Rome - Assisi - Los Angeles

June 21, 2022 Peace and Good, I spent two weeks in Rome for a series of meetings. The first week we had our usual General Definitory. We work very well together, and the discussions are almost always very helpful. The second week was a meeting with the presidents of the various local federations of friars throughout the world. There are seven of them, and the presidents came to share their viewpoint of where the Order should be going in these years. A lot of time is spent informing them of the whole situation (in the definitory, we sometimes forget that we hear these things every month, but they do not). But it was also very good to get a fresh perspective on what the friars are thinking and doing. On Saturday we made a short pilgrimage to Assisi, and then returned that evening. On Sunday morning, I flew out to Los Angeles to be present at the second part of the provincial chapter for the St. Joseph of Cupertino Province. We are meeting in these days at a retreat house just outside of Los Angeles. Flying out of Rome was chaotic. I have never seen the airport so crowded, and the back up for security so long. Fortunately, since I am a frequent flyer, I was able to go through the fast track line. London was just as crowded. They say that a lot of flights have been cancelled in these days. I finished some reading: Ghost Train to the Eastern Star by Paul Theroux Theroux is famous for his travel books. This one has him travelling from London throughout Asia and back again. His word pictures are entertaining, and they give insight into various cultures and historic events (e.g. the Central Asian republics and their oppressive governments, Cambodia and the massacre under Pol Pot, Japan and its ultra modern society. This particular trip is 30 years after his original voyage into Asia which gave rise to his first travel book. Viruses, Plagues, and History by Michael Oldstone This is an extensive study of the mechanism of viruses causing infection and of ways to combat them. It speaks of the main infections over the ages, e.g. Smallpox, Polio, Measles, Ebola, Sars, HIV. It also speaks of the strange mechanism that causes Mad Cow Disease, prions. The book is good, but it could have used a good editor for a number of phrases and arguments are repeated ad verbum throughout the book. The Mysterious Case of Agatha Christie by Maureen Corrigan This is a Teaching Company course on the life and writings of Agatha Christie. Corrigan is one of her great fanes, but she is also honest into some of Christie’s idiosyncrasies. This is a light listen, but it does give insight into why Christie wrote the way she did and into some of her main characters, i.e. Miss Marple, Hercoul Poirot, Tuppence, etc. The Greek Way by Edith Hamilton A while ago I had read the Roman Way by the same author. This book is just as good, describing the Greek culture and society and way of thinking. She distinguishes it from Roman culture as well as Medieval and Modern culture. She speaks of the simplicity of expression, the care put into their buildings and their surroundings, the tension between the idea of society as a while and the individual (the latter, she claims, is more an invention of a Christian way of thinking). Her writing is masterful, and the book very, very informative. The Taiping Rebellion by Hourly History This was a rebellion in China during the 19th century. It was led by a man who said that he was the brother of Jesus, and it had some Christian elements to its philosophy (but in a very garbled manner). This was a time when the Qing Dynasty was reeling from its wars with the Western Powers, especially the two Opium Wars with Great Britain. The Taiping were remarkably effective for a while before the Qings were able to find the right general to lead their forces. Queen Zenobia of Palmyra by Charles River Editors This was a queen of the trade city of Palmyra who shortly established an empire between Rome and the Parthians. She ruled in the name of her son, but she was the one really in power. She capitalized on the weakness of the Roman Empire at that moment due to succession difficulties among its emperors. Once the situation stabilized, Rome was able to reconquer what she had taken. The Battle of Kursk by Charles River Editors This was a tank battle fought in the Soviet Union. It represented the last time in World War II that the Germans could take the offensive against the Soviets. The losses on both sides were incredible, but the Soviets fought so tenaciously that they bled the Germans white. This short book gives a good amount of information without being too academic. Dante by R.W.B. Lewis I listened to this book about the life and writings of Dante Alighieri. The portion that presents his life is more complete than that of his works, but this book serves as a good introduction to both. The Werewolf of Bamberg by Oliver Potsch This is a rather long book which deals with the family of an executioner in Germany in the period just after the 30 years war. This volume deals with the possible appearance of a werewolf, and the danger that this will lead to a witch hunt such as occurred in the town of Bamberg some years before. The family must try to save those who are endangered by this occurrence with a mix of detective work, medical research, and pure bravery. It is very well written, but quite long so reading it is a bit of a commitment. Have a good week. Shalom fr. Jude

Atlanta - Louisville - Baltimore - Buffalo - El Paso (Mesilla Park, New Mexico)

June 24, 2021 Peace and Good As you can see by the title, I have been doing quite a bit of travelling in these days. Now that the covid pandemic is winding down, it is possible to visit the friars and others whom I have not seen for quite a while. The airports are incredibly busy in these days. I visited three of our friaries in Atlanta, and then went to Louisville (Mount St. Francis) which is the provincialate of Our Lady of Consolation Province. I was able to spend some good time with the provincial and the friars living there. While I was there, an artist who works in fabric, Penny Sisto, gave an exhibition. I was expecting some quilts, and the art that she displayed was breath-taking. Check our her site on the internet. I went to Baltimore for another doctor's appointment. The medicine I am taking for my heart can have side effects on the lungs, so I went to the Pulminologist. All is well. I got to go out with one of my classmates while I was there. I got to Buffalo and stayed with my brother and sister in law for a few days. Now I am in New Mexico at one of our retreat centers to be with the friars who are participating in a workshop for those who have been out of formation for less than five years. We have found that this time period is critical for the reinforcement of their vocation, so every year they meet to share some ideas (theirs and from others) on what is going on in their lives. Tomorrow I head back to Rome. A lot of the restrictions have been lifted in these days, so it will be good to see how things are going there. I finished some reading: Origins of Great Ancient Civilizations by Professor Kenneth Harl This is a series of lectures by the Teaching Company on various early civilizations of the ancient Mid-East. The professor gives good, accurate information in a pleasant way. This is one of the series from this company that I truly enjoyed. The Fall of Anne Boleyn: A Countdown by Claire Ridgway This is a book that goes into the accusations against, the trial and the execution of Anne Boleyn. The author is very much a defender of Boleyn, so she always evaluates the information in the best light possible for her. Yet, it does seem as if the death of Boleyn was a set-up, probably instigated by Henry VIII who had become bored of her, especially since she had not been able to bear him a male heir. Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom by Stephen Platt This is an account of the Taiping Rebellion which occurred in China about the same time as the American Civil War. Millions and millions of people were killed through execution or starvation or disease because of this event. It was led by a man who had heard Christian preachers and who identified himself as Jesus’ brother, the son of God. A lot of the book deals with Britain’s involvement in one form or another with the event. Yet, the author does manage to show a respectful treatment of the Chinese as well. Killing the SS by Bill O’Reilly This is typical of the series of Bill O’Reilly’s books on Jesus, Kennedy, etc. There is a lot of good information. At times, there are overt judgments on people or activities. A very large part of the book is on the hunt, arrest and trial of Adolph Eichmann, but there is also information about the hunt for other criminals as well. The famous Nazi Hunter Simon Wiesenthal, is not all that positive. He is presented as a publicity seeking, at times lying individual. Whirlwind by Barrett Tillman This is the story of the bombing campaign against Japan during World War II from the Doolittle Raid to the use of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The author is a staunch defender of what the bombers did all throughout the war. He is very honest about the shortcomings of various commanders and various techniques and of the interservice rivalry between the Army Air Corps (before the establishment of the Air Force) and the Navy fighters and bombers. Sky watching: Seeing and Understanding Cosmic Wonders by Alex Phillipenko This is a Teaching Company course on the various phenomena that one can detect in the day and night skies. It is taught be a professor who is incredibly enthused with his topic. He doesn’t always know how to dumb down the material so that those unacquainted with the material could still understand, but his joy and wonder at the topic makes up for that. Some of the topics include meteors, comets, aurora borealis, haloes around the sun and moon, the stars and constellations, etc. Have a good 4th of July and a good week. Shalom fr. Jude