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Blessed Jubilee to the Dominican Order!

This beautiful new painting by Bernadette Carstensen was commissioned by the Dominican Province of Saint Joseph (Eastern USA) for the 800th Jubilee of the Order which began today, 7th November. It runs until 21st January 2017, and a plenary indulgence has been granted by the Holy Father for anyone who participates in the celebrations, subject to the usual conditions (see here). 

A blessed Jubilee to all, and please pray that we Dominicans will be true to our calling. You can join us in praying the Jubilee prayer below, which is one of the prayers to be said to gain the Jubilee indulgence.

Jubilee Prayer:

God, Father of mercy, who called your servant Dominic de Guzman to set out in faith as an itinerant pilgrim and a preacher of grace, as we prepare to celebrate the Jubilee of the Order we ask you to pour again into us the Spirit of the Risen Christ, that we might faithfully and joyfully proclaim the Gospel of peace, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Holy Week in images

On the Pauline Blog, the Daughters of Saint Paul have posted Three Ways to Make Holy Week Truly Holy:

Find your own way this week to say “Thank you” to Jesus for giving his life for you, for loving you so much. Maybe it will be through one of the Holy Week liturgies; or maybe it will be during a quiet moment in a garden on Good Friday. Whether you use words, silence, art, or another way, spending some time in gratitude for the great gift of our Redemption is what Holy Week is all about. - source (emphasis mine)

In case you would like to use art to meditate and pray during Holy Week, here are links to my past posts showing images of specific episodes in the Passion of Christ:

The Agony in the Garden

The Arrest of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane

Christ Before Pilate

The Scourging at the Pillar

The Crowning with Thorns

Carrying of the Cross

Veronica and her Veil

The Crucifixion

Deposition from the Cross

The Pieta

Harrowing of Hell

And here are some other previous Passion and Holy Week posts:

Holy Week: Spy Wednesday

The Passion Facade of Sagrada Familia

Memling’s Painting, Scenes from the Passion of Christ

Good Friday: The Passion Story

For Holy Week thoughts from other bloggers, see the links in Kelly’s post.

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Quick Takes: Palm Sunday

Today is Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion, and all of this week’s quick takes relate to Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week.  Unfortunately, I am still having problems adding images to my blog posts, so these takes are largely image-free.

1.

Here is a lovely photo collection of Palm Sunday celebrations around the world:

2.

The blog Supremacy and Survival considers the role of the donkey in Christ’s life: his entry into Jerusalem, as well as in the events surrounding his birth.  Included is a poem by G.K. Chesterton about the donkey:

Fools! For I also had my hour One far fierce hour and sweet: There was a shout about my ears, And palms before my feet.

3.

Listen to Father Robert Barron’s Palm Sunday homily about the Passion narrative in Mark’s gospel

4.

               Entry Into Jerusalem, Lansdowne 420 f.10v, British Library - source

The always-interesting A Clerk of Oxford blog considers several translations of the ancient hymn “Glory, Laud and Honor” - the original Latin by Theodulph of Orleans (d.821), a Middle English translation by the Franciscan friar William Herebert (c.1270-1333), also presented in modernized English:

They attended you with honour, at the time when you should die, And we sing to your honour, who in throne sits on high. Their will and their humility you accepted graciously then; So may please you, merciful King, our offering of this song.

  She also presents the familiar translation into modern English by J. M. Neale.

5.

Here is Cardinal Dolan’s one-minte Lenten reflection for Palm Sunday:

6.

Blogger Terry Prest, of the blog Idle Speculations, has an interesting post about the calling of Saint Clare:

Dressed in her finery, she went  to Church on Palm Sunday (20 March, 1212) to receive a palm directly from the hands of Pope Innocent III himself

That night she proceeded to the humble chapel of the Porziuncula, where St. Francis and his disciples met her with lights in their hands.

Clare then laid aside her rich dress, and St. Francis, having cut off her hair, clothed her in a rough tunic and a thick veil, and in this way she vowed herself to the service of Jesus Christ. 

7.

more Palm Sunday:

- My 2013 post of Palm Sunday links

- My post from 2011 with images of Christ’s Entry Into Jerusalem

- If you want even more Palm Sunday quick links, images, and quotes, on her Patheos blog, Kathryn Lopez shares 15 Palm Sunday Things that Caught My Eye Today:

To see more quick takes from dozens of other bloggers, visit this week’s roundup hosted by Kelly of This Ain’t the Lyceum.

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Annunciation

Today, March 25, is the Solemnity of the Annunciation.  Even though it falls during Lent, we celebrate the great “yes” of the Virgin to become the mother of our Savior.

I apologize that there are not more images in this post.  My blog is having technical difficulties and I am not able to upload the photos.  With any luck, I can edit this post later to add them.

1.

I love this video from Fr. James Martin - although it's from Advent, it is a reflection on the Annunciation, looking at a sculpture group by the 14th century Siennese artist Marco Romano, located in the Basilica of San Marco, Venice:

2.

Here’s a new-to-me website, The Angelus Project, which focuses on the prayer of the Angelus and the Annunciation, particularly in art:

One recent post highlighted this beautiful prayer from the Byzantine liturgy:

Hail, star illumined by the sun, hail: through you creation has been renewed. You are the heavenly stairway through which God has descended. You are the earth of the fruit that never perishes. You are the key to the doors of paradise. (From the Byzantine liturgy)

3.

The blog Ad Imaginum Dei has recently been posting a series of essays about the Annunciation as it has been shown in art:

The Annunciation is the foundation of much more than just the Rosary, it is the beginning of the Incarnation of Christ, the re-foundation of the world, the undoing of the sins of Adam and Eve by the new Adam, who isChrist, and the new Eve, who is the sinless Mary.  And, for all these reasons, it is one ofthe most frequently depicted scenes in all of Western art history. 

...I will endeavor to give you an overview of the iconography of the Annunciation as itappears to me from the images I have seen and studied myself, reinforced byselected reference to some of the vast literature on the subject.  

In my description of the iconography of the Annunciation Iwill make some distinctions based on very simple criteria.  Among them are:  the number of participants, the simplicity or complexity of the presentation, any references to God the Father, to the Holy Spirit and/or to Jesus himself, the presence of witnesses, the location of the event, etc.  Some of the elements are confined to only one category, some of them operate across multiple categories.  I will do the best I can to separate out some of the main themes that run through the depiction of the Annunciation event through the history of art from the middle ages to the Baroque period and beyond, if possible. - source   

Here are the essays:

Part I: The Annunciation, simplicity

Part II: The Annunciation with a dove

Part III: The Annunciation in a Garden

Part IV: The Annunciation in a Temple

Part V: Telling the whole Annunciation story

Part VI: Then Annunciation Witnessed

also: a study of an Annunciation painting by Fra Angelico

4.

above:  Andrea Previtali's The Annunciation, ca. 1508

If you look carefully at the painting above you will see that there is an oriental carpet in the background.  In fact, it's a "small-pattern Holbein" carpet.  Many paintings, starting in the 14th century, contain images of carpets, and scholars have explored the varieties of carpets depicted as well as their meaning.  An entry on Wikipedia, “Oriental Carpets in Renaissance Painting” is both informative and detailed:

More depictions of Oriental carpets in Renaissance painting survive than actual carpets produced before the 17th century, so the study of these paintings is important for constructing the history of carpetmaking itself. Such carpets were often integrated into Christian imagery as symbols of luxury and status of Middle-Eastern origin, and together with Pseudo-Kufic script offer an interesting example of the integration of Eastern elements into Renaissance painting and of Islamic influences on Christian art. - source

It’s a very detailed article with lots of examples and links for more information.

- read the whole article here.  

- a flickr group devoted to the subject of oriental carpets in painting

- a list with links to paintings that contain oriental carpets

5.

To learn about the Orthodox perspective on depictions of the Annunciation, see this reader's guide to orthodox icons:

This icon marks the crowning of our salvation and the revelation of the mystery before all ages. For the Son of God becomes the son of the Virgin, and Gabriel proclaims to the ever-virgin Mary: “Hail, O full of grace, the Lord is with you.”

https://iconreader.wordpress.com/2010/07/14/the-annunciation/

6.

From my blog archives about the Solemnity of the Annunciation:

- my post from 2014 about two Flemish paintings of the Annunciation

- my post from 2013 with many links

- my post from 2012 with images of the Annunciation in art

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Quick Takes: papal anniversaries, Catholic time, Magna Carta, and more

1.

                                                                                                          - source

Friday was the 2nd anniversary of the election of Pope Francis.  In Pope-related art stories, the first portrait of Francis was painted in 2014 by Chinese-born artist Shen Jiawei, who was previously a propaganda painter for the Red Guard in his native China.  Shen emigrated to Australia after the Tiananman Square massacre.

In working on his painting of Pope Francis (which you can see in the photo above), Shen carefully researched photos of papal audiences to capture faces of the faithful as they encountered the pope:

Basing the portrait on photographs, Shen painted Francis with outstretched arms, a white dove about to land on his shoulder. He is surrounded by people Shen painted from the photos of crowds at papal audiences, slipping in an image of his daughter for fun.

There are several birds in the painting, homage to Francis' namesake, the nature-loving St. Francis of Assisi. 'When the pope approved this project and they sent me the photos, (they said) the pope wants a painting with people together,' Shen said. - source

more:

- article in the Daily Mail

- short video on Rome Reports

2.

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Work is set to begin this year in Rancagua, Chile on a chapel designed by Antoni Gaudi nearly a century ago. When completed, it will be the only one of the architect’s works to be built outside of Spain:

The project began when the friar, Angélico Aranda, wrote to Gaudí in 1922 asking him to design a chapel for Rancagua. “I wish to build something original – very original – and I thought of you,” Aranda said in his letter to the architect, whom he had met in Barcelona years earlier. He asked Gaudí to provide “some plans as only you know how to do”.

The letter arrived in Spain while Gaudí was building Barcelona’s Sagrada Família basilica. Aranda’s request reminded him of a chapel he had designed years before for the rear section of the Sagrada Família apse, and he sent the never-implemented sketches to Aranda. “This project will serve as a spiritual fraternity between Spain and America,” Gaudí explained in the accompanying letter. Aranda, in return, vowed to pay for the work “with prayers”. - source

Here’s a short video from Rome Reports:

read more:

- post on the Architect’s Newspaper blog

- article from The Guardian

3.

To see some beautiful Catholic woodcuts, engravings and illustrations, check out the Catholic Line Art tumblr.

4.

This week I learned about the Catholic way of marking time from a blog post on The Catholic Gentleman Sanctifying Time: The Catholic Meaning of Days and Months:

Since becoming, Catholic, however, I have gained a new appreciation for the sacredness of time. The liturgical cycle gives shape and meaning to the year, and each season brings new significance. But the liturgical year is just the beginning. Did you know Mother Church has also assigned meaning to each day and month of the year? It’s true. - source

5.

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Over the past 5 months the Catholic Artists Society and the Thomistic Institute have co-sponsored a series of lectures in New York addressing the topic Art of the Beautiful; Redeeming Culture in Christ.  The closing lecture in the series is this evening, Bishop Conley speaking on Beauty, Culture, and the New Evangelization.

For those of us who missed the events in New York, the audio of the opening lecture is available online:

Father John Saward of Oxford University addressed a full house for the opening lecture of 2014-15 Art of the Beautiful series. Father’s lecture began with the question: “Is there a place for liturgical beauty in what Pope Francis calls ‘the Church that is poor and for the poor’?” - source

6.

Have you ever wondered about Matisse’s workspace or what Picasso looked like in the process of creating (see photo above)? The site Bored Panda provides a fascinating glimpse into the studios of more than 100 famous artists:

7.

2015 marks the 800 year anniversary of the Magna Carta.  To commemorate this milestone in history, the British Library, which owns two of the four extant copies of the documents, has mounted a major exhibition.  The exhibit took four years to plan, and was officially opened on Friday by Prince Charles.  On display at the exhibit is Thomas Jefferson’s manuscript of the Declaration of Independence, on loan from the New York Public Library.

In a related event last month, all four extant copies of the Magna Carta were exhibited together for the first time.  One thousand two hundred and fifteen members of the public were chosen by lottery to view the documents - the number chosen to reflect the year - 1215 - the documents were created.  Here is a video about the unification:

more: - the British Library’s dedicated Magna Carta web site - British Library’s Medieval Manuscripts blog has a post about Friday’s official exhibit opening

For more quick takes from throughout the blogosphere, see this week’s linkup hosted by Kelly at This Ain’t the Lyceum

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Lenten links and more

It's been a long time since I've posted quick takes, so I'll just dive in with some items that I've bookmarked to share with you.

1.

As we approach the mid-point of Lent, it's not too late to remind ourselves of the focus of the liturgical season.  This post on the Catholic Gentleman blog, "Don't Waste Your Lent: 7 Ways to Have a Good Lent" give some good tips:

Lent is a season of penance and ascetical warfare. The enemy is concupiscence, the world, and the devil. The goal is pure hearts so that we can joyfully celebrate the resurrection of our Lord at Easter, the greatest feast of the liturgical year. In a way, Lent should be a microcosm of our entire struggle on earth, just as the Paschal feast of Easter is a microcosm of our heavenly triumph in Christ. Yet, a good Lent takes focus and discipline, and it can easily be wasted. - source

The post contains some good practical suggestions to ensure that your Lent is fruitful and directed to the goal of repentance, turning away from sin and back to God.  Read the whole post here.

2.

Cardinal Dolan of New York has a way of making profound points in a few moment's time, using everyday language and personal examples. Here's his  video "What Is Lent?"

Additionally, every day of Lent, Cardinal Dolan posts a very short video reflecting on the day's reading - you can find all of them on his blog.

3.

- source

A Coptic artist, Tony Rezk, created a digital icon of the 21 Christians murdered last month in Libya by the forces of the Islamic State. Kathryn Lopez interviewed Rezk about the icon, his art and his Coptic faith:

My ultimate purpose was to honor them and the sacrifice that they made. Tertullian, a Christian apologist from the third century, before he joined a non-Orthodox Christian sect, said, “The blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church.” We believe that their martyrdom will help the Church grow stronger. - source

4.

Today was the final day of the Winchester Bible exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  The museum had a rare opportunity to display the illuminated Bible along with an illumination in the Morgan Library collection that was originally part of the Winchester Bible.   Objects from the Metropolitan's collection provided context.

Here is a brief description of the exhibit from the Metropolitan's site:

This exhibition features masterfully illuminated pages from two volumes of the magnificent, lavishly ornamented Winchester Bible. Probably commissioned around 1150 by the wealthy and powerful Henry of Blois (about 1098–1171), who was the bishop of Winchester (and grandson of William the Conqueror and King Stephen's brother), the manuscript is the Winchester Cathedral's single greatest surviving treasure. Renovations at the Cathedral provide the opportunity for these pages, which feature the Old Testament, to travel to New York. This presentation marks the first time the work will be shown in the United States. At the Metropolitan Museum, the pages of one bound volume will be turned once each month; three unbound bi-folios with lavish initials from the other volume—which is currently undergoing conservation—will be on view simultaneously for the duration of the exhibition. - source

And here are links to some posts about the Winchester Bible on the museum's blog:

- Reflecting on the Winchester Bible, posted on March 6, 2015 by Charles T. Little                                                            

- The Winchester Bible and Europe, posted on February 24, 2015 by Charles T. Little                            

- The Entire Bible in a Single Letter: The Genesis Initial, posted on February 17, 2015 by Julia Perratore                                    

Although it is too late to see the exhibit, the catalog (pictured above) is available to purchase from the Metropolitan.

5.

.- source

The church of Sagrada Familia in Barcelona is still under construction, more than a century after construction began under the guidance of its designer Antoni Gaudi.  An in-depth exhibition of the design of the monument is currently being held in New York:

The Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture at The City College of New York is ... host[ing] a once-in-a-lifetime exhibition of La Sagrada Familia, the magnum opus of Antoni Gaudí, the father of Catalan Modernisme. This is the only time that such a demonstration of Gaudí’s genius will be featured on American soil. Many institutions have vied for this singular opportunity, and City College is honored to offer this extraordinary experience to New York City. The exhibit includes several architectural models and casts used in construction, and showcases the 3D computer imaging software used to analyze and draw precise tridimensional geometry. - source

The exhibit runs until May 8, 2015. Check here for the schedule of related public lectures.

6.

Fr Mark Haydu, the International Coordinator of the Arts in the Vatican Museum, recently wrote a book incorporating works from the Vatican collection with scripture, prayer and meditation.  Meditations on Vatican Art contains 28 works and would be suitable for a mini-retreat.

As Fr. Haydu explains in the book's promitional video:

I wrote Meditations on Vatican Art so that you could meditate on the Vatican collection and be united by its beauty with God. Please use this tool to unite yourself with Him and grow in your spiritual life.

Here's how the book is described on the Amazon listing: 

Deepen your relationship with God as you reflect on art from the Vatican collections and pray the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises. Fr. Mark Haydu, International Coordinator  of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums, serves as the spiritual guide for this exquisite collection of art, contemplation, and prayer. The book follows the four categories of the Ignatian Exercises — 1) Creation, 2) Sin, 3) Jesus Christ, and 4) Resurrection.    

Each day of prayer includes:

• Vatican Art image with a poetic overview and short descriptive background information about the art

• Scripture passage

• Reflection on the art image and scripture passage

• Concluding prayer

• Reflective questions for the reader to ponder or use as writing prompts

read a review on the Catholic Tourist site.

http://catholictourist.com/meditations-on-vatican-art-offers-lavish-retreat-for-armchair-pilgrims/

7.

Just this evening I stumbled across this video of the Basilica choir of Mary, Queen of the Universe in Orlando, Florida singing "Hail, Holy Queen."  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did:

For more quick takes from dozens of bloggers, visit the roundup, hosted by Kelly of This Ain't the Lyceum.

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Dream of the Magi

Although the Catholic Church in the United States celebrates the Solemnity of the Epiphany on the Second Sunday of Christmas, the traditional date is January 6.  The feast commemorates the story of the wise men, or magi, told in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 2:

1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, 2 “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet: 6 ‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will govern my people Israel.’” 7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star appeared; 8 and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” 9 When they had heard the king they went their way; and lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; 11 and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

The Epiphany is one of my very favorite feast days and subjects of art. In previous years, I have posted images focusing on different aspects of the story of the magi:

- 2012: "The Journey of the Wise Men" showing the magi as they travel towards Bethlehem, following the star. 

- 2013: "The Magi appear before Herod" in art.

- 2014: links about the Magi in art and music

This year my focus is on the part of the story where the magi are warned in a dream to return to their homes by a different route.  Although the scriptural account doesn't elaborate about how they were warned, early apocryphal tradition told of an angel who appeared to the magi as they were sleeping, and delivered the warning.

This vignette, called the Dream of the Magi, was a popular motif in medieval art, and can be seen in manuscripts, carved ivories, and stone sculptures.  Here are some examples:

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1.

GISLEBERTUS, Dream of the Magi, 1120-30, Stone, Cathedral of Saint-Lazare, Autun, France

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2.

Adoration of the Magi (scene at top of page) and Dream of the Magi (bottom of page), Lansdowne 420 Psalter, with calendar England, S. E. (London?); 1st quarter of the 13th century

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3.

                                                                              - source, British Library

Dream of the Magi, St. Mary's Psalter, Royal MS 2 B VII, f131v.m 1310-1320, British Library

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4.

The cathedral of St Trophime in Arles, France, has two sculptural representations of the Dream of the Magi:

                                                                      - photo by kristobalite, source

Dream of the Magi, in the Cloister of the Cathedral Saint-Trophime, Arles, France

and

5.

                                                                   - photo by Holly Hayes, source

Dream of the Magi, detail of Romanesque portal, 12th century. St-Trophime, Arles, France.

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6.

Dream of the Magi (top of page) and Presentation in the Temple (bottom of page), Arundel 157 ff. 3-131 Psalter, including a calendar (ff. 13-18v) England, Central (Oxford); 1st quarter of the 13th century

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7.

                                                                                                      -source

Wise Men - Divine Warning, 1100s, Illuminated Manuscript: Echternach Codex Aureus.

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edited, January 8, 2015, to add the following fabulous image:

Dream of the Magi, Salzburg Missal, Regensburg ca. 1478-1489 München, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Clm 15708 I, fol. 63r

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more:

- a gallery on flickr featuring photos of medieval representations of the Dream of the Magi,

- and a  second Dream of the Magi gallery on flickr.

- additionally, there is a flickr group devoted to the Magi, with photos of the Dream of the Magi and also the Adoration of the Magi.

- a lovely 13th century Dream of the Magi in the Oscott Psalter, manuscript BL AddMss50000, fol 9v can be seen at the British Library, London site

- another beautiful manuscript depiction of the Dream of the Magi can be seen in the 12th century St. Alban's Psalter, p. 26, here.

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I am linking this post to the Quick Takes, hosted by Kelley of This Ain't The Lyceum.  Head over there to see more quick takes posted by dozens of other bloggers.

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12 in 2014: my year in churches

Although I didn't spend as much time as I would have liked in this space in 2014, I did a fair amount of travel to points near and far (along with a few months where I didn't leave my hometown.)  I took boatloads of photos, and thought it would be fun to give a little taste of my year by sharing pictures of one church for each month.  I hope to share more photos of these lovely churches in future posts.

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January

Feast of the Epiphany, Holy Archangels, Buffalo, NY

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February

Cathedral of Christ the King, Atlanta, a parish close to my home

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March

I joined the monks at St. Joseph's Abbey, Covington, LA for Compline

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April

Mass at the Cathedral of St. Mary, Austin, TX

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May

Joining the monks at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit, Conyers, GA for mid-day prayer

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June

the Feast of Pentecost at Holy Trinity Church, Buffalo, NY

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July

here's a photo of a bright morning during our 10 days at the Sanctuary of Lourdes, France

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August

I attended the Latin Mass at St. Anthony of Padua, Buffalo, NY

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September

I was back at the Cathedral of Christ the King, Atlanta, GA.  This is the choir loft

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October

One of the most charming church facades that I saw in Tuscany: the church of Sant'Andrea, Pistoia, Italy

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November

A highlight of our 3 days in Assisi, Italy was this sunset, seen from the Piazza of Santa Chiara

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December

The Cathedral of Christ the King, in Atlanta, was lovely for Christmas Mass. (The LED lights on the trees in the sanctuary were a soft yellow in person but show up weirdly green in photographs)

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To see how many other bloggers recapped their year in photos, check out the 12 in 2014 linkup hosted by Dwija at House Unseen blog.

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Michaelmas: Archangel Michael and Mont Saint Michel

Today's quick takes are all related to St. Michael the Archangel. September 29 is the Church's traditional Feast of St. Michael, also known as Michaelmas. (More recently it has become the Feast of the Archangels, honoring Gabriel and Raphael as well as Michael.) 

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1.

As Wikipedia explains:

In Christianity, the Archangel Michael is the greatest of all the Archangels and is honoured for defeating Lucifer in the war in heaven.[2] He is one of the principal angelic warriors, seen as a protector against the dark of night, and the administrator of cosmic intelligence. - source

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2.

A small rocky island off the coast of France has been dedicated to the Archangel Michael since the beginning of the 8th century:

According to legend, the archangel Michael appeared to St. Aubert, bishop of Avranches, in 708 and instructed him to build a church on the rocky islet.

But Aubert repeatedly ignored the angel's instruction until Michael burned a hole in the bishop's skull with his finger. That did the trick. The dedication to St Michael occurred on October 16, 708. - source

The island is known as Mont Saint Michel. From that original church a Romanesque Benedictine abbey was built, and then modified, and a town grew up around it.

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3.

In July I traveled to France with my husband.  After a week of sightseeing in Paris and Normandy we journeyed south to Lourdes where we worked with the North American Lourdes Volunteers.  As we left Normandy we spent a night on Mont Saint Michel.

The mount has become one of France's top tourist sites, and it's easy to figure out why.  Even on first glimpse from a distance across some fields, the island topped with its ancient monastery is stunning.  It only gets more impressive from closer vantage points.

Here is a photo showing the gorgeous water setting of Mont Saint Michel:

- source

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4.

At the tip top of Mont Saint Michel is a spire, surmounted by a statue of St. Michael the Archangel.  I wasn't able to get a suitable photo of the statue - it is so high above the ground - but here is what the statue looks like up close:

                                 - image of statue at Mont St. Michel. source

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5.

Halfway up Mont Saint Michel on the way to the Abbey, there is the parish church of St-Pierre dating from the 15th-16th centuries. A carved side chapel is dedicated to St. Michael and has a statue of the Archangel slaying the devil in the guise of a dragon (picture above).

- You can read more about Mont St. Michel on the site Sacred Destinations, and on Mont Saint Michel, the official website of the Tourism Office

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6.

When we reached Lourdes we learned that the front gate is named the St. Michael Gate and there is a statue of St. Michael watching over the gate.  There are also statues of his fellow archangels Gabriel and Raphael flanking the gate.

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7.

Pope Leo the XIII wrote the St. Michael Prayer:

Saint Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle;

be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil.

May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;

and do thou O Prince of the heavenly host,

by the power of God, cast into hell,

Satan and all other evil spirits who prowl about the world

seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

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Michaelmas links (may be updated):

- My 2012 post on the Feast of the Archangels with a bit of information specifically about St. Michael and some photos as well.

-  "Michaelmas Traditions: Prayers, Food, and Flowers"  on the blog named, appropriately enough, Carrots for Michaelmas

- Bonnie of A Knotted Life interviewed Haley of Carrots for Michaelmas about the feast of Michaelmas.  You can watch the short video here.

- more about Michaelmas on Fisheaters.com

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For more Quick Takes from bloggers everywhere, visit this week's roundup hosted by Jen of Conversion Diary.

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September 14: Triumph of the Cross

- the crucifix at the entrance to the shrine of Lourdes, Franc, July 2014

Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross. There is such a rich history to this feast and to the tradition of veneration of the Cross. I'm sharing some of my favorite some online resources.

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A Clerk of Oxford has a beautiful post today, 'Steadfast Cross,' an extended meditation on the significance of the cross standing fast:

steadfast conjures up an irresistible echo of the Anglo-Saxon poem The Dream of the Rood [Cross], in which the cross describes its memories of the crucifixion: Ealle ic mihte feondas gefyllan, hwæðre ic fæste stod. "I could have felled all those enemies," says the Rood, speaking of those who nailed his young Lord to the tree, "but I stood fast." And again: Bifode ic þa me se beorn ymbclypte; ne dorste ic hwæðre bugan to eorðan, feallan to foldan sceatum, ac ic sceolde fæste standan. "I trembled when that man [Christ] embraced me, yet I dared not bow to the earth, fall to earth's fields; I had to stand fast." Forced to take a part in his Lord's destruction, the loyal Cross is shaken but stands firm; the disciples flee, and he alone is steadfast, rooted in position. ... standing fast is one defining characteristic of the cross, 'the still point of the turning world': Stat crux volvitur dum orbis, the cross stands while the world turns. - source

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The cross as tree of life (BL Stowe 39, f. 23v)

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Father James Bradley's homily for the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is especially meaningful:

the holy and life-giving Cross is of supreme importance in the celebration of the Sacred Liturgy. In each of the Church’s rites the sign of the Cross is made, signifying the gift of God’s grace bestowed on us through the offering of Christ on that very Cross. The saintly parish priest of Ars, Saint John Vianney, tells us that this ‘is because all our prayers and all the sacraments draw from the Cross their power and their virtue’. And this is why, also, the Cross is enthroned above every altar; why the Priest is instructed to gaze at the Cross at particular moments in the Mass. It is the reason the Cross is honoured with sweet-smelling incense and a bow of the head, and why it far from inappropriate for the Cross to be made of precious metals, adorned and ornate; because this is no longer simply the wood of death, but now the glorified ‘ladder by which we may get to heaven’. It has been redeemed and restored, just as we hope to one day be.

Read the whole homily.

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more:

- my post from 2013, with lots of links and info.

- The Dream of the Rood" post on the blog Once I was a Clever Boy has lots of information and links related to the Feast of the Exaltation of the cross from both Catholic and Orthodox perspectives, and also related to the medieval poem The Dream of the Rood.

- Stephanie Mann's 2013 article for Our Sunday Visitor about the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross and tomorrow's memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows

See also her post "Lift High the Cross" on her own blog Supremacy and Survival today, about Spanish choral music relating to the Cross

- homily of Msgr Charles Pope for the Exaltation of the Cross.

- The Salt and Light TV blog has two posts about the Cross addressing: why we venerate the cross and why did Christ have to die on the cross.

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Quick Takes: Manuscript edition

Much of the content of my social media feeds is related to medieval manuscripts, and I thought I'd share some of the highlights in these quick takes:

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1.

 In January of this year the Rothschild Prayer Book sold for $12million at auction at Christie's in New York.  Although the identity of the purchaser was shrouded in mystery, it has recently been revealed that Australian billionaire Kerry Stokes is the new owner of the storied book, whose provenance has involved mystery and intrigue in the 500 years since its production in Bruges.

Click here for a video report about the book and its owner.

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Here's a very nice introduction to the basics of manuscripts from the Free Library of Philadelphia.

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And here's a beautiful video from the Getty Museum about Making Manuscripts:

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- source

The blog Medieval Manuscripts Provenance has a fascinating tale of the provenance of the stunning Beauvais Missal just before it was cut up and sold in pieces.  Read the story here.

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For a discussion of the implications of the dismantling of important manuscript books and the dissemination of their pages, read these posts by Elaine Treharne’s on her blog Text Technologies: 'The Broken Book I: Getty Exhibition “Canterbury and St. Albans: Treasures from Church and Cloister”' and 'The Broken Book II: From a Book of Hours to a Book of Bits,' which considers .

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6.

- source

If you happen to be in London in late October and early November you can attend the Panizzi Lecture.  The topic is the Giant Bibles of 12th Century England:

In each lecture, Dr de Hamel will be taking a closer look at three outstanding examples of this kind of manuscript – the Bury Bible, the Winchester Bible and the Lambeth Bible – using evidence of their decoration, codicology and provenance to explore why these large and incredibly expensive books came into and fell out of fashion within a single century.  Further details about the lectures may be found on the British Library website and on the above leaflet. - source

And if, like me, you will not be in London at that time, you can click to the British Library's medieval manuscripts blog post and see some fine images from these bibles.

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- source

Durham Cathedral (Anglican) in England has a fine collection of medieval manuscripts.  Its library is descended from the monastery of Lindisfarne, founded in the 6th century.  The Cathedral features one of the manuscripts or objects in its collection on its website each month:

Durham Cathedral has acquired an internationally renowned collection of manuscripts and historic artefacts over the centuries. Each month we feature one of these objects as 'Treasure of the Month' on our website.

The collections at Durham Cathedral are not currently on display, for want of suitable space and conditions in which to display them. Our development project Open Treasure will address these issues by transforming public access to some of the Cathedral's most spectacular spaces and breathtaking collections.

September 2014's featured manuscript is the 12th century Bible of Hugh of Le Puiset (pictured above):

One of the Cathedral Library’s most celebrated and richly decorated manuscripts, this magnificent Bible was commissioned by Hugh of le Puiset, Bishop of Durham, 1153–95. The ambitious work of a team of scribes working simultaneously, the four volumes contain almost 7 miles of writing on parchment and weigh over 45 kg. The manuscript is one of the masterpieces of twelfth-century English book production. Each volume has illuminated initials and a blind-stamped binding. Historiated initials introduce the biblical books, although many of the initials were cut out, possibly by a nursemaid in the 17th century who was teaching her charges to read. The text is beautifully clear, decorated throughout in vivid colours and gold leaf. It is not known whether Le Puiset commissioned the Bible for Durham Cathedral or for his own private chapel, but in due course the books passed to Durham Cathedral Priory. - source

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For more quick takes from bloggers near and far, check out this week's linkup hosted by Jen of Conversion Diary

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Nativity of the Virgin

Today, September 8 is the Feast of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary.

Here are some links related to the feast day:

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                                                               - source

There is a group of religious sisters in Rome who have the nickname "The Baby Mary Sisters" because they take care of a very old wax statue of the infant Virgin Mary:

The Baby Mary Sisters got their name because since the 1700s they have been caretakers of a wax statue of the Holy Child Mary (Maria Bambina).  The statue was carved in 1730 by a Franciscan nun and was transferred from one religious congregation to another until it eventually came into the care of the Sisters of Charity at Lovere, Italy.  In 1866, the Sisters of Charity accepted responsibility for a hospital in Milan, and in 1867, they moved the waxen image to their Motherhouse there.  The wax statue was exposed for veneration each year on September 8, the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, until 1884. - source

read the rest on Seasons of Grace

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On the site New Liturgical Movement, there is a post which gives a good deal of background of the feast of the Nativity of the Virgin, and how it has been celebrated through history in the eastern and western churches:

This event does not of course occur in the Bible, but is first mentioned in the popular apocryphal work known as the Protoevangelium of James. The precise origin of the feast is a matter of speculation, and the reason for the choice of date is unknown. It was celebrated at Constantinople by the 530s, when St Romanus the Melodist composed a hymn for it; by the seventh century, it has passed to the West-

read the rest: liturgical notes on the Nativity of the Virgin

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More:

- "The Birthday of Our Lady" on Once I was a Clever Boy blog

- Father Lawrence Lew has a photo of the silk relic, the Tunic of the Virgin, which is housed at Chartres Cathedral in France.

- my post from last year (with background, images, links)

- my post from 2012 (containing images and links)

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Zurbaran, 350 years on

St. Francis in Meditation, 1635, oil, National Gallery of Art, London - source

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Francisco de Zurbarán was a painter of Spanish Golden Age who died on this date (August 27) in 1664, 350 years ago.

Zurbarán is best known for his paintings of saints and monks who are depicted as monumental single figures bathed in dramatic light emphasi[z]ing their three-dimensional quality, and to impart a sense of their inner spirituality. - source

The bulk of Zurbarán's work was commissioned by churches and  monastic communities around Seville, Spain.  Late in his career, Zurbarán sent paintings to the South American countries.

Zurbarán's clientele, though restricted, was nevertheless representative of seventeenth-century Spain; his approach to spiritual subjects reflects the authority of tradition, the demands of doctrine, and the requirements of patrons and of a public for whom the story, not the style, was the essence of a work of art. The synthesis of tradition and innovation in Zurbarán's art, of forms that are at once timeless and tangible, perfectly expresses the spirit of Counter-Reformation theology and of contemporary Spanish society, with its faith in both mystical and earthly reality. - source

Always somewhat out of the public view, Zurbaran's work became more obscure shortly after his death:

By 1700, Zurbarán's work was already unfamiliar to collectors and the general public because most of it was isolated in churches and monasteries. These sites were looted by Napoleon's generals in the Peninsular Wars of 1808–14, which, with the secularization of ecclesiastical property in 1835, made Zurbarán's paintings better known, but robbed them of their original context and much of their meaning. - source

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Here are some works by Zurbarán:

Agnus Dei, 1635 - 1640, oil, Prado Museum - source

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The painting of Saint Luke as artist standing at the foot of Christ's cross is thought to be a self-portrait:

Saint Luke as a Painter Before Christ on the Cross, 1650, oil, Prado Museum - source

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Saint Serapion, 1628, Wadsworth Atheneum - source

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Francisco de Zurbaran, Head of a Monk, 1635 - 1655, drawing, British Museum - source

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Christ and the Virgin in the House at Nazareth, oil, 1640, Cleveland Museum of Art - source

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In addition to his religious oeuvre, Zurbaran was known for his masterful still life paintings:

Still Life with Lemons, Oranges and Rose, 1633, oil, Norton Simon Museum - source

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more:

- you can read the Metropolitan Museum catalog of the 1988 Zurbaran exhibit online, or download the pdf for free

- view Zurbaran's work online, via the listing at Artcyclopedia

- listen to a short audio reflection by artist Alison Watt about the painting of Saint Francis at the National Gallery of Art, London [this painting is the one featured at the very beginning of this post, above]

- Zurbaran entry in the Oxford Index

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Quick Takes: Feast of Saint James and Pilgrimage

Today is the feast day of Saint James the Great, the brother of Saint John the Evangelist, a fisherman before he was called to be an apostle of Christ.

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- source: British Library: BL Stowe 12, f.279v

St James was the first of the apostles to be martyred and according to tradition at some point thereafter his body was brought to northern Spain.  His shrine, the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, was a major pilgrimage destination throughout medieval times, third in significance to Rome and Jerusalem.  The Way of Saint James, or Camino de Santiago de Compostela, comprised pilgrimage routes that fanned all over Europe, all converging on Spain.  In one of those medieval displays of anachronistic artistic logic, St. James is often shown as a medieval pilgrim traveling to his own shrine, decked out with cockle shells, walking stick and drinking gourd, as in the 1320's English manuscript illustration above.

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You can find some general background on the Universalis page about Saint James:.

In every country there are churches of St James and known, well-trodden pilgrim routes. In Paris, the Tour St Jacques marks the start of the route and the Rue St Jacques points straight towards Compostela. In England, pilgrim routes lead from all parts of the country to the major ports that were used on the pilgrimage. This network of routes is a vital witness to the fact that the Middle Ages were not the static stay-at-home time that we often think them to be: everyone must have known someone, or known someone who knew someone, who had made the pilgrimage. The scallop-shell, the emblem of St James, has become the emblem of pilgrims generally. - source

http://universalis.com/20140725/today.htm

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- source

From EWTN, a documentary about the Way of Saint James:

Step into the shoes of some incredible pilgrims! Several young men relay their stories as they embark on an extraordinary pilgrimage along a historic route in Spain known as the Way of St. James. Journey for over 600 miles alongside them, and watch as “El Camino-The Way of Saint James” tests these pilgrims’ physical and spiritual limits when this documentary airs at 5:30 p.m. ET, Friday, July 25—exclusively on #EWTN! Also available through EWTN Religious Catalogue here: http://bit.ly/14jO9R2

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152297998417582

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To see a wonderful assortment of medieval images and text related to St. James and pilgrimage, click on A Clerk of Oxford's post:

Since it's the feast of St James, by medieval tradition the patron of pilgrims, here's a miscellany of texts touching on pilgrimages, roads, and seeking. - source

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Father Steve Grunow of Word on Fire has written a blog post today which gives some background of the Way of Saint James and makes some observations about pilgrimage:

this is precisely the point- a pilgrimage is not a vacation. A pilgrimage is directed by a spiritual itinerary rather than an agenda of leisure. Pilgrimages are about the hard work of conversion, and this interior crucible is externalized in the demands of the journey. The grace offered and accepted in the course of the sacred way is not easy; it is meant to further the transformation of the pilgrim- the fulfillment of which is not simply to view the relics of marvel at the splendor of a shrine, but to become a saint oneself. It is through the journey that one learns that sanctity is a possibility, not just for those men and women of renown who have had great shrines raised in their memory, but for all who would risk following the Lord, trusting in his Provident care, and surrendering to him mastery over one's life. In these respects, a pilgrimage is a concrete display of the intentionality with which all Christians are invited to live: to be called, commissioned and sent, to be a bold witness to the Gospel in word and in deed, and to remain faithful to one's mission in all circumstances.

Do read the whole thing.  It's very good and not long.

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In a characteristically-short 1 minute video reflection, Cardinal Timothy Dolan reminds us that we are all pilgrims in this life, journeying back to God:

Summer Reflections with Timothy Cardinal Dolan - Week of July 21 from itv on Vimeo.

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Here's a short blog post about Santiago de Compostela on the blog Once I Was a Clever Boy.

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more:

My husband and I were blessed to be able to travel the Way of Saint James by bicycle in 2011.  Here are some of my previous posts about Saint James and Santiago de Compostela:

- 2013 post for the Feast of Saint James

-  Quick Takes about Santiago de Compostela for the 2012 Feast of Saint James

-  Tuesday Tour of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela

-  2011 Quick Takes about the Camino de Santiago

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For more quick takes from bloggers near and far, check out this week's linkup, hosted by Carolyn of Svellerella.

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Quick Takes: Sacred Heart

In honor of yesterday's Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, this week's quick takes are links I've found this week along with photos I've taken over the years, all relating the Sacred Heart:

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18th century polychrome wood and fabric statue of the Sacred Heart in the Museum of Sacred Art in Sao Paulo Brazil

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"Popular Piety: The Sacred Heart of Jesus" on the Dominican blog Godzdogz gives a good short introduction to history and meaning of the devotion of the Sacred Heart of Jesus:

Our Lord is compassion and love. Devotion to the Sacred Heart stirs us to call upon Him who provides all things, and to dedicate ourselves to Him in loving humility. We have in the Sacred Heart of Jesus, therefore, a timeless devotion which we would do well to make our own. - source

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Chapel of the Sacred Heart in the church at the Santuário do Caraça Minas Gerais, Brazil

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Here's an excerpt from a post by Ellyn von Huben on the Word on Fire blog:

As May was the month of Our Mother Mary, June is the month of the Sacred Heart of her beloved her son Jesus. It is often said that the mother is the heart of the home. Which is not an expression I would dispute. But on the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus we honor what should be the heart of hearts in every home. - source

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side altar with statue of the Sacred Heart, Old Mission of San Juan Bautista in San Jose, California.  The mission dates from 1797.

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The Monastery of the Visitation in Mobile, Alabama is a cloistered convent of nuns.  The building used to house a school; it is now used as a retreat center.

When you enter the Visitation monastery in Mobile, a mysterious framed image of the Sacred Heart from the 19th century is the very first thing you see.  It is titled "Archconfraternity of the Guard of Honor of the Sacred Heart."  The Guard of Honor of the Sacred Heart originated in the 1860's at a Visitation monastery in France, and in succeeding decades spread through the monasteries of that order worldwide.

According to an article on the website Catholic Truths:

the Guard of Honor to the Sacred Heart—the result of an inspiration given to Sister Marie of the Sacred Heart Bernaud, a nun of the Visitation monastery in Bourg-en-Bresse, France, on March 13, 1863—as a way of keeping the Heart of Christ company, of honoring and consoling It. ... On June 7, 1862, the community in Bourg-en-Bresse was solemnly consecrated to the Sacred Heart. At the end of the year, most of the nuns in this community signed and act of abandonment to the Heart of Jesus. On the feast of Epiphany 1863, the Sacred Heart was chosen as “King of the Year.” A few weeks later, Sister Marie of the Sacred Heart had a mental vision of a dial showing the hours of the day and night. After drawing a reproduction, she wrote the words “glory, love, reparation” around it. She then put the image of the Sacred Heart in the center of the dial. On March 13th, the third Friday of Lent, the Feast of the Five Wounds of Our Lord, she brought this first dial of the Guard of Honor to her superior, who blessed it and gladly agreed to have the names of all the sisters in the community inscribed on it.

Those who wish to join this work of reparation can do so by dedicationg an hour each day to the “guard of honor.” Their name will be inscribed on the dial in the place corresponding to the hour they have chosen. During this hour, without changing their activity, they will mentally unite themselves to Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross, offering to Jesus whatever they are doing—at school, at work, reading, preparing a meal, doing errands, traveling, studying, doing a favor, praying… They will strive to think a little lore about Jesus and to make at least an act of love, and preferably a small sacrifice. But no particular action is prescribed—only goodwill is required. Thus “members” across the world will succeed each other in “standing guard” at the foot of the Cross, in the company of the Blessed Virgin, Saint Mary Magdalene, and Saint John. Jesus will not be forgotten at any hour during the day. ...

Soon, other monasteries were invited to join this spiritual movement, and the devotion spread by word of mouth to the faithful attracted to this spiritual program. At the monastery of Paray-le Monial, there was great surprise when they received the dial of the Guard of Honor, because the dial exactly like it already had been developed there. One year later, on March 9, 1864, the Guard of Honor was approved by Pope Pius IX and erected as a Confraternity, then raised to an Archconfraternity under Leo XIII on November 26, 1878. - source

 The Mobile monastery's website gives an explanation of the Guard of Honor:

The Guard of Honor, the Hour of Presence, of the Sacred Heart is a little army rallied around the Eucharistic Throne of Jesus, where hour after hour, faithful sentinels replace one another in spirit, to offer to the Heart of Jesus a perpetual homage of glory, love and reparation.

The origin of the Guard of Honor may be traced back to the first watch on Calvary, when our Blessed Lady, St. John and Mary Magdalen offered to the transpierced Heart of Jesus the first homage of glory, love and reparation.

CONDITIONS OF MEMBERSHIP:  In order to become a member of the Guard of honor and to share in the Masses and in the indulgences granted to the Archconfraternity it is necessary:

1.  To be enrolled by the General Director of a Confraternity, canonically erected, or by a Zelator, regularly authorized to receive enrollments.

2.  To be inscribed on a Dial of the Archconfraternity.

3.  To make daily an hour of guard. Those who desire to be ranked amongst the Guards of Honor of the Sacred Heart must choose an hour during which, without changing their ordinary occupations, they place themselves each day, in spirit near the Tabernacle. - source

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This life-sized statue of the Sacred Heart is in the visiting parlor of the Monastery of the Visitation in Mobile, Alabama.  In this room guests visit with the cloistered nuns who are behind a wooden grill screen.

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for more quick takes visit this week's roundup, hosted by Jen of Conversion Diary

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Quick Takes: Corpus Christi

In honor of the Feast of Corpus Christi, which was observed yesterday, this week's quick takes all relate to the feast day.  Most of them are links to Dominican sites, which is fitting, since Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church and noted Dominican, was closely associated with Eucharistic devotion.

note: I kept finding cool Corpus Christi links, so there are more than 7 quick takes this week.

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The image above, of Saint Thomas Aquinas contemplating the Eucharist is a banner from St. Rose parish in Springfield, KY.  The photo was taken by Father Lawrence Lew OP, who notes:

The texts for the Office and Mass of this feast were composed and assembled by St Thomas Aquinas, who is sometimes called the 'Eucharistic Doctor' because of his sublime teaching on the mystery of the Eucharist. To hear St Thomas' Sequence hymn, Lauda Sion Salvatorem being sung (be me!), visit this page. - source

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Brother Alan Piper, OP, offers a primer on Corpus Christi, "This Really is His Body," on the Dominicana blog:

The Eucharist contains “the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1324). This great gift is offered to us as a sacrament, that is, as a sacred, saving sign. But unlike some other signs (for instance, a photo of a loved one), in the case of the Eucharist, the sign literally involves the real presence of Christ in his humanity and divinity. This is why Catholics genuflect and kneel in the presence of the Eucharist. And this is the reason for the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament which is characteristic of celebrations of Corpus Christi. After the consecration, there is no longer any bread or wine on the altar. Jesus is there under the appearances of bread and wine, offering himself for the life of the world. - source

Dominicana is a blog of the Dominican Studium of the St. Joseph Province of the Order of Preachers.  Check out the other posts, it's well worth your time.

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Sunday was the feast day the Dominican Contemplative nuns at Corpus Christi Monastery in Menlo Park, California.  Here is the invite to their celebration as posted on their blog.  

more:

- The monastery of Corpus Christi is a strikingly beautiful place, which I featured here on the blog last spring.

- In addition to reading about the nuns on their blog, you can also follow them on facebook.

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On the English Dominican Studentate blog, Godzdogz, Luke Doherty OP posted a short piece on Corpus Christi, focusing particularly on the Eucharistic procession that is traditionally associated with the feast day:

Many Christians find themselves in horrific situations, and are often unable to express their faith, their solidarity with the Lord. Let us give thanks that God has given us the liberty to praise him in our streets. We pray for those who are persecuted for the Faith, particularly the Dominicans and other Christians who remain in Iraq, who are unable to process through the streets for fear of violence or intimidation. For what is inside that monstrance in today's processions is a pledge and sign of our unity, a hope of the future when we shall all be one. - source

more:

- why is the blog called "Godzdogz"? click here to find out!

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And for a final Dominican link: on the blog of the Western Dominican Province, there is a Corpus Christi post by Father Michael Hurley OP about Eucharistic miracles and Corpus Christi:

As we celebrate this feast, let us rejoice in the gift of the Eucharist. We know that as incredible as Eucharistic miracles can be, it is not because of such miracles that we believe. Miracles are not the cause of our faith. To those who believe no miracle is necessary. Rather, such wonders confirm or witness to our belief. They rouse us and encourage us in living our faith. They quell doubts. So, like that monk of Lanciano, if the Eucharist is a difficult or doubtful part of your faith, you are not alone. Remember that most of Jesus’ disciples left Him precisely because He said, “If you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you” (John 6:53). Yet, Jesus does not call his friends to “take and understand, but “take and eat.” When we come to Mass free from serious impediment and sin, let us be prepared to be nourished by His life-giving body and blood. In the Eucharist, Jesus feeds us, so that we can feed others. We receive what we believe so we can be what we receive. - source

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Three years ago, my husband and I celebrated the Feast of Corpus Christi on the Camino de Santiago de Compostela in Spain.  Here's my post about that day.

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On the Word on Fire site Father Robert Barron has posted two videos about the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist,

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The site New Liturgical Movement has several posts for Corpus Christi, including one that collects historical images of Corpus Christi processions.

The featured images were gathered from an Italian blog called Scuola Ecclesia Mater which posted historical images of the Papal Corpus Christi procession, and also Corpus Christi processions in general.

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Pope Francis delivered the homily at the Thursday Corpus Christi Mass in Rome:

“Besides physical hunger, people have another hunger, one that cannot be satisfied with ordinary food,” the Pope said yesterday. “It is the hunger for life, hunger for love (and) hunger for eternity.” - source

To see a video of the Rome Eucharistic procession and Mass, click over to Salt and Light TV's site.

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Over at the blog Supremacy and Survival, Stephanie Mann wrote a post that ties together Corpus Christ and the English Martyrs Thomas More and John Fisher whose feast day fell on Sunday:

Henry VIII, even though he separated himself and his country from the universal Catholic Church, continued to defend the Church's teaching about the Holy Eucharist. Even as he sentenced Sts. John Fisher and St. Thomas More to death, commuting their sentences from being hung, drawn, and quartered to being beheaded, he had those who denied the Real Presence sentenced to being burned alive at the stake. What the holy martyrs knew, however, was that without the unity of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church the reality of the Holy Eucharist cannot hold. While Henry VIII held on to Christ's teaching about the Eucharist as His body and blood, necessary for communion with Him in His Church, Henry's Anglican Church would soon deny it (during the reign of Edward VI in Archbishop Cranmer's Book of Common Prayer). - source

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For more Quick Takes, visit the linkup, hosted this week by Kathryn at Team Whitaker.

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Images of the Trinity

In honor of the Feast of the Trinity, today's quick takes relate to depictions of the Trinity in Western art.  Last year's Trinity Sunday post explained the way that the Eastern Churches show the Trinity in the guise of the Hospitality of Abraham.

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The blog A Clerk of Oxford has a marvelous Trinity post, featuring a medieval carol and several medieval images of the Trinity in English manuscripts.

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For some Italian examples, see Depictions of the Trinity, on the blog Idle Speculations

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In the course of my travels in Germany, I photographed several painted examples of the Trinity.  In all of them, God the Father holds the suffering or crucified Christ, with the dove of the Holy Spirit hovering nearby.

The first is a 13th example, from a panel painting in Berlin's Gemaldegalerie:

c.1250, Westphalian

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Lucas Cranach the Elder, detail of the Trinity from The Dying Man,  c1518

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Lucas Cranach the Elder, The Trinity worshiped by Mary and Saint Sebastian, c1518. Berlin, Gemaldegalerie

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Cathedral of St. Mary, Erfurt, Germany

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Master of the Darmstadt Passion, Trinity, c1440-1460. Berlin Gemaldegalerie

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Linking up with Quick Takes, hosted this week by Kathryn of the blog Team Whitaker