Spiritual Resolutions

It's common to make New Year's resolutions. They are often things like exercise more, lose weight, save money, and many other good things.

I always try to include spiritual resolutions like pray more, read more spiritual works,  Such resolutions are good, but they lack specificity.

So here's an attempt at specificity.

In terms of praying, I've already made some changes, thanks in part to a good confession.

My daily routine usually includes:

The Seven Sorrows of Mary

St. Bridget's Twelve Year Prayer on the Passion of Jesus

Morning Prayers from the Liturgy of the Hours

The Rosary.

A Novena to St. Sharbel

Daily Mass Monday, Wednesday-Friday.

There have been a few days when I fall short. One of my resolutions for the new year it to not miss any of these current prayers.

I also resolve to add daily recitation of the Diving Mercy Chaplet. and to say Night Prayers from the Liturgy of the Hours.

I was working on reading the Bible daily with the goal of reading the entire Bible. I fell short. 

I resolve to spend 10 minutes daily reading and reflecting on the Bible.

I try to read spiritual works, but it's not a daily habit. I resolve to spend at least 15 minutes each day doing some spiritual reading. The will likely require that I give up some television time and reading of secular works. So be it.

I'm already reading The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis and The Everlasting Man by G.K. Chesterton as part of two reading groups I'm in. I will continue to do those. On my own I've been reading The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis, but that reading has been irregular. I will give that daily attention until I finish it.

I resolve to also reread Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis.

The death today of Pope Benedict has inspired me to add two of his works to my list of ones I also resolve to read: Jesus of Nazareth and the encyclical, God is Love.

There are other works that I will try to read once I get through those listed works. Among those other works are

The Yes of Jesus Christ by Pope Benedict

A New Song for the Lord by Pope Benedict

A Concise Guide to Catholic Social Teaching by Father Kevin McKenna

The Splendor of Truth by Pope Saint John Paul II

The Gospel of Life by Pope Saint John Paul II 

Pacem in Terris by Pope Saint John XXIII

With more time devoted to prayer and spiritual reading I will hopefully grow closer to the Lord, and to find support and strength in overcoming my sinful ways.

 

Pax et bonum

Read Old Books

Pax et bonum

Why I Love Christmas - The Robertsons (Missy w/ Josh Turner)

The Making of Duck The Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas

Reading Tally for 2022

VÄINÖ HÄMÄLÄINEN, A MAN READING

With two days to go, it's unlikely I'll finish reading another work by the end of the year. so my 2022 tally will stand at 66. Noticing others keeping such tallies also included page counts, I also began this year to keep a page count: 12,671

I entered the year knowing I would read fewer works than I did the year before (95). I chose some heftier, more difficult, more dense works, like the lesser Shakespeare plays or The Brothers Karamazov. Plus, I have added volunteer activities to occupy my time.

Here's the tally, roughly organized by category (spiritual, classics, children's, mysteries, poetry, etc.):

Heroes of the Catholic Reformation: Saints Who Renewed the Church by Joseph Pearce

Faith of Our Fathers: A History of True England by Joseph Pearce

Thomas Aquinas by G. K. Chesterton 
The Shepherds' Prayer by Richard M. Barry 
The Golden Thread by Louis de Wohl
Saint Joan: The Girl Soldier by Louis de Wohl
The Song at the Scaffold by Gertrud Von Le Fort
Things Worth Dying For: Thoughts on a Life Worth Living by Archbishop Charles J. Chaput

Utopia by St. Thomas More
The Confessions by Saint Augustine
Ignatius of Antioch and Polycarp of Smyrna: A New Translation and Theological

     Commentary by Kenneth J. Howell

Sonnets of the Cross: The Via Dolorosa by John Patrick McDonough with art by David

     McDonough 

This Thing of Darkness by K. V. Turley and Fiorella De Maria
A Bloody Habit by Eleanor Bourg Nicholson 
Toward the Gleam by T. M. Doran

The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris 
Scotland: The Story of a Nation by Magnus Magnusson 
How the Scots Invented the Modern World by Arthur Herman
Legendary Ireland Photographs by Tom Kelly, Text by Peter Somerville-Large
Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation by Joseph J. Ellis 

Klem Watercrest The Lighthouse Keeper by Jay Diedreck

The Silver Chair by C. S. Lewis
The Last Battle by C. S. Lewis
The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi
The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli
The Father Christmas Letters by J.R.R. Tolkien
Phantastes by George MacDonald

The Time Machine by H. G. Wells
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
The Symposium by Plato
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

The Spirit Woman by Margaret Coel 
Last Things by Ralph McInerny

Sine Qua Nun by Monica Quill (Ralph M. McInerny) 
The Ghostway by Tony Hillerman 
Skinwalkers by Tony Hillerman 
The Valley of Fear by Arthur Conan Doyle
The Sign of Four by Arthur Conan Doyle 
An Excellent Mystery by Ellis Peters 
A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley
The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins 
The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett 
The Clue of the Whistling Bagpipes by “Carolyn Keene” 
Maigret on the Defensive by Georges Simenon 
Requiem at the Refuge by Sister Carol Anne O’Marie 
The Secret of Father Brown by G.K. Chesterton 
“The Donnington Affair” by G. K. Chesterton
“The Vampire of the Village” by G. K. Chesterton

Titus Andronicus by William Shakespeare 
The Two Gentlemen of Verona by William Shakespeare
Love’s Labor’s Lost by William Shakespeare 
Pericles by William Shakespeare 
Timon of Athens by William Shakespeare 
All’s Well That Ends Well by William Shakespeare 
The Merry Wives of Windsor by William Shakespeare 
The Two Noble Kinsmen by William Shakespeare 
Coriolanus by William Shakespeare 
Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare 

Brief Candles: 101 Clerihews by Henry Taylor 
Academic Graffiti by W.H. Auden 
A Further Range by Robert Frost 
A Witness Tree by Robert Frost 
The Ballad of the White Horse by G.K. Chesterton 
Lepanto: With Explanatory Notes and Commentary by G. K. Chesterton 

Friendship and Other Poems by Marguerite de Angeli

One of my goals for the year was finishing my reading of all the 38 officially credited plays of Shakespeare; I met that goal. There is another play on which he is believed to have collaborated, a play about Saint Thomas More. It's not included in the official list, but I will read it this coming year.  I also hope to read all of his sonnets.

I met another goal in reading another Dickens (Oliver Twist). And I made progress on reading all the Hillerman Navajo mysteries, all of the Father Brown (Chesterton) mysteries, and all of Robert Frost's published books of poetry.

There were some other works that I set out to reread - and did: 

The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
The Confessions by Saint Augustine
The Symposium by Plato

I fell short on some others, though:

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis.
The Long Loneliness by Dorothy Day
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn .

I am working my way through Imitation, so I'll finish that early next year. 

Goals for 2023:

50-70 works, 12,000+ pages

More spiritual reading, including some encyclicals and Mere Christianity by Lewis

Finish the Hillerman Navajo mysteries

Finish the Father Brown mysteries (Just 9 stories to go!)

Read at least one more of Frost's poetry books

Reread David Copperfield by Dickens

Read Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes 

Read Saint Thomas More by several writers, with input by Shakespeare

Read all of Shakespeare's sonnets

I'm sure more works will surface as the year progresses.

Pax et bonum

That Year in New York

In my post about The Last Battle by C. S. Lewis, I mentioned that I found the Narnia books in an apartment in New York City in which I lived while taking a year off from college.

Here's what happened.

My last year of high school and my first year of college were difficult times for me emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. I was really confused and in need of direction. During my freshman year of college I also fell in love and became engaged. But then she broke up with me.

After the breakup I was lost, adrift, and so I decided to take a leave of absence from college. I wasn't sure what I'd do, but then I remembered Father Bruce Ritter who had spoken at my high school about the Covenant House program he had begun in New York City to work with troubled and homeless youth. I'd been impressed, so I managed to track down his phone number and called him from Upstate New York where I lived. I asked if he needed help. For some reason, he invited me down.

I got on a bus and went to New York, not knowing the city and not knowing where I would stay or what exactly I would do. I had little money, and just the clothes and items in my backpack.

I found the headquarters of Covenant House, and spoke with Father Bruce. He finally agreed to "hire" me as a paid volunteer - a peer counselor - as I was only 19. My salary would be $50 a week and a place to live. I stayed at his place the first night, then was sent to an apartment on the Lower East Side (7th Street and Avenue D). The apartment consisted of three rooms: a front room, a kitchen, and a back room. I think it used to be an office used by Covenant House. The organization had by that time opened several group homes, but had retained a number of rent-controlled apartments in various buildings. This was one of them.

There was little furniture in the apartment. There was a small kitchen table and a couple of chairs. But there was also a box with keys to empty apartments rented by Covenant House in my building and the one next door. I explored those apartments, using the roof of my building to cross over to the adjacent building. I found more furniture, pots and pans, dishes, and so on, which I carried over the roof and down the stairs to my apartment. I also found some lumber and tools! I hauled the lumber back to my place and built a loft bed using the underside of it as a closet.

I worked at a couple of homes, then settled in a third. In that house, the staff worked four 10-hour shifts each week. On the days I worked I had all my meals at the home - helping with the cooking. I was also able to do my laundry in the house washer. 

The teens in the home were an interesting mix. Some had been abandoned by family, some had gotten in trouble with the law. Some were trying to finish high school and get into college, some were faced with jail time. One of them who was with us while waiting trial got mad at me and threatened me, spraying on my apartment door "YOU'RE DEAD MOTHER F*****." He was immediately sent to a juvenile hall and was later convicted on manslaughter charges. 

Although he did not manage any act of violence against me - other than my door - I was a victim at the hands of others. One day while walking around the neighborhood I was accosted by a group of boys who looked like middle schoolers. But they surrounded me, shoved me against a wall, and one held what looked like an ice pick against my chest. They demanded money. I laughed nervously and told them I was a social worker and had very little money. They got $.97 in change and my empty wallet. They left me unharmed, except for a slight wound on my chest that only required a band-aid. A week or so later my mother in Upstate New York contacted me and said my wallet had just arrived in the mail. Apparently someone had found it and mailed it to the address in it. I don't recall if I explained the circumstances under which I "lost" the wallet. 

My duties varied - cooking, cleaning, helping the young men with school work, escorting them to appointments, talking with them. I even remember one young man who had given us a false name eventually admitting to me he was a runaway and giving me his real name. We were able to connect with his family in the Midwest and he went home. Another - one who had been abandoned by a mother who was an addict and father who was a jazz musician who simply disappeared - had dreams of attending the Air Force Academy. He was bright and hard-working; I hope he made it. 

On my days off I fended for myself, and got to wander around in New York. I discovered a group working on creating a musical, and helped to write part of the first draft.  I even tried to write a song for it. It was my first attempt at writing a song, and, to be honest, it was terrible! I later heard the musical actually got produced off-off-Broadway, but I have no idea if any of my contributions made it to the final script. 

At the group I met a girl, and we dated for a while, She drew of sketch of me one night. Here's me at 19:.

The girl introduced me to her friends who were fans of Ayn Rand, and who were involved in an early version of the Libertarian Party in New York. To be honest, they were so selfish and self-centered they turned me off, as did the party and the writings of Rand.

I did find books that were more beneficial to me. The apartments had the already mentioned Narnia ones, and assorted novels and religious books. Supplementing those books with ones I bought at used bookstores I began reading works that helped me rediscover my faith. Among the works - in addition to the Narnia books -ere  The Seven Storey Mountain by Thomas Merton, The Confessions of Saint Augustine, and Saint Francis of Assisi by G. K. Chesterton. In addition, several Franciscans were involved with Covenant House, and they inspired me. 

I returned upstate after that year to enter the college seminary. I ultimately did not become a priest, but have been active in the Church since those days.

It was quite a year and quite an adventure. I look back and wonder how I had the courage - or foolishness - to do such a thing.

My poor parents!

Ah, youth.

Pax et bonum

The Last Battle (C. S. Lewis)

Having finished some recently acquired books, I decided to continue my rereading of books I read long ago.

I'd recently seen some references to The Last Battle by C. S. Lewis - the last of the Narnia books - so I chose that one.

I've reread some the Narnia books already. Indeed, I've reread The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and The Magician's Nephew multiple times because they were on summer reading lists for my students. But I haven't read Battle since I first read the series decades ago.

That first reading was in the winter of 74/75. I had taken a year off from college, traveled to New York, and went to work as a peer counselor (I was only 19!) at Covenant House. My "salary" was $50 a week and an apartment on the Lower East Side. Covenant House at the time had a number of rent-control apartments scattered through lower Manhattan; mine had apparently been a three-room office. 

When I moved in, I found some books left behind. Among them were the Chronicles of Narnia. 

At Christmas, I headed back upstate by bus to visit my family. I grabbed the Narnia books, and read them on the bus ride upstate, at my parents' home, and on the bus ride back. 

As I reread Battle, I discovered I remembered very little of the story. I did recall the Ape, but nothing else.

Definitely heavier than the standard "children's" book.

It was nice to see some favorite characters from earlier books reappear or at least get mentioned.    

Then there was the issue of Susan, one of the original four children from Lion. She did not return with the others for this last battle.

"Oh, Susan!" said Jill. "She's interested in nothing nowadays except nylons and lipstick and invitations. She always was a jolly sight too keen on being grown-up."

"Grown-up, indeed," said the Lady Polly. "I wish she would grow up. She wasted all her school time wanting to be the age she is now, and she'll waste all the rest of her life trying to stay that age. ..." 

That resonated. What she was doing seemed not all that bad. but like too many other young people she apparently got caught up with the ways of the world, and in the process lost direction and her faith. I myself fell prey to some of those temptations. One can turn around and repent, but there was no indication in the book that she would. She certainly was not with the others when the events occurred that led to their return to Narnia. 

The section also reminded me of the parable of the sower and the seed from Matthew 13:

“Listen! A sower went out to sow.  And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up.  Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away.  Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. ...  

“Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away.As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. ...

Susan had apparently been choked by the thorns. Not good for those nylons!

As for the creatures of Narnia, they fit in with the parable as well. Some were faithful, and produced a rich yield, But others were led astray, believing lies and getting caught up in the world of power. Some of them, like the unreliable dwarves, were too concerned with their own wants and desires, and were incapable of seeing. 

But there were others who were initially led astray, then who repented and followed the true path - like the donkey - and so were able to go "further up and further in" with those who had remained faithful all along. 

I was also glad to see there was salvation for those who followed, through no fault of their own, false gods, but who heeded the natural good promptings of their souls and ultimately found that which is true. In Narnia - and in our world - salvation is a possibility for all, even "non-believers."

And I was amused to see a little Platonism! Ah, that Professor Lewis!

A good reread.

Pax et bonum

Stanford Nutting Holiday Special

Christmas Poem from a few years back

Pax et bonum

Nancy Drew

While sorting through books in storage, I came across three Nancy Drew Mystery Stories volumes. I  don't recall ever buying them, but we probably got them when the girls were young thinking they would read them.

I knew that the Drew books were a response to the popularity of The Hardy Boys books, some of which I had read when I was young (along with the Tom Swift books). Like the Hardy Boys, the books were written by various authors. In the Nancy Drew case, there were all published under the name of "Carolyn Keene."

These particular editions are from the revised series that came out after 1959. The original books (published from 1930-1959) contained some racial stereotypes, so those were eliminated. This is good, but apparently, in the process all non-white characters were basically eliminated! The books were shortened and the language simplified, sadly reflecting the decline in reading abilities and attention spans. Nancy was toned down, made less violent and outspoken, and more respectful of male authority(!).

I put the books in the pile of books to be donated to the library for their used book sale. But then, having just finished a book, I decided to read one of them. 

I kept in mind that the target audience was for 8-12-year-old girls, so I knew it would not be on par with some of the great and more complex mysteries I like to read.

We had the first book in the series, The Secret of the Old Clock, but my eyes were drawn to The Clue of the Whistling Bagpipes with a picture on the cover of a lass in kilts (presumably Nancy) playing a bagpipe.

I'm a sucker for things Scottish, so that's the one I chose.

Okay. 

It was kind of bland. And the plot, well ... 

If I were a 10-year-old girl I might have really enjoyed it, and wanted to read more of the books. 

But as for me, it and its unread companions will indeed be donated.

Pax et bonum

The Suspected Meaning of the "12 Days of Christmas," According to a Catholic Legend

The Suspected Meaning of the "12 Days of Christmas," According to a Catholic Legend -: Legend says 'The 12 Days of Christmas' was written during a time of persecution when Catholics who were forbidden to practice their faith.

This Year's Christmas Poem

                             Jesus
                             came to save all,
                              the lowly and the great,
                              but chose to come as one of the
                              lowly.

I was working on a longer poem, but couldn't quite get it to work. The basic idea is still in this one, however.

Merry Christmas!

Pax et bonum

Toward the Gleam (Doran)

I just finished the third of the fiction books I ordered based on some recommendations, Toward the Gleam by T. M. Doran.

The other two were This Thing of Darkness by K. V. Turley and Fiorella De Maria, and A Bloody Habit by Eleanor Bourg Nicholson.

Of the three, Toward the Gleam was my favorite. Interestingly, the order in which I read them was the reverse order in which I rank them. All were good in their own way, but I thought Gleam the best of the lot.

One thing I did notice among these recent books is they all had fictionalized versions of actual historical figures. (Is this a trend among Catholic writers of a certain school these day?) Darkness was about an interview with Bela Lugosi. Bloody had a brief appearance of Bram Stoker. And Gleam - my goodness. Among the folks who show up are G.K. Chesterton (who at one point saves the life of  the main character!), C. S. Lewis, Owen Barfield, Agatha Christie, Edith Stein, and Winston Churchill (!). The main character is also a famous individual (under an assumed name). I won't reveal who he is, but I was able to figure it out early in the book.

The premise of the book is that a man on a hike finds a book about an ancient previously unknown  civilization written in mysterious runes. A philologist by trade, he spends years trying to translate it. Along the way a criminal mastermind, who seeks knowledge from that civilization thinking it would give him great power, discovers the main character has something connected with that civilization, but does not know exactly what it is. The villain tries to cajole, bribe, then threaten the main character and his family and friends in an effort to obtain that artifact. Some attempts on the life of the main character are made (and along the way several people are indeed killed), but he is saved through luck, his own resources, and the help of his friends (the folks mentioned earlier).

I won't reveal more of the plot.  

The characterizations were believable. The plot moves along. The philosophical discussions don't bog down the story. It was fun recognizing the famous folks and what this book is really about. There are a few elements that stretch credulity (it is fiction, after all), but all the loose threads are resolved by the end.

An enjoyable read.  

Pax et bonum

Signs of the Season : ASL Phrases For Santa Clauses

"A Bloody Habit" by Eleanor Bourg Nicholson

I just read the second of the books I got based on recommendations and ads in Catholic publications: A Bloody Habit by Eleanor Bourg Nicholson.

The book starts out strong. Interesting characters, and an intriguing premise, and a nice twist on the classic English vampire tale. Heck, Bram Stoker even shows up briefly! The main character was a bit full of himself, but certainly held my attention. But as I kept reading I did find, though, that despite the fact that the main character is a man I began to suspect the author was a woman - yeah, I really hadn't paid attention until that point. 

The ending chapters lost some of the "depth" of the earlier chapters. They became more action-oriented,  and as the pace picked up the book became less intriguing - though still enjoyable.

Overall, a good read.

It is a horror novel, however. Though it has a decidedly Catholic twist, and it's not graphic, it may not be to everyone's taste.

For me, definitely a better book than This Thing of Darkness by K. V. Turley and Fiorella De Maria, the first of the suggested books I read. Now on to the third of the suggested books, Toward the Gleam by T. M. Doran.  

Pax et bonum

Saint Francesco Antonio Fasani

Born in Lucera, Francesco entered the Conventual Franciscans in 1695. After his ordination 10 years later, he taught philosophy to younger friars, served as guardian of his friary, and later became provincial minister. When his term of office ended, Francesco became master of novices and finally pastor in his hometown.

In his various ministries, he was loving, devout, and penitential. He was a sought-after confessor and preacher. One witness at the canonical hearings regarding Francesco’s holiness testified, “In his preaching he spoke in a familiar way, filled as he was with the love of God and neighbor; fired by the Spirit, he made use of the word and deed of holy Scripture, stirring his listeners and moving them to do penance.” Francesco showed himself a loyal friend of the poor, never hesitating to seek from benefactors what was needed.

At his death in Lucera, children ran through the streets crying out, “The saint is dead! The saint is dead!” Francesco was canonized in 1986.

- From Franciscan Media

Pax et bonum

Saint James of the Marche

Meet one of the fathers of the modern pawnshop!

James was born in the Marche of Ancona, in central Italy along the Adriatic Sea. After earning doctorates in canon and civil law at the University of Perugia, he joined the Friars Minor and began a very austere life. He fasted nine months of the year; he slept three hours a night. Saint Bernardine of Siena told him to moderate his penances.

James studied theology with Saint John of Capistrano. Ordained in 1420, James began a preaching career that took him all over Italy and through 13 Central and Eastern European countries. This extremely popular preacher converted many people–250,000 at one estimate–and helped spread devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus. His sermons prompted numerous Catholics to reform their lives, and many men joined the Franciscans under his influence.

With John of Capistrano, Albert of Sarteano, and Bernardine of Siena, James is considered one of the “four pillars” of the Observant movement among the Franciscans. These friars became known especially for their preaching.

To combat extremely high interest rates, James established montes pietatis—literally, mountains of charity—nonprofit credit organizations that lent money on pawned objects at very low rates.

Not everyone was happy with the work James did. Twice assassins lost their nerve when they came face to face with him. James died in 1476, and was canonized in 1726.

- From Franciscan Media

Pax et bonum

This Thing of Darkness (Turley and De Maria)

After the heavy load of reading Dostoyevsky's great The Brothers Karamazov, I decided to go for "lighter" fare.  I had seen This Thing of Darkness by K. V. Turley and Fiorella De Maria promoted in some Catholic publications, and was intrigued by the fact that it involved Bela Lugosi, so I decided to give it a try.

First, let me say that after Karamazov, any non-classic would suffer in comparison!

With some reservations, I enjoyed the book, and in particular all Lugosi aspects. I was somewhat familiar with his life and career, the horror genre, and German horror films, so the historical references worked for me. Murnau. Nosferatu. Chaney. Karloff. White Zombie. Whale. Browning. All familiar territory.

The writers clearly did some research. I wonder if as part of their research they viewed Shadow of the Vampire? They touch on a few of the ideas in that movie, but that may have been unintentional. 

The basic premise of the novel was interesting, and the underlying examination of evil, film, and culture, and the importance of faith, all rang true.

The reservations arise over some of the details about the main non-Lugosi characters. Something about them just did not click, and some of the incidents involving them seemed questionable. I found one of the plot details at the end totally predictable. At times the writing seemed hard to follow and a little choppy - as if the two authors wrote sections each and the sections did not fully come together (I don't know if this last observations is true, but that's the impression I got). I also had the advantage of being familiar with some of the biographical and historical elements, but wonder if other readers would find them confusing - the business of the horror classic Nosferatu, for example: How many modern readers have seen it? Finally, some of the details at the end seemed a little rushed - an exorcist conveniently appears and seems to understand everything, for example. It was as if the authors needed just to get it done. Consequently, I think some things were left unresolved.

Bottom line, the book fit my need for lighter fare (even if dealing with some heavy elements of evil). The writing is better than a lot of what's offered in contemporary fiction. It certainly was worth reading.

Pax et bonum

Why Dostoyevsky?

I recently finished rereading The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. 

Dostoyevsky has long been one of my favorite writers, which, given the personality I project, may seem odd.

His characters tend to be over sensitive, talkative, extremely passionate and demonstrative, and sometimes violent.

I tend to seem quiet, reserved, undemonstrative, and unemotional.

But really, inside I am a Dostoyevsky character. Occasionally, it has come through in uncomfortable ways; I have been violent with things, and, to my shame, twice against people.

So I consciously try to keep the passion in check.

Even still, it comes through. I am subject to bouts of depression. I have made sudden decisions that surprise people. I dropped out of college, dealing with depression and the loss of a someone with whom I was hopelessly in love. I left the seminary over the same woman. I suddenly took a job in a distant city, showing up there even though I knew no one there and had no place to live. I have suddenly quit jobs or cut off friends and other people. I have occasionally spouted things that have gotten me in trouble.

And even when I have kept the passion in check, I tend to let things fester. I linger over perceived slights. I take offense easily. 

Not very healthy, I know. But keeping it in check cuts down on the chance of my hurting others, things, or even myself.

However, as I look back, I see how it has affected my career and my relationships in negative ways.

So as I read Dostoyevsky, I often see myself in his characters. 

That's scary!

Pax et bonum

Christmas Card Poem In The Works

Started work on a possible Christmas poem for this year, sorted through the Christmas cards I already have (odd ones left over from previous sets), and compiled a preliminary list of people to whom to send cards. 

The poem will be two or three verses long, I think. It focuses on the shepherds in contrast with the wise me.

On that star-bright night

the wise men trudged along

while shepherds in the fields

heard the angel's song ...

Something like that to start. 

I just have to finish that poem, then I can start sending out the cards.

Pax et bonum

Saint Agnes of Assisi

Born Caterina Offreducia, Agnes was the younger sister of Saint Clare, and her first follower. When Caterina left home two weeks after Clare’s departure, their family attempted to bring her back by force. They tried to drag her out of the monastery, but her body suddenly became so heavy that several knights could not budge it. Her uncle Monaldo tried to strike her but was temporarily paralyzed. The knights then left Caterina and Clare in peace. Saint Francis himself gave Clare’s sister the name Agnes, because she was gentle like a young lamb.

Agnes matched her sister in devotion to prayer and in willingness to endure the strict penances that characterized the Poor Ladies’ lives at San Damiano. In 1221, a group of Benedictine nuns in Monticelli near Florence asked to become Poor Ladies. Saint Clare sent Agnes to become abbess of that monastery. Agnes soon wrote a rather sad letter about how much she missed Clare and the other nuns at San Damiano. After establishing other monasteries of Poor Ladies in northern Italy, Agnes was recalled to San Damiano in 1253, as Clare lay dying.

Three months later Agnes followed Clare in death, and was canonized in 1753.

- From Franciscan Media 

Pax et bonum

Candace Cameron Bure's 'Traditional Marriage' Backlash Response -

Candace Cameron Bure's 'Traditional Marriage' Comments Spark Backlash - Here's Her Beautiful Response -: Actress and producer Candace Cameron Bure responded after she received harsh criticism from those who support homosexual marriage.

The Brothers Karamazov

I've spent the last month rereading The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky.

At 877 sometimes dense pages it's not surprising it took me a month to get through it. And, of course, I have been reading other works and doing other things - including beginning to volunteer at a hospice.  

I first read this book about 40 years ago, and, to be honest, had forgotten most of it. 

The book is considered one of the great works of Western literature. I agree, but also recognize it's not to everyone's taste. The long monologues and the difficult issues make it tough reading. 

It did inspire a clerihew (of course):

Fyodor Dostoevsky

was plagued by vices that proved pesky .

To pay his bills he took a successful gamble

creating characters who were prone to verbally ramble..

 

I'm currently reading The Imitation of Christ in small chunks. But as for fiction, lighter reading for a while. I'm starting off with a novel about Bela Lugosi, This Thing of Darkness by K.V. Turley and Fiorella De Maria. 

Pax et bonum

Saint Elizabeth of Hungary - Secular Franciscan

In her short life, Elizabeth manifested such great love for the poor and suffering that she has become the patroness of Catholic charities and of the Secular Franciscan Order. The daughter of the King of Hungary, Elizabeth chose a life of penance and asceticism when a life of leisure and luxury could easily have been hers. This choice endeared her in the hearts of the common people throughout Europe.

At the age of 14, Elizabeth was married to Louis of Thuringia, whom she deeply loved. She bore three children. Under the spiritual direction of a Franciscan friar, she led a life of prayer, sacrifice, and service to the poor and sick. Seeking to become one with the poor, she wore simple clothing. Daily she would take bread to hundreds of the poorest in the land who came to her gate.

After six years of marriage, her husband died in the Crusades, and Elizabeth was grief-stricken. Her husband’s family looked upon her as squandering the royal purse, and mistreated her, finally throwing her out of the palace. The return of her husband’s allies from the Crusades resulted in her being reinstated, since her son was legal heir to the throne.

In 1228, Elizabeth joined the Secular Franciscan Order, spending the remaining few years of her life caring for the poor in a hospital which she founded in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi. Elizabeth’s health declined, and she died before her 24th birthday in 1231. Her great popularity resulted in her canonization four years later.

- From Franciscan Media

Pax et bonum

King Charles III (Clerihew)

The Brits now have their third Chuck,

and so I wish them lots of luck.

He finally achieved one of his two main goals,

the other, of course, being Mrs. Parker Bowles.

Pax et bonum

The recent elections

I've always been a bit of a political junkie. I was even once a member of a political party's city committee, and was later asked to run for office. And as a reporter I covered politics. When I worked for the diocesan newspaper I once covered an election in which a deacon was running for a nomination - this was before the Vatican said the ordained cannot run for or hold political office. During a forum, the deacon declared that he believed in a woman's right to choose. I confronted him after the forum and asked how he, a deacon, an official representative of the Church, could publicly take a position in opposition to Church teachings. He said that he personally supported the Church teachings, but in a secular, pluralistic society he could not impose his faith on others. We ran the story, including his comments. According to unofficial reports we received, he was called into the bishop's office. Whatever the case, he did withdraw from the race shortly after the story appeared!

Anyway, in recent times my involvement has been through commentary on social media - sometimes satirical and sarcastic in nature. We did have lawn signs this year, for the first time since 2008, and I actually donated to the campaigns of two candidates.

Our nation has been heading in a disastrous direction, and I had hoped this past week the election would help stop the downward moral slide. One major party has clearly and openly embraced immorality, while the other major party, while being wishy-washy in its own positions, at least paid lip service to opposing some of the immorality.

The wishy-washy party was afraid to clearly articulate its position or the extremism of the other party. 

Alas, the voters chose the immoral party. And the two candidates I supported lost.

I viewed this election as a turning point - and I believe our nation chose the wrong direction. I have little hope that we can turn things around now, barring Divine intervention.

As such, I have given up on politics. From now on, I'll only comment on moral issues.

Pax et bonum

Saint Didacus

Didacus is living proof that God “chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.”


As a young man in Spain, Didacus joined the Secular Franciscan Order and lived for some time as a hermit. After Didacus became a Franciscan brother, he developed a reputation for great insight into God’s ways. His penances were heroic. He was so generous with the poor that the friars sometimes grew uneasy about his charity.

Didacus volunteered for the missions in the Canary Islands and labored there energetically and profitably. He was also the superior of a friary there.

In 1450, he was sent to Rome to attend the canonization of Saint Bernardine of Siena. When many of the friars gathered for that celebration fell ill, Didacus stayed in Rome for three months to nurse them. After he returned to Spain, he pursued a life of contemplation full-time. He showed the friars the wisdom of God’s ways.

As he was dying, Didacus looked at a crucifix and said: “O faithful wood, O precious nails! You have borne an exceedingly sweet burden, for you have been judged worthy to bear the Lord and King of heaven” (Marion A. Habig, OFM, The Franciscan Book of Saints, p. 834).

San Diego, California, is named for this Franciscan, who was canonized in 1588.

- From Franciscan Media

Pax et bonum

To Life!

Got a call the other day from the hospice where I signed up to volunteer. It had closed down due to covid, and just reopened.

My first shift will be Tuesday.

I became interested in volunteering due to the death last year of my brother-in-law in a hospice. They gave him such great care. Death came with love and dignity. 

This particular hospice at which I will be volunteering is one I have supported financially for years. My Fraternity used to meet in the same building, so while we were praying downstairs, people were going home upstairs.

This is one more way for me to proclaim my support for life from conception to natural death. I pray outside Planned Parenthood and support pregnancy centers and homes for pregnant women, so I'm there at the beginning of life. I also support health clinics, shelters, food pantries, etc., so I'm there in the middle of life. 

Now I will be there at the end.

Pax et bonum

Smudges of Three

for on

I of

I any

who 4 the 

Hell's kicking the 

shoving panel 

life of 

if type hit

like

man truck around 

pure I

don't I'm 

there of in

the shooting 

sky gasoline 

I blasted 

the you in

you a a out

and of

(I followed though on my All Star suggestion of creating a dada poem. Might be more to come!) 

Pax et bonum

Saint Nicholas Tavelic and Companions

Nicholas and his three companions are among the 158 Franciscans who have been martyred in the Holy Land since the friars became custodians of the shrines in 1335.

Nicholas was born in 1340 to a wealthy and noble family in Croatia. He joined the Franciscans, and was sent with Deodat of Rodez to preach in Bosnia. In 1384, they volunteered for the Holy Land missions and were sent there. They looked after the holy places, cared for the Christian pilgrims, and studied Arabic.

In 1391, Nicholas, Deodat, Peter of Narbonne, and Stephen of Cuneo decided to take a direct approach to converting the Muslims. On November 11, they went to the huge Mosque of Omar in Jerusalem and asked to see the Qadix—Muslim official. Reading from a prepared statement, they said that all people must accept the gospel of Jesus. When they were ordered to retract their statement, they refused. After beatings and imprisonment, they were beheaded before a large crowd.

Nicholas and his companions were canonized in 1970. They are the only Franciscans martyred in the Holy Land to be canonized. Their liturgical feast is celebrated on November 14.

Pax et bonum

All Stars (I guess) - My Sort-Of Beat Roots

While cleaning out some boxes of books in the garage I came across a copy of All Stars, a collection of poems edited by Tom Clark. I got the 1972 book when I was a Freshman in college taking a poetry course taught by Anselm Hollo, a Finnish poet who have moved to the U.S. and who was influenced by the Beat Poets. The course was definitely eye-opening for this young Catholic-school product and budding poet. In conjunction with the course, for example, he arranged for Tuli Kupferberg (of the satirical rock band The Fugs) to talk to the class and give a reading. The Fugs did some interesting protest songs like "Kill for Peace," "War Song," and "CIA Man."  (Caution: They were prone to really foul language and sexual content!)

Strange times.

The collection was of new work by some 13 poets, one of whom was Ed Sanders, who created The Fugs with Kupferberg. The other poets were Michael McClure, Clark Coolidge, Dick Gallup, Aram Saroyan. Ed Dorn, Alice Notley, Ted Brrigan, Ron Padgett, Philip Whalen, Tom Clark, James Schuyler, and Robert Creeley. There are some prominent name in that list.

I flipped through the book and found some notes I'd scribbled all those years ago. I also read some of the poems.

Umm. Definitely poetry of that time period, with obvious Beat Poet influences. I think some drugs were also involved in the writing!

Poem 

Rod Padgett

Please be happy

My arms are happy arms

My legs are happy legs

With them I walk every day

To town to get the newspaper

.... okay Rod .... and that one was a collaboration with four other people!

and one of Philip Whalen's contributions was called "LEAVING THE CAPITAL"

Morosely resentfully hysterically packing. 

Neighbor's wite dog reminds me of decapitation. Why.

Secret recollection of Grimm's tales illustrated by

Gustave Dore:  "Falada"

There's plenty more in the book. There's even a "poem" of mine that they inspired and that I wrote on one page:

Dirt

When I was young

I used to make mud pies.

               I still do.

That's in the Ted Berrigan section. I don't know if reading him played a role in my scribbling that classic, or if the page just had a lot of blank space.

In reading the poems in the book now I can honestly say I'm not impressed. Yes, some of the poets in the collection are still well-known in poetic and academic circles. And when I look online, editions of the book in good condition go for $50-$80. So maybe it's just that these particular poems are just not to my taste now.

I will say that at the time the course did influence me as a beginning poet. And I always liked Hollo - I still remember him chuckling as the read and lectured with that wonderful Finnish accent. He helped to bring the works to life.

One of my poetic efforts from that time that showed the influence was one called "P.P.S."

P.P.S.
(for Dave Nittler)

Bruce is holding out a box. A box.
Is that sexually oriented?
On a farm in the middle of the desert. A rat walks by and spits on
the crocus. He smiles.
Water crashes over, around, in and about the weathered sand.
Motion.
And Ahab and Arab Sinbad eat the corn and the horse. Marty wants to
smoke the camel, but Sinbad says, ``No, it is not meant for man to be so
intoxicated.''
Not understanding (as I drink soda), we left for the caravan. It was
buried in the sand, so we cried and lied about lives we'd never lived.
Oh, and don't forget about the boat on the Nile.
Sadly, Ahab set his sights beyond the sea where his true love sat
with the dog and told him how handsome he was. The merry merchants of
Seville sold him a pipe and a bible to die by.
Man was not meant to see.
As the palms swayed, Moses saw the word and lost his eyes. Alone, he
would have cried, but God smiled and told him to die happy.
His joy, oh, such joy,
In the inn, Jesus and Mary talked as the apostles lay nearby. As he
cried softly, she touched His head.  "Do you really know what love is?''
Jesus asked. She smiled yes.
Let the newborn son speak of the silence in his heart as they stone
him in the garden and lie about the cross. Another fairy tale to tell the
sucking babes?
On Orion they call it love. But on Earth, they patented death and
sold it to the highest gun. Mars is in Omaha and calls himself Il Duce,
not knowing or understanding himself in the least.
Writing love poems in lines of infamy. Playing guitar in a rock `n'
roll band, in the park, in the summer, in freedom, in natural high. And
singing about all those days gone by; synthesized dreams and nightmares
on the moon. Popeye was on the moon and ate it. Olive smiled.
Black Masses, holy whitehood in the church, laughter in the halls of
the basement. Devil love and three odd men in Nixon's clothes. Satanic
majesties, get them while they're hot.
Diamonds in the rough, carpetbaggers in wardens' disguises, buying
them wholesale as they sleep.
Karma in the middle of the field. Hellfire in the mud. But it is
white? Is God black? Was Jesus brown? Or are we fools. There was an
answer hidden under a rock on the moon. Neil picked it up and crushed the
word with golf balls.
The fall.
Andromeda's edge.
A rocket ship floats beyond the wreckage that once was her sister.
A proud ship. The Executor.
A war is flash and burn in brilliant second bursts. God has a sense
of humor, so He cries. And it floods the heavens. Thus came birth. A
star, messenger, love, dirt, war, and shattered confusion.
And man was born in a teardrop.
He grew into an animal. The law once said, "Marry in, kill out.''
Now, "Marry in, kill in.'' No war but fratricide.
That is our end.

 

Okay ... In subsequent years I got better as poet. I think.

I hope!

The second-hand Beat influence seems to be there. I had not yet discovered dada poetry and art, to which I'm more inclined these days, and I see now dada may have been an influence on the poets in the book. And to be honest, I later changed one part of "P.P.S." because I grew uncomfortable with some wording that I now find offensive. - so this version is not completely as I first wrote it.

As for the title, the poem, which was written in October of 1973, was really added to a letter to my friend David Nittler, whom I had known since grade school and who, sadly, is now deceased. Hence "Post Post Script."

Not sure what to do with the book. It's not in great condition, so I don't feel comfortable donating it.

But I have no desire to keep it. And it's too worn and frayed to sell.

Recycling? Adding it to the burn pile? Put it back in the garage to let the mice finish it off?

Or cut it up into words and phrases, shake the cuttings up in a bag, pull them out one by one, and make a couple of dada poems?

And then, perhaps, to paraphrase the end of Ed Sanders's contribution - 

I'll crawl.

I'll grovel.

I'll conquer.

Pax et bonum

Forever - Rock of Faith cover

Hungry - Rock of Faith cover

This is the Stuff - Rock of Faith cover

Proclaim to the nations

Rock of faith God of Wonders 2016

Edgar Allen Moe

Pax et bonum

Proclaim to the nations

Prayer for Elections (from EWTN)

Prayer for Elections

O Most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy, at this most critical time, we entrust the United States of America to your loving care.

Most Holy Mother, we beg you to reclaim this land for the glory of your Son. Overwhelmed with the burden of the sins of our nation, we cry to you from the depths of our hearts and seek refuge in your motherly protection.

Look down with mercy upon us and touch the hearts of our people. Open our minds to the great worth of human life and to the responsibilities that accompany human freedom.

Free us from the falsehoods that lead to the evil of abortion and threaten the sanctity of family life. Grant our country the wisdom to proclaim that God’s law is the foundation on which this nation was founded, and that He alone is the True Source of our cherished rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

O Merciful Mother, give us the courage to reject the culture of death and the strength to build a new Culture of Life.

Pax et bonum

Saint Antônio de Sant’Anna Galvão

God’s plan in a person’s life often takes unexpected turns which become life-giving through cooperation with God’s grace.

Born in Guarantingueta near São Paulo, Antônio attended the Jesuit seminary in Belem, but later decided to become a Franciscan friar. Invested in 1760, he made final profession the following year and was ordained in 1762.

In São Paulo, he served as preacher, confessor, and porter. Within a few years, Antônio was appointed confessor to the Recollects of Saint Teresa, a group of nuns in that city. He and Sister Helena Maria of the Holy Spirit founded a new community of sisters under the patronage of Our Lady of the Conception of Divine Providence. Sister Helena Maria’s premature death the next year left Father Antônio responsible for the new congregation, especially for building a convent and church adequate for their growing numbers.

He served as novice master for the friars in Macacu and as guardian of St. Francis Friary in São Paulo. He founded St. Clare Friary in Sorocaba. With the permission of his provincial and the bishop, Antônio spent his last days at the Recolhimento de Nossa Senhora da Luz, the convent of the sisters’ congregation he had helped establish.

Antônio de Sant’Anna Galvão was beatified in Rome on October 25, 1998, and canonized in 2007.

- from Franciscan Media

Pax et bonum

Saint Peter of Alcantara

Peter was a contemporary of well-known 16th-century Spanish saints, including Ignatius of Loyola and John of the Cross. He served as confessor to Saint Teresa of Avila. Church reform was a major issue in Peter’s day, and he directed most of his energies toward that end. His death came one year before the Council of Trent ended.

Born into a noble family—his father was the governor of Alcantara in Spain—Peter studied law at Salamanca University, and at 16 he joined the so-called Observant Franciscans, also known as the discalced friars. While he practiced many penances, he also demonstrated abilities which were soon recognized. He was named the superior of a new house even before his ordination as a priest, was elected provincial at the age of 39, and he was a very successful preacher. Still, he was not above washing dishes and cutting wood for the friars. He did not seek attention; indeed, he preferred solitude.

Peter’s penitential side was evident when it came to food and clothing. It is said that he slept only 90 minutes each night. While others talked about Church reform, Peter’s reform began with himself. His patience was so great that a proverb arose: “To bear such an insult one must have the patience of Peter of Alcantara.”

In 1554, Peter received permission to form a group of Franciscans who followed the Rule of St. Francis with even greater rigor. These friars were known as Alcantarines. Some of the Spanish friars who came to North and South America in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries were members of this group. At the end of the 19th century, the Alcantarines were joined with other Observant friars to form the Order of Friars Minor.

As spiritual director to Saint Teresa, Peter encouraged her in promoting the Carmelite reform. His preaching brought many people to religious life, especially to the Secular Franciscan Order, the friars, and the Poor Clares.

Peter of Alcantara was canonized in 1669. His liturgical feast is celebrated on September 22.

- from Franciscan Media

Pax et bonum

Nukes (song)

There has been talk lately of using nuclear power as an alternative to fossil fuels. Nuclear power has also been in the news due to the war in Ukraine and the threats to nuclear power plants there. And back in 2011 there was the disaster at the Fukushima plant in Japan.

I've never been a fan of nuclear power due to its potential dangers to life and the environment. Back in the 1970's we had Three Mile Island and in the 1980's Chernobyl. I suspect there were more close calls, but the powers-that-be kept them quiet.

Around that time, I came across the Cisco Houston version of a political folk song "Soup," sung to the tune of "My Bonnie."

I'm spending my nights in the flophouse, 

I'm spending my days on the street, 

I'm looking for work and I find none, 

I wish I had something to eat.

 

   Soo-oop, soo-oop, they give me a bowl of soo-oo-oop. 

   Soo-oop, soo-oop, they give me a bowl of soup!

Inspired, I wrote some original lyrics dealing with my nuclear concerns.

Nukes

I'm spending my days in the clinic.

My nights I am spending there too.

They tried every cure they could think of,

now they tell me there's nothing to do.

   Nu-ukes, nu-ukes, I got a bad dose of those nu-u-ukes.

   Nu-ukes, nu-ukes, I got a bad dose of those nukes.

I spent seven years at the power plant.

I did every thing I was told.

They asked me to clean up a small leak,

and you know since that day I have glowed.

   Nu-ukes, nu-ukes, I got a bad dose of those nu-u-ukes.

   Nu-ukes, nu-ukes, I got a bad dose of those nukes.

I thought that the bosses would help me.

I signed every thing they required.

They thanked me for my loyal service.

Then told me that I had been fired.

   Nu-ukes, nu-ukes, I got a bad dose of those nu-u-ukes.

   Nu-ukes, nu-ukes, I got a bad dose of those nukes.

Now I sit here with this bowl of soup,

the only food i can keep down.

Let me warn ya, don't live near a nuke plant.

If there is one, let's shut the think down.

   Nu-ukes, nu-ukes, I got a bad dose of those nu-u-ukes.

   Nu-ukes, nu-ukes, I got a bad dose of those nukes. .

Still works for me! 

Pax et bonum

Una O'Connor Clerihew

As a character actress, Una O'Connor

deserved great praise and honor.

No matter who else was on the screen

with a look or her voice she could steal any scene.   

Pax et bonum

God is an Artist

God is an Artist who has created an infinite variety of masterpieces

Pax et bonum

Utopias, Dystopias, and Today, Part 2

As I noted in my previous post, I read an article in StAR by Manuel Alfonseco about utopias and dystopias. I had read/reread some of the books he mentioned in preparation for the dystopian 2020 election and what followed.

But as I mentioned books I had read, I wondered how many utopian and dystopian works I had actually read over the years - with the understanding that I'm more dystopian in nature.

Some of the utopian works I've read:

The Republic by Plato
Utopia (1516) by St. Thomas More.
Robinson Crusoe (1719) by Daniel Defoe
Candide, ou l'Optimisme (1759) by Voltaire
Lost Horizon (1933) by James Hilton
Childhood's End (1954) by Arthur C. Clarke

The much more extensive list of dystopian works I've read:

The Time Machine (1895) by H. G. Wells
Lord of the World (1908) by Robert Hugh Benson
R.U.R.: Rossum's Universal Robots (1921) by Karel Čapek
We (1921) by Yevgeny Zamyatin
Brave New World (1932) by Aldous Huxley
It Can't Happen Here (1935) by Sinclair Lewis
Darkness at Noon (1940) by Arthur Koestler
Animal Farm (1945) by George Orwell
That Hideous Strength (1945) by C. S. Lewis
Nineteen Eighty-Four (1948) by George Orwell
Player Piano (1952) by Kurt Vonnegut
Fahrenheit 451 (1953) by Ray Bradbury
A Canticle for Leibowitz (1959) by Walter M. Miller Jr.
"Harrison Bergeron" (1961) by Kurt Vonnegut
The Man in the High Castle (1962) by Philip K. Dick
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (1968) by Philip K. Dick
Stand on Zanzibar (1968) by John Brunner
The Lorax (1971) by Dr. Seuss
The Stand (1978) by Stephen King
The Giver (1993) by Lois Lowry
The Handmaid's Tale (1985) by Margaret Atwood
The Hunger Games (2008) by Suzanne Collins

There are so many other works to read - but I'm busy with the pile of books I already have waiting for me.

Pax et bonum

Utopia, Dystopias, and Today 1

The September/October issue of StAR (Saint Austin Review) contains a short article by Manuel Alfonseca on two genres of fiction - "Utopias and Dystopias."

Alfonseca defines "utopias" as "descriptions of fictitious perfect societies," and he notes that the name comes from St. Thomas More's 1516 Utopia - a title that means "nowhere." He lists a number of works as utopian:

Republic - Plato
The City of the Sun (1602) -  Tomasso Campanella 

New Atlantis (1627) - Francis Bacon 

The Coming Race (1871) - Bulwer Lytton

Looking Backward (1888) - Edward Bellamy 

News from Nowhere (1890) - William Morris

Lost Horizon (1933) - James Hilton

Island (1962) - Aldous Huxley  

To be honest, I have only read two of these works - Utopia and Lost Horizon. I have heard of Looking Backward, though I haven't read it. I haven't heard of any of the rest. But that's not surprising given that I am of a more dystopian bent.

Alfonseca actually only devotes the first paragraph to utopias; the bulk of the article deals with dystopias.   He defines "dystopias" as describing "imperfect societies that allow their author to criticize the society to which he belongs, or to predict future trends that are undesirable or frankly horrible." He notes that dystopias are more modern than utopias, and linked the proliferation of such works to a number of unsettling events in the 20th Century, specifically the global discontentment following the First World War, the communist revolution in Russia, and the Second World War. 

He lists a number of dystopias he has read, sharing observations about them:

Erewhon (1872) - Samuel Butler

Lord of the World (1907) - Robert Hugh benson

We (1921) - Yevgueni Zamyatin

Brave New World (1932) - Aldous Huxley

Nineteen Eighty-Four (1948) - George Orwell

One (or Escape to Nowhere) (1953 - David Karp

Fahrenheit 451 (1953) 0 Ray Bradbury

A Canticle for Leibowitz (1959) - Walter M. miller Jr.

A Clockwork Orange (1962) - Anthony Burgess

Do androids dream of electric sheep? (1968) Philip K. Dick 

I am Margaret (2014) - Corinna Turner

I have read most of these dystopian works - though, I admit, I am Margaret is new to me. Indeed, in the lead up to the dystopian 2020 election I read or reread a number of them -  Lord of the World, Brave New World, Nineteen Eight-Four, Fahrenheit 451, and A Canticle for Leibowitz. 

They prepared me for what was to come!

I also agree with Alfonseca that the movie Blade Runner, based on Do androids dream of electric sheep?, is far better than the novel. 

There are many other dystopias that did not make his list in the article, which, as he noted, consisted of works that he had actually read. (The article is based on a chapter from a book he wrote, so many others may have been mentioned in the book.) The Hunger Games books by Collins, The Road by Cormac McCarthy, The Napoleon of Notting Hill by G. K. Chesterton, and That Hideous Strength by C. S. Lewis come to mind. And I'm glad he left The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood off the list as it has been so twisted for political/social purposes these days.

Alfonseca observes that some people are speculating that we are getting closer to the worlds created by Brave New World and Nineteen Eighty-Four - I would be among them. I see elements of both in what is happening in the culture, society, and the government. But he offers a more optimistic spin - one of which I'm sure Chesterton would approve.

"But I prefer to remember what Jesus Christ said about this: The gates of hell shall not prevail against my Church (Mt 16:18). Neither utopias nor dystopias will prevail, because man is free and can fall in sin and be redeemed."

Being a reader, of course the article suggested some books I might tackle at some point.

Pax et bonum

Dada Response (Jargon while)

Jargon while.
Those and their shallow
for like are out;
Faux effect a
and there thinking pose hide who to.
Only derivative.
Trotting to;
Intellectualism strike trying.

Pax et bonum

A Dada Poem (Jargon while)

Jargon while. 

Those and their shallow for like are out; 

Faux effect a and there thinking pose hide who to. 

Only derivative. 

Trotting to; 

Intellectualism strike trying.

FYI -

There are those who like to strike a pose, trotting out jargon and faux intellectualism for effect while trying to hide their only derivative and shallow thinking.


Pax et bonum