Is That What You Think?

Even after living in the Bible Belt for over a decade I am always surprised about the misconceptions of non-Catholics of Catholic beliefs.  Granted there is about 500 years of rumors developing and confusion becomes a blaze that spreads quickly on dry grass.

Growing up I always knew that I would go to college and major in Theology, even though I never really knew what I would do with that degree.  I wanted to know everything about my faith and was tired of my religion class teachers giving me wishy-washy answers that did not clarify anything.  I grew up with a strong example of the faith from my parents, who made sure we learned our Hail Marys and Our Fathers like all good Catholic boys and girls.  At some point I became interested in the meaning behind the traditions and rituals that had developed in the Church and from that, my fascination with relics.  All the tradition we have in the Church there is a meaning behind it, ranging from the types of vestments the priest wears during the Mass (and outside the Mass as well) to the simple act of crossing ourselves before prayer.  As I entered my young adult life I had studied beyond what was required for class to feed the hunger I had to know more about my faith.  My parents even started asking me questions of something or other concerning the faith (even a few upperclassmen too).


I could not see myself studying anything else.  But now I have a degree in Theology - what to do?  Why, teach it of course!  The RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) program at my church was a good way to get my feelers out to see if I would make a half-way decent teacher.  And thus a journey of discovery began.

Remember I'm in the Bible Belt, so a lot of out inquirers are from very Protestant backgrounds, many of which still hold the Catholic Church in contempt.  There are things that I always thought simple and basic to understand that many of the Inquirers have a hard time wrapping their heads around it.  Many of them do not understand at first that being Catholic is a lifestyle and joining the Catholic Church is not like moving to a new house up the street.  Oh no, it's more along the lines of becoming a citizen of a different country whose culture is similar but different in so many ways.  It's out of the comfort zone of many people and it scares them, sometimes it can be too much.

For those who the change is too much for, they sometimes lash out at us who teach them.  This reaction, however, is not limited to people in the RCIA program. I am in no means saying that this is a one way street.  Catholics also have some misconjectures when is comes to their Protestant brethren. 

The goal in life is to find the truth, no matter what our situation in life is we have to find it.  For as they say Christ is the Way, the Life and the Truth.

Ode to Bob

(A Freestyle Poem)

Bob was a very dear friend,
He gave me joy when no one else could.

Listening to me spill out my woes
Without judgement or scorn, what a dear.
He said nothing as I took the knife to his head,
And cracked his neck, he understood.

His guts spilled on the floor,
But there was little blood
He was always so considerate that way.

I shall always remember Bob
Especially as I puree his remains, which stain my hands,
And add the puree to soups and breads - how delicious!

So rest in peace my dead Bob, you make such delightful bread.
I hope others will enjoy you as much as I,
For you are now homemade and really yummy.

R.I.P.  Robert 'Bob' Pumpkin

Cello Wars

This must be shared!
Enjoy!

A Morbid Connection to Heaven:

An Investigation of Relics & The Modern Need for Them

Chapter One: History (Part Two)

  There were several reasons used to justify the stealing of relics. First was the basic need of relics for new churches and religious organizations that were being established; the churches had to possess a relic before they could be properly consecrated. When there was a strong devotion to a particular saint, the physical remains of that saint tended to appear to act as a focal point for the devotion. Relics were also used as a form of spiritual protection against the injustice of secular authority. This, in turn, lead to competition amongst the religious communities of whom had who of the holy dead, spurring translations. Relics were also a source of income for monasteries from the donations that pilgrims would give in hope of intercessions from the saint. So in a sense relics of a saint became a form of a fund raiser for a community and even collectible items, and owning them became a symbol of prestige for cities, kingdoms, and monarchs.

It is hard to overstate the importance of the cult of the relics during the Middle Ages. They were used in the dedication of churches where they were integrated into the altar; they were used in law courts for swearing oaths; relics were found on the battlefield as suggested by the description of Roland's sword in the Song of Roland. In short, relics were an integral part of daily life and were accepted unquestioningly. The cult of the relics played a critical role in the missionary activities. The missionaries who converted northern Europe were dealing with people whose religion was fundamentally animistic. To them, it seemed that the entire world was inhabited and controlled by unseen powers; every tree had its own spirit, every pool its devil, every mountain its god. There was no distinction between the laws of nature and the laws of God. In accepting Christianity, pagans believed Christ's powers to be more potent than those of their former gods. The converts expected the new God to intervene as often and as powerfully in nature as the old, and if He failed to do so, they would frequently revert to their old beliefs. Gregory the Great recommended to Augustine of Canterbury that the cult of the saints and martyrs be presented to the English as the rival to pagan animism.

As the Medieval Age wore on, “relics came to be displayed more prominently in the churches” more so than before; even the reliquaries and altar tombs became more ornate to draw attention to the strange treasure. This brought a greater demand unto the relic market; so when the Crusades allowed access to the Holy Land for Western Europe and the saints that rested there, it was a welcome conflict. When Constantinople was sacked in 1204, a great number of relics were found and sent back, including those of Saint Catherine of Alexandria. But for some reason, when the relics were sent back, they were not sent in their original reliquaries. Since the relics were not in their reliquaries, there was only the word of the relic-monger that the bones were those of a saint. With the lack of identification, the relic market was flooded by false relics, and it became hard to distinguish between the true saint relic and bones of an animal. The Council of Lyon forbade anyone to venerate any relic new on the scene without proper approbation by the Pope.  But once the relic was discovered, authenticated and enshrined in a church, pilgrims came flocking. Setting out on a pilgrimage to visit shrines that housed a relic became a way to be blessed and forgiven of sins. Often pilgrimages were prescribed by confessors as a form of penance.

The veneration of relics had a strong following until the sixteenth century, when the Protestant Reformation occurred. The Protestants had a rather violent reaction against the cult of relics and the saints to whom they belong, particularly the idea of saintly intercession. Martin Luther opposed the use of relics since many had no apparent proof of historic authenticity or any biblical support; it also “constitute[d] a reliance on works rather than on faith.”  Luther saw the cult of relics as an invention of the Roman Church. John Calvin rejected relics based on theology; and his followers, particularly in Northern Europe, destroyed many reliquaries, melting them and taking the precious gems that adorned them.  Calvin himself, though, confined his attacks to relics that appeared to be improbable, such as the multiple heads of Saint John the Baptist and even claimed that if one took all the pieces of the True Cross and put them together it would make a large ship. The Huguenots in France were probably the most violent when destroying reliquaries.  Some of the French churches still bear the marks of their attacks.  In England, many relics were destroyed, especially the relics of Saint Thomas à Becket, which were taken from their reliquary, burned, and the ashes spread to the winds, though some say that Becket's bones were hidden elsewhere in the Cathedral.

The Council of Trent convened in 1545 in response to the criticisms of the Protestants. The Council, in its twenty-fifth session, stressed that, despite the lack of Biblical support, the veneration of relics was a legitimate devotion basing on the Apostolic tradition and the constant practices of the Church. There was also an affirmation of what earlier councils (such as Council of Lyon) and synods had said, especially the condemnation of anyone who denied the cult of relics as false or unholy. It also stressed the need for the cult of relics to be under the direct supervision of the Holy See and not the local bishops. Much of what Trent did to reorganize the veneration of relics still holds true today.

After Trent, however, the devotion to relics never returned to the level of fervor it had before the Protestant Reformation. Not much attention was given to them until the theologian F. Suarez collected the teachings concerning relics and commented upon them. He built his argument on top of Saint Augustine's saying that “the relation between the saint and his relics is not to be sought in physical continuity … but in the reason on which the moral dignity of the relics is based.”  Around the age of so-called Enlightenment, theologians had differing views of the cult of relics. Some viewed the cult of relics on a different, even a lower, level then that of the cult of saints, but others viewed the cult on the same level. Saint Robert Bellarmine, in his De Ecclesia trimphanti distinguished the respect and honor given to relics here on Earth and the honor given to the saints in Heaven. Cardinal Billuart explains that relics as materiel objects have absolutely no right to be venerated, and that this right comes in the formal aspect in which they are worthy of the same veneration as the saint.

The cult of relics has never been a foreign idea in the Catholic Church; it has been there since the beginning and is by no means an invention of the Medieval Church. It has been an integral part the the Church's development and has aided in the strengthening of the resolve of the faithful. This veneration of the holy dead still plays a role today in the Church and should not be discontinued.

End of Part Two.

End of Chapter One.
To Be Continued............
(Copyright: Belongs to the Wanderer)
(If interested in research please contact me.)

Christmas Songs

"Christmas time is here
Happiness and cheer
Fun for all that children call
Their favorite time of the year ….."
            - 'Christmas Time is Here', Charlie Brown Christmas

Yes it's that time of year in which I hide as much as I can from the secular Christmas. I was shocked to find that some radio stations that play the non-stop Christmas music for the season did not even have the decency to wait until after Thanksgiving (US) to start playing 'Jingle Bell Rock'. I shudder (a lot).

This year is especially hard to enjoy the overly joyous occasion considering the year I had to content with ( the loss of my nephew and of a job to name of few). But I fully intent to have a good Christmas – when December 25^th comes around.

I will confess that I do listen to the radio stations that have non-stop Christmas music, mostly because most stations in my area play music that I do not really enjoy. One song has caught my attention, and I don't really remember it being played on the radio in years past. Namely this one: Prayer of St. Francis, (sometimes mistakenly called 'Make Me a Channel of Your Peace').  A nice, simplistic, beautiful hymn when done right.  Thing that I do not get is why is this considered a Christmas song?  My Church has often sang this song for one reason or another, but never for Christmas and I, myself, have never really considered it a Christmas song.  A head scratcher this one.

Which leads me to another point that has plagued my (sometimes) thinking mind for some years.  I find it interesting that the only time God can be mentioned in any causal conversation that won't lead to arguments or death threats is during the month of December.  Just about little more than half of the Christmas songs deal with the Incarnation and God the Father.  It's probably the safest time to be Catholic when so much Catholic Theology is being sung on the radio.  Don't believe me! Well let's take a look, shall we (please note I will focus on songs that are oft played on the radio):

Silent Night:  This German carol basically recites what occurs in the Gospel in a sweet, simple tune.  It sings of the Virgin Mother, the shepherds the angels speak to, and there's even a subtle reference to Easter.

Twelve Days of Christmas: Even though I think it's neat, I really don't believe that this song was written by English Catholics during the days of heavy persecution in Great Britain to teach the faith in secret.  For one thing, partridges are not native to Great Britain and I believe that they weren't on the island as of yet when the song was written.  But that's not the point!!  The point is it got you thinking about English Catholics and different aspects of the faith.  So ha!

God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman: An oldie but goodie English carol that, like Silent Night,

recites the events of the Gospel.  Here we are told that this event brings us 'comfort and joy', also harkening to Easter.

The First Noel/Nowell: This carol sings of the Announcement of the birth of Christ, both of the Christmas Star for the Magi and the Angels speaking to the shepherds.  This is not played as often as the other carols aforementioned, but it is heard and I have yet heard a version that has made my ears bleed. :)

Ave Maria:  This one actual surprises me with the frequency I hear it on the radio.  I am referring to the Franz Schubert version of the song.  Though not originally intended for the Latin prayer, Ave Maria, (original lyrics Ellens dritter Gesang) the prayer slipped into the melody with moving and uplifting results.

These are just a few examples of songs that I have found, and I am sure there are more out there that I have not mentioned.  But this is just to get you thinking.

I must be going now, the clink and the clank I hear is the notice that my parents have begun pulling out Christmas decorations from the attic and my cue to hide before I'm overwhelmed with merriment!!

Happy Advent!

Oh boy...

I have quite a hectic past few weeks.  Between losing my job and job hunting I've little time to devote to this blog. For that I do apologize to the few people who actually read this.  I do have an interview lined up at a place where I really do want to work - so cross your fingers and say a prayer for me.

Any who.... please do check out my jewelry through this cleverly crafted link to my other blog.  If there is anything you like or would like to see please feel free to email me!

Pax!

Random Fun Quotes

"Art, like morality, consists of drawing the line somewhere."

          --- G. K. Chesterton

"If there were no God, there would be no Atheists."

        --- G. K. Chesterton

"I dislike allegory wherever I smell it."
      --- J.R.R. Tolkien

"Charge 'em and they scatter!" 
      ---J.R.R. Tolkien, on driving a car among other vehicles

Where Art Thou, O Muse?

I find my self in the most disheartening of situations an artist can find herself in - lack of inspiration.  In terms of my creative side I have several projects going on at once.  This is because sometimes if one thing does not strike my fancy to do I go on to another project, do a little here, a little there - that sort of thing.  But for the past month nothing, absolutely nothing. My Muse has been deathly silent, or lost and confused.

Death and despair, I cry into the wind!!!Not even day dreaming!!!! And that's just sad. :(  

I hope in the next few days my Muse will find a voice and hit me with something fantastic!  Especially now since Doctor Who is over til the fall.  Curse you Steven Moffat for ending with a cliff hanger! Maybe when Psych come back I will think of something.

The several projects I have going on are my jewelry, my writing, and my drawing.  For my jewelry I have been trying to put together my own website so I don't have to depend on etsy or ebay to do any transactions. The program is simply enough but when I sat down to do it - nothing zlich zip nada. I could not figure out how I wanted to design the website to display my jewelry properly.  I also have not been inspired to created any new wearable art.

My writing has been the worst victim.  I haven't written anything of significance since last summer ended.  I go back to my notes and tweak here and there with characterizations, but plot has not been dealt with. I have a vague understanding of how it will all play out so I just need to bit the proverbial bullet as it were, sit down and write.

Drawing -- I feel like I have to start all over again when it comes to drawing.  I have not picked up a pencil to do anything other than to scribble notes and a scrap of paper for work. I heave a heavy sigh for my art.  I cannot even remember the last time I drew a picture of any sort.

So if any of you see a mute Muse or a confused Muse it's mine and could you please be so kind as to send the Muse in my direction.  The reward: my eternal gratitude!  :)

Surprise

Hot and windy have to be one of the worst combinations found in nature.  One would think that the wind would cool things down, but no, it's simply more hot air coming through making the day even more hot.

I just had to get that out, so anyway . . .

For those of you who know me personally I have started my own small jewelry business called Theatre Phoenix Jewelry.  For those of you who wish to see some of my work click on this cleverly crafted link.  Presently there's not much on there mostly for the reason that I've been interrupted by Life. Curse you Responsibility!!!  But I will soon put items on the site and revamp it to look nicer.  I also display my work in an art gallery in the town where I live.  The owner is an absolute sweetheart and loves to chat.  She loves getting different types of artisans together so they can share their work.  I have already met some interesting people there and have had loads of fun.

Well I walked into the gallery one day and she told me she sold one of my necklaces!!  My reaction was one mixed with giddiness and surprise.  Giddy because one of my pieces was sold and surprised because one of my pieces was sold.  I am glad that there are some people who like my work well enough to buy it and willingly wear it in public!!  I can tell you that just made my week.:)

So that is my big surprise!  I am now so psyched to make more items! Watch out world, here comes my art!

A Random Post for a Random Day

A house with all four sides facing north, a bear walks by -- What color is the bear?

What's the answer?

:)

Do You Know What Your Shirt is Saying?

T-shirts -- the epitome of casualness, no fuss nor muss of clothing.  It says 'Today is one of comfort and ease.'  I have my share of t-shirts, ranging from the solid colour tee to ones sporting sayings (I especially love my 'Hello Sweetie' shirt - River Song is awesome!)  It is my ultimate stay-at-home wear!  I have developed the need to spruce up my appearance whenever I have to go out into public, even for errands.  This does not mean I put on a dress when I need to run out and get bread.  I usually put on a blouse over my t-shirt or put on a polo shirt, then go out.

I know not everyone shares this same fashion sensibility as I do and as long as people are modestly and respectfully dressed I really don't mind what you have on.  Which brings me to the question stated above: Do you know what your shirt is saying?

With my weekend job I see a lot of t-shirts and I entertain myself by looking for very clever designs.  I am not ashamed to say I am partial to geeky shirts concerning Doctor Who, Star Wars, etc.  I get giddy when I see a shirt bearing an joke or phrase that only fans would understand and it brightens my day when the customer geeks out with me! :)  (Say it with me people: Don't Blink!)

Then there are those designs that make me scratch my head and wonder 'How did that get past good taste?'  This category includes crude phrases to suggestive images.  Most of these tend to be focus on sexual conquest and objectifying woman (many times both).  I have often run out of brain bleach with the frequency in which I see these shirts.  I am also very surprise when women are wearing t-shirts that demean their personhood into an object of sex to be use and then thrown away.  Can someone explain why woman do that do themselves?  What really gets my goat is when I see a suggestive comment on a child's, (yes you read that correctly, a child's) shirt.  (I want my goat back!)  I have often wanted to ask the wearer of these shirts 'Do you know what your shirt is saying?' but due to my position of customer service and mostly it is not my place to remark to a stranger, I say nothing.  

I guess in a way this relates back to my post on swearing, both being very similar.  I hope that someday people will remember that being funny doesn't have to be crude and that a lot of these t-shirts are very insulting and hurtful. 

So I ask again: Do you know what your shirt is saying?

I end this post with a toast to good humor and taste!

Prost!

The Power of Words

I think it's been just over a month since my last post.  Life got in the way and there was nothing I could do about it.

Anyway...... On to the next post!

"Words, words - they're all we have to go on."



This quote is from a play I recently did working as an assistant director from 'Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead' by Tom Stoppard.  It is an absurdist, existentialist tragicomedy, one I would recommend seeing it about two or three times to understand all the subtle humour that is in it.

The above quote was the one of the few that stuck with me when I first read the script because it is so true.  The English language in particular has so many words in it that many people who take up English as a second language consider it one of, it not the most expressive language on the planet.  This makes sense when one thinks about the many influences other languages have had on it.

When one knows the English language well, one is able to create anything from expressive poetry to thinly or heavily veiled threats.  It's all in the words!

With that said it sadden me when I have talk with people who have been raised in an English speaking nation and the words coming out of their mouths sound nothing like the language.  For one of the many jobs that I hold I have to deal with a lot of young people, who, for some reason or another, speak, what I understand people call, Ebonics.

I have tried my best to understand it, but to me it sounds as though the person is too lazy to pronounce the  word and thus makes his speech sound like he is talking through mush.  At this point I would like to point out that I have little to no problem when is comes to accents or slang (i.e. That's so wicked! Dude! or even Yo!).  Accents and slang reflect a local area's culture; England has the Cockney accent, New York City has the Brooklyn accent, Texas has the Cowboy-like accent (I have no idea what the official name of it is).  Within these accents and slangs there is still some sense of grammar, none of which I can find in Ebonics no matter how hard I try.

Which brings me to the point that got this whole post started: 'Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead'.  This show has so much word play and subtle humour that is unfortunately went over the heads of many people in the audience.  When I work purely backstage for a show I enjoy listening to the audience's reaction.  For this show I was at least hoping for good heartfelt chuckles, but instead I should have brought a recording of crickets for most of the performances.  We did, thank goodness, have two good audiences (I cannot tell you how draining it is when you are on stage and you get no reaction from the audience).

The playwright, Tom Stoppard, said that this show had to been seen rather than read, I agree.  Reading a play and seeing a play are two completely different experiences.  But I have to say that when I first read the script I was laughing hysterically over the seemingly nonsensical syllogisms and explanations of actions.  It's all there in the words! 

Words are a powerfully thing that is no longer utilized by the common people.  We have been reduced down to cursing for anything ranging from a stubbed toe to getting frustrated at people.  Even using curses and swears to describe good things (that I can't wrap my head around).  I say it is time to reclaim the English language and use it the fullest potential!!

Find a word, use it, add it to your arsenal of words!!

Keep English alive!

Let us not be reduced down to '1984' simple speech!

Pray for Fr. John Corapi and All Priests 

Dulce Et Decorum Est

By Wilfred Owen

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of disappointed shells that dropped behind.

GAS! Gas! Quick, boys!-- An ecstasy of fumbling,
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling
And floundering like a man in fire or lime.--
Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.

In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.

If in some smothering dreams you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,--
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.

Inception - Done in 60 seconds

I thought this was neat.

Enjoy!

Media vita in morte sumus - Nicolas Gombert

Media vita in morte sumus,
Quem quaerimus adiutorem nisi te, Domine?
Qui pro peccatis nostris iuste irasceris.
Sancte Deus, sancte fortis, sancte et misericors
Salvator noster amarae morti ne tradas nos.

In the midst of life we are in death;
of whom may we seek help but you, O Lord,
who for our offenses are justly displeased?
Yet, O God most holy, O holy and mighty,
O holy and merciful Savior, give us not over unto bitter death.

Prayer for the Dead

God our Father,
Your power brings us to birth,
Your providence guides our lives,
and by Your command we return to dust.

Lord, those who die still live in Your presence,
their lives change but do not end.
I pray in hope for my family,
relatives and friends,
and for all the dead known to You alone.

In company with Christ,
Who died and now lives,
may they rejoice in Your kingdom,
where all our tears are wiped away.
Unite us together again in one family,
to sing Your praise forever and ever.

Amen.

Requiescat In Pace
David Edward Jr.
March 6, 2011 - March 8, 2011
We knew you so little, and yet we love you so much.

A Morbid Connection to Heaven:

An Investigation of Relics & The Modern Need for Them
Chapter One: History (Part One)

Charles Thomas explains that:

The cult of relics, was not just an interesting piece of religious phenomenology. It was a constant, potent, and often spectacular witness to the power of Christianity, countering latent heathenism, bolstering shaky belief, and enhancing the influence of those who taught adherence to the Divine Will, the only possible fount of this miraculous power.

Nor is it exclusive to the Catholic Church. Veneration of the dead was common amongst many, if not all, people. For example, when Buddha died in 483BC his remains were distributed and were housed in buildings called stupus. Even the remains of Confucius began to be venerated in the year 195BC by the Emperor Kao Tsu, and it is continued to this day. The Romans had a similar practice of going and visiting the graves of their relatives. The oddballs in all of this were the Jewish people; they “recognized the veneration of the dead especially of deceased heroes” as stated in the Mosaic Law. But unlike the other cultures of the time, it is not certain if the Jewish people applied a strong religious angle to their burial practices. They feared falling into idolatrous behavior and so suppressed human representation in any form. But in the Old Testament of the Bible the stories of Elisha, in which a dead man was cast unto the bones of Elijah and upon contact came back to life, and Elijah, in which nature reacted to the touch of Elijah's mantle, allow for an early foundation for the cult of relics. There is even less in the New Testament, but the new converts in the time of Saint Paul began dispersing objects that had once belonged to the Apostles. A good example of this comes straight from the Acts of the Apostles, retelling that “God did extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick, and diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.” This act of trying to get close to Saint Paul led to the practice of distributing brandea, which are cloths that laid “in contact with the remains of the holy apostles”. There has always been a need to be near the holy dead ever since the Early Church as seen with Saint Peter. Evidence shows that many Christians visited Saint Peter's grave and left messages asking him to pray for people. There were also Christian burials, no less then six, near the first Pope's tomb so that they could be near him in death.

The Apostles were not the only ones that the Christians wanted to get a piece of; the new witnesses to the faith were the martyrs giving up their lives for Christ. The Martyrdom of Saint Polycarp recounts the tale of the passion and martyrdom of St Polycarp, who was the bishop of Smyrna, who is worth noting for his aid in resolving the Easter date dispute. There was some difficulty for the Christians of Smyrna retrieving Saint Polycarp's remains, but once they had the remains, they treated them with honor in a religious sense. The Christians did not, as some feared, treat Saint Polycarp as a 'new Christ', but as a member of the mystical body of Christ. Each year after that, the faithful gathered on the anniversary of his martyrdom and celebrated it as a holy feast day. Saint Polycarp was not the only one of the first martyrs to receive such honors. During the persecutions, the supply of martyrs became quite plentiful and the veneration of relics spread as fast as it could across the early Church. Professor Thomas explains that “the Mediterranean owes much, for its physical development, to the evolution of the martyrium or the memoria, the visible … burial-place of a sanctified person.” Christians would gather at these martyria and celebrate the witness of the martyr. Sometimes, these gatherings were accompanied by liturgical celebrations resulting in small shrines begin built over the tombs; the greatest example of this is that of Saint Peter on the Vatican Hill outside of Rome. The catacombs of the early Christians revealed the devotion they had to their dead, stemming from the belief in an afterlife and the resurrection of the body. Since the body was resting temporarily, it only made sense for the Christians to take care of the deceased, since the deceased were going to use it again. In treating the dead to a decent burial nurtured a spiritual connection to fellow Christian brethren in heaven through their corporal remains.

It was not until the Edict of Milan and the Peace of Constantine I that the veneration really began to take off. The small monuments over the graves of martyrs were soon transformed into beautiful sanctuaries and basilicas, with Constantine leading the way with the Basilica over Saint Peter's tomb. When churches were not built over a martyr's resting place, martyrs were brought to rest within the new church, most often directly enshrined in the altar. This link between altar and relics was partially inspired by Revelation 6:9, in which John said he “saw under the altar the souls of those whose had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne,” when the fifth seal was opened.

This, however, came into conflict with the Roman Law of the time; the “Theodosian Code contained severe penalties against the spoliation of graves”. So when a martyr's remains were moved, it was an exceptional event that happened with a very strong reason or even clandestinely. It was not until the eighth century that the penalties were relaxed, thus allowing Popes to authorized a great number of saints' bodies to be moved. It is hard to determine when exactly the practice of venerating fragments of the saint came into being, but it was widespread during the fourth century. The fragments were that of bone or congealed blood, but they were so highly valued that the actual cases that held them were richly decorated and “excessive amounts of money were invested in the shrines that housed them.”

The cases were called reliquaries and they developed alongside the veneration of relics. The earliest reliquaries were essentially boxes, either simply box-shaped or based on an architectural design like a church, such as the reliquary of Saint Colette. With the discovery of the True Cross, relics from the 9th century onwards were housed in magnificent gold and silver cross-shaped reliquaries, decorated with enamels and precious stones. From about the end of the 10th century, reliquaries in the shape of the relics they housed also became popular, for example the skull of Pope Saint Alexander I is housed in a head-shaped reliquary. Similarly, the bones of saints were often housed in reliquaries that recalled the shape of the original body part, such as an arm or a foot, such as the heart of Saint Clare of Montefalco, which resides in a reliquary that is a bust of the saint and the heart can be seen in the chest portion of the bust.

Whenever a saint was moved, it was called a translation; a translation is is the removal of holy objects from one locality, such as a tomb, to another, usually a reliquary or under an altar in a church. Translations can take different forms, including all-night vigils, and the carrying of the precious remains in a reliquary of gold or silver, overshadowed with silken canopies. These acts of translation allowed the holy dead which had “once been exclusively [belonging] to communities scattered throughout the Roman world” to be more accessible to the faithful everywhere. With relics being enshrined in churches everywhere, the faithful no longer had to travel over a dangerous distances. But with such a popular demand for relics, many times these translations were done by stealth. A good example of this can be found in the Translation of Sainte Foy or Saint Faith, in which a monk named Arinisdus is sent to get the relics of Saint Foy from Agen by his superoirs from the monastery Conques “for the salvation of the country and the redemption of many people.” The monk establishes himself within the community of Agen, keeping his real intent secret, and comes to be greatly respected there. After a time, Arinisdus is placed as the guardian of the church, allowing his access to Saint Foy. When the opportunity arises, he breaks into the Saint's tomb and 'reverently' takes the bones. On his journey back to Corques, he, surprisingly, evades his pursuers; even when they are looking right at him, they cannot recognize him. Arinisdus reaches Corques safely, and Saint Foy in entombed in a new reliquary, and Agen is minus one saint.

The writer of the translation wished to do so in a positive sense, casting Arinisdus as a heroic man working for the betterment of souls. For Arinisdus stealing the relics of Saint Foy was a spiritual exercise. If the monastery of Corques was working against the will of God, then Arinisdus would have been caught red-handed; nor did the miracles surrounding Saint Foy's relics cease. If the miracles had stopped, it would have been seen as a sign that saint had been dishonored in some way. Many translations followed a similar pattern as the 'holy' theft of Saint Foy, but not all translations of relics were done by deceit. The approval of bishops was sought to move a saint's remains before anything else would be done. There are several names that are predominate in the realm of relic theft, though they are often called relic merchants to keep their actions honorable ones.

In the ninth century there was Deusdona, a deacon of the Church, who was “no occasional thief but rather the head of a large and highly organized group of relic merchants.” He worked mostly in Italy, his most notable acquisition being the relics of Saints Peter and Marcellinus. Then there was Felix, who was a rather well known merchant and sold relics all over Europe. Later on in the tenth century, King Athelstan of England was known for his passion in collecting relics and his small concern for how his suppliers got the merchandise. One such supplier was Electus, who tried to get the relics of Saint Bertulfus to sell to the King, but was caught before he could even get to the King.

End of Part One.
To Be Continued............
(Copyright: Belongs to the Wanderer)
(If interested in research please contact me.)

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Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

By Dylan Thomas

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rage at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

This has always been a favorite poem of mine. Enjoy!

Sesame Street: Smell Like A Monster

This is just epic!

Enjoy!!

Revisiting Childhood . . . Or At Least the Cartoons :)

On one of the few days I get off in a week I was mindlessly watching television flipping through channels not really knowing what I wanted to watch. As I channel surfed I realized that many of the shows on were kinda.....let us say dumb for a lack of a better word. For the purpose of this post I am keeping it to the cartoons to avoid an overly long analysis and getting people put off by my comments.

Let's begin with 'Adventure Time'. I really don't know a lot about the show only that it's about a boy (at least, I think it's a boy) and a . . . let's say a dog, going on adventures. I have seen a handful of episodes and each one makes less sense than the last; if there was a plot line in each of the episode I missed them entirely. The thing that really got me was the animation. After watching about ten minutes of the show I wanted to get the eye and brain bleach because it was so painful to watch. Just because it is a show aimed at children does not mean that the animation goes to the wayside. Children enjoy quality as much as adults!!

Another show with similar animation disaster is 'The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack'. As I understand, this show's animation was suppose to be akin to vintage adventure novels. I can see that a little in the design of the background, but the design of the characters and their expression invoked a gag reflex in me. (I'm laughing right now because you think I'm exaggerating -- I'm not) When I was able to watch the show without gagging, the stories were . . . shall we say blah? There was nothing really clever about the adventures the boy, pirate and whale (yes, I said whale) embark upon, just twenty or so minutes of uninspiring cartoon slapstick. The biggest crime of this cartoon is its insult to slapstick -- slapstick done right is unforgettable in the best sense (i.e. Abbot and Costello).

I'm not saying all the cartoons of today are awful. 'Phineas and Ferb' is a crowning achievement of Disney's in recent years where as most of their programing has been lacking. The animation is fun to the point that I am not distracted by the fact that one of the titular character's head is shaped like a triangle. Every child has the same problem Phineas and Ferb have -- to have as much fun as possible during summer vacation before school starts. The slapstick and running gags in this show has an actual point that plays out well in the episode and the series as a whole. Another thing that I found impressive about the show is it has jokes for the parents; it's not the 'if you know what I mean' humour, but the references to things that kids might not necessarily know or watch; two examples come to mind are CSI: Miami and the Shroud of Turin. The jokes for parents are still funny for the kids, and that's a big plus for me!

While I'm still on Disney let's talk about 'Kim Possible'; this is another one that is well done. This show, unlike 'Phineas and Ferb' is aim towards an older audience around 11 to 14ish years old about a teen girl, Kim Possible, saving the world between homework and cheer practice with her clumsy but lovable best friend, Ron Stoppable. It's a fun show with good plot that makes sense and keeps the viewer interested. It set during their high school years and include all the problems that happen during that time. Though the show also dealt with high school problems while saving the world it doesn't bog itself down with the tedious 'I like him - why doesn't he like me! Boohoo!' drama. It's a good mix of action, comedy, and a dash of romance to keep anyone entertained.

A show I find perplexing is 'Chowder'; I know there's something about a bakery and the people (or what have you) who run it. Other than that I find it difficult to understand the plot of the episode (if there isn't suppose to be one, please do let me know). The animation, I find, to be one where the animators were trying to be whimsical but ultimately it is a display of disturbing characters. The interaction between characters appears to happen for the sole purpose of slapstick that it becomes unsettling and unwatchable.

I do like weird cartoon, but they have to be done really well. I really enjoyed 'Courage the Cowardly Dog', I really did. Set in the middle of nowhere (literally) about a dog, Courage, who always has to protect his owners from the extremely strange, and unusual things that happen to them. Every episode leave the viewer with a feeling and wondering of 'what just happened?' What I really enjoyed about the show was that no matter what happened to the characters in the show they were always alright by the beginning of the next episode ready for the next weird thing. I wouldn't recommend this show for younger viewers just because the show is so weird and may leave a disturbing feeling with the kiddes. Each episode is self contained which works great for the set up of the show.

I want to leave this post on an up note so I will lastly talk about the DCAU cartoons. DCAU stands for DC Animated Universe which are 'Batman: The Animated Series', 'Superman: The Animated Series', 'Batman Beyond', "Static Shock', 'The Zeta Prodject' and 'Justice League/Unlimited' to name a few. These cartoons had everything from complicated plots that bleed into really engaging story arch to really touching moments between characters, things that gave viewers nightmares to things that gave hope. They were all connected with each other via references; it was possible to watch them separately without needing to watch anything else, but it added to the enjoyment when you did. What really amazes me is how long this continuance lasted; it started in 1992 with 'Batman' (same year as the Tim Burton Batman) and ended in 2006 with 'Justice League Unlimited' -- that's about 14 years. 14 years!!! That's a long time for any show, cartoon or live action, on television. To me that's just a testament of what good story telling can accomplish, and these shows had good story telling overall.

So this is my two cents (or fifty with inflation) on several cartoons.

Shakespeare's Who's on First

One must view it to believe it!

Enjoy.....

A Morbid Connection to Heaven:
An Investigation of Relics & The Modern Need for Them

Everyone has a vague understanding of relics; even the most 'un-Churched' person has heard of relics. The question that needs to be asked is a simple one – what are relics? When the modern mind thinks of relics, they think of something old and disgusting, which is partially true, but the thoughts of saints or Heaven do not enter the mind. Relics are something more then just the dead body parts of a holy person. They are a connection to something beyond what we see in the visible world, to the invisible.

People have always wanted to improve their person and wished to be close to those who are better than they. In the early days of the Church, people always scrambled to get close to the Apostles, their successors and other holy people in hopes that a simple touch would improve their fortunes. Even when the holy person has passed on to the the next life, people still wish to touch and be connected. With this mindset, it is not hard to see why the cult of saints and of relics developed. As the Holy Mother Church grew and spread, so did the cult of relics, and the cult was integrated within the liturgy. Soon great devotions brought thousands of pilgrims to the graves of the saints and the churches that held relics. Because of people's faith and their need for graces, miracles began to occur through, not by, the relics of saints. Unfortunately, people turned the desire to be near someone holy for profit and the abuses began, which also brought about great doubt concerning the veneration.

But there will always be doubters about relics and their authenticity, which began strongly with the Protestant Revolt or Reformation. The skeptic will always be able to say, 'This might not have been so-and-so’s,' or 'You might be mistaken,' and there is a possibility that it might be true. There might have been a mistake, or fakes might have been substituted for the real relics. We evaluate relics the same way we evaluate the bona fides of anything else, like visiting where a famous pop star use to live in his youth or something similar. Skeptics have gone to great lengths to disprove some of the more fantastical miracles that occur with relics, such as the liquefaction of Saint Januarius' blood and, especially, the Shroud of Turin. But some relics are beyond doubt, others are so highly probable that it would be rash to doubt. Others are merely probable, and some, yes, are improbable. But since it is not the physical object itself Catholics venerate, it is best not to toss out even most of the skeptical relics, lest you toss out something that really is a relic of the holy dead.

Relics are an aid to the Church Militant in helping Her to remember the goal of Heaven and to have a closer connection to God through His saints. Also, in a round about way, relics can lead to a better understanding and participation in a good wholesome relationship with our fellow man. Relics become a reminder of two things – first that we must die and secondly, and most importantly, that there will be a resurrection of the body.

To Be Continued............
(Copyright: Belongs to the Wanderer)
(If interested in research please contact me.)