On 03 March 1845, the German mathematician Georg Cantor was born in St. Petersburg. In 1862, he entered the Federal Polytechnic Institute in Zurich, eventually becoming a member of the mathematics department. At the death of his father, he left Zurich for Berlin where, in addition to his mathematical interests, he began to study philosophy …
Fifty Years Ago, Swimming the Tiber Was Good. Now…
It's that time of the decade again. As I noted ten years ago, fifty years ago today (on the Feast of Christ the King no less): On a very nice South Florida November afternoon, I took my baby blue Pinto on the very short drive to St. Thomas More Parish and, with just me and Fr. Connolly there, I took …
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The Challenge from Aquinas That Changed Mathematics
A few years back, in my post If You Really Want to Get Into Trouble, Read the Mediaevals, I quoted Carl Boyer's A History of Mathematics as follows: The son Georg (Cantor) took a strong interest in the finespun arguments of medieval theologians concerning continuity and the infinite, and this militated against his pursuing a mundane …
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Anointing of Jesus Christ. His Royalty. His Genealogy. His Priesthood. — The Bossuet Project
In this week Bossuet shows the nature of Jesus Christ from a human standpoint. Many of the earlier elevations discuss his divine origins, but now Bossuet connects him with Israel’s institutions: its monarchy, its priesthood, and its own bloodline, which were necessary preparations for his mission. The elevations: Anointing of Jesus Christ. His Royalty. His […]Anointing …
In Celebration of the Ordination of Calvin Robinson – a brief catechesis following St Luke- Gavin Ashenden. — Gavin Ashenden
Following this reading from the Gospel: Luke 2:41-52 The Boy Jesus in the Temple 41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42 And… Continue reading → In Celebration of the Ordination of Calvin Robinson – a brief catechesis following St Luke- Gavin Ashenden.In Celebration of the Ordination of Calvin Robinson – a brief catechesis …
The Contrast Between the Giving of the Law and the Coming of the Holy Spirit
From Bossuet's Elevations on the Mysteries: To publish the Gospel law, he renewed these four things, but in a much more excellent way. The work began with a great noise: but it was neither the violence of thunder, nor the sound of trumpets, as we hear in a fight; the noise which God sent was …
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Why They Should only Hate a Few Old White Men — Gavin Ashenden
On Saturday mornings my youngest daughter (who was at Beaulieu as a teenager) and I have taken to having zoom calls with coffee, so we… … 13 more wordsWhy They Should only Hate a Few Old White Men — Gavin Ashenden
The Fast and Temptation of Jesus Christ
In this series of elevations Bossuet explores Jesus’ time in the wilderness, his fast and his encounter with Satan, who tempted him. It includes his …The Fast and Temptation of Jesus Christ
The Canonisation of Charles de Foucauld, and Bossuet’s Elevations on the Mysteries
Today Charles de Foucauld is being canonised. The Frenchman who turned away from God and then back toward him in a way that led to his martyrdom in Algeria in 1916 will now be known as St. Charles de Foucauld. I've noted my own contact with Muslims over the years, but in the case of …
Bishop Rick Stika Keeps His Priests Down
The cry for relief goes unanswered: Priests of the Knoxville diocese asked a papal representative last year for “merciful relief” from the leadership of Bishop Rick Stika. More than six months later, they have received no response to their request, and there has not been any conclusion to a Vatican investigation into Stika’s leadership.“Our experience …
Positive Infinity 