Not dead yet

I'm still around but I've been busy blogging for my local church parish rather than myself.

Check it out. St. Landry Catholic Church Blog.

St Landry Catholic Church

I'm experimenting with a new website for my parish church St. Landry Catholic Church located in Opelousas, Louisiana. Hopefully, it'll generate some interest in the church. The pastor there is Monsignor J. Robert Romero. The current building was dedicated in 1908 but the church parish has existed since 1770.

Please drop by and took at look at http://www.stlandrycatholicchurch.org/

Don't forget to click the picture gallery as well at http://www.stlandrycatholicchurch.org/gallery2

Monastery of the Holy Spirit, Conyers, Georgia

Monastery of the Holy Spirit, Conyers, Georgia
Originally uploaded by andrewguidrozii

I'm testing posting from flickr over to my blog. This is a picture a took just a little while back in Conyers.

And they are full

and wonderful.

Black's Oyster Bar

Fresh, salty, and topless.

All lives are useful

Today, someone made a comment about someone who had a sick child that did not lead a useful life.

All lives are useful.

A man I admire from Poland maintained his public life even while ravaged by Parkinsons disease.

Sometimes, your usefulness is found in the cross you bear.

Non in commotione Dominus

1 Kings 19:11 - The Lord was not in the earthquake.

That's a mighty fine quote from today's Divine Intimacy, prayer book of the Carmelites. The reading there is on meekness and this quote illustrates how God is found, not in tumult, but in inner peace and calm.

Back from Tyler Texas

Saw the calligraphy/illumination exhibit at the Tyler Museum of Art.

Tyler Museum of Art

Saint John's Bible at Tyler Museum of Art

Saint John's Bible Project

The illuminated Saint John's Bible is perhaps the most incredible calligraphy project I've ever seen. It's thought to be the first monk commissioned hand calligraphied/illuminated project since the invention of the printing press.

All of the text is on calf skin vellum. The ink used is over 100 years old.

The lead calligrapher, Donald Jackson, is one of the most respected in the world and raises the fowl from which he takes feathers to make the quills. And he cures the feathers in a sand filled cast iron skillet on the stove top.

Books and other products from the Saint John's Bible Project

I picked up the "Illuminating the Word" book that tells the story of the project. Also, we watched the DVD at the museum.

I had seen the reproduction books that have been released already. And I've seen a lot of things on the internet about it. But to see these things in person was mild boggling. The art along with the calligraphy is impressive on its own. It is a project that was projected to cost $1 million dollars for a single bible and has turned into a $10 million project that isn't
completed yet.

The word "illumination" comes from the concept of using gold leaf to highlight texts. The texture of the pages, the shine from the gold leaf --- it all really impresses in person. Some of the illustrations were based on things like voice prints of people singing the Psalms in Hebrew, pictures of the Earth from the Hubbell telescope, pictures of insects based on actual
specimens caught by the project entomologist ... all very impressive.

There were also some historical things to illustrate how much of this was done in Medieval times. There was an illuminated Liturgy of the Hours that hit home for me considering I had one of my volumes in my truck.

I also got to see a Hebrew scroll of the Book of Esther. Of course, any of the scrolls from the first 5 books wouldn't be allowed out in a museum exhibit. There were covers for Qurans as well.

The Psalms were probably the least illuminated but my guess is that the flowery language was enough for the people working on this project. It was moving to see and read.

Highly recommended if you get the opportunity to see this exhibit in your part of the country.

3:16 and other thoughts

3:16 Bible Texts Illuminated

I've recommended this book before. Knuth is one of the biggest names in the history of computer science and this project is an interesting one. He's pretty sharp about data sampling and the display of fonts on computers. This project brings those things together.

He samples Chapter 3 verse 16 from each book of the bible. And he got calligraphers/illuminators from all of the world to write/draw versions of each quote. Pretty impressive and informative. And beautiful.

There is also a related book called ... Things a Computer Scientist Rarely Talks About

It goes into detail about the project and the difficulty in working with folks all over the world on this. Very good as well.

One of the calligraphers/illuminators is working on another project called the St. John's Bible. Saint John's Abbey and University commissioned this one that is probably one of the most impressive hand drawn projects on the bible in hundreds of years. Saint John's Bible Web Site

It's well worth looking around their site at the work being done.

There are some books available on Amazon from the project ...
Pentateuch
Gospels and Acts of the Apostles
Psalms

The books are oversized and very beautiful.

There is a book on the making of it ... which is still on going ....Making of the St. John's Bible

The completed originals are touring the U.S. are they are just wrapping up an exhibit in Tyler, Texas. Saturday, I'm going to drive there in the morning and drive back in the evening. Should be really interesting and beautiful.

They also sell high quality prints from the project.

A Drama of Reform

I recently read A Drama of Reform. It was written by the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal. Two well known founders of the group are Father Benedict Groeschel and Father Andrew Apostoli.

I met Father Apostoli at the EWTN 25th anniversary in Birmingham and he was a pleasure to speak with as well as listen to. He is help leading the cause for canonization of Archbishop Fulton Sheen. There is a picture in the book of Father Apostoli having a prayer card of Archbishop Sheen's blessed by Pope John Paul II.

The book is filled with photos from the Friars' daily lives and pilgrimages. Each of the pictures is associated with essays written by both the Friars and their sister organization the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal. It's well worth picking up a copy.

The Cloister

Most of the nuns at Our Lady of Angels Monastery in Hanceville, Alabama live a cloistered life. This means that they rarely venture out into public and only see their families a few times a year. Once they close the door behind them, their lives are committed to the cloister. It's hard to imagine just what this must mean.

At the EWTN 25th anniversary in Birmingham, I was shopping in the bookstore/gift shop that had been set up for the event. I noticed one of the young nuns shopping as well. I couldn't resist and asked why she was shopping here when there was a gift shop just outside of the monastery.

She told me that she has never been inside that shop. The nuns attending the anniversary celebration had special permission to come to Birmingham. She had additional permission to shop --- and I saw no other nuns shopping. She told me that someone gave her the money --- she's taken the oath of poverty --- which she was using to purchase a few items to send to a niece.

Even something as simple as sending a small gift to a loved one is a unique and difficult task for someone in the cloister.

I was amazed that so many of the Poor Clare Nuns of Perpetual Adoration were young. This, to me, is a good sign.

At the Shrine, we could see the tall wall surrounding their community. I watched as my little 10 year old daughter played outside of this wall and I thought about how just on the other side, these young women had committed their lives to God.

The Mother Vicar there was born and raised here in Louisiana with a good Cajun name of Breaux. She commented about there being quite a few Louisiana nuns there. Cajuns are very Catholic and I find that they tend to rise to positions of leadership wherever they travel. She seems to fit that mold perfectly.

EWTN's 25th anniversary

I'm just back from Birmingham, Alabama where EWTN celebrated it's 25th year of existence. The Shrine was amazing. I got a great tour of the television facilities. And the conference itself was filled with great speakers.

Here are some pictures and I'll add more comments later.

Kids ask the darndest questions

Andrew IV (now 9 years old): "Isn't everyone Christian?"

Me: "No, not everyone. Christians believe Jesus is God. Some people don't believe Jesus was God. Like the Jews, Muslims, the Buddhists ..."

Andrew IV: "And The DaVinci Code People?"

Me: "Uh, yeah, I guess The DaVinci Code People as well."

Sometimes, the questions are very interesting.

Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola

Today is the Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola. St. Ignatius is best known as the founder of the Society of Jesus, commonly known as the Jesuits.

My littlest ones attend a Catholic school supported by Jesuit priests in Grand Coteau, Louisiana. Grand Coteau is the home to many Jesuit priests at the church parish, St. Charles Borromeo. And there is St. Charles Seminary there as well.

I attend a silent retreat there at Our Lady of the Oaks Retreat House once a year. We arrive on Thursday night and stay until Sunday at noon. No talking is allowed. There, we participate in an Ignatian Retreat that is compressed into many sessions per day.

The grounds there are beautiful and it is definitely a highlight of my life each spring.

Here are some pictures from 2006, 2005, and 2003.

Pope Benedict XVI at Castel Gandolfo

This is a very good article about Castel Gandolfo.

Vatican City, the Basilica of St. John Lateran, and Castel Gandolfo operate outside of the country of Italy even though they are totally enclosed by it.

Castel Gandolfo is actually larger than Vatican City --- 136 acres to 108 acres. The Pope takes time away from the city there in the beautiful gardens and is there right now.

During the Second World War, Pius XII hid many Jews on the grounds there as well.

Canticle of the Three Young Men

This morning, in the Liturgy of the Hours, the morning prayers included the Canticle of the Three Young Men --- Daniel 3:57-88, 56.

The young men were thrown into a furnance for their refusal to deny the God of Israel by the Babylonian king. And yet the fire didn't destroy them. They sang this canticle in praise.

It's striking in that there is a constant call to "bless the lord". The young men call out to all things to bless the lord, even the opposites hot and cold. Sun, moon, stars, the beasts of the air and land and the very earth itself are all called to join in.

This is one of the prayers that isn't found in the Protestant Bible. Though I usually prefer the RSVCE translation, here is the New American Bible version.

• 
  56 Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven, praiseworthy and glorious forever.
  57 Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever.
  58 Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever.
  59 You heavens, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever.
  60 All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever.
  61 All you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
  62 Sun and moon, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
  63 Stars of heaven, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
  64 Every shower and dew, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
  65 All you winds, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
  66 Fire and heat, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
  67 Cold and chill, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
  68 Dew and rain, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
  69 Frost and chill, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
  70 Ice and snow, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
  71 Nights and days, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
  72 Light and darkness, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
  73 Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
  74 Let the earth bless the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever.
  75 Mountains and hills, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
  76 Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
  77 You springs, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
  78 Seas and rivers, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
  79 You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
  80 All you birds of the air, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
  81 All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
  82 You sons of men, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
  83 O Israel, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
  84 Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
  85 Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
  86 Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
  87 Holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
  88 Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever. For he has delivered us from the nether world, and saved us from the power of death; He has freed us from the raging flame and delivered us from the fire.
  56 Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven, praiseworthy and glorious forever.

Unusual Cajun names

My father's mother was a Doucet. You can't get much more Cajun than that name. You won't find a Guidroz living in Canada before Le Grande Derangement but the Doucet clan was there.

Her parents were Armesia and Joachim Doucet, my great grandparents.

Hearing Armesia pronounced with a Cajun accent and that rolling R is a treat. And my grandmother rolled every R with pride.

The pronunciation of my great grandfather's name is nearly impossible for me to even attempt to describe. Zhwa-Sa would be close.

I don't know where the name Armesia came from. No one else in the clan was named that until another great grandchild inherited the name.

Joachim is interesting. Although not named in the Bible, Mary the mother of Jesus has been traditionally known as the daughter of St. Ann and St. Joachim. This tradition dates back to at least the 2nd century.

It's interesting to me that this tradition would have carried down to some poor Cajuns in Louisiana.

Today, Catholics celebrate the memorial of St. Ann and St. Joachim.

The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief: Books: Francis S. Collins

The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief: Books: Francis S. Collins

This hardback has just been released written by the man who is in charge of the human genome project. You may have heard it referred to as the mapping of man's DNA.

It was #5 in sales yesterday on Amazon.

Collins feels that, within DNA, there is the proof that life is not random but that some higher intelligence must drive it. He doesn't reject evolution in favor of intelligent design or creationism but he does reject the concept of randomness. And he feels that the idea of Moral Law found around the world is further proof that man is driven by more than some evolutionary consequence.

His awakening to Christianity came about after reading C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity.

Here is an interesting interview of Collins at PBS.

His interviews are interesting and, although I haven't read this book yet, I do plan to in order to see a truly brilliant scientist's perspective on his spirituality.

The Finale of Le Tour de France

Landis wins it.

Disappointing tour for Team Discovery. The Americans across the entire field really didn't have a good race.

French riders look much improved - 2 in the top 10. Australia with 2 in the top 10.

Levi Leipheimer was 13th and thought going in that he would be competitive. But he seemed to be ill near the beginning and never recovered.

11 Americans wins in the last 21 tours. Landis joins Armstrong and LeMond as winners from the U.S..

Landis was a member of Armstrong's team for 3 victories.

And Landis was raised in a Mennonite family. I've learned a little about their culture from a Canadian friend through the years.

Compassed and Encompassed

The translation used for all but one Psalm in the Liturgy of the Hours is from The Grail translations of the Psalms. The Grail translation is also known for its literary fidelity to the original Hebrew. And there is an additional interesting note about this translation ...

• Gelineau's Chant
  
  One of the more interesting ways of singing the psalms was developed by Joseph Gelineau of France. Of all the methods of singing the psalms, Gelineau's chant best preserves the Hebrew poetic style, retaining both the parallelism and the metrical structure of the original. Ancient Hebrew meter is somewhat like early English meter (e.g., nursery rhymes) in that it focuses on the number of stresses within a line rather than on the number of syllables. Gelineau psalmody is often sung to the Grail translation, which was produced specifically for this purpose.

So, the Grail translation probably gives us English speakers the closest feeling to what the Psalms are like for people who sing them in Hebrew.

In today's readings from the Liturgy of the Hours, Psalm 118 is one of the readings. What I find interesting is the section that reads ...

• The nations all encompassed me;
  in the Lord's name I crushed them.
  They compassed me, compassed me about;
  in the Lord's name I crushed them.
  They compassed me about like bees;
  they blazed like a fire among thorns.
  In the Lord's name I crushed them.

I find the use of both encompassed and compassed --- to surround, to circle, and to encircle --- pretty interesting and can imagine the singing of it must really be something as well. Most translations seem to use only compassed and I wonder why encompassed was chosen as well in this translation. The definitions are so close that the other translations don't seem to worry about choosing the different form.