Thursday, February 28

Done. I can't believe it, but I got the whole book review article written, which was preceded, of course, by two days of non-stop reading, including an eight-hour marathon spent on Ireland's Holy Wars: Struggle for the Soul of a Nation 1500-2000, which is not exactly light reading. If you're interested in either Irish history or Catholic matters past and present, check it out, though.

The other book was a dramatic contrast: The Monks of Tibhirine about the seven Trappist monks kidnapped and beheaded in Algeria in 1996. The question both books raise is: how can strong adherents to different religions co-exist? The issues raised are about fear, domination, humility, the relationship of religious faith to social, political and cultural structures and power. One might argue that the monks' way, which was the way of simply loving as Christ loved, can't be the answer the question of co-existence since they were robbed of existence. But then, we're moved to ask again, is that finally the point? Is that what Jesus calls us to? Cling to earthly existence no matter what the price to our souls or cost to others? Or does he call us to something different?

Famous last words: Washington Archbishop tells area Catholics not to worry about any sex scandal in their archdiocese. No, I don't know anything, but I'm just sayin'. Famous last words.