Muñequitos Monasticos: El Predicador

Simple animated gif of an old school Dominican friar telling it like it is.

Dominican Friar here

Dominican Cooperator Brother  here

Dominican sister  here

Clip Art V

The Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Updated version

What The... I Don't Even

I was going to write about church architecture, specifically about how modern doesn't have to mean ugly. In looking around online I came across one real ugly church and was going to write about that, but then realized that we are plagued with unique looking edifices so I lost all desire to even touch the topic. I leave you with this.

Photo from Our lady of Angels Monastery website.

Church at Our Lady of Angels Monastery, Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament. Built only 12 years years ago.

omnium horarum homo

We need more people like him, especially today.
People that will stand for the Truth, in the Church and especially in politics, despite the consequences.

Porträt des Thomas Morus - Hans Holbein der Jüngere  

Sanctus Thomas Morus ora pro nobis.

Muñequitos Monasticos: Purple Carmelites

I came across a monastery of discalced Carmelite nuns that use purple (more like a blue-violet) habit instead of the traditional brown.

Updated version

They are the Nazarene Discalced Carmleites, guardians of one of Peru's biggest devotions, the "Lord of Miracles"

                 

Clip Art IV

My take on the Jerusalem Cross. The Jerusalem Cross is usually depicted as a cross potent with four smaller crosses, usually in red, but the standard used for the Kingdom of Jerusalem was yellow on white (gold on silver). The Kingdom of Jerusalem doesn't exist anymore, but you can still see the gold cross in  the coat of arms of Puerto Rico and the red version on the dress of the Knights of the Sepulcher, and on the Georgian national flag.

et cum spiritu tuo

It's Ordinary Time again (according the Ordinary Form of the calender, it's the Octave of Pentecost in the old calender), next stop, Advent.
Advent begins on November 27, and at the same time the new translation of the Roman Missal will replace the lame duck version.
167 days.



 WOO HOO!

The Grunt Padre

Photo by  Sgt. Jan M. Bender

                                                   



In military jargon, especially the Army and Marines, a Grunt is an infantryman. They are the groundpounders, the ones on the lines, in the mud, in the cold, in the heat, dodging bullets and doing the work that modern technology still can't reproduce. You can have all the jets, tanks, and computerized smart bombs, but they basically exist to do one thing, support the Grunts. The Grunts need people to provide fire support, medical aid, beans, bullets and transportation. Along with all that the Grunts also need spiritual support, in the case of Marines this means the Naval Chaplain Corps and their enlisted assistants the Religious Program Specialist.

In 1949 Vincent Capodanno joined the Maryknoll Fathers in which he ultimately received a bachelor's degree in religious instruction and then was assigned to Taiwan. After seven years in Taiwan serving aboriginal Taiwanese he was sent to a Maryknoll school in Hong Kong. He then requested a new assignment as a Navy Chaplain. In April of 1966 he was sent to the 7th Marine Regiment in Vietnam. When his tour with the 7th Marines ended he requested an extention and after serving in a hospital was assigned to the 5th Marine Regiment.

Father Capodanno died serving his Grunts. September 4th, 1967, when elements from 1st Battalion, 5th Marines came across a large North Vietnamese unit a battle ensued. The Marines were outnumbered so elements from two other companies were sent to their aid and Father Capodanno requested to go.

From vincentcapodanno.org (my clarification in the brackets)

"The fighting was fierce, hand to hand at times, and the platoon was in danger of being overrun. Father Capodanno went among the wounded and dying, giving last rites and taking care of his Marines. Wounded once in the face and suffering another wound that almost severed his hand, Father Capodanno moved to help a wounded corpsman [Navy medic] only yards from an enemy machinegun. Father Capodanno died taking care of one of his men."

For his service and selfless sacrifice, Father Capodanno was awarded the Medal of Honor.
He was declared Servant of God on May 21, 2006

Semper Fidelis Father Capodanno, ora pro nobis.

Clip Art III

Here's something for Pentecost. A descending dove symbolizing the Holy Spirit over a stylized cross in color red which is also symbolic of the Holy Spirit and the liturgical color for Pentecost.

***THIS IS ONE OF THE MORE POPULAR IMAGES ON THIS BLOG. IT HAS BEEN MISAPPROPRIATED BY MANY AGGREGATE SITES AND IS USED BY DISHONRABLE ENTITIES ONLINE SUCH AS A CERTAIN YOUTUBE CHANNEL. I HAVE NO AFFILIZTION WITH SUCH PLACES****

My Team Stinks, But Is Awesome Sometimes

I'm a baseball fan, but this season I have neglected my baseball watching duties. I haven't been following the season. Some will say it's because my team stinks, but I will say "False!", because my team usually stinks. I follow the only original New York team that is still in New York. The have had their moments, but this year they are struggling. I also have a back up team, they reside on the far western side of Pennsylvania, I have a soft spot for them, and for a while now they have been perennial cellar dwellers.

Oh well, such is life and baseball. All theses times in the doll drums just makes it even sweeter when they reach the summit of the summer season, which happens to be in fall.

Pax

Computers and Cauldrons

Original photo © Bill Bertram 2006

This is the Commodore Amiga 500, my first computer. Before we had gotten the Amiga I used to play on my friends' Commodore 64s. The Amiga had superior graphics to the 64, but the 64 had way more games...still the Amiga was mine and did I mention it had better graphics?

When it was time to get my first game I had my eye on Sierra's 'The Black Cauldron'. My dad wanted some baseball game. Being the nerd that I am I got my way and we took the 'The Black Cauldron' home. Coincidentally, the image on the computer screen above is from the opening of 'The Black Cauldron' game. Okay it wasn't coincidence, I put it there.

I miss the 1980s.

That is all.

Carry on