Friday, October 25

iThis should be interesting: Call to Action meets in Milwaukee next week
Rabbi makes documentary on Jewish-Catholic relations.
The end is near.

I'm sitting here watching Fox News and there's an ad for a new album by Rod Stewart on which he sings old pop standards. You know - It Had to Be You, Moonglow,and so on. What's next? Mick Does Gershwin?

From the Tablet , a very interesting look at Yves Congar's recently published diaries of the Second Vatican Council
Assisi website brings out the poet in actor Roberto Benigni

Roberto Benigni, who won an Oscar for the film "Life Is Beautiful," has written a poem on peace for the official Web site of the Basilica and Sacred Convent of St. Francis of Assisi. Like hundreds of others, the comedian and film director responded to the initiative launched on the Internet site of the Conventual Friars ( here ), by sending "an e-mail message of peace," said Father Enzo Fortunato, director of the convent's press office. When he opened his e-mail messages on Wednesday, Father Fortunato was surprised to find a poem sent by Benigni himself.

Well, that's sad.
Tim Ferguson writes to ask about Fr. Zlatko "I Have a Cross on My Head" Sudac. As long term readers know, I linked to several accounts of his visit to NYC and environs many months ago, and expressed skepticism. Some who have attended the Masses he celebrates speak very highly of the experience. Any more insights that our reader can pass on? A website dedicated to Fr. Sudac.
Many thanks to Jeffrey Overstreet for linking my Philip Pullman piece at his great review and commentary site Looking Closer.
Good news: Arts and Letters Daily is back!
From NRO: Concerns about the State Department's (of course) possible blind eye towards Chinese repression of religion.

Concerns over an apparent Foggy Bottom policy shift were prompted two weeks ago, when John Hanford, U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, told a congressional committee that Chinese officials are willing to permit their young to participate in religious Sunday schools and youth camps.

Given the reality of the PRC's official and often-brutal campaign and policies against believers, Hanford's comments (at the House Subcommittee on International Relations and Human Rights' hearing on the department's 2002 International Religious Freedom Report) took aback the regime's critics, who expect the State Department to challenge PRC claims — about Sunday school or anything else — without overwhelming evidence.

With Hanford's testimony coming just two weeks before premier Jiang Zemin's visit to the U.S., the mood among activists was disappointment over a lost opportunity, and confusion as to whether the State Department was glossing over the PRC's ugly record.

Today we remember the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales as a group.

There is a Bendectine Convent now located at the Tyburn Tree, the site of many of these martyrdoms. They have a lovely website here.

Announcement!

You all are cordially invited to the 1st annual St. Blog's Cruise.

Come with us as we enjoy the ocean breezes, warm sun and ports o' call at the famous islands of St. Linkme, St. Paypal and the daily morning stop of Checkmycounter Bay. For a mere $4.57, you will enjoy all of this plus experience Life with Famous Catholic Bloggers. I can't speak for the others, but I know you won't want to miss time watching the proprieters of In Between Naps and Annunciations sitting in a stupor on deck chairs discussing how long the baby slept the night before and scraping off the Cheerios smashed into their shorts. Definitely a fun-filled week!