mattersofthemoment

Pope Francis will visit the Auschwitz Extermination Camp this Friday.  I am delving into what went on there.  Here are a couple of books of interest on this subject.  Note, neither book is morbid but well worth the read.

I read Primo Levi’s book first that tells his personal story of surviving for over a year in Buna-Morowitz Concentration Camp in Poland (Auschwitz 3).  He is an Italian Jew chemist who survives by being chosen to work in the laboratory from which he could steal food and fuel for barter.  The most harrowing part is perhaps the last chapter dealing with how several hundred sick prisoners survive a week in January after the departure of the SS and before liberation by the Russians.  This is after 10,000 “healthy” prisoners are marched off to the west by the Nazis, never to be heard from again according to the author.

There is not a lot of mention of the gas chambers nor of God in this book.  Nevertheless it is a classic for the way it describes what happens to man when all comfort, hope, compassion – humanity in short – is removed from one’s life.  For example, those who kept asking questions or tormenting themselves about their condition, tended not to survive.  Those who deadened themselves to all feeling, obeyed and guarded their light, tended to survive.

A few quotes:

“There was little sexual perversion.  Even in his dreams, the prisoner did not concern himself with sex.  Perhaps in part due to the general preoccupation with getting enough food.”

In 1955 my Dad received the following letter.

He had joined the Rivermead Golf Club in Aylmer, (now Gatineau) Quebec.  A life long golf nut, I am not sure where he played in the intervening years after the McKellar Park course that he grew up beside, closed in 1952.  I am now the proud owner of his membership share.

Yesterday I made the pilgrimage to play the Rivermead course with 3 friends for old time’s sake.

My Dad was a member for 10 years until his untimely death from cancer in 1965.  He played Rivermead 3 times a week.  I was his caddy several times and have fond memories of those days and the club at that time.  There were no electric carts in those days.  Everyone would walk, some carrying their golf bag and some using a pull cart.  I remember arriving with Dad and someone would pull his clubs out of the storage shed and shine them up.  There were dozens of employees serving others in this way.  It was a privileged life style.  We would then head out on the course walking.  There was a lot of banter among the group.  The one phrase I remember when someone sank a long put was “Lafayette, we are here!”

After the game I would be given a coke and a snackbar to enjoy outside while the men had a beer.  I also remember big pitchers of shandy – beer and ginger beer that my Dad let me try on a hot day.  It was the best of times.  All winter long Dad would read books on golf and strengthen his grip with rubber dog bones.  Periodically, he would exclaim, “I’ve found the secret!” (to improve his game for next year’s playing.)  I think he shot in the low to mid 80s – not bad for a weekend golfer.

So yesterday in the blistering heat, here we are at the club, teeing off on this iconic golf course founded in 1910.  Of course I flubbed my tee shot – I was just too flooded with memories.  The course (unfortunately for me) was totally redesigned in the 1980s, so all the holes and layout have changed from what I remember.

The course is in immaculate green condition with baby skin fairways and extremely fast greens.  In the heat and wind it played long.  I found a bit of my game on the back 9 but failed to break 100.  It was a great day with a great bunch of guys.  Thanks Dad for the memories and thanks Steve, Larry and Tony for sharing this memorable day with me.

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This is an interesting book on the relatively recent awakened ecumenical consciousness of the Roman Catholic Church.  The author traces in detail the history of schisms and the protestant reformation before going on the explain what dialogues are now firmly underway between the Church and various other Christian churches.  The guiding vision of “koinonia” he explains, is about building relationships with God, one another and the world rather than insisting on “a return to” or seeking only to reestablish the primacy of the Pope over all Christians.  It was the Vatican II Council that set this new tone and direction with such documents as Unitatis Redintegratio (Decree of Ecumenism) (http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19641121_unitatis-redintegratio_en.html ) The theologian Yves Congar is quoted many times and given much credit for this awakening.

While there is considerable hope for reunification between the Roman Catholic and Orthodox faiths, contemporary barriers to additional progress are many.  The nature of ecclesial communion remains a big stumbling block.  Catholicity requires communion i.e., union of all the local churches and with the church of Rome.  Congregationist and other non-episcopal churches have only loose bounds to each other by their very nature.  Ministry including recognizing the orders of other Christian communities, the role of women, marriage of clergy as well as the effective functioning of the papacy in a world community of churches, requires much much more investigation.  Finally, the presence of neoconservative movements is without doubt, antiecumenical and can impede progress.

The aim of intereligious dialogue is different.  The Church holds dearly that there is only one redeemer of people, Jesus Christ.  But the Church professes in Nostra Aetate (Relation of the Church to Non-Christain Religions) ( http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decl_19651028_nostra-aetate_en.html ) that God has a means of extending salvation to members of other faiths by means we may not fully comprehend.  A second conciliar teaching is that the right to religious freedom has its very foundation in the very dignity of the human person.  It is acknowledged that these non-Christian religion do immense good in this world.  Consequently the Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in them.

The author falls short of mentioning what can and is taking place between the Church and members of Traditional Religions (native African and other indigenous peoples religions).

I found this book informative but was disappointed that there is no call to action for lay people.  There is little or no mention of the appropriate role of the laity in ecumenism and interfaith dialogue.  Such dialogues are going on between committees of church authorities and theologians behind closed doors.  While progress is being made, it is not something we hear about on Sunday morning.  We are increasingly aware of such organizations as the World Council of Churches and the annual prayer service for Christian unity.   However at the local level, we are often not sure of ourselves and may look to our clerics for direction.  Perhaps there is need for a sequel on how lay people can take more control and get involved in the ecumenical movement.  This could help us ward off the troubling trend we see around us that “a stranger is an enemy”.  It also might help families deal better with mixed marriages, multiple religious traditions and neigbours in our increasingly pluralistic world.

(ISBN 1-58051-056-6 , 1999)

As I was reading this prayer this morning I was thinking it was written by a Saint or someone like Henri Nouwen.  To my surprise, it was composed by an unnamed Confederate soldier, presumably during the U.S. Civil War 1861-65.

As America seems to be at war with itself again, it is a great prayer I thought worth sharing for its humbleness and hope.

From Magnificat Year of Mercy Companion 2016

The Call to the Bar is the 0fficial ceremony welcoming a new lawyer into the profession.  There used to be a bar or railing dividing students from practicing lawyers that students literally crossed over when they had completed all the requirements to practice.  The certificate of practice granted signifies the new lawyer’s competence to advocate or argue on behalf of another person in a court of law as a barrister (attorney) and also to practice as a solicitor in commercial or family law.

We saw no evidence of a bar in the ceremony we attended for our son Kyle but plenty of evidence of some very talented youth being called.

Now that we have been home more than a week, we have some further thoughts on our recent Avalon Waterways European river cruise vs. the previous ocean cruises that we have taken.

If you are looking for sightseeing, a river cruise is excellent for that.  If you are looking for relaxation, we would recommend an ocean cruise.

We say this for a number of reasons:

1. The river ship has limited facilities and space.  E.g., there was a single hot tub on the Avalon Artistry II that was rarely open.  The clearance restriction below the low bridges on the Main River necessitated its continuous closure.  The whole sky (top outdoor) deck was closed most of the time for similar safety reasons.  Hence if you stayed back on the ship rather than go ashore, there was very little to do.
2. We all ate at the same time for dinner.  There is little flexibility as there is only a single service.  While we always had good seats and service, there was always a rush of folks to get to their favorite table which we found a bit nerve-racking at times.
3. We opted for the Cat D cabin without the floor to ceiling windows which slid open.  We found the cabin too small for 2 people at 172 sq. ft.  Our friends the Clarke’s invited us to their Cat C “balcony” cabin and it felt much more spacious at 200 sq. ft..
4. River cruises are naturally port intensive.  Every day we had one and sometimes two excursions lasting 2 to 3 hours.  There was a lot of walking up and down stairs and hills and usually on cobblestones.  It was exhausting!  We were amazed at the stamina of our fellow guests, many several years older than we are (mid sixties).  However by the end of the week, I think it is safe to say we were all pretty exhausted and in need of some down time!
5. The excursions run on a tight schedule.  Bathroom breaks could be as much as 2 hours apart.  Furthermore, if you did not have coins for entry, you would start to panic.  There was little accommodation for people with mobility issues.
6. The ocean cruise ships by their nature have many more public spaces, more flexibility in dining time (usually) and more “sea-days” to unwind, enjoy the ship and simply relax.
7. The 45 locks or so we went through became repetitive. We often found ourselves staring at the dripping concrete side wall of the lock, only 18″ from our window.

What we liked on Avalon:

• the service and staff were great, going out of their way to ensure we had a good time and everything we needed – great sense of humour
• the entertainment was surprisingly good – a couple of local singer music nights that got us up and dancing on our tired feet
• the educational aspects – overall the quality of the tour guides and on-board speakers was excellent – we learned a lot about history, art, architecture and people
• wine was included with dinner
• happy hour every evening was great
• you can bring your own wine etc. on-board for consumption in your cabin
• a couple of theme meals e.g., German sausage with music/costume were well done

Suggestions for improvement:

• offer at least one spa day excursion, i.e., a half day visit to a local spa where you can sit and relax and soak those feet rather than walk, walk, walk
• the ship needs more public space(s) just to get away from the crowd and relax a bit
• at least one “river day” where you simply cruise and rest those weary feet
• security seemed lax at times, it looked pretty easy for anyone to walk on board and not be challenged while we were in port
• make it clearer up front that this is a “walking excursion” cruise and not suitable for people with mobility issues or weak bladders
• a little less detail – sometimes the tour guides were too detailed
• the white wine should be colder
• the tapas night was disappointing, nothing really appealed to us

Would we go on another river cruise? Not likely unless it was a more relaxed pace or a particular theme or region we felt called to.  We prefer the increased flexibility, comfort, relaxation and incognito privacy of the larger ocean-going ships with greater choice of dining times, locales to hang out in and more sea days.  Depends what you enjoy and are willing to pay for.

As I was praying for Poland, I heard the words: I have a special love for Poland, and if she will be obedient to My will, I will exalt her in might and holiness.  From her will come forth the spark that will prepare the world for My final coming.

St. Faustina Kowalska, Diary, 1732 – Divine Mercy in My Soul

Nothing could be truer based on all we saw, felt and learned while in Poland.  Everywhere we went the churches were filled with people praying or in Mass.  The grave sites in Poland are a marvel to see.  All spit, polish and decorated with flowers and even some burning candles.  The Poles honour God, their families, the Church and their ancestors.  It is a lesson for all of us.

We celebrated 15 Masses in 14 days on our pilgrimage.  Some of these were in the most hallowed of places e.g. in the Chapel of our Lady of Czestochowa.  Pope John Paul II on this shrine:

“Czestochowa is a special place for all Poles. Here stands the national shrine called Jasna Gora – the Bright Mountain.  This name refers to the light that dispels darkness.  The source of this light is the presence of our Lady in her miraculous image.  Faith of Our Lady’s protection gave us the strength to outlast and triumph over a terrible Swedish invasion, the Nazis and the Communists.  Poland has not perished nor will it perish because Poland believes, Poland prays, Poland has the Bright Mountain.

Communist Party authorities knew what Jasna Gora meant to the Poles. Cardinal Primate Wyszynski and the Polish episcopate initiated a national pilgrimage with the Black Madonna to visit every parish and community in Poland.  The Communist authorities tried to stop it by “arresting” the icon.  The pilgrimage continued with the empty frame for the next 25 years! The frame with no picture was a silent sign of the lack of religious freedom. This strengthened the resolve of the Polish people to pray fervently for its restoration. All Polish Catholics make the pilgrimage to Czestochowa.”

John Paul II, Rise, Let us be on our our Way, 2004

We saw it, we breathed it, we knew it.  Their example has strengthened our resolve not to take our Faith Nor our Church for granted.  We will try to be better Christians, better Catholics, better people.  Poland is the Spark.

Excursion to Versailles
Louis 13 ‎articulates his will in his personal hunting camp called Versailles. Louis 14 at 7 or 8 marvels at the little palace his dad has built in the forest swamp. After an unsuccessful insurrection at the Louvre, young Louis IV says he will built a great palace castle at Versailles to escape the city.  In 1660 he takes over a neigbouring noble’s castle and builds his castle over the next 50 years.

Louis 14 is a musician, an artist, a dancer dies in 1715. His grandson takes over until 1784. 1789 French Revolution, Louis 15 arrested. Versailles becomes a glorious museum to exhibit the splendour of France.‎ Used to be 850 but now down to 120 hectares. We enter on a marble staircase to the hall of assemblies with huge paintings. Then the hall of Hercules a huge vaulted ceiling fresco. Louis XIV attends Mass at least 4 times a day we learn. We move thru a series of rooms from Baroque to Rococo styling. We marvel at the Hall of Mirrors. We learn LIV was oversexed and had a series of health issues. Apparently he rarely bathed and smelt quite bad. Nevertheless he outlived all his children to die in 1715.

LXV liked art and certain women. More modest, he ends up paying the price for his grandfathers’ opulence as the French Revolution breaks out in 1789.

Morrison‎ Hotel
Marie humours me for a visit to the Doors Jim Morrison’s grave site. We find it but not that of Edith Piaf nor Amadio Modigliani. We take the metro back and do some shopping. We take a look in the Notre Dame de Travail church. Inside it is constructed with visible steel columns and arches held together with rivets. It was constructed by the men who built the Eiffel Tower.

We finish with a blow out group dinner in a busy street followed by some dancing to a great RandB group. We stroll an extra block to get one last view of the Eiffel Tower lit at night. Bon soir.