands those secrets on to another spy. Four Lost Cities by Annalee Newitz This is a presentation of the history and excavation of four important ancient cities. The author speaks of Angor in Cambodia, Pompeii in Italy (buried under ask by the explosion of the volcano Vesuvius), Catalhoyuk in Turkey (one of the earlies cities in history) and Cahokia in the US (an immense complex of native American mounds just outside of St. Louis. The author is not a professional archeologist, but she presents the finding of many of those who have worked these sites. Finding Jesus: Faith. Fact. Forgery by David Gibson and Michael McKinley I was a bit skeptical about this book because I thought it would be one of those books that tries to demythologize everything, but it was not. It is actually an honest look into the life and teaching and background of Jesus and his immediate followers. The authors do not try to be sensationalistic in their presentation, and they weigh the pluses and minuses of various theories. I especially appreciated their coverage of the Shroud of Turin. Marx in 90 Minutes by Paul Strathern This is part of a series of short books about various philosophers and great figures by the acclaimed historian Paul Strathern. This book presents the life and teaching of Marx without getting into esoteric theories. Strathern is not afraid to show the virtues and weaknesses of the person whom he is presenting. The books, including this one, are a good overview before one dives into that person’s writings. Conspiracies of World War II by Alexander Macdonald This is a series of stories about the spies and their plots during World War II, both from the ally and axis sides. It deals with human activity (actual spies, rescue networks for downed flyers, etc.) and with the description of coded messages. It even deals with the strange attraction of Hitler to the occult. This was an interesting read. Cleopatra’s Daughter by Jane Drawcot The daughter of Cleopatra was taken to Rome after the death of her mother (Cleopatra) and father (Anthony). She, Cleopatra Selene, was raised by Anthony’s widow Octavia who also happened to be the sister of Augustus Caesar. She eventually married a man who was made king of Numidia in Africa. The author gives good background information, but almost everything she says about Cleopatra Selene is speculation for very, very little was written about her. , The Skeptic’s Guide to the Great Books by Grant Voth This is a presentation from the Great Books. It presents some books that might not be on a professors list of most important books to read, but the books nevertheless present some of the same lessons that larger and more difficult books give. It was actually a very entertaining and informative course and I would recommend it to anyone who wanted a help on the “to do” list for future reads. 1453 by Roger Crowley This is the story of the conquest of Constantinople by the Turks in the year 1453. The author is very clear in his presentation. He is fair in presenting all the sides of the story and is not prejudicial toward one or another. I thought that the book might be filled with scenes of blood and gore, and there is a bit of that but not as much as I might fear. Overall, I thought the book was excellent. Who’s who in the age of Jesus by Geza Vermes This is a list of many, many people who take part in the story of Jesus. The treatment is alphabetic, and mostly fair (although there were a couple of strange theories here and there). He was of Hungarian Jewish origin, but taught in Great Britain where, for a while, he served as a Roman Catholic priest. The Black Prince by Michael Jones The Black Prince was the son of King Edward III, and he was famous for being a famous warrior and chivalrous knight. He died before he could come to the throne. He was called black either because that was the color or armor that he wore or some people thought he was black in his moral values (probably the former). The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie This is one of Agatha Christie’s first important works, and this was the first time that I had ever read it. It is a Hercule Poirot story in which the detective tries to solve the murder of a rich, elderly woman, most probably through poisoning. It has the usual twists and turns of a Poirot story. Augustine: Philosopher and Saint by Philip Cary This is a Teaching Company on the person and teachings of St. Augustine. The teachings part is drawn especially from Augustine’s Confessions and City of God. The author shows the originality of Augustine and how his teachings influenced theology in the Middle Ages and beyond. Have a good week. Shalom fr. Jude