9th daily sayings of light and love (St John of the Cross)

Those who fall alone remain alone in their fall, and they value their soul little since they entrust it to themselves alone.

Confession- looking into the eyes of God

Just thinking of our strange interplay of Church and State in Ireland.  Politicians keep declaring that this is a "Republic" with a big capital R and a confused notion that being a republic implies secular, agnostic, anti-Catholic etc. when in fact in our constitution all powers in the State come from the people "under God". 

And yet they seem to claim a special seat at church services.  At the recent episcopal ordination in Cobh Cathedral both the President and Taoiseach were represented by their Aides-de-camp.  Why were they invited in the first place?  Will this continue post abortion-legislation?

Tomorrow's Irish Catholic has a story about the launch of a new book, "Confession:  looking into the eyes of God", by Fr Paul Farren.  For some reason Minister Simon Coveney is there.  Perhaps he's a friend or relative.  But here's the thing.  Speaking at the launch he "described himself as a Catholic and a regular Massgoeer but admitted he had not been to confession in quite a few years".

It would have been great if he had then continued that his book had inspired him to return to the sacrament.  Alas not.  What he did say was:

"This book talks about how confession is not about the procedure but about what is in your own head.  This is powerful stuff, which gets you thinking more about your relationship with yourself.  It challenges the decisions we make."

Interesting, but hardly Catholic. 

8th daily sayings of light and love (St John of the Cross)

The virtuous soul that is alone and without a master is like a lone burning coal; it will grow colder rather than hotter.

7th daily sayings of light and love (St John of the Cross)

A tree that is cultivated and guarded through the care of its owner produces its fruit at the expected time.

Sign petition against EU funding of embryo research

There is a new online petition up and running which I encourage you to sign here.  Click on your country of residence and fill in all your details.  There is a requirement that your privacy be respected.

The “One of Us” campaign launched this month calls for the European Union to stop funding efforts that destroy pre-born life, including groups that perform abortions in developing countries.

You can read more of the background here and here.

A Noble Treason - White Rose

It's documentary night in our house, i.e. my good wife has control of the remote and isn't letting go.  First we had a documentary on the evil of Weightwatchers programmes, then we had an exposé of private companies providing activation support in the UK for the long-term unemployed.  Now it's on viruses, how they live, spread, effect us, get inside our bodies.

So I've made the tea and taken refuge in the computer.

I've just finished "A Noble Treason" by Richard Hansen, the story of Sophie Scholl and the White Rose resistance movement in Nazi Germany.   From the Amazon description:

Sophie Scholl and her brother Hans were handsome, bright university students in 1942 Germany. As members of the Hitler Youth, they had once been enthusiastic supporters of the German renewal promised by National Socialism. But as their realization of Nazi barbarism grew, so did their moral outrage.

Hans and Sophie formed a small group of like-minded friends, which initially included two medical students, a student of philosophy, and a fifty-year-old professor. They self-identified as Christians from various traditions--Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodo--and they called themselves the White Rose. In a darkened studio lent them by an artist, they printed eloquent anti-Nazi leaflets, which they ingeniously spread throughout Germany.

A Noble Treason tells the true story of this underground group at the University of Munich that instigated, organized, and carried out the first overt resistance to Hitler's regime. What gives A Noble Treason its unforgettable and inspiring quality is the personality, character, and courage of the White Rose members, as they resisted the pull of wartime patriotism and overcame their fear of the terrible price they would pay for their dissidence.

The story of the White Rose is one of faith-inspired idealism in deadly conflict with ideological tyranny. Its theme is the ultimate victory of that idealism despite its bloody--and seemingly final--destruction by the state.

Christoph Probst was received into the Church shortly before he died, making his first Holy Communion just hours before his execution.  He wrote to his sister:

I go to my death free of all hate.... Never forget that life is nothing if it is not a continual growing into love and a preparation for eternity.

Some follow up googling on Johann Reichhart, the executioner, revealed he carried out more than 3,000 executions.  After the war he continued as executioner for the Allies.  A strange amoral job.  Like other well known executioners he prided himself on doing a quick and clean job, that this was humane.  He always dressed impeccably, including wearing a top hat.  An innovation he introduced which you can see in the video, was to do away with the former practice of strapping the victim to a board which would be then lifted into place.  In his executions the victim lay down, held in place by two assistants and was executed very quickly.  This very bizarre website offers museum quality guillotine models, and a detailed history of guillotines.  There are some photos of severed heads but there is a warning before you see them.

6th daily sayings of light and love (St John of the Cross)

Whoever wants to stand alone without the support of a master and guide will be like the tree that stands alone in a field without a proprietor.  No matter how much the tree bears, passers-by will pick the fruit before it ripens.