cath-lic

[cath-lic]

everyone in the world is either a democrat or a republican. everyone in the whole wide world is a democrat and a republican and america is the largest and most populous country in the world and america is easily the most culturally diverse country in the world because the middle class white people in my state (like a little country) are very different than the middle class white people over there (another little country, once more called a "state") and you could never understand how bad it is in america, the main country in the world. where are you from again? it's bad in america and america is bad but the way that america is run is the only way a country could possibly be run unfortunately. i don't like it but it's the only right way for a country to be run and you don't get it because the main victims of the main country are all here and you aren't. where are you from again? they never told me about that place. i don't think you get that real people live in america. probably because you're a republican. real people live in america and real people are hurt by america but what can you do? god said america has to be like this. god said this because god is real so god is american. you don't get it because you're over there and we're all here in america, the realest country in the world. where are you from again? how can you talk like this with what's happening in america? you're a democrat, right? where are you from again? my country is so large it stretches over yours and presses down hard. it's not my fault that they never told me about that place. my country covers the world. you don't understand how bad this will be for real people in the real world, the first world, the only world. they never told me—where in america are you from again?

[cath-lic]

Got a free bible from the street preachers today they were like are you trying to reconnect with god and I was like no… I just collect free bible… not very pleased with that answer unfortunately but I was already away…. Got em again… #win #hallelujah

[cath-lic]

I thought today - the TV show I'd really like to see is one about a medieval monastery.

You could have all kinds of characters: the pious guy who joined because he wanted to serve God, the son born out of wedlock sent there to cover up his parents' shame, the geek who wanted to study Latin but couldn't afford to go into university, the former knight sick of violence and afraid for his soul... Plus monasteries were centres of pilgrimage and places where criminals could take refuge, so we can have a lot of characters who crop up for a few episodes and leave.

Some plotlines I thought of:

Our relics aren't bringing in the pilgrims the way they used to - what do we do?

A women fleeing an abusive marriage has taken shelter in the monastery - how will the brothers respond to having a women in their midst?

One of the monks wants to leave - will the abbot accept or not?

A murderer has taken refuge in the abbey, and the abbot decides to try and save his soul - what will happen?

People are coming to the monastery for food during the famine, but the monastery is itself short of food - how will this be dealt with?

War has broken out between two local lords, and the monks attempt to broker a treaty - will it work?

I've already mentioned some reasons why I think this setting would lend itself to television, but I'd also love to make it for two other reasons:

Get people to understand how weird medieval religion could get, but also that, within its own frame of reference, it was a reasonable and consistent belief system.

Show people that the Middle Ages consisted of more than just muddy people stabbing each other and burning scientists at the stake.

[cath-lic]

garden variety conservative transphobia is going to get worse but radical feminism is also going to get worse. if youre a cis women terfs are going to try to recruit you and make you believe that the reason your rights are at stake is because of trans people. they're going to tell you that all men are your violent oppressors and they're going to include trans women in that category. they're gonna tell you about women who are gender traitors and joined the enemy and they're going to point to trans men. don't believe them. trans people are not your enemy, we have no power over you, and we desperately need your support and your solidarity.

be aware of radfem pipelines and dog whistles too. be skeptical of anyone that talks about the divine feminine or correlates birthing, menstruating, or female reproductive organs with womanhood. be especially skeptical of people who use those biological things as reasons to why women are more spiritual, or more in tune with nature, or just that they're better than men (read: anyone they decide is a man)

radical feminism is an expected reactionary outcome from cis women who are being oppressed by conservatives, especially when all they practice is ciscentric, liberal, white feminism. they feel the need to be radicalized but don't have the experience and information to pinpoint the true source of their suffering. trans people are not your enemy, AMAB people are not your enemy, anyone who identifies as a man is not your enemy. we're all being crushed under the same stone

[cath-lic]

I'm so genuinely heartened to see Pope Francis make this statement for the dignity and sanctity of Palestinian life.

The "Nativity of Bethlehem 2024" unveiled by Pope Francis, crafted by Palestinian artisans from Bethlehem, shows the infant Jesus laying on a Keffiyeh.

Around the star of Bethlehem above are the words "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men" (Luke 2:14) in both Latin and Arabic.

The Pope also made this statement:

It's so important this Advent to remember that Jesus was a Palestinian Jew, and that there is an ongoing genocide against the very people through which He came to us. We cannot contemplate Biblical Bethlehem without remembering the horrors that plague modern day Bethlehem.

On a personal note, as a trans Catholic-in-training, I've been pretty disappointed with Pope's public statements recently on issues such as trans rights, so I'm glad to see him make a stance on the right side of history.

[cath-lic]

Redeemer in the Womb: Jesus Living in Mary, by John Saward

[cath-lic]

Douglas Blanchard, The Passion of the Christ - A Gay Vision, Part I

[cath-lic]

GUYS

My teacher recommended me a bible website, and it's the coolest thing ever

Basically, it's called Catena, and the gist is that for every verse of the bible you can click on it and see commentary from TONS of scholars across the centuries

the funniest part is that it's formatted like a comment section so it looks like all these massive scholars all got together and commented on the bible

which they did (communion of saints my beloved)

BUT ANYWAYS yeah I just felt that this should be shared with you all :)

[cath-lic]

I sincerely believe there is a gap in genres between Novels Using Catholic Aesthetic and Catholic Novels.

Like, a Catholic Novel is similar to a Catholic film. It’s primarily consumed by people who are active Catholics looking for Catholic media that reflects or enforces their beliefs.

Now, Catholic Aesthetic appears a lot in other genres, perhaps especially horror. The terror of exorcism, or the piety/remorse associated with the confessional or a cathedral, for example. They all make for great imagery and typically attract non-Catholic audiences, and sometimes Catholics are actually offended by inaccuracies or contradictions to the catechism.

BUT. SOMETIMES. As somebody who studied Catholic apologetics in college (literally defense of the faith) and now lives a relatively secular life but keeps rosaries and incense on hand, I feel like Catholicism has so much history and superstition that people DON’T lean into because most people stop at that obvious imagery so they can appeal to a wider audience.

More horror about relics! Their bones live in the crosses of Christ’s crucifixion! The virgin mother weeping blood! The sheer bodily horror of developing spontaneous stigmata! More crucifixion and burning alive and impaling yourself on the sword of martyrdom! More horror of Felicity and Perpetua! More horror of Saint Joan! More horror of seeing a stag in the woods bearing a glowing orb of the Holy Ghost in its antlers! It’s demons, it’s ritual, it’s spirits, it’s eldritch, Lovecraftian horror at it’s best!

That! Shit! Fucks!

[cath-lic]

christ taking his heart out of his side wound to hand it to st. catherine of siena

in a hagiography of st. catherine of siena, alsace, early 15th c.

source: Paris, BnF, ms. allem. 34, fol. 54r

[cath-lic]

step father

when Mary

had finished her labor

lying weary and cold

on the straw

there was no one to heat water

to wash the child

but him.

no servants to bring silk

to comfort the maiden,

no hands to hold the child while she washed

but his.

hands too rough to hold God.

but, God, there were no other hands.

the baby was so small and perfect

that he could not have imagined it was anyone but God.

and so Joseph knelt when he lifted Him.

the sweet child was crying.

how to make Him still?

a faint instinct-memory

of the comfort of great and secure hands

arose in him.

Joseph set one thumb

upon Jesus' cheek - his only son.

and Jesus' face turned into it instantly

with a heart-breaking confidence of love.

for Joseph had loved Adonai confidingly all his life:

since kneeled, early-morning lisped prayers, eyes turned upwards

but had never known before the awful joy

of being loved confidingly

by God.

to have God

in one's own arms

so small

one's own child

in all the ways that mattered.

so while Mary slept at last

Joseph held God

in his arms

to keep Him warm.

[cath-lic]

more cishet people should crossdress. builds a vibrant ecosystem

[cath-lic]

I think you can tell a lot about how rigorous and committed someone's belief in a human right is by how quickly they are able to name people who they think could or should have that right taken away.

[cath-lic]

in da church… we all fam

[cath-lic]

Title: Night Angel Holding a Waning Moon Artist: William Morris (English, 1834-1896) Date: between 1857 and 1869 Genre: religious art Period: Victorian Movement: Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood; Arts and Crafts Movement Medium: watercolor, ink, graphite, and collage on mold-made paper Dimensions: 34 cm (13.4 in) high x 8.6 cm (3.4 in) wide Location: Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX

[cath-lic]

[cath-lic]

The Virgin Mary by José Luis Castillo