Oh Dear!

A recent contribution by Joee Blogs which itself links to a posting by Fr Ray Blake says so much about what is wrong about the preoccupations of many of those who contribute to St Blog's Parish...and many others besides, I suggest.

Of course seeking the Truth is central to our earthly pilgrimage; but isn't there something written somewhere about the Truth and charity? Oh, yes, there is: in his Letter to the Ephesians, St Paul writes, “let us proclaim the truth in charity and grow to the full maturity of Christ the head” (4:15).

Look at these links and tell me where you can discover charity? For the life of me I can't.

Lovers of Futility!

'O men, how long will your hearts be hardened, will you love what is futile and seek what is false?'

With apologies to Fr Tim Finigan!

Caption Competition II

After enduring a particularly long Wednesday Audience, His Holiness repairs to the Vatican's new portable convenience.

Now here's my challenge:

1. Post your own caption.

2. Can anyone tell me what that thing is?

(With thanks to The American Papist for the image!)

Michael Collins

A story on the BBC today refers to the production by an American-based company, of a whiskey named after the Irish republican leader Michael Collins. It seems that the tipple was launched on St Patrick's Day but the issue is only just coming to the fore. A group of local politicians in Collin's home county of Cork have condemned the decision to name the drink after Collins as being 'in poor taste'. Better the decision than the whiskey I suppose!

Anyway, I thought it was a good excuse the upload an image of Collins lying in state. This famous painting is by Belfast-born artist, Sir John Lavery, and is entitled Love of Ireland.

The Emperor and the Pope

On this day in 1804 Napoleon Bonaparte was crowned Emperor of France. If you examine David's painting of this event you will notice the then Pope, Pius VII, sitting in the background. Some accounts indicate that the Pope was meant to crown Napoleon but at the appointed time the French general took the crown from the Pope's hands and crowned himself. More recently Frederick J Baumgartner suggests in his book, Behind Locked Doors, that the events that took place on that day were previously arranged. In any case, the Pope looks pretty glum!