Just trying to make sure he's condemned enough, or what?
Pointing out the right way and the wrong way to mourn is so important for who?
I never cared for his 'act' but I also never made any attempt to judge his soul or moral choices ...
I think it is important to be kind to those who express sympathy, and to be compassionate - even if just for the sake of his widow.
Paul speaks about being kind and compassionate in Ephesians 4:32.
Maybe try it sometime.
Thank you Terry for saying what I am thinking. The man is dead and belongs to God now who will judge him as he knows him best. One thing I did notice in some of the pictures of David Bowie is the fact that he wears a cross around his neck. Only the Lord knows if he was a believer.
ReplyDeleteI stopped reading the hit piece on the Crisis website in reference to Cardinal Ravasi's post from the Vatican regarding David Bowie.
I was just wondering and would like your opinion on this Terry. The title of that piece on the Crisis website is, "A Misplaced Grief The Vatican and David Bowie"
DeleteWhat caught my eye was the "misplaced grief" part. I got to thinking about that since I am of the opinion that no one has the right to tell anyone else for whom to grieve regardless of how the deceased may have lived. I have watched many people die in my line of work as a Hospice Nurse and I have come to believe that as long as the dying person still draws breath, the Lord can call them to Himself. I believe in that mystery of inner conversion and I always pray for Jesus to call them before they die so that they might live.
I can only hope he did the same with Mr. Bowie.
From the Diary of St. Faustina: All grace flows from mercy, and the last hour abounds with mercy for us. Let no one doubt concerning the goodness of God; even if a person's sins were as dark as night, God's mercy is stronger than our misery. One thing alone is necessary: that the sinner set ajar the door of his heart, be it ever so little, to let in a ray of God's merciful grace, and then God will do the rest. But poor is the soul who has shut the door on God's mercy, even at the last hour. It was just such souls who plunged Jesus into deadly sorrow in the Garden of Olives; indeed, it was from His Most Merciful Heart that divine mercy flowed out.
ReplyDeleteLet's hope ALL sinners choose God.
Thank you Angela for this affirmation of our Lord's most tender mercy.
DeleteThanks Yaya :)
Delete"Crisis" is getting scarier and scarier. If you post a different opinion you are automatically a "troll," so there is just a very reactionary, angry bunch of people who are talking in a vacuum to each other. I would think that most of them were elderly and they might have an excuse for their rather narrow focus but some of them seem to be young. I wouldn't say they were representative of most Catholics sites though Terry.
ReplyDeleteI think the Cardinal that posted that was a fan of Bowies, it wasn't as if it was an official Vatican statement. My the Good Lord help Pope Francis if this is what he has to deal with he is going to need it.
You are right - not all catholic social media sites - I had Crisis in mind and a few others who wrote some stuff - some of which seemed less than respectful.
DeleteThese musings have brought to my mind, vividly, a long favorite book - from long ago - North of Hope, by Jon Hassler. hey - a real Minnesota writer. Now gone, sadly. Anyway: there is an old priest in this story, and if I remember it well; at the end of the book, he reveals his prayer list, and it contains the names of many deceased people who perhaps otherwise would have had no one to pray for them - Always Brings A Smile to my face when I think about this scene, and as a result I too have added (in)famous people etc., to my own 'list'. ah long these lists grow as we too age, I have names with the year of their death....had I not done this in all this time, I realize now surely I would have forgotten most of them ! I love the memories of these people, some of whom touched me only briefly, a few of whom hurt me very deeply. Freddie Mercury of course is on it ! I am sure that our good, good Lord must take into account the joy His artist's give out so freely and generously, and He no doubt bestows so graciously his tender mercies upon many who are maligned. Are we not so kindly blessed to be able to read and accept the teachings of the church, and have Mercy proclaimed to us over & over....only wish, really really wish, that Catholics would Pay
ReplyDeleteAttention in these blogs you guys mention. it is sort of horrifying. (sigh).
Freddie Mercury and Bohemian Rhapsody = Joy :)
DeleteThis is a nice touch to end on ...
Deletehttp://mentalfloss.com/article/73563/when-david-bowie-recited-lords-prayer-freddie-mercury-tribute-concert
ReplyDeleteVery disappointed in the Pope Benedict quote in the Crisis article seeing all "pop" as banal and all "rock" as the music of those sinking below the elemental force of the universe. Pope Leo XIII's observation that Aquinas took what was valid from the pagan authors and left the rest behind just as God commanded the Jews to take certain precious metals and fabrics from Egypt when they left and leave the rest behind is far less extremist than Benedict as to the mix of truth and error that is found in all secular culture. "Imagine" by the Beatles was awful and " I Want To Hold Your Hand" by the Beatles was nice. " Do It Again" by Steely Dan, despite their band name, was purely Biblical perfectly in line with the OT proverb...." like the wheel of a cart is the mind of a fool, his thoughts revolve in circles"...."do not be without fear for sins foregiven"....Christ on the return of demons and the man's last state is worse than his first. In my view Benedict and his predecessor subconsciously and by osmosis caved in to dominant elitist shallow views of the death penalty throughout liberal culture...." see...we're nice too toward murderers...so listen to us on abortion"...a quid pro quo that failed. Odd that Benedict compartmentalized his closed off traditional personality to aesthetics and Liturgy. He kept out all youth music and let in Amnesty International and the Euro Union on the death penalty.
Rock on! ;) Good insights on the music scene - thanks Bill.
DeleteMaybe some of them just want to remind people to pray for the repose of his soul instead of canonizing him as a secular saint.
ReplyDeleteYou are right again. I'm getting a chip on my shoulder again and need to knock it off.
DeleteTerry, you give in too easily. Many of the great composers and musicians throughout the ages have led sinful lives. Richard Wagner was a terrible, hateful man who had an affair with the wife of the man who sponsored him. That does not take away from the beauty of his music.
DeleteDoes the fact that people are not perfect mean we do not appreciate them for the music and other arts they have given us? God is the judge of their souls, not us.
David Bowie lived a very troubled and debauched life. But so do many other people. That is why Jesus Christ died. We do not know the state of his soul when he died, and we should not judge. Neither we should judge those who appreciated his work.
I don't see anyone canonizing him. People were moved by his music (I wasn't) or thought he was a great star (I didn't) or thought he was talented (I did..and he had a great voice.) People also grieve touch stones in their lives...like when Princess Di died of JFK Jr.. The individual who tweeted that was not representing the Vatican and just showing he liked the guys' music and was sad he was dead. Its the Radical Right wing of the Church (the Crisis mummies and self righteous Super Catholics . ) that are making a mountain our of a molehill.
Delete"Many of the great composers and musicians throughout the ages have led sinful lives. That does not take away from the beauty of his music."
DeleteNor does it take away the beauty of the great Tchaikovsky's music. I bet many of us would have been accused of "canonizing him as a secular saint" just for praising the beauty of his music as well. I mean he had his struggles too ...
I hate to say it but I do not have much interest in Fr. Rutler, nor his opinion on pop culture, much less the music of Bowie which he apparently knew nothing about. I remember when he condemned Christopher Hitchens - Rutler can be rather acerbic when he displays his intellectual superiority for those beneath him. There is a certain arrogance about him, and those who fawn over him.
DeleteVery fond of George Harrison"s "My Sweet Lord". Cuts to the chase.
ReplyDeleteCareful - the vultures will sweep in to condemn it because George was singing about Krishna.
DeleteThat said - I've known many people who were inspired by the lyrics to return to Christ in prayer.
I love the song myself.
David Bowie saying the Lord's Prayer at the Freddy Mercury Tribute concert
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANQspcmfhJU