Culture: December 2010 Archives

We Can Do It.jpg



The face who inspired a famous image of American pop and feminist culture, Geraldine Doyle, 86, "Rosie the Riverter" died Sunday. The epigraph "We Can Do It!" is easily recognizable around the world.

The news can be read here.

The Tidings Brought to Mary

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Tidings Brought to Mary.jpgPaul Claudel's extraordinary play, "The Tidings Brought to Mary" will be presented by Blackfriars Repertory Theater and the Storm Theater.

Details:

Saturday, January 15, 2011 at 8:00 pm
Manhattan Center, 311 West 34th Street (at 8th Avenue), New York, NY 10001.


Paul Claudel's 1912 play is situated in 15th century France telling the story of two sisters of the Vercors family, one giving her life to God and the other focused on herself.

Monsignor Luigi Giussani said of the play, "The theme of 'The Tidings Brought to Mary' can be defined like this: love is the generator of the human person according to its total dimension; that is, to say, love is the generator of each person's story in that it generates a people."

Many have said that Tidings is challenging, thought-provoking and well-received. Until Blackfriars Theater produced the play in 2009, it had not been seen in NYC since 1923.

The text of "The Tidings Brought to Mary."

Read the Introduction to Tidings by Monsignor Luigi GiussaniTidings Brought to Mary Luigi Giussani Introduction.pdf

A review of the play

To purchase tickets visit this link. All tickets are picked up at the door.

New Heaven, New War

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Robert Southwell SJ.jpgOne of my favorite 16th century recusant poets is Saint Robert Southwell, an English Jesuit who preached the gospel in very trying circumstances. Southwell chose the obedience to be a Catholic priest in a country that outright persecuted Catholics and their priests. Ordained a Jesuit priest in 1584, his personal, theological and ministerial imagination, his human and divine calling, was to respond positively to a letter of the Superior General of the Society of Jesus of February 20, 1585 looking for missionaries to England. Southwell knew that his positive response to his religious superior would very likely end in martyrdom. Saint Robert Southwell's poetry is challenging for the 21st century ear but worth the work of coming to understand his art and message. One such poem is "New Heaven, New War" expressing the Mystery of the Incarnation of God in history, the birth of Jesus.

Come to your heaven, you heavenly quires!
Earth hath the heaven of your desires;
Remove your dwelling to your God,
A stall is now His best abode;
Sith men their homage do deny.
Come, angels, all their faults supply.

His chilling cold doth heat require,
Come, seraphim, in lieu of fire;
This little ark no cover hath,
Let cherubs' wings his body swathe;
Come, Raphael, this babe must eat,
Provide our little Toby meat.

Tom Jones' Praise & Blame

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Tom Jones.jpgSir Tom Jones, 70, the legendary Welsh born musician known for "She's a Lady" and "Sex Bomb" released a new album that can't be missed. Jones was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2006. His July 2010 album "Praise and Blame", his 36th album, is strongly influenced by the genres of gospel, rock, country, and the blues and it has received a critical review.

The music reviewer of the LA Times put Jones' album in the top 5. For me, Jones has a great voice that needs to be savored.

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Some say that Sir Jones did his best work in recent decades with "Praise and Blame" and it as the singer's "rebirth." You can't miss the remake of one of Bob Dylan's songs, "Oh Mercy."

"Praise and Blame" has gotten the attention of the media in Rome: watch a video clip on Tom Jones's newest work.

Happy Winter

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winter trees.jpg

Winter's here! Just in case you didn't puck up on the clues....
Liana Marabini is the Director of "The Unseen World," a film exploring the life of Blessed John Henry Newman and the vocation to the priesthood. Newman is being played by Murray Abraham who is the Oscar winning actor in "Amadeus" (1984). "The Unseen World" is due out in 2011.

About the author

Paul A. Zalonski is from New Haven, CT. He is a member of the Fraternity of Communion and Liberation, a Catholic ecclesial movement and an Oblate of Saint Benedict. Contact Paul at paulzalonski[at]yahoo.com.

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This page is a archive of entries in the Culture category from December 2010.

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