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Post by Séamus on Oct 5, 2023 3:05:15 GMT
One image that's been attached to news stories about the current Synod shows a group of German ministers and theologians- it would appear of other denominations as well as Catholic- blessing gay couples outside Cologne Cathedral. Tomorrow's (optional and largely uncelebrated in the new rite) feast of St Bruno, born in Cologne, who died in Rome, might make a good rallying point. Legend tells us that St Albert the Great had part in designing the cathedral. Of interest that, in his 70s, he travelled across Europe to defend his deceased student Aquinas' thesis from synodal condemnation, in an era when neither travel not being over 65 was considered safe.
The Pope's opening remarks about not giving into the politics of any particular group, similar to his comments at the recent Amazon gathering, might be a ray of hope. When looking at some classic Annunciation images recently I was amazed at the ability that some artists had of bringing a freshness into a scene that would seem to have fairly basic components, Piero dellaFrancesca's gentle, but dominant God the Father, Carlo Braccesco's post-apocalyptic-looking scene where Mary has to cling to a pillar and Gabriel's lily looks ruffled. The more recent James Tissot painted an extraordinary one towards the end of the 19th Century, with a Gabriel that follows Old Testament descriptions and a Mary who thoughts are so deep that the Archangel hardly registers. More than any other depiction, one can see that, apart from God Incarnate, this is the most powerful human being to have walked the Earth. A good image for Synod members who wish to really listen.
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Post by Tomas on Oct 12, 2023 8:18:34 GMT
One image that's been attached to news stories about the current Synod shows a group of German ministers and theologians- it would appear of other denominations as well as Catholic- blessing gay couples outside Cologne Cathedral. Tomorrow's (optional and largely uncelebrated in the new rite) feast of St Bruno, born in Cologne, who died in Rome, might make a good rallying point. Legend tells us that St Albert the Great had part in designing the cathedral. Of interest that, in his 70s, he travelled across Europe to defend his deceased student Aquinas' thesis from synodal condemnation, in an era when neither travel not being over 65 was considered safe. The Pope's opening remarks about not giving into the politics of any particular group, similar to his comments at the recent Amazon gathering, might be a ray of hope. When looking at some classic Annunciation images recently I was amazed at the ability that some artists had of bringing a freshness into a scene that would seem to have fairly basic components, Piero dellaFrancesca's gentle, but dominant God the Father, Carlo Braccesco's post-apocalyptic-looking scene where Mary has to cling to a pillar and Gabriel's lily looks ruffled. The more recent James Tissot painted an extraordinary one towards the end of the 19th Century, with a Gabriel that follows Old Testament descriptions and a Mary who thoughts are so deep that the Archangel hardly registers. More than any other depiction, one can see that, apart from God Incarnate, this is the most powerful human being to have walked the Earth. A good image for Synod members who wish to really listen. Wonderful way to look at the strange happening (sorry for being so negative but I struggle to see the rays of hope that must be in there somewhere along with the suspected sinners of plot). Thanks for the interesting artist names, these will be looked for!
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Post by Séamus on Nov 3, 2023 9:44:33 GMT
Committed Christians have perhaps often seen as a discrepancy between the symbolism of the rainbow in Genesis and its use by the 1990s new age rage and then gay rights,now general gender blurring.
On the feast of St Martin dePorres today I came across a further discrepancy- rainbow-ology was once a discipline for Dominican friars and Islamic societies:
"[Theodore of Saxony d.1310] was engaged all his life in experiment with the qualities of light and the question of light refraction....chances are excellent that he studied under St Albert the great,who had himself evolved a theory of light refraction which he had not had time to follow up. Perhaps Theodore was the pupil who carried out his master's theory...his work De Iride et Radialibus Impressionibus is considered a remarkable advance in the science of optics...by coincidence arabic writers has worked out an almost identical theory" Sr Mary Jean Dorcy op St Dominic's Family
Post-2001 I often noticed that there seemed to be a push for texts to put emphasis on achievement by Ottoman scientists during this period,almost as if Christian Europe had indeed been in a maligned dark age. Sr Dorcy told it as it was
The most surprising piece perhaps- "In 1304 he attended the general chapter at Toulouse at which he presented a paper on Rainbows"ibid
As much happens around the world to further wedge religion and secular learning,(Irish bishops seem happy to capitulate about religious teachings in national schools; there's a political push in Western Australia to force privately owned schools to employ staff of all opinions- the Catholic system would no doubt capitulate, some strict protestants, Islamic colleges, who knows?) the contrast is astounding.
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Post by cato on Nov 3, 2023 10:15:41 GMT
Committed Christians have perhaps often seen as a discrepancy between the symbolism of the rainbow in Genesis and its use by the 1990s new age rage and then gay rights,now general gender blurring. On the feast of St Martin dePorres today I came across a further discrepancy- rainbow-ology was once a discipline for Dominican friars and Islamic societies: "[Theodore of Saxony d.1310] was engaged all his life in experiment with the qualities of light and the question of light refraction....chances are excellent that he studied under St Albert the great,who had himself evolved a theory of light refraction which he had not had time to follow up. Perhaps Theodore was the pupil who carried out his master's theory...his work De Iride et Radialibus Impressionibus is considered a remarkable advance in the science of optics...by coincidence arabic writers has worked out an almost identical theory" Sr Mary Jean Dorcy op St Dominic's Family Post-2001 I often noticed that there seemed to be a push for texts to put emphasis on achievement by Ottoman scientists during this period,almost as if Christian Europe had indeed been in a maligned dark age. The most surprising piece perhaps- "In 1304 he attended the general chapter at Toulouse at which he presented a paper on Rainbows"ibid As much happens around the world to further wedge religion and secular learning,the contrast is astounding. The types who endlessly bleat about western cultural appropriation suceeded in one of the worst examples of cultural appropriation in history in the cause of sexual liberation and revolution.
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Post by Séamus on Dec 8, 2023 4:57:55 GMT
"Blessed Lady, sky and stars, earth and rivers, day and night - everything that is subject to the power or use of man - rejoice that through you they are in some sense restored to their lost beauty and are endowed with inexpressible new grace. All creatures were dead, as it were, useless for men or for the praise of God, who made them. The world, contrary to its true destiny, was corrupted and tainted by the acts of men who served idols. Now all creation has been restored to life and rejoices that it is controlled and given splendour by men who believe in God. The universe rejoices with new and indefinable loveliness. Not only does it feel the unseen presence of God himself, its Creator, it sees him openly, working and making it holy. These great blessings spring from the blessed fruit of Mary's womb. Through the fullness of the grace that was given you, dead things rejoice in their freedom, and those in heaven are glad to be made new" today's Office of Readings,St Anselm. Having this particular reading, which reflects the natural world,on a feast which,with the Sacred Heart, symbolises the ultramontanism of Pius IX's time more than any other, takes a new angle these days, as we see a pontiff who had arranged to speak at the climate change conference, only illness preventing him- almost a reversal of an era when the papacy lost all authority in temporal affairs but had a devotional superiority that it never universally had. In the same 19th century we saw a queen of England who reigned over the Earth without ruling. Now her successor has decided to weigh in at the conference also, while even his sister is now giving her tuppence on rewilding (for the record, she'd prefer to 'look after what we have'.)
Also a slight irony there that the Irish Celtic church had celebrated this feast before the Synod of Whitby, which symbolised the liturgical authority of Rome in ancient times as few other events did. Happy Immaculate Conception;'O Mary, conceived without sin...'
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Post by cato on Dec 8, 2023 14:27:27 GMT
"Blessed Lady, sky and stars, earth and rivers, day and night - everything that is subject to the power or use of man - rejoice that through you they are in some sense restored to their lost beauty and are endowed with inexpressible new grace. All creatures were dead, as it were, useless for men or for the praise of God, who made them. The world, contrary to its true destiny, was corrupted and tainted by the acts of men who served idols. Now all creation has been restored to life and rejoices that it is controlled and given splendour by men who believe in God. The universe rejoices with new and indefinable loveliness. Not only does it feel the unseen presence of God himself, its Creator, it sees him openly, working and making it holy. These great blessings spring from the blessed fruit of Mary's womb. Through the fullness of the grace that was given you, dead things rejoice in their freedom, and those in heaven are glad to be made new" today's Office of Readings,St Anselm. Having this particular reading, which reflects the natural world,on a feast which,with the Sacred Heart, symbolises the ultramontanism of Pius IX's time more than any other, takes a new angle these days, as we see a pontiff who had arranged to speak at the climate change conference, only illness preventing him- almost a reversal of an era when the papacy lost all authority in temporal affairs but had a devotional superiority that it never universally had. In the same 19th century we saw a queen of England who reigned over the Earth without ruling. Now her successor has decided to weigh in at the conference also, while even his sister is now giving her tuppence on rewilding (for the record, she'd prefer to 'look after what we have'.) Also a slight irony there that the Irish Celtic church had celebrated this feast before the Synod of Whitby, which symbolised the liturgical authority of Rome in ancient times as few other events did. Happy Immaculate Conception;'O Mary, conceived without sin...' That particular reading by St Anselm is very thought provoking especially in terms of the Cosmic eternal role played by Mary. The previous reading by St Paul on Grace which doesn't mention Mary by name puts her in the context of the divine plan for human salvation. The Office of Readings is a great introduction to the thought and church life of the apostolic fathers and later saints and doctors. That rich treasury of wise teaching is one of the rarely acknowledged treasures unearthed by Vatican ii.
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Post by Séamus on Dec 9, 2023 12:09:56 GMT
"Blessed Lady, sky and stars, earth and rivers, day and night - everything that is subject to the power or use of man - rejoice that through you they are in some sense restored to their lost beauty and are endowed with inexpressible new grace. All creatures were dead, as it were, useless for men or for the praise of God, who made them. The world, contrary to its true destiny, was corrupted and tainted by the acts of men who served idols. Now all creation has been restored to life and rejoices that it is controlled and given splendour by men who believe in God. The universe rejoices with new and indefinable loveliness. Not only does it feel the unseen presence of God himself, its Creator, it sees him openly, working and making it holy. These great blessings spring from the blessed fruit of Mary's womb. Through the fullness of the grace that was given you, dead things rejoice in their freedom, and those in heaven are glad to be made new" today's Office of Readings,St Anselm. Having this particular reading, which reflects the natural world,on a feast which,with the Sacred Heart, symbolises the ultramontanism of Pius IX's time more than any other, takes a new angle these days, as we see a pontiff who had arranged to speak at the climate change conference, only illness preventing him- almost a reversal of an era when the papacy lost all authority in temporal affairs but had a devotional superiority that it never universally had. In the same 19th century we saw a queen of England who reigned over the Earth without ruling. Now her successor has decided to weigh in at the conference also, while even his sister is now giving her tuppence on rewilding (for the record, she'd prefer to 'look after what we have'.) Also a slight irony there that the Irish Celtic church had celebrated this feast before the Synod of Whitby, which symbolised the liturgical authority of Rome in ancient times as few other events did. Happy Immaculate Conception;'O Mary, conceived without sin...' That particular reading by St Anselm is very thought provoking especially in terms of the Cosmic eternal role played by Mary. The previous reading by St Paul on Grace which doesn't mention Mary by name puts her in the context of the divine plan for human salvation. The Office of Readings is a great introduction to the thought and church life of the apostolic fathers and later saints and doctors. That rich treasury of wise teaching is one of the rarely acknowledged treasures unearthed by Vatican ii. There's an interesting painting by someone named Jean Bellagambe the elder (1470-1534); although possibly common,I haven't come across a similar depiction elsewhere: St Anne is seen pregnant with a mandorla over her womb containing shadowy figures of a female infant and a dove shape. Cardinals, at least one pope and a Cistercian-looking figure look on from behind two different pillars, almost as if they're two camps- it can't help be wondered whether they're two distinctive theological sides, in an era when Mary's Immaculate Conception was believed in by some traditions but often rejected by mainstream theology. St Anne,for her part, is engrossed in her Psalms, oblivious to the ecclesiastical mobs around her and concentrating on what she was called to be and do, unconcerned about theological endorsement.
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