a voice from eden

view of Eden from space

noreply@blogger.com (dixerit) — Mon, 9 Jul 2012 02:45:00 -0700

The Holy See on the death of Osama Bin Laden

noreply@blogger.com (dixerit) — Thu, 5 May 2011 11:42:00 -0700

“This morning, following the killing of Osama Bin Laden, the Director of the Holy See Press Office, P. Federico Lombardi, issued the following statement to reporters:

Osama Bin Laden - as everyone knows - has had the gravest responsibility for spreading hatred and division among people, causing the deaths of countless people, and exploiting religion for this purpose.

Faced with the death of a man, a Christian never rejoices, but reflects on the serious responsibility of everyone before God and man, and hopes and pledges that every event is not an opportunity for a further growth of hatred, but of peace.”

The Cambridges coming to California

noreply@blogger.com (dixerit) — Thu, 5 May 2011 10:56:00 -0700

Check this out from the newly-weds' site. They're coming to California. Now whatever did we do here in California to deserve this?

Benedict beatifies John Paul

noreply@blogger.com (dixerit) — Sun, 1 May 2011 09:30:00 -0700

noreply@blogger.com (dixerit) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 16:10:00 -0700

Yes, I would be doing cartwheels too out of relief after taking part in a royal wedding.

from Mount Teide in Spain by Terje Sorgjerd

noreply@blogger.com (dixerit) — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 23:19:00 -0700

The Mountain from Terje Sorgjerd on Vimeo.

on St. Thomas Aquinas

noreply@blogger.com (dixerit) — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 10:08:00 -0800

The Church owes a lot to this great saint and theologian we commemorate today, St. Thomas Aquinas. In the past, whenever there was a controversy within or outside the Church, questioning a teaching or a theology of the Church, such as the Protestant Reformation, the response of the Church was to always go back to the theology and the writings of Thomas Aquinas. Such was the soundness and the clarity of his work, that the Church during controversial moments in its life, could go to Aquinas and rely on the rich work he left us as a defense and support for the faith. If you go to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and count the number of times Thomas Aquinas is mentioned, he is mentioned at least 60 times.

One of the things he taught is how God is present. In his masterpiece, the Summa Theologica, he wrote that God is present in three distinct ways. First, God is present and exists in Himself, He is the beginning and end of all things, so all creatures come from and depend upon Him. Secondly, God is present through grace in the life and activity of Christians, of the saints. Finally, God is present in a very special way in the person of his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Sacraments which come from Christ’s work of redemption: the sacraments of which this, the Eucharist, is the source and summit of our prayer life.

And he taught that faith and intelligence or reason, such as that found in science, are not contradictory. Faith and reason are not at odds with each other, but rather both reflect and serve the truth, He who is the Truth and the Way and the Life.

But what distinguishes Thomas, in addition to his work, is his humility. This great mind knew that Wisdom, spoken of in the first reading, can only be attained by a heart and mind that is docile to God’s word and prompting in one’s heart, a heart and mind that is humble to God’s word, to what God want us to do and be in our life….exalting Him, not ourselves. Without that humility, there can be no wisdom. In fact humility is the door to wisdom. Humility is the door to Christ, for it is Christ who is the fullest revelation of the Wisdom of God.

In June of last year, Pope Benedict in weekly General Audiences spoke about St. Thomas. I would like to share some of his words here because talks about Thomas’ humility which lead him to seek he who is Wisdom itself:

“The last months of Thomas' earthly life remain surrounded by a particular, I would say, mysterious atmosphere. In December of the year 1273, he summoned his friend and secretary Reginald to inform him of his decision to discontinue all work because Thomas had realized, during the celebration of Mass that everything he had written until then "was worthless". This is a mysterious episode that helps us to understand not only Thomas' personal humility, but also the fact that, however lofty and pure it may be, all we manage to think and say about the faith is infinitely exceeded by God's greatness and beauty which will be fully revealed to us in Heaven….

The life and teaching of St Thomas Aquinas could be summed up in this story about him. While the Saint was praying before the Crucifix in the early morning in the chapel, the sacristan, overheard a conversation. Thomas was anxiously asking whether what he had written on the mysteries of the Christian faith was correct. And the Crucified One answered him: "You have spoken well of me, Thomas. What is your reward to be?". And the answer Thomas gave him was what we too, friends and disciples of Jesus, should always want to tell him: "Nothing but Yourself, Lord!"

Pope Benedict baptizes a baby on this Feast of the Baptism of Jesus

noreply@blogger.com (dixerit) — Sun, 9 Jan 2011 19:06:00 -0800

What's he gonna do with that gavel

noreply@blogger.com (dixerit) — Wed, 5 Jan 2011 11:36:00 -0800

We're not going to play politics here at Voice from Eden, but I just noticed this amusing pic of the incoming Speaker of the House John Boehner holding aloft the gavel, with the outgoing speaker Nancy Pelosi apparently making a final point. New year, new House.

Happy New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (dixerit) — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 18:43:00 -0800

Merry Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (dixerit) — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 09:44:00 -0800

Diplomat Spiller's Cable

noreply@blogger.com (dixerit) — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 22:16:00 -0800

[Your humble blogger received an unexpected message the other day. Apparently, someone decided to leak to us some diplomatic cables. They seem to be written by a diplomat named Spiller, who is some deputy secretary. In the interest of transparency and openness in our institutions, I will choose to share with you some of these texts.]

CONFIDENTIAL 01 OF 03 ROME 003585
VT
E.O. 45678: DECL: 19 APRIL 2005
SUBJECT: ELECTION OF A NEW POPE
Classified By: Deputy Secretary A.E. Spiller

Whoa! We totally didn’t expect that outcome. All our bets were either on a cardinal from one of the Latin American countries or on an African.

Speculation now is what is in store for the Church: Latin Masses, a pulling back from Vatican II, the return of the camauro. [What’s a camauro, anyway?] Expect a cracking down on dissenters and a continued hardline policy on condom-use, relations with other Christian denominations, female ordinations, and abortion.

Talk among our Vatican experts is that the cardinals elected an interim caretaker to the papacy, an “interregnum” between the popular John Paul II and perhaps a younger successor when this new papacy ends.

So, there should be no expectation of new and dramatic initiatives during this papacy, vis-a-vis relations with other Christian denominations such as the Anglicans, or the Eastern Orthodox. Expect nothing new coming down the pike on Catholic-Islamic relations either. Basically: expect no major waves in the Church during this new papal reign. Expect nothing earth-shattering.

The previous pontiff’s shoes would be tough to fill: here is a bookish academic succeeding in the role once filled by a photogenic superstar.

And diplomatically, expect no major changes in U.S. and Holy See relations.

Wikileak cable on Prince Charles?

noreply@blogger.com (dixerit) — Thu, 2 Dec 2010 15:28:00 -0800

Is anybody else reading these Wikileak cables? They can be some of the most interesting reads you’ve had in a long time. It’s like reading the Enquirer for those working in the U.S. State Department or in any foreign diplomatic corps.

There are bits about the French President Sarkozy and the Italian President Berlusconi.

I am not going to moralize on the morality of spilling state secrets. My theory is that they wouldn’t be out there if nobody in the State Dept. hierarchy didn’t want them spilled. Know what I'm saying?

Just a sample of what these leaked cables contain:

The Commonwealth Political Director Amitav Banerji admitted to a State Department official that when Queen Elizabeth “passes” talk of who would be the next head of the Commonwealth could be on the table. Why?

According to Banerji, the “heir-apparent to the British Crown, Prince Charles, does not ‘command the same respect’ as the Queen and said the Commonwealth was trying quietly to get him more involved in Commonwealth affairs.”

Poor Prince.

News is that there are confidential cables from the U.S. Embassy in the Holy See that are also being leaked. Those apparently are forthcoming.

We Speak No Americano

noreply@blogger.com (dixerit) — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 19:52:00 -0800

Why is this video on this here humble blog? It's about love, Italian immigration, misreported theft, wedded bliss. Plus, this is what I heard all of Europe was dancing to this past summer. Start dancing.

Vatican comments on Pope's remarks in Peter Seewald's book-interview

noreply@blogger.com (dixerit) — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 14:48:00 -0800

The spokesman for the Holy See, Fr. Frederico Lombardi, issues a statement concerning the Pope's recent remarks which appears in an upcoming book "Light of the World," which features interviews of the Holy Father by Peter Seewald. The Pope in Seewald's book comments on the use of condoms, a comment which has been making the rounds in the media these past couple of days.

Lombardi: "At the end of Chapter 10 (Chapter 11 in the English edition) in the book, 'Light of the World,' the pope responds to two questions about the struggle against AIDS and the use of the condom, questions that refer back to the discussion that followed the pope’s comments on this topic during his trip to Africa in 2009.

The pope underlines clearly that, at that time, he did not want to express a position on the problem of condoms in general, but he wanted to affirm strongly that the problem of AIDS cannot be resolved solely with the distribution of condoms, because much more must be done: prevention, education, assistance, counsel, being close to people, both so that they do not become sick, and also in cases where they are sick.

The pope observes that even in non-church circles a comparable awareness has developed, as is seen in the so-called ABC theory (Abstinence-Be Faithful-Condoms), in which the first two elements (abstinence and fidelity) are much more decisive and fundamental in the struggle against AIDS, while the condom appears as a last resort when the other two are lacking.

It should therefore be clear that the condom is not the solution to the problem.

The pope then takes a wider view and insists on the fact that concentrating only on the condom signifies the 'banalization' of sexuality, which loses its meaning as the expression of love between persons and becomes like a 'drug.' To fight against the banalization of sexuality is 'part of the struggle to ensure that sexuality is treated as a positive value and to enable it to have a positive effect on the whole of man’s being.'

In the light of this ample and profound vision of human sexuality and its modern challenges, the pope reaffirms that the church 'of course does not regard (condoms) as a real or moral solution' to the problem of AIDS.

In saying this, the pope is not reforming or changing the teaching of the church, but reaffirming it by putting it in the context of the value and dignity of human sexuality as an expression of love and responsibility.

At the same time, the pope takes into consideration an exceptional situation in which the exercise of sexuality may represent a real risk to the life of another person. In such a case, the pope does not morally justify the disordered exercise of sexuality, but maintains that the use of the condom to diminish the danger of infection may be 'a first assumption of responsibility', 'a first step in a movement toward a … more human sexuality', as opposed to not using the condom and exposing the other person to a fatal risk.

In this statement, the pope’s reasoning certainly cannot be defined as a revolutionary shift.

Numerous moral theologians and authoritative ecclesiastical figures have maintained and still maintain similar positions; however, it is true that until now we had not heard them expressed with such clarity from the mouth of a pope, even if it is in a colloquial, and not magisterial, form.

Benedict XVI therefore courageously gives us an important contribution that clarifies and deepens a long-debated question. It is an original contribution, because on one hand it maintains fidelity to moral principles and demonstrates lucidity in refusing an illusory path like 'faith in condoms'; on the other hand, however, it shows a sympathetic and far-sighted vision, attentive to discovering small steps — even if they are only initial and still confused — of a humanity that is often spiritually and culturally impoverished, toward a more human and responsible exercise of sexuality."

the stuff that makes for a voice from eden

noreply@blogger.com (dixerit) — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 21:08:00 -0800

This is the stuff that makes for a voice from eden: a man and a woman in love. Prince William of Wales and Kate Middleton have announced their engagement today, and we are happy for them. This is what we are all about here in AVE.

Just a caution to you folks in the press and in the media out there: she is not going to be "Princess Kate" or "Princess Catherine." Technically she will be "HRH Princess William."

Now, if the Queen were to decide to give him a title, most likely a ducal one, she would then become, "HRH The Duchess of Somewhere."

So, a good and safe subject to talk about (forget "How long is their marriage going to last?") is "What title might the Queen give her grandson, an heir presumptive?" Ducal titles that have been given within the UK royal family, and are currently vacant, include: Ross, Clarence, Albany, Sussex, Cambridge, Connaught, and Strathearn. Any of those would work.

sign of the times

noreply@blogger.com (dixerit) — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 08:28:00 -0800

Poor sister having to submit to the indignity of an enhanced TSA pat-down. I have been traveling a lot lately, and had thought that a man wearing a collar might be spared the groping if I were to opt-out of the scanner.

No one is spared it seems. I heard on the radio today that even Betty White was patted down enhancely the other day. Now that's over the top.

the station at Poroy

noreply@blogger.com (dixerit) — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 21:12:00 -0800

I reach the station at Poroy an hour and a half early. Looked for a newspaper, couldn’t find any. The station is empty, but for an attendant sweeping. She is impressed by my Spanish.

“¿Por que estas en la estación antes de tiempo?”

I replied in my gringo Spanish that my host called the taxi a bit too early, thinking that I would be taking the earlier train.

At half past eight, attendants were on the move. A table was set with flowers and glasses at the platform. Champagne and a sign-in book were brought in.

I saw school-age kids trooping down through the gate and then huddled at the side of the station: the girls in red monteras and beaded polleras, and some of the boys wearing máscaras with mustaches drawn in.

I board the train first with a glass in one hand, the only passenger who has shown up so far. The cabin is as pristine and posh as any from the Orient Express.

I glance through the window and I see a van pull up the station: more passengers arrive.

The music began to play, the dancers emerge from their corner.

"Me llamo Juan Diego. Soy invidente."

noreply@blogger.com (dixerit) — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 11:00:00 -0800

My name is Juan Diego. I am blind.

Always "con sinceridad"

noreply@blogger.com (dixerit) — Mon, 8 Nov 2010 23:04:00 -0800

Walking along Avenida Roland in this corner of South America, I glanced at the couple across the avenue and at the sign above: “Salude con sinceridad.”

I remember her quite well: one of the many folks who walk in and out of Church on Sundays, and occasionally on weekdays. She would wear her green felt hat, sometimes her beret. At her direction I had a ready smile, at the chance she’d glance my way and say hi or shake my hand.

One day after Mass she passed me by. I saw her lips move: perhaps a faint greeting, “hello.” I smiled and nodded and whispered my salude.

Then she returned and spoke to me.

“How come when I said 'hi' moments ago you did not acknowledge me?” she accused.

“Oh, but I did. I smiled and nodded.”

“Oh ok. Well, thank you.” And she walks away.

I was just greeted by one of ours wearing her black beret, who sees me at Mass daily, without even a glance my way. “Con sinceridad,” the sign said.

I kept on walking along the dirt road to catch my train.

Chatting along Avenida Roland

noreply@blogger.com (dixerit) — Mon, 8 Nov 2010 10:24:00 -0800

Mire con amabilidad, salude con sinceridad, obre con generosidad: "Look kindly, greet with sincerity, work with generosity."

Once In Royal David's City

noreply@blogger.com (dixerit) — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 01:57:00 -0800

Ubi Caritas (Choir of King's College)

noreply@blogger.com (dixerit) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:21:00 -0800

planned parenthood director leaves

noreply@blogger.com (dixerit) — Mon, 2 Nov 2009 20:49:00 -0800

twin baby boys laughing at each other

noreply@blogger.com (dixerit) — Sat, 16 May 2009 23:57:00 -0700

Now, could there be anything cuter than this?