It might seem perverse to describe the death of a painfully frail 95-year-old man as a uniquely sad event. But in the case of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI we have to consider the poignant and unsettling circumstances in which he died. I was in St Peter’s Square on 10 April, 2005, when the words “Josephum… The …
Christmas: The Beginning of the Gospel
Again from Bossuet's Elevations on the Mysteries: The beginning of the Gospel is in these words of the Angel to the shepherds: I announce to you, word for word, I evangelize you, I bring you the good news, which will be the subject of great joy, and it is is that of the birth of …
The Song of the Angels
From Bossuet's Elevations on the Mysteries: Glory to God, the highest of the heavens, and peace on earth to men of good will. Peace is proclaimed throughout the earth: the peace of man with God through the remission of sins; the peace of men among themselves; the peace of man with himself, by the concurrence …
The Baptism of John and the Baptism of Jesus Christ
In the Communion Gospel this Sunday from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, we have this in part: And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom …
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Georg Cantor and infinity
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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Positive Infinity 