Notification

Doesn't that sound so official and serious?

However, this is just a few notes about the blog and social networking stuff.

Since I was offline for about a week I haven't been able to catch up on emails and Thanksgiving greetings - but I want you to know I know you know that I received them and just haven't bothered to answer them using the excuse that I haven't been able to catch up yet.  Did you get that?

I also updated my links awhile back - I took down links to blogs which appeared to be no longer active - that means they weren't updated for the past 6 months to a year or that they no longer read/comment on my blog.  I noted one guy just started updating again but he dropped me, evidently because I must have said something offensive regarding certain aspects of homosexual culture and/or behavior.  I realized this while reading his post on why he dropped some of his links - proving that gays just want to be guys - so don't say anything about them holding onto their gayness - something like that.

As a friendly reminder: From time to time I have dropped other blogs whose authors have dropped me because they don't want to tarnish their reputations they themselves are either trying to mold, establish, or rebuild.  I'm sure there are other reasons as well, but I assure you no offense taken here.  I know who you are however, and I know what you did.

BTW.  Is adopting a British accent by an American pretentious?  Affected?  Or just unavoidable?  Was Holly Golightly a real phony?

That said, it's a curious little culture this social networking stuff, isn't it. 

I was going someplace with all of this, but I forgot where.

Art: Magritte, Presence of Mind

This story is so "Serial Mom" it can't be ignored.

 

Pope falls foul of German hosts by shunning seat belt...

A GERMAN citizen has filed a complaint against Pope Benedict XVI for not using a seat belt in the Popemobile during his September visit to his homeland.
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Lawyer Johannes Christian Sundermann has filed papers in Dortmund on behalf of his unnamed client, charging the Pope with “repeated breaches” of Germany’s seat belt law.
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“Herr Joseph Ratzinger, born 16 April 1927 in Marktl/Altötting” travelled on September 24th and 25th “for the duration of more than an hour” without a seat belt, the lawyer states in documents.
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Mr Sundermann and his client say they can prove the repeated misdemeanour during his visit to Freiburg – using videos from YouTube.
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The lawyer says his client, though not a Catholic, was concerned for the safety of the Pope in his armoured car, which reportedly has a seat belt though it usually moves at a walking pace. As a repeat seat belt offender, the man believes the Pope should face the maximum €2,500 fine allowed.
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Mr Sundermann has asked whether the diocese of Freiburg or the state authorities lifted the seat belt obligation for the pontiff.
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To that end, he has cited as witnesses to his case the German prelate Robert Zollitsch, archbishop of Freiburg, and Winfried Kretschmann, state premier of Baden-Württemberg.
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A spokesperson for the court in Dortmund confirmed papers had been filed but declined to comment further.
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The lawyer, a member of the Left Party, says his case will hinge on whether the Pope still holds German citizenship and whether he enjoyed diplomatic immunity during his visit.
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A Bundestag question from 2005 established that, though a citizen of the Vatican since 1981, a special arrangement was in place for Pope Benedict to retain his German passport.
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The foreign ministry confirmed yesterday that the Pope, as a visiting head of state, enjoyed diplomatic immunity during his recent stay.
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However, a government spokesman suggested that the Pope might not be immune from prosecution if he returned to Germany on a private visit. - Source

German people.  I hope the pope recycles and plans on changing up to CFL light bulbs come 2012!

The delighted Vicka Ivankovic-Mijatovic

Vicka was documented on film during a recent 'purported' apparition of the Blessed Virgin.  The seer's joy is visible, and I might add, delightful to witness.  She obviously enjoys speaking to whoever is present to her.

No, I am not endorsing Medjugorje or Vicka's claims, I await what the Church has to say regarding the apparitions and messages.  Nor do I 'follow' the events at Medjugorje, although I haven't ignored them either.

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A word on alchemy.  Medieval alchemists tried to change base metals into gold.  On many occasions, while visiting dubious apparition sites, pilgrims have claimed that their rosaries turned to gold.  Interestingly enough, a pious lady once gave me such a rosary - the gold color turned out to be the base metal of the chain.  Was there a chemical, atmospheric 'alchemical' effect that caused it to happen?  I don't know - yet the color wasn't really gold, but brass - the same as the metal.

What I think of of the 'new' American Thanksgiving and 'black' Friday bullshit.

As an adult, I doubt I've ever celebrated this holiday 'normally'.  I learned that as a child whose family was far from normal yet tried their hardest to act normal - especially on the holidays.  Big fail!  It never worked because my family was so disintegrated and dysfunctional.  However, today, that is normal.

It also explains why Thanksgiving has become a shopping day - and for those 'lucky' enough to have a low-paying job in retail, the wonderful opportunity to work the holiday.

Disintegrated and dysfunctional families go to casinos, restaurants, theme parks, and the movies these days to celebrate.  If they stay at home for a quiet, intimate and casual celebration, many do so by  watching TV, twittering or downloading something online - together as a family of course - virtually connected in a disconnected, disintegrated, dysfunctional 'modern family' milieu.

Anyone can take another day off if they need to work/shop the holiday/holiday weekend.  Just transfer, or anticipate the feast day - Catholics do it all of the time.  So do families who have loved ones in the armed services and in combat. 

Year after year, traditional Thanksgiving has eroded along with the culture.

Photo:  Justin Bieber Macy's commercial - one of the best of the season.  

Concert in an Egg: A contemporary copy after Hieronymous Bosch

"Blognic in an Egg" - T. Nelson, 2011

Acrylic on canvas.  18 x 24

Presented is my copy after the Hieronymous Bosch "Concert in an Egg" - in homage to the Lille copy.  I retitled the composition, "Blognic in an Egg", featuring a selection of American parochial bloggers, complimented by an assortment of attributes and symbols forming a sort of commentary on the phenomenon that is the Catholic blogosphere.

Once again, my apologies for the poor photography.  The panel still needs to be varnished, and then perhaps, I can provide a better image.  (BTW - if you click on the image to enlarge it you will notice the image is not as sharp and clear as it should be - the image itself is very well defined - but the camera was loose on the tripod.  Providentially the blurriness demonstrates the condition of my eyesight.  I hope to get through the holidays before going in for surgery.)

Define blognic:  Blognic is a derivation of picnic, most likely invented and popularized by Fr. Zuhlsdorf, the famous Catholic priest blogist.  It may be described as a nearly impromtu gathering of bloggers and their readers, and/or fans, although such gatherings are frequently planned in advance.  I know.

I'm back.

I took an extended blogging break.

It is amazing how liberating it feels to be offline and off the news feeds.  Amazing.

It has been a retreat really, and my only occupation has been painting.  I'm just about finished - just a few 'tweets' to add to the composition.  The painting is loaded with symbols. 

I'm unable to read all of my emails and comments right now - but in the next few days I'll try to address those which need a reply.

Being offline and working on the painting has helped to confirm some of what I have written regarding blogging, the Internet, and the trend of living one's life online.

I'll be back shortly.

Photo:  Happy Thanksgiving from my family to yours.  "Que?"

Communion line awareness...

"Everywhere, faithful Catholics lament the long Communion lines and short Confession lines..."

Not me.  I'm too worried about my own unworthiness.  Seriously.

Blogs, Blogging, Bloggers

Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting. - Proverbs

That verse from Sunday's first reading has been going through my mind since Saturday.

Art source.

Yes my angel, the pederast really is gay.

Even Sandusky?
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Matt Abbott presents a very good study pointing out that pederasty is an aspect of the homosexual condition.  No.  To be sure - NOT all homosexuals are attracted to young men and boys of course - but there is historical, as well as contemporary evidence that pederasty is indeed part of the homosexual condition, lifestyle, milieu, mystique, what have you.  How can I accept such thinking?  All of my molesters were homosexual men, eight to twenty years older than myself - and a couple of them even wanted to 'show me off' to their friends - as if I were a trophy of sorts.

Many "gay" organizations and leaders not only admit to, but support, the sexual abuse of children by homosexuals.

An editorial in the San Francisco Sentinel, a member of the National Lesbian & Gay Journalist's Association, claimed that

The love between men and boys is at the foundation of homosexuality. For the gay community to imply that boy love is not homosexual love is ridiculous. We must not be seduced into believing misinformation from the press and the government. Child molesting does occur, but there are also positive sexual relations. And we need to support the men and the boys in those relationships. - Homosexuality and the Church Crisis

One day I must write about a gay man I reported to in a job I once had.  Everyone in the department knew of his proclivity for adolescent boys, but no one ever objected - perhaps due to the fact that the president of the department store company at that time, was a gay pederast himself.
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Art:  Good Samaritan,  G.F. Watts.  Presented as one thing, there is perhaps a subtext to this study for a painting, reminiscent of the classical Rape of Ganymede, the pederast Greek myth associated with Zeus.  I find the image intriguing since it exemplifies the dark side of perpetrators acting in the guise of the Good Samaritan - taking advantage of the wounded and vulnerable, it ends up being the inversion of the spiritual and corporal work of mercy.     Very often those purporting to help disadvantaged youth, not unlike Sandusky, or the late Fr. Ritter, clearly use their charities, and or spiritual guidance to gain access to their victims. Other teachers, coaches, counsellors, secular or religious, along with priests and ministers, have done, and most probably continue to do likewise. 

Mass Chat: Recollection

For me, a perfect way to assist at Mass is after I have recently made my confession, performed my penance, and spent about an hour or so in solitary prayer in the company of the Blessed Virgin immediately before Mass.  Thus recollected, it seems to me, just about anything can go on at Mass and I do not mind at all. 

I am so grateful for Mass and the sacraments and Our Lady and the angels and saints and for the grace to receive Jesus in Holy Communion - who remains with us always...

St Teresa notes that we can obtain the prayer of recollection for ourselves, "for this is not a supernatural state [a passive recollection which can only be produced by divine motion], but depends upon our own volition; and by God's favour, we can enter it of our own accord."
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Therefore, it is important to know what the soul should do in order to practise this prayer, and this can be reduced to two things: "The soul collects together all its faculties and enters within itself to be with its God" (ibid, 28). Our senses, imagination, and intellect tend spontaneously toward exterior things, on which they are dispersed; therefore, the soul, by a prolonged, resolute act of the will, ought to withdraw them from these exterior things in order to concentrate them on interior things -- in this little heaven of the soul where the Blessed Trinity dwells. This exercise, especially in the beginning, requires effort and energy and it will not be easy at first. However, the Saint teaches, "let the soul try to cultivate the habit, despite the fatigue entailed in recollecting itself and overcoming the body which is trying to reclaim its rights." Little by little, "as a reward for the violence which it had previously done to itself" (ibid.), recollection will become easy and delightful; the senses will obey promptly; and even if the soul is not entirely from distractions, it will not be so hard to overcome them.
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"O my God, You are in me and I am in You. I have found my heaven on earth, since heaven is You, O Lord, and You are in my soul. I can find You there always; even when I do not feel Your presence, You are there nevertheless, and I like to seek You there. Oh! if only I could never leave You alone!" (cf. Sr Elizabeth of the Trinity, Letters) - Divine Intimacy

 

I watched the debate last night.

Gingrich, Romney, and Perry - politics as usual - same old same old.

Cain - no way in hell.  "You keep talkin', but you ain't sayin' nothin'."

Bachmann - one thing about this woman - she is living proof Palin was clueless and inept.  Bachmann is not dumb.

Ron Paul - I like him.  I agree with him.  He's just so ... old.

If I had to choose - Huntsman and Santorum - my two favorites.

Good Bye Anonymice

Anonymous comments are once again closed for awhile.  I think some of my anonymous commenters start drinking pretty early on Fridays - or they are still drunk after being up so late on Thursday night.  Weekends seem to be the opportune time for anonymice to leave their sometimes passive-aggressive, most times, mean-spirited comments.  I find the anonymous harassment annoying, largely because they are cheap shots without any back-up.  Obviously I am getting under someones skin - just because I exist.   One would imagine these people would be happy to identify themselves, especially since they feel the need to assert their superiority over myself.  I certainly won't contest that however.

That said, it is apparent at least one or two of my anonymice enemies are known on the blogosphere and therefore they want/need to hide their identity to preserve their good Catholic image.  It is a typical example of church-people duplicity and dishonesty - and is down right hypocritical.  Which may be why they were so easily dismissed in the first place...

A journalist asked me recently why I blog about such people - especially concerning the shadowy side of Catholics in monasteries, parishes, as well as the assortment of online Catholic dissociative personalities.  I answered I just find it interesting to point out that it doesn't matter if one is conservative or liberal, traditional or moderate, or even progressive - the Church has always been comprised of sinners and phonies working a rather vulnerable audience.  I'm right with them of course - but at least I try really hard to be honest about it.

So don't be afraid to criticize, shame, condemn or ridicule me - just identify yourself for what you are when doing so. 

A movie that should have been made by now...

The Murder of Alfred Kunz.

It is a story that scares rural and small town priests to this day... 

Father Alfred Kunz, (April 15, 1931 - March 4, 1998), was a Catholic priest who was found with his throat slit in his Roman Catholic church in Dane, Wisconsin.  His murder has never been solved. The Kuntz murder investigation has been described as the most expensive and time-consuming investigation in Dane County's history.

Kunz, though he continued to say the Latin Mass, also said the Mass in English and was in communion with his diocesan bishop. "Father Kunz was a well-known expert in cano law, so he knew how to walk the lines," Bill Brophy, a spokesman for the Madison Wisconsin Catholic Diocese said shortly after his murder.   Kunz was pastor at the church for 32 years before his death.

Prior to his death, Kunz had his own radio show and had been a close associate of Malachi Martin, an author and exorcist!  After Kunz was murdered, Martin alleged that the priest had been killed by "Luciferians" and said Kunz had performed several exorcisms before his death. Martin said Kunz felt his life was in danger in the weeks before his murder. Kunz's friend, Abbot Ryan St. Anne Scott felt Kunz's murder was related to Kunz's investigation of sexual abuse scandals in the diocese.  The Dane County Sheriff's Department also investigated a calf mutilation 15 miles from Kunz's church the day before his murder that a farmer attributed to a cult. Kunz had allegedly been investigating reports of homosexuality and sexual abuse by priests within the diocese of Springfield, Illinois. There were also allegations that Kunz had been involved with female parishioners.

"The motives are all over the place, anything from jealousy, power and control to betrayal and fear of exposure," Dane County Sheriff's Lieutenant Kevin Hughes said in 2001. "So take your pick at this point. We just don't know yet."  In 2002, Dane County sheriff Gary Hamblin stated that his department was still receiving tips about the case. By this time, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, investigators had concluded that the killer knew Kunz and was familiar with the church property.   Dane County Sheriff David Mahoney stated in March 2008 that his department no longer uses the term "intimate" in regard to the murder investigation of Father Kunz, which dispels any hint of impropriety. Mahoney is also willing to cooperate with "cold case" investigators, even though his department does not consider the Kunz investigation "cold."

By 2009, investigators with the Dane County sheriff's department were willing to state that they have a long-time suspect, who has never been named as they lack sufficient evidence to indict him. Steve Gilmore, lieutenant of detectives with the department, said that the suspect left town soon after Kunz's death, and that "We still know where he's at and what he's up to. If indeed he had committed this one, he's stayed pretty clean. We certainly don't think there's any threat to the public out there."  Gilmore has also stated that the suspect is alive (as of 2008) and under constant surveillance, although no longer living in the Dane County jurisdiction. - Wiki 

Very scary - and the killers are still out there.

Campy art...

Don't hold your breath or expect too much.

My "Blognic" is a redux on Bosch's "Concert In An Egg" - I substituted/updated the Bosh composition with updated symbolism and contemporary figures.  I have not painted any "online friends" per se - just in case you are curious as to who is who in the painting once it is finished.  And no - I will never identify by name who is depicted - if you can't tell from the painting then it is my failure as a painter.  Yes, it is 'campy art' - so you will not insult me with your criticism. 

Nevertheless, at this point, the canvas is far from finished, perhaps it will be completed by Thanksgiving.

After you are dead...

No one on earth will ever know you existed...

Attorney sees parallels in the Penn State abuse cover up to the Catholic Church scandals...

“It’s a real opportunity for the survivors to sue them and to hold them accountable, to bring the truth to bear, so they realize kids go first — reputations go second,” said Anderson.

Jeff Anderson is now assisting in the Penn State sex abuse scandals.

First let me say this:  If coaches were allowed to be married this would never have happened.  And let me add that something must be done about the gay subculture in college football and sports departments.  What?

So anyway - Jeff is off to the rescue.  He was on local news last night saying as much...

“Can we help there? Yes. Have we been called to help? Absolutely. Will we help? Definitely,” said Anderson.

Former Penn State defense coordinator Jerry Sandusky has been charged with molesting eight boys between 1994 and 2009. Two other school administrators have been charged in a cover up.

Because there was a cover up in the Penn State case, Anderson says the statute of limitations won’t apply.

“Because there has been a cover up here, that has both now been demonstrated publicly and revealed to us privately, we believe even those survivors that were abused by Sandusky decades ago still can get relief,” said Anderson.

In Anderson’s most recent blog, he details what he sees as the parallels between the Penn State scandal and the Catholic sex abuse scandals. He said the school faces enormous legal liability because the abuse occurred on Penn State property and administrators were made aware of some of the incidents. - WCCO

Personally, I think Paterno did right by the kid - he reported the incident to administration and got back to work.  I believe Paterno's superiors were the people responsible to have Sandusky arrested and fired.  That said - every institution/organization protects its own at the expense of others.  I've seen it at almost every place I have ever worked.

To be honest - the Jerry Sandusky situation reminds me of Covenant House in NYC and the 1990 scandal involving Fr. Bruce Ritter.
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Photo:  Jeff Anderson - doing his job.

The weather report...

I did not post today - today being November 9, 2011.

I always post.  Every day.  Sometimes several times a day.  What up?

I can't say right now.  I'm just not sure.  But I am painting a lot.

Quick news:

From Sally Tomato:  "Snow flurries expected this week end in New Orleans."

Delusional, magical thinking and poodles... in urban myth.

I just came online to do some research - I needed photos of a couple of Catholic 'personalities' for my 'campy' painting.

Quick notes since I'm here...

This is so stupid - "Devil in the details" - restorers actually believing that Giotto, or one of his students painted the face of the devil in the clouds of a fresco.  Remember the guy who made a film about the San Damiano crucifix with the embedded penis?  Yeah, Michael Calaci and The Rape of the Soul.  Geesh!  People who think abstract expressionism is evil are willing to give their personal impressions credit when it comes to medieval and renaissance painting... and they make up all kinds of stories to support their 21st century POV. 

I use the term eidolon for this type of image these folks claim exist or were intentionally worked in to a composition.  Eidolon means 'an unsubstantial image: phantom'. popular culture has trademarked the term for other purposes, while Carl Sagan employed another similar term for such imaginary images: paeidolia. - Abbey Roads post: The Evil of Abstract Expresionism

Opinion page:  I believer Herman Cain's accusers BTW.  No big deal, really - if Cain hadn't lied about it.  It's the lying that gets me.

Church talk:  I do not know what the big deal is about the new changes in the liturgy - they are barely even noticeable, BUT - if my parish is any indication, the hymns and the music will continue to be sappy, sentimental, ass-slapping crap.  Oh, and there should never ever be special Eucharistic prayers for children - IMO that is.  Kids know the difference between disciples and friends.

Gotta run.

Warning!

>: The holiday season is upon us. <:

Never, ever purchase products that look like the item shown in the photo.  Never even think about it.

Teresa of Jesus

Trouble-maker.

I was watching the excellent Spanish miniseries on la Madre last evening on EWTN.  I know, I just said I don't watch EWTN any longer, but I was channel surfing and came across the film.

The episode dealt with the foundation in Seville and Teresa being called by the Inquisition.

Just a few comments...

I still think Mother's relationship with Fr. Gracian was way too natural.  I know!  Carmelites hate it when I say that.  I didn't like the vow of obedience deal either.  Then I think it is weird that family lived in the monastery with her - but Mother Angelica did the same thing with her mother - "Woo-wee, I'm the superior, anyone can move in!"  One other interesting tidbit is that evidently St. Teresa and St. John of the Cross acted in resistance to various bishops/superiors who got in the way of the reform...  Oh, c'mon - you knew that.

You never really know who's who in real life, do you.  Not a question.

Anyway - whatever the obstacles and difficulties - they became saints and doctors of the Church.