Culture – Page 15

Meaningful life change: 38 is too late

the ONION

America’s Finest News Service

APRIL 2, 2011 | ISSUE 47•13

BALTIMORE–After years of observing people in their late 30s to early 40s, researchers at Johns Hopkins University have determined that once an individual reaches 38 years of age it is too late to make any meaningful life changes. “Our analysis indicates that if people turn 38 before getting the job they always wanted, meeting that special someone with whom they can settle down, or accepting themselves for who they are, they never will,” said study coordinator Dr. Erik Heuer, adding that those who haven’t “figured things out” by their late 30s die sad, miserable, and alone 100 percent of the time. “In order to bolster our findings, we observed several subjects ages 38 and above who attempted to finally resolve their troubled relationship with a parent or write that novel that’s been kicking around in their head, and the results were, well, very sad to say the least.” The study has been criticized in peer-review by multiple scientists aged 38 and older, many of whom said they are going to yoga and learning Korean cooking and that it’s really going quite well.

h/t to Fr Charles

James Martin reviews “Of Gods and Men”

The culture editor at America Magazine Jesuit Father James Martin, reviews the stunning movie “Of Gods and Men” on Religion and Ethics Newsweekly. His comments are worth hearing.

Here is a previous post on “Of Gods and Men” with a few links to other pages including Prior Christian de Cherge’s testament.

Atheists feast day

“Fools say in their hearts, ‘There is no God.'” ~Psalm
14:1. Happy feast day, atheists!

Court of the Gentiles –next step

Success is not a word that is appropriate for matters pertaining to faith, even if it’s dealing those hearing the message of the Gospel for the first time or fancy programs. But I think it’s fair to say that from the reports that are coming from the Court of the Gentiles last weekend, this event was extraordinarily successful. Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, his staff and collaborators have the makings of very significant work for culture, humanity and theology which will, no doubt, bear much fruit.

What’s at stake is not theology but humanity, not God but man and woman. If we don’t deal with our humanity, our human need, our desire for the infinite, then we will be less than what we are made for: happiness and greatness.

Sandro Magister’s follow-up can be read here.

Chicago is on the list of possible events like the Court of the Gentiles. AND not New York?

BTW, read this blog post on the origin of the “Court of the Gentiles.”

Give beauty back to God, beauty’s self and beauty’s giver

A striking line
in Gerard Manley Hopkins’ poem “The Leaden Echo and the Golden Echo,” “Give
beauty back, beauty, beauty, beauty, back to God, beauty’s self and beauty’s
giver.” English Jesuit priest Gerard Manley Hopkins
(1844-1889) was renowned for his use of Blessed John Duns Scotus’ theology
and his creative use of language and rhythm (notice Hopkins’ characteristic
stresses on certain words).

The Leaden Echo and the Golden Echo

(Maiden’s song
from St. Winefred’s Well)

The Leaden Echo

How to kéep–is there ány any, is
there none such, nowhere known some, bow or

brooch or braid or brace, láce,
latch or catch or key to keep 

Back beauty, keep it, beauty, beauty, beauty, …
from vanishing away?

Ó is there no frowning of these wrinkles, rankéd wrinkles
deep,

Dówn? no waving off of these most mournful messengers, still

messengers,
sad and stealing messengers of grey? 

No there ‘s none, there ‘s none, O no
there ‘s none,

Nor can you long be, what you now are, called fair, 

Do what you
may do, what, do what you may, 

And wisdom is early to despair:

Be beginning;
since, no, nothing can be done

To keep at bay

Age and age’s evils, hoar
hair,

Ruck and wrinkle, drooping, dying, death’s worst, winding sheets, tombs
and worms and

tumbling to decay;

So be beginning, be beginning to despair.

O
there ‘s none; no no no there ‘s none:

Be beginning to despair, to
despair,

Despair, despair, despair, despair.

Continue reading Give beauty back to God, beauty’s self and beauty’s giver

Boston College Catholic students choose Gandhi over Catholic mystics for Lent

Lenten
observances are varied: you can fast, pray the Way of the Cross, do charitable
acts, give alms, spend time in contemplative prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, do
lectio divina, pray the rosary, and the like. The possibilities are limitless. You might know, Catholics have a lot in their own
mystical tradition to deepen a relationship with the Blessed Trinity. And some real good stuff, too. So much so, that a Catholic doesn’t have to stray far from orthodox Christianity for prayer.

Doubtful,
however, is the spending any kind of energy on “Gandhi, Peace and Nonviolence” an acceptable alternative for Catholics. Especially when knowledge of the Catholic tradition is relatively low, even among theology students. But that is what the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry’s Lenten
focus was today. The idea is OK. Wait. It was pretty mediocre. Why not reflect upon peace and nonviolence
using music and select readings? At a Catholic school of theology and ministry
where students are paying tuition in order to be trained to be better Catholics, superb lay Catholic
leaders and teachers, and perhaps even priests, Gandhi just doesn’t fit during
Lent.

I wonder if anyone at a Jesuit school of theology and ministry ever
thought of focusing on one of the great spiritual fathers and mothers of the Church –Augustine, Ephrem, Aquinas,
Bonaventure, Lawrence of Brindisi, Hilary of Poiters, Loyola, Gertrude, Tauler,
Marguerite d’Oingt, Catherine of Siena, Giussani, Lubich, Benedict XVI– for Lenten
prayer and readings? Then, I have to wonder if Gandhi is BC’s type of Catholic and the list above are too obscure for mainline believers. Are these people too Catholic? Perhaps Gandhi is the new patron
saint of the liberal-blue hairs and they haven’t told the rest of the Church yet? Curious to know what Sister Quinn was
thinking.

This is not only a question of Catholic identity at a supposed Catholic institution of higher education, but a question of formation for the proclamation of the Kingdom of God. It is a question of helping each other know their destiny in Jesus Christ.

Are chickens people, too?

One of the NY “news” rags that I periodically glance at (no pun intended) told me that a study at the University of Bristol (UK) determined that chickens are people. I didn’t know that. Did you? Here’s the story:

Chickens have feelings, according to British veterinarians. The researchers took a group of mother hens and their chicks and blew puffs of air at the chicks. This caused the birds distress and sent their heart rates up, reducing the temperature of their eyeballs –a well-known sign of stress. The mother hens showed exactly the same signs of stress when they were hit with puffs of air, too …

I wonder what the chickens feel when you tell them Colonel Sanders is coming for tea.

Now you can see why some people people do and think silly things about humanity.

Boston’s Charity’s Appeal

I love this picture. Don’t you?

Is there a desire for God still present today?

A few days ago I recommended seeing “Of Gods and Men.” Last week I saw the film and I have still been thinking of the movie, the monks, the hard work of inter-religious dialog. The testament of Dom Christian de Cherge can be read here. I highly recommend reading what Prior Christian said and what others think. A group of friends took time to see the movie together. Two friends brought a perspective of the film to my attention recently. The following is an an answer to those who ask whether a desire for God is still present in our times. Angelo Scola writes:

I believe that the worldwide success of the film on the Tibhirine
monks [U.S. Title: “Of Gods and Men”] reflects a burning desire in the men and
women of any latitude to meet the face of God; it therefore reflects the real
need we all feel for authentic witnesses who may help us keep our gazes focused
upwards.

Authentic witness is, in fact, not limited to “giving a good example”.
It shines in all its wholeness as a method for practically knowing reality and
communicating truth. It is a primary value, standing above any other form of
knowledge and communication – scientific, philosophical, theological, artistic,
etc.

A luminous example of this method is offered by the very words which Fr
Christian de Chergé, prior of the Trappist monastery of Notre-Dame de l’Atlas
in Tibhirine, Algeria, wrote in his spiritual will [noted above], a good three years before
he was massacred with his monks:

“When the time comes, I would like to be able
to have an instant of lucidity that would allow me to ask for the pardon of God
and that of men, my brothers, while forgiving with all my heart those who may
have hit me… I cannot see how I could, in fact, rejoice in that this people I
love could be accused of my assassination. It

Continue reading Is there a desire for God still present today?