Inside Opposition

I don't really go over contentious subjects on this blog. Plenty of other great blogs do an outstanding job of documenting those, but I came across something that really bugged me. A post on The American Catholic covered a blog entry by a Brother Daniel Horan, OFM., in which he demonstrates his non-support for the March for Life, well, the pro-life movement in general.

It's sad that anyone in the Body of Faithful would hold such views, but it's really sad when or consecrated religious and clergy do. The culture of death is a juggernaut, and friends like these don't make confronting it easier. Prayers for the pro life movement and prayers for it's antagonists.

The Angelic Ox

Well, it's actually the 'Angelic Doctor', but before this saintly and theological heavyweight's genius became apparent he was nicknamed the 'dumb ox'. St. Thomas was born in at Roccasecca, Aquino, Naples, Italy, the son of the count of Aquino. He was educated by the Benedictine monks at Monte Cassino, and then the University of Naples. He joined the Dominican order, but was imprisoned by his family when news that he received the habit of the Oder of Preachers reached home. His family did not approve of Thomas joining  a humble mendicant order, and in the course of a year they tried to dissuade him. He couldn't be swayed and was able to rejoin the Order. If contributions to the Church could be measured on a Richter Scale, St. Thomas's theological and intellectual impact would register on the high end.

His symbols are an Ox, Chalice, dove, dove speaking in his ear, monstrance, star, sun, a teacher or someone teaching wit a pagan philosopher at his feet.

Among his many patronages are academics, apologists, booksellers, Catholic learning institutions, chastity, philosophers, students and universities.

Sancte Thoma, ora pro nobis

Muñequitos Monasticos: Benedictine Nuns

If the Franciscan friar is the archetype of a Catholic monastic, the image that comes to mind when people discuss such matters, then the nuns of the Order of St. Benedict with their distinctive black and white habits have to be the female version. Traditionally it is a black and white habit, but today you have many communities of sisters that opt out of the traditional and even discernible habit. Rendering some to even be indistinguishable from non-consecrated religious women.

Some notable Benedictine nuns are St. Scholastica(sister of St. Benedict of Nursia), St. Walburga, and soon to be canonized and made a Doctor of the Church Bl. Hildegard of Bingen.

Here I have a representation of a Benedictine Abbess.

Benedictine Monk post here

San Sebastián

Saint Sebastian was an officer in the Imperial Roman Army and Captain of the guard. When Emperor Diocletian was persecuting the Christians Sebastian would visit the persecuted Christians in prison bringing them supplies and comfort. He converted soldiers and a governor to Christianity and was reported to heal the wife of a soldier by doing the sign of the Cross over her. Eventually he was charged as a Christian, then tied to a tree and shot with arrows. He survived and recovered with the help of St. Irene. After his recovery he returned to preach to Diocletian, but then Diocletian had him beaten to death.

His memorial is on the 20th of January and his representations are arrows, a crown, or a naked youth tied to a tree shot with arrows.

Among his many patronages are archers, athletes, dying people, gunsmiths, Pontifical Swiss Guards, stone cutters, soldiers and of course San Sebastián, Puerto Rico.

Indiana Jones Had a Cool Hat

LEGO Indiana Jones. Image from Indiana Jones Wikia

I'm a fan of dress fedoras, and am one of those proponents of men wearing dress hats. The practice has practically died out in the last half century(it's even evident with Catholic Clergy). I've worn wool felt fedoras before and don a straw version in the summer, but I have never had a fur felt lid. One day.

Indiana Jones was from the era of when men were manly and wore hats. When he was Dr. Jones the professor he wore a fur felt fedora, when he was the swashbuckling Indiana Jones he also wore a fur felt fedora, no goofy looking pith helmet for him(My apologies to the USMC firing range coaches). According to one source, initially Harrison Ford used a fur felt fedora from the Herbert Johnson company that was known as the "Australian". Production ceased on that model and Indy had to settle for a different model, the "Poet".  For the Crystal Skull flick he used a fine lid from Adventurebilt.

There are many hats out there that claim to be an Indiana Jones hat, but what they usually amount to is a standard brown fedora that only resemble what Harrison Ford wore. Not just some old brown fedora will do, Indy's hat had actual dimensions that made it Indy's. According to IndyGear.com the dimensions are a size 7.5 fur felt with a  5.5 " crown, 2.75 brim on the front and back,  2.625 on the sides and a 1.5 ribbon. A great facsimile of the Indy hat is the Akubra Federation IV. It comes open crown so you have to shape it yourself to get the Indy pinch.

Muñequitos Monasticos: Carthusian Order

The Carthusians, the order that was never reformed because it was never deformed. They were founded in 1084 by St. Bruno of Cologne in the Chartreuse mountains in eastern France. The are know for their austerity and production of the liqueur of the same name as the mountains the order was born.

Post on Carthusian nuns here

The Good Fight

"We belong to the Church Militant, and She is militant because on earth the powers of darkness are ever restless to encompass Her destruction." --Pius XII

"The powers of darkness are ever restless", yet  it seems to me we that sometimes we take our packs off as if the mission is done or as if we don't have to work hard to win this war. Yes, in the end we win, but that doesn't mean we slack off, souls are at stake.

In case anyone is wondering, the above image is a stylizing of Pope Pius XII's arms. That is why there is a pic of a dove and an olive branch in a post about winning a war. 

Clip Art XVI

Another variation of the Keys of Peter and Papal tiara.

Feast of the Epiphany

The Feast of the Epiphany will be celebrated this Sunday, in the old Calendar the Epiphany falls on the 6th of January. Traditionally it is the day that many cultures celebrate Three Kings Day. My parents grew up in Puerto Rico where they celebrated Three Kings day, it was their form of Santa Clause or St. Nicholas day. It was Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazar that brought candy and presents. Instead of cookies and milk for Santa Clause they left a box full of grass for the Magi's camels (or horses).

Feliz Dia de los Reyes Magos!

Muñequitos Monasticos: Order of Friars Minor Conventual

Conventual Franciscan Friars. They coexisted as part of the Friars Minor until separate orders formed in the 16th century. They use a black or gray habit thus their nicknames the "Gray Friars" or the "Black Franciscans"

Order of Friars Minor post here

Poor Clares post here