Samhain

Samhain was the old Irish term for the end of the summer and the beginning of the dark part of the year. This beginning of the dark time of the year was a time of fear, for the evil spirits of Ireland would roam about looking for unsuspecting souls to capture. So to help illumine the night, and to scare away the dead, bonfires and Jack-O-Lanterns (in turnips...pumpkins are the American vegetable of this tradition...they also are a lot roomier) were set ablaze in hopes that the dead would become scared and confused. People would also dress up differently than usual, using masks and other means of deception in the hope that the dead would not recognize them.

Not all customs were aimed at fooling the dead. Cakes made especially for the dead were often set out so that the dead would have something nice to eat, and would busy themselves with the tasty treats rather than bother stealing souls. Another Irish custom is to leave out a bowl of cool water on the feast of all souls, so that the wandering souls of purgatory would be able to quench their thirst for a brief spell.

Many of the old druidic rituals were baptized when the Irish converted to Christianity. These traditions are still very much alive in Ireland, as well as wherever the Irish ended up, as can be seen in the American tradition of Halloween. Albeit, the American rendition of Halloween is a far cry from its original pagan and devout Christian origins, it non-the-less maintains many of the key elements...in the highly commercialized way that everything in America is now.

So have fun! Carve a pumpkin to keep away the spirit, have a bonfire if you can, and don't forget to kind to the good souls that roam at this time of year...but remember your holy medal at all times, lest the headless horseman come to steal your soul or the Puca come and play a trick on you!

For Monica...

Terpsichore is the greek muse of Lyric Poetry and Dance. Her name translates to "delight of dancing" from the greek τερπέω ("delight") and χoρός ("dance"). She is one of the nine muses, daughters of Mnemosyne (memory) and Zeus according to the Theogony by Hesiod. She is often depicted in art with a lyre and people dancing (as can be seen in the lower right of this picture).

O Muses, o high genius, aid me now!
O memory that noted what I saw,
Now shall your true nobility be seen!

-Dante

Ugh...

It's midterms...and I am officially underslept (is that a word?...oh well, this is not a test). I don't have the time or the patience for a real post...but I hope to return to boring you all soon (thats what the pictures are for...to make the blog interesting). Anyway...I have to go sing on three hours of sleep...and I am so thrilled, can't you tell?

Mid-terms...proof that there is purgatory...

North American Martyrs

Today is the feast of the great Martyrs who gave their lives for the Natives of North America. These eight martyrs, six priests and two lay men, where all martyred in what is now modern day Ontario and Upper New York state. The names and dates of martyrdom of the Saints are as follows:

• St. Rene Goupil (September 29, 1642)
• St. Isaac Jogues (October 18, 1646)
• St. Jean de la Lande (October 19, 1646)
• St. Antoine Daniel (July 4, 1648)
• St. Charles Garnier (December 7, 1949)
• St. Neol Chabanel (December 8, 1649)
• St. Jean de Brebeuf (March 16, 1649)
• St. Gabriel Lalemant (March 16, 1649)

They ministered to the natives of North America (chiefly the Huron Tribes) and are responsible for the conversion of many of the peoples of New France (St. Jean de Brebeuf alone is responsible for around 7,000). They established many missions in the territories of New France in a reletively short period of time, showing their great zeal for their mission to the Indians
The base of operations for the Jesuit Missionaries to New France was built on the banks of the Little Wye River within sight of the Georgian Bay of Lake Huron. This sight lies at the foot of a large bluff on which now stands the Shrine of the North American Martyrs in Midland, Ontario. The mission itself, Sainte Marie au pays des Hurons, has been reconstructed on the original foundations at the bottom of the bluff. While only lasting a short ten years (1639-1649), this mission was the home to the heroic saints who brought the gospel and salvation to hundreds of Indians in the region and are the spiritual foundation of Catholicism in many parts of Canada and the United States.

Of particular interest is their impact on the church in Michigan. Although most of the missions founded by martyrs themselves were detroyed, the successors of these early missionaries continued their task and established many other missions in the Great Lakes region. Some of these missions were the foundation of some of the modern day dioceses in the area, namely Chicago, Marquette (Sault Ste. Marie), and Grand Rapids.

Through the blood of the martyrs comes the life of the Church, and so it is too these men that we North Americans owe a great dept for the great treasure of the faith that they worked so hard to preserve and pass on so that we could reap the benefits of their labors today.

"I will take from your hand the cup of your sufferings and call on your name:

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus"

-St. Jean de Brebeuf - from the Office of Readings

New American Saint

"The saint is that man, that woman who, responding with joy and generosity to the call of Christ, leaves everything to follow him,"

Pope Benedict XVI's above comment was part of his address at the canonization mass of four new saints on October 15 in St. Peter's Square. One of these new saints is Mother Theodore Guerin, a French nun who founded the Sisters of Providence in 1840. Moving to the wilderness of Indiana, Mother Guerin founded an academy for girls, which today is St. Mary-of-the-Woods College, the oldest Catholic liberal arts college for women in the United States. She died in 1856, after many years of poor health, rugged living conditions and lack of resources. Despite the hardships, however, she drew strength from her faith and her desire to serve God.

Cardinal Francis E. George of Chicago, and Cardinal Salvatore De Giorgi of Palermo, Italy, were the main concelebrants at the papal Mass. Joining them were five other U.S. bishops from Indiana and Illinois who concelebrated the Mass, which was attended by some 125 Sisters of Providence, dozens of students from St. Mary-of-the-Woods College and 45 pilgrims from the newly renamed St. Theodore Guerin High School in Noblesville, Ind.

In his homily, the pope said, "With great trust in divine providence, Mother Theodore overcame many challenges and persevered in the work that the Lord had called her to do. By the time of her death in 1856, the sisters were running schools and orphanages throughout the state of Indiana." It was in the Eucharist, in prayer and in her "infinite trust in divine providence," the pope continued, that Mother Theodore found the "strength and audacity" to carry out her mission.

Her Feast is October 3.

The Four Seasons

Michigan expierienced some rather interesting weather today. In Detriot today we had a freak flurry's on the blizzerd scale, intermitent with patchy cloudyness, mild sunshine and the occasional rain. The whole day could pretty much be summed up thus...

A day passed..."Winter changed into Spring. Spring changed into Summer. Summer changed back into Winter. And Winter gave Spring and Summer a miss and went straight on into Autumn."

Wish I was home though...in Grand Rapids the lake effect had snow falling all day and there is already standing snow on the ground! Here in Detroit the snow just melted between the sporadic blizzerds...and the place remains as ugly as ever.

Irish Saint of the Day

St. Cainnech (also known as St. Canice in Ireland or St. Kenneth in Scotland) was one of the early monastic missionary saints of Ireland. Son of a Bard, Cainnech was born in Dungiven around the year 525. He raised sheep early in life and later studied in a monastery with fellow saints Columba and Ciarán and Comgall. He left Ireland for Scotland with St. Columba and helped found the missionary monastery of Iona.

Not much is known about him, but in true Irish fashion, every hamlet has their story about him. One story about his missionary work in Scotland relates how King Brude of the pagan Scots attempted to kill Cainnech and so end his mission. At the prayer of the saint, the Kings arm was paralyzed and would not move until he was baptized. He died in Scotland around the year 600, and is still highly regarded in that country as well as his native land.

The town of Kilkenny is named after the saint due to the monastery, founded by the saint, that gave rise to the modern town named after the saint (Cill=Church + Cainnech=Church of St. Cainnech). The cathedral that marks the spot today was built in 1285, and is still very lovely, despite being desecrated by Oliver Cromwell (of hated and damnable reputation) and used to house his horses. Unfortunatly, as is the case with many of the ancient Irish cathedrals, the infidels still maintain ownership of the cathedral...someday we will get it back!

Some Humour to Brighten the Day

The Irish are a strange folk...they treat a joke as a serious thing, and a serious thing as a joke.

• Irish whiskey was first developed for its medicinal benefits. It's just lucky for the rest of the world that the Irish are such a sickly bunch.

The question was asked of anIrishman: "What is the difference between a joist and a girder?" “Well, sure anyone would know that,” he replies. “Joist wrote Ulysses and Girder wrote Foust"

Irish Realities:

Notice on a Cork building site:The shovels haven't arrived, and until they do, you'll have to lean on each other.

Sign on an Irish gate:The farmer allows walkers across the field for free, but the bull charges.

Sign on a Kinsale shop: Out for lunch. If not back by five, out for dinner also.

Road sign to a village in Co. Kerry: "Inch, 1 mile."

The following is a list of actual notes from medical records, as dictated by physicians:

1. While in the ER, she was examined, X-rated and sent home.
2. By the time he was admitted, his rapid heart had stopped, and he was feeling better.
3. Discharge status: Alive but without permission.

Irish Fathers:

Murphy said to his daughter, "I want you home by eleven o'clock." She said, "But Father, I'm no longer a child!" He said, "I know, that's why I want you home by eleven."

A man said to the wittiest priest of his day, "I wish you were St. Peter." "Why?" asked the priest. "Because," said the man, "you would have the keys of heaven, and could let me in." "It would be better for you," said the priest, "that I had the keys of the other place, for then I could let you out."

Father O'Malley was going through the post one day. Drawing a single sheet of paper from an envelope, he found written on it just one word: "FOOL." The next Sunday at Mass, he announced, "I have known many people who have written letters and forgot to sign their names. But this week I received a letter from someone who signed his name and forgot to write a letter."

The Irish and the Hereafter

The Irish, being a people of an ancient Catholic tradition mixed with a native genius, have created a culture of unique spirituality. I recently came across a rather interesting medivel poem written by an Irish monk. The poem is as follows...
Cormacus scripsit

Cormacus scripsit hoc psalterium

Ora pro eo qui legis hec

Ora procese qualibet hora

Translation...

Cormacus wrote

Cormacus wrote this psalm

Pray for him you who read these [words]

Pray for yourself at any hour

I found it interesting how this monk, Cormacus, thought of an interesting way to ensure that he would be prayed for after his death. This hymn is included in an old medieval psalter (I am not sure if it was supposed to be in there...but maybe he was worried about his soul?) and displays a uniquely Irish way of thinking concerning eternity. They don't seem to care how they get there, as long as they get ther dag-nabbit! It's pure genious as well...I think that I will have a prayer with me in it put on my tomb stone...every little bit helps!

This Song is beautifully sung and arranged by the

Irish choral group Anúna (pictured at right in Glendalough). Mark Rutherford introduced it to
me on my recent trip to Ann Arbor. If you can find it, this piece is well worth the listening!