San Antonio, Texas - Rome

October 21, 2021 Peace and Good, I spent last week in San Antonio for a meeting of the provincials and custodes and delegates of our federation. The meeting went from Tuesday to Thursday. After that, we spent a few days exploring the area around San Antonio, including the Alamo, the riverwalk (which I highly recommend), and Panna Maria (the first site of the friars' work in America). Tuesday I flew from San Antonio to Rome. The trip was uneventful, which in these days is a real gift. Passing through passport control was remarkably easy. The weather here in Rome is quite cool, much more so than I encountered in Texas. I will be here for the next few weeks, travelling to the States again on November 6th. I finished some reading: The Man who made lists by Joshua Kendall This is the story of Dr. Peter Roget, and Englishman of Swiss descent, who developed the thesaurus that is most famous in the English speaking world. He had a difficult childhood and an impossible mother. His pain led him to an obsessive need to categorize things and words. His obsession served him well when he working as a secretary of various societies of higher learning. One gets the feeling that he was a functional victim of Asperger’s syndrome. He came out with his thesaurus only when he retired from his other activities, which included being a physician. The Bloody Mohawk: The French and Indian War and the American Revolution by Richard Berleth This is an account of the European settling of the Mohawk Valley in upper New York State and the tension between the native American population and the Dutch, German and English settlers. The most important of the English settlers turned out to be Sir William Johnson who served as a liaison with the Iroquois in that area. The history of the era is bloody and savage. Lincoln’s Gamble by Todd Brewster This is the story of how Lincoln came to first of all write and then later issue the Emancipation Proclamation. We see a Lincoln who is anything but firm in his ideas about slavery and its abolishment. The author shows the pressures that he was under (e.g. the danger of the loss of the border states). The declaration truly did not end slavery as such, for it was only valid in those states that at the moment of its issuance were still in rebellion. The author gives a good give and take on the whole story and the book is worth reading. Hitler’s Final Push: the Battle of the Bulge from the German Point of View edited by Danny Parker The author states that this is from the German point of view, but I didn’t realize how seriously he meant that. The book is filled with technical details about the planning of the offensive and the various points of view of how it should develop. The actual battle itself is almost a second thought. What information it gives is interesting, but most people would find its detail overwhelming and frankly boring. Vikings by Frank Donovan This is a medium size book on the history of the Vikings. It gives detail on how they spread and influenced areas from Russia to Sicily, Ireland to Iceland and Greenland and even the New World. The author gives just the right amount of detail. The book moves along nicely. It is not a comprehensive study, but a great introductory presentation. Voodoo River by Robert Crais This is about a detective from California who is hired by an actress to find out the truth about the family which released her for adoption. The detective is opposed by many in the town because there are secrets that they want to remain hidden. There is, in fact, a sinister side to the whole affair with people being killed and grossly illegal actions taking place. The dialog of the detective is a bit smart alecky, and the villains are stereotypes, but if one is in the mood for some light reading, it is fine. Tapestry of Spies by Stephen Hunter This is a story of an MI6 agent who is searching for a Soviet spy, an ex-Cambridge alumnus who is fighting for the communists in Spain. It was a time when Britain was more concerned in fighting communism than fascism, something that changed very rapidly in the coming years. There is the normal account of fighting and intrigue, but the author knows how to give twists and turns that one would not have expected. It was quite good. Have a good week. Shalom fr. Jude

Chicago

July 22, 2013 Peace and Good, It is such a joy to write just one city name in the label for the post. I have been in Chicago all this past week. Part of the reason I was here was to be present during the gathering of those who have been out of formation for zero to five years. This is a type of mentoring for those who have recently finished formation to help them with their adjustments to the full time ministry. I gave one talk, one homily, and I was present for the prayers and meals. I did a lot of informal consulting and sharing during those times. Part of my reason for being in Chicago was simply to take some time off. Chicago is a great city to visit. I went over to the Art Institute and just sat in front of some of my favorite paintings, especially those by El Greco. I will be here until toward the end of the week. We have the investiture for those beginning their novitiate (in which they receive their religious habits for the first time). We also have the first profession of vows for those who are just finishing novitiate. Then I will be heading down to Costa Rica for a meeting. This will be my first time down there. I hear it is beautiful. I finished a few books: The First Assassin by John J. Miller This is a fictional account of a couple of Southern plots to attack the north in the days immediately following the inauguration of President Lincoln. One involved blowing up the Capitol building, and the other was a plot to assassinate the president. The man in charge of protecting the president during the inauguration must then ferret out the plot to harm Lincoln against the orders of the head of the army, General Scott, who tells him to stop his investigation. The book is well written. Brothers, Rivals, Victors by Jonathan Jordan This is the story of three of the most important American generals during the Second World War: Eisenhower, Bradley and Patton. They are portrayed well without any form of hero worship. Ike comes across as an excellent manager and politician who was not a great combat general, but was just the right man to lead a multi-nation coalition. Bradley comes across as a reserved methodical general who did the right thing, but was at times a bit cautious. Patton comes across as a bull in a china shop who was the best general when it came to exploiting the weaknesses in the enemy. They were all friends and rivals. Their friendship waxed and waned, depending on what was happening. The most unpredictable of them all was Patton who had a tendency to say outrageous things that landed him (and his bosses) in trouble. The story is well written and enjoyable. The Lives of Great Christians by Professor William Cook This is one of the teaching company courses: 24 lectures long. It is a series of short biographies of great Christians throughout history. The professor presenting the lectures is Catholic, so many of the stories are about Catholics, including St. Francis, St. Clare, St. Maximilian Kolbe, etc. It also deals with the topic of monasticism in terms of the desert fathers, St. Benedict and the monks who live at Mt. Athos in Greece. Reformation figures such as Jan Hus, Martin Luther and the Wesley brothers are also seen. In modern times, he speaks of the choice to rebel against authority during the Nazi regime, the civil rights movement in the States, and liberation theology. He gives a good overview of the various topics. It is very, very difficult to cover 2,000 years in 24 lectures, but Cook does a creditable job of it. I hope you have a good week. Shalom fr. Jude

Chicago - Carey - Chicago - Rome

September 28, 2012 Peace and Good, I am sorry that I am so late this week in writing this blog, but it has been incredibly busy, as you will soon see. I had flown over from Rome to Chicago a two weeks ago today. Then on Sunday the rest of the General Definitory arrived from Rome. I am the only native English speaker, so I was responsible for coordinating arrangements with the local friars. We stayed first of all with our friars in the friary on Kenmore Avenue. This is a few blocks away from Loyolla. They were incredible. They responded to our every need, often before we even asked them. Our definitory met throughout the week, preparing material for our General Chapter in January. We also took an afternoon off to visit Chicago. There was a two hour bus tour with an Italian translater to explain the history and architecture of the city. The friars then took a boat ride on the river, and we ate supper on the pier. On Saturday we drove down to Carey, Ohio. Along the way we stopped at one of our parishes in Angola, Indiana where we had lunch. That evening we had a dinner celebrating the 100th anniversary of the friars' presence at the Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation. The next day at noon we had a solemn Mass celebrated by our Minister General. The church was packed. Then at 2:30 we had devotions at which I preached. On Monday we headed back to the Chicago area. We stopped at our novitiate on the way to have lunch and meet with the novices. They are located at Misshawaka which is right near Notre Dame University. We arrived at Marytown in Libertyville, IL, later that day. This is in the north Chicago area. Tursday and Wednesday we met with the provincials, custodes and delegates of North America and Great Britain/Ireland. Then Thursday we took a trip to Milwaukee to see our Basilica of St. Josaphat (which is magnificent) and to have a brewery tour and then go to a German restaurant for supper. Today I finished off our meetings with the provincials. Now I am heading back to Italy for a week. I have a series of meetings in Assisi. I will be heading back next Friday. These are the books I have finished: Last Seen in Massilia by Steven Saylor This is another one of those detective novels set in the times of Julius Caesar. The hero of the book if a man named Gordianus the Finder. He uses his investigative skills to discover the murderer of a young woman in a city being besieged by the troops of Caesar. Marsailles up to that point had been a free city founded by the Greeks. When Caesar passed by on his way to Spain to fight the troops of Pompey, they refused him entrance. He therefore put the city under siege. Gordianus and his son-in-law find a way to get into the city to seek his son who has disappeared. There is a sub-theme of fathers and children and the pain that this relationship can cause. As always, Saylor is brilliant in his portrayal of both the times and the people involved. The Pope’s Daughter: The Extraordinary Life of Felice della Rovere by Caroline Murphy This is the story of the daughter of Pope Julius II. Although he recognized his daughter, Julius did not flaunt his relationship as his predecessor did (the Borgia family). She became a power in her own name. The story comes from what documents have been passed down, and it often has to be constructed from receipts and legers. She really was a remarkable person, heading the Orsini family in Rome. She lived in Rome during the days when the city was conquered by the king of Spain and his army of disgruntled Spanish and German (many of whom were Lutheran and hated the Roman Catholic Church). Later in her life, she spend most of her energy and resources to further the cause of her children. This is a fascinating insight into the life of a woman during the Renaissance. Lincoln and His Admirals by Craig Symonds We tend to talk about Lincoln’s generals, but we have also to remember the importance of his navy in establishing a blockade outside of the cities of the South and in bombarding cities along the Mississippi and other rivers. The books deals with the abolition question because so many black slaves sought refuge with the naval forces who then established free colonies along the coast for them. It also deals with the same difficulties that Lincoln faced with generals: that some of them were political hacks and blatantly incompetent, while others were just not all that good at what they were doing. Over the years, Lincoln was able to find a core of admirals upon whom he could trust. There was also the tremendous tension within Lincoln’s own cabinet, especially between the secretary of the Navy Welles and the secretary of commerce Chase. That erupted in the question of who was permitted to carry contraband goods to and from the rebelling states, e.g. the bales of cotton that were piled up along the rivers, etc. The book is well researched and well written. I hope you have a good week. Shalom fr. Jude