Ellicott City

July 26, 2025 The Memorial of Saints Joachim and Ann Grandparents Day Peace and Good, These past couple of weeks have been the longest spread of hot, hot, hot weather that I remember in Baltimore. This week we might go up to 100. I have been doing most of my daily walks inside out house (which has a long walkway from one end of the building to the other). I have finished editing the Lectors' Workbook for next year. That is really not such a big project since I have been doing this for years, and the new books are just a revision of what we have already done. I have been able to get caught up with my daily podcasts for the scripture readings each day at Mass. I always like to be at least a couple of weeks ahead of time lest something happen and I not be able to record them for a while. This week I have been helping out at the shrine quite a bit, including a funeral this past Tuesday. The local church, St. Louis, is closed for renovation, and they have asked us to pick up some of their funerals and weeddings. I am getting ready for a workshop on the Canticle of the Creatures on August 9. This is the 800th anniversary of the poem written by St. Francis celebrating creation. The poem is the first piece of poetry written in Italian (as far as we know). Previously poetry had been written in Latin. Some people say that this move to the vernacular was the beginning of the Renaissance. I will also be working on a project due by the end of the month. I have been asked to write a script on a virtual tour of a series of large pictures on the life of St. Anthony which hangs in the main coridor of the Shrine. I have finished some reading and listening: Lectures on the Gospel of Mark by Rowan Williams I have heard that Rowan Williams was the best theologian who was the Archbishop of Canterbury since St. Anselm. These lectures were a type of Holy Week retreat on the Gospel of Mark. I can believe the theological reputation mentioned above. Williams is informative, thoughtful, and spiritual. He weighs the various possible positions, showing how they are stronger or weaker. It was a joy listening to these lectures. The Beast by Faye Kellerman This is a detective story which begins with an elderly billionaire found in his modest apartment with a Bengal Tiger running lose in the room. The team must deal with a host of suspects, and a host of complications in the story, especially when human body parts are found among the tiger’s food packages. It is a good story. Aquinas for Armchair Theologians by Timothy Renick This is part of a series on theologians and philosophers. Each presentation is one hour long to three hours. This one was on the longer side of the spectrum. The author gives a good biography and a good evaluation of the positions of Aquinas. He also has a great sense of humor, so the text does not get bogged down in theoretical positions. I especially appreciated his discussion of just war, of the principle of double effects, of natural law, etc. The Seven Sacraments by Daniel Van Slyke This is a Learn25 presentation. The author is a canon lawyer, so the presentation of the sacraments is technically perfect, but there is very little passion in the presentation. Furthermore, the professor shows an interesting fascination with the Latin liturgy. I really could not recommend this course. Why Sustainable Energy Matters by OpenLearn OpenLearn gives short presentations on various topics. This particular one is on sustainable energy. The author first of all presents the state of affairs today. Then she speaks of various green alternatives (both pro-active such as producing energy, and passive, designing structures and tasks in ways that uses less energy). The author is honest on both the advantages and difficulties and downsides of each technology. Spycraft: the Secret History of the CIA’s Spytechs by Robert Wallace, etc. This is an examination of the secret techniques of spycraft (acting as a spy, but especially the technology they would use such as cameras, communication devices, listening devices, etc.). The material comes from those who have worked on these things, so the presentation is informative and at times tascinating. Meditations on Christ’s Seven Last Words by Laurie Brink This is an examination of the seven last sayings of Jesus along with a concrete modern-day application. The material was OK, but not overly profound. I found myself listening to some of the presentations just to come to a finish of the “retreat”. Museum Masterpieces: The National Gallery by Catherine Scallen This is an overview of the various periods of paintings held by the National Gallery in London. The presenter is an art scholar who obviously loves her job and the collection found at the National Gallery. One is able to see the changes in technique from the earliest period of painting up to the beginning of the 20th century (for the collection ends there). It is well worth watching. 1776 by David McCullough We like to think of the spirit of ’76, a heroic and victorious time in American history. But this book by McCullough (who is a tremendous history author) shows that it was also a disastrous time when Washington and his troops were expelled from New York and lost Philadelphia, the capital of the nation, to the British. It was only the Christmas battle in Trenton in which Washington surprised a large camp of Hessian mercenaries and captured many of them that let the year end on a high note which gave the nation hope for a possible victory in their quest for freedom. Heliopolis by Charles River Editors This is the city in ancient Egypt that was dedicated to the worship of the Sun god. It had its ups and down, dependent upon who was ruling Egypt and which cult he had chosen to be the most important in his empire. Very little of the original city is left, largely having been used for building material by subsequent settlers in this area. Fort Henry by Jonathan Gianos-Steinberg This was one of the first battle of the Civil War and the first major victory for northern troops (led by General Grant but assisted by the Navy Commander Foote). This was the first moment in which Grant came to the attention of the nation. The battle itself was not all that significant, given that a good part of the fort was flooded because of the South having chosen a bad location for its layout, and also because a good part of the troops had already evacuated the fort before the battle even began. Lusitania: Triumph, Tragedy, and the End of the Edwardian Age by Greg King and Penny Wilson This is the passenger ship running from New York to Great Britain in 1915 that was sunk by a German torpedo in 1915, with a huge loss of life, including many Americans. Much of the account deals with the people on board, their lives, etc. Who was to blame? The British had actually made this ship into a part of the British navy, so it could not claim that it was a civilian ship. They were also carrying munitions aboard. The Germans gave no warning before they fired the torpedo(s). There are also the faults of the crew who did not maintain the life boats well or prepare the passengers ot use them if there were an emergency. To sum it up, they were all at fault to a certain degree. Utopia and Terror in the 20th Century by Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius This is a Great Courses (24 lectures) course on some of the utopian and often totalitarian movements during the 20th century (e.g. communism, fascism, national socialism, etc.). Liulevivius is a good scholar and presenter. He brings out the similarities and differences of the various groups and their expressions in various countries. This is a good course. Have a good week. Shalom fr. Jude

Ellicott City - Priestfield, WV - Buffalo - Ellicott City

July 12, 2025 Peace and Good, I hope that everyone is enjoying the summer. The weather here in Baltimore is hot and sticky, which is most often is at this time of year. This has been a busy few weeks. On June 9 I had a morning rpesentation ono the encyclical that Pope Francis had written on the Sacred Heart. It was the feast of the Sacred Heart, so it worked perfectly. I was very pleased with how it turned out, and it is now posted on youtube. That evening I went out to the retreat house in Charlestown, WV to preach (with another friar) to a group of secular Franciscans on a weekend retreat. The topic was how they could better minister to each other as brothers and sisters, especially as some of their number are aging and can become isolated. Then, Monday through Friday I gave a retreat to a group of Trinitarians at the retreat house in Mariottsville, MD, not too far down the streat from where I live. The topic was what we can learn from the Wisdom literature in the Old Testament. I enjoyed working with the group. There were about 20 of them. Then, this past weekend I flew up to Buffalo for a memorial Mass for my sister Marge at the chapel of our friary at St. Francis High School. That, too, went very well. I wish I had had more time to spend with the family, but I had to fly back to Baltimore that afternoon because I had a doctor's appointment the next morning. That appointment was a periodic CT scan of my lungs. From what I can tell from the report (I have not yet met with the doctors), it looks very good. I finished some reading; Jerusalem by Leslie Hoppe Leslie Hoppe is a Biblical scholar who is famous for his archaeological trips to the Holy Land. This Learn25 course gives the history of Jerusalem, its importance to Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and its importance and future. This is a good course with each topic thoroughly and clearly presented. I would recommend this course to anyone interested in the topic. Renaissance Woman by Ramie Targoff This is the story of Vittoria Colonna, a woman who lived in Italy during the time of Michaelangelo. She was married to an important member of the Colonna family, one of the leading families in Rome for centuries. Instead of remarrying when her husband died, she dedicated herself to religion and poetry. She was one of the first woman poets to have a book of her poems published in Italy. A good part of the book tries to show how she was fascinated by Lutheranism, although I did not get the feeling that what the author describes as Protestant ideas really were than. Mary, Mother of Jesus by Bertrand Buby This is a Learn25 course with 24 lectures on the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary in our faith and our lives. Buby is a Marianist. His presentations are not all that good. Much of the time is taken up with quoting citations or prayers. His examples from his own life are not all that inspiring. His conclusions are not always firmly based (more devotional than analytically demonstrated). Convict Colony by David Hill This is the story of the foundation of the convict colony of the British Empire in Australia. Given that the laws of Great Britain were draconian and their prisons were willed and the American colonies where they had often deported prisoners had been lost, the British had to find another land to serve as a holding cell for their prisoners. They sent them far away to Australia, often without the means for survival. The early history of the Australian colony is filled with violence (often coming from the hands of those in charge), fraud and exploitation, etc. It was only gradually that the British government came to understand more fully what was happening and stepped in to provide a better government for them. Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer This is the story of some murders committed by a small group of fundamentalist Mormons (this offshoot represents only about ½ of one percent of the Mormon body). The author compares and contrasts this movement to the founding of the religion and their migration to the Salt Lake City area. That foundation story, too, is quite violent and it is a period about which Mormons don’t often speak and at times dissemble about. At the end of the book, the author wrestles with the question of what causes certain people to become fanatical to the point of being willing to kill others. Artemesia Gentilesci by Delphi Art Classics This is one of the Delphi books which speak of individual artists and which show all of their extant works. Artemesia Genetilesci is unusual for this artist was a woman in a time when almost all other artists were men. The description of her life, her works, her artistic style, etc. are very well done. Rollo of Normandy by Chronicle Press This is the first book that I have received from Chronicle Press, which gives their books for free the first day they are listed on kindle. This one did not over impress me. About one third of the book is devoted to a futile attempt to identify Rollo (an ancestor of William the Conqueror in the literature of the Vikings. Basically, Rollo made a deal with the king of France to take over Normandy and surrounding territories in return for the promise to stop raiding the rest of France (an, in fact, help to stop other Vikings from doing this as well.). The 1928 Lake Okeechobee Hurricane by Charles River Editors This is the story of a horrendous hurricane that hit southern/central Florida from the ocean side. The greatest damage was done in the environs of Lake Okeechobee where there were many farms. The lake had a series of dykes and levees, but they were all destroyed by the horrendous surge in the level of the lake. Most of those who were killed in the disaster were the poor farm workers, mostly people of color. Ancient Palmyra by Charles River Editors We do not hear much about Palmyra today, but it was a major trading city in the Mid-East during and after the time of Jesus. One of its most famous monarchs was Zenobia, who acting as regent for her son, threatened the power of Rome throughout this part of the world. Palmyra was brought low after this rebellion, and it never recovered its status in the ancient, medieval or modern world. Unsung Heroes of World War II by Lynne Olson I have read a couple of books written by this professor, and so it was a joy to see her give a series of presentations on the Great Courses series on people about whom we might not have heard much, but who played a significant role in the course of World War II (in Europe). This includes people in the underground, politicians, kings and queens, etc. This was a very good, very informative course. Act of Oblivion by Robert Harris I think I have read everything that Harris has written, including his trilogy on Cicero and his book on Dreyfus. This book deals with the period after the death of Oliver Cromwell and the restoration of the Stuart dynasty to the throne of Great Britain. Parliament passed an act that all of the signers of the decree of condemnation to death of King Charles I were to be punished. This book deals with one man from this new regime who searches for two of the signers in the colonies of the new world. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, as I do with all of his books. Lewis and Clark by Ralph Andrist This is a short account of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Only enough information to fill out the gaps is given of the lives of these two explorers. That which is recounted, though, is quite good and gives a good sense of the heroic nature of their mission to explore the newly acquired Louisiana territory all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Have a good restful week. Shalom fr. Jude

Ellicott City - Pittsburgh - Ellicott City

June 25 Peace and good, It is hot, hot, hot. The ehat and humidity remind me of Western Africa. I have been busy mostly with work at the Shrine, spiritual direction, and assistanct at St. Joesph's Nursing Home. I have also been working on editing some works by authors who asked me to check out their works. This Friday in the morning I have a presentation on the encyclical that Pope Francis wrote on the Sacred Heart. Then in the afternoon I head over to Priestfield in West Virginia to help preach a weekend retreat to a group of Secular Franciscans. Sunday I help out at a local parish fror 5 pm Mass, and then Monday I begin a retreat nearby with the Trinitarian priests. It is going to be a very busy week. This past weekend I had a great day of recollection for a group from the Legion of Mary from Germantown, MD. It was a very interesting group of people, with the majority being either from Africa or Korea. I love working with groups like that, especially handling the question and answer sessions after I finish my presentation. I never know what they will ask, which means I have to stay very alert. I learn so much from their questions. I headed over to Pittsburgh a week ago to visit one of my spsiritual directees and I got to see my sister-in-law and nephew as well. It was a very good trip. I finished some books; Napoleon’s Worst Defeats by Charles River Editors This is a Charles River presentation of some of Napoleon’s battles. It deals with his Egyptian invasion, the defeat of his fleet there and at Trafalgar, his defeat in Russia and then in Germany, and then Waterloo. The Charles River books are getting longer and more detailed. They used to be around 50 pages, but have beefed up to around 120 pages (which still a short book, but now much, much longer than Wikipedia articles). Wesley for Armchair Theologians by William Abraham This is an overview of the life and teachings of Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement. It goes into his successes in developing his theology (largely as in opposition to the Presbyterian idea of predestinationist beliefs). Yet, Wesley tried to call people to a true conversion that could only be undertaken by the grace of God. Abraham shows how Wesley succeeded and failed in his attempt to craft a fully developed theology. Most Dangerous Place by Amtiaz Gul This is an account of what happened in northwest Pakistan, the tribal areas, during the days of Osama bin Laden and his successors. One sees the collision of deeply traditional cultures, outside Islamic influences, and the central government of Pakistan. There were so many dimensions to the story that it almost seems as if one is playing three dimensional chess. Origins and Ideologies of the American Revolution by Peter Mancall This is a rather long course from the Great Courses (48 lectures) on what preceded and what followed the American Revolution. I was a bit surprised at how little Mancall actually spoke about the revolution itself. The material he presents is well organized and most informative. I especially appreciated the discussion of the aftermath of the revolution and the writing of the constitution which sought to give some order to the governance of the new nation. In the Footsteps of Vincent van Gogh by Jean-Pierre Isbouts This is a Great Courses presentation which I watched on video (which for this course is essential, given the topic). Isbouts gives a great presentation on the life and the paintings of Van Gogh. It is not filled with psychologizing theories, although it does touch the topic of Vincent’s mental illness. One can see the growth of Van Gogh’s talent and also of the effect of his personal life upon his artwork. I highly recommend this course. England: From the Fall of Rome to the Norman Conquest by Jennifer Paxton This is a nice overview filled with a bit of humor here and there. It is part of a series on the history of England up to the present day. I would not say that it is scholarly, but it is a nice read. The Firebombing of Tokyo by Charles River Editors During the last years of World War II, the United States adopted a form of bombing in Japan which was designed to cause the greatest fire damage possible. More people, in fact, were killed in the fire bombing of Tokyo than in the atomic bomb explosions. This process was designed and run by Curtis LeMay. There are very serious moral questions of whether it is legitimate to bomb areas which one knows to be major population centers with the purpose of destroying homes and killing civilians who could work in the production of arms for the war. Mountains of the Pharaohs by Zahi Hawass This is the story of the construction and the archaeology of the pyramids by an archaeologist who has worked on excavations on these sites. Some of the information is most interesting, especially because it is presented from a firsthand perspective. Unfortunately, the author insists in giving long, complicated genealogies that are more confusing than helpful. Overall, it was a good read. Aa Short History of Medicine by Steve Parker This is a long presentation of the history of medicine from ancient to modern times through a long series of short articles on individual topics. It is part of the DK series which is all written in the same style. It is the kind of a book that one can listen to or read a small bit at a time. The Gunseller by Hugh Laurie This is a book by the actor Hugh Laurie that speaks of a former British special services member who is caught up in a plot to manufacture a fake terrorist attack so a group of arms merchants (and governmental officials in their pay) might sell a new weapon which could be of service in future terrorist attacks on cities. The pace is super-fast, and the dialog is both comical and filled with semi-hidden meanings. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this presentation. The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery This is the story of the relationship between the author and a series of octopuses (yes, she said that is the right plural form because the word comes from two Greek and not Latin words). She speaks of their intelligence, their personalities, and their life cycle. It is a book filled with the wonder which she experienced by entering into a totally strange and yet magical world. Vatican II: Understanding and Living the Spirituality of the Council by Anthony Ciorra This is a very well done series of the spirituality that was behind the calling and the documents of the Second Vatican Council. Rather than being a council to correct errors of some group in the Church, the Second Vatican Council was called to do theology in the modern world, to find a way to share the faith in a whole new atmosphere. The professor concentrates on the universal call to holiness and the outreach to people who were often not considered all that much in previous councils. I recommend this Learn25 presentation. Have a good week and stay cool. fr. Jude Saint Bonaventure by Louis Costelloe This is a biography by a Franciscan author on St. Bonaventure. It is not much more than an outline of his life, but for that it serves a good purpose.

Ellicott City - Ocean City

June 13, 2025 The Feast of St. Anthony of Padua Peace and Good. i amanged to get away for a week, staying at the condo that the friars have in Ocean City, MD. I usually become like a hibernating bear when I go there, not wanting to do a lot of things other than walk and pray and read. i managed to study the encyclical that Pope Francis wrote last year on the Sacred Heart. I am giving a talk on the feast of the Sacred Heart, June 27. I feel like I am ready for that presentation. I have two retreats in the days following (a weekend retreat and a full week retreat) which I must still prepare. The weather here has warmed up considerably. Summer has arrived, but at least the humidity is not yet miserable. Tomorrow we have a big celebration for the feast of St. Anthony with a speaker and other events. I will help out a bit by leading a discussion session in the afternoon. I have been giving a few sessions to small groups lately. They usually have a given topic, but then during the question and answer period, they roam all over the place. I finished some reading and listening; The Confederacy on the Brink by Charles River Editors This is the story of the major battles of the Civil War from the period after the First Battle of Manassas til the Second Battle of Manassas, which includes all of the battles of the Peninsula, the Seven Days around Richmond, and the battles of General Jackson in the Shenandoah. Given the skill of many of the Confederate army leaders and the lack of talent of the earliest northern army leaders, it is a wonder that the north eventually won. The Printing Press by Charles River Editors This short presentation gives a good overview of the invention and spread of the printing press. This, however, is one book of the Charles River Editors that could have used a good editor. I like most of their presentations, but the entire middle of this book is packed with material on Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation. While that period of time was important for the growth of printing, the author insists on giving tons of history on Luther that has nothing to do with printing. The Lord and His Prayer by N.T. Wright I have really been impressed with the writings of this theologian. His primary thesis is that Jesus came into the world to proclaim and inaugurate the Kingdom of God. Thus, this is his emphasis as he speaks of the prayer which Jesus himself taught his disciples. It is both a surrender to the will of God and the incarnation of that will in the lives of those who are praying it. World War II: Air War: An American Heritage Series by Stephen Sears This is an overview of the growth of the Army Air Corps’ contribution to the air battles of World War II. It is not all that long a presentation, but it gives a good idea of why they had such a difficulty in many of their earlier raids (i.e. the lack of a fighter that could accompany the bombers to the target) and of how they collaboration with the British forces (i.e. the Americans tended to bomb during the day while the British bombed at night). The Apocryphal Gospels by Bernard Buby This is an overview of some of the most important apocryphal gospels during the early centuries of the Church. These are the Gospels that were not included in the canon. Most of them were not accepted because of their Gnostic tendencies – presenting a Jesus which was very unlike the one presented in the canonical Gospels. Others contain some information which might be authentic (e.g. the names of Mary’s parents), but that information and the saying of Jesus are mixed with material which is clearly unacceptable. This was a Learn25 course. The Sugar Barons: Family, Corruption, Empire and War in the West Indies by Matthew Parker This is the story of the sugar barons during the colonial period in the Caribbean. The author deals with periphery topics (such as the relationship between the English and French and Dutch). He speaks extensively of the horror of the slave trade and the degradation in which the slaves lived. He also speaks of the tropical indolence and excesses into which many of the planters fell. 1066 and Before All That: The Battle of Hastings, Anglo-Saxon, and Norman England by Ed West This is a book which deals with England before, during and after the invasion of the Normans in 1066. The author has a dry sense of humor which I greatly appreciated. It is not that I learned anything new in the book, but it was a great review of the topic. Delphi Complete Works of Giovanni Battista Tiepolo by Peter Russell This is part of the Delphi Art series which is a great collection of studies upon the lives and works of famous artists throughout the ages. Tiepolo is a Venetian artist during the Baroque and Rococo era of art. I cannot say that I like his work all that much, but it was good to learn about his background, his techniques, etc. Under Occupation by Alan Furst Furst is by far one of my favorite authors. This is a story set in Nazi occupied Paris during the Second World War. The author of a series of detective novels accidentally comes upon some information which he passes on to the underground. The recruit him and help him set up a small network to hide operatives. He eventually must escape from the Nazis when they unravel the netword. The Hidden History of the Boston Tea Party by Adam Jortner This 6 lecture course deals with the situation in colonial America which led to the Boston Tea Party, how it was played out, and the eventually political consequences of the action. There is no sensationalism in the course, just the facts (both objective and subjective – e.g. what was going through the minds of those who perpetrated it). Hiroshima Nagasaki: The Real Story of the Atomic Bombings and their Aftermath by Paul Ham This is a very thorough treatment of the use of the atom bomb on two Japanese cities during the Second World War. It includes an overview of the politics and beliefs of the era, the development of the bomb, the specific decision to use the bomb on cities, etc. It also speaks of the aftermath and even of the attempt of the US to downplay the effects of radiation upon the bombing victims. Understanding the Dark Side of Human Nature by Daniel Breyer This was a very interesting overview of the darker side of human nature, e.g. evil desires violent thoughts or actions, culpability for thoughts and actions, etc. The professor draws a lot upon Eastern thought, but every so often also includes Christian beliefs. It is the type of course that I would like to put aside for a while and listen to it once again. Gunpowder by Charles River Editors This short gives the history of gunpowder from its earliest days (China or possibly India) through its changes over the years. It speaks of how it was first used for medicinal and entertainment reasons (fireworks), but eventually came to be used in guns and cannons. It was only the invention of non-smoking powder that would not give away the location of a shooter and of other forms of explosive that led to the lessening of the use of gunpowder. Have a good week. Shalom fr. Jude

Ellicott City - Ocean City, MD

June 2, 2025 Peace and Good, This has been a very busy period with service at the Shrine and the St. Joseph Rest Home, along with spiritual direction. I am now taking a week at a condo that the friars have at Ocean City. I do not really go to the beach. I end up walking along the sidewalks while I listen to my MP3 with books on tape. I also sit reading and listening to the waves. The sound of the waves calms me down in an instant. I have been able to get ahead in my taping of podcasts on the daily readings for the Mass. I am working right now on editing a couple of books that people have asked me to examine. I am also reading to get ready for a few presentations that I will be doing at the end of the month. I have also given a few presentations to fraternities of the Secular Franciscans. We friars have a profound obligation to work together with the Seculars, but we often do not do enough to walk with them on their spiritual journey. I have finished some reading and listening: The Psalms: Your Model and Guide to Prayer by Michael Guinan This is a Learn25 course on the psalms. The presenter gives many aspects to the composition and use of the psalms, but some of his lectures left me wanting to hear more. He has the tendency to fill in a good amount of time by citing the verses of psalms, something that I felt I could have done on my own. A Franciscan Retreat by Bill Short Bill Short, OFM, is a great Franciscan scholar. This presentation from Learn25 is a series of 12 lectures on Franciscan spirituality as applied to our everyday lives. It is well done, both from an accurate presentation of what Francis and Clare said and did, and from the application of their insights to our daily life. It was a joy to listen to his lectures/conferences. White Collar Criminal Law Explained by Randall Eliason This is a course presented by a federal prosecuting attorney who deals with while collar crime. He describes the various forms of criminal activity, the pertinent laws involved, the cases that helped refine the application of the law (e.g. Supreme Court Decisions), etc. The course is very informative and well presented. Secrets of the Occult by Richard Spence This is a Great Courses presentation on occult practices throughout the ages. Spence has tons of information, but he has the uncomfortable tendency to unite facts that could easily be coincidences and then imply that one proved the other. He always gives a disclaimer when doing this, but then he makes it clear that he really does not intend the disclaimer. Nevertheless, he does deal with some topics about which I knew very little before this presentation. Our Night Sky by Edward Murphy This is a Great Courses video presentation. The professor is a great fan of astronomy, especially at the amateur level. He explains how to do one’s observations of the stars, what one will find at different times of the year and the night, and even the mythological background for the names of various constellations. Savage Continent by Keith Lowe We tend to think that with the fall of Nazi Germany, the violence and disruption of World War II ended quickly. This book shows that this was not the case. There were millions of displaced people wandering over a devastated area. There were ancient and recent hatreds and attempts at revenge. There were the attempts to settle with those who had cooperated with the Germans. While Lowe goes out of his way not to create an exaggerated account, his information nevertheless is quite disturbing. Greek Tragedy by Elizabeth Vandiver This is a course from the Great Courses company on Greek tragedy: why, how, who, etc. Vandiver goes through the most important of the remaining plays and speaks of how they relate both to other works and to the myths upon which they are almost always based. The presentation is very good, and the professor brings out interesting side points that help to complete the picture of what was really going on. Lake Wobegon Days by Garrison Keillor This is a series of humorous stories about growing up and living in a somewhat isolated community in Minnesota. There are a couple which are more cynical than humorous, but for the most part they are good and entertaining. The material is part of the Prairie Home Companion series. The Last Days of Hitler by Hugh Trevor-Roper This is an account of the last days before Hitler committed suicide in his bunker. It is based upon eye-witness testimony of those who survived those days. It is horrific to see how the madness of the regime could reach this level. It is not an entertaining book, but informative. Greece against Rome by Philip Matyszak This is an account of the relationship between Rome and the Greek successor states to the empire of Alexander the Great. It is an incredibly confusing period (especially since so many of the characters insist on having the same name generation after generation). Yet, Matyszak manages to tell the story in an entertaining way, especially throwing out comments that lighten the tedium. War and World History by Jonathan Roth This is a very long Teaching Company course on the interplay between war and culture throughout recorded history. It is an odd sort of a collection, very often dealing with topics that have little to do with war as such. Yet, the lectures were always interesting, and the professor’s conclusions were quite insightful. I think one of the most important insights that I gained was the interplay between military preparedness and the economy of the nation state. How the Spanish Civil War Became Europe’s Battlefield by Pamela Radcliff This is a tremendous course from the Teaching Company on the Spanish Civil War. The presenter is fair to all sides, and does not accept easy conclusions on the causes, conduct and effect of the war. She even speaks about how the memory of those events are still unsettled in the minds and the hearts of the Spanish people today. Reconsidering JFK by Michael Shelden This is a Teaching Company course on the presidency of JFK. It is a very fair evaluation, showing his incredible political talents but also his incredible self-destructive attitude toward his sexual liaisons. The account is at its best in the treatment of crisis moments in the presidency, such as the Bay of Pigs invasion, the Geneva summit with Kruschev, and the Cuban missile crisis. Have a good week. Shalom fr. Jude

Ellicott City

May 18, 2025 Peace and Good, This has been a busy week with helping out at the Shrine and a couple of outside ministry calls. I finished editing the children's book on Carlo Acutis that I have been writing, and we are now waiting for art work to come in. That usually takes a couple of months. They used to use an artist in Italy, and I don't know if that is still the case. The season has changed to summer here. Everything on the property is blooming and beautiful. Of course, that means plenty of pollin, which means my hay feaver activated, which means I ended up with a sinus infection. This is pretty normal for me. Thank goodness for Minute Clinics - it makes things so much easier. I have a request. Could you please keep my sister Marge in your prayers. She passed away on Friday. She had a lot of difficulties during her life, and I really hope she is experiencing peace right now. I finished some books; “J” by Ed McBain A rabbi is killed, and a group of antisemites are suspected. This is especially because the letter J had been painted on the wall of the alley where the murder occurred. The police assume that it stands for “Jew”, and therefore was a calling card of the murderer. The story, though, twists and turns until the truth is discovered. The Secret History of World War II by Various Authors This is a long compilation of accounts of various sky efforts by the allies in order to obtain information about the war plans of Nazi Germany and Japan. The book comes across as a collection of short Wikipedia articles. Storm by Ed McBain This is a standard 50’s and 60’s detective story in which a detective takes a vacation weekend with a new girlfriend, and they get involved with the murder one of the sky instructors. The dialog is not profound in any way, but the telling of the story is entertaining. Hegel in 90 Minutes by Paul Strathern Strathern is a brilliant presenter of history topics. This is part of a series of short introductions to philosophers and other thinkers. He gives an outline of the life and the teachings of this figure from the late 18th and early 19th century Germany. Strathern is not really all that sympathetic in his presentation, basically accusing Hegel of spouting an unintelligible mass of theories that few really understood. One of Hegel’s pupils turned out to be Karl Marx (who twisted Hegel’s teaching from a Platonic approach to one that was very material and economic). Plague: A Very Short Introduction by Paul Slack This is part of the very short introduction presentation. They are 3 to 5 hours long, and they present various dimension of a particular topic. In this case, it deals mostly with the Black Death plague, but also covers some other relevant topics. It speaks of the pathology, of the cultural consequences, of the preventative measures, etc. This particular presentation is well done. How to Read the Gospel of Matthew by Ian Boxall This is a Learn25 course on the Gospel of Matthew. Its 12 lectures present a good overview of the Gospel and some of the particular emphasis that this evangelist had in his presentation. The professor is quite balanced, and one can hear his deep learning and his deep faith in the lectures. The Worst President Ever by Robert Strauss Who would one say was the worst president ever? Strauss presents Buchanan as his candidate. He was the president right before President Lincoln. He took the side of the south in the simmering argument on slavery and his inaction throughout his presidency and especially in the lame duck period between Lincoln’s election and his inauguration (which in those days occurred in early March) allowed the rebellion in the south to reach a point of no return. This does not even deal with some of the other controversies during his presidency (e.g. war against the Mormons in Utah, bleeding Kansas, etc.). Discovering West Africa: Ghana, Senegal, Cameroon by Nathan Fluellen I thought that this was going to be a studied approach to these West African countries, but it really comes across as more of an infomercial presented by a travel influencer. Fluellen does a good job of presenting some of the history and culture of these three countries, but this should not be mistaken with an academic presentation. The Empty Hours by Ed McBain This is a novella about a murder that is filled with twists and turns. From the start, there is confusion. The police mistake the race of the person killed. Then, there is a question of why anyone would want to kill this somewhat mysterious person. The police are only able to solve the mystery by investigating a series of checks that she had written in the previous weeks. The Vietnam War by John McManus This is a Great Courses presentation done my a Vietnam war vet who portrays a very balanced view of the war in Vietnam from the days under the French til the present. The course is very informative and well presented. I would highly recommend this course to anyone interested in the period. Richard III: Brother and Protector King by Chris Skidmore King Richard III is often portrayed as a hunchback villain (e.g. in Shakespeare). This book gives a more balanced view of the man. He had his positive dimension, but he also did some horrible things (e.g. the disinheriting and murder of his nephews and his seizure of the throne). Skidmore is able to tell the story and give a balanced viewpoint of what went on. The book is well done. The First Congress by Fergus Bordewich We like to think of the founding of the nation as something that went smoothly and that all of our legislators were like Greek philosophers. That just was not the case. There were conflicts and confusion right from the start. There were questions on the power of the central government, taxes, tariffs, paying of states’ debts, where the capitol should be, financial systems, etc. Yet, somehow, they got through it. This book gives a good account of those early days of the Senate and House and how they learned their roles. The Cuban Revolution by Hourly History This is a short history of Cuba. It especially deals with the time before the Cuban revolution (under Battista) and how Castro was able to overthrow the government with a force that never numbered all that many. It also deals with the whole America/Soviet Union question. The author basically blames the US for pushing Castro into the hands of the communists (which I think is a gross oversimplification of the story). God bless, fr. Jude

Ellicott City

May 12, 2025 Peace and Good, These past couple of weeks have been quite busy with serving at the Shrine, at the Nursing Home, writing, and spiritual direction. Having finished my book on Carlo Acutis, I have a bit more time to devote to the daily podcast reflections on Scripture and I am a little ahead, but I have to be careful to keep working on them. The weather has turned very nice in these days. It is already Spring with the first hints of Summer. I will be here at Ellicott City for the rest of the month, with a few talks for various groups here at the Shrine. I also have to prepare for a few retreats that I will be giving over the next couple of months. I have learned how to use Libby, an app used by the local library, so I can now listen to some books for free. I always like free. I often buy book online because I am somewhat interested in topic, but especially because they are very, very cheap. I have finished some reading and listening: Epic Engineering Failures and the Lessons They Teach by Stephen Ressler This is quite a long (26 lessons) presentation on various bridges, dikes, buildings, airplanes, etc. which failed through engineering or maintenance errors. The thesis of the professor is that even failures can lead to new insights and further safety in the future. Ressler is clear in his presentations, and I learned about forces and other elements in the design of projects. He makes listening to his lectures a joy. The History of Sugar by Kelley Deetz This is a Great Courses presentation on the history of the growth and use of sugar. A large part of the book deals with the tragedy of the slave trade which was largely fueled by the need for cheap labor on the sugar plantations. The professor also speaks of the cultural significance of sugar (e.g. birthday cakes, Halloween candy, etc.). It is only a short presentation, but it is well prepared and presented. The Face of Fear by Dean Koontz Two men decide to become supermen (in the sense of Nietzsche) by killing a series of people in a horrible way, thus creating chaos through which they can gain control. Because of circumstances, a man who is psychic and his wife are being hunted by the killers. Much of the action takes place on the top floors of a modern skyscraper where the pair must try to escape the killer using mountain climbing techniques. The Khmer Kill by Barry Eisler This is a short novel about a professional assassin who is invited to Cambodia to kill someone. While he is there, he discovers that his mission is not what he expected it to be. There is a good sense of sympathy to the poverty of the people living in Phnom Pen, and even of some of the sex workers in the city. Ancient Rome by Simon Baker This is a quite long treatment of the history of Rome from its foundation to the days of Constantine. This is the second time I have listened to this book (the last time around 10 years ago). Both times I thoroughly enjoyed the material and the style of the book. Dragon Sea by Frank Pope This is the story of the recovery effort for a shipwreck off the coast of Vietnam. It contains a very large quantity of fine porcelain which was considered unusual for the best and most porcelain was being produced in China. The book goes into questions of politics, archaeology, diving, etc. The men working on the project are not presented as great heroes but rather as quite fallible and at times venal. The Shepherd of Hermas translated by J.B. Lightfoot This is one of the books written in the early Church which did not make it into the New Testament (although some editions of it did include the book at the end). I always wanted to read it because of this. I have to admit that it is a bit tedious. It is a series of allegories and homilies all calling Christians to conversion. It is filled with dire predictions for those who are not faithful to the Gospel. It is like the Book of Revelation at its worst. Alaric the Goth by Douglas Boin This is a book I well appreciated. When we were small, we heard that the barbarians conquered the civilized Roman empire. The story of Alaric presents the other side of the story. Alaric’s greatest wish was to be welcomed into the Empire and that he and his people be treated with respect. The opposite happened, and it lead to the sacking of Rome because of the outrages the Romans had committed against the Goths. The Stuart Restoration by Charles River Editors This is a short study of the period between the death of King Charles I (killed by the rebellion led by Cronwell) and the restoration of the monarchy under King James II. It is a complicated period with political and religious differences leading to absolute chaos for quite a bit of time. Breakfast with Buddha by Roland Menullo This is a novel of a book editor who is travelling to the Midwest to sell the farm of his parents who recently died in an accident. He is tricked by his sister into carrying a Buddhist sage to whom she intended to give part of the farm. At first the man is furious, but slowly he learns life lessons from the sage. The book is well written. Agent Sonya by Ben Macintyre This is the true story of an English housewife who turns out to be a soviet army agent who forwarded many of the secrets of the atom bomb to Moscow. She was a German Jew who joined the soviet service in China, then served in Poland, Germany and Switzerland, before finally ending up in England during the Second World War. The story, if it were not true, would be rejected as too unbelievable to be true. Macintyre is an excellent author of spy stories including Dreyfus, allied spies against the Nazi’s, Soviet spies against the west, etc. Picking Popes: Conclaves, the Papacy and the Catholic Church by Christopher Bellitto I bought this short course from Learn25 a while ago, and the death of Pope Francis and the election of Pope Leo seemed like a good time to listen to it. It is only a few lectures long, but it gives a good overview to what happens when one pope dies and another is elected. A Murder of Crows by Tom Lowe A Seminole is arrested for supposedly killing a grave robber and scalping him. A couple of people, one a retired detective from Miami and the other a former agent for the FBI, investigate the case for they are absolutely sure of the innocence of the man arrested. There are a good number of twists and turns, and the novel is well written. Have a good week. Shalom fr. Jude