New article on The Catholic Novel by Matthew Anger. It's seldom that Seattle Catholic posts an article about Catholic literature, so I thought it worthy of note.

"While the famous French novelist Georges Bernanos did not like "preachy" writers, he was equally offended by authors who claimed to be Catholic but whose writings betrayed sin and despair. He was a harsh critic of the controversial works of Francois Mauriac. For him, Mauriac was "the tortured author of so many books in which despair of the flesh sweats on every page, like muddy water from the walls of a cellar." Needless to say, the moral climate of fiction writing has not generally improved since Bernanos' day."

"As Flannery O'Connor explains, the Catholic artist can only address mature themes when his (or her) approach is both religiously and morally mature. "Do not make the absurd attempt," she says, "to sever in yourself the artist and the Christian. They are one, if you really are a Christian." It is this very fixity on metaphysical grounds that allows one greater freedom aesthetically without being hampered by false, worldly standards."

- My little sister, who is part of the children's chorus singing the Te Deum in Tosca.

Everyone cheer for my little sister! Her choir is singing with the San Jose Opera Company. They are the little altarboys singing at the news of Napoleon's defeat.

Imagine this as the church (sketch from the premiere).

Sweet!

It's too bad I can't be here for the performances. This song is so beautiful:

Vissi d'arte, vissi d'amore,
non feci mai male ad anima viva!...
Con man furtiva
quante miserie conobbi, aiutai...
Sempre con fe' sincera,
la mia preghiera
ai santi tabernacoli salì.
Sempre con fe' sincera
diedi fiori agli altar.

(alzandosi)

Nell'ora del dolore
perché, perché Signore,
perché me ne rimuneri così?
Diedi gioielli
della Madonna al manto,
e diedi il canto
agli astri, al ciel, che ne ridean più belli.
Nell'ora del dolore,
perché, perché Signore,
perché me ne rimuneri così?

This is hilarious.

If watching Gandalf take out Michael Moore with his staff would make your day... this is the short to watch.

"Is it true you're building the next Death Star in Mexico?!"

"Saruman... Sauron... Susan Sarandon... salamander... Saruman..."

"And where was Aragorn while the storm clouds gathered? Up North, smoking the pipeweed."

*(If you want to see my pictures of Old Saint Mary's, they are here at Fiddleback Fever.)



The Saint John the Evangelist Library is finally open!



Standing in the piazza, in front of the column of Our Lady of Christendom.



Archbishop O'Brien, blessing the statue.



There were people standing all the way around the piazza...



The fireworks were set off in Campion Field.



Looking down into the Rotunda


Afterwards we all sang the Salve Regina...



Inside the Rotunda.



The inner doors. The tympanum-thingie over the doors is inscribed with a quote from Fides et Ratio.



The window showing St. John the Evangelist and the eagle at the height of the ceiling. Both images are from the Book of Kells.



Reference desk and Circulation (to the left).



To the right: cool painted sign with donor names on it.



The periodical section. There will be a balconey outside. (which they better build soon, before some tipsy freshman walks outside and kills himself.



Bust of John Paul II by H. Reed Armstrong.



The most gorgeous carrels you've ever seen. The woodwork in the library is amazing - all cherry and walnut...



The carrels go all the way around the library, on two floors!
My mom: "It makes you want to sit down and study! Harvard's carrels were junk compared to those. I want one!"



Towards the front















Fireplace outside the board room



Rare Books room at the Rotunda end of the library.



Signed copy of Wise Blood. They also had a another book signed by Flannery O'Connor and a letter of hers that has never been published.



15th century painting of Our Lady of Christendom



Computer lab downstairs



Beautiful view...


That's all. I hope Picasa doesn't shut down my account. Whew...

Quotes regarding the library from various freshmen:

"I feel like I've been given a million dollars!"

"Can I set up a sleeping bag in the corner and live here?"

I share both sentiments.

Io! I'm home from school for a week! And Picasa works here! So I'm going to post a bunch of pictures I took at school. First, here are some pictures I took on the anniversary of the battle at Lepanto. Ambrose read out GK Chesterton's great poem down by the Shenandoah, while a group of students listened raptly...


Heading into the mysterious greenwood, haunt of Mexican bandits and
Friday-night revellers.


Setting the scene...


"It is he that saith not 'Kismet'; it is he that knows not Fate;
It is Richard, it is Raymond, it is Godfrey at the gate!
It is he whose loss is laughter when he counts the wager worth,
Put down your feet upon him, that our peace be on the earth."


The participants.


Next year I want to fix up a lot of canoes with flags and oars and stage the battle out on the river. Now that would be fun! The only difficulty I see: No one would want to be the Turks.